Checking Out "The Intercomm" [html]
I should probably check out the CPS "Intercomm" more often, since it sometimes includes interesting items about what's going on around CPS. Some recent items include:
*$50,000 Grant from Motorola to Benefit City Science Fair
*400 CPS, Local Students Perform at Chicago Symphony Center
*King College Prep Sends All Students To College (For A Day)
*Spry Community Links High School Grads
*Book Worm Angels Donates One Millionth Book at McKay Elementary
*Carson Elementary Hosts “Walk to School Day” Event
*Someone You Should Know
Sure, it's all "good" news. But you can learn something from it still. [/html]
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Mon Nov 19, 2007 at 3:41 PM
Checking Out "The Intercomm"
If they had an RSS link on it, I'd look at it all the time.
One needs a regular dose of good news to keep oneself going.
One needs a regular dose of good news to keep oneself going.
Sat Nov 24, 2007 at 7:45 AM
Checking Out "The Intercomm"
I wish Calvin Davis would spend more time trying to actually improve Sports Administration, and less time on public relations. Our CPS sports program, once a powerhouse in the state, has become diminished almost to the point of no return. The elementary sports program is particulary disorganized, the step-child of the system.
Sat Nov 24, 2007 at 12:09 PM
Checking Out "The Intercomm"
I have been having some ideas for the past couple of years to develop fully self-sufficient CTE programs that are not dependent on funding or support from outside your school.
In this way we are not beholden to anyone except the students who would actually be running their own CTE programs (wood working, fashion design, culinary arts,.....)
If the students drive the instruction and help the programs become self-sustaining, as with some examples in LA and New York schools, then we do not have to keep begging for supplies and equipment from some bureaucratic machine that is in place to maximize the amount of money not given to local programs within the schools where the students are. I had a good mentor once who told me he never asked down town ETC for anything and he did not have to. His program helped the local community so much the principal gave him whatever he needed and the local businesses were involved in keeping the program up to date. In this way the CTE program truly served the community and students while keeping the hands of downtown out of the business.
Yes, I mean business! All CTE program to be authentic should be producing money for their students just as they would if they were in the “real world.” The funny thing is school is the real world. It is the disconnect that large organizations, such as CPS downtown offices have by imposing their will and whims on local communities to justify their own jobs and self-spending.
There area few steps programs need to take to get out of the yoke of the central office. Have I done it? NO not yet, I may be one or two years away from completely becoming self-sustaining and not dependant on any funding from downtown. It is a process, but it can be done. It is like a baby being weaned off its mother’s milk, it is painful but necessary for the baby to become an independent person.
You are saying “To much trouble, What for?” Job protection! Imagine if your programs made money teaching kids how to make money in their respective careers. You could pay your own salary and the salaries of students who could help you teach the class and even expand the program and enrollment.
Again, it is not easy and can not be done overnight, but it is possible. The top CTE programs in the country are doing it. There are steps we teachers need to take to put in the foundations for a self-sustaining CTE program within your school. Those interested send me a private reply (NOT HERE IN THE PUBLIC POSTING SECTION) or leave me a message 5-0921. Maybe we can get a support group going to take our programs to the level that CTE programs around the country are going.
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In this way we are not beholden to anyone except the students who would actually be running their own CTE programs (wood working, fashion design, culinary arts,.....)
If the students drive the instruction and help the programs become self-sustaining, as with some examples in LA and New York schools, then we do not have to keep begging for supplies and equipment from some bureaucratic machine that is in place to maximize the amount of money not given to local programs within the schools where the students are. I had a good mentor once who told me he never asked down town ETC for anything and he did not have to. His program helped the local community so much the principal gave him whatever he needed and the local businesses were involved in keeping the program up to date. In this way the CTE program truly served the community and students while keeping the hands of downtown out of the business.
Yes, I mean business! All CTE program to be authentic should be producing money for their students just as they would if they were in the “real world.” The funny thing is school is the real world. It is the disconnect that large organizations, such as CPS downtown offices have by imposing their will and whims on local communities to justify their own jobs and self-spending.
There area few steps programs need to take to get out of the yoke of the central office. Have I done it? NO not yet, I may be one or two years away from completely becoming self-sustaining and not dependant on any funding from downtown. It is a process, but it can be done. It is like a baby being weaned off its mother’s milk, it is painful but necessary for the baby to become an independent person.
You are saying “To much trouble, What for?” Job protection! Imagine if your programs made money teaching kids how to make money in their respective careers. You could pay your own salary and the salaries of students who could help you teach the class and even expand the program and enrollment.
Again, it is not easy and can not be done overnight, but it is possible. The top CTE programs in the country are doing it. There are steps we teachers need to take to put in the foundations for a self-sustaining CTE program within your school. Those interested send me a private reply (NOT HERE IN THE PUBLIC POSTING SECTION) or leave me a message 5-0921. Maybe we can get a support group going to take our programs to the level that CTE programs around the country are going.
Sun Jan 20, 2008 at 4:09 PM
Checking Out "The Intercomm"
Kat,
You seem a little mistaken about sports. When was the Pubic League a power in any sport other than basketball? They are currently the reigning state champions in b-ball for the 2nd consecutive year. They have never in history won a state football championship, but did win a prep Bowl in 2005, a tennis singles title in 2007, and a girls tennis doubles title in 2003.
No state baseball title since 1978. No other state titles in sports since prior to that other than girls track in 2002 when Alexandria and Morgan Park won it. There has been other individual champions in wrestling and single track races, but no dominance statewide. Schools like Lane Tech dominate the city sports scene. Though CPS team Sports are much improved since the elimination of the automatic state elite 8 bid in 2002, did you know that other than basketball no other CPS sport has advanced to the elite 8 since that time with the exception of the W.Young baseball team last year?
I like C. Davis. He's the best in the sports business after spending more than 20 years in this system as a teacher, coach, and school administrator. Make up your mind, first PR in CPS Sports was much needed to improve relationships and the sportsmanship image. He was charged to repair that. Now it's too much?????
FYI: All sports have improved from a competitive standpoint including football, baseball, soccer, and girls softball who have all gone deeper in the state playoffs each year under Davis' leadership. Athletic Scholarships have increased 3 fold during this time also.
Elementary sports is continuing to grow and has received a number of major positive adjustments this year. It is organized so that each area has an area sports representative to facilitate the area, and also has a paid sport coordinator in each school beginning this year. With 500 elementary schools and 120 high schools there will always be a percentage of error and issues that will have to be solved on an ongoing basis. There are no step children in the sports programs. Of course there is work to be done while working with less funding and more red tape than any other district, but
C. Davis is not the problem. In fact, he's one of our finest professionals, and is also a gentleman who quietly runs citywide driver education, lifeguards, and P.E. also.
His recent research points out that over the last 4 years student athletes have outperformed the general student population in attendance percentages, grade point averages, and graduation rates in more than 90% of high schools. This shows the significance of sports participation. Its really not all about winning. I would guarantee you that if you contact C. Davis, he will help solve whatever issues you have had in sports.
You seem a little mistaken about sports. When was the Pubic League a power in any sport other than basketball? They are currently the reigning state champions in b-ball for the 2nd consecutive year. They have never in history won a state football championship, but did win a prep Bowl in 2005, a tennis singles title in 2007, and a girls tennis doubles title in 2003.
No state baseball title since 1978. No other state titles in sports since prior to that other than girls track in 2002 when Alexandria and Morgan Park won it. There has been other individual champions in wrestling and single track races, but no dominance statewide. Schools like Lane Tech dominate the city sports scene. Though CPS team Sports are much improved since the elimination of the automatic state elite 8 bid in 2002, did you know that other than basketball no other CPS sport has advanced to the elite 8 since that time with the exception of the W.Young baseball team last year?
I like C. Davis. He's the best in the sports business after spending more than 20 years in this system as a teacher, coach, and school administrator. Make up your mind, first PR in CPS Sports was much needed to improve relationships and the sportsmanship image. He was charged to repair that. Now it's too much?????
FYI: All sports have improved from a competitive standpoint including football, baseball, soccer, and girls softball who have all gone deeper in the state playoffs each year under Davis' leadership. Athletic Scholarships have increased 3 fold during this time also.
Elementary sports is continuing to grow and has received a number of major positive adjustments this year. It is organized so that each area has an area sports representative to facilitate the area, and also has a paid sport coordinator in each school beginning this year. With 500 elementary schools and 120 high schools there will always be a percentage of error and issues that will have to be solved on an ongoing basis. There are no step children in the sports programs. Of course there is work to be done while working with less funding and more red tape than any other district, but
C. Davis is not the problem. In fact, he's one of our finest professionals, and is also a gentleman who quietly runs citywide driver education, lifeguards, and P.E. also.
His recent research points out that over the last 4 years student athletes have outperformed the general student population in attendance percentages, grade point averages, and graduation rates in more than 90% of high schools. This shows the significance of sports participation. Its really not all about winning. I would guarantee you that if you contact C. Davis, he will help solve whatever issues you have had in sports.
