Notes From The Board Meeting
Here are some early notes and observations from Catalyst associate editor Debra Williams, who went to the press conference preceding the Board meeting, and intern Brett Marlow, who went to public participation portion of the meeting:
At the press conference, Schools CEO
Arne Duncan said a partnership with Jane Addams Center would preserve
daycare center and health clinic at Orr, programs that parents worried
would be shut down in the turnaround process. Duncan then defended the
board’s decision to shut down the relatively new small high school at
Orr by noting that the average student there is absent two months a
year.
At the board meeting, Terrence Williams,
a recent graduate of one of Orr’s small schools spoke in favor of the
turnaround. As an Orr student, he said he compared the school climate
to what “you would see in riots,” noting that he had witnessed students
setting lockers on fire and breaking glass in hallways.
But another group of as many as 15 Orr
students walked out of school to attend the board meeting and speak out
against closing and reopening the high school. Most of them were not
allowed to leave the lobby, however, and Board President Rufus Williams
did not allow one of the students who did gain entry to speak because
she had not signed up in advance. “Be respectful,” he told her.
The Orr student said they had collected 1,000 signatures against the proposed turnaround.
There was praise and skepticism for the Academy of Urban School Leaders or AUSL, the group that is slated to take control of Orr and two of its feeder elementary schools next year. Catonya Withers said her four children attend Harvard Elementary, which AUSL took over this year. Before the turnaround, she says her children did not feel safe at Harvard. Now they do, and her 4thgrader is on the honor roll, she says. Withers stood at the podium at the press conference with Duncan and Chief Education Officer Barbara Eason-Watkins and later testified to the full School Board.
Another parent extolled the improved climate and academics at Sherman Elementary, where his two children are enrolled and he chairs the LSC. Duncan says the district did a security audit at Sherman to make sure the drop in violence was real.
But Mary McGuire, an officer of the Chicago Teachers Union, wondered whether those who worked for the board have ever had to reapply for their jobs, and suggested that Board President Williams reach out to communities and include them in the decision-making process. ““It’s time you question people outside of [the board office] so the correct and right decision can be made.”
Also expressing disapproval of school closings was Charlie Walker, chair of the LSC at Mose Vines, a small high school at Orr that is slated for consolidation. “It’s a lot easier to train little kids than teenagers,” he says, referring AUSL only having a track record in turning around elementary schools.
Thanks to Debra and Brett for these observations. Please feel free to add your own descriptions and insights here or in the previous thread, February Board Meeting (below).
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Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 9:56 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
I feel like I attended a funeral at today's board meeting. Good luck to all.
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 2:26 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
"...At the board meeting, Terrence Williams, a recent graduate of one of Orr’s small schools spoke in favor of the turnaround. As an Orr student, he said he compared the school climate to what “you would see in riots,” noting that he had witnessed students setting lockers on fire and breaking glass in hallways..." (Catalyst "reporters" above).
That's not true.
Period.
And it was not even closely ambiguous.
Alexander, I would strongly recommend that you get that piece of garbage reporting off your site now.
That sentence about Terrence Williams is not true.
In fact Terrence Williams spoke eloquently in support of the Orr teachers and against the "turnaround." He tried to point out to the Board that the teachers at Orr faced unique challenges from the community and were doing a very good job in the face of those challenges. If you have to send FNG "reporters" to major events, at least don't publish their stuff before double-checking.
Your facts, again, are wrong.
That Catalyst could purport to report the news and put this stuff up for the world is just about what I expect given Catalyst's long record of corporate shilling, but you should be more careful in editing your "reporters" before hyping their nonsense and putting their stuff up.
There were 63 people signed up for public participation at the February 27, 2008 meeting of the Chicago Board of Education. Of those, approximately 50 actually spoke.
Only five of the speakers spoke clearly in favor of what the Board was doing: Earl Baskin; Catonya Withers; Ricky Fields; and Ernestine Standberry and a guy from the Edison area whose name I didn't get because I had stepped out at that point.
Just as there had been at the hearings, there was almost unanimous opposition to the proposals Arne Duncan had submitted to the Board. And a quick check of those who are now "in favor" of these moves might reveal some interesting things.
The closings, consolidations, and other changes in schools were not the only issues addressed during the meeting, either, despite the large numbers of people addressing those issues.
There were some speakers dealing with other issues facing the Board, including Julian High School and the need for a new facility for Gallistel Elementary. A former teacher had proposals for improving lesson plans, and a woman proposed that every American learn Swahili.
But the majority of people during public presentations were speaking in opposition to the proposals made by Arne Duncan and elaborated during the more than 20 hearings that took place between February 4 and February 16.
At several points during the meeting, there were heated exchanges between Rufus Williams and speakers. Now and then Arne Duncan snidely joined in, and at one point Barbara Eason Watkins read completely from the "four criteria" that she said she used to identify schools that we "failing" so badly that they needed "turnaround".
In virtually all of those exchanges, as you will see from the video on TV Saturday, Williams and the others came off as arrogant, petulant, shallow, and in more than one instance hypocritical.
While Arne and Barbara make a big deal about how one of the criteria for closing schools is student absence, they have never been asked why CPS doesn't have truant officers. Is the message now that to save their jobs principals and teachers should be going around the community each morning rousting kids out of bed? The truant officers were abolished by Richard M. Daley, and CPS is the only significant school district in the state (and probably in the USA) that doesn't have truant officers or some authorities empowered to enforce truancy laws.
CPS is also using the ACT scores as some bizarre measure of "failure" at schools. ACT does not allow this, but this isn't the first time that CPS "accountability" officials have conjured up uses for national tests that were explicitly discouraged by the tests' developers and publishers. As I've already noted here, the people who work in "accountability" at CPS tend to be political hirelings, not scholars who participate in peer reviewed work. The latest reports are similar to those that we have been treated to for years, and similarly shoddy. It's not only the "demographic" data and the annual "deficit" claims from Budget that are skewed for political reasons in CPS.
After completing public participation, the Board recessed into Executive Session.
The Board of Education returned from Executive Session at 4:45 p.m.
At 4:50 p.m. the Board members voted, by roll call, on the proposals to "turnaround" and otherwise change more than a dozen schools. Some of the Board Reports have been changed since the agenda came out, so it's premature to report precisely what they were voting on. I am going to wait to read all of the Board Reports before finishing my stories because of that. Arne Duncan was changing things up to the last minute.
As usual, the Board voted unanimously and without debate when it finally came to a vote. As the Board voted, more than 30 parents from Edison, the largest number of citizens who have ever stayed for the real Board meeting, stood in silent protest. Then some of them began to cry and left the chambers.
The vote was five to zero on all of the main motions. The Board voted unanimously, without discussion or debate.
Norman Bobins and Peggy Davis were not present for the vote and were not voting by speakerphone. There was no comment on where they were, since they had been at the Board meeting earlier. As you know, in previous votes on closings and other "Renaissance 2010" stuff, they have had people in by speakerphone to "vote." Once, Tariq Butt voted by phone from Pakistan.
Arne Duncan and Barbara Eason Watkins stated that they had not attended any of the public hearings on the closings (etc.). I have not polled all of the Board members yet to find out whether any of them actually attended the hearings. Rufus Williams stated during public participation that he had "listened to" one of the hearings, but that he had not entered the chambers (for some reason that I don't have in my notes but which should be clear when the video version goes on Cable TV).
Additionally, the Board members did not have the complete "report" of the hearing officers before them when they voted yesterday. As many people here know, the hearing officers all made a big deal about the fact that the "record" would be kept open for another day or two for submissions, and all of the people at the hearings were led to believe that the Board members would read their statements and the materials they had brought before voting on February 27. But the Board members did not even have the complete reports. All they had prior to yesterday's meetings were the summary reports of the hearing officers, usually a few pages of legalese, in some cases not even including a recommendation.
That was like reading an abridgement of the Cliffs Notes and of "War and Peace" and then claiming you had "Read Tolstoy."
This is typical of the way the Chicago Board of Education has operated since Mayor Daley took over, but this time around it was more grotesque than usual. Why? Because of the enormous outpouring at the hearings. Between February 4 and February 16, more than 500 people spoke at the hearings. Hundreds of teachers, parents, students and others provided the "Board" with materials ranging from letters to posters and student work.
But, as I've noted, not one of the top executives of CPS was at any of the hearings. The promise was that the executives (Arne Duncan and Barbara Eason Watkins) would at least read the complete hearing officer reports and that the "Board" members would, too.
This did not happen. Neither the executives nor the members of the Board had the complete reports at any point yesterday during the Board meetings.
Any members of the communities who spoke out during the hearings and thought that their words were going to eventually get to "The Board" were lied to by the hearing officers. As I write this I am certain that not one of the seven members of the Chicago Board of Education has a complete copy of the hearing officers' reports.
But I'm sure by the time Catalyst gets around to publishing the official story, that, too, will have been adjusted to serve the corporate party line.
That's not true.
Period.
And it was not even closely ambiguous.
Alexander, I would strongly recommend that you get that piece of garbage reporting off your site now.
That sentence about Terrence Williams is not true.
In fact Terrence Williams spoke eloquently in support of the Orr teachers and against the "turnaround." He tried to point out to the Board that the teachers at Orr faced unique challenges from the community and were doing a very good job in the face of those challenges. If you have to send FNG "reporters" to major events, at least don't publish their stuff before double-checking.
Your facts, again, are wrong.
That Catalyst could purport to report the news and put this stuff up for the world is just about what I expect given Catalyst's long record of corporate shilling, but you should be more careful in editing your "reporters" before hyping their nonsense and putting their stuff up.
There were 63 people signed up for public participation at the February 27, 2008 meeting of the Chicago Board of Education. Of those, approximately 50 actually spoke.
Only five of the speakers spoke clearly in favor of what the Board was doing: Earl Baskin; Catonya Withers; Ricky Fields; and Ernestine Standberry and a guy from the Edison area whose name I didn't get because I had stepped out at that point.
Just as there had been at the hearings, there was almost unanimous opposition to the proposals Arne Duncan had submitted to the Board. And a quick check of those who are now "in favor" of these moves might reveal some interesting things.
The closings, consolidations, and other changes in schools were not the only issues addressed during the meeting, either, despite the large numbers of people addressing those issues.
There were some speakers dealing with other issues facing the Board, including Julian High School and the need for a new facility for Gallistel Elementary. A former teacher had proposals for improving lesson plans, and a woman proposed that every American learn Swahili.
But the majority of people during public presentations were speaking in opposition to the proposals made by Arne Duncan and elaborated during the more than 20 hearings that took place between February 4 and February 16.
At several points during the meeting, there were heated exchanges between Rufus Williams and speakers. Now and then Arne Duncan snidely joined in, and at one point Barbara Eason Watkins read completely from the "four criteria" that she said she used to identify schools that we "failing" so badly that they needed "turnaround".
In virtually all of those exchanges, as you will see from the video on TV Saturday, Williams and the others came off as arrogant, petulant, shallow, and in more than one instance hypocritical.
While Arne and Barbara make a big deal about how one of the criteria for closing schools is student absence, they have never been asked why CPS doesn't have truant officers. Is the message now that to save their jobs principals and teachers should be going around the community each morning rousting kids out of bed? The truant officers were abolished by Richard M. Daley, and CPS is the only significant school district in the state (and probably in the USA) that doesn't have truant officers or some authorities empowered to enforce truancy laws.
CPS is also using the ACT scores as some bizarre measure of "failure" at schools. ACT does not allow this, but this isn't the first time that CPS "accountability" officials have conjured up uses for national tests that were explicitly discouraged by the tests' developers and publishers. As I've already noted here, the people who work in "accountability" at CPS tend to be political hirelings, not scholars who participate in peer reviewed work. The latest reports are similar to those that we have been treated to for years, and similarly shoddy. It's not only the "demographic" data and the annual "deficit" claims from Budget that are skewed for political reasons in CPS.
After completing public participation, the Board recessed into Executive Session.
The Board of Education returned from Executive Session at 4:45 p.m.
At 4:50 p.m. the Board members voted, by roll call, on the proposals to "turnaround" and otherwise change more than a dozen schools. Some of the Board Reports have been changed since the agenda came out, so it's premature to report precisely what they were voting on. I am going to wait to read all of the Board Reports before finishing my stories because of that. Arne Duncan was changing things up to the last minute.
As usual, the Board voted unanimously and without debate when it finally came to a vote. As the Board voted, more than 30 parents from Edison, the largest number of citizens who have ever stayed for the real Board meeting, stood in silent protest. Then some of them began to cry and left the chambers.
The vote was five to zero on all of the main motions. The Board voted unanimously, without discussion or debate.
Norman Bobins and Peggy Davis were not present for the vote and were not voting by speakerphone. There was no comment on where they were, since they had been at the Board meeting earlier. As you know, in previous votes on closings and other "Renaissance 2010" stuff, they have had people in by speakerphone to "vote." Once, Tariq Butt voted by phone from Pakistan.
Arne Duncan and Barbara Eason Watkins stated that they had not attended any of the public hearings on the closings (etc.). I have not polled all of the Board members yet to find out whether any of them actually attended the hearings. Rufus Williams stated during public participation that he had "listened to" one of the hearings, but that he had not entered the chambers (for some reason that I don't have in my notes but which should be clear when the video version goes on Cable TV).
Additionally, the Board members did not have the complete "report" of the hearing officers before them when they voted yesterday. As many people here know, the hearing officers all made a big deal about the fact that the "record" would be kept open for another day or two for submissions, and all of the people at the hearings were led to believe that the Board members would read their statements and the materials they had brought before voting on February 27. But the Board members did not even have the complete reports. All they had prior to yesterday's meetings were the summary reports of the hearing officers, usually a few pages of legalese, in some cases not even including a recommendation.
That was like reading an abridgement of the Cliffs Notes and of "War and Peace" and then claiming you had "Read Tolstoy."
This is typical of the way the Chicago Board of Education has operated since Mayor Daley took over, but this time around it was more grotesque than usual. Why? Because of the enormous outpouring at the hearings. Between February 4 and February 16, more than 500 people spoke at the hearings. Hundreds of teachers, parents, students and others provided the "Board" with materials ranging from letters to posters and student work.
But, as I've noted, not one of the top executives of CPS was at any of the hearings. The promise was that the executives (Arne Duncan and Barbara Eason Watkins) would at least read the complete hearing officer reports and that the "Board" members would, too.
This did not happen. Neither the executives nor the members of the Board had the complete reports at any point yesterday during the Board meetings.
Any members of the communities who spoke out during the hearings and thought that their words were going to eventually get to "The Board" were lied to by the hearing officers. As I write this I am certain that not one of the seven members of the Chicago Board of Education has a complete copy of the hearing officers' reports.
But I'm sure by the time Catalyst gets around to publishing the official story, that, too, will have been adjusted to serve the corporate party line.
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 4:03 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
George, I must agree with your assessment of CPS and the Board. I have been affiliated with CPS for thirty years and this is the absolute worst. And it starts at the top. Where are the Educators in this process? The people making the decisions have no clue and they have no experience in educating children and their families. Consider this...
....The CEO has never taught in any school system. He has no Education course work, his Bachelors Degree is in Sociology. Oh yeah, he serves on every committee, organization, committee known to the world. But none of that equates to the experience of standing in front of that classroom day in and day out. Being there when you did not feel well, were having your own crisis, did not get your paycheck.
Guess what...he did not even attend a Chicago Public School.
Then he brings in all of his suit-wearing buddies who also never taught.
Yeah, he hired Eason Watkins as his second in command but she evidently has forgotten what it was like. And she gets her paycheck on time.
Then you through in a Rufus who....I just don't know. He is at least the product of CPS. Actually he attended many different schools including Orr, which he is helping to further destroy. But then what happened. He is a business man, a numbers cruncher who has crunched all over including for Harpo and Oprah. Oh yeah he was treasurer for the Board of Trustee's at Providence St. Mel. Things that make you go
hmmmm.
Through all that together and you don’t have one complete teacher and they are telling you how, when and what to teach in order to educate the professional of tomorrow.
They are pushing teacher away from what is tried and true and experimenting on our children. What happened to basic math? Now they have them doing new math where they add from left to right instead of right to left. What happened to diagramming sentences, reading the classics? WHAT HAPPENED TO TEACHING CHILDREN TO CRITICALLY THINK INSTEAD OF TAKE TESTS. EVERY CHILD IS LEFT BEHIND IN CHICAGO.
Now they want to be all up in arms about fat children and childhood diabetes. They want to serve carrots and lettuce. But what happened to recess and Physical Education? We
won’t even start with the Charter School mess.
I could go on forever and I am sure you get the point. Dick and his cronies are not really concerned with educating the youth. If so they would have educators educate and perhaps the children would learn. The numbers crunchers simply look at our children as the sum total of test scores. Perhaps one day we will vote out Dick and all his yes men at CPS and the Board will go with him and the schools can get back to educating.
Goodnight
....The CEO has never taught in any school system. He has no Education course work, his Bachelors Degree is in Sociology. Oh yeah, he serves on every committee, organization, committee known to the world. But none of that equates to the experience of standing in front of that classroom day in and day out. Being there when you did not feel well, were having your own crisis, did not get your paycheck.
Guess what...he did not even attend a Chicago Public School.
Then he brings in all of his suit-wearing buddies who also never taught.
Yeah, he hired Eason Watkins as his second in command but she evidently has forgotten what it was like. And she gets her paycheck on time.
Then you through in a Rufus who....I just don't know. He is at least the product of CPS. Actually he attended many different schools including Orr, which he is helping to further destroy. But then what happened. He is a business man, a numbers cruncher who has crunched all over including for Harpo and Oprah. Oh yeah he was treasurer for the Board of Trustee's at Providence St. Mel. Things that make you go
hmmmm.
Through all that together and you don’t have one complete teacher and they are telling you how, when and what to teach in order to educate the professional of tomorrow.
They are pushing teacher away from what is tried and true and experimenting on our children. What happened to basic math? Now they have them doing new math where they add from left to right instead of right to left. What happened to diagramming sentences, reading the classics? WHAT HAPPENED TO TEACHING CHILDREN TO CRITICALLY THINK INSTEAD OF TAKE TESTS. EVERY CHILD IS LEFT BEHIND IN CHICAGO.
Now they want to be all up in arms about fat children and childhood diabetes. They want to serve carrots and lettuce. But what happened to recess and Physical Education? We
won’t even start with the Charter School mess.
I could go on forever and I am sure you get the point. Dick and his cronies are not really concerned with educating the youth. If so they would have educators educate and perhaps the children would learn. The numbers crunchers simply look at our children as the sum total of test scores. Perhaps one day we will vote out Dick and all his yes men at CPS and the Board will go with him and the schools can get back to educating.
Goodnight
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 7:33 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
To the Orr family, the second crime that you committed was that the principals at AAST, Excel and MVines are appointed interim principals. What does that mean? That means that they serve at the whim of the CEO. They can be removed at anytime for any reason and the have no legal recourse! That's why they must stand mute on this issue, if they hope to find another job somewhere else. CPS will not have to pay them anything after June 30, 2008. The teachers will have 10 months to find new positions or they will be "Honorable Terminated" and ESP's will be out of luck if they don't have new positions by June 30, 2008! The principals at the Orr Campus don't have contracts because they have appointed LSC's! They all held elections last year and had elected LSC's so they could offer a contract to their principals but CPS said your elected LSC's are now appointed LSC's. Mose Vines sued CPS, but I guess "last laugh last best", and now the Orr Campus is being transformed and everyone is losing their jobs. If you haven't figured it out by now you were set up! Have a good day.
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 8:34 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
check the above thursday morning post to get all the news coverage:
18 schools whacked Sun Times
"We heard some very impassioned comments,'' board president Rufus Williams said. "Change is hard. I understand that. ... But we've got to get better and get better right now.''
SOS! Save our schools: Protesters fight turnaround at Orr High School Medill Reports
For many of the students who attend school on the Orr campus, Cannon said the school is like a second home. The teachers are like family to them, and to lose them along with the administrators who know the students so well could negatively impact the school's culture.
Board of Education gets an earful on closings ChiTown Daily News
One person was escorted out of the chambers and many others had the microphone turned off because they went beyond their allotted two minutes -- not that the absence of a mic stopped them from shouting emotionally. Many yelled; some cried.
Parents, students protest Chicago school closings Tribune
But of the 19 schools originally named in the plan, only Abbott Elementary in the Bridgeport neighborhood was spared. A hearing officer recommended it stay open because it also houses a charter school and an Easter Seals Head Start program, and the nearest alternative is too far away.
Teachers, staff out at 8 CPS schools ChiTown Daily News
Today's decisions did not arrive without controversy and heated discussions, considering the large public turnout spilled over into an overflow room and parents of Edison Regional Gifted Center students created a picket line on Clark Street two hours before the day-long meeting began.
18 schools whacked Sun Times
"We heard some very impassioned comments,'' board president Rufus Williams said. "Change is hard. I understand that. ... But we've got to get better and get better right now.''
SOS! Save our schools: Protesters fight turnaround at Orr High School Medill Reports
For many of the students who attend school on the Orr campus, Cannon said the school is like a second home. The teachers are like family to them, and to lose them along with the administrators who know the students so well could negatively impact the school's culture.
Board of Education gets an earful on closings ChiTown Daily News
One person was escorted out of the chambers and many others had the microphone turned off because they went beyond their allotted two minutes -- not that the absence of a mic stopped them from shouting emotionally. Many yelled; some cried.
Parents, students protest Chicago school closings Tribune
But of the 19 schools originally named in the plan, only Abbott Elementary in the Bridgeport neighborhood was spared. A hearing officer recommended it stay open because it also houses a charter school and an Easter Seals Head Start program, and the nearest alternative is too far away.
Teachers, staff out at 8 CPS schools ChiTown Daily News
Today's decisions did not arrive without controversy and heated discussions, considering the large public turnout spilled over into an overflow room and parents of Edison Regional Gifted Center students created a picket line on Clark Street two hours before the day-long meeting began.
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
Need a laugh? Watch this....the ending's hysterical.
http://www.youtube.com/MEDIALiers
http://www.youtube.com/MEDIALiers
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 4:33 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
I want to thank both George and Debra for their descriptions of the Board meeting. As you may know I presented at the hearing on Andersen School, opposing the closing. My presentation had an arguement not very different than the one adopted by the hearing Officer for Abbot, Ellen Douglass. I have asked Respicio Vazques the hearing officer for Andersen for a copy of his recommendation and have yet to recieve it.
I am very interesting in comparing the two reports. So if anyone has an electronic version of the Abbot hearing officer's report please send it to me at Restvan@accessliving.org. I would really rather not have to FOIA these reports.
Rod Estvan
Access Living
I am very interesting in comparing the two reports. So if anyone has an electronic version of the Abbot hearing officer's report please send it to me at Restvan@accessliving.org. I would really rather not have to FOIA these reports.
Rod Estvan
Access Living
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 7:48 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
Rod:
I was investigated by the OIG's office and by law they should of released their file and report against me when requested to do so by my attorney. By law they should of released it within I believe 7 days of the request. It took them over 2 weeks to send her 3 copies of the summary of their report. As we all know a summary is just that and not the full report. Of course the summary made them look competent when in all honesty it is full of lies and missing vital info that would exonerate me. CPS does not abide by the law but most people do not have the time or resources to fight them.
GOOD LUCK!
I was investigated by the OIG's office and by law they should of released their file and report against me when requested to do so by my attorney. By law they should of released it within I believe 7 days of the request. It took them over 2 weeks to send her 3 copies of the summary of their report. As we all know a summary is just that and not the full report. Of course the summary made them look competent when in all honesty it is full of lies and missing vital info that would exonerate me. CPS does not abide by the law but most people do not have the time or resources to fight them.
GOOD LUCK!
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 9:21 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
What Can we do? Can they get away with this? All we do is vent out but their's must be something we can do. Maybe they are so powerful they know they can do anything they want.
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 10:00 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
Yes, there is definitely something we can do. Elect a mayor who cares about education for every child.
Sat Mar 1, 2008 at 12:01 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
The board meeting just started on Channel 21.
Sun Mar 2, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
the Terrence Williams note in your Board minutes is not accurate. He spoke against the Turnaround not for it (see Chi-Town story for accurate quote).
Anyway, that quote is not going to change a 5-0 vote.
Anyway, that quote is not going to change a 5-0 vote.
Sun Mar 2, 2008 at 10:56 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
"Another parent extolled the improved climate and academics at Sherman Elementary, where his two children are enrolled and he chairs the LSC. Duncan says the district did a security audit at Sherman to make sure the drop in violence was real."
How are they measuring a drop in violence? I know last year there was a riot that broke out at dismissal involving parents macing children, paramedics on the scene, and an unnamed school official calling the police with a false report so they'd show up at school. Also during the year, paramedics arriving when a kid climbed the fence and busted himself up. Also during the year, paramedics arriving in the primary building after a 2nd grader shoved another kid's head into a desk with scissors causing blood to gush. Also, a girl sexually violated in the bathroom during the school day by two male classmates. I wonder how much worse it must have been under the old administration if this is a drop in violence.
How are they measuring a drop in violence? I know last year there was a riot that broke out at dismissal involving parents macing children, paramedics on the scene, and an unnamed school official calling the police with a false report so they'd show up at school. Also during the year, paramedics arriving when a kid climbed the fence and busted himself up. Also during the year, paramedics arriving in the primary building after a 2nd grader shoved another kid's head into a desk with scissors causing blood to gush. Also, a girl sexually violated in the bathroom during the school day by two male classmates. I wonder how much worse it must have been under the old administration if this is a drop in violence.
Sun Mar 2, 2008 at 10:58 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
here's an email from TSJ about the meeting and following:
Huge Protest at School Board
There was a huge, defiant protest of parents, students, and teachers at the Board meeting yesterday (Feb. 27). Around 150 students walked out of Orr High School and picketed in front of the Board; buses and vans came from other schools. Some TSJ teachers took off work and some brought students to the protest. Congratulations! Despite carefully prepared testimony and strong evidence, school protests, door to door organizing, petitions, and courageous stands by families, students, communities, and teachers, the Board went ahead and voted its plan to close, consolidate and reconstitute 18 schools. Abbott Elementary School parents were victorious in stopping CPS's plan to close down their school which is the heart of the Wentworth Gardens housing community. Congratulations to Abbott parents and staff for this important victory!!
Two things are clear:
1) There is a large outpouring of opposition and many strong parent and community leaders with the clarity and will to fight for quality education for all children in their neighborhoods. They are an inspiration and the base of a city-wide movement to take back Chicago public schools.
2) CPS administration has acted with complete disregard for the will of the community and all evidence contesting their plan. The "hearings" were a complete sham. Jobs in "turn-around" schools run by AUSL were already posted and postings closed by Feb. 20, 7 days before the board was supposed to weigh the evidence and make a decision about the schools. Parents at one school were told their school would be phased out even though officials had not looked at the evidence they presented. The board meeting was worse. Although we arrived at 6:30 AM they wouldn't let us sign up to speak until 8AM; they "reserved" exactly half the seats for CPS staff and only opened one overflow room to keep the public out of the public hearing. They kept out the hundreds of others who came to oppose the board's decisions even though there were empty seats in both rooms. They arrogantly disrespected the parents and students who spoke against the board's decision. Neighborhood schools are being replaced with magnet schools, disenfranchising communities of color and handing over their schools to gentrify neighborhoods and/or save the board money.
TSJ is working with an emerging coalition that includes Pilsen Alliance, Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, Save Senn, Midsouth Education Association, and parent groups at schools. Our common message is: Moratorium on all school closings until there can be an independent study of the effects on students and school communities. School decisions should be determined by the school community.
Next steps:
*Strengthen and expand a principled coalition for equitable and quality education in the hands of communities. Define what this means and develop a protracted plan of unified action.
*Strengthening democratically elected local school councils through a state law and by going all out for the LSC elections. TSJ CALLS ON ALL TSJ TEACHERS TO RUN FOR THEIR LOCAL SCHOOL COUNCIL AND ENCOURAGE ACTIVIST PARENTS IN THEIR SCHOOLS TO RUN. AS TEACHERS, WE NEED TO WORK TO MAKE LSCs PART OF THE BACKBONE OF THIS FIGHT FOR OUR SCHOOLS.
*Build a campaign for an elected school board and the end of running schools as businesses for business. We need schools of social justice.
COME TO THE NEXT TSJ MEETING, MARCH 8, FOR UPDATES, PLANNING, AND PREPARATION FOR RUNNING FOR LSCs!!
NOTE: Attachment is the statement TSJ had for the Board Meeting
Huge Protest at School Board
There was a huge, defiant protest of parents, students, and teachers at the Board meeting yesterday (Feb. 27). Around 150 students walked out of Orr High School and picketed in front of the Board; buses and vans came from other schools. Some TSJ teachers took off work and some brought students to the protest. Congratulations! Despite carefully prepared testimony and strong evidence, school protests, door to door organizing, petitions, and courageous stands by families, students, communities, and teachers, the Board went ahead and voted its plan to close, consolidate and reconstitute 18 schools. Abbott Elementary School parents were victorious in stopping CPS's plan to close down their school which is the heart of the Wentworth Gardens housing community. Congratulations to Abbott parents and staff for this important victory!!
Two things are clear:
1) There is a large outpouring of opposition and many strong parent and community leaders with the clarity and will to fight for quality education for all children in their neighborhoods. They are an inspiration and the base of a city-wide movement to take back Chicago public schools.
2) CPS administration has acted with complete disregard for the will of the community and all evidence contesting their plan. The "hearings" were a complete sham. Jobs in "turn-around" schools run by AUSL were already posted and postings closed by Feb. 20, 7 days before the board was supposed to weigh the evidence and make a decision about the schools. Parents at one school were told their school would be phased out even though officials had not looked at the evidence they presented. The board meeting was worse. Although we arrived at 6:30 AM they wouldn't let us sign up to speak until 8AM; they "reserved" exactly half the seats for CPS staff and only opened one overflow room to keep the public out of the public hearing. They kept out the hundreds of others who came to oppose the board's decisions even though there were empty seats in both rooms. They arrogantly disrespected the parents and students who spoke against the board's decision. Neighborhood schools are being replaced with magnet schools, disenfranchising communities of color and handing over their schools to gentrify neighborhoods and/or save the board money.
TSJ is working with an emerging coalition that includes Pilsen Alliance, Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, Save Senn, Midsouth Education Association, and parent groups at schools. Our common message is: Moratorium on all school closings until there can be an independent study of the effects on students and school communities. School decisions should be determined by the school community.
Next steps:
*Strengthen and expand a principled coalition for equitable and quality education in the hands of communities. Define what this means and develop a protracted plan of unified action.
*Strengthening democratically elected local school councils through a state law and by going all out for the LSC elections. TSJ CALLS ON ALL TSJ TEACHERS TO RUN FOR THEIR LOCAL SCHOOL COUNCIL AND ENCOURAGE ACTIVIST PARENTS IN THEIR SCHOOLS TO RUN. AS TEACHERS, WE NEED TO WORK TO MAKE LSCs PART OF THE BACKBONE OF THIS FIGHT FOR OUR SCHOOLS.
*Build a campaign for an elected school board and the end of running schools as businesses for business. We need schools of social justice.
COME TO THE NEXT TSJ MEETING, MARCH 8, FOR UPDATES, PLANNING, AND PREPARATION FOR RUNNING FOR LSCs!!
NOTE: Attachment is the statement TSJ had for the Board Meeting
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 4:06 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
"...At the board meeting, Terrence Williams, a recent graduate of one of Orr’s small schools spoke in favor of the turnaround. As an Orr student, he said he compared the school climate to what “you would see in riots,” noting that he had witnessed students setting lockers on fire and breaking glass in hallways..." (Catalyst's version of reality..., posted here February 28 and still up March 3).
It does matter what Terrence Williams said. Prior to his speech, AUSL had escorted three speakers (Earl Baskin, Catonya Withers, and Ricky Fields) to both the Duncan press conference (held at 10:00 on the sixth floor) and the Board meeting to sing the praises of AUSL and "turnaround."
The escort was provided by Madeleine Maraldi of AUSL. Maraldi actually stood at the podium with Withers while Withers explained how AUSL had saved her children at Harvard Elementary, citing mostly how bad security was at Harvard last year. The same tune has been repeated over and over by Ricky Fields ("Sherman School of Excellence") -- security was terrible, but now things are great. So, according to these parent leaders who praise "turnaround", more than 100 teachers should be fired because CPS fails to provide enough security inside the school and CPD failed to patrol adequately outside the building -- until the miracle arrives.
AUSL had "speakers" it helped sign up at the front of the line to sing the praises of its work. Earl Baskin was there to praise what was about to be done to Orr, Howe, and Morton; Withers and Fields were there to praise what has already been done to Sherman and Harvard. Just in case, AUSL made sure it had one of its well paid staff escorting them around. And Arne and Barbara Eason Watkins had Baskin and Fields up at their press conference an hour before that to praise the "turnaround" in case you didn't get the official version of the story.
Now given the fact that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has just given $10 million to AUSL to promote this "turnaround strategy", it matters a lot. Maybe have a hunch that Gates will be flying its selected parents and preachers (Baskin) around the USA to conference to tout "turnaround".
"Sure it works. Just ask these parents. And Catalyst, the independent voice of Chicago school reform..."
Most of the reporters bit the AUSL script and simply transcribed what was scripted on behalf of AUSL by AUSL and Arne Duncan's people.
So when Terrence Williams gets up and praises Orr and blasts the whole idea of closing Orr, Catalyst continues telling the official version of the story, even though Williams's words are precisely in opposition to those of Baskin, Withers, and Fields. And Terrence Williams was not escorted around by some $100,000 per year white lady bureaucrat from AUSL.
So, yes, it matters a lot.
And, yes, lots can now be done even though the Board has voted. Accuracy matters, even in corporate cheerleading in this town. Did someone tell Catalyst that the first five or six black people speaking were all going to sing the praises of AUSL and "turnaround," because of how the sign in was rigged downstairs two hours earlier?
The speakers after Ricky Fields did his routine (I've heard it now five times at media events hosted by everyone from Arne Duncan to Mayor Daley and the Gates Foundation) called for an elected school board.
And the cheers were louder than could be drowned out on the edit of the Cable TV version of the "Board Meeting."
It does matter what Terrence Williams said. Prior to his speech, AUSL had escorted three speakers (Earl Baskin, Catonya Withers, and Ricky Fields) to both the Duncan press conference (held at 10:00 on the sixth floor) and the Board meeting to sing the praises of AUSL and "turnaround."
The escort was provided by Madeleine Maraldi of AUSL. Maraldi actually stood at the podium with Withers while Withers explained how AUSL had saved her children at Harvard Elementary, citing mostly how bad security was at Harvard last year. The same tune has been repeated over and over by Ricky Fields ("Sherman School of Excellence") -- security was terrible, but now things are great. So, according to these parent leaders who praise "turnaround", more than 100 teachers should be fired because CPS fails to provide enough security inside the school and CPD failed to patrol adequately outside the building -- until the miracle arrives.
AUSL had "speakers" it helped sign up at the front of the line to sing the praises of its work. Earl Baskin was there to praise what was about to be done to Orr, Howe, and Morton; Withers and Fields were there to praise what has already been done to Sherman and Harvard. Just in case, AUSL made sure it had one of its well paid staff escorting them around. And Arne and Barbara Eason Watkins had Baskin and Fields up at their press conference an hour before that to praise the "turnaround" in case you didn't get the official version of the story.
Now given the fact that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has just given $10 million to AUSL to promote this "turnaround strategy", it matters a lot. Maybe have a hunch that Gates will be flying its selected parents and preachers (Baskin) around the USA to conference to tout "turnaround".
"Sure it works. Just ask these parents. And Catalyst, the independent voice of Chicago school reform..."
Most of the reporters bit the AUSL script and simply transcribed what was scripted on behalf of AUSL by AUSL and Arne Duncan's people.
So when Terrence Williams gets up and praises Orr and blasts the whole idea of closing Orr, Catalyst continues telling the official version of the story, even though Williams's words are precisely in opposition to those of Baskin, Withers, and Fields. And Terrence Williams was not escorted around by some $100,000 per year white lady bureaucrat from AUSL.
So, yes, it matters a lot.
And, yes, lots can now be done even though the Board has voted. Accuracy matters, even in corporate cheerleading in this town. Did someone tell Catalyst that the first five or six black people speaking were all going to sing the praises of AUSL and "turnaround," because of how the sign in was rigged downstairs two hours earlier?
The speakers after Ricky Fields did his routine (I've heard it now five times at media events hosted by everyone from Arne Duncan to Mayor Daley and the Gates Foundation) called for an elected school board.
And the cheers were louder than could be drowned out on the edit of the Cable TV version of the "Board Meeting."
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 9:59 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
Questions:
Does anyone have a transcript of what Terrence actually said?
Does anyone know the number of teachers (if any) who have been rehired at these turnaround schools?
What does student retention look like after parents and students find out their schools is going to be "turned around"?
Does anyone have a transcript of what Terrence actually said?
Does anyone know the number of teachers (if any) who have been rehired at these turnaround schools?
What does student retention look like after parents and students find out their schools is going to be "turned around"?
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 6:59 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
This makes no sense. AUSL is coming in to help turn around schools? What a joke! AUSL is known for training career changers to become teachers. These are the people who will be probably be hired to teach in these schools. People who are not certified yet. I am definitely scared for the students now!
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 7:11 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
All AUSL graduates are fully certified upon graduation. They also earn a Master's degree while completing the program.
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 7:27 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
"All AUSL graduates are fully certified upon graduation" Certified in what? Education? That is not what I have been lead to understand. I do know that after completing the AUSL program they will become certified teachers. I need clarification on this so my outrage will be based on facts!
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 7:29 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
I am a graduate of the AUSL program. Upon graduation, I received an MAT and a Type 03 certificate. The high school program earns that respective certificate (I'm not sure of the number.)
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 7:46 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
But, is it true that you teach BEFORE you have a teaching certificate? You earn the certificate AFTER you have been teaching. The rest of us go to school to earn a teaching certificate and THEN we teach.
Let us not forget that certified teachers were given pink slips last friday, so that non-certified teachers could take their positions. Am I correct?
Let us not forget that certified teachers were given pink slips last friday, so that non-certified teachers could take their positions. Am I correct?
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 7:49 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
"Certified," you've been misled. I'm an AUSL grad too and am not a cheerleader for AUSL taking over CPS. But our education is a 40+ hour masters program (National Louis's MAT) and a type 03 certificate for elementary education. And honestly, when we come out of our training, we're better prepared than most first year teachers.
As far as Charlie's question about teachers being rehired, in at least one of the two turnaround schools, teachers reapplied and were not even interviewed. I noticed Duncan in his CNN interview stumble over his words when he started to say something like "Great teachers will" and changed it to something like "Great teachers COULD" be rehired. The new principals in the turnaround schools don't want the old teachers no matter how good they are.
As far as Charlie's question about teachers being rehired, in at least one of the two turnaround schools, teachers reapplied and were not even interviewed. I noticed Duncan in his CNN interview stumble over his words when he started to say something like "Great teachers will" and changed it to something like "Great teachers COULD" be rehired. The new principals in the turnaround schools don't want the old teachers no matter how good they are.
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 7:53 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
You teach in your mentor's classroom. They are the teacher in charge - you start with observing, then add a lesson a week. There is a six week student teaching requirement, which I believe is similar to a traditional program. With the exception of those weeks, there is always a certified teacher in the room. I did not have my "own" classroom until after graduation, with certificate in hand.
I did the AUSL program because it worked for me - I wanted a career change. I do not work at a Turnaround, did not interview for one, and do not necessarily agree with the process. I am also not AUSL's biggest fan, but the experience I gained there has made me an effective teacher.
I did the AUSL program because it worked for me - I wanted a career change. I do not work at a Turnaround, did not interview for one, and do not necessarily agree with the process. I am also not AUSL's biggest fan, but the experience I gained there has made me an effective teacher.
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 7:54 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
Certified, you are incorrect. First, AUSL has been graduating people since 2003. So next year's turnaround schools will get AUSL teachers from 6 years of graduates. There will likely be some teachers from the first class (with 5 years experience), and there will likely be some teachers from the 08 class (with 0 years experience). The AUSL program is a "residency" like that of a medical doctor. The only teaching done is during the year at the Chicago Academy or Dodge Academy with a partner and a master teacher. It's the same as student teaching in a traditional university, but AUSL grads have a full year of student teaching unlike the 6-12 weeks of a typical program. AFTER certification AUSL grades are placed in CPS schools.
You may be thinking of programs like the Golden Apple summer program that Northwestern runs. That program allows for people to teach through alternative certification without having received any degree in education.
You may be thinking of programs like the Golden Apple summer program that Northwestern runs. That program allows for people to teach through alternative certification without having received any degree in education.
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 7:55 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
re: AUSL outrage and teacher qualification
I'm not an AUSL flunky, but in hindsight it looks pretty damn attractive compared to the path I took towards teaching as a second career.
*According to their website they hire under the CTU collective bargaining agreement. (I work under the same agreement.)
*AUSL teachers in residence earn $32,000 during a full year of residency/student teaching.(I spent 12 weeks student teaching and paid heavily out of my own pocket to my university for the so-called privilege.)
*Residents earn a Master's degree in one year. (My certification-Master's combo program took two years.)
*Each graduate receives 3 years of professional support from AUSL. (I received none.)
*AUSL's 5-year retention rate for new teachers is 95%. (In my building and nationwide new teacher retention rates are half that.)
Damn, I wish my program was more like that. So, why all the outrage? Sour grapes?
I'm not an AUSL flunky, but in hindsight it looks pretty damn attractive compared to the path I took towards teaching as a second career.
*According to their website they hire under the CTU collective bargaining agreement. (I work under the same agreement.)
*AUSL teachers in residence earn $32,000 during a full year of residency/student teaching.(I spent 12 weeks student teaching and paid heavily out of my own pocket to my university for the so-called privilege.)
*Residents earn a Master's degree in one year. (My certification-Master's combo program took two years.)
*Each graduate receives 3 years of professional support from AUSL. (I received none.)
*AUSL's 5-year retention rate for new teachers is 95%. (In my building and nationwide new teacher retention rates are half that.)
Damn, I wish my program was more like that. So, why all the outrage? Sour grapes?
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 8:02 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
"*AUSL's 5-year retention rate for new teachers is 95%. (In my building and nationwide new teacher retention rates are half that.)"
AUSL is very good at statistics. AUSL participants must sign a 5 year contract and agree to teach where AUSL wants them to teach for 5 years. This school year is year 5 for AUSL, so ANY AUSL grad who is not still teaching simply broke their contract. Those who are still teaching are still under contract. Every one of them. So you can read that statistic as "95% of our teachers remain in the field for 5 years" or you can read that as "5% of our teachers broke their contract." In fact, the principal at the 2nd turnaround is one of the grads from 2003 who was able to renegotiate his 5 year contract after his 2nd year to go through New Leaders to get his own school.
AUSL is very good at statistics. AUSL participants must sign a 5 year contract and agree to teach where AUSL wants them to teach for 5 years. This school year is year 5 for AUSL, so ANY AUSL grad who is not still teaching simply broke their contract. Those who are still teaching are still under contract. Every one of them. So you can read that statistic as "95% of our teachers remain in the field for 5 years" or you can read that as "5% of our teachers broke their contract." In fact, the principal at the 2nd turnaround is one of the grads from 2003 who was able to renegotiate his 5 year contract after his 2nd year to go through New Leaders to get his own school.
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 8:06 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
So then, won't Orr need to keep certified teachers to act as mentors to the AUSL students?
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 8:12 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
AUSL residents learn at the Chicago Academy and Dodge Academy. The AUSL graduates who teach at Orr will have come from Chicago Academy High School. They are finishing their year of student teaching at Chicago Academy High School now, will be certified in June, and will be teaching at Orr in September. AUSL has been training high school teachers for, I think, 3 years now. So there are also another probably 20 or 30 graduates who graduated last year or the year before and have been teaching in other underperforming CPS high schools for the last 2 years. Orr is the first turnaround high school so there's no telling how they'll staff it. Certainly they will hire regular teachers who are not part of the AUSL pipeline, but be certain that as many AUSL grads they can convince to come over will be there too. AUSL is running the new Collins High School this year too. I'm not sure how many on that staff are AUSL grads.
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 8:18 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
I do appreciate all of this information.
So, it is possible, that after one year of student teaching at Chicago Academy, these AUSL graduates, with certificate in hand, will arrive at Orr and mentor new AUSL students, displacing hundreds of tenured union teachers.
How sad.
So, it is possible, that after one year of student teaching at Chicago Academy, these AUSL graduates, with certificate in hand, will arrive at Orr and mentor new AUSL students, displacing hundreds of tenured union teachers.
How sad.
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 8:21 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
It sounds like CPS saves money by using people in the AUSL program. They are practically saving $10,000 yr for first year w/ bachelors and $15,000 yr for a first year w/ masters plus 30. CPS needs to stop being cheap and pay people who are already certified. The first year for any certified teacher is overwhelming. A first year teacher has something to prove. I cannot understand why this program can turn around a school. CPS should hire teachers with a masters or more to teach in the turn around schools. Hire teachers with a proven track record of success on preparing students for test. Why take a chance with people who are not certified?
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 8:31 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
Some clarification on some of the previous posts. AUSL runs "training academies" where AUSL residents train in mentor teachers classrooms (Dodge, TCA, etc) for that training year. Those are not turnaround schools. The turnaround schools do not function as training academies, so, no, Orr will not need teachers to serve as "mentors" as it is a turnaround school, not a training site.
AUSL grads are all full certified when they graduate from the AUSL program and begin their first year of teaching.
At Sherman, there were no teachers re-hired, but only one expressed interest, she was offered a position and turned it down. At Harvard, 3 teachers were retained after re-interviewing and are quite happy with their decision.
As for Teachers for Social Justice, many AUSL teachers actively teach social justice curriculum and are absolutely committed to teaching curriculum that is relevant and culturally responsive to the unique needs of the students we teach. In fact, some AUSL teachers are active in TSJ.
AUSL grads are all full certified when they graduate from the AUSL program and begin their first year of teaching.
At Sherman, there were no teachers re-hired, but only one expressed interest, she was offered a position and turned it down. At Harvard, 3 teachers were retained after re-interviewing and are quite happy with their decision.
As for Teachers for Social Justice, many AUSL teachers actively teach social justice curriculum and are absolutely committed to teaching curriculum that is relevant and culturally responsive to the unique needs of the students we teach. In fact, some AUSL teachers are active in TSJ.
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 8:40 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
I Just Want To Teach,
Are you actually reading this thread?
Re: The first year for any certified teacher is overwhelming.
I didn't find my first year of teaching overwhelming at all. But I do believe I would have been better prepared after a year-long residency compared to my 10 weeks of high school student teaching. The concept of a year-long residency doesn't really seem like a negative to me.
Re: CPS should hire teachers with a masters or more to teach in the turn around schools.
AUSL grads do have a Master's degree.
Re: Hire teachers with a proven track record of success on preparing students for test.
So you advocate teaching to the test? Say no more.
Why take a chance with people who are not certified?
AUSL grads are certified after completing a year of residency with a master teacher. Where are you getting this business about uncertified teachers replacing Union workers? Teacher residents, as far as I can tell, are in the classroom with a master teacher just as in a normal student teaching scenario. (Can one of you AUSL grads chime in?) And AUSL hires under the collective bargaining agreement.
I'm sure the AUSL experience isn't all it claims to be in their propaganda. My experience at Northwestern University, a purportedly elite school, wasn't either. And this AUSL model isn't new - my mother went through a similar program in the early 1960s here in Chicago. If you're going to be so opposed to AUSL can you at least articulate a few legitimate reasons?
Are you actually reading this thread?
Re: The first year for any certified teacher is overwhelming.
I didn't find my first year of teaching overwhelming at all. But I do believe I would have been better prepared after a year-long residency compared to my 10 weeks of high school student teaching. The concept of a year-long residency doesn't really seem like a negative to me.
Re: CPS should hire teachers with a masters or more to teach in the turn around schools.
AUSL grads do have a Master's degree.
Re: Hire teachers with a proven track record of success on preparing students for test.
So you advocate teaching to the test? Say no more.
Why take a chance with people who are not certified?
AUSL grads are certified after completing a year of residency with a master teacher. Where are you getting this business about uncertified teachers replacing Union workers? Teacher residents, as far as I can tell, are in the classroom with a master teacher just as in a normal student teaching scenario. (Can one of you AUSL grads chime in?) And AUSL hires under the collective bargaining agreement.
I'm sure the AUSL experience isn't all it claims to be in their propaganda. My experience at Northwestern University, a purportedly elite school, wasn't either. And this AUSL model isn't new - my mother went through a similar program in the early 1960s here in Chicago. If you're going to be so opposed to AUSL can you at least articulate a few legitimate reasons?
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 8:45 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
I found the information about CPS turnaround schools and their partnership with CPS on the AUSL website. Here it is:
NCLB TURNAROUND SCHOOLS
The NCLB Turnaround School model is new to the City of Chicago. Under typical reform models, schools close in June and are reopened over one year later in September under new management, leadership, and/or curriculum. During the closure year, students are transferred into other neighborhood schools, often leading to overcrowding at these schools already struggling with performance issues, and causing enormous disruption to children and their families at all schools involved. Under the NCLB Turnaround School model, students are released in June for the summer and return two months later in September to a school of all new teachers, a new principal, a new curriculum, and improved facilities.
NCLB Turnaround Schools are closed by CPS due to their inability to meet Annual Yearly Progress under NCLB. All of these schools require triage; after years of under-performance, teacher attrition, principal leadership changes, and lack of resources, they are finally closed in order to begin a full transformation. This year, CPS selected AUSL, a strategic partner, to launch this new initiative and to place our highly skilled graduate teachers in 60% of the classrooms. The remaining 40% of the teachers are accomplished Chicago Public School teachers, including Golden Apple Foundation winners and Nationally Board Certified Teachers.
This combination of AUSL graduate teachers, mentor teachers, an AUSL full-time coach, a highly skilled principal and assistant principals, along with the ongoing support of AUSL, is at the core of the Turnaround School Model. In addition to this new model, AUSL continues to train teams of teachers to work in under-performing schools throughout the city.
NCLB TURNAROUND SCHOOLS
The NCLB Turnaround School model is new to the City of Chicago. Under typical reform models, schools close in June and are reopened over one year later in September under new management, leadership, and/or curriculum. During the closure year, students are transferred into other neighborhood schools, often leading to overcrowding at these schools already struggling with performance issues, and causing enormous disruption to children and their families at all schools involved. Under the NCLB Turnaround School model, students are released in June for the summer and return two months later in September to a school of all new teachers, a new principal, a new curriculum, and improved facilities.
NCLB Turnaround Schools are closed by CPS due to their inability to meet Annual Yearly Progress under NCLB. All of these schools require triage; after years of under-performance, teacher attrition, principal leadership changes, and lack of resources, they are finally closed in order to begin a full transformation. This year, CPS selected AUSL, a strategic partner, to launch this new initiative and to place our highly skilled graduate teachers in 60% of the classrooms. The remaining 40% of the teachers are accomplished Chicago Public School teachers, including Golden Apple Foundation winners and Nationally Board Certified Teachers.
This combination of AUSL graduate teachers, mentor teachers, an AUSL full-time coach, a highly skilled principal and assistant principals, along with the ongoing support of AUSL, is at the core of the Turnaround School Model. In addition to this new model, AUSL continues to train teams of teachers to work in under-performing schools throughout the city.
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 8:53 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
Rodentface - you are exactly correct. The residency is a year long experience in a classroom with a mentor teacher.
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 8:57 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
Another advocate for AUSL! In a perfect world, of course a trainee of AUSL is being supervised under a mentor teacher. Whatever! Realistically anyone in a program will branch out on their own once hired by a school. I don't believe that AUSL alum would leave their present school to work at a turn around school. You run the risk of loosing your job. The first year of teaching can be overwhelming. There so many things you have to deal with, especially in a low poverty area. You teach and assist students to life skills, they may not get at home. You bring in food to children who missed breakfast and came to school late. I don't teach to the test. I teach my students to love learning and how to be an informed citizen. I never mentioned that AUSL graduates don't have master's degree. I work in a building where 80% of the teachers have a master's degree. Everyone went to school the traditional way. I simply feel, which is my opinion that CPS needs to hire experienced certified teachers. I could care less how long AUSL been around.
Mon Mar 3, 2008 at 9:51 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
Let us all remember one thing above all else. These teachers are being displaced by Arne Duncan. He and CPS are the ones we need to blame, hold accountable and demand a retraction from them for saying they are firing 200 bad teachers. Did Arne spend one minute observing and evaluating all these teachers he is firing? These teachers are not bad teachers, and are being displaced through absolutely no fault of their own other than teaching underachievers, low achievers, low income students. Until the world (the public, the state gov, the fed etc...) quits judging schools by test scores. The other reason Arne is firing these teachers is because of the absenteeism. Are teachers responsible for students attendance? In a few years (or less) we will probably having this same conversation and maybe with the same schools (give or take one or two). CPS continues to segregate students academically (magnates, select enrollment, charters, contract, performance etc...) and then wonders why the neighborhood schools aren't doing as well as the rest, the neighborhood schools that have to take all students that no one else will take.
Tue Mar 4, 2008 at 1:28 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
From AUSL: "The NCLB Turnaround School model is new to the City of Chicago. Under typical reform models, schools close in June and are reopened over one year later in September under new management, leadership, and/or curriculum. During the closure year, students are transferred into other neighborhood schools, often leading to overcrowding at these schools already struggling with performance issues, and causing enormous disruption to children and their families at all schools involved..."
This is not true. There was no "typical reform model." What AUSL is lying about here is what happened in Chicago (partly with AUSL's participation, at Dodge) in 2002 at Dodge and Williams. Those two schools were closed in June 2002 and reopened in September 2003. AUSL was part of that process -- it was not part of any "typical reform model" but part of the 2002 schools closings that Arne Duncan did.
To lump all this under "NCLB" when it's a Chicago program (both ends; the one-year closing then reopening and now the "turnaround") that has done extreme damage since it began in 2002. Two years after that (once Dodge had one year under its belt), Daley launched "Renaissance 2010" with Dodge and Williams as the "models". This kind of historical revisionism needs to be challenged, since the facts matter. Even in Chicago.
This is not true. There was no "typical reform model." What AUSL is lying about here is what happened in Chicago (partly with AUSL's participation, at Dodge) in 2002 at Dodge and Williams. Those two schools were closed in June 2002 and reopened in September 2003. AUSL was part of that process -- it was not part of any "typical reform model" but part of the 2002 schools closings that Arne Duncan did.
To lump all this under "NCLB" when it's a Chicago program (both ends; the one-year closing then reopening and now the "turnaround") that has done extreme damage since it began in 2002. Two years after that (once Dodge had one year under its belt), Daley launched "Renaissance 2010" with Dodge and Williams as the "models". This kind of historical revisionism needs to be challenged, since the facts matter. Even in Chicago.
Tue Mar 4, 2008 at 1:32 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
Speaking of facts, why does this thread still begin with that inaccurate characterization of what Terrence Williams said? If Catalyst is going to begin to try and "report" from the monthly Board meetings, your reporters should at least make some effort to get the facts straight the first time and correct their inaccuracies when they are pointed out.
Tue Mar 4, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
Actually on the sign up sheet over a 100 of Orr students were in the lobby, and only 10 of us came up stairs with Ms. Amika.
Wed Mar 5, 2008 at 8:52 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
here's a link to some youtube video of the protest outside the meeting -- from TSJ -- check it out
http://catalyst-chicago.org/RUSSO/index.php#603
alexander
http://catalyst-chicago.org/RUSSO/index.php#603
alexander
Wed Mar 5, 2008 at 10:40 AM
LSC Power
Re: Video
One speaker said that LSCs were not consulted on the school changes. True. Did LSCs take any action? Did any of the LSCs at the schools reconstituted/closed/consolidated vote to oppose the Board's decision? Did they show up at the hearings to show the force of their authority and/or submit testimony? How many of the schools' LSCs held local school referenda to hear and gage the voices of their own constituents? LSCs did not need permission from the Board to do these things.
We heard from high school students at Orr and Harper (hearings/press reports) but what about their parents?
One speaker said that LSCs were not consulted on the school changes. True. Did LSCs take any action? Did any of the LSCs at the schools reconstituted/closed/consolidated vote to oppose the Board's decision? Did they show up at the hearings to show the force of their authority and/or submit testimony? How many of the schools' LSCs held local school referenda to hear and gage the voices of their own constituents? LSCs did not need permission from the Board to do these things.
We heard from high school students at Orr and Harper (hearings/press reports) but what about their parents?
Wed Mar 5, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
AUSL may be a good program, but it really not realistic. Until CPS and the City of Chicago deal with the 'COMMUNITY ISSUES' all of this is just a band-aid!. Englewood will only change if the people change (See the State Street Community from 55th to 35th)! The Westside, is the Westside!
Will Harvard or Sherman ever be able to complete against Sutherland, Canty, Edgebrook, Neil, Dixon, Mayer, Newberry, etc... Oh yeah, how long will the Administration stay there? Or are they waiting for a nice position in a Middle - Class community?
Will Harvard or Sherman ever be able to complete against Sutherland, Canty, Edgebrook, Neil, Dixon, Mayer, Newberry, etc... Oh yeah, how long will the Administration stay there? Or are they waiting for a nice position in a Middle - Class community?
Wed Mar 5, 2008 at 1:06 PM
Notes From The Board Meeting
You know what else isn't realistic...waiting for schools to solve all of the problems that are contributing to poor academic performance in impoverished communities.
Thu Mar 6, 2008 at 8:49 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
here's an excerpt from this week's reader column from ben jarovsky, including his recollection of school closings 15 years ago (julian):
According to Williams and schools CEO Arne Duncan, the system can’t afford to keep underused schools open or overlook strict enforcement of its teacher-to-student ratio. Of course, there’s no need for the schools to be so broke: CPS forfeits roughly $300 million a year in property taxes to Mayor Daley’s tax increment financing program. I’m still looking for board members to be as tough with the mayor as they are with parents, teachers, and students. Just once I’d like to hear a school official tell the mayor, “We know change is hard to take, but we need that TIF money to educate our students.”
Williams and Duncan promised to make the consolidation and closings efficient so education would not be disrupted as it has been at Julian. Good luck. As was the case 15 years ago, it’s a big, impersonal system whose leaders tend to look the other way when their budget-saving mandates create havoc in the classroom. Some things never change.
According to Williams and schools CEO Arne Duncan, the system can’t afford to keep underused schools open or overlook strict enforcement of its teacher-to-student ratio. Of course, there’s no need for the schools to be so broke: CPS forfeits roughly $300 million a year in property taxes to Mayor Daley’s tax increment financing program. I’m still looking for board members to be as tough with the mayor as they are with parents, teachers, and students. Just once I’d like to hear a school official tell the mayor, “We know change is hard to take, but we need that TIF money to educate our students.”
Williams and Duncan promised to make the consolidation and closings efficient so education would not be disrupted as it has been at Julian. Good luck. As was the case 15 years ago, it’s a big, impersonal system whose leaders tend to look the other way when their budget-saving mandates create havoc in the classroom. Some things never change.
Tue Mar 25, 2008 at 1:14 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
The Board is meeting tomorrow, but the Board still hasn't assembled all of the complete hearing officers' reports that were supposed to be in front of the Board members from last month, when they voted to screw 18 schools and postpone the screwing of the 19th (Abbott) until they could finesse how to explain that a building was "underutilized" when half of it was being utilized by a charter school that was somehow ignored when "Demographics" took a real close look at the school.
Remember: The Board members were supposed to have the complete reports from the hearings officers prior to the February 27 Board meeting. Instead, they were lucky if they had some couple of pages from the hearing officers (a summary findings thingy). All of the parents, students, teachers and others who had spoken at the hearings -- hundreds of people -- between February 4 and February 16 had been lied to. Everyone had been told that the complete report -- with all documentation submitted from the schools -- would be presented in the "report." There was a boilerplate line in the hearing officers' scripts about how "the record" would be kept open (blah blah blah) for a couple of days, and anyone who wanted to could fax or e-mail or hand deliver additional materials for presentation to the Board of Education.
The facts are clear:
1. The hearing officers' reports (including all of those materials) were not in front of the Board members when they met on February 27, 2008.
2. The Board members (the five who were left at the end of the afternoon) voted unanimously and without debate to rubber stamp the Board Reports submitted by Arne Duncan without having bother to (a) attend any of the hearings and (b) read the materials that thousands of citizens had either signed or spent days assembling and presenting.
Tomorrow's Board meeting will be another cynical exercise in tyranny.
I'm going to begin a contest to give some kind of local Academy Award for the most dishonest statement by Rufus Williams during a Board meeting. January was about "the process" when in fact by the time the hearings began the "process" was already over. The members of the Board had received their marching orders from Mayor Daley and the rest was a cynical exercise in public deception and insult.
Remember: The Board members were supposed to have the complete reports from the hearings officers prior to the February 27 Board meeting. Instead, they were lucky if they had some couple of pages from the hearing officers (a summary findings thingy). All of the parents, students, teachers and others who had spoken at the hearings -- hundreds of people -- between February 4 and February 16 had been lied to. Everyone had been told that the complete report -- with all documentation submitted from the schools -- would be presented in the "report." There was a boilerplate line in the hearing officers' scripts about how "the record" would be kept open (blah blah blah) for a couple of days, and anyone who wanted to could fax or e-mail or hand deliver additional materials for presentation to the Board of Education.
The facts are clear:
1. The hearing officers' reports (including all of those materials) were not in front of the Board members when they met on February 27, 2008.
2. The Board members (the five who were left at the end of the afternoon) voted unanimously and without debate to rubber stamp the Board Reports submitted by Arne Duncan without having bother to (a) attend any of the hearings and (b) read the materials that thousands of citizens had either signed or spent days assembling and presenting.
Tomorrow's Board meeting will be another cynical exercise in tyranny.
I'm going to begin a contest to give some kind of local Academy Award for the most dishonest statement by Rufus Williams during a Board meeting. January was about "the process" when in fact by the time the hearings began the "process" was already over. The members of the Board had received their marching orders from Mayor Daley and the rest was a cynical exercise in public deception and insult.
Tue Mar 25, 2008 at 7:47 AM
Notes From The Board Meeting
George, can you get a copy of the Abbott hearing officer report and publish it in Substance? I bet CPS won't use this hearing officer again!
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