A raft of past programs have failed to substantially improve the reading skills of middle grade and high school students. CPS is trying once again, as part of a federal project that aims to help teens learn how to analyze complex non-fiction.
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I have heard that they hire outside lawyers to investigate cases. Really, what does the law department do?
Expulsions of AA Males
The expulsion of students in the AA community has sank to an all time low. After reading your article Catalyst In Depth, I wanted to respond to the issue of students expulsions. At my school, when teachers are not on board with the expulsion process, somehow they end up with erroneous accusations filed against them and validated by the CPS Law Department. The interesting thing is that students who have misbehaved in class and should be given referrals for specialized services are now used as star witnesses against teachers. You won't believe this but when the student is tricked into making false allegation ( because they are afraid of getting suspended) a "Let's Make a Deal" scenario emerges between the principal, the student and the CPS Law department . To add insult to injury,when the students are finished doing the dirty work, then an expulsion hearing is lined up for the student. The teacher then is asked to come and testify to help expel the student. There's something very sick and demented about this entire process. I wonder if this is a new strategy principals are using to get rid of tenured teachers and rid themselves of problem students simultaneously. It looks as if they are trying to "kill two birds with one stone". Also, many AA girls are going through the expulsion process. The numbers are increasing daily. Some research into the growing numbers of AA girls being expelled would be interesting.
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I was hoping Ron Huberman would address this issue of our antiquated/unavailable technology but it does not appear to be an issue for him.
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Where's the Union in this? Oh! I forgot! On vacation for the summer...even tho the E schools start today.
AND, since the CTU site hasn't been updated for a month, what do THEY care about technology? They haven't for a year since they trashed the old site that actually was updated daily and put up the cr*p they've got now.
One would think...of course this is in the rational world...that a teacher making an extra effort would be praised...AND PAID FOR PERFORMANCE. Perhaps CPS might actually want to purchase the software he/she designed and give it to other teachers. I know, it's a shocking concept. But God forbid.
What would it take to EVER start off a school year praising teachers, throwing them some sort of crumb and doing something positive vs. the PR op for Huberman today at 1 school...probably the only one with air conditioning and a charter.
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they did not bother to speak to teachers about it so that they could hear how BAD firstclass is. So now i will be in trouble for responding to my students' questions n homework and projects.!
Rediculous. Law is going WAY overboard here and with the CEO sending out a twitter of a sex singer....
The students will suffer now!
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I had to send e-mail via my personal e-mail to parents this year because they had e-mailed me at work via CPS and I had to respond immediately (not the next day) due to the nature of the e-mail. I had to confer with colleagues (on my personal phone) before I responded to the e-mail so it could not be during the school day. I was unable to even get on First Class at home-this happens a lot.
Usually I can read but not respond to First Class at home. My principal is aware of this as we send in our lesson plans via First Class which means we often are sending him the plans on our personal e-mail.
We are unable to accesss the e-IEP, ISAT results for our students or First Class from home. There is very little time during the school day to complete all of this computer work and many of us do not have a computer at school or we work at such unsafe schools that we are told to leave with the security guards.
My server on my personal computer will not allow me to download the e-IEP due to viruses.
Will we be issued laptops?
This is happening city wide and the glitches are still pervasive.
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to TO WONDERING...my point above is that, if the policy of acceptable use is being ignored by the CEO the IG needs to hear that and get a complaint filed. Also, it would be good for a coherent letter to the editors of major newspapers to let the public know that, besides being stupid, it is a violation of board policy. Lighten up with the caps, dude.
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Could they actually give us a working email system before they ban us using non-internal email systems?
Every time, I have to use backspace in an email, my cps mail account locks up.
Remind me again, what's central office's job besides getting in the way of instruction?
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What can't you figure out...this is just a photo op for huberman to justify the reason he has created so much confusion with the first day of school. Do we start in aug or sept or whenever. Come to school when you want to. Attendance counts when the child walks through the door at school not really when the first day of school starts.
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Sent. It can also be found here:
http://policy.cps.k12.il.us/documents/604.1.pdf
Approved as of July 22, 2009.
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could someone please send me a copy of the new policy so that i can post it?
funny that cps is saying it's using twitter and myspace to get the message out about going back to school but -- apparently? -- doesn't want teachers to use anything but the official email system.
please send me a copy of this to district299 at gmail dot com, or post a link here so everyone can see.
-- alexander
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I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE ABOVE ENTRY IS TALKING ABOUT--
YOU ARE correct, FACULTY AND STAFF CAN NOW ONLY USE THAT BAD AND POOR AND HORRIBLE FIRSTCLASS TO BE IN TOUCH WITH THEIR STUDENTS. Yes, only first class can be used. You cannot give out your personal email address like: on yahoo or aol or sbc, etc. Otherwise, you are in violation of the AUP.
I guess we just cannot be in touch with our students any more about homework or test help, etc.
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You should send your comments to the Inspector General (just google it...you can send stuff anonymously) and to the newspapers (unfortunately, they'll want your info...but you make a great point).
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This past Friday, my principal stressed the contents of the new Acceptable Use Policy. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it clearly states that NO third party social network should be used to communicate with CPS students. Perhaps I misunderstood. Maybe that is meant just for the little people who still promote integrity and morality.
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we spend all this time and care with our middle schoolers to keep it in their pants, to keep their legs together, to think about their future, to keep an unwanted child from being born or ab--ted or abandoned, to not get a S T D (cook county is #1 in gon--hea btw) and then Ronnie comes along and allows this jerk of a singer to tell kids to come to school while they know all about his birthday x. Have you read the words? How about an young alumnus who has made it and did not use graphic song about s-x to cheer kids coming to school? Would you let your 10 year old listen and sing this song? wake up
I mean eventhis blog reviewed my comments here before it was allowed to move on ...
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So now teachers can choose any novel to have a class read in the grammar schools irregardless of content-sexual or ....? Scary!
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That someday, when the mayor is heading to a federal prison, that TIFs are what brought him down.
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Good luck trying to get info out of the Department of Community Development!!! All they give you is double talk!
[url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/mr-big-spender-daleys-central-loop-tif-binge/Content?oid=1173292 new=true]Chicago Reader Article on Daley's TIF Shenanigans.[/url]
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cermak_rd
It doesn't matter what students over 12 hear or know from mtv, cable or home, cps has to endorse behavior that will support success. Too many of our students act like adults and never finish school and consequently fail to meet their full potential. CPS is doing many great things to support students, this was an unfortunate choice of songs.
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cermak_rd get out of the gutter. Huberman is not hip nor aware!
Another Huberman boner! Twitter ha... teens don't use it that much. Where is Huberman's head...
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http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/mr-big-spender-daleys-central-loop-...
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I fail to see what the point of the uproar over the song is all about. For heaven's sakes, any of the students over the age of 12 have heard worse and more suggestive lyrics, and have certainly heard franker discourse related to issues of sexuality.
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Why would Huberman go to Earhart on the first day of Track E scheduling? Earhart is a high performing school whose parents did not want Track E in the first place. It's probably a school which should not been his first choice to attend for a press conference. There are some schools in Area 17 that have been on Track E for quite some time with gains and that's where he should have gone. Most parents and teachers are having issues with the principal at Earhart and Huberman doesn't even know the situation. I hope he is happy standing next to one of the tyrants that gives CPS a bad name. Track E is poorly planned and thought out by those at central office who don't care what Track E is doing to school communities. I will send my child who dreads it to school on Monday, but I wish I had another alternative. I heard many of the parents are transferring their children...
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[i]In addition to his Olympic committee role, Scott also is involved in the proposed Douglas Park sports venues through his position as president of the school board. Chicago 2016's velodrome plans call for tearing down the Collins High School campus' two gyms and indoor pool, a sensitive issue with many community residents who don't want the recently renovated facilities demolished.[/i]
[url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-olympics-real-estate-07-aug07,0,4603832.story?page=1 new=true]Chicago 2016 Olympics: Member of city's bid team has deal to develop land near park earmarked for the Games[/url]
By Todd Lighty, David Heinzmann and Kathy Bergen Tribune reporters
August 7, 2009
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"Harmful to minors" means that quality of any description or representation, in whatever form, of nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or sado‑masochistic abuse, when, taken as a whole, it (i) predominately appeals to the prurient interest in sex of minors, (ii) is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community in the State as a whole with respect to what is suitable material for minors, and (iii) lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.
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What were they thinking...? Shame shame shame.....
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it is bad enough that Il had blaggo--now we need to have chicago on the nationwide map because of this sick idea with the birthday sex guy!
wow--yeah--did not the law department just warn principals about pedifiles and inappropriate talk by SCHOOL adults to students.
But Ronnie can send this dirty guy to tewwt our children--way to go Ron!