Red, Black and Navy blue

There was comment in the last post to check out this article:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-aurora-njrotc-28-dec28,0,202339.story

I thought it was worth a post and a good place to start on a brighter note.
Our NJROTC has been a positive force in EAHS for quite sometime.
The article asks- "If the programs are so great, why aren't they in white affluent communities too?"

Is it possibly due to the fact those families can & do pay for their children to get involved in any and many activities outside the school. EA students options are limited by accessibility due to location & finances.

40 years ago when I attended EA, our basketball team gave us all EA pride. Now it is NJROTC.
The article also suggests ROTC programs could be "recruitment vehicles for the military."
I think the students & Lt. Cmdr. expressed well what NJROTC is to EA.

What do you see in our NJROTC and the students in the program?

Interjecting short topic for comment

E-communication and e-files are more common than ever before. Just as our board has gone paperless, companies are also marketing their services for putting all files on e-files. E-files save space, are easy to access saved information and data. Should 131 look for other paperless options, beyond the board packets?

Finding answers is a lot harder than pointing fingers

Differentiated Learning-could it be an answer for many of the students of D131?

Curriculum goals may be similar for all students, teaching methods must be varied to suit the individual needs of all children: ie. learning must be differentiated to be effective.
Differentiating instruction means creating multiple paths so that students of different abilities, interest or learning needs experience equally appropriate ways to absorb, use, develop and present concepts as a part of the daily learning process. It allows students to take greater responsibility and ownership for their own learning, and provides opportunities for peer teaching and cooperative learning.
Differentiating is not new, the concept has been around for at least 2 decades for gifted and talented students. However, it is now recognized to be an important tool for engaging students and addressing the individual needs of all students.

Source: www.enhancelearning.ca

By any other name it is enpowering and inspiring

D300- ISAT tests taken by students in the spring show boys typically score lower than girls in reading. The boys-only book club is an innovative way to bridge the national gap in reading skills between boys and girls.

Elgin-based USD 46 -Proposed by district Supt. “The 10 Boys Initiative” involves 120 admin, each volunteering to work with 10 boys considered at risk of academic failure. The program mentors boys from 4th - 12th grade.

WVHS-Members of 100 Black Men of Chicago, a group that mentors at-risk youths, came into the class on a regular basis throughout the year and talked about everything from team-building to starting a business.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/1857792,3_1_EL01_BOOKCLUB_S1-091101.article

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2009/mar/12/local/chi-elgin-mentors-nzone-12-mar12

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=214692

Can we afford any more? Can we afford not to?

In the past few months it has been quite apparent in local communication mediums there are definitely many views to whether 131 needs a magnet school, alternative school or a preschool program. Though, all of these programs have young people who need them and parents who want the opportunities for their children, there are just as many families who would like educational opportunities geared towards their own children’s needs. Some neighborhoods have suggested we need a new school built to alleviate overcrowding. How much more should we offer? Is there excess in 131’s attempts to accommodate ALL our children?

Feeding off the negative will keep you constantly hungry

A frenzy has erupted in the media and community forums such as blogs. On the national and local news levels, healthcare, education and the economy are the topics that hit every person close to home.
Media loves to quote the rude and feed into the negative frenzy. While some are busy trying to point fingers, outlook to a future with positive change is passing by.

At home, in 131, change is happening. You will find whatever you are looking for, whether it be change or reasons to continue to be a EA cynic. I won't deny we need to keep looking for the flaws so they can be mended. At least equal time to rejoice in those things that have been accomplished.

It has taken more years than most will admit for our district to get to the level we have been. We are on the upside of this cycle of change. Naysayers delay change. We can make excuses, sit and do nothing or be an active part of change.

Where are you?

I can't put you in the seats......

But you may now have all info the Board members receive. With exception of sensitive/ confidential information.

Go to the 131 website:
http://d131.org/
Click on Board of Education in the left hand column.
Then click on Board Packets in the right hand column.
You will come to a page called BoardBook.
Click on agenda packet.

You can now be an informed community member.
Questions? Plenty of people are an email away.

Open invitation to ALL East Aurora Alumni

Come enjoy a tailgate party before the East/West football game Friday August 28th 2009 from 4-7 pm to get us pumped up and ready for the big cross-town rivalry.
Together with EA students we will be having a gathering of alumni in the NE corner of the stadium area.
The purchase price of the ticket, $10.00, will include admission to the game, food, a beverage and an alumni gift. Games, music and lots of Tomcat spirit will be available to enjoy.

Alumni T-shirts will be available for purchase. Presale tickets may be purchased by contacting any of the event coordinators through Facebook.

Anita Lewis alewis4244@msn.com

Rayanne Carlson 1-630-851-8569 or JCarl419@aol.com

Shiane Gonzalez

Tickets will be sold at EA staff Red and Black pride day, too!

A limited number of tickets will be available the night of the game.

Many meetings, late hours, no pay-it's OK! It's all for the students in 131.

Few people attend the meetings, and the Beacon rarely comes and reports what transpires. I’d like to share a few things that have been decided in open session in the last few months in 131.

The Board decided to not approve a raise for the administrators at this time.

The Board has decided to make a change and do business with a local attorney who resides on the Eastside.

Policies are being changed and spending is being monitored more closely.

The Board has created it’s own mission statement:

“To create an environment of accountability, trust and open communication, to empower students, staff and community members.”

The 131 School Board is working hard for it's students.
Please support them, attend meetings.

School Board Workshop-Public Welcome

Here's your chance to attend and listen to what is being discussed by the Board.
You will then have an opportunity to bring your questions & comments to the Board meeting in July. There is always time allocated for public comments at each regular school board meeting.

This is a special 131 School Board Workshop Meeting. To be held
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 @ 6:00 p.m.

The Board will be interviewing Legal Counsel.
Those to be interviewed in open session:

Canna & Canna
Mickey, Wilson, Weiler, Renzi & Anderson
Whitt Law

Other topics that will be discussed are:

Board Mission Statement, Workshops/Conferences, & the Strategic Plan.

There will be a closed-Executive Session for the Purpose of Discussing the Appointment, Employment and Dismissal of a Specific Employee

All community members are encouraged and welcome to attend.

Might or Menace

"Neither let us be slandered from our duty by false accusations against us, nor frightened from it by menaces of destruction to the government nor of dungeon to ourselves. Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith let us to the end dare to due our duty as we understand it.”-Abe Lincoln

Lincoln called for changes to be made and practices to stop that had been acceptable to many people for many years. Though critics may make unjust comments, he encouraged people to do what was right for the right reasons.

Are you one who is helping right make might or a menace of destruction ?

Opening the lines of communication

Communications to the board has been a topic for discussion at several meetings.
Hopefully, soon the public will be able to send an email to all 7 board members at once by clicking one button on the board section of the district website. The option is there, but not yet activated.

Presently, you may still email board members individually by clicking “contact us” in the right hand column of the board page. The District 131 School Board welcomes community involvement, and encourages district transparency. Please support your school district by attending meetings or events or volunteering to help at student activities.

Support the voters choice May 4 @ 7pm

The first meeting of the new 131 School Board is this Monday. The newly elected members of the Board will be sworn in May 4th and new officers will be elected.
Show your encouragement by attending the meeting at the school service center.
This is a great chance to meet the 7 women who have chosen to volunteer & dedicate their time to act in behalf of the educational welfare of the students of 131.

I am testing an addition to the blog (see the bottom of the page.) Please take a few seconds to respond.

Wishing him the best in his retirement!

I'll follow the lead from a blogger on a previous post.

On to more positive and relevant postings!
What a great article in the Beacon today!
East Aurora High School visionary retires!

Anyone who has been involved at EAHS has heard of Commander.

I know when he brought the high school students to Waldo, where my children were 8th graders, he made a very positive impression. His pitch about the NJROTC sold my son and many others, immediately that year, on joining NJROTC in their freshman year. I was in the booster group for a short while and I was very impressed with how Cmdr. appeared always in control. He seemed to not expect anything less than the best from the cadets, and they gave it to him.
A great teacher, mentor and role model-he will be missed.

The results are in!

Once, again, the 131 community has spoken loud and clear.
I'd like to say congratulations to the new and returning members.

Candidates forum-It's official and on the website

Monday, March 23, 2009 from 7p.m.–9p.m. at the East Aurora School Service Center there will be an East Aurora School Board Candidates’ Forum. Voters will have the opportunity to meet each of the candidates and to submit questions to be answered during the forum. Voters can also watch the forum LIVE on the East Aurora website, www.d131.org, and access it anytime thereafter in the video vault on the website. The forum is open to the public. Seating is limited. For more info visit the above website.

Digital curriculum

What do you know about a digital curriculum. The topic will be coming up soon in 131. Start educating yourself and others, so we may be prepared. I will give a brief explanation and update the posting in the very near future.

"Digital curriculum has many advantages over traditional, paper-based curriculum. If it is web-based, it can be readily accessible from any Internet-connected computer, can be accessible to people with disabilities, can be readily updated, and is often more current. Often and increasingly, it is free!"

Should this type of educational technology be implemented in our eastside schools?

What transparency means to me.....

During the last 2 years or so, "transparency" seems to be a term frequently used to invoke a sense of trust.
EA District 131 Superintendent used the term when trying to encourage voters to vote for a referendum. Our newly elected U.S. President has promised it, and most recently one of our Aurora Mayoral candidates promises "transparency & accountability."

*Definition of transparent:
1. obvious and easy to recognize: clearly recognizable as what it, he, or she really is
a transparent motive

2. frank: completely open and frank about things
was grateful for the transparent honesty of the reply

What do you see, or wish to see, be more transparent on the eastside of Aurora?



*Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

From the 131 website-Board candidates

Seven candidates have filed the necessary paperwork to be included
on the April 7 ballot for the four open positions on the
East Aurora School District 131 Board of Education.

In alphabetical order, the candidates are:
􀂃 Samuel W. Carson III – 1126 Homer Ave., Aurora 60505
􀂃 Fernando Chapa – 541 Saddle Lane, Aurora 60505
􀂃 Stella Gonzalez – 1747 Briarheath Road, Aurora 60505
􀂃 Annette Johnson – 1050 Northfield Dr., Aurora 60505
􀂃 Anita Lewis – 322 Grant Place, Aurora 60505
􀂃 (Incumbent) Fernando Salinas, Jr. – 1262 Church Road, Aurora 60505
􀂃 (Incumbent) Juanita Wells – 1737 Indian Avenue, Aurora 60505

There are four open positions on the ballot; three 4-year terms
and one 2-year term.
Chapa, Gonzalez, Johnson, Lewis, and Salinas are running for the 4-year terms. Carson and Wells are running for the 2-year term.
Board Members Robert ‘Bob’ McCue and Ken Maurice are not seeking re-election.