Saturday, October 29, 2011
Students' best interests?
One of the things most of us in this community have in common is our concern for the well-being of our kids. Ideally, every decision made by administrators, teachers, parents, and taxpayers is made with the best interests of students in mind. What are some examples of recent decisions made in our district that have been good for students? And how could we make better use of available resources (time, energy, funds) to benefit the people we claim to care about most: our children?
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248 comments:
1 – 200 of 248 Newer› Newest»Fixing the EHS pool would definitely be in students' best interests.
And Rayanne takes the low road and lets this travesty continue.
New record. Only one reasonably positive post, before the low-lifes came out w/ the negativity.
How was the first post positive?
Please, are you that stupid. Look at the thread "Money makes the world go round" - I believe the first post is SIMMONS SUCKS - I don't think that is positive.
So therefore you are WRONG and it isn't a new record.
Shut it down, shut it down, shut it down, shut it down.
Because YOU say so, 10:19 p.m.?
Don't think so.
:)
The new childcare center is in students' best interests.
A grEAt use of our district's resources!
About the openly gay EHS teacher--I'm surprised it's taken this long for a teacher to come out, considering that the rest of the civilized world has pretty much adjusted to the fact that LGBT people are in every neighborhood, workplace, church, etc.
I couldn't care less about the sexual orientation of my kids' teachers. Teachers are there to TEACH, and as long as my child is learning it's none of my concern whether they're gay or straight.
It is in students' best interests to interact with people from all races, genders, economic backgrounds, religions, etc., because that's what the real world is like.
It shouldn't be because I said so, but rather because Rayanne has a conscience.
I guess I was wrong
In this country we have a thing called Freedom of Speech and just because Johnson doesn't like it doesn't mean this blog should be taken down. The talk will go on even if it was so at least you know what people are saying.
I agree sometimes things are posted that are in bad taste but that is life. There is also true things that have come out on here or just information that someone doesn't want others to know.
Is there any publicity about the progress of the Raising HOPE fundraiser?
When you think about the successes and struggles of athletic teams in the district, you can link a great deal of it to exposure to the sport/activity before high school. Look at the soccer team, and the look at the soccer leagues and the impromtu games that spring up all over the area. Look at basketball and you can see the same. I know there is a football league for youth, but does it continue in middle school? That I am not sure.
So, in my opinion, the idea that getting kids to camps and building the program at the pre-high school level can certainly help the overall program - activities/clubs included.
The fact that this is a fundraiser and will be built on donations is another plus. This helps put it outside using taxpayer dollars.
I know what I'm writing is very basic, and there is always room for critcism, but I think it's a step in the right direction and in our "students best interests".
Maybe if more students families were held responsible for contributing instead of property taxes, federal taxes and donations paying for everything from meals to athletics.
Many of our districts families pay little if anything for their childrens academic needs. Investment breeds interest in accountablity for success.
Rayanne's not home!
9:13 a.m., I agree that supporting sports programs & camps is in students' best interests.
My concern would be, how can we trust that administrators will use that donated money in the best way possible, for maximum benefit to our kids? There was a LONG discussion on the previous thread about someone at the high school being paid more than $100.00 an hour and possibly double-dipping. If that is how tax money is spent, who's to say that donations wouldn't be misspent, too?
Personally, I am not planning to donate anything to the H.O.P.E. fundraiser. I DO, however, donate money to my church's softball program, my neighbor's Boy Scout troop, and the Salvation Army. These organizations have shown that they make responsible use of the money they collect.
The Aurora Township has an excellent youth soccer program, and is always looking for donations and volunteers.
Also, the Park District has some great sports, drama, and dance programs. I've heard that they offer some programs at reduced cost to families, based upon ability to pay.
The First Presbyterian Church in Aurora has a Neighborhood Arts Centre, where kids can get art, music, and drama classes/lessons at very low rates (thanks to a scholarship program funded by the church). The student's family pays for half the cost of the lesson, and the church pays the other half.
And the Neighborhood Arts Centre uses all money donated for the benefit of the STUDENTS--no exorbitant $100.00/hour stipends.
Family Focus also does some wonderful work for the kids in our community, and they are bilingual as well. Specifically, they have an excellent preschool program, and I believe they also have after-school tutoring.
I know that they have a great need for donations (both time and money). A good, worthy cause!
:)
Yeah, the Boy Scouts who use YOUR TAX MONEY to discriminate against Gays and Atheists. That's a really good use of money.
Idiot.
This thread was doing good until again they bring up the one subject people are tired of hearing about. If you ask me even some teachers get paid way to much and the deferential is in the contract and voted for by the board so what you could do is vote these people out when it is time to vote again and see if that could be changed. Believe me this district waste more money than that.
There are many fine programs for children that have been around for some time and are working well for the students. The district should partner with them to reach the most students that need help but they won't because they want think this will help their image. They want all the glory and do not want to share with others.
2:32 PM, I agree. I give my time and donations to other organizations supporting my community.
Our schools have plenty of grant, scholarship $$ and give away plenty of "free" food, PR banquets, awards, sports and school fees waived.
Not to mention (back away for a moment naysayers) teachers who go above and beyond in and outside the classroom paying for things out of pocket, seeking help/donations from outside agencies & businesse. Teachers have even gotten city agencies to give a little extra to our EA students.
All the community support they get from churches,agencies like Rotary, and groups who give their time and "gifts" of time, supplies, & labor within the school district. Then the Board has the nerve to ask for MORE to support the very programs they threatened to cut a few short years ago.
There is no H.O.P.E (Helping Our Pupils Excell)coming from the district admin & board or the EA foundation by way of "providing addtl opportunities in Academics..." They have not given them the basic opportunity of meeting or exceeding the standards.
I will support those outside the district who do NOT have voters to satisfy or sway. Also,support those who are not looking for PR to justify their pay increases.
Your taxes supported the Armed Forces, also. These times they are a changin' people are becoming more acceptable of each others differences.
Very well said October 30, 2011 3:17 PM.
Don't forget the retreats the administrators go on in the summer at country clubs. I bet they spent at least a thousand a month on food some going I believe for meeting snacks and food for the administrators.
Is there any publicity about the progress of the Raising HOPE fundraiser?
I haven't seen anything and that is why many are concerned about giving money you never see any progress of how this is going like in so many other programs that ask for money. Take donors choice for example you can see what is donated and how much more they would need.
Excerpt from the Beacon News:
...No Child Left Behind also mandates that schools keep track of the achievement of specific subgroups, based on race, ability and language skills, and that those students do just as well as their fellow students. But many high schools are falling behind at closing the achievement gap, too.
At East Aurora, where white students are 6 percent of the student body, scores among minority groups are plummeting. In reading, the number of black students passing standardized tests has dropped by 10 percentage points since 2003. The same holds true for the school’s Hispanic population.
This year, only 17 percent of Hispanic students hit the state reading standard — down 10 percentage points from 2003.
Overall, while 85 percent of the school’s students should be reaching benchmarks in reading and math according to federal law, less than 20 percent of Tomcats actually are, a drop of seven percentage points since 2003.
Tools for change
“There’s definitely been a decline (in test scores), and we see the gaps,” said Clayton Muhammad, East Aurora School District spokesman. “Administrators are working hard to change that.”
One of those ways is through more frequent student assessment, which began this year, he said. Instead of an annual assessments, students are being assessed every four to six weeks at the high school level, allowing for early intervention.
“We can make adjustments accordingly, and we look forward to watching the students grow,” he said.
Administrators have also added a plethora of new positions to help target student growth. From tutors to social workers to counselors and beyond, Muhammad said the beefed-up staff will increase face time with students and parents alike to help foster achievement.
“Add all of those together, and we have a program that targets individual students specifically,” he said. “Our staff is really looking at what’s going on with the achievement gap, and test scores as a whole.”
We can all go to the Beacon site ourselves. You don't have to post it here. I hope we are not that lazy.
Has anybody noticed how the more the administrators dictate what is taught in the classrooms, the lower the scores become?
Teachers have gone to college for years to learn their subject matter and teaching techniques. Many have more education than our administrators. Yet administrators (many of whom went into administration because they could not handle being in the classroom) want to come and tell the expert teachers how and what to teach in their classrooms.
It's simple, (Back in the 50's-60's) we were first in the world when teachers were allowed to teach. Now that politicians and administrators have taken control of the process, we keep falling further and further behind.
Clayton keeps talking about how hard the administrators are working to remedy the issues. The harder they work, the farther behind we fall.
Please, get a clue.
I absolutely agree with the prior post that when it comes to the administration dictating what happens in the classroom, less is more. I teach at the high school and I specifically wrote a note to the coordinators of the first thinklink exam when one of my students couldn't even answer the first five questions (out of 30) because of what seems to be an English-language issue. My note said "what can we do to help this student on future tests?". I have recieved no response and don't really expect one because despite all of Clayton's talk about early interventions, it comes down to all talk and no follow-through. This district is notorious for taking great ideas/concepts/theories and royally screwing them up by not following through or allowing them time to grow and evolve. Instead we give up and move on to the next "magic" fix.
I am in total agreement with 2:55 pm. Tho I see admin repeatedly saying programs take time to see successful results. When even layman can see the failures early on. Then next thing you know, more people are appointed, promoted, hired to "successfully" implement some new process that will magically turn around the previously 2 failed attempts.
Does anyone lose their job over this? Is anyone reassigned, demoted? Does the district admit the errors they have made or even acknowledge any shortcomings? Not unless the law requires it. Usually blaming teachers, parents.
In the end the students lose while fingers are pointed over & over.
How long have the students that you make this statement about been in the district?
Students couldn't even answer the first five questions (out of 30) because of what seems to be an English-language issue.
Maybe since we have all this money to spend why not have a class to help students pass test.
Boy Scouts may discriminate but looks as if Girl Scouts may be wavering. Per AFA (American Family Assoc.)
The Girl Scouts issued a statement to the local Fox affiliate, saying they are an inclusive organization and will accept "Bobby." The troop leader who turned him away made a mistake, they said, and the situation is being rectified. "If a child identifies as a girl and the child's family presents her as a girl, Girl Scouts of Colorado welcomes her as a Girl Scout," the statement said.
Are you going to look in the kids pants?
What is your point November 1, 2011 6:14 PM.
They don't have a point. They just know that somebody brought up the Boy Scouts and so they wanted to bring up something too and in their little pea sized brain, their post was relevant.
October 30, 2011 3:07 PM said "Yeah, the Boy Scouts who use YOUR TAX MONEY to discriminate against Gays and Atheists. That's a really good use of money.
Idiot."
I, November 1, 2011 6:14 PM should have clarified my comment was to this poster. GS is not discriminating so does that satisfy their apparent hostility for them using OUR TAX MONEY (?)as a really good use?
I'm not a fan of ANY private organization taking my tax dollars. Screw them ALL.
I agree that private organizations should not be using our tax dollars.
But rather than saying "screw them all", I choose to donate to several organizations that I believe (from my research) use the money wisely.
I do NOT believe that D131 administration can be trusted to use our money wisely (or "in students' best interests")--so I do NOT choose to donate to the "Help Our Pupils Excel" campaign.
Just saw this on the Tribune website:
HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut freshman Ryan Boatright, who graduated from East Aurora High School this year, is being held out of competition while the school and the NCAA investigate his eligibility.
UConn declined to disclose Wednesday what the issue is, but said it is not related to academics.
Boatright will continue to practice with the team and will be allowed to sit on the bench during games, but will not dress or play until the investigation is complete.
The 6-foot point guard, who won the team’s slam dunk competition during its annual First Night celebration, was expected to see a lot of playing time this year as a backup for sophomore Shabazz Napier.
Connecticut opens up its exhibition schedule Wednesday night with a game against American International, coach Jim Calhoun’s alma mater.
I remember when "Farrakhan's Disciple" Clayton Muhammad organized an assembly at East High for Ryan Boatwright to announce where he was going to college. Then Boatwright "decommitted" and ended up at UConn.
And now there are problems with Boatwright's eligibility. Wonder how our all-powerful Community Relations Director will spin THIS in a positive direction??
The word "disciple" means "student". How is calling a person a disciple of someone they have publicly admired an insult?
1:49 p.m., maybe your comment would still be posted if you were able & willing to express yourself without using profane and/or obscene language.
I don't think the language is use is "profane or obscene" - those words are MATTERS OF OPINION.
I saw the original comment, and it included taking God's name in vain (as well as Jesus' name). You're right that it's a matter of opinion whether that's acceptable or not--evidently the blog (co)administrator considers it unacceptable, so why not rephrase your comment without the profanity?
I recall that Boatright was first supposed to go to Virginia but Virginia dropped him because his ACT scores were so low.
It makes a person wonder if the NCAA is investigating why UConn accepted Boatright with test scores that were far below acceptable levels.
I am sure that can be spun into "UConn declined to disclose Wednesday what the issue is, but said it is not related to academics."
Entrance test scores are not "Academically Related".
How quickly the blog was pulled away from student achievement and ineffective administrators to petty and pointless subjects. What does talking about the scouts and a former student have to do with the problem at hand? Are you guys ADD? Yes they have "created" new positions supposedly to help the teachers, but they are too little too late. How does sending a helper in for one hour a couple times a week supposed to help a teacher with 30 students, many with behavior and/or learning disabilities? It doesn't! But the admins can say we are supporting our teachers with new programs. BULL! So let's tests the students more often. There you go, more tests with less instruction time. Genius. Teachers teach less and spend more time correcting tests that they didn't have time preparing the students for. Duh, why are are scores going down? Duh. Let us teach! Go find something useful to fill your day! Interventions? Who has time for interventions, I'm too busy scoring tests. We no sooner get one done, scored, and recorded and it's time for the next one. We don't have time to help our children. Central Office is full of self-serving fools.
Then don't teach in our district you and your fellow teachers, administrators are the problem.
Lets not forget the parents. The district ran a recent parenting class on teaching students how to study at home it was attended by 7 parents. All everyone on this blog does is complain. Why not come up with some solutions?
As far as the teachers many have a I don't care attitude. These kids are never going to learn anyway that coupled with a administration that is totally confused as to how to better the test scores.
Then there is the Board they throw money after every program known.
The whole thing is just a big mess.
To: November 3, 2011 7:55 AM
The real problem is a community full of cheap and ignorant people who want to pay as little as possible and then complain that they are not receiving a quality product.
You get what you pay for. Deal with it.
Get a clue. The only ones that do care are the teachers. We have absent parents and glory seeking administrators. We are the last hope this district has for success. It's the teachers that are giving up their nights and weekends busting our butts to find ways to help these kids, and your response is "then don't teach in our district". That's productive why didn't we think of that? Yeah that's the answer - no teachers. What a freakin genius you are. We could leave, but we are the ones that care. Why shouldn't we complain? Do we forfeit that right when we become employed by EA? Constitution, ever heard of it? We complain to try and make it better, but we have no power to implement change. Those with the power won't or don't know how to. We complain, but we don't stop trying. There is the difference - you just complain.
This blog just demonizes the teachers - THEY HATE THE TEACHERS - They never look inward at themselves or the parents it is always "somebody else's" fault, never their own. That is why the EA students have that same thought. It is the "I'm the victim" mentality. The government should pay for my lunch and my school fees and my cloths and my groceries and I should get breakfast at the school for a quarter.
8:57 p.m., I have seen MANY posts on this blog that were supportive of teachers.
And many posts that were critical of parents.
If anything, it's the ADMINISTRATORS who get most of the negative comments on this blog. And for good reason--many of their decisions have been made to promote or preserve their precious IMAGE.
Good for you. Do you want a cookie?
Only if it's free!
:)
Giving the district more money is not the answer even districts that pay more for instruction are failing. Maybe if the administration looked at districts that aren't failing that a similar to ours would help.
As far as taxpayers giving more money why doesn't the district stop all the eating out or buying food for working lunches by the administrators. How about all those parties at Gaslight Manor and are some of those for outside groups? They could also check and see how some of these administrators are spending. Many other districts that get more money than us are cutting back on these kinds of things.
Just wanted to share - I recently told a friend (who works in the district) about some stuff that was said on this blog, and this was her response. I'm admittedly drawn in to reading this blog for the same reason people love the trashy gossip magazines - it's human nature to want to hear all the gossip - even when you know much of it is grossly exagerated to the point of being untrue! So please, don't take what we "anonymous" people say about others so seriously! It's gossip - pure and simple!
Anyway, here's what my friend had to say about this blog:
I have never bothered to look at the blog because of this garbage. You are right this is part of the problem. I see us as part of the solution. By us, I mean positive, hard working professionals. When I have no respect something i don't even give the energy of thougth. We have a hard road ahead of us. We are being asked by the state to change the way we teach kids. Why, because what were doing wasn't working. That is the truth. That being said, we know we have a tough road ahead of. I think our kids, and the teachers who want to be part of the solutions are worth the bumps and bruises, we will encounter along the way.
as i said i don't read the blog, it feels and sounds, like a "means girls" kind of thing.
What one person might think about this blog another might think in a different way. As far as teachers I don't think anyone really has said to much about them except maybe some make too much and I don't believe some of the blog think they are the problem with the test scores. A blog doesn't cause problems with the district and like it has been said before probably the employees at times talk worse about their peers specially the ones they think are favorites.
Come on no matter where you work the higher ups have favorites the ones that always says "yes, you are right boss" even though they don't believe it.
Just like Central Office I bet they have their favorites also especially the board I bet they have ones they like the best because they let them buy all that food to eat and the meeting snacks.
Administrators' favorites would include anyone who is paid a stipend of $100.00+ per hour along with double-dipping.
Not mentioning any names here, BUT "if the shoe fits".
Administrators' favoritism might also involve turning a blind eye to an employee who continues to run a fraternity despite the fact that fraternities in high schools have clearly been declared illegal in the state of Illinois.
Again, not mentioning names.
Prove that he get $100.00 per hour - Proove it - HE DOESN'T
Prove that he is putting in more than 73 hours JUST ON THE MUSICAL, outside of the school day.
Accountability is not administration's strong point.
Actually, 11:26 a.m., I haven't heard Boys II Men referred to as a "fraternity" for awhile now. I think our Community Relations Director may be trying to back away from the group's original fraternity image to a community-service organization image.
And that would definitely be in students' best interests!
I say if you all have so much to say.... leave your name and contact number and someone will be happy to call you to address your questions and or concerns.... EAAAAAAAAA ALL DAY BABY!
Not that I really care either way, but to put in my two cents on the whole "a teacher is making over $100/hr" and that he would have to put in more than 73 additional hours for this to not be true, consider the following:
Musical rehearsals started sometime in September. The show is the second or third weekend in November. So we can reasonably assume there are at least 50-60 days between when the rehearsals started and when the show opens. In that context, 73 additional hours isn't that much - less than 2 hours a day - which I'd think is very likely. Plus, who knows when the adults started working on this show.
Anyway, sorry to keep this issue going when it's been beaten dead already...I guess it's just one of those things everyone will have to agree to disagree on.
Good point November 4, 2011 7:30 PM
Anybody know when the pool is going to be fixed?
Yes...NEVER
If it's not fixed, it would be a shame. That pool is (or was) a real positive feature for our district, where many kids learned to swim and competed in events.
Who dropped the ball on this?
You do know EA hasn't had a swim team
In years right? It probably costs more money to keep that pool open than it brings in.
Both of my kids learned to swim at the EHS pool, as part of the P.E. program when they were at Dieterich. It was a grEAt program and definitely in students' best interests.
This district doesn't think some laws they have to follow.
Why don't they have a swim team?
I can tell you why it doesn't have a swim team. It takes parent involvement. Also, the students have to commit to the team. That means they need to be at practice every day. Most high school swim teams practice 2 hours a day. During Christmas they practice twice a day. We can barely get students on the football team in the weight room. Teachers have tried to get a swim team started which they failed and not because they didn't try. It takes the STUDENTS and PARENTS.
Teacher says to a student in the hall during class "Excuse me sir please come here."
Student says "Who the f%$k" do you think you are."
Punishment: Maybe 2 day suspension but most likely 1 day in-school suspension. That may or may not get served. In-school suspension list 20 - 80 kids a day.
Another:
50 - 150 students assigned to after school detention. Only 25 show up.
That doesn't seem like a teacher issue. That seems like a student and administration problem.
If there is no discipline in the school then that creates a bad learning environment.
A former high school student (ranked in top 25) came back from college and said "This school did not prepare me for college."
Why is that? Not because of the teachers. But, because of what is in the classrooms. If this school were to be run like schools around the area, where a majority of students go to college, the graduation rate would be less that what it is now.
2010 Graduation Rate 72.1%
http://www.d131.org/assessments/pdf/2010%20Report%20Cards/District.pdf
Senior Class 500-560 number of freshman coming in 1000. That makes sense. Wonder how they figure out the graduation rate.
I would guess the graduation rate is the number of seniors that actually graduate.
The kids that graduate are not prepared for college and you give the teachers a pass. Are we to believe the teacher has no blame. Then there are the parents these kids live with no rules. The come
to school with no manners and that is why d131 never gets good teachers to apply. If you are a good teacher you go to a good district. D131 gets stuck with the bottom feeders that can't get a job.
Wow so you just called all the teachers at East bottom feeders. I am not giving the teachers a pass. What do you think would happen if the teachers started failing 60-70% of the students?
To 5:40 I guess you are an expert on bottom feeders, I hear you travel in packs. It takes more dedication, talent and tenacity to keep trying when others run for high ground. The teachers in EA are some(not all, no profession is 100%) of the best. Look at the other so called better districts' stats. Their sub groups are the same demographics that are general population is. Then look at their success rate with these sub-groups are far as academic growth and tell me which district has the superior teachers. We may not reach all of our students, but we do have success. We can't fight the environment they come from, but for the hours and days we are with them we keep trying to show them there is a better life for them. We try to help then achieve that better life. You dare to call us bottom feeders! What have you done with your sorry life? How many children have you helped, academically, monetarily. and emotionally?
to 5:40 You can read and write, not well, but you can read and write. So you should be kissing teachers'collective asses, not insulting them. They gave you a gift you ungrateful b******.
The teachers at d131 are not as qualified as teachers in other districts. They are at the bottom in all sub-groups that proves they can't teach we also have poor admin's. The board only runs for all the favors given. So that makes them all bottom feeders.
Speaking of the Board members have you gone to a meeting lately. At the last one Roberts started out by kissing Tusza and Gonzalez. Cervantes sent text messages during the entire meeting. Hull, Leonard, and Lewis could not form a sentence. Then there was Johnson who zoomed through the meeting like it was a waste of her time to be there. Some board the meeting finished in 20 minutes they are setting records for saying yes to Roberts what a joke.
At least Weaver & Carlson asked questions.
BTW Clayton has the awards out again giving it to his friend Gillespe from the Urban League
November 5, 2011 8:10 PM
You just have no clue. The more you talk the more you make yourself look like a fool.
Instead of helping the the teachers you bash them. No wonder where some of the students get it. Disrespect at its best.
Why help the teachers they have a job and summers off. I don't have anyone helping me at my job. I don't have anyone paying my pension or all the benefits. I work 8 to 5 every day for $14.80 per hour and I am happy to have a job.
1:39 a.m., you mentioned pensions. I bet you will get Social Security when you're old enough--teachers do not get Social Security, they get pensions instead. And those pensions are far from generous, unlike the millions collected by corrupt administrators like "Serial Bully" Radakovich. It's paying those exorbitant pensions that are bankrupting the state of Illinois.
As far as benefits are concerned, teachers pay hefty premiums, deductibles, and co-pays. I could be wrong, but I've heard that certain administrators do not have to pay health insurance benefits.
None of the administrators pay for their health benefits. It's one of their perks.
I think you mean premiums, not benefits.
And I also think you're correct about administrators not having to pay them.
About the pool situation--I understand that a lot of districts (including ours) don't have a swim team, but that's not the most important reason to maintain a pool!
Being able to swim is a very important skill for everyone to learn. It's a matter of safety to be able to stay afloat and move in the water if necessary. Many people have drowned because they've found themselves tossed out of a boat or caught in a flood, and did not know how to swim. My kids learned to swim at the EHS pool, and my sister's daughter has swimming classes at WVHS as part of PE.
It is definitely in the COMMUNITY's best interests to have our pool in working order, so our kids can learn this vital skill!!
In answer to the blog post...here is a column that is a bit long but worthy of "In the students best interest?"
A Speech Every American High School Principal Should Give.
By Dennis Prager.
To the students and faculty of our high school:
I am your new principal, and honored to be so. There is no greater calling than to teach young people.
I would like to apprise you of some important changes coming to our school. I am making these changes because I am convinced that most of the ideas that have dominated public education in America have worked against you, against your teachers and against our country.
First, this school will no longer honor race or ethnicity. I could not care less if your racial makeup is black, brown, red, yellow or white. I could not care less if your origins are African, Latin American, Asian or European, or if your ancestors arrived here on the Mayflower or on slave ships. The only identity I care about, the only one this school will recognize, is your individual identity -- your character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national identity this school will care about is American.
This is an American public school, and American public schools were created to make better Americans. If you wish to affirm an ethnic, racial or religious identity through school, you will have to go elsewhere. We will end all ethnicity, race and non-American nationality-based celebrations. They undermine the motto of America, one of its three central values -- e pluribus Unum, "from many, one." And this school will be guided by America 's values. This includes all after-school clubs. I will not authorize clubs that divide students based on any identities. This includes race, language, religion, sexual orientation or whatever else may become in vogue in a society divided by political correctness.
Your clubs will be based on interests and passions, not blood, ethnic, racial or other physically defined ties. Those clubs just cultivate narcissism -- an unhealthy preoccupation with the self -- while the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond yourself. So we will have clubs that transport you to the wonders and glories of art, music, astronomy, languages you do not already speak, carpentry and more. If the only extracurricular activities you can imagine being interested in are those based on ethnic, racial or sexual identity, that means that little outside of yourself really interests you.
Second, I am uninterested in whether English is your native language. My only interest in terms of language is that you leave this school speaking and writing English as fluently as possible. The English language has united America's citizens for over 200 years, and it will unite us at this school. It is one of the indispensable reasons this country of immigrants has always come to be one country. And if you leave this school without excellent English language skills, I would be remiss in my duty to ensure that you will be prepared to successfully compete in the American job market. We will learn other languages here -- it is deplorable that most Americans only speak English --but if you want classes taught in your native language rather than in English, this is not your school.
Third, because I regard learning as a sacred endeavor, everything in this school will reflect learning's elevated status. This means, among other things, that you and your teachers will dress accordingly. Many people in our society dress more formally for Hollywood events than for church or school. These people have their priorities backward. Therefore, there will be a formal dress code at this school.
to be continued......
Part 2.....
Fourth, no obscene language will be tolerated anywhere on this school's property -- whether in class, in the hallways or at athletic events. If you can't speak without using the f-word, you can't speak. By obscene language I mean the words banned by the Federal Communications Commission, plus epithets such as "Nigger," even when used by one black student to address another black, or "bitch," even when addressed by a girl to a girlfriend. It is my intent that by the time you leave this school, you will be among the few your age to instinctively distinguish between the elevated and the degraded, the holy and the obscene.
Fifth, we will end all self-esteem programs. In this school, self-esteem will be attained in only one way -- the way people attained it until decided otherwise a generation ago -- by earning it. One immediate consequence is that there will be one valedictorian, not eight.
Sixth, and last, I am reorienting the school toward academics and away from politics and propaganda. No more time will be devoted to scaring you about smoking and caffeine, or terrifying you about sexual harassment or global warming. No more semesters will be devoted to condom wearing and teaching you to regard sexual relations as only or primarily a health issue... There will be no more attempts to convince you that you are a victim because you are not white, or not male, or not heterosexual or not Christian. We will have failed if any one of you graduates this school and does not consider him or herself inordinately fortunate -- to be alive and to be an American.
Now, please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of our country. As many of you do not know the words, your teachers will hand them out to you.
Yes, teachers do get a pension I believe it is TRS and the receive 75% of their salary at the time they leave. Also when they put in that they are leaving two years before retiring they get a 2% bump up a for those two years. I don't know if you been paying attention but some politicians are complaining about about it and want to do something about it. Also teachers and administrators can retire at 55.
On Social Security you don't get those perks and to get full pay for ones now you have to be 67. Those that will get Social Security have to pay in also based on their pay and also for Medicare while they are working.
Pensions, social security, "perks", those things some people want to portray as if they are bad things.....these are choices people have made as a job/ career choice. To go into a field that has unions or not, to go to a job that pays into social security, to draw SS at full benefit or not, these are all choices each of us makes or will make. Sounds like someone made bad choices and wants to fault others.
I am not a teacher and, personally, could not handle the daily pressures of working with someone elses children. So I feel teachers earn what ever some people may perceive as "perks." The pay is never enough compensation, in my book for what they have to put up with. Pressure from admin, disrespectful students and crtical parents. I have heard some say the rewards of teaching make up for these things. Well, you'd have to reward me with $$ !
Until you have walked a mile in their crocks, don't be so quick to judge.
There are many other people that work with children and difficult people that don't get what School District's employees get. Private Schools don't pay as much or get a pension form the State. If you feel that they deserve it them we should look into other fields that handle difficult children and people and compensate them as well.
Yes, teachers do get a pension I believe it is TRS and the receive 75% of their salary at the time they leave. ... Also teachers and administrators can retire at 55.
Those that will get Social Security have to pay in also based on their pay and also for Medicare while they are working.
November 6, 2011 6:54 AM
No I'm not a teacher, but I do have knowledge of their pension system. Yes, it's called TRS. My wife teaches part-time at a community college, and their system is essentially the same and called SURS. In both cases, they do NOT pay into SS, and therefore do not get any SS when they retire. They do not all get a set 75% of pay at retirement; their monthly pension is based on their final rate of earnings and their years of service. So someone who came to teaching late (say, age 45) CAN retire at 55, but at a lower pension than someone who started teaching right after college. The salary bump they get when they give the advance notice of retirement was designed to encourage notice as far in advance as possible so the school has plenty of time to plan for replacement, but also the system is designed to ENCOURAGE teachers to retire younger to save the schools money. It is the schools who want the teachers to retire at 55, because the longer they serve and the more experience they get, the higher on the pay scale they climb. The schools want those high up on the scale moving on so they can hire younger and cheaper teachers.
On the subject of paying in: some people keep acting like TRS & SURS is something the employees are given free. One common thing of almost all pension systems, including these, SS, and private sector, is that the employee pays into it from their own salary, and the employer pays into it on some matching basis. Also note that while TRS/SURS employees do not pay into SS, they DO still pay into Medicare. The reason there is such a large deficit in TRS & SURS is because the employer (the state of Illinois) has not been paying its share into the system. If a private employer did that, they'd get into major trouble. But of course the legislators consider themselves exempt from the law, ethics, honor, etc.
One final quirk of the system I'll mention; being in TRS/SURS has a downside to it as well. If you have paid into SS thru a job you had before you became a teacher, other jobs you have during the summer, etc., you will be able to receive something from SS when you retire BUT it will be reduced because of your TRS/SURS participation. My wife worked and paid into SS for ~15 years before we moved into Aurora, and then she stayed home while the kids were in school. A few years ago she went back to work part-time, teaching at COD. She became enrolled in SURS at that time (she had no choice in the matter). So now her SS payout from those previous 15 years will be reduced. And since she's only part-time, and will only be working a few more years before she retires, the maximum she'll get from SURS will be ~$150 a month. Try to live on that.
I would like to chime in too. TRS takes 9% of a teacher's pay. That is not voluntary. Those of you that are not teachers have a choice how you use your money. You can invest in a 401K or not. I am not complaining because I will have something at retirement, but those in the private sector are just as capable of putting 9% of their pay toward retirement.
I too am fully vested in SS and will not get anything out of it because of TRS rules. Other states do not penalize teachers from collecting SS if they have paid into the system.
Teaching is not an easy profession. Unfortunately because everyone attends school as a child they feel they understand the teaching profession. The teachers I have had the honor of working with are very dedicated, har-working professionals. I have also worked with teachers from other districts and I would challenge anyone who says East Aurora teachers are inferior. To teach in this district you have to be superior in actually knowing subject content, teaching ability,and patience to name a few. We do not have the luxury of our students having highly educated parents to reteach skills at home, advanced technology in their homes to access materials, assignments and fellow students. The load of student learning falls squarely on our shoulders. We have to instill prior knowledge that a lot of our students lack and an amazing amount of time teaching vocabulary beyond our grade level content area. We do a lot things that other district teachers do not have to do to teach students. We may not be the highest performing, but if you look at the progress WE make compaired to other districts with the obstacles we work with and I would say we are doing well. I know teachers from other districts that would not last a day in our shoes. We are not the bottom feeders of the teaching profession, but quite the opposite. Many teachers leave this district because they cannot hack it. You have to be good, real good to teach in this environment.
I have known teachers that have left EA because of various reasons, mostly money. They get grabbed up by other districts because other districts feel if a teacher can teach and survive in EA they can handle anything their district may deal with. So you see, we are not the bottom, we are the elite. We do what others can't/won't. I hear all the time "How do you put up with it?" I do it for the kids, not the money, the glory, the time off, or the cushy job, because those things are not even part of the equation.
Teachers leave here because the use the district to pay for their Masters or get experience they are not the top of the line. They do gain good experience but they are bottom feeders when they come here.
11:56 What makes you an expert? How many degrees in education do you have? How many years of experience do you have in education on which to base your opinions? I think you have and are nothing but a big mouth. You are what comes out of a bottom feeders' rear end.
To 11:56
Try to put together one grammatically correct sentence. Are you capable of communicating in proper standard English?
I don't think the teachers we get here are bottom feeders and maybe they didn't graduate at the top of the class but they are fresh out of College and maybe have some new fresh ideas if the administration would let them use them.
Even at D204 and 203 the teachers have students that are disrespectful they have the privileged students that think they are better than most. I know some teachers in those districts and they have problem students just like our district.
I teach in East Aurora and I graduated Magna cum Laude. Don't assume.
8:49, 9:33, 10:51 AM. I thank you and I put you on pedestals, no where near a bottom feeder. As one, who's resorted to name calling and finger pointing, has done.
EA has gotten a bad rap for many years. Undeservedly and regrettably because the "Fish Stinks From The Head Down.” Meaning that when an organization fails, it is the leadership that is the root cause.
Sometimes I think it is the people that don't like this blog that puts things on like the comments about bottom feeders. I have watched this blog for a long time and there has been discussions about teachers salaries and pension but not about how they performed in fact I think the ones making those comments are some administration and a few board members. I know one board member before getting on the board really didn't have to much to say about the teachers that was nice.
So are you saying there are problem students AND good students in all districts?
WOW! How profound.
Moron
Getting rid of this stupid blog is in the students best interests.
No getting rid of this Administration and Board is in the best interest of the students.
Why is it that only Spanish speaking citizens will have an interperter?
The Board will provide an interpreter for Spanish only. Any person
addressing the Board and needing an interpreter for a different language must provide
their own interpreter.
Don't like this blog? Don't read it.
Some things are SO SIMPLE.
Ignoring a problem does not mean that the problem goes away.
The problems in this district will definitely not go away if we ignore them. So true!
Bryant steps aside as East Aurora football coach. I today's Beacon I guess this blog does not lie
NO, the blog does lie - Just not about this.
October 29, 2011 1:29 AM:
"The Football coach did resign before the last game clayton is keeping it under wraps. He is so not wroth a story the Beacon did not get around to it you will see"
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Once again, this blog "scoops" the Beacon-News.
Way to go, bloggers!
:)
Yes, way to go "Bloggers!"
It is they who keep the "blog" alive. Some talk about the blog as if it is a lving breathing being. As one person said it is like gossip. If you want it to go away quit contributing. Or like any argument, you can't have it, if there is only one side. By reading and believing, whether you post or not, you contribute.
Thanks for your continued support, I am happy to have an inside view at what goes on in our district. I take it all with a grain of salt, but seems more times than not, there is a shred light being cast of what is done in the dark.
The East High Football Team had a record of 3 wins and 51 losses over the past 6 years.
I can't believe that the coach has simply decided to step down because of family reasons.
HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED YEARS AGO.
I don't believe that winning championships is the only thing but it is the coaches job to see that the team is, at least, competitive.
I hope that they get the right person in that position. Many of our great middle school athletes go to other high schools simply because they want to be part of a winning team.
Simply put, "Build it and they will come" start winning some games and our best students will come out to play.
If memory serves, recently in a local publication (the Voice, maybe) there was an article about the great job a youth football team had done in the recent season. No $$ from the district. These types of programs have been in existence for quite some time.
Seems our Board and admin may be a bit out of touch of what truly goes on in the community. Especially when they think $165K is going to improve their image. Not with egg on their face. I'd bet there is an agenda in place for the funds raised that is not as advertised.
Here's what a WVHS parent had to say, from the Beacon:
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The East Aurora district for many years there had no middle school football program. That has been reinstated in the past few years. They have far smaller numbers going out for the team than most school have, making it necessary for some player to play both offense and defense. There are players on the team that never played football until they got to East. They are at a disadvantage compared to other local schools. (The schools in 203 and 204 have major middle school programs along with the NYFL that feed into them. Many of those players have played organized football since they were6 years old.
The soccer program at East has been great but there are great programs in the area that the kids are involved in when they are younger.
Nowadays, those feeder programs are key in many sports for success.
Get a football program going that the kids can start as young kids and the program might improve since the coach would no longer be starting at step 1 with the kids.
10:13 a.m., Coach Bryant is not a magician. He did the best with what he had to work with: kids who were often much less experienced than those going into the football program at other high schools.
I give Coach Bryant credit for staying in the job as long as he did. His teams may not have won many games, but he did teach our kids sportsmanship and a positive attitude. And in that regard, he leaves big shoes to fill.
Speaking of EHS sports, here's an update on Ryan Boatright's situation:
"An NCAA source with knowledge of the investigation of UConn men's basketball freshman Ryan Boatright's eligibility said Friday that Reggie Rose, Boatright's AAU coach with the D-Rose All Stars, purchased a plane ticket for Boatright. The source also said that once the NCAA concludes its investigation Boatright could potentially miss three to six games.
On Wednesday morning, the UConn athletic department announced that Boatright's eligibility is under review by the NCAA and UConn. The school said the review was not related to academics. Until the review is complete, Boatright will not dress for games.
Reggie Rose is the brother of Derrick Rose, the reigning NBA MVP"
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No surprise there--Reggie Rose has been involved in several recruiting violations recently.
It is quite interesting to me that anonymous likes to talk about the inadequacies of EA's teacher's . Yet Anonymous seems to have nothing but free time on his hands. I myself, am a high school teacher. I won two merit scholarships to Ivy League schools, run my own non-profit organization, and have published books. Has it ever dawned on some of you that many of us are top-feeders who chose to work with this poor but deserving population? No, that would require having a heart, and loving the students of East High as much as myself and most of my hard working co-workers do. New Trier pays more, but don't they also have many great teachers and advantages for their students? -Think outside the box, por favor.
To November 7, 2011 7:51 PM -there are many of us who know there are many like you in D131. Those negative comments, I like to believe, come from a disgruntled member of this community, possibly a teacher, who will never reach your level due to the fact they are always looking down their nose at others.
I don't think those comments come from teachers at all. They come from morons who can't get off their ass.
Cowherd has been doing awesome things in their sports programs lately. They seem to be going to one championship game after another the past few years. Someone should figure out what they are doing to create all their successes and copy them. This was in a district e-mail blast just today.
East Aurora School District 131 Salutes the
COWHERD MIDDLE SCHOOL
7th GRADE BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM
2011 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
JOLIET WEST BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
Congratulations to the Cowherd Middle School 7th grade Boys Basketball Team on their Championship Title at the highly-competitive Joliet West Basketball Tournament this weekend! After a double overtime win in the semi-finals against Liberty Middle School (43-41), the Cowherd Cougars defeated Troy Middle School in the finals (39-37).
CONGRATULATIONS COWHERD COUGARS!
From this morning's Beacon:
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The truth is ... the students involved with the Boys II Men organization learned the impact social media can have at their meeting on Sunday night.
Clayton Muhammad, East Aurora spokesman and Boys II Men founder, presented potentially inappropriate Facebook posts from both inside and outside the group. Social media can accomplish many positive things, but it can also be damaging, he said.
“Just be careful what you post,” he told the group. “You can have the best intentions and go completely awry.”
Muhammad helped the presentation along, with a live version of the popular Facebook game “Truth is.” Students from the group stood up, and had to finish the sentence “Truth is … ” regarding the person involved in the particular posting.
Boys II Men is made up of junior high and high school students from the Aurora area, and meets every first and third Sunday. Social media is pivotal in their futures, Muhammad said. He told the story of his son, who had just started a new job. In the interview process they asked two things: they wanted to know his high school SAT scores, and if he was willing to log into his Facebook account, and leave the room so that they could take a look at the things he posted on his wall.
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I couldn't help but notice that the word "fraternity" is not used anywhere in this article. It's a GOOD thing that Boys II Men is described as an organization or group, and no longer portrayed as an exclusive (and illegal!) fraternity.
What does concern me is that Mr. Muhammad has many, many current high school students among his Facebook "friends". This seems inconsistent with his concern for promoting a professional standard for our young people's use of social media.
On the East Side of Aurora, a century of football seems lost.
What is new is what is remembered and what is deemed patently true. What is old cannot possibly hold any relevance to the present or future. This is the way we view things.
We want it, whatever that “it” is, now.
What we see is either the greatest, or worst, ever.
On some level, this is exactly what high school sports are: A new set of fresh, young faces cycles in every year, the oldest of the group cycles out. How can something happening right now not be the best, or worst, they’ve ever known?
So history is a charge of the old guard — the alumni, the parents, the teachers.
History is slow. Nothing happens now. And time and again, it proves that what happened in the past can most assuredly shape what is happening now, and in the future.
This is how football can be found again on the East Side.
Can it happen?
In four years at East, Bryan Robinson saw two varsity wins.
A 2011 graduate, Robinson personified the best of East football — committed, tough and talented, he earned a scholarship at NAIA Robert Morris University where he redshirted this fall.
Two wins.
Yet, he says simply of a Tomcats turnaround: “I think it can be done, actually.”
“I absolutely believe it can be done,” added East alumnus Kurt Becker, an All-American at the University of Michigan and a member of the Super Bowl-winning Chicago Bears. “The elements are there. The kids are there. It’s just, what’s missing? I don’t know those things. I know there are a lot of talented athletes over there. Just go and watch.
“I can see that they’ve got numbers. Are the numbers out? Obviously not. But they’ve got kids over there. That’s the plus of it all. ”
Getting to work
What everyone is in agreement on, including the current school board, is a change needs to come at the elementary and middle school levels.
“What you have is three separate entities and that creates some problems,” said Al Tamberelli, who coached from 2000-2005. “You have three separate programs that have no tie whatsoever to the high school. That creates a problem because you have three different systems you’re trying to feed into one and it takes a kid some time to get it worked out.”
Not since Del Dufrain has a Tomcats coach been able to go to the middle schools and have them use his terminology or teach the same techniques.
“Each of the schools wants to have their own identity,” Tamberelli said. “I don’t think that somebody at the middle school wants somebody from the high school telling them who to hire, who to fire or what to do.”
It’s been a toxic mix of budgetary issues, administrative ego and the simple fact that at times, the middle schools — and the high school itself — has been left scrambling for coaches in the summer just before the season begins.
“That was it,” said a former coach. “It wasn’t so much about being worried about running a program — it was a matter about getting bodies, getting guys to coach, period.”
School board president Annette Johnson, a three-sport athlete at East in the early 1980s, said the district will be creating an Activities Director position to boost the high school’s feeder system by getting all of the elementary and middle school coaching on the same page.
“That has been non-existent,” Johnson admitted.
Through the district’s 165 H.O.P.E. campaign, a new committee within the board and the support of the Old Timers Association, Johnson hopes to provide in-need athletes the funds to participate in summer camps and allocate more money toward the development of the feeder programs.
“It’ll take some years to get the sports programs fixed, I know that, but I also know that without a feeder system in place it’ll never get fixed,” Johnson said. “We just have to bite the bullet and start. Our kids are talented. Too often people think they’re not, but when you’re up against the Napervilles of the world with all their feeder programs, it’s hard to win.”
A year round
commitment
What also seems clear is the East program has not evolved with the game, in terms of the sheer commitment to football it takes to win. Not only do some Tomcats’ opponents have more experienced bodies on the sidelines to pull from, but they’re bigger and stronger.
“From what I’ve heard from different coaches that have coached over the last 15, 20 years (here) the weightlifting program was not consistent,” said Williams, who is also an East alumnus. “I just hear too much feedback that the kids have not made that commitment on a consistent basis. One day, one week or one month does not make a season.”
Robinson agreed many of his teammates did not put in the work, but took it a step further, saying there weren’t enough coaches around to keep kids accountable.
“Someone needs to come in and demand kids to get in the weight room and if they want to start winning, do what he says, follow what he says,” Robinson said. “You have to get everybody active. We need to work hard all (year). We need to be coached year round to help kids out. ”
What could help is a change in rules which prohibited volunteers from working with the Tomcats varsity program like they do elsewhere. Old Timers co-president Steve Kenyon — an assistant at Naperville Central — said coaches at Central don’t have to worry about things like recording games and breaking it down by position for the players — volunteers do that. He also said if the district were to open up itself to qualified and certified volunteers, many members of the Old Timers would jump at the chance to assist in any way the varsity coach needed.
It’s something the current East administration is looking at.
“We are actually going to be changing policy to allow volunteers to become involved,” Johnson said, citing teammates from her state qualifying 1981 softball team that have wanted to volunteer with that program for years but couldn’t. “I say we need all the volunteers we can get.”
The new coach
Every former coach or alumni The Beacon-News reached for this story agreed that on paper, the East Aurora varsity job is a great one to have. With an IHSA football enrollment of over 3,000 it is just one of 22 in the entire state with that many students to draw from.
The sheer number of students, plus the pledged support of the administration, alumni and past coaches will give the new coach a solid support structure and something to draw from.
“The parts are in place for it to be a nice, successful program,” said Panka, who returned as Bryant’s defensive coordinator in 2008 and 2009.
Yet the new coach will inherit a 30-game losing streak dating back to 2008, the second longest losing streak in school history, shattering a 24-game winless stretch from 2001-2003.
Since 1993, the Tomcats have had losing streaks of 10, 14 and 16 (twice).
The last sustained stretch of success was from 1979 to 1983, resulting in a 31-16 record with two playoff appearances.
Since then, there was one start-and-stop where it looked as if the program was turning around.
Tamberelli’s 2000 team went 5-4 capitalizing off what Panka was building with three- and two-win seasons in 1998 and 1999.
Yet since 2001, the Tomcats have gone 0-9 six times, 1-8 four times and 2-7 once — in 2008.
It has led many to ask, “Who would want this job?”
It’s a legitimate query, and athletic director Cam Leadbetter — a former Tomcats football player — expects any interested bodies to ask detailed questions about the program. What gives many around the program hope is there are plenty of answers this time.
“I’m in a pretty good spot,” Leadbetter said. “From top down in our district, the administration is on the same page and we’re getting a lot of support for wanting to turn this program around, and all the sports around at East Aurora. Everybody understands the whole package and exactly what we have to do. Everybody’s on board.
“
Didn't EA have an activities director before administrators cut jobs?
Didn't EA have many volunteers at one time that admin thought they didn't need?
I have great respect for the teachers & families in this district. Those at the top, making the decisions "in the best interest of the students" keep shooting themselves/D131 in the foot trying to fix things that aren't broken and making excuses for not fixing the things that need the most attention-academics!
I recall Clayton having the MySpace site for his illegal fraternity. People on the blog had pulled all sorts of inappropriate items directly from his site and posted them on the blog.
What was Clayton's response? The site was continued but blocked parents and the community from seeing it. You had to be a member of his illegal fraternity or sorority to have access to his site.
It's amazing that Clayton is now supposedly the shining example of ethics in social media sites.
Only in District 131.
Ah here's a novel idea. How about spending a lot more time on getting the test scores out of the toilet and then worry about football. My gosh who is running this district?
Social media has been a learning experience for many people. Had Clayton not allowed any one but members on the site from the beginning, you would have no knowledge of what was being said. If I recall, he was getting accused by people who had NO clue of how those sites worked and blamed him for ads that pop up on everyones social network sites.
What better example than to admit error by using the experince as a tool for teaching others.
6:52 a.m., I remember how clueless some people were about those ads, and about social media in general.
I also remember a discussion on THIS BLOG about teachers who had current EHS students as Facebook "friends". Those teachers chose to remove current students from their friends list (in some cases, a public page was set up for that particular class or activity instead). Their decision was the right thing to do, and definitely in students' best interests.
Clayton Muhammad, however, continues to have high school students as "friends" on his personal Facebook page (which is inaccessible to parents). But then, the rules and expectations do NOT apply to the hypocritical Mr. Muhammad! He reminds me of the preacher who rants against the evils of alcohol, then stops by the local bar for a few beers.
There was a "Family Night" discussion on social media last night at Simmons.
Timely topic, well presented.
We can be very proud of our NJROTC cadets--they looked grEAt at the Veteran's Day parade today!
One of the many positive things happening in our district, and definitely in students' best interests.
Oh yes, totally in our students "best interests."
I know families who have sent their kids to East High specifically because of our NJROTC program. It is something that teaches young people discipline and teamwork, and prepares them for success after high school.
Is NJROTC a good "fit" for every student? No--but neither is softball, drama, or cheerleading. It is just one more POSITIVE option that our district offers our kids.
Agreed! NJROTC has made EAHS look good for quite some time. Partly because they have some freedoms other programs do not. Our administrators and Board do not dictate to this program as they do others.
This program was built to this level by the Naval officers in charge.
I agree the NJROTC program is outstanding, and part of the reason we stayed in town (our son was the Regimental CO [top cadet]) his senior year. And you're right the state and school don't dictate the curriculum to them. And you're right the instructors there are outstanding (only one of them is an officer, the others were all various levels of petty officers, which are senior enlisted personnel). But the curriculum isn't developed by then -- it's dictated by the Navy, who provides the instructional material, uniforms, etc.
From another blog:
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has taken up the cause of Officer Robert Collins, a Maryland man who was forced to hand over his Facebook login credentials during a recertification interview with the Maryland Division of Corrections (DOC). Collins took the time to describe what happened in his specific case in a video on YouTube.
On January 25, the ACLU of Maryland sent a letter (PDF) to Public Safety Secretary Gary Maynard on behalf of Collins, concerning the DOC’s blanket requirement that applicants for employment, as well as current employees undergoing recertification, provide the government with their social network account usernames and passwords for use in employee background checks. It has been three weeks, and they have still not heard back.
“The demand for Facebook login information is not only a gross breach of privacy for Officer Collins and his friends, it raises significant legal concerns under the Federal Stored Communications Act and Maryland state law, which protect privacy rights and extend protections to electronic communications,” an ACLU spokesperson said in a statement. “As many of us begin to rely on sites like Facebook to stay connected to our friends and family, it’s important for employers and the government to keep in mind that, for most users, Facebook is a medium for private communications.”
It’s important to note that this is not equivalent to checking what a job applicant has posted publicly on the Internet. Collins emphasized that his Facebook account has the highest privacy settings employed, meaning that all of his messages are private. This is more like the government agency going through his personal mail.
“I was subjected to a customary usual background investigation,” Collins said. “What was not customary usual was a request or to me, rather a demand, which was the insinuation for my Facebook e-mail and login information, my personal login information. Here I am, a US citizen who hasn’t broken any laws, who hasn’t committed any crime, and I have an employer looking at my personal communications, my personal posts, my personal my pictures, you know looking at my personally identifiable information… you know, where my religious, my political beliefs, my sexuality; all of these things are possibly disclosed on this page. It’s an absolute total invasion, and an overreach, and overstep of their power.”
If Mr. Muhammad's son was in fact required to log into his personal Facebook page as part of a job interview, looks like he might have good basis for a lawsuit.
Central office news Marin is back in charge. After the Board claimed they removed her for the benefit of a better Secondary Education Marin is now in charge while Roberts takes one of his many vacations. This week New Orleans at the District expense.
Then the entire Board will be living in high style this week end at IASB. Even though they are only 40 miles away the District will send all the Board members and admin's. They booked 25 rooms. If fact they had so many people going when they tried to give Hull's room away they had no takers. Hull was so wasteful he made the District pay and did not go.
Why should this year be any different than any other year when that board goes to the conference this weekend. One has to ask is this for the benefit of the district or for their benefit. While I'm sure there are good seminars to go too but do all of them have to stay three nights? Isn't that usually the weekend Chicago has a parade and puts up the Christmas lights.
Gonzalez and Tursa will be shopping they never attend seminars
Don't be asking me for a referendum If these fiscially responsible people can go and stay in Chicago. Shame on them.
Whoever goes this weekend should be make to sign in at each of the functions. This way it is documented and FOIA'ed. Thne next year they should not be allowed to go. How many people are taking their husbands, children, ect. with them at our expense? This board an admins are a joke, excwpt I am not laughing. Is the pool fixed yet?
Our principal told us they are all getting new iphones. We have 35 kids in classrooms and the district is buying admin new phones and paying for their insurance and the insurance for their whole families. If your a TA making crap for pay, you have to pay for your own insurance. How does this make sense?
Here is the website to see the schedule of the conference this weekend and most of the seminars end at around 5pm.
http://iasb.com/jac11/conferenceoverview.pdf
From what I hear they get a lot of freebie's also like food and we all know how they love food in this district. Do they really need to stay in an upscale hotel instead of walking a few feet to get to the conference. It does make one wonder about this ISAB and how they talk about rules and laws and they have this conference and they know some districts break laws. While maybe some go to the seminars many go so they can visit Chicago on the taxpayers dime.
My spouse teaches in the district and went to a convention this year to make themselves a better teacher for the kids. I know this because it came out of our bank account. She was told the district didn't have the budget for her to go to a teaching convention. We paid her travel, hotel and convention expenses.
Apparently, they do have the budget but only for administrators and board members. It really is pathetic.
Does anybody in this area really believe that teachers are the reason this district is failing our children?
Here comes another $11,000.00 hotel bill.
People commute back and forth to Chicago everyday from Aurora, why can't they? It would be much cheaper to pay their parking at the train station, a train ticket, and a cab to the convention, round trip every day then for one night at the hotel. That would be fiscally responsible. When teachers go to a conference they get a budget of $20.00 a day for food. It should be the same for everybody. This just shows that they think they are better then everybody else that works in the district.
If most the seminars end around 5pm there is NO-NONE reason for them to be staying. Also, Johnson and I believe Lewis had said in the past they would not. I will remember this when time to vote. I will not vote for any referendum.
Since the old board left and they did have in policy that if the conference or seminars where 40 miles or less they couldn't spend the night at a hotel and we all know the old guard didn't follow that rule. Since then with the new ones they have changed the policy for travel and it really doesn't mention anything about restrictions on how far away you have to be to stay in a hotel.
The administration and boards food allowance is a little different than the teachers but from what I hear at this conference they get free food so they don't pay for their meals.
If the food is "FREE" That simply means the cost has been to registration or some other fee to conceal the amount. Nothing is free in this world, it is paid by someone, somewhere.
The vendors at the conference have them go to meetings where they give food for lunches and dinner it is there way of trying to get districts to buy their product. They also get nice trinkets from them.
The District is not getting new I Phones they are getting I pads it is a grant that only goes to the students currently Johnson School has I pads for all the 4th and 5th graders. Special Ed will get the next bunch educational research proves the kids with special needs do better. They now have two Tech Curriculum people that are doing wonders lets talk about the positives
How is IPads a learning tool?
you probably still use a typewritter
11:11, thanks for clarifying that.
iPads for students is a grEAt idea!
Hopefully it will lead to a noticeable bump in test scores for those students, especially in reading & math.
No I still don't use a typewriter but I still don't see how IPads can bump test scores. Years ago when the computers came out it was said to get your child one and the computer would help them with studies and look how that went they used them for games and now Social Networking. The IPads are on a smaller scale but are close to what computers can do.
I'm for anything that will help students learn but the IPad just seems like another way the students can us other apps instead of learning ones.
The iPad (pronounced /ˈaɪpæd/ eye-pad) is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs.[18] Its size and weight fall between those of contemporary smartphones and laptop computers. The iPad runs the same operating system as the iPod Touch and iPhone—and can run its own applications as well as iPhone applications. Without modification, the iPad will only run programs approved by Apple and distributed via the Apple App Store (with the exception of programs that run inside the iPad's web browser).
@2:52
A child can hold a library in the palm of their hands with those "smaller versions."
Take time and use your computer to educate yourself and Google "iPads in the classroom." There is a www of knowledge at your finger tips.
Games on the computer can be used as learning tools.
My grandaughter learned to read at 3 years aided by online games. My 78 year old mother has an iPad and keeps her mind sharp playing Word and crosswords.
Open your mind and your eyes may be opened, also.
I can keep my mind sharp by reading a book and playing games also on my computer or going to the library to get a book. Yes, some games can teach students to read but unless they are monitored they might not be reading what they should. Also, some of these things cost money who is paying for that?
is Sheila Conrad on her way out? there's a rumor going around at the high school...
I asked Sheila if she was leaving and she said that rumor goes around yearly.
The rumor with Conrad has some truth to it. It is clear Adams does not like her and wants her own person. Adams is pointing fingers at the poor High School scores and the Middle School poor school programs. Rumor is Johnson ate Patterson's lunch at a Curriculum meeting and Adams sat agreeing with Johnson. Adams is always off on professional development and has gone to Altanta, St Louis, Las Vegas, Chicago, and many many other conferences this year alone. In fact her and Roberts are in New Orleans today and Roberts is mentoring black educators to become Superintendent. He has stuck Marin under the bus and rumor is he is mentoring Adams to become the next Superintendent. Some in Central Office say they are dating as well. She is clearly the favored child and that has the Central Office ladies on fire. Since all of this Aird has stopped working takes time off and tossed on the towel. As the world turns at d131
Some of the administrators are like salmon, swimming against the current. What I mean is, in trying to do what is right for the students, they have to find ways to work against or around what they are told to do by their superiors.
Personally, I believe Aird & Conrad have the students best interest at heart. They must work with what they are given, which is not always the best tools for success.
Don't forget to support our students this weekend as East Aurora High School presents THE WIZ! .... Friday, November 18 & Saturday, November 19 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 20 at 3:00 p.m
6:40 a.m., thanks for the reminder about another grEAt event happening in our district!
"The Wiz" is an upbeat, enjoyable show. Kids from preschool on up will be entertained by the story & songs.
I remember when EHS did "The Wiz" in the '90s. They did a wonderful job--and I'm sure this 21st century production will be outstanding as well!
:)
You're a LIAR - They didn't do The Wiz in the 90's
They most certainly did!
My neighbor's daughter, Ebony Sowell, played Glinda.
But I'm sure it's much easier to call someone a liar than to bother to check the facts, 10:42 a.m.
You have confused two different things. The principals are getting new iphones, no grant just tax payer money. The 3-5 students at Johnson got the ipads, as did the principal, through a grant. The new tech people are hardly ever seen, so I don't know what great things you think they are doing. They have been seen a total of 3 times in 3 months.
They have NEVER DONE THE WIZ before
8:35 p.m., YOU ARE IGNORANT.
East High performed "The Wiz" in the spring of 1985, and AGAIN in the late '90s.
That's TWICE before this year.
I don't remember the exact year they did it in the '90s, but can tell you that Clayton Muhammad's son, Jared Marchiando-Muhammad, played the part of the Tin Man.
Ummmmmmm, I don't believe you.
You probably don't believe a man walked on the moon either. There's no accounting for ignorance.
Certain people in this district seem to want to PRETEND that nothing good happened at EHS until they got there.
Too bad some of us have been around long enough to remember differently.
What the HELL are you talking about 9:14 - You don't make any sense.
Neither do you.
Ok,
Some people think that making sense makes no sense so they try not to make any sense about not making sense.
"The Wiz" is a grEAt fit for our multicultural, talented students! It was an excellent choice for the EHS musical in the 80s, 90s, and today.
Support the arts in our district!
:)
I don't know if they've done The Wiz before, but they've definitely done The Wizard of Oz previously. The Wiz is a more modernized version of the Wizard of Oz. While they're technically not the same play, I think it's close enough to say calling someone a liar was out of line.
As a third party to this Wiz debate-I truly dislike the fact I must side with the obnoxious, idiotic poster, but I do believe EA has NOT done the "Wiz" but rather the "Wizard of Oz" those previous decades.
It seems someone is a bit touchy about any fine arts comments, even positive ones. Resorting to calling someone a LIAR, rather than clarify the slight error with a simple "no, I believe you may be mistaken."
Now who is taking the positive and turning it negative. :o( !?!
8:35 p.m. said:
"They have NEVER DONE THE WIZ before"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am looking at the 1985 EHS yearbook on page 90, and it says the following:
East On Down The Road
The Wiz, East's major drama production of the year, turned out to be a whiz of a success. Transformed into the land of Oz, the auditorium stage provided the setting for singing, dancing, and acting by some of East's most talented performers. Dazzling costumes helped pace the bright, bouncy musical that added a lift to the Spring of '85...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So there is PROOF POSITIVE that EHS performed "The Wiz" in the '80s.
And in the '90s as well, because I do remember Ebony Sowell's beautiful voice singing Glinda. I know both "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Wiz" well enough to know that only in "The Wiz" does Glinda have a singing role.
I think it is funny how much time you are spending on this - I know they have done the Wiz before - I was just trying to piss you off and waste your time.
No, you were just trying to get away with calling someone a liar when it was YOU who was ignorant, lying, or both.
And now that you've been proven wrong, you're doing your typical denial & distraction routine.
6:46 a.m., EHS has in fact done "The Wizard of Oz", as well as "The Wiz".
Specifically, on November 21, 22, and 23rd in 2003.
I believe that was when Jared Marchiando-Muhammad had a leading role (Tin Man? Wizard?).
Support our EHS actors and musicians this weekend as they once again present the entertaining musical, "The Wiz"!
It's a timeless story, popular with audiences & performers in our community since 1985!
:)
Congratulations are in order for EHS senior John Gerhard, for achieving a perfect ACT score of 36.
Way to go, John!!
8:27 - You are sooo stupid - I laugh in your face - You have NO IDEA what I know and what I was doing.
November 18, 2011 8:27 AM -m I agree with you. A child (or immature individual) when caught being deceitful will say "aw-uh, I was just kidding" or "I was just doing that because..." rather than own up to the error of their ways. Then try and turn the finger around to be pointed to another. I believe you accurately accessed as the "denial & distraction routine."
Way to go John! Another outstanding accomplishment by one of the Gerhard children.
Bottom line:
Our EHS actors & musicians are performing "The Wiz" this weekend. It's a popular show, having been presented twice before at East High. Audiences loved it in the 1980s and 1990s, and its appeal continues into the 21st century.
Come support our talented students!
:)
Here is the Blog Admin version -
9:14 - I was kidding, not trying to "deny or distract." I'm posting as anonymous just as you are so me trying to "save face" does not really apply. I was really just trying to piss people off - LIKE YOU.
I don't give a BOWEL movement if you belive me or not, because frankly, you don't matter.
"I was kidding"--that's just another way of saying "I was wrong, but am too immature to admit it".
9:14 has it exactly right!
Ok, thanks for telling me what I am thinking. I didn't know.
You're very welcome!
And of course you didn't know. After all, you are ignorant.
:)
well its about time for the service center to work shortened hours for full pay over the thanksgiving and christmas holidays
Nice article in this morning's Beacon about EHS senior Jakub Wrobel. He's on an exchange program in Germany.
It's been a while since I've been here and it looks like things haven't changed much.
Tonight, the EA fine arts are presenting our fall musical, The Wiz for the second time starting at 7.
Adult tickets are 5 dollars and students can get in for 3.
Don't miss this amazing show! We've work hard these past couple of months and last night went great!
Also, congratulations my my friend John for getting a perfect score on his ACT. He'll be playing clarinet with the EA Jazz band today and tomorrow.
Thanks for your support!
Mauricio, thanks for posting that reminder about "The Wiz", and about your friend John Gerhard. It's always nice to hear from EHS students themselves about the many positive things going on in our district!
And here's something else related to the show:
"...The Wiz is still going on Tonight at 7:00 pm and tomorrow at 3:00 pm - Bring a NEW toy for the toy drive and receive a discounted ticket"
(The above was posted this afternoon, but edited to remove obscenities)
Mauricio says that things haven't changed much on this blog; I totally agree. There has always been a mix of good, bad, and ugly here (and it's often up to us readers to figure out what's what, and give specific evidence when appropriate to support our "side").
One thing that HAS changed since this blog was started is that a lot of the gratuitous filthy language is deleted by the blog administrator(s). I appreciate that, because young people like Mauricio don't need to see the adults in our district using that kind of language. There's enough of that garbage being spewed elsewhere!
To the sad person who, though continues to be deleted, occasionally posts when others manage to see their attempts at attention. Writing "dirty words" on a small town blog is not the way out of your lonely, angry, misery. Look for something more positive to fill the voids in your life. Maybe you are a Marley fan-
•Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don't complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don't bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality . Wake Up and Live! -----Bob Marley
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