Tuesday, April 19, 2011

New management at CEP

On another post Anonymous wrote:

"At a cost of 3.8 million, will the 315 students at Clayton be made "promise ready" under the new management?

City changing operator of alternative school
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11108/1140202-100.stm"

10 comments:

Questioner said...

Wasn't the most recent plan to chance Clayton to a credit recovery center?

The PG article says nothing about why there will be new management at CEP or how the new management is expected to differ. In fact, it says very little at all.

Key questions: Will the school under new management take on students who are already on juvenile probation? Will it accept students in special education? And what is its track record?

Disgruntled said...

Well, here's a little bit of info:

http://www.sesi-schools.com/

And there is a link at the top right to "Success Schools."

Here's their explanation for "behavioral interventions" listed under "Educational Model" tab:

Here at the schools of SESI, in addition to increasing student learning, one of our main goals is to promote positive behaviors in our students. The schools share the philosophy that by promoting positive behaviors students will increase both academic learning potential and will also learn valuable skills to become positive and successful members of our societies.

Really? That's the summing up of their planned intervention?

Why don't we just burn the money instead?

Disgruntled said...

http://www.sesi-schools.com/sesi_partners_wtih_phillys_success_schools/

Well, okay, "YARDLEY, Pa. – March 8, 2011 – Michael Kaufman, CEO of Specialized Education Services Inc. (SESI), announced today that his company is now partners with Philadelphia-based Success Schools, enabling SESI to become a leader in alternative education for troubled youth as well as special education."

So they've been a subsidiary for a good month and a half almost! When I google "Success Schools" and "Success Schools Philadelphia" -- I'm not getting anything. There is a facebook page for them though accessible through the Sesi website.

Mark Rauterkus said...

Just burn the money instead is very funny.

Questioner said...

Does anyone remember hearing any Board discussion of this change?

Questioner said...

Oh, promoting positive behaviors- why didn't our schools ever think of that? They must still be on high expectations.

Anonymous said...

Look on the bright side - they have been a subsidiary of SESI more than one month longer than Two Bell has been a Pennsylvania corporation.

aparent said...

it would be great if, at the end of their careers after amassing tons of experience in what works and what doesn't, a group of homegrown retirement-ready educators were given the chance to design and orchestrate an alternative school program. that would be innovative. that would be gutsy.

Anonymous said...

Thank you parent! These are certainly the folks to go to when designing a program that works. Perhaps, they could even provide "solutions" or "what works" without going beyond the walls of our current schools.

Insights about human nature could go a long way toward solutions for children with problems that adults have created.

Anonymous said...

Talking about burning money,

The District hired two PR firms to call and talk to parents about their children attending The Westinghouse Single Gender Academys

More wasted money