Sunday, August 14, 2011

How we got where we are Part XVII (May 2008)

On another post Anonymous wrote:

"How we go where we are, part 17, May 2008

May 21, 2008: Pittsburgh Public Schools remained focused on student achievement...

...no, wait, make that Communications and Marketing, with the Board approving “a contract with Ms. Michelle Galterio to develop a comprehensive graphic standards guide to help all schools and departments of the District, as well as all external organizations that are approved users of the District's logotypes and colors, to present a consistent District image inside as well as outside the District. To achieve this work, consultants will review a sampling of materials from schools and the District for the past year. Work will include discussions with school-based and central office staff. This guide will include how to use the District's logo family (PPS logo, Excellence for All, 9th Grade Nation, Pittsburgh Promise), type style recommendations and guidelines, color palette guidelines, 4-6 common design templates, and production procedures and printing specifications to follow when developing or designing any printed, published, or visual materials which convey the image of the District. Production procedures and printing specifications will help staff facilitate conversations with graphic designers and printers to ensure consistent graphic and printing results. All information will be available on the District's website.”

Another Broad Resident is hired. Based on her less than two years of on the job training, Mr. Roosevelt would later promote her to Director of Recruiting and Staffing in Human Resources.

The financial statement highlights urge a “greater premium on cutting expenses.”

The Pittsburgh-Mt-Oliver Unit becomes a new revenue stream for friends of the Curriculum Shuffle, with the Board approving “Staff of Bevan Educational Solutions will provide a workshop entitled, "Framework for Teaching" for approximately forty (40) Intermediate Unit staff members on August 22, 2008.”

After 30 of the first 34 pages of the transcript are filled with Board members taking shots at Mr. Brentley's take a father to school day event, he reminds Board President Isler “regardless of what folks may think about me, I am a Board member, I am an elected official, I have just as much to say at this table as anyone else, it would be helpful, sir, for you to stand with me on good items, just like you would rush to the aid of others, when there are other issues.”"

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can anyone point me to the area of the district website showing guidelines for usage and specifications to follow when using the various district logos?

Bulldog Forever said...

Another fine submission by the WAA.

Anonymous said...

I'm really stunned: a month before the beloved Schenley high school closed and the Board focused their attention on taking shots at Bring Your Father to School Day?

Langley Grad & Parent said...

Charter school enrollment increased by roughly 50% during the Roosevelt/Lane/Fischetti/Weiss years at the same time that PPS enrollment plummeted by roughly 20%.

Does this mean that parents preferred the color palette and logo fidelity of schools like City Charter or is this a sign that they saw through a watered-down curriculum and realized that Bellefield was focused on things that don't really matter?

Anonymous said...

PPS IS focused on things that matter most, but only to Central Office. The achievement of children is never discussed nor is there true interest in how to improve teaching, learning and assessment. Unless of course a network of consultants can be brought in thus, expanding the Broad/Gates agenda and expanding PPS Central Office.

We know enough to educate our kids without the national consultants at high costs.

Anonymous said...

When was the last time any of the assistant superintendents spoke directly to a kid? Unless my kid's experience with learning walks is unique interacting with students is not part of the process for walk participants. Dr. Lane seems interested in getting students' points of view and has told stories about times she gets to see and hear kids up close. You know by now the walkers are just going through the motions to meet the walk quota and the folks being observed are getting shortchanged. This is just one example of a process that can't be sustained and remain an effective tool.

So much time and money were put into redesign that nobody has the guts to say we need to abandon "this" method because it was a mistake and try "this" or go back to what worked better in the first place. Lots of school districts across the country are in our same boat.

Anonymous said...

This should catch everyones attention. When you read ths article keep in mind the Wake County district has a Broad Superintendent & gets funding from Broad also. I did not research if there is a Gates connection. Is Broad in cahoots with the Koch brothers?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/14/
the-battle-for-wake-count_n_926799.html

Anonymous said...

What gives the Koch brothers or Eli Broad the right to affect others peoples lives with their money. Do they think they are some sort of gods. What is this some kid of social experiment for them.
These high and mighty rich people are playing games with peoples lives. My Children's lives, let them rot in Hell.

Get rid of all Broads people in our district, tell Gates to stick to computers not people.

Save Our Schools

Tell these rich fools to take their hidden agenda's and shove it.

Anonymous said...

You are looking for courage, my friend. You are hoping for that group of people who will tell those who dangle what's left of $40 million to keep their money, that their ideas are outrageously harmful to teachers and students and that urban public education should not be the place where you can push an ideology.

You will find no such courage in PPS. You have a school board that literally pees itself (save for Mr.Brentley) in the dual knowledge of big money coming in and big names doing the donating.
You have assistant superintendents who are so out of touch with what goes on in our schools that it is truly mind boggling. They and those around and immediately underneath them prioritize two things in their daily activities: to ability to move upward in this Ponzi scheme and the need to continually appear "important" to our system.
Most disturbingly, you have a superintendent who sees what is transpiring, knows it is killing our district, and decides to do nothing.
Take the money and run, folks.
It's only the kids who'll pay.