Thursday, February 26, 2015

What is working?

Anonymous wrote:

"New Posting: 
What is working in a PPS classroom ? 
Anecdotal stories anyone"

Friday, February 20, 2015

Now is the time to plan to speak at Monday's PPS Public Hearing

The next public hearing is Monday February 23 at 6:00 pm;  procedures are at:

http://www.pps.k12.pa.us/Page/4043

Note that you do not necessarily have to be a city resident to speak; in addition to city residents the following are also eligible:
  • Anyone having registered a legitimate interest in a contemplated action of the Board 
  • Anyone representing a group in the community or School District
  • Any representative of a firm eligible to bid on materials or services solicited by the School District
  • Any District employee
  • Any District student 

Call (412) 529-3868 by noon on Monday to sign up.

Hearings are now being filmed for wider viewing on PCTV (ch 21/47) and YouTube, so you can send your testimony to others who cannot attend the hearing.

Education task force identifies ways for the city to work with PPS

From the PG:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2015/02/19/Mayor-Peduto-s-education-task-force-cites-five-ways-schools-city-can-collaborate/stories/201502190193

Monday, February 16, 2015

Significance of locked faculty bathrooms

A couple of months ago someone posted to protest faculty bathrooms being locked at one of the high schools.  It brings to mind a quote from a recent book, Hand to Mouth:

"I've got my own metric to gauge the fabulosity of a job:  ...am I allowed to go to the bathroom at will?  It's physically uncomfortable to hold it forever, and it sucks to stand by for the okay like a dog waiting for someone to open the door.  But for me, the indignity of the whole thing is less about the potential bladder infections. It's more what the requirement for that kind of notification reveals about the tone of the place.  In my experience, the jobs where the boss regulates your urinary tract also tend to demand a bunch of other degrading stuff."

It is sad for teaching positions in our district to sink to this level.

Board candidates

Anonymous wrote:

"New Posting: Researching the candidates who vie for 3 city school board seats. Lets debate their merits and leadership qualities as they compete. "

Friday, February 13, 2015

U Prep now

Anonymous wrote:

"Is UPrep safe? In the last three days the school found bullets on the ground inside the school and had city k-9 come, the next day their was a lockdown for gun fire outside the building and the following day their was a rape investigation inside the school that happen in a class room by city investigators."

Monday, February 9, 2015

Superintendent reflects on tenure

From the PG:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2015/02/09/Profile-Pittsburgh-school-superintendent-Linda-Lane-focuses-on-children/stories/201502090002

Cost controls

Anonymous wrote:

"New post please, This from this mornings Post.

http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/letters/2015/02/09/Schools-are-overburdened-with-duties-beyond-education/stories/201502090045

Every month we see the AIU costs to the school district. Some of these services are needed but come on now. This first came up as an issue with physical and occupational therapists working for the AIU. Their hours were being cut back. Time spent traveling from one school to another were no longer paid. Record keeping time was not going to be compensated either.
Many home health workers do not get paid travel time. But they do get to claim travel mileage on federal taxes.
Look at the financial report. See what we the people are paying for."  

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Crackdown on tax loophole

Anonymous wrote:

"New Topic:

I have complained a lot on this site about the district and school board for various reasons, but I have to give credit where credit is do on this one. 

From today's PG:

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/development/2015/02/03/Crackdown-aims-at-loopholes-that-allow-developers-to-skirt-deed-tax/stories/201502030093 
"

Letting kids choose

Anonymous wrote:

"new topic-- 
http://triblive.com/aande/books/7603754-74/says-reading-kids#axzz3QgPxR8PV
"study finds letting kids choose encourages love of reading"
Not in Broad/Gates world where required reading/ levels/ control and "free-range" reading is killed by not funding libraries and librarians. Philadelphia has 11 librarians, PPS 21. Control reading, control the masses. Again folks, what is obvious to surrounding districts-- strong library programs make strong schools and high scores, is lost in Broad/Gates sell out land. "

Monday, February 2, 2015