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Pittsburgh teachers and officials explore community schools
From the PG:
"Community schools -- called community learning schools in Cincinnati --
use the public schools as a hub for a variety of services for students,
families and the community."
"Ms. Lane said she was actively involved in developing a community school in Iowa and found "it is not a way to save money."'
- But the goal is to spend money, wisely; specifically the $500 million plus per year PPS budget. Not to mention foundation funding which in recent years seemed to go mainly to consultants.
It is good to see that Board members are going on the trip to Cincinnati. It is time for the Board to set the course and the administration to implement it.
Well, with a surplus of millions, it has to be spent somewhere. I see more consultants in the future. linda lane says she tried this before. WHERE?!? As an elementary teacher? Was it a Broad assignment? I think she will have to buy a new grill and lawn chairs and talk this one over a few dogs and burgers. Like the money spent on New American Schools and Americas choice. they were supposed to be the best fir our kids.
I am not up-to-date but isn't this concept similar to the Lighthouse project and then what was supposed to occur at the Homewood Childrens' Village? it is hard for the average joe to keep up.
We have many wonderful organizations working in our schools. Community Schools basically takes these efforts and puts them on steroids to meet all needs in each school.
It is a bottom-up community effort instead of the top-down efforts we are used to.
How many schools have been shut down? How many schools have been turned-around?
Did any of this improve our schools? Our communities? No. Look at what top-down management has done to Westinghouse, UPREP and Perry.
We have tried the corporate reform models brought here by Mark Roosevelt via Broad, Gates, etc.
It is time for a different approach! Community Schools allow for community decision making to determine what the school needs and what it can be.
Woolslair teachers, parents and community are doing this right now. They are in a growing area of the city and the district wants to shut it down due to low enrollment. Instead of closing the school, disrupting children and leaving a hole in the community--they are creating a plan that will attract families. This plan must address the needs and desires of the families in the community and be supported by the community to make it sustainable.
We have a lot of support for this from parents, our school board, the mayor, and city council. This can work in Pittsburgh. We need to get control back from the corporate reformers that want to eliminate public education.
BRAVO, 3:14! Simply, but cogently and powerfully stated! We are in a position to take back control from "corporate reformer"; but it will take UNITED ACTION of those you mentioned.
The PPS situation is salvageable NOW, but if current forces in power keep control much longer, we will see the demise of more than "equity and excellence" but rather any "education" for the great majority of PPS students with a corresponding end to their successful futures.
7 comments:
Interesting article, especially, since PPS has rejected this concept again, again, and again . . .
From the article:
"Ms. Lane said she was actively involved in developing a community school in Iowa and found "it is not a way to save money."'
- But the goal is to spend money, wisely; specifically the $500 million plus per year PPS budget. Not to mention foundation funding which in recent years seemed to go mainly to consultants.
It is good to see that Board members are going on the trip to Cincinnati. It is time for the Board to set the course and the administration to implement it.
Well, with a surplus of millions, it has to be spent somewhere. I see more consultants in the future. linda lane says she tried this before. WHERE?!? As an elementary teacher? Was it a Broad assignment? I think she will have to buy a new grill and lawn chairs and talk this one over a few dogs and burgers. Like the money spent on New American Schools and Americas choice. they were supposed to be the best fir our kids.
I am not up-to-date but isn't this concept similar to the Lighthouse project and then what was supposed to occur at the Homewood Childrens' Village? it is hard for the average joe to keep up.
We have many wonderful organizations working in our schools. Community Schools basically takes these efforts and puts them on steroids to meet all needs in each school.
It is a bottom-up community effort instead of the top-down efforts we are used to.
How many schools have been shut down? How many schools have been turned-around?
Did any of this improve our schools? Our communities? No. Look at what top-down management has done to Westinghouse, UPREP and Perry.
We have tried the corporate reform models brought here by Mark Roosevelt via Broad, Gates, etc.
It is time for a different approach! Community Schools allow for community decision making to determine what the school needs and what it can be.
Woolslair teachers, parents and community are doing this right now. They are in a growing area of the city and the district wants to shut it down due to low enrollment. Instead of closing the school, disrupting children and leaving a hole in the community--they are creating a plan that will attract families. This plan must address the needs and desires of the families in the community and be supported by the community to make it sustainable.
We have a lot of support for this from parents, our school board, the mayor, and city council. This can work in Pittsburgh. We need to get control back from the corporate reformers that want to eliminate public education.
BRAVO, 3:14! Simply, but cogently and powerfully stated!
We are in a position to take back control from "corporate reformer"; but it will take UNITED ACTION of those you mentioned.
The PPS situation is salvageable NOW, but if current forces in power keep control much longer, we will see the demise of more than "equity and excellence" but rather any "education" for the great majority of PPS students with a corresponding end to their successful futures.
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