Sunday, July 03, 2016

Great gnus!



4LAKids: Sunday 3•July•2016
In This Issue:
 •  CHARTER SCHOOL FOUNDER STEVE BARR TO CHALLENGE GARCETTI IN 2017
 •  LAUSD BOARD APPROVES MARSHALL HIGH REPAIRS
 •  ‘SUMMER TERM’ BEGINS FOR 65,000 LAUSD STUDENTS
 •  HIGHLIGHTS, LOWLIGHTS & THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT: The Rest (but not necessarily the best) of the Stories from Other Sources
 •  EVENTS: Coming up next week...
 •  What can YOU do?


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IN ONCE UPON A TIME long go potentially naughty children were confronted by parents+teachers with dark figures torn from current events to keep them in line; child alignment being a constant goal.

The most infamous of these is the “Boogieman”, a reverse anthropomorphism of Napoleon Bonaparte: The Monster Made More Monstrous… ”be afraid, little children: Be very afraid! …He’s comin’ to getcha!”

Ladies+Gentlemen, Boys+Girls: I give you Steve Barr!

__________

Imagine, if you will, my unreserved joy, at being copied on an e-mail earlier this week:

“Great News: I’m running for Mayor of Los Angeles!”

Together, we’re going to disrupt the political establishment and turn our city around. We’re going to build a grassroots movement to rally around and transform all of L.A.’s schools, end the homeless and affordability crisis, and fight for a city where every family can thrive.

I’m running because I love our city and I know how much it has to offer. Over the years, I’ve seen how much we can accomplish when we stand together and fight for what we know is right. That’s why we’re going to build a fierce grassroots campaign powered by Angelenos to fight for our city and our people.”


…sent by no less than Steve Barr. …because this city and the school system hasn’t had disruption enough!

(Steve has, in a moment of super genius/brand I.D., has made his campaign logo his name inside a […wait for it…]: GREEN DOT!)

Barr is, of course, the founder of Green Dot Public Schools – whose employ he left under-a-cloud years ago.

He was Mayor Tony’s ever-present “bestie” in Antonio’s battle to take over LAUSD under AB1381 (feel free to sprinkle the adjective “unconstitutional” freely in this passage) – making the Energizer Bunny look like a slacker! It was Barr who took the appeal of AB 1381 all the way to the State Supreme Court. Where it lost, 9-0.

Since then Barr’s School Reform/Charter School cred has worm rather thin. He and Green Dot parted ways. He tried to become a “School Turnaround King” in New Orleans.

Nada. Zero. Zilch. …but he always looks good doing it.

1. LA Weekly Profile: “THE SECRET OF HIS SUCCESS”| L.A. Weekly | http://bit.ly/298knUb
2.
3. New Yorker Profile: INSTIGATOR: A crusaders plan to remake failing schools. http://bit.ly/d0O15Y
4. The View from New Orleans: STEVE BARR– WHO DITCHED HIS NEW ORLEANS SCHOOL RENOVATION COMMITMENT– WANTS TO BECOME MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES | deutsch29 http://bit.ly/29mLC3a

A mutual acquaintance of Steve’s+mine …and a good friend of LAKids writes:
Jun 28, 2016: BARR JUST CAME OUT WITH HIS PLATFORM:

1. No children under 5 yr. old will be allowed to poop in their pants
2. All parents must wear their underwear on the outside of their pants
3. Schools should be funded by the amount of noise they generate
4. The mayor should give up on city streets and just build parking lots on school campuses
5. Students should not be taught to read nor write but just to give press conferences


Unfortunately. Gentle reader, our witty colleague is way-too-right …with bullets #3, 4 and 5 not even being exaggerations.

¡Onward/Adelante! - smf

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY
[BURR]: How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a
Scotsman, dropped in the middle of a
Forgotten spot in the Caribbean by providence
Impoverished, in squalor
Grow up to be a hero and a scholar?

[LAURENS]: The ten-dollar founding father without a father
Got a lot farther by working a lot harder
By being a lot smarter
By being a self-starter
By fourteen, they placed him in charge of a
Trading charter

[JEFFERSON]: And every day while slaves were being slaughtered and carted
Away across the waves, he struggled and kept his guard up
Inside, he was longing for something to be a part of
The brother was ready to beg, steal, borrow, or barter

[MADISON]: Then a hurricane came, and devastation reigned
Our man saw his future drip, dripping down the drain
Put a pencil to his temple, connected it to his brain
And he wrote his first refrain, a testament to his pain…


►CA State Constitution: Article IX § 6: “No school or college or any other part of the Public School System shall be, directly or indirectly, transferred from the Public School System or placed under the jurisdiction of any authority other than one included within the Public School System.”


CHARTER SCHOOL FOUNDER STEVE BARR TO CHALLENGE GARCETTI IN 2017

By Peter Jamison and Howard Blume | LA Times | http://lat.ms/29aXksP

June 27, 2016 :: Charter school founder Steve Barr on Monday filed papers to run for Los Angeles mayor, launching a long-shot candidacy that could reshape the dynamics of incumbent Mayor Eric Garcetti’s reelection bid by drawing voters’ attention to the city’s struggling school system.

Barr, a Silver Lake resident and darling of education-reform advocates who has not previously held elected office, said he has grown impatient with what he sees as Garcetti’s passivity in the face of a worsening public education crisis. He said Garcetti is “a really nice guy” who lacks “a sense of urgency” about solving the city’s problems, foremost among them the shortcomings of the nation’s second-largest school system.

“The school district – and I’m saying this as a big fan of the school district, as a parent in the school district – in some ways is a little bit like an alcoholic who hasn’t bottomed out yet,” Barr said. “It’s getting better, but we can’t afford as a city to just let this thing linger out there, because it’s not just affecting them anymore. It’s affecting our city and it has for a long time.”

Barr’s entry into the 2017 race comes amid a historic push by local activists to expand charter schools as an answer to problems in the Los Angeles Unified School District, and is likely to revive debate around a recurrent theme in L.A. government: the relationship between LAUSD and City Hall. L.A.’s mayor, unlike those in Chicago or New York City, has no formal authority over the school district.

That hasn’t stopped school quality from periodically dominating city politics. Former Mayor Richard Riordan campaigned aggressively for favored Board of Education candidates, incurring the enmity of the local teachers’ union. Former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa fueled his winning 2005 campaign against incumbent James Hahn with promises to reform public education. (That goal eluded Villaraigosa once he was in office, as his bid to take over the school district was defeated in court.)

In taking on Garcetti, Barr faces long odds against an incumbent who has built a broad base of political support and an impressive fundraising machine – and who has made no major missteps during his first three years in office.

Jaime Regalado, an emeritus professor of political science at Cal State L.A., said he thought nothing short of a serious scandal – or perhaps an abrupt exit by Garcetti to accept an appointment in a Hillary Clinton White House – would create “any chance at all” for Barr’s success.

Others cautioned against underestimating Barr’s appeal to an unpredictable electorate in a city where public school quality still tops most polls as an issue of voter concern.

“He’s running as an outsider at a time when voters are powerfully suspicious of the political establishment, and he’s running on an issue that’s close to the hearts of most Angelenos,” said Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC. “It will be an uphill fight for him, but this is something that Garcetti and his team would be smart to take very seriously.”

Garcetti campaign manager Bill Carrick said that though the mayor has not followed in Villaraigosa’s footsteps by trying to gain new formal powers over the schools, he has implemented a number of programs benefiting students. He pointed to Garcetti’s expansion of a summer jobs program and his recently announced commitment to help fund a free year of community college for every LAUSD student.

“Mayor Garcetti’s focus is on getting things done and on doing things that are going to make a difference in the lives of young people across L.A. and that are real and tangible,” Carrick said.

He also cautioned against viewing a mayor’s duties wholly through the prism of education policy, noting that unrelated challenges such as transportation are also among city officials’ top priorities.

“It’s one thing to be somebody who is focused on education as their issue as an education advocate,” Carrick said. “It’s another thing to be the mayor of a city where you have got a lot of issues.”

The only other challenger to Garcetti with political or public policy experience who has entered the race is Mitchell Schwartz, a veteran political consultant who directed President Obama’s 2008 campaign in California and was communications director at the U.S. Department of State under former President Bill Clinton.

Barr, 56, founded Green Dot Public Schools, a nonprofit chain of charter schools that began operation in L.A. He oversaw the company’s contentious takeover of Locke High School, marking the first time one of L.A. Unified’s schools was turned over to a charter group. Barr stepped down from Green Dot’s day-to-day leadership in 2009, but has remained active in education policy at both the state and national level.

Barr was raised in Monterey and Cupertino by a single mother who worked as a cocktail waitress and dental assistant. He spent a year in foster care, went to a community college and joined the Teamsters when he worked at United Parcel Service while finishing his degree at UC Santa Barbara.

It is a background that differs markedly from that of Garcetti, who grew up in Encino and attended an elite private high school before heading off to Columbia and, eventually, to Oxford through a Rhodes Scholarship.

Asked about what some see as the foremost accomplishment of Garcetti’s first term – his role in raising the city-wide minimum wage to $15 – Barr demurred.

“The difference between him and I is I’ve actually lived on minimum wage,” Barr said. “I understand it’s a great thing to get the minimum wage up to $15 an hour. That’s fantastic. It’s not even close to scratching the surface of what this city needs. And it wasn’t an incredibly controversial stand when he took it.”

Barr said he doesn’t yet have a full-fledged plan for overhauling the school district, but that two immediate areas for improvement are the resources the district as a whole pours into administrative overhead and the conditions at L.A.’s worst-performing schools.

He said he would prefer to work cooperatively with school district officials, but would be willing to pursue changes in city or state law to expand the mayor’s power were he to find his efforts stymied.

“The proposition for them is, ‘We’re going to rally around you, but you’ve got to change. And mediocrity is no longer an option,’” Barr said.

The viability of Barr’s campaign could hinge partly on whether he secures the support of wealthy school-reform advocates in L.A., some of whom are involved in a plan that could dramatically increase the number of charter schools operating in the city.

A confidential draft of the plan obtained last year by The Times described raising $490 million to move half of the school district’s enrolled students into charters over the next eight years. Reform advocates later backed away from the plan, but critics still worry about a massive charter school expansion that could bankrupt the school district by drawing away students – and the state funding that accompanies them.

Frank Baxter, a businessman and former U.S. ambassador to Uruguay who has actively supported charter schools, called Barr “one of the pioneers in the charter movement in Los Angeles.”

Baxter declined to say whether he would support Barr’s candidacy, though he said Barr had informed him of his decision to run.

Billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad, another prominent backer of local school-reform initiatives, was traveling outside the country and could not be reached for comment.


LAUSD BOARD APPROVES MARSHALL HIGH REPAIRS

Written by LA Independent Staff | http://bit.ly/29bjLOZ

July 1, 2016 :: LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education has unanimously approved nearly $11 million in repairs for the historic tower and the administration building at John Marshall High School. The board also approved a $160,000 investment to modernize the school’s auditorium.

The original project, approved in August 2012, was slated to only repair the exterior facade of the administration building’s tower. The newly defined project will include the replacement of the roofing, repairs and improvements to the historic tower, seismic strengthening and accessibility upgrades to the entrance of the school.

The tower repairs were initially triggered by deteriorated and failing building elements. Further studies were conducted after the initial project was approved in 2012, and additional deficient building conditions, such as water intrusion, were discovered in both the administration building and the tower.

“I am overjoyed that the board has voted to fund the repairs to this historic building,” Principal Patricia Heideman said. “The building is incredibly important to the community around Marshall and the alumni who have been so supportive of our students. The beautiful structure is symbolic of the legacy that Marshall has maintained throughout the years and is very dear to our community.”

Additionally, the school board approved funding to begin modernizing the school’s auditorium. That effort was inspired by Heideman and community members in order to renovate the auditorium to beautify the space and to increase the auditorium’s sound quality to meet the needs of the visual and performing arts programs at the school.

“We know that Marshall High School is extremely special to this community because of its close ties with the Los Feliz family,” said Ref Rodriguez, who represents District 5 where Marshall High is located on the school board. “I appreciate the advocacy of the parents, alumni, neighbors, and community members that support Marshall High, which is why my office has chosen to financially support the renovation of the school’s historic auditorium.”

Heideman said she welcomes the repair to the auditorium.

“We are grateful that the board and Dr. Rodriguez, in particular, recognize and are willing to support the desperately needed improvements to the auditorium to make it more functional. On behalf of the John Marshall High School community, I offer my sincere gratitude to the LAUSD.”

The construction is scheduled to begin next spring.


‘SUMMER TERM’ BEGINS FOR 65,000 LAUSD STUDENTS

M. Terry / San Fernando Valley Sun | http://bit.ly/29do9il

Thursday, June 30, 2016 7:28 am :: Summer classes have begun at 71 Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) high schools and — for the first time in several years — the district is offering elective and enrichment courses, as well as classes in core academic subjects for students needing to make up credits.

Approximately 65,000 students are enrolled in more than 2,500 classes during the most robust summer session since the recession. In addition to the high school classes, the district is offering a summer “bridge” program at more than 120 elementary and middle schools, where students are receiving supplemental instruction in English and math.

“We are very pleased that we are able to extend summer learning opportunities to so many students,” said District Superintendent Michelle King. “By offering a slate of electives, credit-recovery courses and academic supports, we are reinforcing our commitment to personalizing the educational experience and helping our students succeed.”

Summer classes will run for 24 days, with two periods of 2 1/2 hours each that will start at 9 a.m. and noon. That’s an hour later than previous years; officials hope the extra time will improve student attendance and punctuality.

The district is also providing counselors to act as “case managers” in supporting students and helping them overcome hurdles that might otherwise derail their progress toward graduation.

In addition, the program is being rebranded as “summer term” so that students will come to see the classes as simply an extension of the regular school year.

“LAUSD is shifting mindsets toward increased excellence with the concept of ‘summer term’ rather than ‘summer school,’ as we prepare students to consider ongoing learning,” said Dr. Frances Gipson, chief academic officer.

“Our educators have engaged in ‘mastery learning’ professional development to calibrate and reach high expectations,” she continued. “These expectations are supported by counselors being present this summer, alongside teacher leaders, who will guide professional learning to support the differentiated needs of students — much like a coach. And, we are proud to bring back enrichment and ‘bridge’ programs for students.”

This year’s summer term stands in sharp contrast to those during the recession, when the district served just 5,000 students at 16 high schools.

With an allocation of $2 million for this summer, the district will offer credit-recovery courses in English, math, science, social science, world languages, physical education and health.

In addition, electives are being offered at Hollywood and Los Angeles High schools, Foshay and International Studies Learning centers, and Cleveland Charter High School. Courses include graphic design, photography, stage design, computer science and beginning dance.

Summer term is administered through the district’s Beyond the Bell Branch. For a complete list of schools, see btb.lausd.net.

“We’re back on track to being able to offer more than just credit-recovery courses,” said Alvaro Cortes, executive director of Beyond the Bell. “It’s great that we finally have the ability to add expanded programming for our students.”


HIGHLIGHTS, LOWLIGHTS & THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT: The Rest (but not necessarily the best) of the Stories from Other Sources
tronc: CAN TECH ENTREPRENEUR MICHAEL FERRO & LOCAL BILLIONAIRE PATRICK SOON-SHIONG SAVE THE L.A. TIMES? | LA Weekly |
http://bit.ly/29fSeN0

ED REFORM BATTLE IN LOS ANGELES: CONFLICT ESCALATES AS CHARTER SCHOOLS THRIVE: Education Next |
https://t.co/u5lnIoQJl6


EVENTS: Coming up next week...
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES – Wednesday, July 6, 2016 - 11:00am

*Dates and times subject to change. ________________________________________
• SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE:
http://www.laschools.org/bond/
Phone: 213-241-5183
____________________________________________________
• LAUSD FACILITIES COMMUNITY OUTREACH CALENDAR:
http://www.laschools.org/happenings/
Phone: 213-241.8700


• LAUSD BOARD OF EDUCATION & COMMITTEES MEETING CALENDAR



What can YOU do?
• E-mail, call or write your school board member:
Scott.Schmerelson@lausd.net • 213-241-8333
Monica.Garcia@lausd.net • 213-241-6180
Ref.Rodriguez@lausd.net • 213-241-5555
George.McKenna@lausd.net • 213-241-6382
Monica.Ratliff@lausd.net • 213-241-6388
Richard.Vladovic@lausd.net • 213-241-6385
Steve.Zimmer@lausd.net • 213-241-6387
...or the Superintendent:
superintendent@lausd.net • 213-241-7000
...or your city councilperson, mayor, county supervisor, state legislator, the governor, member of congress, senator - or the president. Tell them what you really think! • Find your state legislator based on your home address. Just go to: http://bit.ly/dqFdq2 • There are 26 mayors and five county supervisors representing jurisdictions within LAUSD, the mayor of LA can be reached at mayor@lacity.org • 213.978.0600
• Call or e-mail Governor Brown: 213-897-0322 e-mail: http://www.govmail.ca.gov/
• Open the dialogue. Write a letter to the editor. Circulate these thoughts. Talk to the principal and teachers at your local school.
• Speak with your friends, neighbors and coworkers. Stay on top of education issues. Don't take my word for it!
• Get involved at your neighborhood school. Volunteer in the classroom. Join your PTA. Serve on a School Site Council. Be there for a child - and ultimately: For all children.
• If you are eligible to become a citizen, BECOME ONE.
• If you a a citizen, REGISTER TO VOTE at http://registertovote.ca.gov/
• If you are registered, VOTE LIKE THE FUTURE DEPENDS ON IT. THEY DO!


Who are your elected federal & state representatives? How do you contact them?




Scott Folsom is a parent leader in LAUSD and was Parent/Volunteer of the Year for 2010-11 for Los Angeles County. • He is Past President of Los Angeles Tenth District PTSA and has represented PTA on the LAUSD Construction Bond Citizen's Oversight Committee for over 13 years. He currently serves as Vice President for Health, is a Legislation Action Committee member and a member of the Board of Directors of the California State PTA. He serves on numerous school district advisory and policy committees and has served as a PTA officer and governance council member at three LAUSD schools. He is the recipient of the UTLA/AFT "WHO" Gold Award and the ACSA Regional Ferd Kiesel Memorial Distinguished Service Award - honors he hopes to someday deserve. • In this forum his opinions are his own and your opinions and feedback are invited. Quoted and/or cited content copyright © the original author and/or publisher. All other material copyright © 4LAKids.
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