Society Struggles With Who Is In Command of the Future

Middleton High Struggles To Get School Spirit Back

Read the article.

Sounds like a sociologist and an anthropologist might give some insight into the problem.

"He knows Middleton's progress has been hindered by a lack of continuity, which is crucial for a young school. He is the third principal since 2002. The old Middleton had just four principals in 37 years."

There is something in the last two sentences that just gets my attention.

Who is in charge of Middleton?

That is not a simple question.

Maybe it is just me, but it seems like those who are fighting to reestablish the "history" of Middleton (and Blake) are caught in a bad spot because they are trying to reestablish a sense of "community" that can not be established in today's world.

How would it play out if a "white community" tried to reestablish the history of a past segregated "white school"?

Can we imagine a group of "white community leaders" getting together to talk about "the white community" and asking their kids to embrace "their white heritage"?

There seems to be a disconnect.

"
"Segregation forced us to take care of one another," said Fred Hearns, who graduated in 1966.

But the Middleton that the alumni remember is much different from what exists today."

Exactly.


Maybe it is just me, but I wonder if the black kids get a mixed message when they are told to embrace the past.

Maybe it is just me, but "embracing the past" brings many different sociological and psychological challenges, all of which are not warm and fuzzy like the Alma Mater.

Maybe it is just me, but perhaps one reason there is difficulty in developing a sense of "community pride" by the black leaders is because "the community" no longer is restricted to a black-only population. Middleton is a magnet school. It attracts others from "outside the community".

There seems to be a disconnect.

Maybe it is just me, but I wonder if the students feel the disconnect. And maybe the hypocrisy.

Where Is Brenda Lee When You Need Her?

"I'm sorry, so sorry
That I was such a fool
I didn't know
Love could be so cruel
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Uh-oh
Oh, yes

You tell me mistakes
Are part of being young
But that don't right
The wrong that's been done

[Spoken:]
(I'm sorry) I'm sorry
(So sorry) So sorry
Please accept my apology
But love is blind
And I was to blind to see
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Uh-oh
Oh, yes

You tell me mistakes
Are part of being young
But that don't right
The wrong that's been done
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Uh-oh
Oh, yes

I'm sorry, so sorry
Please accept my apology
But love was blind
And I was too blind to see
(Sorry)" Brenda Lee


If we could just have Brenda Lee on our School Board, being kicked to the curb and having our fat asses bumped off the "free-is-not-for-me-anymore" bus would be a little easier.

(Hey Thomas, read the link and see where money was the initial motivation to "make our kids fat". Now we see that this was a precursor of rationalizations to stop "courtesy busing". Instead of "we will no longer provide courtesy busing" it was presented as "look at how we will provide healthy exercise for our beloved children".)


Brenda would have asked us to accept her apology that she made a mistake for loving us.

Brenda would have told us she was sorry for having blind love and giving us free bus rides that we were not deserving of all of these years.

Brenda would have sung to us like we were the reason for her existence.

Love is blind, I guess.

Now and then there's a fool such as I.

The Driver On The Bus Says "I Told You So"

While there is some room for those who would challenge my claim, my response is "prove me wrong".

Frequent readers of my blog would know that I have written several times about how the public education system sets up practices that may come back to bite them in the ass ("free" busing", "free" breakfast). These same frequent readers would know that I submit that the public is blamed for not being independent whenever the public school system cuts the service that was the initial step in creating the public dependency. How many parents succumb to the "if it's free it's for me" mindset when "everyone does it", such as "free busing" and "free breakfast"?

While I was perusing my blog and other local education blogs, I fell on this early post that I made as "anonymous".

For those who care, I learned a long time ago that if my real name of Richard L. Hancock was attached to something, my "concerns" were discounted because I was known as a "malcontent", an "isolated incident" attacker-by-the-hundreds(?) or a "broad brush attacker" against the HCPS (from Earl himself).

For what it is worth, here is a comment I made a long time ago on April Griffin's blog:

"
Anonymous said...
Within any system, with increasing numbers of units involved, logistic strategies must change to adapt.
If the District wants to enforce the State guidelines then stick with this as the focus of the debate. When exceptions are made, they must be made on reliable data, not personal whims from either side. The data should be solid enough to withstand scrutiny.

Leadership must rise above the rest if they want to be credible. When District personnel use ad hominem stategies to boister their position it sets the arena for the debate and we end of with distorted rationalizations from both sides. The result of these ill conceived tangents continues the degradation and gives credence to those who see a lack of competent leadership.

August 12, 2007 10:27 AM "

************

I think I an right again about my perception of "the system".

I wrote my above comment a year ago.


For those who are challenged with the concept, just think about the fact that the "state guideline" of busing was ignored by the district for many years. Now, the district wants to enforce it.

What is to be expected?

For advanced thinkers, this is the same problem that exists with how the system deals with behavior.

When the hammer "really" comes down, the fact that the "hammer was never used for (days, weeks, months, years), the resulting "fit of the student(parent)" is more about the "hypocrisy" than it is about the "rule".

Who Will "They" Hire - Part Four

Calls flood school bus hotline - St. Petersburg Times

Another news article.

Here is what got my attention in this article:

"The transportation hotline fielded 1,500 calls Thursday over bus route changes. While the volume has dropped during week, the numbers remain strikingly high."

""Have we gotten to the point of the performance level where we should be, ought to be and need to be? I don't think we have," said board member Doretha Edgecomb, looking beyond the immediate crunch. "One of the things we have really got to work hard on is repairing the public's trust.""

"Davis said he could no longer work 70-hour weeks after fracturing two vertebrae in his back in late June. He wants to turn the job over to someone with the energy to put in the necessary effort at this critical juncture."

******

In one of my previous posts, I alluded to the pro's and con's about Mr. Davis. The "cons" were that he went along with the system's practices even when the system's practice did not meet the requirements needed.

For lack of time, I will make a long story short. In the early 90's, my son was at Colson Elementary when Mr. Davis was the principal. My son was provided a "one-to-one" through his IEP because he needed someone to help him learn signing skills and act as an "intervener". Mr. Davis "had to hire someone through the pool". This person had no signing skills and openly stated she was not going to learn them.

From my perspective, the system was more important to "them" than meeting the intent of the IEP which was to meet the needs of the student.

In fairness to Mr. Davis, he worked very hard to compensate for the system. I just wished he could have confronted it.

Apparently the only way to confront the system is to resign.

Sad ending for a long career.

Who Will "They" Hire- Part Three

Hillsborough School Bus Administrator Retiring

From the reader comments we now have this one. I have highlighted the sentence that got my attention:

"Posted by ( hhrusso ) on August 28, 2008 at 9:30 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Jack Davis has been much more than Transportation administrator. After 34 years of service he is very deserving of his retirement. He served the district as an instructor, principal, and administrator. I wish he and his family much happiness in his retirement.

Some of these comments are pure trash. Some Board Members vote on something and then blame anyone but themselves. It is unfortunate that this transportation conversion had some very serious giltches. What you do not here is how everyone is pitching in to get it all on track. With a district the size of Hillsborough it is a difficult task at best.

If everyone would step back and take responsibility for their own that would be great. Parents - it is YOUR responsibility to get your children to and from school. Busing is a SERVICE!!!
Superintendent Elia you have my support. It is a pity that people are so narrow minded that they can't see the good you have done and continue to do for our children. Thank you. Board members take a hard look on what you have before you lose it. You have a leader that is recognized nationwide for her accomplishments. Pity you do not see it at home.

Now watch all the little minds jump on a positive posting with even more simple minded comments."

*****************
Remember when I talked about how the public school system decides to provide something to the public for "free"? Remember when I talked about that when this "free" provision becomes too costly for the school system, the system discontinues the "free" provision. Remember when I talked about how the public then becomes angry and frustrated when something is taken away? Remember how I talked about that when the parents get angry for losing this "free" provision, the school system blames the parents for being irresponsible? Remember when I said that everyone forgets that the school system started the mess by offering a "free" provision.

I conceptualized this when I read the article about "free" breakfast being offered by the school system. What do you think is going to happen when the "free" breakfast is taken away? Parents will be blamed for not being responsible for giving their children breakfast and everyone will forget that the school system was the one that started the dependency.


PRO on HCPS: Blaming Parents 101

Who Will "They" Hire- Part Two

Embattled Bus Administrator Retiring


As always, read the public comments.

My previous post asked the question "would the person be hired by how long they have worked for the District?"

Please read "Peas" post - the last two sentences (copied below).

Am I the only one that thinks that promotions to administrative positions are based on the "life time of sacrifice" that one has given to the District, therefore they will be rewarded simply based on this criteria?

Does the District promote "The Peter Principle"?

Are people promoted to positions of responsibilities based on their qualifications to meet the job requirement?

Does a person who was first a teacher and then a principal gain the required knowledge to "Direct" or "Supervise" any area in the District?

Has anyone looked at the job history of the current Director of Exceptional Special Education? Is there anyone out there that knows what qualified her for this position?

The same question could be as asked for all of the ESE positions.



"Posted by ( Peas ) on August 28, 2008 at 12:45 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

I cannot in any way say that what happened is acceptable. However please consider, Hillsborough County Schools has 193K kids and 40K employees in one county almost the size of Rhode Island. It is inconceivable that any business process being recreated from the top down would not cause construction inconveniences/mishaps. I do not in any way mean to down play the problems. But it was NO ONE PERSONS GOAL to ever cause this intentionally to the parents or students of this county. Employees of Hillsborough County Schools are expected do more and more with less and less. Ask anyone who works there in any capacity and you will develop an understanding. Although he made a good salary, he was one individual. His job description shows his responsibility. In every aspect of industry the county school system pays its employees FAR LESS than that of private sector employees for the work performed. Maintenance staff, custodians, BUS DRIVERS, food service workers, clerical staff...etc...etc... receive nickels and dimes comparatively and are expected to produce superior results. This administrator did not start off making this salary. He worked in the school system and contributed to the greater good for decades before making the money he made. ANYONE would expect that kind of compensation after that personal investment of time and dedication vs. responsibility."

Who Will "They" Hire- Part One

Embattled Bus Administrator Retiring

I first met Mr. Davis in the early years of the 90's. Colson Elementary was opening. Since I do not have time to elaborate, I will just say that I encountered both pros and cons with Mr. Davis. Maybe I could write more on that later.

The question we should all be asking today is what will be the hiring process to replace Mr. Davis. Will the new person be picked simply because how long they have worked in the District?

The Out-Of-Control Bus Goes Crash, Crash, Crash

I love it. Insight into the Great Oz - the HCPS. Please note that I am making comments about the system, not individuals. While we can assume that individuals are the cause of the failure of the system, most of us are not privy to which individuals and to what extent each individual contributes to the failure of the system. Therefore, I am not speaking of "isolated incidents" nor am I making "broad brush attacks", to which we know the system is inoculated against (dripping with sarcasm known to my frequent readers).


If one goes to this link and clicks on the related links:
Related Links

Consultants' Report (PDF)
Consultants' Report (PDF of PowerPoint slides)

then read the reports. They are eye opening at least that "out there" there are true professionals that understand the systemic challenge of busing.


One gets the idea from reading the report that bus schedules are still done like they were 30 years ago, similar to weather reports being done by throwing a dart at a chart.

Today's HCPS fiasco was predicted, and it was reported how and why it would happen in 2006. And, this prediction was paid for with our money.

Here is just the beginning:

"The transportation program at the Hillsborough County Schools is not in crisis, but is under significant pressure. While costs are reasonable relative to industry norms, they are increasing while the quality of service is rapidly deteriorating. Left unchecked, this trend will inevitably lead to major service disruptions and a concurrent loss of confidence in the system. This situation has been studied a number of times, and is generally well understood. This Transportation Improvement Plan represents the culmination of an effort to define a coherent improvement strategy that will reverse the trend of decline and set the program on a path towards stability and long-term success.
The time for further study is, we believe, long since past. The time for action is now. As such, the focus of the project undertaken by Management Partnership Services, Inc. (MPS) was to define the nature and root causes of the department’s shortcomings, and to develop an action oriented plan for improvement. Rather than focus on describing our findings and providing a list of disconnected and impractical recommendations, this document describes a coherent plan for implementation of improvements with only a minimum of explanatory and supportive background discussion.

The Baby on the Bus Goes Whah, Whah, Whah

Bus Chaos Travels Familiar Route

I don't have enough information to point fingers at individuals, nor should that be my responsibility as a member of the public.

However, as a member of the public, I can ask what is it about the system that creates such a dysfunctional program. Finally, the HCPS transportation issue has deteriorated to the point that it can no longer be glossed over and defended with the "isolated incident and broad brush attack" defense.

Eric Martin paid for the dysfunctional system with his life. All his mother wanted was the system to be fixed. All she got was $200,000. (read the article).

I want to thank the local media for finally airing the issues of dysfunction. Hopefully it will cause a change at our local level, which is what has the most direct influence on our kids, despite the smoke and mirror defense of outside causes such as lack of money.

Maybe this is how credit is given in our public education system

Thanks to The Gradebook for this link:

Hillsborough school incumbent wrongly claims credit for tax cut
By Letitia Stein, Times Staff Writer

If one follows the logic of Kurdell, one could take credit for a lot of actions just simply by being a member of any group.

The scary part is how one would deny being responsible for a lot of actions just simply by being a member of any group.

How does that play out?

Ms. De Cesare has an uncanny insight

Just like Goader, I have never met Ms. De Cesare - however I have seen both of them on the HCDS school board public broadcast. I probably would not recognize either one of them if I ran into them in a store.

Each of us has our own writing style. I admit up front that Lee's style of writing is a bit distracting. If I had paid more attention, I might be able to compare her writings to classic writers who took 375 pages to say what I would say in 3 pages, double spaced in large letters.

I have to say Lee has an uncanny insight into the ethos of the HCPS. In fact, she nails it every time. One must read through the fluff and puff of her tangents of ridicule to see that she speaks the truth regarding the character of the different school personnel that she writes about.

She and I both have written about our perception that the district could be an allegory to the Wizard of OZ. Just read all of our posts to see the connection.

Here is one more post I agree with her on: Realpolitik at ROSSAC

The Driver On The Bus Says "Move On Back"

The Tampa Tribune is wading in dangerous waters. I would expect a comment coming soon from the higher up at HCPS to set the record straight. I can almost see the billowing smoke and towers of flames in front of the huge curtain.

Here is another story on the bus situation.

Hillsborough Parents Fume At School Bus Chaos

The reader comments are a bit more off base.

Is Hillsborough capable of overcoming these obstacles? Does the system know it's limits? Are they preparing for next year already?

The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish.

The Wheels On The Bus Go Round and Round

In today's Tampa Tribune, we have this:

Parents Right To Be Upset Over District's Debacle With Bus Stops

As usual, read the comments.

Am I the only one that thinks that the District people think that the transportation department should be graded on effort, not, as the Tribune states, on "create(ing) a system that met their constituents' needs."?

Communication is a reciprocal relationship. I know that school systems are not businesses, but simply making a check mark that a missive was sent does not mean communication occurred. There is nothing more frustrating for the top dog person to be told "well, I handed out the flyer, I left a message on the phone, or I sent a note home with the kid". If the question is asked "did communication occur", and if no one knows the answer, the attempts fell short of their goal.

Salespeople know this well. They send the message, and then they follow it up with a personal connection. That is how salespeople make money. Like it or not, without true communication, school systems need true communication with parents and students.

Blame everyone you want, without real communication, systems fail.

$200, 000 and a flawed bus system

As always, the reader comments are telling. Read what the defenders of the school system write. "DSC" drinks the District kool-aid. If "DSC" learned to slip in the comment that "these are broad brush attacks", he/she might get a promotion.

Find the fun here: School Year Has 'A Very Strange' Beginning


Just so we put transportation in perspective, let us not forget Eric Martin.

Right bus, wrong stop, devastating consequences
Eric Martin died three years ago when a car struck him as he walked home from the wrong bus stop, 5 miles from home. Could it happen again?
By LOGAN D. MABE, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published November 3, 2002


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ODESSA -- Kimberly Martin lives every parent's nightmare. It's the one in which a child goes off to school on a big yellow bus and never makes it home again.

Three years later, she's haunted by the images -- real and imagined -- that come with the night. A former paramedic, Martin has seen more than her share of human suffering -- which only brings into sharper focus the tragedy of her own son's death.

"I still need assistance sleeping at night because I have horror stories of things I've personally witnessed," Martin said. "And it's too easy for me to put my baby's face there."

Eric Martin, a sixth-grader at Walker Middle School, was 10 years old and 5 miles from home when he was dropped off at the wrong school bus stop Oct. 28, 1999. It was the first day of an after-school tutoring class, so he went home on a different bus with a different driver who had different bus stops.

In the growing darkness, Eric set out on the long walk from VillaRosa to his family's house in Wyndham Lakes. He was hit and instantly killed on Lutz-Lake Fern Road.

Kimberly Martin sued the Hillsborough County School Board claiming negligence on the part of bus driver Linda Moore, who was driving Eric's bus that day.

The case never went to court. The School Board settled out of court for the state-mandated maximum of $200,000. Martin says she didn't sue for money but to bring attention to what she calls a flawed system.

"They paid the absolute maximum that the law would ever require of them," said the Martins' attorney, Dale Swope. "The aspiration now is to use the funds that they got to help get the message out to people. We can track FedEx packages across the country, and they can tell you where your $13 package is at any point in time. But we don't have any method to track our children once they get on a school bus."

Changing the rules of the road
Did Eric Martin's death result in any policy or procedural changes in the way the school district transports children? It's hard to say.

On the advice of legal counsel, the district's director of transportation declined to discuss procedures in the context of the Martin case. Mark Hart, the district's spokesman, released a statement saying that dismissal procedures are regularly reviewed. Bus drivers now get a "rollover" list of student passengers to help drivers at the beginning of the school year. And elementary school officials now have an instructional video tape on effective dismissals to watch.

Hart emphasized that these changes were in the works before Eric's death.

"Eric Martin on his regular bus run was always picked up and dropped off at the same spot," Hart said. "But because he was enrolled in the extended learning (tutoring) program, the routes were modified accordingly. He still had a stop on his street, but not the same stop that he would have gotten on at in the morning."

Hart said a Walker guidance counselor met with Eric when he was enrolled in the tutoring program and discussed the bus situation with him. The counselor even gave him bus information to take home to his parents, Hart said.

Kimberly Martin said she never saw it.

"We really don't know why Eric didn't flag it when the bus turned out of his subdivision, but we do know that the bus driver asked him multiple times whether he was at the right stop when he was let off," Hart said. "And he indicated that he was."

Trying to explain what happened
From the deposition of transportation general director Karen Strickland.

Q. Did (driver Linda Moore) let Eric Martin off at the right stop?

A. She let the child off at the stop that he said was his stop.

Q. Did she let him off at his designated stop?

A. Ms. Moore didn't know what his designated stop was. ... There was no record to show his designated stop.

Q. So apparently he should still be on the bus to this day?

A. She let the child off at the stop that the child said that that's where he lived.

From the deposition of bus driver Linda Moore.

Q. What did you do next? (after speaking with a supervisor about a missing child.)

A. I just sat by the phone. I mean, I was just wondering had they found the child. And they finally called me back and told me they found him.

Q. And what did they tell you?

A. They told me that they did find him and that he was dead.

Q. What did you do next?

A. Well, I closed my eyes and I fell against the wall. And I just said, "No."

Q. Did you go back at that point and try to reflect on what had happened and the events?

A. Well, all I could do is just try to figure out who they was talking about. I just kept trying to figure out who they was talking about. And that's the only thing I could think of, who was this kid? That's all I can do.

Martin's attorney was able to establish that Moore didn't know who was on her bus that first day after the tutoring class. Or where they were supposed to get off. She collected student information cards from most of the students, but Eric Martin got off the bus without turning one in.

* * *

Eric Martin was a big kid for his age. The medical records said that he was 5'8" and 138 pounds. He also had a slight learning disability.

"He was a child who needed supervision," Martin said. "In our society today, that's disabled."

Eric took Ritalin, a medication that helps kids deal with hyperactivity. In addition, he was seeing a speech and hearing counselor.

After the tutoring class, Eric and the other students went home for the first time on a new bus with a different driver.

Kimberly Martin and her husband David Martin both called the school that day to make sure Eric would be able to get home. He was to be dropped off about 6:20 p.m. at a stop just a short walk from his home.

Eric, his body draining from the Ritalin that helped him stay focused, stayed on the bus until it reached a stop in VillaRosa, five miles from his home.

That's where he got off and started walking. According to court documents, Moore asked Eric if it was the right stop and he indicated it was. He even pointed to a row of nearby houses, so Moore drove off.

Eric made it about 3 miles trudging along busy Lutz-Lake Fern Road before a Dodge Ram, driven by University of South Florida student Christine Matanane, hit him. Matanane said she tried to avoid the boy but couldn't. It was about 7:25 p.m., 40 minutes after sunset. Eric's parents had been driving all over looking for him.

A little after 9 p.m. sheriff's deputies delivered the news to Kimberly Martin. She knew why they were there before they said a word.

* * *

Every day, the school district transports 89,492 children between home and school. That's more than three times the 27,000 passengers who use HARTline every day. More than the 76,000 motorists who use the Veterans Expressway.

With that many daily riders and a 184-day school year, mistakes are bound to happen. Typically, they occur in the first few days of school, when routines are still in flux; or in Eric Martin's case, when something like an after-school tutoring program shakes up the pattern.

Heather Phelps contacted the St. Petersburg Times in August complaining about a scare her 5-year-old daughter had when she was dropped at the wrong bus stop on the second day of school.

"I was waiting for her to get off the bus, and she didn't get off," Phelps said. "I asked the bus driver, "Where is my daughter?' And she said she left her off at the other bus stop. I said, "Why did you leave a 5-year-old off at another bus stop?' And she said, "Well, I tried to stop her."'

Phelps said she and other parents searched for her daughter for 90 minutes before she was found.

"Now that she's found, everyone thinks everything is okay," Phelps said. "And everything is not okay. It should have never happened."

Martin's point exactly.

"I'm not finished yet," Martin said. She said she'd like to see a bar coding system put in place that would register when a child gets on and off a bus, and alerts the driver whether it's the correct bus stop.

"They've got the technology now," she said. "It's got the capability to tell the bus driver that someone's gotten on the bus but hasn't gotten off yet. It would eliminate the human error aspect."

Martin said she's even spoken with the vice president of sales for a company called Advanced Bar Code Technology in Great Neck, N.Y., and learned such a system would cost about $2,000 per bus.

She writes letters to legislators and school district officials, but nothing changes.

"There's nothing being done," Martin said. "The state says it's a local issue, and nobody locally is doing anything. It's appalling, as many times as I've heard about children being lost. There's something drastically wrong with the system."

The Martins marked the third anniversary of Eric's death last week, three days before Halloween, three after the conclusion of National School Bus Safety Week.

-- Logan D. Mabe can be reached at 269-5304 or at mabe@sptimes.com.

Sex At The Bus Stop

Maybe it is just because we have too much information.

Remember the good old days when ignorance was bliss?

It appears from the public education system, parents just can't ever get it right.

Today we have two articles about the HCPS:

Try All Routes For Bus Stop Details

School bus stop, close to known sex offenders, worries Hillsborough parent

In the first article "Try All Routes For Bus Stop Details", the public just can't get it right. If the public tried to plan ahead and called earlier during the summer, they were told to wait for the mailer. Now that the mailer didn't get there, the public didn't get it right because they should have called two weeks ago: "It's two days before school," Hegarty said. "It was much easier to get through two weeks ago."

In the story "School bus stop, close to known sex offenders, worries Hillsborough parent", it is unclear about the timeline of when the parent first knew about the original bus stop site, but it appears that she knew it a while back. One could make this assumption because she became concerned when she found out that the bus site had been moved closer to the cluster of sex offenders which also includes a sex predator. Having a sex predator close to a bus stop along with the fact that it has now been publicly brought to the attention of the school system must increase liability to act, I am guessing.

According to the story, the parent had called the system to report the issue, but it wasn't until the parent contacted a reporter who then asked questions to the system did things start to be looked at. I am willing to bet that there will be no record found that the parent had contacted the District. But that is just me.

Missed Opportunity for Another Insightful Guess

Drat, darn and shucks.

Lately, I have more reasons than usual to be disenchanted with the HCPS and have laid low on writing more of my usual bad mouthing of the system.

I missed an opportunity to write my opinions ahead of the information that eventually comes out. This morning, I shared my opinions with a colleague of mine about the recent busing fiasco. One of my thoughts was that the previous bus supervisor that was upstaged by a new hire and possibly had sabotaged the system to make the new hire look bad.

I have studied this system for a very long time. I know that the system has a wealth of resources, however it flies in the face of reason of how incompetent the system is in many areas. There must be hidden agendas or secondary goals that contribute to failure of the common good.

If I had just posted my thoughts, I could say "I told you so" also.

Jargon - Parsing Words - Dazzle or Baffle -

Here is an interesting link to several resources on "lingo".

My previous post links to another post that has a subsequent post about the definition of "eligibility" for occupational therapy (or any other related service).

Seasoned veterans of IEP's know the well practiced dialogue that is used by some school personnel to bamboozle ignorant teachers and parents alike.

A frequent reader of my early posts on both blogs would find many anecdotal stories of these twists of words and contortions of meanings that revolve around minimizing services. A favorite one that is used is "educationally relevant". Trying to get a meaningful definition of "educationally relevant" within the context of how the needs of the student are or are not met within an IEP is like trying to nail jello to a wall. To the best of my knowledge, "educationally relevant" is not defined in any of the Federal laws regarding special education.

Try asking your local special education mentor for a written definition of "educationally relevant" and then try to use that in the context of the federal regulations regarding the development of an IEP.

What teachers should know is that they are presented the same hoops of misunderstanding that parents have to jump through.

DANGER DANGER DANGER - Will Robinson

Danger, Danger Will Robinson

Please prove me wrong on this.

I was perusing the HCPS new website. The very first course of links I chose to follow (how did I know) ended up leaving me stunned.

A Market Driven Strategy In Public Education?

The headlines are surprising. It almost looks like what a business entity does when it realizes it is losing business. Usually when this happens, the business entity tries to meet the needs of the consumer, and lure them into "buying" the product.

Hernando County schools hope to lure back homeschoolers - St. Petersburg Times

Could this be interpreted as wanting to meet the needs of the consumer?: -"Somewhere along the line, many of you grew disenchanted with the county's schools," he wrote, saying he would "appreciate the opportunity to hear from you and gain an understanding of your reasons for leaving or choosing not to attend our school district."

Could this mean that the desire to bring students back to the system is a financial driven need, and the District actually spent time and money to figure out how much it is losing because the public is not "consuming" the "product"?:
- "Nearly 760 county children were educated at home last year. At $3,961 or more per student in state funding, their return to the public schools could bring about $3-million to a budget that was facing a $4.5-million shortfall last spring, said finance director Deborah Bruggink."

Since when does financial concerns of a public school system drive the focus on what the education program is?

- -""Absolutely, I'm telling you," she said. "From a curricular perspective, if you're offering different things, you might entice some parents back" to the public schools."

I realize this is not the traditional bait and switch tactics of savvy businesses, but it does reflect the strategy of placing "on-sale items" next to higher profit items to increase exposure:
- - "They might come to participate in only wresting or school band, but if they have a good experience, they could try something else."

Let's hope for the well being of our children that it just isn't another financial scam dreamed up to get money but still not meet the needs of the "consumer".

Building Public Trust One Tryst At A Time

Today we find in the Tampa Tribune this story: Ragusa Complained About School's Public Reprimands


First the "she said -she said":

"After a student approached Ragusa wanting to complete a math test, Flanagan and another teacher "charged up to my classroom and confronted me in front of two students," Ragusa wrote in the complaint.

"Again, I was reprimanded out in the hall, with doors ajar, ELP classes in session, and other faculty gawking while exiting their classrooms at the end of the day. You disclosed aloud your perception of matters that occurred at previous schools, exclaiming, 'Haven't you had trouble with being alone with male students in the past?' I have since had to endure whispers from faculty wondering 'what happened to Ms. Ragusa at her last school.'"

Flanagan denied that allegation, district spokeswoman Linda Cobbe said."

and then there is this:

"On Jan. 22, based on complaints from her principal, Ragusa was reprimanded for "a pattern of behavior that demonstrates a loss of effectiveness," Cobbe said. Those complaints included using profanity while speaking with students in class and discussing her personal life with students.

Ragusa made another complaint against Flanagan that involved male students.

One instance occurred after an Oct. 7 bomb threat drill, Ragusa wrote. She said Flanagan yelled at her in front of students and colleagues because the principal thought she refused to leave the building during the drill, instead staying behind with a student.

Flanagan, she said, yelled that Ragusa was "totally unfit to work with children" and that she "would definitely be contacting professional standards" to report Ragusa.
Regarding that Oct. 7 incident, Cobbe said Ragusa was alone with a student in a classroom after the drill and Flanagan maintains that she responded properly."

Ok, we all know (?) who gets the benefit of the doubt when it comes to "she said/she said". Don't we?

But what should be of strong concern to everyone is the apparent lack of attention to information, let alone a detail.


"Cobbe said the district was aware Ragusa previously had issues regarding conduct with students but was not aware of any sexual relationships.

"There was a pattern of inappropriate behavior," Cobbe said of Ragusa's teaching record before the investigation. "It was never anything that rose to the level of sex, but it was clear she didn't know her boundaries."

However, one of the instances Cobbe cited as inappropriate behavior ultimately led to sex between a Davidsen Middle School student and Ragusa during the 2006-07 school year, according to court records.

Cobbe said she was unaware that the instance she mentioned led to sex."

One would think that a "pattern of inappropriate behavior" would be a detail.

But there is more: "Ragusa, 29, was arrested March 13 after investigators accused her of having sex at least three times from January 2007 to May 2007 with a then-14-year-old student, according to records. That was the student Cobbe cited."

That makes the lack of awareness of the above detail even more significant.

But there is more. The following makes it look like equal consideration was given to all, no need to make a public spectacle of the inner-workings of a nationally recognized public school system:

"Linda Kipley, the school district's general manager for professional standards, met with Ragusa and her union representative Dec. 12, Cobbe said. They discussed Ragusa's complaints against Flanagan.

Ragusa's complaints were not investigated and were quickly dismissed, Cobbe said."

A possible soundbite for the HCPS public relations person: "Hillsborough County Public Schools has not found any wrong doing involving the actions of any of our employees".

Focus on Education or Business or Politics

I just can't resist giving the dead horse one more kick.

Thanks to The Gradebook for this link: Pinellas School Board revokes official support of education reform group

According to the article, some of the Pinellas County school board had endorsed a report by the Pinellas Education Foundation.

Now, their names have been removed apparently at the request of the school board attorney for a reason.

The question is: Regarding this issue and interactions between the School Board and the Pinellas Education Foundation, were the decisions of the individual board members focused on education?

Superintendent's Evaluation

Thanks to The Gradebook for the link to the evaluation.

When I try to analyze information presented in this type of form, I like to reformat how the information is presented.

Here is how it would look:

Faliero:

Standard I. Leadership and District Culture: No Comment - Points = 5

Standard II. Policy and Governance:"Create a more formal process for updating the Board on daily operation of school system. Makes tough decisions and follows through even during difficult times." - Points = 4

Standard III. Communications and Community Relations:"Improved from last year’s evaluation. Continue to develop techniques to gain an unbiased external perception of the school district in the local area." - Points = 4

Standard IV. Organizational Management: No Comment - Points = 5

Standard V. Human Resource Management: "Employees have been the top priority in a time when other school districts are cutting jobs and leaving those unemployed. Mrs. Elia assisted employees in maintaining employment when position eliminated." - Points = 4

Standard VI. Instructional Leadership: "ACT and SAT scores continue to rank the highest in the nation. More students are taking AP courses than ever. The Achievement Gap is narrowing. Student gains continue to rise yearly." - Points = 5

Standard VII. Curriculum Planning Development: No Comment - Points = 5

Standard VIII. Values and Ethics of Leadership: No comment= Points = 5

Standard IX. Labor Relations: "Has been able to provide over 18 percent in raises to teachers over the past two (2) years." - Points = 5

AREAS OF STRENGTH: "Uses resources to improve student academic performance, even when revenues are declining. Streamlined operations in various divisions, creating a more safe and efficient environment in Transportation and Procurement; operations are more transparent; has moved the district forward, even in times of crisis."

AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: "Provide budget forecasts and where we are operationally, according to Board goals during School Board meetings."

Total score 42 No Comments 4 Comment score = 22 No comment score = 20

****************************************
Edgecomb:

Standard I. Leadership and District Culture: "Working together to create the vision and mission, offered us multiple opportunities and times to share our beliefs and hopes for this district. My expectation is that together we will continue to monitor the efforts, hold each other accountable for achieving those goals, and put into place the support systems, staff expertise, and leadership needed for success. It is also important to continuously keep the lines of communication open among and between all stakeholders. I commend you on your leadership in this area for it continues to be a standard where you demonstrate the skills and direction needed to achieve our goals." - Pts = 5

Standard II. Policy and Governance: "This is an area that, at times, continues to challenge us as a leadership team. In this climate of doing more with less, it is absolutely critical that we never hesitate to find ways to improve our ability to work together. I believe we owe that to our students, employees, and community who want to see evidence of mutually respectful relationships and confirmation that even though we may not always agree, we are willing to put aside our differences to move this school district to the next level." - Pts = 4

Standard III. Communications and Community Relations: "You are to be commended on your continuing efforts to improve in this area. Your small group sessions with employees, the budget updates, your community visibility and involvement, and your outreach to the community are all indicators that you have heard the concerns of many about the importance of timely, on-going, and responsive communication. Because communication and relationships are keys to building trust in and support for our system, you must continue to make this a top priority. It is important that you continue to seek ideas and input from both our critics and supporters and make more visible to them your efforts and the successes in this area." - Pts = 4

Standard IV. Organizational Management: "Your efforts to seek solutions and ideas for addressing budgetary issues, soliciting suggestions from and listening to employees, implementing those ideas where appropriate, and working with the Board on an ongoing basis to establish priorities and implement strategies have resulted in keeping our district financially solvent. Long-range planning, constant monitoring, and timely updates should continue to be the expected way to operate our district with an emphasis on openness, exchange of ideas, data to help drive our decisions, and accountability at every level." - Pts = 5

Standard V. Human Resource Management: "You have been aggressive and forthright in expressing to all the expectations of timely and appropriate evaluation of staff, the importance of offering assistance and support when needed, and expecting and acknowledging quality performance. With less emphasis on recruitment because of the budget, this gives the district greater opportunity to focus on retaining staff and creating plans for succession and cross-training that will offer continuity and opportunity for career growth and preparation. As the leadership team of the district, we must model and seize every opportunity to share our appreciation to our employees." - Pts = 5

Standard VI. Instructional Leadership: "This is one of your greatest assets as a leader. You consistently demonstrate your tenacity, capacity, and skills as an effective and engaged instructional leader." - Pts = 5

Standard VII. Curriculum Planning Development: "This is also an area of strength and one where you provide positive leadership and vision. One of the areas I hope you will pursue with greater urgency is improving our graduation rate for all students, but also developing specific strategies that target minority male students." - Pts = 4

Standard VIII. Values and Ethics of Leadership: "As we continue to face many sensitive and difficult issues, you have made notable strives to work with the Board to ensure that Board policies and procedures are developed and followed, and that fairness and ethical principles are practiced. Keeping these values and actions at the forefront are necessary for building and maintaining public confidence and trust in our district." - Pts = 5

Standard IX. Labor Relations: "You continue to display a willingness to build positive relationships with our employees and our employee unions. There is mutual respect between you and the unions, and because each of you has worked to build such a relationship, we are able to negotiate and work together in an environment that benefits our employees." - Pts = 4

AREAS OF STRENGTH - "Passionate leader that cares about the district and its progress, image, and future.

Aggressive leadership that is always seeking to bring new programs and opportunities for the district that will improve student achievement and promote a cutting edge approach to moving the district forward.

Recognizes the importance of celebrating and rewarding outstanding contributions and
performance of employees.

Creative and energized leader who continues to encourage the district to be at forefront of education reform and a visionary in public education."


AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: "Communication that keeps Board informed at the same level and improve the communication with staff so that we are kept informed about major and future activities.
Using and including the Board as an active and equal partner in promoting the images and messages of the district.
Make more apparent the programs and support that demonstrate the district’s efforts that targets success for all students, because there is the perception there is not enough emphasis on and opportunities for the average achieving student.

Though efforts have been made in the area of Board and staff governance, as a leadership team we must not lose sight of working more cohesively to continue the progress.

Total score 40 No Comments 0 Comment score = 40 No comment score = 0

*******************

Griffin:
Standard I. Leadership and District Culture: "The Superintendent has shown improvement in leadership and district culture. The district’s
commitment in assisting struggling schools is shown in the improvement of overall school grades. Also, the two-way communication regarding the recent budget issues has helped employees feel empowered by listening to and taking their suggestions -- continue working on communications." - Points = 3

Standard II. Policy and Governance: "Communication with this Board member needs to be strengthened. Communication with staff and the community has improved since 2006-2007; but, based on newspaper editorials written by the Superintendent or staff on behalf of the Superintendent, improvement needs to be made in the area of accepting responsibility for recommendations made, i.e., the sale of Gary Adult." - Points = 3

Standard III. Communications and Community Relations: "The Superintendent has made discernible gains in the area of communication. The greatest issue facing education at the moment is the financial crisis. The direct and concise communication with employees has helped ease fears and concerns our employees would naturally have, given the budget shortfalls. With a large district, however, continued improvement must continually be strived for." - Points = 3

Standard IV. Organizational Management: "Organizational management is one of the Superintendent’s strengths. Due to financial forecasting, Hillsborough County School District is in a much better position with the budget than many districts in the state." - Points = 3

Standard V. Human Resource Management: "Recurring employee evaluations are vitally important to continuous employee improvement. The Superintendent has made this a mandate to principals and district management; however, communicate with employees that this Board and Superintendent places greater importance on evaluations than in the past. This could help avoid issues that have consistently come before the Board during dismissal hearings.- Points = 3

Standard VI. Instructional Leadership: "Instructional leadership is one of the Superintendent’s greatest strengths. School grades and student test scores show improvement; however, it is this Board member’s philosophy that we need to provide a broader range of academic and elective opportunities and be very careful not to place the majority of our focus on College Board curriculum." - Points = 4

Standard VII. Curriculum Planning Development: "As stated in Standard VI, curriculum planning – like instructional leadership – is a major strength. Nonetheless, there is a concern from the community that the school district needs to provide more balance in curriculum and electives. A well-balanced community has college-prepared graduates and career- (not work) prepared graduates. We need to remember that not every student is college bound and college is not the only indicator of success. For the sake of our students and community, we cannot lose site of this." - Points = 3

Standard VIII. Values and Ethics of Leadership: - No Comment - Pts = 3

Standard IX. Labor Relations: "The Superintendent has positive relationships with labor unions and treats both HSEF and CTA with mutual respect." - Pts = 4

AREAS OF STRENGTH

Total score 29 No Comments 1 Comment score = 26 No comment score = 3

**************************
Kurdell:
Standard I. Leadership and District Culture: No Comment - Pts = 5

Standard II. Policy and Governance: - No Comment - Pts = 4

Standard III. Communications and Community Relations: No Comment - Pts = 4

Standard IV. Organizational Management: - No Comment - Pts = 5

Standard V. Human Resource Management: No Comment - Pts = 4

Standard VI. Instructional Leadership: No Comment - Pts = 5

Standard VII. Curriculum Planning Development: No Comment - Pts = 5

Standard VIII. Values and Ethics of Leadership: No Comment - Pts = 5

Standard IX. Labor Relations: No Comment - Pts = 5

AREAS OF STRENGTH: "Mrs. Elia continues to exhibit strong leadership across the district, state, and nation. She has garnered praise and awards for our county. She continues to push the standards of achievement for our students."

AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: "Community support seems to continue, but communication still has some gaps; however, but it has improved in some areas, i.e., the pop up for info on our website."

Total score 42 No Comments 9 Comment score = 0 No comment score = 42

********************************

Lamb:
Standard I. Leadership and District Culture: "Has been recognized at state and national levels for leadership in raising academic standards. College Board president lauded her efforts." - Pts = 5

Standard II. Policy and Governance: "Is invited to state and national discussions, and has received several awards recognizing her leadership and efforts of district." - Pts = 5

Standard III. Communications and Community Relations: "Tries valiantly to get the “facts” in the media. Wants the public to know what is taking place in our schools." - Pts = 4

Standard IV. Organizational Management: "District strategic plan. Reassignment of staff and downsizing efforts. “Doing more with less.”" - Pts = 5

Standard V. Human Resource Management: "Uses data in decision-making process." - Pts = 4

Standard VI. Instructional Leadership: "Excelerator grant speaks volumes. Attends many, many school/district activities and functions." - Pts = 5

Standard VII. Curriculum Planning Development: "Strong advocate and models use of data in decision making." - Pts = 5

Standard VIII. Values and Ethics of Leadership:"Believes strongly in the evaluation process" - Pts = 5

Standard IX. Labor Relations - No Comment - Pts = 5

AREAS OF STRENGTH: "District is most fortunate to have her in a leadership role. She is very respected at state and national levels. It is most unfortunate that lack of resources from the Legislature have not allowed her to move the district as far as she’d like in some areas.
Has definitely raised level of aspiration in the district.
Provided volumes of support documents/ materials of documentation for her evaluation.

AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: "Needs to learn to adjust her schedule to have time for herself – especially at certain times in school year. Temper her desire to have everything done now."

Total score 43 No Comments 1 Comment score = 38 No comment score = 5

***************

Olson:
Standard I. Leadership and District Culture: No Comment - Pts = 4

Standard II. Policy and Governance: No Comment- Pts = 4

Standard III. Communications and Community Relations: No Comment - Pts = 4

Standard IV. Organizational Management: No Comment - Pts = 5

Standard V. Human Resource Management: No Comment - Pts = 4

Standard VI. Instructional Leadership: No Comment - Pts = 5

Standard VII. Curriculum Planning Development: No Comment - Pts = 5

Standard VIII. Values and Ethics of Leadership: No Comment - Pts = 5

Standard IX. Labor Relations: - No Comment Pts = 4

AREAS OF STRENGTH: Three items are of particular note. The first is the Superintendent’s foresight and financial management skills. Working with her staff, she has reduced the impact of the economic downturn on the district. Some of her actions have been unpopular, but she seems to be doing a better job of communicating districtwide, and we face much less dramatic cuts than many other districts.

The second item of note is the Superintendent’s ability to articulate district concerns at the state and federal levels, and to impact decisions at those levels. The relationships she has developed at those levels (in part because of her success at increasing student achievement), and her ability to articulate the best interests of students, are of great value to our students and teachers, and to the district.

Last, but not least, the Superintendent’s leadership has enabled teachers to help the students in our schools to move to new heights of achievement – no small feat given the often bizarre twists of testing and grading in this state.

AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: "Ms. Elia has begun to move away from excruciating emphasis on FCAT scores -- I hope she continues. In addition, I hope we will increase awareness of the value of “non-FCAT: pursuits like recess, art, and music to student learning; we need to continue to build staff morale; and the Superintendent and Board need to continue to work to improve relations. This is primarily a matter of the Board taking responsibility for its actions and operations, perhaps in ways that are not traditional, but the Superintendent must be a part of the discussions as she is our chief executive officer."

Total score 40 No Comments 9 Comment score = 0 No comment score = 40

*************************

Valdes:
Standard I. Leadership and District Culture: "The culture of the district depends on the leadership. There is still much work to be done to change the culture. I do not always see positive modeled behavior that creates a culture of the
described standard." - Pts = 3

Standard II. Policy and Governance: No Commment - Pts = 3

Standard III. Communications and Community Relations: "There has been some improvement in the area of communications and community relations.
There are still some gaps and room for improvement. On several occasions I have brought up the errors in the “en espanol” website and errors still exist.- Pts = 3

Standard IV. Organizational Management: "You have done a great job in the budget/financial aspect of the district. The interdepartmental collaboration and communication needs to improve, as well as internal and external communication." - Pts = 3

Standard V. Human Resource Management: "There seems to be inconsistencies in how employees are treated. Employee morale is low and employees feel that their loyalty to the district is not reciprocated by either the Superintendent or
their management." - Pts = 3

Standard VI. Instructional Leadership: No Comment - Pts = 4

Standard VII. Curriculum Planning Development: No Comment - Pts = 4

Standard VIII. Values and Ethics of Leadership: No Comment - Pts = 3

Standard IX. Labor Relations: No Comment - Pts = 5

AREAS OF STRENGTH: "You’re very hard working and have high expectations for our school district. I appreciate the work that you do. I applaud you in the way you have worked with our unions and equally respect them."

AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: "Besides the comments I made by the sections noted, the other area of concern is the ability to find a balance between the adult and technical career courses vs. the emphasis on Honors and AP courses and the area of agri-business. In this area is one of our biggest local businesses that
we must prepare for their future and support that industry."

Total score 31 No Comments 5 Comment score = 12 No comment score = 19

******************

Faliero: Total 42 No Comments 4 Comment score = 22 No comment score = 20

Edgecomb:Total 40 No Comments 0 Comment score = 40 No comment score = 0

Griffin: Total 29 No Comments 1 Comment score = 26 No comment score = 3

Kurdell: Total 42 No Comments 9 Comment score = 0 No comment score = 42

Lamb: Total 43 No Comments 1 Comment score = 38 No comment score = 5

Olson: Total 40 No Comments 9 Comment score = 0 No comment score = 40

Valdes: Total 31 No Comments 5 Comment score = 12 No comment score = 19

A Few Recent Dots To Add To The Picture

Steve Otto writes: "It's Time To Apply A Board Of Education To The School Board"

Steve Otto writes: Do We Really Care About Our Schools?

Marilyn Brown writes: "School Chief Improves On Her Evaluation".


Courtney Cairns Pastor writes: District 1 Candidates Clash On School Board Member Roles"

Daniel Ruth writes: "The School Board Is Not An E-Ticket"

As always, read the public comments for added flavor.