Saturday
http://www.bravenewfoundation.org/americandream/
Dear Friend, In Wisconsin and around our country, the American Dream is under attack. Instead of creating much needed jobs, Conservatives are giving tax breaks to corporations and the very rich all while cutting funding for education, police, emergency response, and vital human services. This is unacceptable. Wisconsin is proof of what happens when billionaires, like the Koch brothers, are able to buy out democracy for their own gain. This is only the first battle in the right wing's attempts to destroy the American Dream. We must stop it before it spreads to other states. On Saturday, February 26, at noon local time, rallies will be organized in front of every statehouse and in every major city to stand in solidarity with the people of Wisconsin. Show Solidarity with Wisconsin! Join the Saturday rally to save the American Dream. Yours, Robert Greenwald and the Brave New Foundation team |
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Thursday
Providence city officials’ sudden announcement firing every single Providence teacher
WASHINGTON—Providence city officials’ sudden announcement firing every single Providence teacher—close to 2,000 people—without apparent regard to its effect or even consideration of the teachers’ performance, is shocking. What makes this even more stunning is that the district and the Providence Teachers Union have been working collaboratively on a groundbreaking, nationally recognized school transformation model. A mass firing, announced in the middle of a school year, does not help solve a budget problem—the purported reason—but, rather, disrupts the education of all students and the entire community. The mayor claims he needs flexibility. We looked up “flexibility” in the dictionary, and it does not mean destabilizing education for all students in Providence or taking away workers’ voice or rights.
Mass firings, whether in one school or an entire district, are not fiscally or educationally sound. The mayor and school superintendent owe it to the community and to the students and teachers in Providence to resolve whatever problem they’re dealing with, not by fiat, but by working in a collaborative way. For the past two years, that’s what they have been doing when it comes to work on improving low-performing schools, developing an innovative hiring process and revamping the teacher evaluation system.
Wednesday
HUNGER IN CLASSROOM
February 22, 2011
‘Hunger in Our Schools: Share Our Strength’s Teachers Report’ Finds
Connecting Kids to Breakfast Is Vital for Academic Achievement
Washington—Two-thirds of teachers across the United States say they have children in their
classrooms who regularly come to school too hungry to learn because they are not getting
enough to eat at home, according to a new national survey released today. More than 60
percent of the teachers surveyed for “Hunger in Our Schools: Share Our Strength’s Teachers
Report” say that the problem has increased in the past year, and many find that breakfast
programs are a key link to students’ ability to succeed academically.
The survey, conducted by Lake Research Partners, contains highlights of a public opinion survey
of 638 kindergarten through eighth-grade public school teachers in urban, suburban and rural
communities nationwide. The study reveals that 65 percent of teachers report that most or a
lot of their students rely on school meals as their primary source of nutrition. This reliance is
widespread geographically, but particularly strong in urban and rural areas.
More than 40 percent of teachers say they believe it is a serious problem that children are
coming to school hungry because they have not had enough to eat at home. In fact, 61 percent
of teachers purchase food for their classrooms out of their own pockets, spending an average
of $25 a month.
“I’ve had lots of students come to school—not just one or two—who put their heads down and
cry because they haven't eaten since lunch yesterday,” said Stacey Frakes, an elementary
teacher at Greenville Elementary School in Madison County, Fla.
However, teachers agree nearly unanimously (96 percent) that there is a strong connection
between eating a healthy breakfast and a student’s ability to concentrate, behave well and
perform academically.
65 PERCENT OF TEACHERS SEE HUNGER IN CLASSROOM;
PROBLEM HAS INCREASED IN PAST YEAR
Connecting Kids to Breakfast Is Vital for Academic Achievement
Washington—Two-thirds of teachers across the United States say they have children in their
classrooms who regularly come to school too hungry to learn because they are not getting
enough to eat at home, according to a new national survey released today. More than 60
percent of the teachers surveyed for “Hunger in Our Schools: Share Our Strength’s Teachers
Report” say that the problem has increased in the past year, and many find that breakfast
programs are a key link to students’ ability to succeed academically.
The survey, conducted by Lake Research Partners, contains highlights of a public opinion survey
of 638 kindergarten through eighth-grade public school teachers in urban, suburban and rural
communities nationwide. The study reveals that 65 percent of teachers report that most or a
lot of their students rely on school meals as their primary source of nutrition. This reliance is
widespread geographically, but particularly strong in urban and rural areas.
More than 40 percent of teachers say they believe it is a serious problem that children are
coming to school hungry because they have not had enough to eat at home. In fact, 61 percent
of teachers purchase food for their classrooms out of their own pockets, spending an average
of $25 a month.
“I’ve had lots of students come to school—not just one or two—who put their heads down and
cry because they haven't eaten since lunch yesterday,” said Stacey Frakes, an elementary
teacher at Greenville Elementary School in Madison County, Fla.
However, teachers agree nearly unanimously (96 percent) that there is a strong connection
between eating a healthy breakfast and a student’s ability to concentrate, behave well and
perform academically.
Contact:
Dave Slater 202/649-4332 dslater@strength.org
Theresa Burton 202/478-6522 tburton@strength.org
Tuesday
Saturday
The-diagnosis-and-the-drug-use-of-psychotropic-medication-in-the-foster-care-system
Mon, 31 January 2011 Stephen McCrea, CASA Supervisor with CASA for Children in Portland, OR, talks about the history of mental health treatment of foster youth, including the introduction of psychotropic medications, their use now and what a CASA/GAL volunteer should know when working with medicated youth. Before working with the CASA program, McCrea was a crisis counselor and a residential counselor for youth. Direct download: SMPDFinal.mp3 Category:general -- posted at: 5:16 PM our thanks to the CASA organization National CASA Podcast; i, Praetorian |
Thursday
African American Heritage Month 2011
Join I Praetorian Publications as we ( I ) celebrate African American Heritage Month. There are numerous events planned to highlight and celebrate the IE's diversity, to honor our rich African American culture and to highlight the work of artists who keep African American traditions alive and vibrant in our schools and communities.
I Praetorian,et al is having an open invitation Creative Writing Competition; $100 cash prize.
CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION
Theme: "The fight for Civil Rights - 1960 to 1968"
Eligibility: Participation requires the creation of an original written work inspired by the contest theme/topic and is open to all youth in grades 6-12 within the greater Inland Empire (Excluding Orange and Los Angeles Counties.)
I Praetorian,et al is having an open invitation Creative Writing Competition; $100 cash prize.
CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION
Theme: "The fight for Civil Rights - 1960 to 1968"
Eligibility: Participation requires the creation of an original written work inspired by the contest theme/topic and is open to all youth in grades 6-12 within the greater Inland Empire (Excluding Orange and Los Angeles Counties.)
Deadline: Entries MUST arrive by Friday, February 25, 2011
Guidelines for Entry:
- Creative writing must be an original work in the form of a poem, story, essay, etc., and not previously published.
- Entry must be TYPED on MS Word Document or on paper, not exceeding one page.
- PDF files also accepted.
- Judging is based on creativity, originality, clarity of the writing, and incorporation of the theme for given age level.
- Adults over 18 and MVUSD Administrators may not participate.
- No purchase necessary since we have nothing to sell. Only one entry per participant.
Participant Must Include (On same page or separately):
- Grade Level
- Participant's full name
- Participant's home mailing address
- Participant's home or mobile phone number & email address
- School or Organization's name & address
- Teacher's full name, telephone number & e-mail
- Title of entry
To learn more about the contest and where to submit your entries, please call Your School District's PR Director or submit entries by email to catdanc@hotmail.com. Win or not entries will NOT be returned.
AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH EVENTS
National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
The William Grant Still Arts Center commemorates the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day with doll and quilt workshops, HIV/AIDS education and information, and a mobile (anonymous) HIV testing unit outside of the facility.
Saturday, February 5
1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
William Grant Still Arts Center
2520 S. West View St., Los Angeles
(323) 847-1540
19th Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival
America's largest black film festival showcasing over 150 new films from Africa, the United States, Europe, the Caribbean, the South Pacific, South America and Canada. This event also features 100 black fine artists and craftspeople from the world over, poetry, fashion shows, free forums and panels.
Wednesday - Monday, February 16 - 21
Various times
Magic Johnson Theaters at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza
3650 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Los Angeles
(323) 295-1706
African American Heritage Celebration
This celebration includes poetry, storytelling, live gospel, jazz and blues. African artifacts for sale such as kente cloth, mud cloth, soapstone, handmade masks and tribal earrings add an authentic flavor to the event.
Friday, February 18
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Angelus Plaza
255 S. Hill St., Downtown Los Angeles (4th Floor Auditorium)
(213) 623-4352
Wednesday
16-year-old Riverside girl reported missing
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Mary Jan Gieling, 16, of Riverside was reported missing Friday, Feb. 4, 2011. (KABC Photo)
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- A search is under way for a 16-year-old teenager who was reported missing by family members in Riverside.
Mary Jan Gieling was last seen on Friday at about 1 p.m. at her school wearing blue jeans and a black sweater. Her family has not heard from her since then.
Gieling's relatives said they did not notice any unusual behaviors or arguments before the teen's disappearance. They believe she may have been in contact with a male for several weeks, but they don't know who he is.
If you have any information regarding Gieling's whereabouts, you're urged to contact Riverside police at (951) 353-7107.
Friday
Why does an L.A. T.V. station cover local schools and kids better than our own newspaper?
More: Bio, E-mail, Recent Stories, News Team
NORCO, Calif. (KABC) -- School officials in Norco have a real dilemma: A popular teacher was allegedly threatened by a special-needs student there. Students at John F. Kennedy Middle College High School held a rally and protest march Thursday morning. They want their teacher back.
For the past 54 school days, a substitute teacher has been teaching Heather Ellis's 11th-grade English class. Ellis's students say it's unfair, and it's time for their teacher to return to the classroom.
At least 150 students packed the Corona-Norco Unified School District parking lot after walking out of John F. Kennedy Middle College High School Thursday morning.
Their demand was simple: Bring back beloved junior English teacher Mrs. Heather Ellis.
"We are protesting because a teacher was harassed and threatened and nothing was done about it," said Avery Smith, a senior at the school.
Students marched a mile to the district office in protest over a death threat their teacher allegedly received in October.
Students say the classmate who sent the threat was suspended for seven days but the teacher, fearing for her safety, has not returned to the classroom.
District Assistant Superintendent Thomas Pike says he cannot discuss the incident because of privacy issues.
"With respect to specific incidences, we take that very seriously, we look at it very closely," said Pike.
Oscar Ruiz's daughter attends the high school. He came out to the demonstration with a few of his own questions for the school's principal.
"What is he doing to protect my daughter and all the kids? What is he doing to protect the teachers from kids that are not fit to be in school? And if he needs help, send him to get some help," said Ruiz.
Students say the district is not following its own policies when it comes to protecting their campus because they say the student in question has mental health issues.
During a two-hour meeting students broke up into groups with school administrators to voice their concern and to demand action.
"Our parents always tell us follow the rules and do what's right -- well, they are not following the rules or doing what's right," said Avery Smith.
"I feel like we got our message across and now they understand what we want, but for the most part they avoided most of our questions," said senior Ammon Cruz.
Ellis was reached by phone Thursday. She said she could not comment on the incident that took place, she said that she was deeply moved by the support that students are showing.
A school board meeting scheduled for Tuesday is expected to be jam-packed with students, parents and teachers voicing their concern over this incident
Students march for threatened school teacher
- Report a typo
More: Bio, E-mail, Recent Stories, News Team
NORCO, Calif. (KABC) -- School officials in Norco have a real dilemma: A popular teacher was allegedly threatened by a special-needs student there. Students at John F. Kennedy Middle College High School held a rally and protest march Thursday morning. They want their teacher back.
For the past 54 school days, a substitute teacher has been teaching Heather Ellis's 11th-grade English class. Ellis's students say it's unfair, and it's time for their teacher to return to the classroom.
At least 150 students packed the Corona-Norco Unified School District parking lot after walking out of John F. Kennedy Middle College High School Thursday morning.
Their demand was simple: Bring back beloved junior English teacher Mrs. Heather Ellis.
"We are protesting because a teacher was harassed and threatened and nothing was done about it," said Avery Smith, a senior at the school.
Students marched a mile to the district office in protest over a death threat their teacher allegedly received in October.
Students say the classmate who sent the threat was suspended for seven days but the teacher, fearing for her safety, has not returned to the classroom.
District Assistant Superintendent Thomas Pike says he cannot discuss the incident because of privacy issues.
"With respect to specific incidences, we take that very seriously, we look at it very closely," said Pike.
Oscar Ruiz's daughter attends the high school. He came out to the demonstration with a few of his own questions for the school's principal.
"What is he doing to protect my daughter and all the kids? What is he doing to protect the teachers from kids that are not fit to be in school? And if he needs help, send him to get some help," said Ruiz.
Students say the district is not following its own policies when it comes to protecting their campus because they say the student in question has mental health issues.
During a two-hour meeting students broke up into groups with school administrators to voice their concern and to demand action.
"Our parents always tell us follow the rules and do what's right -- well, they are not following the rules or doing what's right," said Avery Smith.
"I feel like we got our message across and now they understand what we want, but for the most part they avoided most of our questions," said senior Ammon Cruz.
Ellis was reached by phone Thursday. She said she could not comment on the incident that took place, she said that she was deeply moved by the support that students are showing.
A school board meeting scheduled for Tuesday is expected to be jam-packed with students, parents and teachers voicing their concern over this incident
Wednesday
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