The San Francisco Board of Education announced that summer school has been severely cut, due to the state budget cuts.
This summer, only fifth graders who are below basic or far below basic are eligible for summer school in the elementary grades. Newcomer fifth grade students can participate in summer school and students in the Migrant Education Program (preK to fifth grade) are also eligible for summer school as well as special education students whose IEP identifies the need for summer school. The elementary school summer school program will be at Cesar Chavez Elementary School at 22nd and Shotwell.
Insiders within the administration report that Miguel Marquez, the Chief General Counsel is leaving SFUSD.
Marquez became Chief General Counsel with the departure of David Campos who is working on his supervisorial campaign. Marquez was the author of the controversial memo that censured the Citizen Advisory Committee for Special Education’s newsletter.
Marquez reportedly also advised the BOE to keep the action of “merging” Excelsior Middle School with International Studies Academy and moving Leadership Charter High School to Denman in closed board sessions. without parents’ input. Under a state-funded agency, the Board of Education is under the Brown Act. The Brown Act states that only personnel manners can be discussed and voted on during a closed board meeting.
The third annual San Francisco Education Fund “Thank A Teacher Today Campaign” is May 5-May 12.
This campaign is a public call to action asking everyone in San Francisco to take a moment and thank a San Francisco Unified School District teacher for all that they do on behalf of our students.
No doubt you have already planned several teacher and staff recognition (don’t forget your paraprofessionals, janitor, school secretary and cafeteria staff-they are also important members of your school’s team).
Here are some tools that the San Francisco Education Fund are producing to help you. You can contact them at getinvolved@sfedfund.org or go to their website.
Podcasts can provide everyone with great information. Here are some education-related podcasts:
International Reading Organization’s Podcast for literacy instruction in K-12 Link to Class Acts Podcast
Discovery Education Network’s global podcast for teachers DEN Blog Podcast
Discussion of Mike Petrilli of Fordam and Rick Hess of AEI on recent national education news The Education Gadfly
PBS’ Podcast of Listen Up! with John Merrow shows how youth can use video and Listen Up! provide a clearninghouse of youth media online. Listen Up! with John Merrow
As Robert posted, the numbers so far look good on Prop 98. We cannot get complacent, though, since whether people support the proposition or not is irrelevant if they do not get out to vote. So here are some events happening today and tomorrow that you can join in:
No on 98 Happy Hour
I’m cosponsoring this event, which will take place Friday (tonight) from 6-9pm at Dolores Street Community Services, 938 Valencia (between 21st and 22nd)
Prop 98 Lit Drop
Saturday, 11am at Centro del Pueblo, 474 Valencia.
Queer Benefit for No on 98
Saturday, 6-9pm, the Metro Bar, 2124 Market at Church.
The Richmond District Democrats endorsed the following:
12th District DCC
Hene Kelly, former president of the DCC
Jane Morrison
Melanie Nutter
Jake McGoldrick
Eric Mar
Arlo Hale Smith
Emily Drennan
Michael Bornstein
Connie O’Connor
David Wong
12th Assembly District
Fiona Ma
Congress
Nancy Pelosi
Superior Court
Geraldo Sandoval
Yes on Proposition A, the School Parcel Tax
Yes on Proposition B, Reforming Retiree Health Benefits
Yes on Proposition C, Measure on Eliminating Pension Benefits to Those Convicted of “Moral Turpitude” against the City
Yes on Proposition D, Diversity on Commission and Board
No Position on Proposition E, PUC Appointments
No on Proposition F on Affordable Housing in Hunters Point (Daly’s Measure)
Yes on Proposition G on Lennar’s Proposition for Hunters Point
No Position on H, Limitations of Donations to Candidates from Certain Corporations Doing Business With the City
No on 98-Rent Control
Yes on 99-Protection on Owner-Occupied Property
Reminder-the deadline for Round 2 of the San Francisco Unified School District’s school assignment is due tomorrow. All parents are strongly urged to register their child at their assigned school as well as (if they wish) submit up to seven choices for Round 2.
Good luck and hope that your student gets into your favorite school!
Voters Not Fooled by Landlords’ Hidden Agendas Scheme to Abolish Renter Protections and Rent Control
A new survey of California likely voters released March 26 by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) found that 41% of likely voters would vote “No” on Proposition 98, while only 37% would vote “Yes”. On the other hand, by a two-to-one margin (53-27), voters were inclined to support Prop. 99. Both measures are on the June 3 ballot. To view the press release, click here.
Two letters appeared in the gay press advocating for HRC to get the pink brick. If you haven’t voted already, please do so. Ballots are due by Monday. Read below for more information on HRC and tell your friends! Go to this link to get a printable ballot to mail in.
Admittedly, the Human Rights Campaign doesn’t belong in the company of media moron Bill O’Reilly, or any murderous dictator, extremist characters who frankly don’t care what we think. HRC should, however, care what we think. And we think HRC deserves the Pink Brink.
I have a bunch of items stacked up that I’ll try to get to in the next day or so, including the Chronicle’s report assigning blame to cyclists for accidents and the SFBC’s response.
Learn about San Francisco’s plans for better bicycling at a Citywide Bicycle Plan Update Open House, presented by the SF Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA), on Wednesday, March 26 (6:00 pm, 101 Grove Street).
