Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Monrovia School Link ~ Number 142 ~ September 28, 2005
I haven't attended a board meeting in a long time, which makes it easy for me to contrast what I saw tonight with what it was like before; no slow transitions that might have masked the change for me. First, the study session was right out in the open and there were real people watching (imagine that!). Also, at the regular board meeting there was real discussion going on. You could see the process and the thinking involved in coming to a decision. It seemed healthy to me.
~ brad@sacklunch.net
CANDIDATES ~ Well, I (Brad) walked in a bit early - during a study session - and was pleased to see candidate Chris Rich already there, apparently watching the study session. "Whatcha been up to?" I asked. He said he's been doing a lot of reading about school affairs. In my interview with him I sorta kinda suggested he needed to bone up a bit on that, so I was glad to hear that. Also, he hung around until the end of the meeting; I was impressed. Candidate Debbie Elliott-Penzer came in for the main meeting and I asked her what she'd been doing. She said she's been busy going to meetings, so I guess she's been learning as well.
NO RESERVATIONS ~ Ed Gililland took the oath of office to fill the seat of departing Betty Sandford. I kind of smirked inside when he affirmed that he was taking this action "without any mental reservation." Boy! Considering the heat board members can face, I'd sure have had reservations if it was me up there. Well, he went into it with his eyes open. A bit later he asked people please not to vote for him. His name is only on the ballot, he said, because it is too late to remove it. So, uh, don't vote for him.
PRINCIPALS ~ The board recognized two new principals, both of whom start their duties on Oct. 3. Kirk McGinnis is taking over at Mayflower and Mark Travis at Canyon Oaks/Mountain Park. McGinnis is a Monrovia resident with three children at Mayflower. (Whew! I'd think that would be tough to be principal at your own kids' school.) Board President Monina Diaz said McGinnis believes in "academic rigor." Travis lives in La Habra with his wife and children, and is from Artesia High School. Diaz quoted him as saying that, "Every child can learn if we take the time to learn how they learn."
ACRONYMS ~ Charlotte Schamadan represented the Chamber of Commerce in honoring three employees, Teacher Michelle Auon, media specialist Dennis Sanchez, and groundskeeper Philip Gaul. In passing and somewhat in jest, she mentioned that Monrovia is an "acronymical district." She said, "You read through the minutes and you can hardly understand them" because there are so many acronyms. True. Very true. I'm reminded of the old journalistic rule that the first time you refer to something you spell it out, and put the acronym in parenthesis. So if I want to use three letter acronyms (TLAs), I should first use the words, then put the acronym in parenthesis, so people know what the heck I'm talking about. Later, as if to prove Schamadan's point, a staff member who will remain nameless referred to "FTEs." Superintendent Taylor caught this, and explained that "FTE" stands for "full time equivalent," and if you're still in the dark, that basically means "teacher." Aren't acronyms fun?
TENURE ~ During his report time, member Bruce Carter said the California School Boards Association (CSBA) is opposed to a ballot measure (74, I think it was) that would increase to five the number of years before teachers are tenured. The reason CSBA is opposed, he said, is because it also makes it virtually impossible to fire a teacher. Carter took this as an opportunity to take a jab at the initiative process, but I dunno. The initiative process may have its failings, but after watching the legislature, I'm not sure the initiative process is any worse.
HEALTH AIDES ~ There was a bit of discussion about health care at the schools following the layoff of some health aides. Board members wanted to know about the possibility of getting volunteers or student nurses to do some of the work. Superintendent Taylor said the problem there is in coordinating them. She said the district is still looking into the situation.
CLOSING SCHOOL ~ Throughout the meeting there were several mentions of closing a school. That seems like the sort of thing you wouldn't mention casually since it might seriously upset people, but they did mention it - several times - so I kind of think the board is trying to get people at least used to the idea. Lotsa luck, board. You'll still face hell from the parents and staff of whatever school is shut, if you have to shut one. Anyway, all that leading up to Associate Superintendent of Human Resources Debbie Collins' report that the district is down 69 students this year (the down part is all in the upper grades; the elementary schools are up by 7) and it doesn't look like that will change for the year. With falling enrollment, the board seemed to think that closing a school is a real possibility. No mental reservations? Ed, you can't be serious.
CELEBRATIONS! ~ Well, on a happier note, both Mayflower and Plymouth are 800-plus schools! Which means party time! The board discussed how to honor these two schools, and decided that taking them away from their studies probably wasn't a great way to recognize academic achievement, but maybe a quick ceremony before school would be nice, along with something for the students and maybe a plaque for the school. Taylor suggested something in the number of the school's score, like maybe 841 doughnut holes. Carter quipped, "That'd be great with our nutrition focus." Okay, so maybe not doughnut holes. Maybe a printed pencil. Carter also warned about asking the media to cover the event. "They like to sneer at Monrovia," he said, and compare it to other districts that have all their schools over 800. Hmmm.
EXCESS PROPERTY ~ The board also appointed a District Facilities Advisory Committee to figure out what to do with vacant classrooms at the Canyon Early Learning Center (CELC). Apparently the law requires such a committee to figure out what to do with excess property. Bryan Wong was okay with that but he wanted to make it very clear that the committee was only to consider CELC, and not to consider anything about closing a school. (See, there's the school closing theme again.)
ATTENDANCE ~ Finally, there was a report on teacher attendance. Overall it looks pretty reasonable. In 03-04 there was a 94.53 percent attendance rate; in 04-05 it slipped a tad to 93.32. Also, most absences occurred on Friday. Yeah, I've noticed how people tend to get sick more on Fridays. Something in the Friday air, I guess. A couple board members wanted to know why Monroe Elementary had a rate of "school business" related absences as much as three times as high as other elementary schools. Maybe, staff members suggested, there were different ways of accounting for teacher training and stuff.
LIVING ~ Next meeting - and you haven't really lived unless you've attended at least one school board meeting - is on October 26 at 7 p.m.
REMINDER ~ By the way, please reserve the evening of Tuesday, October 25. At 7 p.m. there will be a candidates' forum at the Monrovia High School auditorium, followed by an opportunity to meet the candidates in the foyer.
LETTER: DON'T VOTE FOR ME ~ From Ed Gililland, who is still on the ballot although he has been appointed to a seat on the board: "It is quite an honor and quite exciting to be able to represent the people of Monrovia on the School Board. I really believe we can continue to make good progress on the road to making our schools the best in the State. Unfortunately it is too late to withdraw my name from the upcoming election, so my name will appear in the voters pamphlet and on the ballot. If there was a way to keep this from happening I would, but the deadline is past and the pamphlets, absentee ballots, and other materials are either being printed or they are already printed. As it is, the best I can do is make a statement to the Star News and other publications when they run their article on the candidates prior to the election. I will also make a statement at the voters forum to be held by PTSA with the League of Women's voters and KGEM at Monrovia High on Oct. 25. I will try to explain the situation and encourage everyone to vote for their choice from the other four candidates on the ballot. Thanks again for your kind words. I look forward to a continued dialogue with you and with the people of Monrovia as we strive to make our schools better."
Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com
(0) comments
I haven't attended a board meeting in a long time, which makes it easy for me to contrast what I saw tonight with what it was like before; no slow transitions that might have masked the change for me. First, the study session was right out in the open and there were real people watching (imagine that!). Also, at the regular board meeting there was real discussion going on. You could see the process and the thinking involved in coming to a decision. It seemed healthy to me.
~ brad@sacklunch.net
CANDIDATES ~ Well, I (Brad) walked in a bit early - during a study session - and was pleased to see candidate Chris Rich already there, apparently watching the study session. "Whatcha been up to?" I asked. He said he's been doing a lot of reading about school affairs. In my interview with him I sorta kinda suggested he needed to bone up a bit on that, so I was glad to hear that. Also, he hung around until the end of the meeting; I was impressed. Candidate Debbie Elliott-Penzer came in for the main meeting and I asked her what she'd been doing. She said she's been busy going to meetings, so I guess she's been learning as well.
NO RESERVATIONS ~ Ed Gililland took the oath of office to fill the seat of departing Betty Sandford. I kind of smirked inside when he affirmed that he was taking this action "without any mental reservation." Boy! Considering the heat board members can face, I'd sure have had reservations if it was me up there. Well, he went into it with his eyes open. A bit later he asked people please not to vote for him. His name is only on the ballot, he said, because it is too late to remove it. So, uh, don't vote for him.
PRINCIPALS ~ The board recognized two new principals, both of whom start their duties on Oct. 3. Kirk McGinnis is taking over at Mayflower and Mark Travis at Canyon Oaks/Mountain Park. McGinnis is a Monrovia resident with three children at Mayflower. (Whew! I'd think that would be tough to be principal at your own kids' school.) Board President Monina Diaz said McGinnis believes in "academic rigor." Travis lives in La Habra with his wife and children, and is from Artesia High School. Diaz quoted him as saying that, "Every child can learn if we take the time to learn how they learn."
ACRONYMS ~ Charlotte Schamadan represented the Chamber of Commerce in honoring three employees, Teacher Michelle Auon, media specialist Dennis Sanchez, and groundskeeper Philip Gaul. In passing and somewhat in jest, she mentioned that Monrovia is an "acronymical district." She said, "You read through the minutes and you can hardly understand them" because there are so many acronyms. True. Very true. I'm reminded of the old journalistic rule that the first time you refer to something you spell it out, and put the acronym in parenthesis. So if I want to use three letter acronyms (TLAs), I should first use the words, then put the acronym in parenthesis, so people know what the heck I'm talking about. Later, as if to prove Schamadan's point, a staff member who will remain nameless referred to "FTEs." Superintendent Taylor caught this, and explained that "FTE" stands for "full time equivalent," and if you're still in the dark, that basically means "teacher." Aren't acronyms fun?
TENURE ~ During his report time, member Bruce Carter said the California School Boards Association (CSBA) is opposed to a ballot measure (74, I think it was) that would increase to five the number of years before teachers are tenured. The reason CSBA is opposed, he said, is because it also makes it virtually impossible to fire a teacher. Carter took this as an opportunity to take a jab at the initiative process, but I dunno. The initiative process may have its failings, but after watching the legislature, I'm not sure the initiative process is any worse.
HEALTH AIDES ~ There was a bit of discussion about health care at the schools following the layoff of some health aides. Board members wanted to know about the possibility of getting volunteers or student nurses to do some of the work. Superintendent Taylor said the problem there is in coordinating them. She said the district is still looking into the situation.
CLOSING SCHOOL ~ Throughout the meeting there were several mentions of closing a school. That seems like the sort of thing you wouldn't mention casually since it might seriously upset people, but they did mention it - several times - so I kind of think the board is trying to get people at least used to the idea. Lotsa luck, board. You'll still face hell from the parents and staff of whatever school is shut, if you have to shut one. Anyway, all that leading up to Associate Superintendent of Human Resources Debbie Collins' report that the district is down 69 students this year (the down part is all in the upper grades; the elementary schools are up by 7) and it doesn't look like that will change for the year. With falling enrollment, the board seemed to think that closing a school is a real possibility. No mental reservations? Ed, you can't be serious.
CELEBRATIONS! ~ Well, on a happier note, both Mayflower and Plymouth are 800-plus schools! Which means party time! The board discussed how to honor these two schools, and decided that taking them away from their studies probably wasn't a great way to recognize academic achievement, but maybe a quick ceremony before school would be nice, along with something for the students and maybe a plaque for the school. Taylor suggested something in the number of the school's score, like maybe 841 doughnut holes. Carter quipped, "That'd be great with our nutrition focus." Okay, so maybe not doughnut holes. Maybe a printed pencil. Carter also warned about asking the media to cover the event. "They like to sneer at Monrovia," he said, and compare it to other districts that have all their schools over 800. Hmmm.
EXCESS PROPERTY ~ The board also appointed a District Facilities Advisory Committee to figure out what to do with vacant classrooms at the Canyon Early Learning Center (CELC). Apparently the law requires such a committee to figure out what to do with excess property. Bryan Wong was okay with that but he wanted to make it very clear that the committee was only to consider CELC, and not to consider anything about closing a school. (See, there's the school closing theme again.)
ATTENDANCE ~ Finally, there was a report on teacher attendance. Overall it looks pretty reasonable. In 03-04 there was a 94.53 percent attendance rate; in 04-05 it slipped a tad to 93.32. Also, most absences occurred on Friday. Yeah, I've noticed how people tend to get sick more on Fridays. Something in the Friday air, I guess. A couple board members wanted to know why Monroe Elementary had a rate of "school business" related absences as much as three times as high as other elementary schools. Maybe, staff members suggested, there were different ways of accounting for teacher training and stuff.
LIVING ~ Next meeting - and you haven't really lived unless you've attended at least one school board meeting - is on October 26 at 7 p.m.
REMINDER ~ By the way, please reserve the evening of Tuesday, October 25. At 7 p.m. there will be a candidates' forum at the Monrovia High School auditorium, followed by an opportunity to meet the candidates in the foyer.
LETTER: DON'T VOTE FOR ME ~ From Ed Gililland, who is still on the ballot although he has been appointed to a seat on the board: "It is quite an honor and quite exciting to be able to represent the people of Monrovia on the School Board. I really believe we can continue to make good progress on the road to making our schools the best in the State. Unfortunately it is too late to withdraw my name from the upcoming election, so my name will appear in the voters pamphlet and on the ballot. If there was a way to keep this from happening I would, but the deadline is past and the pamphlets, absentee ballots, and other materials are either being printed or they are already printed. As it is, the best I can do is make a statement to the Star News and other publications when they run their article on the candidates prior to the election. I will also make a statement at the voters forum to be held by PTSA with the League of Women's voters and KGEM at Monrovia High on Oct. 25. I will try to explain the situation and encourage everyone to vote for their choice from the other four candidates on the ballot. Thanks again for your kind words. I look forward to a continued dialogue with you and with the people of Monrovia as we strive to make our schools better."
Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Monrovia School Link Preview ~ Number 141 ~ September 24, 2005
Not entirely unexpected, but the board has selected Ed Gililland to fill the spot of Betty Sandford, who quit the board. He'll be given the oath of office at this Wednesday's meeting. Congratulations Ed! I think you'll do just fine. This, by the way, narrows to four the number of candidates running for the two soon-to-be open spots on the board. I wonder if Ed will still appear on the ballot. That'd be confusing. Also, the board will introduce the new Mayflower principal.
~ brad@sacklunch.net
At 5 p.m. there will be a study session to discuss the MUSD and Monrovia High School Facilities Master Plan.
At the regular session at 7 p.m., Ed will take the oath of office, and the board will introduce the new Mayflower Elementary School Principal, Kirk McGinnis, and Canyon Oaks/Mountain Park Principal Mark Travis.
The board and the Monrovia Chamber of Commerce will honor three employees for their outstanding service: Michele Auon, Teacher, Mayflower Elementary School; Dennis Sanchez, Library Media Specialist, Mayflower; Philip Gaul, Groundskeeper, Maintenance Operations and Transportation Department.
Also, the board will hear a a report on attendance patterns for certificated personnel during the 2004-2005 school year and will get an initial proposal for changes to the contracts of various employee groups, and will discuss how to celebrate the 800+ API achievement of Mayflower and Plymouth Elementary Schools. Congrats to Plymouth, especially, the new 800+ achiever. I might add that Plymouth is in the south (poorer) end of town, and an excuse I've often heard is that the poorer the parents, the less well their children do on tests. Well, a second big congratulations to Plymouth for proving that isn't necessarily the case!
The board will also proclaim National School Lunch Week, Red Ribbon Week, America's Safe Schools Week, and Fire Prevention Week. Could we also get a Hurricane Prevention Week?
Finally, the board will meet in closed session to talk to Superintendent Louise Taylor and Associate Superintendent of Human Resources Debby Collins about negotiating with the employees' unions. Also, the board will do a performance evaluation review for Taylor and other district administrators, and "negotiation of Compensation of Superintendent with designated representative Board Member Bruce Carter." This last item isn't entirely clear. Presumably they're not going to negotiate with Carter. I think what it means is they'll talk about compensation and then Carter will negotiate with the administrators or whomever is representing them. Whatever.
Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com
(0) comments
Not entirely unexpected, but the board has selected Ed Gililland to fill the spot of Betty Sandford, who quit the board. He'll be given the oath of office at this Wednesday's meeting. Congratulations Ed! I think you'll do just fine. This, by the way, narrows to four the number of candidates running for the two soon-to-be open spots on the board. I wonder if Ed will still appear on the ballot. That'd be confusing. Also, the board will introduce the new Mayflower principal.
~ brad@sacklunch.net
At 5 p.m. there will be a study session to discuss the MUSD and Monrovia High School Facilities Master Plan.
At the regular session at 7 p.m., Ed will take the oath of office, and the board will introduce the new Mayflower Elementary School Principal, Kirk McGinnis, and Canyon Oaks/Mountain Park Principal Mark Travis.
The board and the Monrovia Chamber of Commerce will honor three employees for their outstanding service: Michele Auon, Teacher, Mayflower Elementary School; Dennis Sanchez, Library Media Specialist, Mayflower; Philip Gaul, Groundskeeper, Maintenance Operations and Transportation Department.
Also, the board will hear a a report on attendance patterns for certificated personnel during the 2004-2005 school year and will get an initial proposal for changes to the contracts of various employee groups, and will discuss how to celebrate the 800+ API achievement of Mayflower and Plymouth Elementary Schools. Congrats to Plymouth, especially, the new 800+ achiever. I might add that Plymouth is in the south (poorer) end of town, and an excuse I've often heard is that the poorer the parents, the less well their children do on tests. Well, a second big congratulations to Plymouth for proving that isn't necessarily the case!
The board will also proclaim National School Lunch Week, Red Ribbon Week, America's Safe Schools Week, and Fire Prevention Week. Could we also get a Hurricane Prevention Week?
Finally, the board will meet in closed session to talk to Superintendent Louise Taylor and Associate Superintendent of Human Resources Debby Collins about negotiating with the employees' unions. Also, the board will do a performance evaluation review for Taylor and other district administrators, and "negotiation of Compensation of Superintendent with designated representative Board Member Bruce Carter." This last item isn't entirely clear. Presumably they're not going to negotiate with Carter. I think what it means is they'll talk about compensation and then Carter will negotiate with the administrators or whomever is representing them. Whatever.
Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com
Friday, September 16, 2005
Monrovia School Link ~ Number 140 ~ September 16, 2005
Two things I want to REALLY highlight: 1) If you want to be considered as a candidate to replace Betty Sandford, the time to act is like NOW. See the "Now Hiring" item below. 2) We now have a candidates forum, at Monrovia High, so set aside the evening of October 25. Many thanks to the MHS PTSA and the League of Women Voters for setting this up! See the first letter, below.
~ brad@sacklunch.net
By Maritza Diaz
The regular meeting started exactly at 7 p.m. Oh, wait! That was just a dream I had. The study session to discuss the process of filling Betty Sandford's vacant seat ran long. The board has decided to make a provisional appointment for the rest of Sandford's term, which ends on December 7, 2007. Since the clock is ticking, I guess this late start isn't so bad. Maybe one day my dream will come true.
NOW HIRING ~ If you think you have what it takes to sit on the board, go ahead and apply. You can download an application at www.monroviaschools.net (see the red links at the top right of the page) or stop by the offices to pick one up. However, you better decide fast because the deadline to turn in an application is before noon on Tuesday, September, 20. That's this *coming* Tuesday. The board will screen applicants the next day and schedule interviews Thursday and/or Friday of the same week.
NEWBIE ~ Student Representative Rebecca Smith from Monrovia High was sworn in to serve with the board for the coming year. Not only is Rebecca taking on the board responsibilities but she's also the representative for the city council. All this plus school work is going to be quite a challenge, but as Superintendent Louise Taylor said, "She's up to the task."
SPEAK EASY ~ What do soccer and the marching band have in common? Well, they were both topics of the public comment this time around.
Jennifer, the mother of a Monrovia High School marching band member, recently found out that as of this school year, marching band will not be given physical education credit. She said the marching band logs in many hours during practice and games and work just as hard as the athletes. She requested the board's help in finding a copy of the policy that changed the rules. Hey, marching up and down the field with an instrument sounds like a good workout.
Speaking of athletes, Dale Rogers, brought to the board's attention that people are using the Mayflower field to play soccer. What's wrong with that? Well, the field is locked and people are climbing the fence and also causing traffic problems around the school. Rogers isn't against people using the field but feels there should be some monitoring of it so no one will get hurt. Let's stop the fence jumping.
THE PLEDGE ~ What has the board been up to? Well, Clare Chesley announced that Bradoaks is having a Walk-to-School Day to promote physical fitness on October 5. She also attended, along with Superintendent Taylor, the Liaison Committee meeting, which helps to build better relationships with city leaders. Chesley described the meeting as productive and positive. They chatted about facility use agreements, public relations, funding and transportation. Finally, Chesley spoke about the recent court decision finding the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional in some Northern California schools and how it might affect Monrovia in the future.
BUMPING ~ Bruce Carter took this opportunity to say how much he enjoys bumping into former students who have continued with their education. That's nice.
FROGGER ~ President Monina Diaz thanked the city for the new big yellow crosswalk sign on Foothill and California. She said she often felt like "Frogger" crossing the street there. That game is so much fun.
KATRINA ~ Student representative Smith reported on all the fund-raising efforts by Monrovia high students for victims of hurricane Katrina. They will be having buckets for donations during football games and around the city as well. So, stop by a football game and donate. Or, if you are out about town and see a donation bucket, please give a little.
Taylor said she was proud of all the efforts people are making to help the victims of Katrina and was especially touched by the enrollment of a student who survived the hurricane at Santa Fe Springs. She hopes Monrovia can offer him a good education and a little extra care. She also mentioned that the first day of school went well, but the the district felt the affects of budget cuts. For example, because the district cut hours for school nurses, some students need adjustments to get their medical needs met. So that has proved to be a challenge. Taylor said they are working on tackling all challenges that have arisen from the budget cuts.
ENROLLMENT ~ Well, it turns out not many students attended the first day of school, which affected the projected enrollment numbers. Debby Collins reported that student enrollment is down from the projected number but hopes more students will show up now that the school season is in full swing. Some schools are up and some are down, but over all the district is down 45. In Bradoaks there were more enrollees in the primary grades so the district had to make some staffing changes. They had to close an upper grade class to create two combination classes. Trying to predict enrollment figures is a tough job.
Taylor expressed the importance of informing parents how important it is for students to attend the first day of classes. Summer is fun, but it's time to let it go. Get those students to the classroom.
WELL DONE ~ You have to love those Monrovia kids because they sure do achieve goals. Last meeting Taylor reported on the preliminary STAR test results, which were pretty good. This time around, she reported on the latest results, which still show how great Monrovia students are doing. There has been a constant growth over the last six years. However, since the federal targets the schools have to meet are growing, keeping this pace may be a challenge. These kids can do it. A big congratulations to Mayflower and Plymouth, which exceeded the state and district goal of 800 points. Mayflower scored 841 and Plymouth 813. All the other schools did great too, let's not forget them.
BUDGET AGAIN ~ Oh, the budget. Just when you thinks it's settled it pops back up. Linda Dempsey reported on the ending balance for the
2005-06 school year adjustments. After some recalculating the ending balance looks a little something like this:
-Revolving cash: $20 K
-Inventory: $200 K
-3 percent Reserve: $1,276 K
-Carryover Reserve: $433 K
-Personnel Commission Reserve: 433 K
-Additional Reserve: $465 K
APPROVE ~ The board approved evaluation procedures discussed in the last meeting and some bids and awards for contracts, which included some for mechanical and electrical services.
ANNOUNCEMENT ~ It was announced that Lupe Davis, Personnel Commissioner, would like to be reappointed for another term. The public hearing for her reappointment will be October 26. So there you go, it's been officially announced.
That's all the fun stuff for this meeting. Let's do this again on September 28, when the next meeting takes place.
LETTER: CANDIDATES' FORUM ~ I wanted to let you know that the newly formed PTSA at Monrovia High School, in conjunction with the League of Women Voters, has made arrangements to host a Monrovia School Board Candidate Forum on Tuesday October 25 at 7 p.m. at the Monrovia High School auditorium. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend. Following the formal forum, we will have an informal "meet and greet" with the candidates in the foyer. Refreshments will be served. We would very much appreciate your spreading the word. [Delighted to spread the word. And thanks a million for doing this! - Brad]
- Vicke Thrower, Team PTSA @ MHS, Executive VP
LETTER: MISCONSTRUED ~ I am sorry that some readers have misconstrued the meaning behind my letter - I do not find myself insensitive to the poverty that abounds, nor unchristian - I only made a statement which apparently was not taken for what was meant - I have helped in the school district for almost 20 years in the classroom and have grown to love many of the children in the Monrovia schools - I stay in the public school system because I believe in it and the diversity it allows my children - as it should be and is in life -
I have seen programs taken away from our children in the schools over the last years due to budget crisis, and would hope that no more slip away. I am encouraged by the rising test scores and dedication of the new people in place and hope only to see the community of Monrovia continue to grow as it has over the last 3 decades that I have been here.
- Janis Johnson
LETTER: BEAUTIFUL MONROVIANS ~ Thank you for your newsletter. As always, it is very informative. Thank you for taking the time to meet with the candidates. I know I really appreciate it. Furthermore, I was blown away by the compassion and objectivity of these two letters regarding buses. What clear responses. I also applaud candidate Gililland and your position on the so-called confidential medical visits. His response on this subject echoes my sentiments exactly and it fills me with hope to hear such common sense. Another point where I agree with him is in his respect for board member Clare Chesley. In addition to her clear thinking, I find her to be a truly ethical person, who selflessly gives so much of her time on behalf of our children. The beauty of Monrovia is in its people.
- Miriam Childers
Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com
(0) comments
Two things I want to REALLY highlight: 1) If you want to be considered as a candidate to replace Betty Sandford, the time to act is like NOW. See the "Now Hiring" item below. 2) We now have a candidates forum, at Monrovia High, so set aside the evening of October 25. Many thanks to the MHS PTSA and the League of Women Voters for setting this up! See the first letter, below.
~ brad@sacklunch.net
By Maritza Diaz
The regular meeting started exactly at 7 p.m. Oh, wait! That was just a dream I had. The study session to discuss the process of filling Betty Sandford's vacant seat ran long. The board has decided to make a provisional appointment for the rest of Sandford's term, which ends on December 7, 2007. Since the clock is ticking, I guess this late start isn't so bad. Maybe one day my dream will come true.
NOW HIRING ~ If you think you have what it takes to sit on the board, go ahead and apply. You can download an application at www.monroviaschools.net (see the red links at the top right of the page) or stop by the offices to pick one up. However, you better decide fast because the deadline to turn in an application is before noon on Tuesday, September, 20. That's this *coming* Tuesday. The board will screen applicants the next day and schedule interviews Thursday and/or Friday of the same week.
NEWBIE ~ Student Representative Rebecca Smith from Monrovia High was sworn in to serve with the board for the coming year. Not only is Rebecca taking on the board responsibilities but she's also the representative for the city council. All this plus school work is going to be quite a challenge, but as Superintendent Louise Taylor said, "She's up to the task."
SPEAK EASY ~ What do soccer and the marching band have in common? Well, they were both topics of the public comment this time around.
Jennifer, the mother of a Monrovia High School marching band member, recently found out that as of this school year, marching band will not be given physical education credit. She said the marching band logs in many hours during practice and games and work just as hard as the athletes. She requested the board's help in finding a copy of the policy that changed the rules. Hey, marching up and down the field with an instrument sounds like a good workout.
Speaking of athletes, Dale Rogers, brought to the board's attention that people are using the Mayflower field to play soccer. What's wrong with that? Well, the field is locked and people are climbing the fence and also causing traffic problems around the school. Rogers isn't against people using the field but feels there should be some monitoring of it so no one will get hurt. Let's stop the fence jumping.
THE PLEDGE ~ What has the board been up to? Well, Clare Chesley announced that Bradoaks is having a Walk-to-School Day to promote physical fitness on October 5. She also attended, along with Superintendent Taylor, the Liaison Committee meeting, which helps to build better relationships with city leaders. Chesley described the meeting as productive and positive. They chatted about facility use agreements, public relations, funding and transportation. Finally, Chesley spoke about the recent court decision finding the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional in some Northern California schools and how it might affect Monrovia in the future.
BUMPING ~ Bruce Carter took this opportunity to say how much he enjoys bumping into former students who have continued with their education. That's nice.
FROGGER ~ President Monina Diaz thanked the city for the new big yellow crosswalk sign on Foothill and California. She said she often felt like "Frogger" crossing the street there. That game is so much fun.
KATRINA ~ Student representative Smith reported on all the fund-raising efforts by Monrovia high students for victims of hurricane Katrina. They will be having buckets for donations during football games and around the city as well. So, stop by a football game and donate. Or, if you are out about town and see a donation bucket, please give a little.
Taylor said she was proud of all the efforts people are making to help the victims of Katrina and was especially touched by the enrollment of a student who survived the hurricane at Santa Fe Springs. She hopes Monrovia can offer him a good education and a little extra care. She also mentioned that the first day of school went well, but the the district felt the affects of budget cuts. For example, because the district cut hours for school nurses, some students need adjustments to get their medical needs met. So that has proved to be a challenge. Taylor said they are working on tackling all challenges that have arisen from the budget cuts.
ENROLLMENT ~ Well, it turns out not many students attended the first day of school, which affected the projected enrollment numbers. Debby Collins reported that student enrollment is down from the projected number but hopes more students will show up now that the school season is in full swing. Some schools are up and some are down, but over all the district is down 45. In Bradoaks there were more enrollees in the primary grades so the district had to make some staffing changes. They had to close an upper grade class to create two combination classes. Trying to predict enrollment figures is a tough job.
Taylor expressed the importance of informing parents how important it is for students to attend the first day of classes. Summer is fun, but it's time to let it go. Get those students to the classroom.
WELL DONE ~ You have to love those Monrovia kids because they sure do achieve goals. Last meeting Taylor reported on the preliminary STAR test results, which were pretty good. This time around, she reported on the latest results, which still show how great Monrovia students are doing. There has been a constant growth over the last six years. However, since the federal targets the schools have to meet are growing, keeping this pace may be a challenge. These kids can do it. A big congratulations to Mayflower and Plymouth, which exceeded the state and district goal of 800 points. Mayflower scored 841 and Plymouth 813. All the other schools did great too, let's not forget them.
BUDGET AGAIN ~ Oh, the budget. Just when you thinks it's settled it pops back up. Linda Dempsey reported on the ending balance for the
2005-06 school year adjustments. After some recalculating the ending balance looks a little something like this:
-Revolving cash: $20 K
-Inventory: $200 K
-3 percent Reserve: $1,276 K
-Carryover Reserve: $433 K
-Personnel Commission Reserve: 433 K
-Additional Reserve: $465 K
APPROVE ~ The board approved evaluation procedures discussed in the last meeting and some bids and awards for contracts, which included some for mechanical and electrical services.
ANNOUNCEMENT ~ It was announced that Lupe Davis, Personnel Commissioner, would like to be reappointed for another term. The public hearing for her reappointment will be October 26. So there you go, it's been officially announced.
That's all the fun stuff for this meeting. Let's do this again on September 28, when the next meeting takes place.
LETTER: CANDIDATES' FORUM ~ I wanted to let you know that the newly formed PTSA at Monrovia High School, in conjunction with the League of Women Voters, has made arrangements to host a Monrovia School Board Candidate Forum on Tuesday October 25 at 7 p.m. at the Monrovia High School auditorium. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend. Following the formal forum, we will have an informal "meet and greet" with the candidates in the foyer. Refreshments will be served. We would very much appreciate your spreading the word. [Delighted to spread the word. And thanks a million for doing this! - Brad]
- Vicke Thrower, Team PTSA @ MHS, Executive VP
LETTER: MISCONSTRUED ~ I am sorry that some readers have misconstrued the meaning behind my letter - I do not find myself insensitive to the poverty that abounds, nor unchristian - I only made a statement which apparently was not taken for what was meant - I have helped in the school district for almost 20 years in the classroom and have grown to love many of the children in the Monrovia schools - I stay in the public school system because I believe in it and the diversity it allows my children - as it should be and is in life -
I have seen programs taken away from our children in the schools over the last years due to budget crisis, and would hope that no more slip away. I am encouraged by the rising test scores and dedication of the new people in place and hope only to see the community of Monrovia continue to grow as it has over the last 3 decades that I have been here.
- Janis Johnson
LETTER: BEAUTIFUL MONROVIANS ~ Thank you for your newsletter. As always, it is very informative. Thank you for taking the time to meet with the candidates. I know I really appreciate it. Furthermore, I was blown away by the compassion and objectivity of these two letters regarding buses. What clear responses. I also applaud candidate Gililland and your position on the so-called confidential medical visits. His response on this subject echoes my sentiments exactly and it fills me with hope to hear such common sense. Another point where I agree with him is in his respect for board member Clare Chesley. In addition to her clear thinking, I find her to be a truly ethical person, who selflessly gives so much of her time on behalf of our children. The beauty of Monrovia is in its people.
- Miriam Childers
Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Monrovia School Link Preview ~ Number 139 ~ September 10, 2005
Here are a few items from the agenda for this Wednesday's meeting, plus a letter from candidate Ed Gililland clarifying a couple points from our interview, and another letter on busing.
~ brad@sacklunch.net
The next school board meeting is this Wednesday, September 14, at the district offices.
First up are two study sessions and a closed session.
The first study session, starting at 5:45 p.m., is to provide public comment on what the board will discuss in closed session, which will be a "Performance Evaluation Review for Superintendent / District Administrators, and negotiation of Compensation of Superintendent with designated representative."
After the board gets out of that closed session, it'll hold another study session, this one to figure out what to do to about the board vacancy caused by Betty Sandford resigning.
At the regular meeting at 7 p.m., the board will:
- Get a report from the superintendent about enrollment and staffing.
- Accept gifts from some businesses, including Assael BMW, which donated 74 parts bins worth $7,400 to the MHS auto shop program.
- Get a report on the latest state and federal student achievement test results from the 2004-05 school year.
- Hire a company to do some heating and air conditioning work at Mayflower, Monroe and Wild Rose elementary schools.
- Vote on whether to ratify agreements with various employee associations.
- "Announce the Board’s intention to reappoint Ms. Lupe Davis as the Board of Education appointee to the Personnel Commission and to set October 26, 2005, as the date for a public hearing regarding the reappointment of Ms. Davis."
LETTER: CLARIFICATIONS ~ Brad, thanks for the opportunity to talk to you and for the nice write-up you did following the interview. I have been misquoted many time by reporters when I have talked to them about Forest Service issues as I have served as a fire information officer. Therefore, I always read interviews with some trepidation wondering if I have been able to convey the right message or if the reporter will report something completely different than I was saying. Your write-up was fair and right on target except for one small item. It is fairly minor, but some people could misinterpret what is being said. You reported that I said my second priority is "getting the right teachers and resources in place". I think the board needs to "insure that the right teachers and resources are in place". Like I said, that is a minor difference in wording, but we have a lot of great teachers in place and I want them to know we appreciate them. Also, the board needs to oversee the overseers, not take the role of putting teachers in place.
I would also like to clarify my comment that you have been negative in the past. I am okay with divergent opinions and negative responses to some of the things that have been done wrong or even that you perceive have been done wrong. My issue is with personal attacks on those dedicated individuals who serve on the school board without pay, giving up their time because they do care about the schools and the community. Constructive criticism doesn't have to be personal. On the whole I think your more recent issues have been better at striking this balance than some of the earlier issues I read.
- Ed Gililland
LETTER: BUSES ARE BETTER ~ I am wondering if Janis Johnson wrote her letter about busing before or after Monday, when Americans got a wake-up call that we have a poverty crisis in this good land of ours.
First, consider the role of the public school system. The role of public schools in America is to provide the opportunity of education to every child, in spite of the prejudices their community may have toward them. What do you think "no child left behind" means? As we have witnessed, the lack of a good education leads to poverty. Poverty undermines America's communities. Guess what - there are people struggling to get by in our own community too. Consider for one moment and imagine that there are Monrovia families in which both parents are holding down one or more jobs AND who may have to take the bus to work themselves, maybe you can see that not everyone lives in a comfy single family home with lots of cars and a stay-at-home parent to act as chauffeur. Not everyone is like you.
Second, consider the history of school bus programs. You act like school bus programs are some new fangled idea. They have been around for decades in every part of the country. Before Prop 13 was passed in 1977, school bus programs were in effect everywhere in California - I took a bus to high school and my family had plenty of money and two cars. Have you ever thought that buses might actually be a better way for ALL children to get to school? You wouldn't see the traffic congestion, exhaust from idling cars, and dangerous conditions in the front of our schools every morning and afternoon. And, the school personnel wouldn't be spending their valuable time acting as traffic cops. At one point in our history, we valued education enough that we were willing to spend our tax dollars making sure every child got to school - rich, middle class, and poor. What's happened to us?
Finally, what really leaves me cold is the obvious lack of compassion for our neighbors in this so-called Christian community of ours. I was in tears as I sat in the board room that night and cried for them. What kind of community do we have if we're not willing to take care of each other? Are Monrovians that self-centered and selfish? I hope and pray not.
- Anne McIntosh
Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com.
(1) comments
Here are a few items from the agenda for this Wednesday's meeting, plus a letter from candidate Ed Gililland clarifying a couple points from our interview, and another letter on busing.
~ brad@sacklunch.net
The next school board meeting is this Wednesday, September 14, at the district offices.
First up are two study sessions and a closed session.
The first study session, starting at 5:45 p.m., is to provide public comment on what the board will discuss in closed session, which will be a "Performance Evaluation Review for Superintendent / District Administrators, and negotiation of Compensation of Superintendent with designated representative."
After the board gets out of that closed session, it'll hold another study session, this one to figure out what to do to about the board vacancy caused by Betty Sandford resigning.
At the regular meeting at 7 p.m., the board will:
- Get a report from the superintendent about enrollment and staffing.
- Accept gifts from some businesses, including Assael BMW, which donated 74 parts bins worth $7,400 to the MHS auto shop program.
- Get a report on the latest state and federal student achievement test results from the 2004-05 school year.
- Hire a company to do some heating and air conditioning work at Mayflower, Monroe and Wild Rose elementary schools.
- Vote on whether to ratify agreements with various employee associations.
- "Announce the Board’s intention to reappoint Ms. Lupe Davis as the Board of Education appointee to the Personnel Commission and to set October 26, 2005, as the date for a public hearing regarding the reappointment of Ms. Davis."
LETTER: CLARIFICATIONS ~ Brad, thanks for the opportunity to talk to you and for the nice write-up you did following the interview. I have been misquoted many time by reporters when I have talked to them about Forest Service issues as I have served as a fire information officer. Therefore, I always read interviews with some trepidation wondering if I have been able to convey the right message or if the reporter will report something completely different than I was saying. Your write-up was fair and right on target except for one small item. It is fairly minor, but some people could misinterpret what is being said. You reported that I said my second priority is "getting the right teachers and resources in place". I think the board needs to "insure that the right teachers and resources are in place". Like I said, that is a minor difference in wording, but we have a lot of great teachers in place and I want them to know we appreciate them. Also, the board needs to oversee the overseers, not take the role of putting teachers in place.
I would also like to clarify my comment that you have been negative in the past. I am okay with divergent opinions and negative responses to some of the things that have been done wrong or even that you perceive have been done wrong. My issue is with personal attacks on those dedicated individuals who serve on the school board without pay, giving up their time because they do care about the schools and the community. Constructive criticism doesn't have to be personal. On the whole I think your more recent issues have been better at striking this balance than some of the earlier issues I read.
- Ed Gililland
LETTER: BUSES ARE BETTER ~ I am wondering if Janis Johnson wrote her letter about busing before or after Monday, when Americans got a wake-up call that we have a poverty crisis in this good land of ours.
First, consider the role of the public school system. The role of public schools in America is to provide the opportunity of education to every child, in spite of the prejudices their community may have toward them. What do you think "no child left behind" means? As we have witnessed, the lack of a good education leads to poverty. Poverty undermines America's communities. Guess what - there are people struggling to get by in our own community too. Consider for one moment and imagine that there are Monrovia families in which both parents are holding down one or more jobs AND who may have to take the bus to work themselves, maybe you can see that not everyone lives in a comfy single family home with lots of cars and a stay-at-home parent to act as chauffeur. Not everyone is like you.
Second, consider the history of school bus programs. You act like school bus programs are some new fangled idea. They have been around for decades in every part of the country. Before Prop 13 was passed in 1977, school bus programs were in effect everywhere in California - I took a bus to high school and my family had plenty of money and two cars. Have you ever thought that buses might actually be a better way for ALL children to get to school? You wouldn't see the traffic congestion, exhaust from idling cars, and dangerous conditions in the front of our schools every morning and afternoon. And, the school personnel wouldn't be spending their valuable time acting as traffic cops. At one point in our history, we valued education enough that we were willing to spend our tax dollars making sure every child got to school - rich, middle class, and poor. What's happened to us?
Finally, what really leaves me cold is the obvious lack of compassion for our neighbors in this so-called Christian community of ours. I was in tears as I sat in the board room that night and cried for them. What kind of community do we have if we're not willing to take care of each other? Are Monrovians that self-centered and selfish? I hope and pray not.
- Anne McIntosh
Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com.
Friday, September 09, 2005
Monrovia School Link ~ Number 138 ~ September 9, 2005
I met with Ed Gililland, the final Monrovia School Board candidate. The interview is below. (Someone wrote me recently to say she had only seen four interviews and that there are five candidates. Well, I did one of the interviews, with Clarence Shaw, way back in February, when I first discovered he was a candidate. You can see it here, a ways down the page.) Also, there are a couple letters below.
~ brad@sacklunch.net
Ed Gililland grew up in New Mexico, went to New Mexico State University and, aside from two years in the Army, has spent his working life in the U.S. Forest Service, where he works as an engineer.
He moved to Monrovia 12 years ago from Glendora. He said his wife's children were in school in Monrovia, so he moved here rather than his wife moving to Glendora.
Gililland said he became involved in community affairs about 10 years ago, when he attended the community Leadership Academy, a 9 or 10-week, once-a-week course that introduced participants to the city and school governments, the chamber of commerce, and other community organizations.
He gravitated to the schools because his wife's sons were attending Monrovia High. They became involved in the PTA and in the boosters club when the boys started playing football. From there he got involved in the Schoolwide Planning Committee to help the district evaluate various programs, and then became a member of the district's Policy Agenda Committee.
Gililland said he wasn't planning to run this time (he ran in the last election), but when he saw that only two people were on the ballot, he decided to give it another shot. He said he doesn't care about any other elected office - the board isn't a stepping stone for him - but that he just cares about the community and the kids.
During the last election I didn't endorse Gililland because I felt that what the board really needed at that time was a stiff dose of smelling salts to wake it up to its responsibility to lead the staff rather than being led by the staff, and I didn't feel he was the best one to do that. Intelligent and dedicated, yes. Someone to awaken the board? Well, I didn't think so.
For that reason I was kinda taken aback by this next comment.
There's a perception in the community, Gililland said, that Superintendent Louise Taylor runs the district and the board just acts as a rubber stamp. He said he doesn't subscribe to this belief, but added that the board does needs to be more actively in charge.
O-kay. I'm liking this. Not what I expected to hear, but I like it, even though I think that leadership is less of a problem now than before Chesley and Wong joined the board.
Anyway, Gililland said that the most important task for the board now is to find a good person to be the next Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum; in other words, a replacement for Joel Shawn. "That job," he said, "is key."
In addition, he said the board should monitor programs the district implements to make sure they're working right, and replace them if they don't, and board members need to be available to the community, by being out there with meeting people, and by being available to people by phone and email.
And talking about being in touch with the community apparently reminds Gililland of one way that he's not connected.
"I need to get on your mailing list," he said.
"I'm surprised you're not already," I responded. How come?
Wellll, he said, he has seen some of the newsletters, but "you've been negative on some things," and besides, he said, he attends a lot of the meetings himself, so he has a pretty good idea of what is happening.
But back the the board job. Gililland says his top priorities would be safety for the kids and getting the right teachers and resources in place.
He said the district needs to work with the police department to make sure students are safe, and this, he feels, includes bus service. He cites a student athlete at MHS who quit his sport because playing would mean he'd have to walk home after dark. Gililland said that while the district dodged the bullet and was able to reinstate bus service this year, the problem still looms. Before he would vote to cut the bus service, he said, he'd need to know that the children who rely upon it would have some other safe way to school.
By "getting the right teachers and resources in place," his other priority, Gililland means that the board should oversee the overseers and make sure the budget is being allocated properly.
Some other tasks, he said, are to upgrade the school facilities and work with the city on upgrading the public library, which, while not under school jurisdiction, is education related.
Okay, a few last questions:
Could he get along with the two incumbents, Clare Chesley and Bryan Wong?
"Absolutely," he said. He said he's worked with Wong and has "a lot of respect for Clare. They're clear thinkers."
What about the attorney general's opinion that the schools must let students out of school for medical treatments without their parents' knowledge?
He said he's glad the board and parents have stood up against it. Parents, he said, need to know where their children are. If there are problems of possible child abuse, he said, that is what Child Protection Services is for, and the schools' job in that event should be to report suspected cases.
Do you have time to serve on the board?
"I work for the federal government," he said. I burst out laughing, but he wasn't quite done. "And," he said, "we have flex time," so he can arrange his work schedule around his board duties.
Finally, under Gililland's leadership, the Big M Boosters has been working for a couple years to build a new snack bar/restrooms building at MHS. How's that going?
He said that hopefully the final hurdle should be overcome on Sept. 22, when the state's Department of Architecture signs off on the plans. Lots of supplies are in place to start as soon as that happens.
Now my thoughts.
Although I was impressed with what Gililland said in our interview, I've been more impressed with what I've seen over the years. He pretty well got trounced in the last election (he doesn't like campaigning, he told me), but instead of saying "Ah, the heck with it," he kept right at the big task of getting that snackbar/restrooms building built. And he tells me he'll keep on even if he doesn't get elected this time. I believe that. He's clearly intelligent, has a good history of involvement with and knowledge about the district. He mentioned that the most important task of the board is to select a new assistant superintendent of curriculum. That point grew on me as I thought about it. Curriculum is what students learn, which is, after all, the whole point of having schools. Duh! How could I have missed that? On the other side, while it is a very small sin not to subscribe to this newsletter, and while he may disagree with some of the opinions expressed here, it seems someone interested in the district should at least have wanted to hear these opinions. But as he pointed out, he has his ear to the ground in other ways. And anyway, we took care of his subscription problem.
LETTER: NEED FOR BUSES ~ I'd like to respond to the letter about parents' responsibility in getting their children to school. I whole-heartedly agree with you that parents should be completely responsible for their own child. If there were no buses, these parents would get their children to school. However, a lot of them would get them there by walking them to school, or allowing them to walk by themselves. Some of them would have to walk three miles to get to school every morning. Do you realize how far that is for a 5-10 year old child? I've seen a classmate of my son's pass my house at 7 a.m. He probably leaves his house at 6:45 to get to school on time. The worst part is, the school he is supposed to go to is at least a mile further than the school he is attending. I'm not generally a liberal person, but I live fairly close to Duarte Road, and see these families walking not only to school, but also to the market for groceries. None of Monrovia's schools are located in the poorest areas of Monrovia. A lot of these parents either don't drive, or don't have a car. These children would have to cross Duarte Road, Huntington Blvd., Mayflower Ave., Myrtle Ave, and lots of other busy streets between home and school. There are no crossing guards, and soon the time will change and the children would be walking in the dark.
I'm all for taking care of yourself, and being responsible for your own welfare, but we keep talking about how to raise our test scores. We're certainly not going to raise them if the children are tired when they arrive at school in the morning. We'd also lose money every time a child missed school, because they couldn't get to school that day for whatever reason.
I also find it interesting how the parents who want to keep school nurses, are for the most part, not interested in keeping busing. It would cost the same amount of money and service - on a regular basis - fewer children. Yet no one has a problem with that!
I 'm not trying to find fault with anyone's opinion, I'm just trying to present a side that maybe not everybody has looked at. I agree that it gets tiring hearing about all the people who can't take care of themselves, but being in the middle between the lower half and the upper, I get tired of hearing both sides bickering. I know sometimes I pass judgement without having all the information. For all of you who think the busing issue isn't important please consider all of the facts before you pass judgement. Try to think about the kids; it's not their fault they're in this situation, and remind your kids to be thankful, for they were born into a better situation. (By the way, neither of my children ride the bus.)
- Erin Thorn
LETTER: BUSES KEEP EDUCATION INCLUSIVE ~ I have just read the letter about buses from Janis Johnson. I wasn't sure whether or not to seriously address that letter, but found I couldn't resist.
A public school education is for everyone. Some people must work odd hours to make ends meet. Some are too poor to own a car, and the school is too far away to walk to. To deny those people's children an education is to make an education exclusive. We would then be a society divided by education and money. Those who could afford to get their children to school would be the fortunate, educated ones. And those with living situations that make it impossible to get their children to school would be the unfortunate and uneducated ones. We would be growing an educated, but indifferent population in one part of town, and a poor, uneducated and increasingly oppressed population in the other.
Eventually, we may even forget what our founding fathers believed so stronly that they created a country based on that belief: that we are all created equally, and thus, heirs to some unalienable rights, regardless of our fortunate or unfortunate inheritance.
Its all very simple, basic, human decency, and common sense really. I hope I got my point across.
- Louise Carnevale
Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com.
(0) comments
I met with Ed Gililland, the final Monrovia School Board candidate. The interview is below. (Someone wrote me recently to say she had only seen four interviews and that there are five candidates. Well, I did one of the interviews, with Clarence Shaw, way back in February, when I first discovered he was a candidate. You can see it here, a ways down the page.) Also, there are a couple letters below.
~ brad@sacklunch.net
Ed Gililland grew up in New Mexico, went to New Mexico State University and, aside from two years in the Army, has spent his working life in the U.S. Forest Service, where he works as an engineer.
He moved to Monrovia 12 years ago from Glendora. He said his wife's children were in school in Monrovia, so he moved here rather than his wife moving to Glendora.
Gililland said he became involved in community affairs about 10 years ago, when he attended the community Leadership Academy, a 9 or 10-week, once-a-week course that introduced participants to the city and school governments, the chamber of commerce, and other community organizations.
He gravitated to the schools because his wife's sons were attending Monrovia High. They became involved in the PTA and in the boosters club when the boys started playing football. From there he got involved in the Schoolwide Planning Committee to help the district evaluate various programs, and then became a member of the district's Policy Agenda Committee.
Gililland said he wasn't planning to run this time (he ran in the last election), but when he saw that only two people were on the ballot, he decided to give it another shot. He said he doesn't care about any other elected office - the board isn't a stepping stone for him - but that he just cares about the community and the kids.
During the last election I didn't endorse Gililland because I felt that what the board really needed at that time was a stiff dose of smelling salts to wake it up to its responsibility to lead the staff rather than being led by the staff, and I didn't feel he was the best one to do that. Intelligent and dedicated, yes. Someone to awaken the board? Well, I didn't think so.
For that reason I was kinda taken aback by this next comment.
There's a perception in the community, Gililland said, that Superintendent Louise Taylor runs the district and the board just acts as a rubber stamp. He said he doesn't subscribe to this belief, but added that the board does needs to be more actively in charge.
O-kay. I'm liking this. Not what I expected to hear, but I like it, even though I think that leadership is less of a problem now than before Chesley and Wong joined the board.
Anyway, Gililland said that the most important task for the board now is to find a good person to be the next Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum; in other words, a replacement for Joel Shawn. "That job," he said, "is key."
In addition, he said the board should monitor programs the district implements to make sure they're working right, and replace them if they don't, and board members need to be available to the community, by being out there with meeting people, and by being available to people by phone and email.
And talking about being in touch with the community apparently reminds Gililland of one way that he's not connected.
"I need to get on your mailing list," he said.
"I'm surprised you're not already," I responded. How come?
Wellll, he said, he has seen some of the newsletters, but "you've been negative on some things," and besides, he said, he attends a lot of the meetings himself, so he has a pretty good idea of what is happening.
But back the the board job. Gililland says his top priorities would be safety for the kids and getting the right teachers and resources in place.
He said the district needs to work with the police department to make sure students are safe, and this, he feels, includes bus service. He cites a student athlete at MHS who quit his sport because playing would mean he'd have to walk home after dark. Gililland said that while the district dodged the bullet and was able to reinstate bus service this year, the problem still looms. Before he would vote to cut the bus service, he said, he'd need to know that the children who rely upon it would have some other safe way to school.
By "getting the right teachers and resources in place," his other priority, Gililland means that the board should oversee the overseers and make sure the budget is being allocated properly.
Some other tasks, he said, are to upgrade the school facilities and work with the city on upgrading the public library, which, while not under school jurisdiction, is education related.
Okay, a few last questions:
Could he get along with the two incumbents, Clare Chesley and Bryan Wong?
"Absolutely," he said. He said he's worked with Wong and has "a lot of respect for Clare. They're clear thinkers."
What about the attorney general's opinion that the schools must let students out of school for medical treatments without their parents' knowledge?
He said he's glad the board and parents have stood up against it. Parents, he said, need to know where their children are. If there are problems of possible child abuse, he said, that is what Child Protection Services is for, and the schools' job in that event should be to report suspected cases.
Do you have time to serve on the board?
"I work for the federal government," he said. I burst out laughing, but he wasn't quite done. "And," he said, "we have flex time," so he can arrange his work schedule around his board duties.
Finally, under Gililland's leadership, the Big M Boosters has been working for a couple years to build a new snack bar/restrooms building at MHS. How's that going?
He said that hopefully the final hurdle should be overcome on Sept. 22, when the state's Department of Architecture signs off on the plans. Lots of supplies are in place to start as soon as that happens.
Now my thoughts.
Although I was impressed with what Gililland said in our interview, I've been more impressed with what I've seen over the years. He pretty well got trounced in the last election (he doesn't like campaigning, he told me), but instead of saying "Ah, the heck with it," he kept right at the big task of getting that snackbar/restrooms building built. And he tells me he'll keep on even if he doesn't get elected this time. I believe that. He's clearly intelligent, has a good history of involvement with and knowledge about the district. He mentioned that the most important task of the board is to select a new assistant superintendent of curriculum. That point grew on me as I thought about it. Curriculum is what students learn, which is, after all, the whole point of having schools. Duh! How could I have missed that? On the other side, while it is a very small sin not to subscribe to this newsletter, and while he may disagree with some of the opinions expressed here, it seems someone interested in the district should at least have wanted to hear these opinions. But as he pointed out, he has his ear to the ground in other ways. And anyway, we took care of his subscription problem.
LETTER: NEED FOR BUSES ~ I'd like to respond to the letter about parents' responsibility in getting their children to school. I whole-heartedly agree with you that parents should be completely responsible for their own child. If there were no buses, these parents would get their children to school. However, a lot of them would get them there by walking them to school, or allowing them to walk by themselves. Some of them would have to walk three miles to get to school every morning. Do you realize how far that is for a 5-10 year old child? I've seen a classmate of my son's pass my house at 7 a.m. He probably leaves his house at 6:45 to get to school on time. The worst part is, the school he is supposed to go to is at least a mile further than the school he is attending. I'm not generally a liberal person, but I live fairly close to Duarte Road, and see these families walking not only to school, but also to the market for groceries. None of Monrovia's schools are located in the poorest areas of Monrovia. A lot of these parents either don't drive, or don't have a car. These children would have to cross Duarte Road, Huntington Blvd., Mayflower Ave., Myrtle Ave, and lots of other busy streets between home and school. There are no crossing guards, and soon the time will change and the children would be walking in the dark.
I'm all for taking care of yourself, and being responsible for your own welfare, but we keep talking about how to raise our test scores. We're certainly not going to raise them if the children are tired when they arrive at school in the morning. We'd also lose money every time a child missed school, because they couldn't get to school that day for whatever reason.
I also find it interesting how the parents who want to keep school nurses, are for the most part, not interested in keeping busing. It would cost the same amount of money and service - on a regular basis - fewer children. Yet no one has a problem with that!
I 'm not trying to find fault with anyone's opinion, I'm just trying to present a side that maybe not everybody has looked at. I agree that it gets tiring hearing about all the people who can't take care of themselves, but being in the middle between the lower half and the upper, I get tired of hearing both sides bickering. I know sometimes I pass judgement without having all the information. For all of you who think the busing issue isn't important please consider all of the facts before you pass judgement. Try to think about the kids; it's not their fault they're in this situation, and remind your kids to be thankful, for they were born into a better situation. (By the way, neither of my children ride the bus.)
- Erin Thorn
LETTER: BUSES KEEP EDUCATION INCLUSIVE ~ I have just read the letter about buses from Janis Johnson. I wasn't sure whether or not to seriously address that letter, but found I couldn't resist.
A public school education is for everyone. Some people must work odd hours to make ends meet. Some are too poor to own a car, and the school is too far away to walk to. To deny those people's children an education is to make an education exclusive. We would then be a society divided by education and money. Those who could afford to get their children to school would be the fortunate, educated ones. And those with living situations that make it impossible to get their children to school would be the unfortunate and uneducated ones. We would be growing an educated, but indifferent population in one part of town, and a poor, uneducated and increasingly oppressed population in the other.
Eventually, we may even forget what our founding fathers believed so stronly that they created a country based on that belief: that we are all created equally, and thus, heirs to some unalienable rights, regardless of our fortunate or unfortunate inheritance.
Its all very simple, basic, human decency, and common sense really. I hope I got my point across.
- Louise Carnevale
Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Monrovia School Link ~ Number 137 ~ September 3, 2005
I met with school board candidate Chris Rich the other day at a coffee shop. Nice guy. For some reason he reminds me of a surfer. Do you surf, Chris? Whatever. Anyway, my interview with him is below. Also, below that is a letter. One more candidate interview to go, and I should have that shortly. Also, I sure hope someone organizes a candidates forum. At the last election I thought that was extremely valuable.
~ brad@sacklunch.net
Chris Rich grew up in South Carolina and moved out here with his parents. He went to high school in Brea, then moved to Texas with his family and worked on a business degree at the University of Houston. He didn't finish, but joined an electrical wholesale company, which he ended up owning. He eventually sold it to do what he really loves - sound engineering - but his wife still runs the company's Los Angeles office.
Rich has been freelancing since 1992, originally for the music industry, but that has fallen off since musicians can now do their own audio engineering on a laptop. So now he does a lot of work for television. For example, he has worked on Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
He and his wife (his high school sweetheart) have a daughter in fifth grade at Mayflower school, and he is the president of the school site council.
He said he decided to run for the school board because "I don't want to sit around ten years from now and see that public education has not inproved and know I didn't do anything about it."
He has three main objectives for the schools: 1) safety, 2) better test scores (though he adds that test scores aren't everything), and 3) more parental involvement.
To make the schools safer, he said he'd work with the community - particularly the police department - who know how to address safety issues.
To improve test scores, he said he'd work to make class sizes smaller.
That, I pointed out, would cost money. Where's he going to get the money?
He said he'd link up with teachers unions to fight to get the state legislature to give schools more money, and give them more latitude in how to spend it. Rich said he has heard the state allocates $10,000 per student but we get only $5,000 to $6,000. Where, he wants to know, is the rest going? In addition, he said, he wants to know if the district is being run efficiently. "I think we're pretty lean," he said, "but we should check on that."
He said he'd also work with local business people to raise money for the schools. "The district doesn't know how to generate money," he said. "Local businesses do know how."
Which raises a question for me. Does Rich have connections in the local business community he could draw upon?
No, he said, he does not, but he's willing to learn.
Okay, so how would he increase parental involvement?
Rich said he would study other school districts that have been successful, such as San Marino, which he said has very strong PTAs and school site councils. Also, he said, he has heard of a school somewhere near Glendora that has a 98 percent parental involvement with its PTA.
I find this 98 percent really hard to believe and Rich isn't sure about it himself, but - as he points out - it's worth investigating. Indeed it is.
I ask if he has enough time to devote to his board duties.
He said being a freelancer gives him some flexibility, and he has decided that he will say no to work when it would interfere with board duties.
Rich mentions that one hot-button issue confronting the board is whether parents should be notified if their children are taken from school for medical reasons. (As you may recall, the Attorney General thinks parents should not be notified, and as you may also recall, I've gone ballistic about his idiotic opinion.)
Rich agrees, though he doesn't say "idiotic."
"I'm responsible for my child and I want to know where she is. If I drop her off at school I want here there. If she goes elsewhere, I want to know about it."
Also, he mentions the district's bus service. While it has been funded for an additional year, he believes the board needs to start thinking right now about following years. Lots of parents, he said, need that service. But, he said, it is frustrating because he has heard from people at the district office that under state law the district does not have the option to outsource bus service even if it finds it is more economical to do so. He said that is a law he'd work to get the legislature to change.
Okay. Last question, Rich. As you've seen, being a board member can sometimes be a really thankless job. Are you prepared to be flayed?
It's similar to being a sound engineer, he said. Sometimes you just don't get it right and you get criticized. You have to be like a duck, he said, and let it roll off your back.
And then he remembered that getting in trouble for what you believe kind of runs in his family. "I had an an ancestor who was in a good fight," he said. That ancestor was American Revolutionary War martyr Nathan Hale, who was executed by the British for spying and who famously said on the gallows, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."
Okay, my thoughts.
Chris Rich seems like a very friendly, relaxed, pat-you-on-the-shoulder kind of guy. I think he'd probably get along easily with everybody on the board. He has a child in the district schools and has been involved at the school level. He hit the right note for me about parental notification, and I liked his idea of looking around at other school districts to see what they're doing to get parents involved. Also, being self-employed, I suspect he'd have enough time to do the job. He was also quite up front about the things he doesn't know: "I'm a regular, down-to-earth guy. If I don't know something I'll research it and find the answer." My main concern is that I'd have preferred to have gotten more hard data from him. He could, for example, have made a few phone calls to discover for himself what, exactly, San Marino and other districts are doing to get parents involved. It's his theme, after all, so he should have some detail. But... there's still time for research before the election.
LETTER: BUSES ~ I must say, and I may be one of few, but when I saw the many school board replays of parents - through interpreters - asking for buses because they didn't know how they would get their kids to school, one of my first thoughts was that they are the parents, and that it is their job to get their kids to school (as it has been mine to get mine to school) and not up to someone else - so we take money from other school materials, or lose nurses. I don't know - not top on my agenda, but when I had my children, I knew they were my responsibility - and it was my job to see that they got what they needed - and to get to where they needed to go - not someone elses! - Janis Johnson
Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com
(1) comments
I met with school board candidate Chris Rich the other day at a coffee shop. Nice guy. For some reason he reminds me of a surfer. Do you surf, Chris? Whatever. Anyway, my interview with him is below. Also, below that is a letter. One more candidate interview to go, and I should have that shortly. Also, I sure hope someone organizes a candidates forum. At the last election I thought that was extremely valuable.
~ brad@sacklunch.net
Chris Rich grew up in South Carolina and moved out here with his parents. He went to high school in Brea, then moved to Texas with his family and worked on a business degree at the University of Houston. He didn't finish, but joined an electrical wholesale company, which he ended up owning. He eventually sold it to do what he really loves - sound engineering - but his wife still runs the company's Los Angeles office.
Rich has been freelancing since 1992, originally for the music industry, but that has fallen off since musicians can now do their own audio engineering on a laptop. So now he does a lot of work for television. For example, he has worked on Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
He and his wife (his high school sweetheart) have a daughter in fifth grade at Mayflower school, and he is the president of the school site council.
He said he decided to run for the school board because "I don't want to sit around ten years from now and see that public education has not inproved and know I didn't do anything about it."
He has three main objectives for the schools: 1) safety, 2) better test scores (though he adds that test scores aren't everything), and 3) more parental involvement.
To make the schools safer, he said he'd work with the community - particularly the police department - who know how to address safety issues.
To improve test scores, he said he'd work to make class sizes smaller.
That, I pointed out, would cost money. Where's he going to get the money?
He said he'd link up with teachers unions to fight to get the state legislature to give schools more money, and give them more latitude in how to spend it. Rich said he has heard the state allocates $10,000 per student but we get only $5,000 to $6,000. Where, he wants to know, is the rest going? In addition, he said, he wants to know if the district is being run efficiently. "I think we're pretty lean," he said, "but we should check on that."
He said he'd also work with local business people to raise money for the schools. "The district doesn't know how to generate money," he said. "Local businesses do know how."
Which raises a question for me. Does Rich have connections in the local business community he could draw upon?
No, he said, he does not, but he's willing to learn.
Okay, so how would he increase parental involvement?
Rich said he would study other school districts that have been successful, such as San Marino, which he said has very strong PTAs and school site councils. Also, he said, he has heard of a school somewhere near Glendora that has a 98 percent parental involvement with its PTA.
I find this 98 percent really hard to believe and Rich isn't sure about it himself, but - as he points out - it's worth investigating. Indeed it is.
I ask if he has enough time to devote to his board duties.
He said being a freelancer gives him some flexibility, and he has decided that he will say no to work when it would interfere with board duties.
Rich mentions that one hot-button issue confronting the board is whether parents should be notified if their children are taken from school for medical reasons. (As you may recall, the Attorney General thinks parents should not be notified, and as you may also recall, I've gone ballistic about his idiotic opinion.)
Rich agrees, though he doesn't say "idiotic."
"I'm responsible for my child and I want to know where she is. If I drop her off at school I want here there. If she goes elsewhere, I want to know about it."
Also, he mentions the district's bus service. While it has been funded for an additional year, he believes the board needs to start thinking right now about following years. Lots of parents, he said, need that service. But, he said, it is frustrating because he has heard from people at the district office that under state law the district does not have the option to outsource bus service even if it finds it is more economical to do so. He said that is a law he'd work to get the legislature to change.
Okay. Last question, Rich. As you've seen, being a board member can sometimes be a really thankless job. Are you prepared to be flayed?
It's similar to being a sound engineer, he said. Sometimes you just don't get it right and you get criticized. You have to be like a duck, he said, and let it roll off your back.
And then he remembered that getting in trouble for what you believe kind of runs in his family. "I had an an ancestor who was in a good fight," he said. That ancestor was American Revolutionary War martyr Nathan Hale, who was executed by the British for spying and who famously said on the gallows, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."
Okay, my thoughts.
Chris Rich seems like a very friendly, relaxed, pat-you-on-the-shoulder kind of guy. I think he'd probably get along easily with everybody on the board. He has a child in the district schools and has been involved at the school level. He hit the right note for me about parental notification, and I liked his idea of looking around at other school districts to see what they're doing to get parents involved. Also, being self-employed, I suspect he'd have enough time to do the job. He was also quite up front about the things he doesn't know: "I'm a regular, down-to-earth guy. If I don't know something I'll research it and find the answer." My main concern is that I'd have preferred to have gotten more hard data from him. He could, for example, have made a few phone calls to discover for himself what, exactly, San Marino and other districts are doing to get parents involved. It's his theme, after all, so he should have some detail. But... there's still time for research before the election.
LETTER: BUSES ~ I must say, and I may be one of few, but when I saw the many school board replays of parents - through interpreters - asking for buses because they didn't know how they would get their kids to school, one of my first thoughts was that they are the parents, and that it is their job to get their kids to school (as it has been mine to get mine to school) and not up to someone else - so we take money from other school materials, or lose nurses. I don't know - not top on my agenda, but when I had my children, I knew they were my responsibility - and it was my job to see that they got what they needed - and to get to where they needed to go - not someone elses! - Janis Johnson
Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com
