"(Of) all the information we requested of them starting on Aug. 14, we have had zero responses. Zero," Gordon said.
An open letter to Dave Gordon:
Dir Sir,
As a group, we have been involved with the VAPAC situation pretty much since its inception. Our members and participants have sent their children there, volunteered, aided construction and assisted in various other projects to help create and maintain VAPAC. Sadly, our enthusiasm and effort in this endeavor has not been matched by the administration of the school. While we aimed and still wish to see the school succeed, the current administration has time and again illustrated that their petty self-interests are more important than the welfare of the children in their charge. To this end they have harassed students, badgered parents, slandered professional reputations, and violated the trust under which the school was built all for the sake of their egos and personal financial gain. (Please read previous posts if you need collaborating evidence.)
While the value of a performing arts school is unquestionable, and the reputation of VAPAC at one time was stellar and unrivaled, in its current inception it can only limp gamely along, weighted down by mismanagement and malfeasance. However, the spirit of the school persists. And that spirit feeds and fuels the hopes and aspirations of countless youths. If you would like to see that energy continue, we recommend that you cease negotiations with De La Cuestas regarding this matter.
According to your quote in today’s Sacramento Bee, (http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/26825.html) you have met with the De La Cuestas' indifference to requests for compliance and their unwillingness to cooperate with governing agencies. If you do business with them, be prepared to have this situation carry on as their operational model. Additionally, remember that you made the decision to explore a relationship with VAPAC against the recommendations of your staff. We suggest that you revisit their objections in this new light and consider that, to date, they have yet to respond adequately to any requests for information from their own chartering entity, faculty, staff, and interested parents and parties.
To wrap this up, while we share your enthusiasm for an arts school in Sacramento County, we would discourage you from doing business with the De La Cuestas or VAPAC’s nonprofit organization. All that they have demonstrated is the ability to take an existing and successful program and run it aground. With careful, measured study, the county can do better for itself and its students.
Thank you for your time,
All of Us
Dir Sir,
As a group, we have been involved with the VAPAC situation pretty much since its inception. Our members and participants have sent their children there, volunteered, aided construction and assisted in various other projects to help create and maintain VAPAC. Sadly, our enthusiasm and effort in this endeavor has not been matched by the administration of the school. While we aimed and still wish to see the school succeed, the current administration has time and again illustrated that their petty self-interests are more important than the welfare of the children in their charge. To this end they have harassed students, badgered parents, slandered professional reputations, and violated the trust under which the school was built all for the sake of their egos and personal financial gain. (Please read previous posts if you need collaborating evidence.)
While the value of a performing arts school is unquestionable, and the reputation of VAPAC at one time was stellar and unrivaled, in its current inception it can only limp gamely along, weighted down by mismanagement and malfeasance. However, the spirit of the school persists. And that spirit feeds and fuels the hopes and aspirations of countless youths. If you would like to see that energy continue, we recommend that you cease negotiations with De La Cuestas regarding this matter.
According to your quote in today’s Sacramento Bee, (http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/26825.html) you have met with the De La Cuestas' indifference to requests for compliance and their unwillingness to cooperate with governing agencies. If you do business with them, be prepared to have this situation carry on as their operational model. Additionally, remember that you made the decision to explore a relationship with VAPAC against the recommendations of your staff. We suggest that you revisit their objections in this new light and consider that, to date, they have yet to respond adequately to any requests for information from their own chartering entity, faculty, staff, and interested parents and parties.
To wrap this up, while we share your enthusiasm for an arts school in Sacramento County, we would discourage you from doing business with the De La Cuestas or VAPAC’s nonprofit organization. All that they have demonstrated is the ability to take an existing and successful program and run it aground. With careful, measured study, the county can do better for itself and its students.
Thank you for your time,
All of Us
posted by All of Us at
5:47 AM
28 Comments:
I thought Alan Young was the principal of VAPAC!? He started the Sac High art school.
What gives?
Being the parent of a former vapac student I can say the school is certainly not up to the high standards it claims. The education my kids recieved academically was a joke. Last year my daughters History class had 11 books for 33 students for a good deal of the first semester. The english teacher didn't teach. One of my children had at least a dozen different math teachers through the year. Transcripts are still a mess and inaccurate. And why is it that nearly every teacher in the arts dept. left? And why did so many kids leave? I understand the senior class has dropped from 33 students last year in the junior class to 12 this year.
I don't want to see the school fail, I really believe a school like this is needed. But the situation there became such that we had to think about our kids first and the quality of education that they deserve. Unfortunately the vapac name has been tarnished by mismanagement, and its a sad thing that a few people are going to ruin it for everyone.
And knowing several former vapac students, parents, and teachers I can say they pretty much feel the same
If the kids were the number one concern, why did VAPAC allot $250,000 its two mother and son directors instead of coughing up some money to put together a library?
Need I list 20 more vital interests that went ignored and unfunded?
Right... SCUSD's plan was to ruin VAPAC -- that's why they let the DLCs ru(i)n it.
How absurd for anyone to think that that the regulatory "i-dotting and "t-crossing" was actually supposed to be done. Thank goodness the DLCs ignored those trivial matters for the sake of our children, school safety, etc. And the charter, that was only a blueprint, right, nothing in it was supposed to be seen as "absolute" was it?
And now the county might take the charter over...if only the DLCs can take the time to complete that pesky paperwork and answer questions.
But remember, their failure to comply in these matters is for our kids. Now VAPAC is free of blue-haired 4.0 students, trouble-making teachers, and any real academic environment.
But the DLCs have their personality cult that refuses to see culpability in any of their actions. Should any of these parents want hard proof, why don't they listen to the voices of the parents and students that have left. Not to mention the original faculty which is mostly gone. The regulatory agencies that are knocking on the door. The county which is having second thoughts...
Mr. Young is now the principal of the Met. Some high school downtown.
busyknight, you must be a friend of the dlc's, either that or just dillusional, or perhaps both
Well, remember - Mama DLC has refered to little arby as her "Busy Little Knight in Shinning Armor" more that just a few times.
The sucker is dead! Let it be. I have seen my share of charters that run themselves into the ground simply because "the founder" knows it all. Baby, this one is dying. We could all do it a favor and just let it die in its own excrement, and then move on with the tremendous knowledge that we did it once, twice? and can do it again. Now back to NP3. Yes, it's located in Natomas. Tom Rutten is the principal and Shelly Gorman, of Christian Bothers and Sac High Charter fame, is the counselor. Ms. Mori is there, as is Mr. Hagerty, Ms. Wuchter, et al. Use the brains the Lord gave you.
You know, there are other alternatives right in Sacramento, like the MET. I hear Alan Young is the Principal over there. Last I heard they are at 8th and V, the old Hearing Office, right next to South Park. Come on folks, what are you waiting for, the sky is falling. Are you waiting to to have fall in on your children?
This just in! St. HOPE flounder once promised to make "every kid feel special" and FINALLY KJ delivers. It would seem-actually it is fact, that a St. HOPE employee has been sleeping with at least one student and possibly more. This isn't gossip. The issue was dealt with by the police and a huge investigation is happening as we speak.
Hopefully all students involved will walk away mentally unscathed.
But really what did we expect with KJ at the helm? Hey wait...he's teaching an advisory class in the small law school where the remaining kids that didn't switch to the fabulous NP3 school (it's not too late and there's a bus that will take Sac High Charter kids there and back!). Never mind NCLB but shouldn't KJ be fingerprinted? After all wasn't he the guy who "mentored" an under aged student in the shower? Whiskey anyone?
Laurel Rosenhall where art thou?!
PS Heidi and Kate thank you for fighting the good fight. I wish I could too. It was good meeting you the other night.
I go to the Met. It's awesome. There are 17 kids in my class. We call our teachers by their first names, I have an internship at a computer firm and I'm taking college classes at Sac City that the Met pays for. Beth Kay is the Director and Allen is the principal.
So seriously that's all to the Sac High sleeping with students thing? At CKM two years ago it was a mess. Staff member s knew about it and did not report this atrocity. Guess KJ really does have the Bee in his pocket. What gives?!
Let me get this straight...The Blog God(dess)have edited two two recent entrirs but I seem to remember remarks about principal Alan Young and a dog. There was also stuff in there about his "daughter". Defamation is okay but then what isn't.
PS More Sac High kids are involved with the UC Davis nurse. I'm no genius but I know that a convicted felon with a drug background should stay away from minors.
One more time because it should be repeated-Laurel Rosenhall where art thou?
Allow us to answer...
There are two people that delet posts: the original poster and US. We do not delete comments EVER. However, a few months back some ads appeared on the comment board and we were remiss in deleting them. Suffice it to say, we occasionally get spammed about various things from online colleges to sexual enhancers. These we do diligently try to remove because if we dont, they will continue more furiously than before.
As for other posts... democracy is sometimes chaotic and messy but we feel that generally it is not our place to censor comments. Breeds suspicion we have found. However, if impartiality is a concern, we will keep the spam posts as well.
If St. Hope or KJ were worried about convicted felons, they'd look at their basketball coach as well-but they're worried more about changing grades to get kids basketball scholarships so their program looks good.
Carter, have you ever considered going to the grand jury with your information? The grand jury is the body charged with overseeing school boards, hopefully even ones that aren't elected. Since the St. HOPE board is spending public money, there has to be some recourse. There's also the CDE.
Kate Lenox
You know what? I have this feeling that we're talking at each other. Few listen, or read. I'm gone.
I heard that Sac high was under investigation for illegal sports sponsors (Nike) and grades.....Nike help pays for the AD's $50,000 salary/yr....The normal high school AD is paid around 3,000/yr. This information comes from an AD out of the section who is on a panel investigating SAC HIGH.
What is an AD? When will the investigation be completed? Will this ever be in the paper, or on the news?
An AD is an athletic director.
An AD is the Head Jock Strap
I'm seeking advice on the upcoming election. Anything helpful
Go to the school board candidates forum Tues. Oct 24th at 7:00 PM at Kit Carson Middle School. You will have a chance to hear all the candidates.
I went to the forum. Ellyne Bell and Rodney Stanhope were very, very good.
Rusty Rogers videotaped the candidates forum. Below are the links to see and hear the candidates closing statements.
You can search SCUSD at YouTube.com to find these also.
Enjoy!
Jerry Houseman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzqTtlxyRnM
Bernard Bowler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjC_jrpGUiw
Rodney Stanhope
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhLI5uiw-9A
Ellyne Bell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ-QNtfBE6w
Roy Grimes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9yNDraqdKU
Well, it looks like vapac's sky is really falling. Finally.
How???
Did you read the sac bee Monday?
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