Sorry...

Sorry… we took a hiatus (work, school, life, etc…) but are back and ready to update with some frequency. Let’s see what’s on our plate:

1. VAPAC Charter Revisions – anybody know who or what prompted this move? Is it district directed or the DLC’s attempt to further their stranglehold on things? Can the amended charter be posted here? Can anybody get their hands on it?

2. VAPAC Lawsuit against the district – what’s going on here? Any info?

3. Rosemont schedule SNAFU – they’re on the 4x4; now they’re not; now they are again but only for the rest of this year. Any truth to the account the admin. brought this upon themselves by violating a previously negotiated agreement between the district and the union? How is the school trying to spin the situation? We’ve heard some things, what have you heard?

4. School Closings – closing elementary schools with fewer than 300 students to open high schools with fewer than 200 students? Closing Kit Carson to make it the “new” Sac High? Rumor has it that West Campus is on the chopping block.

5. St. HOPE – we’ve heard that the school has a reported enrollment of 1100 students – far below what they promised to maintain in their charter – has collapsed several small learning communities due to declining enrollment – creating far fewer opportunities than they promised in their charter – and is thinking about using the Sac High campus to house a middle school, thereby completing their k-12 kingdom.

6. Money -- several people report that they have been told that their school is out of money to fund events, programs, etc. Nevertheless, one of these schools – Rosemont – has a $20,000 dollar retreat slated for this summer. Oh yeah, but they’re still out of money.

7. SIFs (or School Improvement Facilitators) – highly paid administrators who do what? Several schools report that their SIFs make $90,000 + dollars a year and nobody is really sure what they are supposed to do. What do they do and are their salaries justified being that money is tight? Seems that the SCUSD has never met with an admin position that they won’t create and throw money at. Question: how many SIFs salaries could keep a few of the schools slated to be closed off the chopping block?

8. The Death of SLCs – rumor has it the money has dried up from Carnegie to fund this grand idea. Advisory periods have disappeared and the advent of the small school idea pretty much co-opts the SLC model. So, with all this choice, why continue to fund it?