Comments on: Teachers and parents to protest cuts in Early Childhood Education

By: Rhonda

Rhonda — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 03:12:07 +0000

I have been an ECE educator for over 25 years and have always provided an exemplary program to the families and students served. It is true that major cuts in the ECE program have occurred over the past 4 years and recently the centralized registration has caused ECE enrollment to decline dramatically.

If the ECE program is having a cash flow problem, then why are retired ECE Administrators (Diane Kirkman, Floria Spencer, Ruth Buchanan) being given large consulting contracts ($$$$$) to do work in the ECE program that an ECE clerical staff member or an ECE instructional staff member or an ECE administrative staff member is qualified and able to do? Additionally, ECE site administrators have been stretched across as many as 5 sites and are only able to visit a site once per week, leaving teachers in charge of the entire school site. These teachers are teaching class and managing and leading the school.

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 01:40:27 +0000

Thanks, Jack. I thought there was a chance that someone new would be in the position. I left the message on the main number, though, so hopefully the right person will call back.

By: Jack Gerson

Jack Gerson — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 22:48:17 +0000

Oops! I didn’t quite spell the new ECE Director’s name correctly. It’s “Rodezno”, not “Rodenzo”. Important to get a new OUSD manager’s name right the first time, since they’re not likely to be around very long.

By: Jack Gerson

Jack Gerson — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 22:45:16 +0000

Katy,

It appears that Jane Nicholson is no longer Director of Early Childhood Ed. Lynne Rodenzo is listed as the Director of ECE on the OUSD web page. See http://webportal.ousd.k12.ca.us/WebItem.aspx?WebItemID=204