Comments on: New principals and a $1.8m math contract

By: Chris Dobbins

Chris Dobbins — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:53:32 +0000

According to Dr. Smith, the Principal Selection Committee unanimously endorsed his decision. I think everyone just wants some stability at that school and this should be a positive step. Don’t worry about your ears though, you sit through enough board meetings and I am always amazed at how much depth you recall. I played with too many firecrackers as a kid so unfortunately, my ears probably do need to be checked.

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:55:41 +0000

Thanks, Chris. When the board briefly discussed the selection of an interim principal at Skyline, I was listening closely for a name, and didn’t hear it. So yes, it must have been extremely inconspicuous — that, or I should have my ears checked!

Are Skyliners happy with the selection?

By: Chris Dobbins

Chris Dobbins — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:56:15 +0000

Hello All,

The new Skyline Principal was mentioned at the Board Meeting last week, although it was done somewhat inconspicuously. Ms. Bev Hansen, former Principal in the Mt. Diablo School District (and I believe a former Skyline teacher) was appointed by Dr. Smith on an interim basis. There were many Skyline parents, staff, and supporters who worked tirelessly in the process to replace Mr. Sye. The process will continue with Ms. Hansen serving on an interim basis this year.

As School Board Director (and proud Skyline alum ’90) I look forward to working with her, although students who will be Seniors this fall will have had 4 Principals in 4 years (Hansen this year, Sye last year, Heidi Green for a year and a half, and Brian McKibben for a couple of months their freshman year).

On another note, at the Teaching and Learning Committee this evening, Chief Academic Officer Brad Stam said that the new 9th Grade House Academy at Skyline was coming along well and would be ready for implementation this fall.

By: Ms. McLaughlin

Ms. McLaughlin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:42:55 +0000

Good news about Ms. Romero at Oakland High! And best wishes to Mr. Jenkins as he moves on to the Youth Empowerment School. He’ll be missed at O-Hi, but YES surely needs his strong presence.

Big sigh about all this “interim” stuff, but I’m surely no expert on the inner workings of the district machine. Very grateful, though, to the folks who take on these challenging assignments on interim basis.

In other news, there are a million or so workmen up on Park and Macarthur today, and several policemen directing traffic through the single remaining lanes surrounding Oakland High. Looks like they’re digging a moat? Hope it’s all resolved before school starts, if not by registration time. (Mr. Danning will remember the sports field fiasco, the year after little or nothing was worked on all summer long…and the football team didn’t get to play one game on their home turf, because returfing it didn’t begin until late August. What’s up with that?)

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:28:10 +0000

Good question. I’ll ask about it. On the agenda, there’s also Title 1 and Title 2a funding listed below the Swun item that I failed to mention earlier.

By: Hana

Hana — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:15:29 +0000

I’ve heard that $25,000 from AARA (Stimulus) funds were taken from each of those schools to pay for Swun program at their school, with no way to opt out of the program. Is that not the case? Is the $455,000 coming from a program improvement pot? Or is the 1.78M in addition the school contributions?

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:34:41 +0000

It still hasn’t been announced. At the board meeting last night, they said the person was in place, but that they were waiting for the process to be finalized before coming out with it. I’ve heard from two people that there has been some sort of bureaucratic hold up.

I’ll let you know!

By: Catherine

Catherine — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:49:33 +0000

Any word on a new principal for Skyline?

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:26:31 +0000

The Swun Math contract passed unanimously tonight. A bunch of people in the audience, including some Network Executive Officers, applauded.

It’s funded out of a Program Improvement pot.

By: Gordon Danning

Gordon Danning — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 02:15:30 +0000

I just got an email from Oakland High’s Network Executive, Alison McDonald, announcing that Alicia Romero has been appointed interim principal of Oakland High