Jones, May decline to run for school board
By Eric Kurhi
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 at 6:12 pm in Alameda County, Fairview, Hayward, Politics, San Leandro, Schools, Transportation.
Find a preview of tomorrow’s story below for the nitty-gritty on all the elections with extended filing periods.
Both former city officials said they have a lot of other community service opportunities, as well as professional and personal goals.
“I definitely believe in Hayward, and schools are a priority,” said Greg Jones. “I’m certainly interested in using leadership however I can. I thought this would be a good way to serve but it did not turn into that in my mind.”
Jones added that he is a flexible man, and has no regrets about leaving the city to pursue other goals. May said the same about her departure from the City Council, adding that the atmosphere could be “stifling.”
She quoted a line from her Facebook page: “The right team can make the most mundane task worthwhile. Similarly, the wrong team can make the most meaningful endeavor a complete waste of time.”
Here is the election update story:
By Eric Kurhi and Jason Sweeney
Staff writers
ALAMEDA COUNTY — An anticipated run for the Hayward school board by former City Councilwoman Anna May and her fiance, former City Manager Greg Jones, did not materialize as the Wednesday deadline passed and they decided not to file.
In addition, two candidates for Hayward Unified — Sabrina Becerra and Gabriel Jimenez — withdrew from the race, leaving a field of Audie Bock, Lisa Brunner, Sue Lafferty, William McGee and incumbent Sheila Sims seeking two available seats.
“There are several jagged reasons we could articulate for why we’re not running,” wrote May in an e-mail. “But in the interest of keeping it more positive, we’ll refrain (for now).”
May said that “a lot has transpired in the last few months,” particularly with the issue of the district’s unbalanced budget.
The district faces the threat of a state takeover if it cannot submit a balanced budget by a Sept. 8 deadline, and negotiations with the teachers union last week did not yield results. A takeover would mean the board would serve only in an advisory capacity.
“I hope to heck they get the budged balanced, I haven’t seen enough happening to give me confidence that it will get done,” Jones said. “I’m not interested in sitting on a board with no power.”
In the San Leandro Unified School District, no one filed for the Trustee Area 6 seat, so that position will be filled by the school board after the Nov. 2 election.
Area 6 incumbent Lisa Hague decided not to run for re-election because of a work promotion that demanded more of her time. Only Herlinda Morales took out nomination papers for that seat, but she did not complete the required paperwork to file.
In Trustee Area 2, Lance James will be running against Victoria Wang. Incumbent Pauline Cutter is leaving the board to run for a seat on the City Council.
In the Eden Township Healthcare District race, three seats are up for grabs: Les Friedman, Susan Reisz and incumbents Carole Rogers and William West will be on the Nov. 2 ballot. Jeff Rosier took out nomination papers but didn’t complete his filing. Incumbent Harry Dvorsky will not seek re-election.
In the AC Transit Ward 4 race, in which board President Rocky Fernandez decided not to seek re-election, Mark Williams and Gavin Wilgus will be the only candidates.
For the long-term seat on the Fairview Fire Protection, incumbent Angelo Costanzo is joined by newcomers Mike Miraglia and Jeff Rosier for two available seats. Mike Preston is running unchallenged for the short-term slot.
Contact Eric Kurhi at 510-293-2473. Contact Jason Sweeney at 510-293-2469.
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August 11th, 2010 at 7:26 pm
No surprise to me! The “candidacy” of Jones and May was never going to materialize….It was simply a source for publicity.
August 11th, 2010 at 8:32 pm
Thanks goodness for their decision not run.
August 12th, 2010 at 10:56 am
Well, there goes the commitment to the children in Hayward. If there is no power, there is no interest. Let’s move on. I hope the incumbents do not win; we need fresh members on the board. People with knowledge in public education, curriculum and BUDGET. People with no-ties to the establishments, open minded, articulate and willing to dialogue and pay attention to ALL community members’s concerns. Members that consider teachers and parents equal partners in the decision making process. We definitely need trustees that can work with Reynoso. He is rough around the edges, but good ideas come out when his temper is not provoqued. He is not afraid to question dubious practices. And hopefully, the 3 new trustees will stand up to the bullying or charming words from sups.
August 12th, 2010 at 11:07 am
Gee whiz, my 93-year-old mother, a Ph.D. and lifelong educator, didn’t file to run for HUSD either–why wasn’t that a big headline story? Anna May and Greg Jones have been very clear for months that they had no intention of running for anything this year. They didn’t even take out any papers. Frankly, the fact that Kelly Rocchio and Rick Bartholomew, two highly qualified former school board candidates, aren’t running is much more newsworthy than Anna May and Greg Jones’s non-news.
August 12th, 2010 at 11:08 am
Kudos to you, Lucy’s mom. I completely agree with you. My fear is that the voting public will not really examine the platforms, experience and motivations of the candidates for the board.
I suggest that everyone who can attend candidates nights when the public can ask questions of them. At this point in time I would support the candidacy of Mr. McGee and Ms. Bruener because they both have spent time learning about how HUSD works. They do their research and speak with facts not speculation.
August 12th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Thank you Mrs. Booth. I am impressed with Ms. Brunner knowledge of the Budget. I am sure if she is elected we will not hear the ” I am confused” remarks we hear now. The lady is articulate and if I am not mistaken she has many, many years of parental involvement in HUSD.
I am not familiar with Mr. McGee, I hope we have a few candidate nights where we can get to know him more. Is he a professional teacher?
In the two year seat spot, I would like to know more about Ms. Annette Walker. If you have some knowledge of them, would you please share them with us?
Thank you again.
August 12th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Mr. McGee is a very bright and dedicated teacher. He was assigned a very difficult series of classes teaching history and government in the adult school high school diploma division. He realized that he must develop lesson plans that kept students engaged and participating in their learning process. He brought REAL LIFE people to speak to his students on Japanese internment during WW2 and holocaust survivors.
He understands the importance of diversifying learning materials to meet the individual needs of students. He knows how difficult it is to work under budget restraints and found ways of raising money to augment his classes.
I know little to nothing about the candidate that has filed for the seat presently held by Mr. Armas, other than she is affiliated with Cal State East Bay as an employee. However, the mere fact that she has decided to challenge Mr. Armas is admirable. Hopefully as time passes the public will learn more about her qualifications and her motivations to seek such a thankless job.
August 12th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
Audie Bock doesn’t know what he/she’s talking about. On some issues, neither does Kathi Booth. From what I’ve been told by reliable sources, May & Jones were the ones who questioned the absence of HUSD’s goals, which prompted HUSD to get a set of goals established. One of them (May or Jones, can’t remember) attended a school board meeting challenging the board to get their goals done, arguing that it doesn’t take them six months like the supe said.
Be nice to people who have expressed interest in children and schools. Not many people in Hayward care. That’s why we’re in this mess! We need to hold our electeds accountable and not try to knock down those who’ve come forward to get involved.
August 13th, 2010 at 9:20 am
Dear Who cares,
I am sorry that my comments offended you. I have followed Ms. May and Mr. Jones since both joined the city of Hayward. I simply expressed an opinion and I don;t believe that it was any more than what I perceive to be the truth. I believe that both people in question did not want to fully commit to such a thankless job, once they really did some soul searching.
August 13th, 2010 at 11:01 am
I appreciate anyone who is willing to get out and put forth the effort to make Hayward a better place. I don’t think anyone can argue that both Ms. May and Mr. Jones, along with every HUSD Board Candidate, have done just that. I know from personal experience, it takes a great deal of commitment and energy to simply campaign! I think until you have held one of these positions you can’t even imagine the time and dedication necessary.
As Kathi mentioned above, I encourage the public to make every effort to learn about these candidates and make an informed decision. What I will be watching for is any candidate that makes our children the number one priority. The students are the reason the School Board exists. If HUSD continues to experience the hits to enrollment, there will be no need for a Board. Any candidate that puts the needs of our children and their education first will get my attention. I know political savvy, polish and number crunching are going to be important, but not the main platform I will be watching for …
August 13th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
You all I want to thank Anna May and Greg JOnes for not running and I agree with Ms. Bock why isn’t the newspaper doing story on the real people that are really involved in HUSD ther are many even some in this blog writing.
WHOCaresJustTellTruth if city managers are anything like a Mr. Armas that don’t know anything about public school business than is better that they don’t get involved. And if you remember HUSD has had many education plans for the district it is part of the plan for the district going back many years as far back as I can remember when my daughters were in the kindergaten and now they are college graduates with kids. So if Ana MAy and Greg jones was asking for plans that tells me that they really never bother to look at current plans and plans from the past.
For reals I have met both Ms. May and Mr. JOnes and both are very nice but they just needs to enjoy the honey moon God bless them both.
August 13th, 2010 at 4:23 pm
Ms. Rocchio – I’m just curious why you’ve decided not to put your name in the hat this time. You seem so active in HUSD.
August 13th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Hey Norm. Love your name. Thanks for my daily chuckle.
August 14th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
I am a graduate of the district in 2004 and I have followed the board for years. Here are the facts!
1. Reynoso does not know A) What he is talking about 9 times out of 10 B) Does not know how to follow Robert’s Rules of Parlimentry Proceedure and C) Should be recalled as soon as possible to provent more damge he can do to the school board.
2. Arams should have never even been appointed to the board because he has two (count ‘em two) conflicts of interest! 1) His wife works in Human Resources in the distric and that makes it a conflict of intrest. And 2) He is a relesate devloper that wants (and has already propsed to do so) to turn our closed schools into private buisness’s of some kind that he owns. He too should be recalled immediatly! Hopefully he is not elected.
3) Finally, we all should be sad and alramed that Paul Frumkin has decided not to seek another term. We the people should be ashamed of our selfs for not standing up for him. He will be missed and there goes any hope (besides the Sup.) that someone actually cares about the district, education and our children!
August 14th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
Dear ME Grad,
I admire your devotion to HUSD business. I do beg to differ with you when it comes to whether Reynoso knows what he is talking about. If you filter out his anger/frustration and really listen to what he is saying you will see that he is simply asking HUSD and his colleagues to follow process. While I am a bit put off by his “testy” attitude, he makes very valid points. Had this board not decided they would make every attempt to censure his comments, he would have probably made his points in a much more timely fashion.
Since Ms. Duran and this board majority has been in action, they have changed what was a fairly good working process at board of education meetings.
1. For as far back as I can remember, the privilege of correctin the minutes has been honored, not only for board members but for members of the community who could substantiate that their comments were not properly represented or mistated. Now for some reason, I am sure to censure Mr. Reynoso, correction of the minutes requires a majority of the board to approve the request.
2. Comments from the board at the beginning of the meeting was also a standard practice until Ms. Duran and the current board decided to change them. This portion of the meeting was an opportunity for board members to inform the public, before 12am or 1am, what they had participated in as far as school visits, student performances, attendance at educational seminars…etc. It was a time to offer praise for schools, teachers and students and share information that may benefit the district or the public. Again, to change the order was a direct effort to muzzle Mr. Reynoso.
3. Constant interruption of a board member’s comments, observations and request for information was seldom a practice of the board, prior to Ms. Duran and this current board. Collegial treatment of colleagues was more often the norm. Again, I believe this is a blatant effort to make Mr. Reynoso look foolish, instead of letting him do it on his own. Professional conduct on behalf of the Presiding officer means that you put petty differences or outright dislike for a colleague in the privacy of a one on one conversation. To allow oneself to become the other half of a bully session is ridiculous and it is not fruitful. The meetings drag on not only because Mr. Reynoso asks many questions and states many opinions, but also because the presiding officer cannot resist trying to one up him or put him in his place. It is an unbecoming practice no matter who is involved and beneath the position of a member of the Board of Education.
You may find fault with my opinions but you cannot dispute that there has been a complete disruption of the process simply because Mr. Reynoso is a thorn in the side of his colleagues. I believe the public suffers as a result of such “low ball” tactics.
August 14th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Nt. Eden Grad;
That is a serious charge that you make about Mr. Armas.
Perhaps you are unaware of the fact that he did not have A OOSSESSORY INTEREST IN THE bURBANK sCHOOL/ hUNTS CANNERY PROJECT? oNE SIMOPLE FACT IS THAT husd DID NOT HAVE EITHER THE EXPERTISE OR WHEREWITHAL TO BRING THE BURBANK SHOOL INTO FRUITION.
kEEP ON FOLLOWING husD MEETINGS, aRMAS HAS ONLY BEGUN TO DAZZLE THE PUBLIC?
hAVE YOU ANY IDEA HOW COMPLEX WAS THE WHEELING AND DEALING THAT aRMAS, AS cITY mANAGER PUT TOGETHER?
iT INVOLVED HUNTS’S CANNERY LAND INTERESTD, AS WELL AS THE LEASEHOLD RIGHTS OF THOSE OCCUPYING SOME OF THE WHERE HOUSES THAT REMAINED AFTRE DEMOLITION OF TRHE CANNERY, iT ALSO INVOLVED A LA=NSD SWAO WITH hard, eDEVELOPMENT OF THE ROADS LEADING TO THE TRAINS STATION, REPAIRS TO THE
UNMDERGROUNSD AREA OF sUKPHUR cREEK, dEVELOPERS OF THE NEW HOUSIMNG AND INVOLVMENT OF eDEN HOUISING IN THAT NEW BUILDING AT cORNER OF c AND gRAND……. pAY ATTENTION YOUNG MAN…. yOU CAN LEARN A LOT FROM mR. aRMAS.
aFTER RETIREMENT mR. aRMAS WENT INTO THE cONSULTING BUSINESS…. MANY DEVEKLOPERS EMOPLOY RETIRED cITY mANAGERS TO AID THE]M IN DEALING WITH THE COMPEXITIES OF ATTEMPTIN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT ARE LIABLE TO BECOME EMNTANGLE=D WITH ZONING, AND THE VARIOUS COMP;EXITIES OF ZONING LAWS CREATED BY cITY’S iT IA AN HONORABLE WAT TO BECOME SELF EMPLOYED AND USE YOUR KNOWKLEDGE GAINED PRIOR TO RETIREMENT.
wE ARE DAMN LUCKY TO HAVE THE MAN…. hE HAS LISTEN=NED TO MY ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM INVOLVING dARWIN sCHOOL AND AS A RESULT IS AKLERT TO MAMNY SITUATIONS SIMILAR TO THE ERROR MADE BY D. VGIL IN COMMITTING TO A LEASE INVOLVING dARWIN SITE THAT IS A DISASTER! tHERE IS NOW IN PLACE A GENTLEMEN WHO WILL PREVENT DISASTERS SUCH AS THHE LEAASE MASDE TO STILL ANOTHER cHARTER sCHOOL THAT PAYS ONLY $40,000 PER YEAR FOR TEN YEARS INSTEAD OF A POTENTIAL OF $500,000 PER Y
EAR FOR A MUCH LONGER TERM…… GET IT?
August 14th, 2010 at 8:00 pm
If the district should go into receivership, there isn’t any political advatage to being on the board as they will have no power for decision- so they just move on to another political stepping stone.
August 14th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
Mr. Kyle,
I am now beginning to understand why you seem so enamored with Mr. Armas. The fact that you believe that he has listened to your criticism and suggestions only means that he is being polite and acting in his capacity as a board member….engaging with his constituants.
You are not the only person on this earth who felt that the Darwin school deal was a bonehead move…Surprise, Surprise, Surprise. Others in this community may have even spoken to board members about this concern..They simply didn’t feel the need to tell the world!!!
August 14th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
ME Grad makes some good points. I think people have been hungry for a long time for someone to challenge the Board and Mr.Reynoso does this. However, he has created only turmoil and not improved the situation. He seems to want to disrupt things only for the sake of disrupting things. He has created a very dysfunctional environment at the School Board meeting. I don’t know about Mr. Armas’ business interests, but there is no doubt that his wife is in a high position in the HUSD administration. This is clearly a conflict of interest. He cannot possibly be impartial unless he and his wife never have any conversations about work. And Mr. Frumkin should be thanked for his many years of service to the HUSD. I believe he really had the interest of the kids in his heart.
August 14th, 2010 at 10:52 pm
Booth
In yours at # 18
Verbose? Is that the pot calling the kettle Black? I will support Mr. Armas for the simple reasson that he was and remains tuned in to neighborhood meeds. For example, he recalled the content of the 1994 Longwood/ Winton Grove neighbohood Task force activity where
discussion about installing a site resident ast Longwood School found it’s way into the report presnted to City Council.
It was he who called me to inquire if I thought that the temporary (Portable structure) would fill the bill as a dwelling place for a resident who would live on site at Lo0ngwood to assure that Janitors locked gates, closed the calssroom windows, turned off the lights etc at the School structure….. It was armas who provided a free install ation of a water line to the northeast cotrner of Longwood school playground and it took some twistiong of arms but HUSD coughed up the monet for the comnnection to tyhe meter and back flow ( siphon) prevention as well as a temporary irigation sytem so that I coulod drag hoses all over that palyground. My effort and donation of two truck loads ( Four cubic yards of sand) That allowed closure of the ankle busting fissures which threatenesd safety of the children but I expalined all that, and since you distained interest duriing the time you lived nearby…. you did at that time ignore the reduction inn vandallism costs of $50,000 per year at our Longwood school.. Better yet, Children of Lomgwood no longer needeed to read all the friendly four letter words painted on their classrom exteriors, roof trim work etc.
You brag about your involvment… as a paid employee? Do not tell me that you donated the equivalent amount of time at HUSWD ewndeavors as I did in volunteer landscape work at Longwood school.. I was even invited to read to all first grade and kindergarten classes at Longwood once a week, for two years. Your attitude of superiority would have casused too much friction for regular staff to bear.
You had your opportunity to attend the Longwood/ Winton Grove task force meetings held at Longwood in late 1963 to August of 1994, but you chose to pursue some source of esteem that you thought you might not find find at Longwood.
Now you are doing a great job of monopolizing the discussions at this blog opportunity. The obvious enmity you hold for Mr. Armas is probably based in some form of jealousness due to success he has enjoyed where, on the other hand, you are hardly known outside your few contacts with teachers…. many years ago,
You imagine that you have all the answers…. frankly you are so busy attacking me, that you have sought no other opportunity to advance the cause of HUSD. Why did you fail to run for the seat presently held by Armas? Frankly, I think you to be a bit of fluff with no interior fortitude nor an original idea of your own.
Get off Mr. Armas’s back….you do not have sufficient personal accomplishment in this community to criticize and get away with unfounded criticism of the man. You are in short… a mere sniper using contrived oblique castigations cast upon the man and his vastly superior ‘people’ skills.
August 15th, 2010 at 11:25 am
Mr. Kyle,
I HAVE NEVER BEEN AN PAID EMPLOYEE FOR ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT! For over 25 years I have assisted Children and Families with special needs, for you that means Special Education, helping them to receive all of the services that the law guarantees, helping them to access adequate services for their families. I was a daily volunteer in classrooms for my children and then for my grandson. I supplied typing and editing services to both parents and employees of HUSD. During the 70s and 80s, I along with many other parents, provided landscaping for our neighborhood school, raised thousands of dollars to provide every teacher $50.00 in classroom supplies, provided extra field trips for students, assisted in the nurses office and in the main office…ALL WITHOUT ANY PAY.
You really do like to call the kettle black. Prior to my joining this blog, I would read your LONG and disjointed commentary, and it appeared on a ratio of 5 to 1 with other entries. YOU, ABOVE ALL, ARE THE PERSON WHO FEELS THE NEED TO ATTACK ANYONE WHO DOES NOT SHARE YOUR VIEWPOINT, AND YOU DO IT WITH TASTELESS, TACKY, AND HURTFUL WORDS (when they are spelled correctly).
You have no idea what I have or haven’t done to “advance the cause of HUSD”. Whatever my activities, I do not find the need to advertise them to the likes of you.
Once again, you cannot bully me into deciding that I will not post on this blog.
Grow up Mr. Kyle, there is room enough for all of us.
August 16th, 2010 at 5:44 am
Silly, silly. The nasty banter is akin to school board meetings. Misc:
ME Grad, it’s wonderful that young people are getting involved. Assuming of course, that you’re a graduate of one of our high schools…perhaps Mt. Eden, thus your name?
Kelly Rocchio, I you seem to have a diplomatic demeanor online. Thank you for that. Too bad someone like you didn’t run for school board. I’m looking forward to learning more about the candidates.
John Kyle, hmm…
Cheryl, well-said for the most part — except that the school board has already been disfunctional.
Lucy’s Mom: Thanks!
Booth: Be careful not to express your opinion as if it’s fact. Too much like John Kyle when you do this. And I agree with you that Annette Walker is admirable for running against Mr. Armas.
Audie Bock, you strike me as being a strange duck.
Obama.Newage: Mr. Armas and Mr. Jones are reputed to being very different kinds of leaders. Armas was a deal-maker, Jones is a visionary.
Please everyone, be nice to these candidates who’ve recently exposed themselves to the public eye, as well as folks who have served in the past.
August 16th, 2010 at 10:04 am
Does anyone wonder why only one of the 12 candidates from the field in 2008 returned to run again in 2010?
Norm, After a great deal of consideration I decided not to campaign for the 2010 Election.
Running an effective campaign is not only about wanting to do what is wise or right for the children. There are some serious political waters to navigate, and those unfamiliar with this process may find themselves in over their heads as I did. Did you know that the amount of money spent on some campaigns during this election would save entire programs in this District? Have you looked back at the campaign goals and statements made by the current Board Members? Did you attend any of the candidate forums? There were great things promised and guarantees made. I wish there was a way to cash-in on some of those campaign statements now.
I hope the current candidates make it through this time by running a campaign they can be proud of and look back on and see that they did not compromise who they are or what they represent. I am very proud of the campaign I ran and the results were flattering! I will continue to volunteer my time and efforts to improve education in HUSD.
Right now HUSD needs strong candidates with courage and vision for our future. This is not a business of advancing political agendas. We do not need a developer, legal advocate, accountant or warm body to occupy these seats. We need Trustees that will be willing to make difficult decisions, consider the needs of ALL students, put in the time and effort, and most importantly to vote every single time in the best interest of our children. Let’s not judge the candidates on political alliances or their ability to “campaign”, but on what motivates them to make a difference in HUSD. It is a difficult road ahead for each of them and I admire their effort.
August 16th, 2010 at 10:34 am
Ms. Rocchio,
You truly contribute sage remarks and have a very good take on what it means to be a candidate for the board. I agree that the road to election will be full of pot holes for the candidates and I,too, wish them well. With respect to the “cost” of running a campaign, you are so correct…It takes many dollars and many volunteers to compete, there is no level playing field in Hayward politics. Thus, many who may wish to represent the students, families and employees of HUSD simply cannot.
August 16th, 2010 at 11:42 am
This conflict of interest that you chuckle about Kyle? The district destroyed all documentation of the meeting where he was appointed; if all was above board why destroy the documents? Why do you support Armas who fears that if these files were to be available to be viewed, a question of his legitimacy would be questioned? He votes against contract bidding. Look at how he votes on the issues; perhaps you are a bit chauvinistic. The question is why? Displaced loyalty is still displaced.
August 16th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
Foam somot
I attended tyhe interview meetings which were open to the public.
I was surprises that Gloris Grant Wilson was in attendemnce. It is possible that she was in attendenc to support the African American woman, who might have been a viable candidate had she spoken slowly rather thn race throutgh prrepared remarks. I gardly knew much about what she had said gad she spoken a bit slowly so that one could grasp at least the basic chain of thought. She was apparently the Mother of two children enrolled in Oschool….. while she worked at some assignment within Oakl;and Schools. Mr. McGee is impressive in his bearing as well as the content of his spoken words before the four board members involved with the decision. uNLIKE3 THE OTHER CANDIDATES i AEEM TO RECALL THREE MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE GHAVING TAKEN THE PRE-INTERVIEW MOMENTS TO RISE IN SUPPORT OF MR. ARMAS. NONE ROSE IN SUPPORT OF OTHER CANDIDATES.
eACH CANDIDATE HANDED IN AN A WRITTEEN INDICATION OF THEIR QUALIFICATIONS BY WHICH yTSUTEES HAD OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE QUESTIONS DEALING WITH QUALIFICATIONS. iT WAS BY THAT INFORMATION THAT i LEARNED THAT mS. bOCK’S QUALIFICATION TO TEACH IN cALIFORNIS sCHOOL;S WERE LINITED TO ;SUBSTITUTE TEACHING IN sAN lORENZO SCHOOLS WHERE MS. DURAN HAD BEEN THE SUPERINTENDENT.
bETOND THE SEPARATE APPEALS FOR NOMINATION, THERE WAS NOT MUCH TO ‘RECORD’ ALTHOUGH AN TAPE WAS APPARENTLY BEING PLAYED TO CAPTURE THE REMARKS. cANDIDATES WERE HELD IN A SEPARATE ROOM UNTIL THIER MOMENT TO SPEAK ARRIVED.
GLORIS GRANT WILSON WAS SEEN CHAGING SEATS FREQUENTLY SUTRING THE PROCESS. aFTER ALL HAD SPOKEN ONE OF THE TRUSTEES MADE A MOTION YO APPOINT aRMas,m On the question Mr. Reynoso began his rhetyorical campaign on the subjecy opf a cobflict of interest and there commenced an exchange as between the trustees aND THE FEMALE LAWYER PRESENT WHICH assured ALL THAT THE QUESTION Had been examined and that the only possible point of conflict might arise, when orif Mr. Armas’ wife were to change from being a member of the staff in a payroll position to that of a contractual hire; then mr Armas would have to recuse hiomself from any vote involving a change of status affecting his wire.
… a wise course since the ‘pillow talk’ at night might have neen quite fierce had he opposed her desire AT SOME FUTURE POINT IN TIME!\
Of course the eventual vote passed 4-0-1 with Nr. Reyboso still clinging to his thought about cobflict of interest.
One wonders why Mr Reynoso failed to file an action at court!
I picked up a copy of the ‘resume’ submitted by candidates….. Ns. Bock’s was obviously not a good choice. Mr. MGee was quite inpressive and I ranked him the next logical choice, which is why i intend to vote for the man.
August 16th, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Mr Kyle,
You posted on another entry on this blog, citing that I had many perhaps, in your estimation,too many postings since I am a new comer. While it is true that I have posted numerous entries, I don’t recall any rule or guideline tha says one must limit open honest discourse to a particular number.
After reading your entry above, I again extend the offer to edit your copy. Numerous typos and other mistakes make it extremely hard to follow just what your point is, other than to criticize any and all.
By the way Gloria Grant Wilson (please noote the correct spelling of her first namd) is a memeber of this community and I commend her for her continued interest in the success of HUSD.
I believe you are wrong in your interpretation of where Ms. Bock is “allowed” to take a substitute assignment. I am not aware of any state law that limits a credential to being sufficient for only one school district in the state. You really should research your info before making such statements. If you are interested the State of California has a site where you can view the credential status of any teacher in HUSD, substitute, temporary or tenured. Just go to the State cite on the computer and ask for directions to the actual site. DO YOUR HOMEWORK MR. KYLE.
Again let me remind you, it is the perrogative of Mr. Reynoso or any other member of the public to determine if they wish to make public inquiries into the legitimacy of a particular subject or action taken by HUSD or any other public agency. He need not advise YOU or any other member of this community of his action or inaction regarding any subject. You seem detrmined to get Mr. Reynoso to bow to your constant blog badgering. SO FAR YOU HAVE FAILED.
August 16th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
I’m glad they didn’t run for school board too. Maybe we can convince them to become public again and run for city council.
August 16th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
To All,
Sorry for monopolizing this blog…but I cannot resist responding to Mr. Kyle. His posting are a bit much for the average reader. It seems that my efforts at sarcasim have a slight glitch. If I am to slam him for his typos and spelling errors I should make sure that I do not commit the same mistakes.
After reading a number of Kyle’s postings I cannot help but comment, once again, on his many assumptions. To arrive at the conclusion that Ms. Grant Wilson was present at the interviews to support a female black applicant, is a bit much. How does he know that to be the case. Perhaps Ms. Grant Wilson was there to simply observe and listen to the applicants. Perhaps, she was ther to support Mr. McGee or Mr. Armas. Only Ms. Grant Wilson knows why she attended the meeting…Perhaps she was there to support Ms. Bock. HOW ON GOD’S EARTH MR. KYLE DO YOU KNOW WHAT, IF ANY, HER MOTIVIATIONS FOR ATTENDANCE WERE. JUST ANOTHER OF YOUR BLANKET UNSUBSTANTIATED ASSUMPTIONS.
I’m done now, until Mr. Kyle commits another act of baseless assumining.
August 16th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Ms. Rocchio,
I appreciate your response and position. It’s too bad that the school board becomes just another political position with a special agenda rather than a group representing the best interest of ALL the children. Therefore, people who are truly concerned about the state of the schools but can’t stomach the political garbage or put out the funds to campaign, pound the pavement for fundraising or even accept support from others because more often than not that support comes with strings are not able to play the game. It’s too bad for all of HUSD that we lose dedicated people like yourself because of this. Keep up the good work in being an advocate for the children and keeping the community informed on important issues!!!
August 16th, 2010 at 5:14 pm
Foam somet
Documents? I saw only the elctronic recording tape….. at least that was my impression of the device. No stenographic work……so when you describe documents….. are you sure that the redcording was disposed of?
Then again, the resumes’s were available on the table at entrance…..did you acquire one?
August 16th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Ms. BootyhMrs. Booth;
Your facitious offer to edit my work is, of course, declined as is your general tone or demeanor when responding to my blog submissions.
Being of an age when eyesight, hearing and energy levels are in decline, I frequently begin submissions to this blog with the intention of being brief. If I fail to use word processing opportunity with copy and paste functions…. Let it go ! Move on to the scribbles of another!
However, you have a way of being quite irritating yourself.
When I observe the frequency and exceptionally wide range of your submissions, which rarely offer solutions to HUSD problems, it is not hard to think that you are starved for attention and opportunity to interject opposite opinions.
My criticisms of others are frequently based on the objection that the individual contributor is slanderous…. As was seen in the “Obama new age” scribbles. That woman is bent on damaging the reputations of others. Fortunately ,ost of her writings have ben moved to the archive section of Review’s interior computer functions. What really irritates was the fact that she was boastful of her accomplishments occurring in Oakland, where she had moved domicile arrangements away from Hayward. Having physically undertaken that effort, she then advised all, (who bothered to read ) of her attempts to convince her daughter to make the same move and bring the grandchildren to Oakland schools in the process.
Now that lady advises that she will be voting in the upcoming elections involving the school board. She is particularly annoyed with Mr. Armas. Her remarks, if directed to me, would bring an action, regardless of her limited wealth or lack of it!
Lacking evidence of meaningful worth, I am required to keep my suspicions about her identity to myself; while I am alert to any lead that may spill onto the blog.
Your outright rejection of my thoughts about a town hall meeting, appear to be based upon negative, knee jerk reaction to those two tiny words ‘ad hoc’ as used to describe activity desired as result of a Town Hall Meeting. I saw what I think to be a hint of deep, and emotional outburst from you, over the use of those two little words.
I did not intend to trigger your reaction to the use of those words in the past were often seen used to describe an activity sponsored by HUSD administration in years past. You have not posted a response to my recent explanation of my intent for use of those words in a Town Hall meeting. Your objections are emotional if not one sided. Your experience with ‘ad hoc’ committees at HUSD ought not be used to prevent development of a Town Hall meeting.
That Town hall meeting was an idea introduced by a “My Word Piece” appearing in the Daily Review. Entitled “Civic Action can save schools” Well, I can still send you a copy, through an intermediary, if you will accept that offer. You might learn something from me yet!
I quote from the fourth paragraph where you state I have an “interpretation of where Ms. Bock is “allowed” to take a substitute assignment.” Then you go a step further to advise of some State laws with which I should make myself familiar. Facetiously completing that I SHOULSD DO MY HOMEWORK…….
You foolish old woman…. Go back and read that submission again where I attempt explanation of Bock’s recent behavior at Burbank and a meeting of the trustees… which read, simplistically: ‘FIRE DURAN1’ All I can state, to refute your dumb rewmark was that my comment was limited to the revalation that Bock recited her yteaching experience in California public school’s to that occasion or perhaps multiple occasions when she substituted in San Lorenze where Duran was once the Supt. before her honorable and much lauded retirement.
Put the two facts together, whatever the problem was Duran is bound by silence an idea to which you must agree, since you are so influenced by California law, are you able to refute the point?
Bock should explain why Duran be fired but I assume that ahe is unbalanced; how else do you explain the signs she displays?
Ass to Mr. Reynoso, like yourself he lacks attempt at taking the bar exam. Yet, he is seemingly comfortable in his accusations of illegality? May I suggest you join him in a search for an attorney who would accept Mr, Reynoso’s charge and take the case to court.
The sooner the better!
I have in past, expressed my admiration for Mr. Reynoso, who if he is truthful in the matter in his account of his life’s experiences, has much to be admired. He advised me personally that he had been raised in a Mexican orphanage and came here at age 11, unable to spwak a word of English. He is currently engaged in a course of studies for an advanced degree,,,, over an above that above what is needed to teach in public schools. Beyond that admirable fact, I know little of the man or his work history. He does have something to learn about getting along with his colleagues.
If I have lost Reynoso’a support for the Town Hall meeting, I am sorry….. He simply has a few things to learn about collegiality.
August 16th, 2010 at 7:57 pm
Ms.Booth,
The deprecating word in front of the address in above item was not in that which I cut and pasted from my word proocessor.
I have no explANATION FOR THAT INSERT EXCEPT TO SAY THAT WHEN I HIT ThE SUBMIT OPPORTUNITY… THERE WAS A DEALY BEFORRE THE TRANBFER.
Let it be known that the item is embarassing to us both! I ahall take the matter uiop with Mr Kurhi !
August 16th, 2010 at 8:20 pm
Mr. Kyle,
My age, my gender, my race, my political affiliation, are of no importance to you or anyone else. I have tirelessly tried not to refer to any of what I may perceive to be your physical, mental or age related problems…I believe that my commentary and criticism have focused upon your postings and where I differ with you.
You must stop referring to a person’s mental state, it does not reflect well on you or your opinions. To constantly personally attack those who disagree with
you only shows you to be a bully who cannot or will not engage in open and honest discourse with your critics. It smacks of one, who when he cannot disprove a statement or cannot logically argue with a particular point, must try diversionary tactics to make readers forget the point of discussion.
Ms. Bock’s personnel records as a substitute are private and of course the superintendent is forbidden to divulge or discuss anything about them. It is also a matter of professional conduct for her to refrain from doing so. And quite frankly why should she bother when she has you to spew out half-baked statements based upon your own screwy assumptions.
Enough with you Mr. Kyle. I will continue to contribute to this blog whenever I feel I have something to offer…and most certainly when you practice your personal attacks on a citizen who does not attach themselves to your way of thinking.
Be careful Mr. Kyle, someday you may just find that Mr.Kurhi will decide you have truly crossed over the line and he will forbid you from posting on this site. Heaven forbid, for your sake, that happens! Where will you be able to throw out your venomous commentary?
August 17th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Ms. Booth;
Mr. Kurhi has yet to respond to my E-mail inquiry over the ‘extra word’ inserted into # 32 above. I had used ‘copy and paste’ tools to write and place the item. I have no explanation for the offensive form of address, except my curious experience of the delay when ‘submitting’ that exercise.
With this message, presently in view, I wish to offer you some advice as to your own scribbles.
You simply must learn to distinguish the difference between; ‘freedom’ and ‘license’.
I went after that contributor who erroneously attempts identity with President Obama by use of the well known, ‘Obama new age’ nom de plume.
That contributor has licentiously attacked Mr.Armas with comments which are completely ‘out of bounds‘. Yet you seem to defend that by accusing me of being unfair to that person particularly, as well of some others who in ‘copy cat’ fashion took up that dreadful, mistaken form of freedom.
As to Ms. Bock, who is the person who pursues Ms. Duran with the preposterous, simplistic, self defeating signs which say nothing more than ..”Fire Duran”.
In my statement about Bock, which seemed to cause something of a rant by you. I simply observed the fact that Bock had revealed herself in her written supplication to the Board of trustees, as they had required for the appointment to a seat now occupied by Mr. Armas whom you in your writings thought capable of being seated in Duran’s seat.
Ms Bock clearly indicates that being a ‘substitute teacher’ qualifies her for a seat on the Board. Note that the substitute teaching ‘experience’ occurred in the same San Lorenzo school district at which Ms. Duran was Supt. Duran is under obligation to remain mute, but Bock enjoys being seen as a fool or, is she in need of ‘help’ ?
Frankly, if you had taken the time to read the Wikepedia entry on Ms. Bock, you would now question her basic motivations.. She won a seat by default when in a two person race, her well known adversary,a former Mayor of Oakland, was disqualified by reason of his violations of election law.
Bock was tossed out of the Green Party for having accepted campaign contributions from two competing oil giants involved with Richmond area refineries. At end of a very limited term experienced in portions of two calendar years,in the Assembly. After losing the battle for a normal term, she took on Barbara Lee in a race for the Congress….. of course that involved another change of political parties by Bock. Losing that affair, Bock then took opportunity to run for Governor, along with thousands of others in that crazy Gubernatorial race not too distant in years to be forgotten!.
Now, Bock runs two campaigns…. one for HUSD Trustee and another for a seat on HARD Board of Directors.
So, just what part of my critique about Ms. Bock was licentious?
If my observations about Bock, Obama new age and a few of the lesser players offend you…. that is just too damn bad. I will apply the same ‘rough’ message to all who are licentious, an idea around which you seem to dance too closely to the fire.
Especially where it concerns the Town Hall meeting Concept, where I used the words ‘ad hoc’ to describe the committees or commissions which would evolve from that pro-active idea to aid HUSD budgets through some pleasant, productive fund raising ideas dedicated to the KIDS. Your association of ‘ad hoc’ activity Aat HUSD seems to have soured your association of those two little words,particularly the kneee jerk reaction when I useD them.
Other factors such as the coming influx of parolees on early, unsupervised release, will require some sort of effort for which neither Police Dept or HUSD are capable of handling.
Where have you proposed solutions which would constructively aid HUSD in acquiring volunteer assistance or financial aid?
Well, since you seem dedicated to helping students and families in circumstances where they fail to cope with administration,,, perhaps you might join in the effort to council the parolees involved with the Federal mandate to release convicted felons from state prisons which are so over crowded that the State must release 40,000 of those individuals, 10% of that number were released early this year.
If you are not aware, Hayward and Oakland will bear the brunt of the flood emanating from the Dept of Corrections ‘lake’.
Hayward and Oakland are the two cities with the highest present count…. perhaps you failed to observe the statistics appearing in the Review? I would make a copy available to an intermediary of your choice. Oakland and Hayward had divided two thirds of the total existent count… Oakland with something in excess of Hayward’s existent share numbering about 570… WHILE Pleasanton was betring that huge number of 12 (TWELVE) Parolees.
You see, Hayward and Oakland were incorporated over 100 years ago and we have an abundance of low income housing while Pleasanton was not much more than a small agricultural town until the mid 1950′s. Of course it was just inadvertent that Pleasanton never adopted zoning ordinances compelling construction of a reasonable amount of low income housing.
I will never forget the occasion of a grandchild’s graduation from Matador =High school, when during the course of the ceremonies, the Pleasanton Supt. Of schools went to the microprobe and stated his ;few brief remarks with this comment: Raising his arm to point in a westerly direction, in the presence of thousands gathered in the Fairgrounds’ amphitheater saying….‘re you not glad that your children do not have to attend schools in that district on the other side of those hill’s’… sadly there was much cheering, applause and hand clapping, for a period approaching 2 minutes of time on my watch.
Well, think about this, Alameda county sees about 13% of the parolees set FREE for three years of supervised parole… but the rules have RECENTLY changed… not all of the 40,000, already released or soon to be released; will be under supervision by parole agents. There just doesn’t seem to be enough funding for hire of qualified parole officers. I had hoped that the Town Hall meeting might be sufficiently successful to aid management of the children of those paroled and who can be expected to find housing somewhere in the HAYWARD Dis-unified SCHOOL DISTRICT.
May I ask this simplistic question of you and those you might have swayed into the belief that I am sort of storm trooper:. JUSY WHAT IN BLAZES DO YOU SEE AS YOUR ROLE in your self described assurances to all that your are a ’pro-active’ member of the community ?
I suggest that we all start preparing to receive an influx of children who are possibly handicapped by economically distressed PARENTS, WHOSE PREDICAMENT IS THAT ‘DADDY OR MOMMY’ IS A PAROLEE WITH OR WITH OUT BENEFIT OF SUPERVISON BY A QIALIFIED PAROLE OFFICER.
At the beginning of year 2010 Hayward had over 550 individuals who were under supervision by parole officers.
In a release of statistical data by State Department of corrections, DESCRIBING THE RELEASE OF ‘THE CLASS OF 2005′ over half had been returned to prison within the first three years after release in year 2005. None are supervised after the first three years of their release from the prisons. The statistics dealing with recidivism after the third year of supervised release are not maintained by the state. Some reputed reports by private enterprises would have you believe that that recidivism statistic is between 65% and 70 %
Oakland had over 2,200 hundred, but tri-valley area, after deducting the twelve (12) living in Pleasanton was burdened by another 50 or 60 parolees.
Whatever the rate of recidivism, you can bet HUSD will need to learn better technique for coping with that number and it’s affect upon truancy as well as transience.
I believe that the $100 performance bond idea will be effective in aiding reduction of those two negative factors which seriously affect API scores. If you think otherwise, turn your attention toward solution of those problems and stop wasting time defending the likes of ‘obama new age‘.
Ms. Booth, put away your knife, do something which is
easily seen as being pro-active. Save your time offered by you to assit by editing my material
Spend your time with an ad hoc committee dealing with children of parollees?
August 17th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Mr. Kyle,
My goodness you cannot and will not use your narrow mind to see that your comments, your unauthorized personal revelations are as licentious as any that may be posted by anyone of the bloggers.
Once again, I will inform you that there is no rule, law or mandate that says I must explain to you what I have or have not done to provide suggestions to HUSD. YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME AND CLEARLY YOUR ATTEMPTS AT TRYING TO FIND OUT MORE PERSONAL INFORMAION HAVE NOT COME TO FRUITION.
With respect to assisting children and families in understanding the Special Education program in HUSD and other districts, and how to best receive the services they need…I believe it is and was a vital service to families that are struggling every day with providing necessary services that their children so desparately need. I care not whether they are the children of Parolees or anyone else. CHILDREN DESERVE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE ALL THEY CAN BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY. HOW DARE YOU BELITTLE THEM OR THEIR FAMILIES WITH YOUR TRASH TALK.
My purpose in life is to provide whatever assistance I can to those who are struggling to navigate the educational system in HUSD and public education. I don’t ask for credentials, family income, family education, parole or legal status. It matters not to me as long as I can help a child receive services the federal and state governments mandate they are entitled to.
I THANK GOD EVERY DAY I AM NOT YOUR IMMEDIATE NEIGHBOR!
August 17th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
A BULLY IS A BULLY IS A BULLY….THAT JOHN KYLE IS WHAT YOU ARE.
August 17th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Booth
Your paranoia is now evident to all. You have responded in a very negative fashion and are simply unaware of your own problem.
Truly you do not understand the difference between freedom and License! Good day! have a good life!
August 17th, 2010 at 4:52 pm
Mr. Kyle,
So now you have a psychologist/psychiatrist’ license???
I am so pleased to know that, now when you make your outlandish charges regarding others I will rest assured that you are qualified. Why didn’t you just let all who read this blog know that you, in fact, are a physician, maybe now we can look to you for aid in dealing with our feeble minds.
August 17th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
I await your billing for services rendered Mr.Kyle. I do hope you take insurance.
August 17th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Booth
Cool off, you neeed not fear me? All I asked, through all thatr verbiage was, why you did not rewcognize the steady amount of licentious garbage used by the likes of Obama new age.
You attacke me for my posts involving that ‘Obama new age woman’ in particular, as well as of some of the others prone to use of licentious language. That activity can not be defended!In particular ir cannot be defendd by toughtl;ess individuals.
If you failed to understand even a part of that which ‘Obama new age’ hurled at Armas, then one can only conclude that you favor use of licentious language. Which struck ne as being a bit odd since you volunteerily stated that as an admirer you had advised Mr. Armas, to the effect that he ought take the Superintendednt’s job!
Are you haviong difficulty recalling and continuance of those comments by yourself
Turning to ask if I was a Doctor involved with problems of the mind seems top me that you might have adopted the tactic of Obama new age. Are you indanger of falling into that trap, so early in your blog efforts?
Come on Kathy, HUSD could use your skills in dealing with the increasing truancy problem brought on or beiong brought on by parollees who lack parenting skills.
Do not waste that opportunit! Take your licks and learn from them!
August 17th, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Kyle,
Learn to spell my name correctly. I will not attack Obama, newage for his/her opinions regarding a public/elected official.
I can be both an admirer of Mr. Armas’s abilities as a City Manager and a critic of his efforts as a board member, they are not the same.
No Mr. Kyle, if you are determined to diagnose individuals on this blog, then by all means I will ask you what license or degree gives you that ability. If perhaps you would preface your remarks with “it is my opinion” then it might fly a little better.
How dare you assume that the truancy problems that currently exist in HUSD are directly related to parolees. Just who in the HUSD administration supplied you with the data for you to make such a claim.
Remember Mr. Kyle, when I cite examples or make direct statements regarding HUSD or its employees, I speak from factual data, personal experience and a history with the district. I don’t believe you can claim any of the likes. You simply throw out your jumbled thoughts and hope that some poor fool will believe you when it comes to HUSD.
I look forward to engaging in discussion with those who are curious about HUSD’s practices and caring enough to read what I say without feeling the need to attack, attack, attack. I don’t believe that I have ever said “You who read my postings, must believe them without question”. I offer information, opinion and personal experiences to be accepted or rejected by all.
My gripe with you is that you cannot do the same and somehow feel compelled to spew out spiteful and tasteless comments,particualarly if the posting does not support your stand.
The only trap I have fallen into is the one that compells me to refute your assumptions, demand that you be courteous, and expecting that you will look inside yourself to examine your behavior.
Enough Mr. Kyle! Try joining the human race.
August 17th, 2010 at 10:53 pm
Can’t we all just get along.
August 17th, 2010 at 11:47 pm
Booth.
Read your stuff atgain.
You seem now to be falling into tha pattern of Obama New age style.
I did not say that parollee problem is solely
responsible for Truancy and Transiency. However it has to be a large factor, just as it was in Southgate area during Jon Hassell’s years as principal at Longwood.
However, their prospects for employment are low since they are unable to qualify for bond to meet the needs of Banks, insurance companies etc. etc.
Do some indepent research on the problems associuated with parole problem. i’D MAKEW SOME COPIES OF WHAT i HAVE, BUT TO WHOM WOULD I HAND THEM OFF ?
Anna May did some fine work in developinG data on Section 8 presnece also…..the difference in the ratio of their presence to rhe whole Community of Hayward was considerably higher tnan Was the same calcuillation in Fremont where the housing stock of the low income variety is pretty low! It is no where near that of Hayward when comparing with the age of a high percentage of existing hgousing in Hayward,, thuse we have a relayively high percentage of Section 8 recipients. Now don’t go into a conniption over that last remark….. when my mOthetr found herself a widow with three young sons, we went on the dole also…… case worker would come to the cottage in which we existed and on several occasions raised hell for showing receipts for expenditures involving previous months oh that $40 monthly sum….. Seemed that widowed Mom who was lactating as result of posession of then 3 momth brother. had made the false move of buyong a $0.25 bra….. when, if she was smart,,accirding to thei welfare lady, stated that instead of stupid expenditures, she should have used a flower sack to bind her breasts. Mom thought she was saving some which would have been spent buying milk…. so kiddo, I am aware of the experiences occuring when folks are needing help.
Surely, your lenghty experioence with HUSD must of raised some curiosity about absenteeism, Truancy and Transience….. My gosh, did you not have sufficiemt interest to make independent enquiry.
Long ago, as Chairman of the Longwood Winton Grove Task force we learned of transiency at Longwood and the rate of truancy was also high. A great Principal of the past at Longwood, filled our ears with the inforrmation he related about the problems associated with the SouthGate area. Had you no interest in that area? At least at one time you resided in an area near Longwood. You had no idea of the problem of transience when it exceed 40%..?? Gee I thought all who were close to HUSD administratio knew about Longwood?
Involvment with administration, as you state you have been,causes me to think you are aware and on top of that problem.
At one time about 10 or 12 years ago, we had five shhoting deaths in the Longwood school vicinity. Those shootings occurred within a six monthe period. In one instanxce a pair of kids were shot at along THELMA NEAR
MARIN. ONE DIED INSTANTLY IN A DRIVE BY EVENT, THE OTHER WAS WOUNDED BUT WAS ABLE TO PROP HIMSELF UP AGAINST A PICKET FENCE,,THE SHOOTERS MADE A U TURN AND CAME BACK, stepping out of the car, THEY SHOT AGAIN BUT DID NOT INTEND TO KILL, THyE ‘KNEE CAPPED’ HIM AND THEN CALMLY DROVE OFF.
OSCAR gRANT III, he who was described as a parolee at age 22 in SF Chronicle, He once LIVED ON lONGWOOD….. DID YOU KNOW HIS OLDER BTOTHER SHOT HIMSELF WITH THE BARREL OF THE GUN in his nouth, DIRECTED TO HIS THROAT, AT AGE 16? DADDY OSCAR GRANT II,I8 IN PRISON FOR MURDER. Those poor kids did not have chance!
nOT AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS? wHY CRITICISE THOSE WHO ATTEMPT TO STAY ON TOP OF THAT CONCERN?
I have not criticizedd your past or presnt efforts st HUSD. ON the other hand you reveal compunction ‘knock’ idea of a Town Hall meeting WITHOUt AN INKLING OF WHAT THAT MIGHT ACHEIVE. Kathy, why do you close your mind to good ideas emanating from the mouths of others?
I HAVE NOT CRITICIZED YOUR EFFORTS AT HUSD,, ESPECIally since I have do direct knaowledge of those activities… addedly so IF YOU WERE NOT ON THE PAYROLL! Volunteerism is not sufficiemntly regarded
at our schools or administration.
I lay the problem of my being unaware of your contributions, at the feet of the administration of Kohl and Vigil…… did those efforts reach back past those two? I was around quite a bit with their immediate predcessor…. a great guy in my book
jUST EASE UP AND RECOGNIZE THAT YOUR PAST FEW POSTS REFLECT THE ATTITUDE WHICH YOU CRITICIZE.
WHAT YOU SEE AS MY BEING A BULLY is now being revealed in your failing efforts at being useful.
As part of my effort wyhen involved with the first of about six activities at the airport, you do not and =have not seem=n aircraft taking a tigjht, low height landing approach to Runeay 28R at Longwood school wher it was frequently difficy=ult to teach due to frequent noise events above the school. It is also now a reportable offense since we do not want to see the playground used as an emergency landing field…. shall I go on with a list of my service to communuity about which you know nothing…..yet you criticize me for not being aware of your activity??????
Come on, grow up!
August 18th, 2010 at 9:02 am
Well Mr Kyle if it helps clear things up for you, I too have stated in previous posts that you are a bully. And no matter what stories you tell from your childhood, it’s your actions toward others on this blog who don’t completely 100% agree and support your thought and opinions that make you a bully. We’ve all encountered them in our lives and they are easy to recognize and you are definitely one. Now could we please get back to the issue at hand….the actual children of HUSD rather than the adults who are acting like children?
August 18th, 2010 at 9:14 am
Mr. Kyle,
Again you make assumptions that are baseless, simply because I have not communicated to you what I have or haven’t done to assist families and children in HUSD. I do not now nor will I ever feel the need to justify to you my work or its success.
Suffice it to say, I am familiar with my surrounding neighborhood and have participated actively in attempting to improve its woeful circumstances.
With respect to past administrations, of course Mr. Kyle, I assisted Special Education familes, employees and the general community. How or what I did is of no concern to you. I do not need to toot my own horn regarding the success of my endeavors.
You have no idea whether I have been useful during the reign of Janis Duran, you can only arrive at assumptions because I have not put up billboards and banners to laud accomplishments. Thank you so very much for single handedly correcting the problems at the Hayward Airport. I am sure the entire community is beholding to your efforts. There, does that make you feel better?????
Rest assured John Kyle, no one who watches a board meeting, reads this blog or runs into you on the street, can say they have not been made aware of YOUR TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING OUR COMMUNITY, you speak of them adnauseium.
With respect to “parolees” and any of their familiy, where do you suggest that these people go, to a deserted island, to the desert? Your comments smack of NIMBISM.
Kathi Booth…please get the spelling correctly.
August 18th, 2010 at 10:00 am
@ Ms. Booth while I appriciate you makeing th good point that he makes good arguments and attemps, he knows nothing of how a meeting should run, does run and knows nothing about Robert’s rules or Parlimenty prceedure. He is a discruntled teacher from Harder School that was fired instead of being awarded teacher of the year, and si he decided to run for the Board (a noble venture no matter who you are) and to do so with an agenda to get even and he is doing so. That is why I don’t like him, that is why I don’t trust him and that is why he should be removed immeideiatly before doing anymore damage
@ John Kyle
Firt pick a font, I had a heck os a tiem reading your pointless rant about buisness deals that HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH SERVING OUR BOARD! Aramas is clearly a buisness man interested in only profitting from his seat on the board. I mean why else would he be there? He is not an educater, he knows nothing of education. Clearly he should not be there and your loyalty to him concerns me. We need real leaders on the borad with real ed. backgrounds, at least Reynoso fits that bill. Furhter more you show by your own arguments he is business only. My suggestion to you is learn the board history, learn what school board is about, and learn what Aramas is really all about. He is slime and has did terrible as a manager and now he and Reynoso are destroying this Board, the district the futur of our children along with Sims. Don’t get me started on her.
August 18th, 2010 at 11:44 am
Booth and Observer….
So, no recognition from either of you that there is a tremendous difference in our separate manners of addressing a pronlem.
That which I attempted to address, and have been described as a .bully’ for the feeorts, is to attempt by use of Gos given ability to rationalize with the likes of OBama new age…… That woman is an exceedinly good example was observed in her numerous and notorius scribbles was found in her continuing use of accusations of disrpetable behaviors and writings wgich are just pure slander.
Those who attempt to describe me as a bully are also found lacking…. they refuse recognition of the truse intent of ‘excerciosing our right to free speech’
By refusing recognition of the difference betwen free speech and the use of slander, they undermine our basic rights as found in the Constitution.
My attempts at having you recognize that fact, have failed. As a consequence I shall not bother with further rep[ly to eitherh of you or anyomne else exhibiting a ‘set mind’ who sees things as you do relative to use of slander.
You simply are not worth the effort!
August 18th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Dear Observer,
It is so nice to read a posting that asks everyone to get back to thinking about children.
It seems that the several years that HUSD was under the “guidance” of Dale Vigil and now Ms. Duran has not proven to be of much value in helping students achieve academic success.
There has been much research done regarding what is necessary for students to reach their potential. One of them is a sense of consistancy in thier academic and family lives. While no one can control the consistancey in a home life, HUSD does have such control in a child’s school life.
Since Vigil and now with Duran we seem to change site administrators and teachers like most people change their socks. I believe that it would take a school principal, especially if they were new to HUSD, a good portion of the first year to:
1. Become familiar with the various programs and teaching methods mandated by HUSD.
2. Become familiar and comfortable with the staff.
3. Become familiar with the student population.
4. Know the unique values, traditions and cultures of the neighborhood surrounding the school.
With all of this accomplished then and only then can the school become a successful vehicle for student achievement. In HUSD, it is rare that they are given the opportunity to put all their efforts to use come the second year.
By and large our children see principals come and go, sometimes mid-year. Children form bonds with teachers that are then pink slipped. THERE IS NO CONSISTANCY for HUSD students. Instead they are constantly learning to adapt to new teaching styles, new administrative styles and constantly changing learning materials. If this is then complicated by family instability or lack of parent involvement, children in HUSD are facing an uphill battle.
These circumstances affect not only elementary students but also secondary. Quite frankly I think the constant lack of consistancy in scheduling, teacers, administrators, counselors…etc. may have an even more harmful effect on our high school students.
Balancing budgets seems to have replaced providing strong yet compassionate education in HUSD.
August 18th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Ms. Booth: Super! Let’s go back to the real issues.
I will continue to ignore Mr. Kyle’s comments (I don’t have the time for his never ending remarks about his wonderful self).
The Daily Review had an article yesterday regarding the STAR results, and of course it was highlighted how low we are in Hayward in comparison to the other Alameda County school districts. A district adm. was quoted praising the 45 minutes the students are receiving daily of English Language Development. WOW! How great our kids would be doing if they were receiving ELD all day. I wonder how negatively affected are our English Only students without a curriculum based program for the Academic Language development they take every day for 45 minutes. I know Lucy is bored during that time and so are many of her peers at her school. I make sure she gets what she needs regarding her reading at home, because I am able to.
My neighbor’s experience with her 3 older children in bilingual was very different; she had her kids in a bilingual program and she still has one entering Middle school after 7 years of bilingual. He can’t read fluently in English (or Spanish). He hates the fact that in elementary school he had to take two tests for everything and is not happy to be called an ELL even though he was born here and speaks English to everyone. I know that parents have choices, as it should be. I just wished they would know how to investigate the success rate of this program in Hayward. My neighbor did not investigate that and her two older kids finish high school unprepared for higher education, or a good paying job. They work now at local fast food restaurants. She is frustrated with the situation with her 12 years old; she sees him going the same direction as his siblings, however my neighbor was able to pick a better program for her youngest child. In an ideal world, with the ideal conditions in the family, I am sure bilingual programs would be great for our kids. This is not the time; the poor kids are learning to take tests, thanks to NCLB. The bilingual students are learning to take tests in two languages! When they get to middle school most of them carry their ELL label forever. Remedial classes until they dropped out of school is all they see in their schedules. Sad, very sad. My opinion is somewhat based in my neighbor’s experience. I am not an educator, but before my eyes I see failure. I am aware that they have to be some successes, but our scores point the opposite.
I wonder how the community feels about this.
August 18th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Dear Lucy’s Mom,
I think it is time that HUSD stop and re-examine what has been done to the educational process in the district. If it hasn’t worked for this long perhaps they should stop, take a deep breath, and ask the true professionals in this district, the teaching staff, what might work.
District administrators have been away from the classroom for so long they forget that the best ideas usually come from the teacher who is in the “trenches”everyday. Only they know what will serve their stuednts best.
Maybe HUSD should stop paying high priced consultants to examine and critique existing programs and then charge huge amounts to recommend “their way”. We have tried it and it doesn’t seen to have worked.
Time to trust the people we hire to work everyday with our students to assist the district office in creating challenging, state standards based curriculum for their students. At this point I don’t think they could do much worse. Do you?
August 18th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
I am so glad I can rest easy that Mr. Kyle will no longer use his slash and burn on people who choose to contribute to this site. While he may think that some have used slanderous language regarding elected officials, he seems to forget his language referring to people who DARE to disagree with him. It is hurtful, tasteless and a typical bullying tactic.
At last maybe we can share opinions, experiences, ideas and suggestions regarding how to improve HUSD’s standing in the educational community.
August 18th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
I have to agree with Lucy’s Mom on the subject of ELD/ELA. I wish we put half the effort into keeping some of the students that are leaving to neighboring districts (and taking their test scores with them) that we do into programs like this one. The FIRST 45 minutes are very precious in the picture of learning and for a majority of our students they are silent reading. I don’t put all of my confidence in test scores, but I guess I just don’t see that this is one of those decisions supporting “ALL MEANS ALL”. If this change is not beneficial to all of our students, perhaps a re-evaluation might be in order.
Regarding HUSD consultants … it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to interpret our situation. Do we really need to pay someone to tell us that things are not on track here? We’ve eliminated any type of enrichment programs and our enrollment shows that families are running from this area! Find a way to make our students want to stay in Hayward and you might get more “bang for your buck” on those precious test scores! Maybe I should charge HUSD for that input??!!
I also agree that the teachers are the closest to the students. If we really want to know what is working and what isn’t … let’s ask! We might be surprised at the value of their input.
I will be interested to see how many of the candidates actually visit our schools and see what is happening in the classrooms. It may put them in touch with what the real topics of interest will be during this campaign. I would be interested to hear how they think things are going and what they see that they would like to change or improve upon.
August 19th, 2010 at 2:37 am
lets compare some results of recent state testing. Here we go:
Below Basic might compare to “D”, Far Below Basic to “F”
Hayward District:
2nd grade English
Below Basic:19%
Far Below Basic: 13%
11th grade:
Below Basic: 18%
Far Below Basic: 23%
Math
2nd grade
Below Basic: 22%
Far Below Basic: 7
11th grade:
Below Basic: 39%
Far Below Basic: 15%
Science:
5th grade:
Below Basic: 19%
Far Below Basic: 15%
11th grade:
Below Basic: 17%
Far Below Basic: 17%
Castro Valley District:
English
2nd grade:
Below Basic: 6%
Far Below Basic: 3%
11th grade:
Below Basic: 13%
Far Below Basic: 13%
Math
2nd grade:
Below Basic: 5%
Far Below Basic: 3%
11th grade:
Below Basic: 17%
Far Below Basic: 3%
Science:
5th grade
Below Basic: 3%
Far Below Basic: 2%
11th grade
Below Basic: 17%
Far Below Basic: 17%
Hayward Charter School
Don’t know what these kids were in 2nd grade:
All kids take college prep
9th English
Below Basic: 7%
Far Below Basic: 3%
11th English
Below Basic: 12%
Far Below Basic: 7%
Math
9th
Below Basic: 11%
Far Below Basic: 1%
11th
Below Basic: 7%
Far Below Basic: 4%
Science:
9th grade
Below Basic: 3%
Far Below Basic: 3%
11th grade
Below Basic: 13%
Far Below Basic: 7%
Far Below Basic: 2%
Observations: In all schools, students get further behind as they get older overall, or at best stay the same. Charter school has lower D and F percentages. The precentages are not that much higher in Castro Valley, a “rich” district when compared to Hayward in
August 19th, 2010 at 2:53 am
Science. English is not much better either. The greatest difference is in Math, where Hayward students are testing way behind. The charter school students test higher than both district in almost every area.
In the Hayward district we have 41% of students not passing English with a basic knowledge. We have 51% not passing Math. We have 34% not passing science. This seems to be the best subject of the bunch. How are these students going to make it in today’s increasingly technical world? 23% should be repeating English. 15% should be repeating Math. 17% should be repeating Science as a minimum. Sometimes I think the school districts should be sued for malpractice.
August 19th, 2010 at 10:20 am
Seems to me it doesn’t take a consultant to see that if they didn’t get it in 2nd grade then they sure won’t get it in 5th, 9th or 11th. Part of the blame has to be put on the no child left behind. A policy put in place with good intentions but what has resulted is passing kids to the next grade when they aren’t ready. Thus the high school seniors who can’t pass an exit exam with 8th grade material on it. And do report cards not reflect these results? So the parents aren’t concerned if their child comes home from school with a D or F? The system is broken and there is plenty of blame to share. Finding people who are willing to fight for solutions and get all parties involved is going to be a challenge.
August 19th, 2010 at 10:55 am
Don’t blame the system, the blame goes to the students and their families.
The simple fact is that you get better at anything if you practice. You can’t master anything just sitting on your butt. Teachers teach but the students need to do their homework and study the material. If this simple action occurs everyday, the scores will automatically improve.
The sooner we put the emphasis back at home instead of at the school district the sooner we will get back on track.
August 19th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
I agree Jeff. The parents and students are part of “the system” in my opinion. But students can’t continue being passed from one grade to the next with a failing grade or you end up with high school seniors who can’t pass the exit exam no matter who’s to blame.
August 19th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
qDRN,Qdrn. Jeff et al
At item 54 you display results of a worthwhile read relative to analysis of student performance;
At item #55 you continue with an effective discussion
At #56 ’Observer’ speaks of a broken system
Jeff jumps in at # 57, he reveals a thought about conditions existent at a child’s home…. He gets very close to the problem…
At #58 observer partially agrees with Jeff, the ‘system is broken!
At this point Kyle jumps in to advise of a required report submitted to the State Department of Eddykashun’s little known office within that colossus of management.
Folks, did you know that a report is prepared which reveals the numbers of students with an unexcused absence of more than 30 minutes on three or more days?
21,319 students enrolled at October 1, 2009, half of whom racked up 10,432 such incidents for a truancy rate averaging…
74% at our High Schools;
64.3% at Middle schools and a rate of
36.40% for kids in k-12 who apparently are learning slow but can be expected to ‘catch up’ as they acquire techniques to play the game well.
If you haven’t read today’s issue of the Daily Review, The Reporter assigned to staff at Oakland Tribune has a front page story on how Senate Bill 13177 is gonna solve the crisis…… when all the smoke clears from the State senate Chambers, we may have a bill permitting parents to be charged with a misdemeanor with penalties of as much as $2,000 or a one year jail term…., What is happening to our Constitutional RIGHT TO SCREW UP?
Wow, it will be along time before that first parent hears the lock on the door behind them.
I favor imposition of a performance bond of one hundred dollars per family, regardless of the number of kids enrolled by that family. Each absence by a youngster’s offense, would cost mom and pop $30.…. Can you just imagine the results of that loss?
Dad might be upset at the loss of some beer money necessary to his TV watchin’ addiction and Mom would be embarrassed by loss of the price of a hair do! Can you imagine her loss of status occurring with that event? Hell’s bells… the other ladies at the Laundromat might emit a snicker or two…..
Me, I’d tar and feather a kid who did that to my budget! 48.94 % truancy seen in that mysteriously prepared report for year 2009-2010 at HUSD.
We sure are lucky it did not exceed 50%…. Right? jEFF? ET AL ?
August 19th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Mr. Kyle,
Once again you are using that broad stroke of a paint brush to describe the lives of “truant” students. It smacks of “elitism”. Who are you to decide the circumstnces or environment of homes in HUSD? Oops, I forgot…you are the export.
Well once again I fall under the old saying “Live in hope and die in dispair”. I thought you would jump on this band wagon of the legislation regarding truancy. I so hoped that you would take some time off from this blog and work to pass the bill.=(
I support the idea of having parents become more involved in the at home supervision of students and school assignments. Unfortunately, many (who might be HUSD grads) don’t have the ability to understand the assignment themselves. Maybe we should REALLY do outreach to parents in assisting them to be involved in a meaningful way.
With respect to the lowest performing in our district, I believe that the No Child Left Behind Act mandated that students who score consistantly in that bracket were entitled to interventions. As I remember, the interventions could be done at a specialized center such as Kumon or Huntington Learning Centers or Sylvan Learning Centers; this assistance would be paid by HUSD and parents could opt to make use of the service. In addition, they could be presented with the option of sending their student to an HUSD intervention class before or after school.
Once again, I am suggesting if a law/mandate exists that will benefit children then I believe that HUSD must offer that option, minus roadblocks. Is there anybody else out there who recalls hearing or reading about interventions?
August 19th, 2010 at 3:33 pm
Everyone !
Booth is ‘bullying me’
Will she ever let up ?/
August 19th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
Sorry Kathi. I have to agree with Kyle on this one. I think you are over reacting to his previous post. I like to hear his opinion as long as he doesn’t cross the invisible line of reasonableness that we are trying to draw here.
August 19th, 2010 at 7:27 pm
Dear Cheryl,
Glad to see someone can critique a posting in a friendly and courteous manner. That is simply what I wish Mr. Kyle could and would do.
I agree that I was somewhat snippy in my comments, however they do not rise to the level, or sink to the level, of what Mr. Kyle has chosen to say regarding me or others personally.
I do need to ask where were you when he posted personal information regarding me and my family? Where were you when he called me paranoid? Where were you when he said he would relish the opportunity to find out where Obama, newage resides?
Just wondering? Once again, thank you for your opinion and I will attempt to temper my responses to Mr.Kyle. Difficult as that may be at times.
August 19th, 2010 at 9:20 pm
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him/her drink. You can teach, but the student has to be able to learn, and this comes from parent involvement, disipline and turning off the the t.v., video games, etc, and have set times for studying and completing assignments with parental participation. Are we running an educational institution or a a day care while parents are concerned on their careers and not their childrens?
August 20th, 2010 at 12:07 am
Back to the ELD/ALD issue . . . as a teacher, I HATE that it is the first 45 minutes of the day, but I LOVE that we have school-wide leveling. I always have 80-100% ELLs in class, and the range of their English acquisition is vast. It would be exhausting and inefficient to try to teach all these different groups at their level(s) in one classroom (I should know, we used to do it in the olden days). Also, in ELD, the bilingual kids mix with the ELLs from the sheltered classes – some of whom speak languages other than Spanish – so nobody slips into their native tongue for those 45 minutes. As a mama, I have to say, my son LOVES ALD. It is is his favorite time of the day and the work he brings home from his ALD class is fantastic. At his school, they level the ALD kids by reading ability, so maybe that makes it easier. I saw tremendous growth in his reading last year.
Lucy’s mom – the issue of “long-term ELLs”, like your neighbor’s children, is a serious one in CA. I would not jump to fault the bilingual program, though. In my 10 yrs. experience as a bilingual teacher, the students who do well in school in general also thrive in English. The students who have a weak background in their home language (narrow vocabulary, for instance), difficulty reading or poor school readiness have trouble transferring their skills to English – their foundation in their first language is simply not strong enough. There are lots of kids like this in Hayward, and we could do a MUCH better job of helping them do better in school. We should do a study of the RFEPs (reclassified fluent English proficient) to see which program turns out a higher percentage.
It should ease your mind to know that the traditional bilingual programs are much better now than when your neighbor’s kids were in elementary school. We include more English now, and the instructinal program is structured and organized by the district. One major advantage of the bilingual programs is that parents and teachers can maintain close communication and parents can be more involved in the classroom and their children’s education.
Personally, I am proud of HUSD’s continued commitment to bilingual education and I am thrilled to see us include Dual Language Immersion at two of our schools. We are preparing our students for the CA of tomorrow!
August 20th, 2010 at 1:24 am
Dear Kathi,
Even if you were a bit snippy, it’s nothing compare to what comes from Mr. Kyle. I let my mouse do the work and move to the next entry. I do not read his comments; you read one, you have read them all.
Watchdog: I agree with you to some extent. Our teachers are teaching under constant pressure from the DO. “Teach this, now test, and so on”. Some teachers comments at board meetings and during informal conversations include the lack of support from their principals and or district in matters of discipline. When a student is defiant, comes late or chats with his or her friends, the office does not follow up. The discipline policy is not implemented in a consistent basis. If there is no support for the teacher, Instructional time is lost ans so is the teacher’s authority. There goes classroom control!
I have heard that some students have been so defiant, threatening teachers and principals that if they get suspended/expelled, their moms will have the teacher/principal fired from their jobs. I hope this is not true.
The district has to provide job security to our teachers. Having just one child in elementary school I have seen teachers worried and looking for other jobs because the district does not tell them they have a job until a week before school starts, or the day school starts. So many teachers leave this district for that reason. When you don’t have continuum, you know what happens.
Principals do not stay long here, some get tired of the lack of support, others are let go because they ” do not fit” or who knows why.
In matters of parent involvement, the DO needs to work with all parents. If there are parent centers, and recently a grant to use for the functioning of such centers, it should be used to facilitate trainings for parents so they can learn strategies, techniques to assist their children not only with homework, but with the many other challenges kids are facing now a days(peer pressure,communication between parents/children, discipline,time management,higher expectations,financial crisis, etc).
Many parents are lacking parental skills, other do not feel welcome. Some parents are busy with their careers and some are working 2 or 3 jobs to pay for rent and food.
Some may say, we are here to educate the children, no their parents, but in reality, the parent component is crucial to the children, and to society in general, so we need to invest there. The DO should make these trainings accessible to all parents, mornings and evenings, not all parents are at home in the mornings!
Parents NEED to investigate what programs are working and make sure their children participate in such programs. They should demand highly qualified intervention programs (LESS THAN 20 STUDENTS PER CLASS with professional teachers conducting the int. programs),they should demand after school programs that are truly enriching; YEP needs a GOOD REVAMPING.
Parents needs to be held accountable for their children behavior, what colors their kids wear to school, unexcused absences, etc.
We sure need a board of education that is there for ALL our students.
August 20th, 2010 at 1:48 am
Dear Teachermama,
I appreciate your comment, thank you for the ray of hope you provided.
Unlike your child, Lucy is bored during ALD. Maybe her school will implement what is being done at your child’s school this year. I will ask the principal.
Your idea of a study of the RFEPs(reclassified fluent English proficient) is terrific.
Do we need a consultant for that? Hopefully not.
August 20th, 2010 at 9:19 am
To All:
So heartwarming to see people communicate and offer info on this site. I agree with the idea of using parent centers to assist parents in understanding what is really necessary for them to support the school educational programs. It is time that HUSD put their money where their mouths are and begin to really address parents’ insecurity or inability to help their children at home instead of just “strongly suggesting that it is a parent’s responsibility to become involved.” If a parent does not know what to do or how to understand a series of assignments, quite often the home session ends in no success for the student at all.
Parents can only do what they are equipped in life to do, regardless of how hard they may try.
August 20th, 2010 at 10:08 am
Kathi: I think you might be referring to some of the “Supplemental Educational Services (SES)”. There are tutoring programs available to students attending Title I PI Years 2-5 schools. There are also intervention classes in reading and math for students performing below grade level offered in middle and high school. I believe even YEP has begun focusing on homework management, tutoring and curriculum.
What about the students that do not attend a Title 1 school? What types of programs are available for them? What about the students that may not be FAR BELOW BASIC, but somewhere on the cusp of below basic and proficient. These may be the students that just need the extra time and concentrated effort. Our intervention program is aligned with grade level. For example, a student enrolled in grade level Algebra will receive intervention to provide additional support for Algebra. I worry about the student that may have missed some of the fundamentals really early on. It is hard to learn to run if you never learned to walk.
According to the District Action Plan, the sheer number of people at the District that should be dedicated to improving academic achievement is staggering. We have the Director of Educational Services, Director of Standards/Assessment/Research/Evaluation, Director of ELL, Director of Federal and State Programs, and Director of Special Education just to name a few. In the business world, a director tasked with a specific job would be held accountable when the end results were dismal. Do you think we will be looking to these individuals for answers or explanations based on our recent results? Or shall we just hire another consultant to evaluate this for us??
August 20th, 2010 at 4:17 pm
Mr Kyle….didn’t your mother ever tell you that’s it’s not what you say but the tone you use. A number of people on this blog have stated that you have good ideas although it’s the same few ideas over and over and over and over and over again. However the tone you take with anyone who may have an opinion or idea that differs from yours is immediately attacked, called names, intellectually insulted and any dirt you can dig up on them is thrown out. Just have a discussion. Just be open to opinions and ideas that may or may not be identical to yours. You have a way to stir the anger in even the calmest and most even tempered person. And you might try to keep it short. Your posts are so long and repetitive that it’s difficult to pick out any new information. You had a post a few days ago that had a great idea in it but it gets so lost in all the repetitive stories, ramblings and insulting descriptions of people that I don’t even recall what it was. It’s too bad really that you can’t control yourself because you do have some valuable input. If you can read back through your posts and compare the language to that of others you must be able to see why people are so put off. If not, then I can’t believe anything other than you do it intentionally to try and push people’s buttons. By the way, Ms Booth’s first name is spelled Kathi…you must know that by now. I just can’t figure out why I keep responding to you – you must have a gift.
August 20th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Onserver’
You approve of licentious behavior ?
You apptrove of Booth’s behavuiors?
You approve of an outrageeous report of Truancy which has absolutely no bearing on facts?
And you see no merit in in the Twon Hall meeting idea.
You advance what in the way of changing the Status quo at HUSD?
Ah, I( got it!
30
August 20th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
Thank you Observer for your cogent thoughts, too bad they are wasted on someone who cannot open his mind or his heart to differing opinions. The gift John Kyle has is the ability to demean people. We are so put off by it that we are compelled to continue to try to get through to him. It’s probably wasted effort.
To K. Rocchio;
You may very well be correct, it’s just that I thought that these intervention funds were, at the very least, to go to schools that consistantly failed to reach their API scores, regardless of whether they are Title 1 or not. I will attempt to research and refresh my memory. In any event, it is my understanding that YEP cannot be classified as an intervention service. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that YEP workers are not credentialed teachers and therefore are not to be used in any way other than supervision of homework and offering limited assistance as “tutors”.
It is totally disgusting that so many of our students fall through the pot holes and cracks in HUSD. I really believe that the administrators at the district level, are so busy listening to consultants, trying to review consultant materials, preparing paperwork and to satisfy some directive from their superiors that NONE of them really understand that all is lost at the school site level. Then suddenly the scores are horrid so what they do? They dismiss site administrators and look for excuses at the site level for failure, when the real fact is HUSD’s DISTRICT OFFICE HAS DROPPED THE BALL. What is that called, Passing the buck?
August 21st, 2010 at 7:50 am
Kelly, I think you hit the nail on the head with the problems with intervention. Many teachers have been saying that targetting the lowest students for SES tutoring is not an effective use of the intervention money, because those kids need more time and more intensive instruction than what those programs offer. As you say, it is still grade level material, so it is still too hard for them. We should be sending the students who just need a little extra push. Besides, many of the instructors are college students (or younger?) and very inexperienced. They are generally not equipped to help students who are very far behind, have difficulty learning, or speak very little English. It kills me that we are forced to spend some of our public money on these for-profit companies, but we can thank NCLB for that.
Lucy’s mom- I hope ALD is better for Lucy this year. I do not believe in tracking on principle, but I think if it’s only for a short time, like ALD, it is useful. Maybe it can also be an opportunity to provide GATE services. I have heard from many parents and teachers that mixed-level ALD is a waste of time. I hope your principal embraces the idea (more work for them, so keep pushing). Also, I think the district bought some ALD curriculum this year that I heard was pretty good. We will see. And, I agree with you, nooooooo more consultants. The ELL Dept. should be able to run those RFEP numbers.
To all, I am so impressed that so many in the community are so well-informed. I always learn something here. Information is power.
August 21st, 2010 at 10:16 am
TO ALL WHO READ OR POST ON THIS SITE:
FOR THE LAST TIME….JOHN KYLE IS A BOLDFACED LIAR. HIS CLAIM ON ANOTHER ARTICLE ON THIS BLOG OF INNOCENCE WHEN IT COMES TO ME IS UNTRUE!!!!
HE DID REVEAL WHERE I LIVED. HE DID REVEAL PERSONAL INFORMATION REGARDING MY HUSBAND. HE DID REVEAL THAT, IN HIS OPINION I WAS A CHAIN SMOKER; BASED UPON A VISIST TO MY DOOR MANY YEARS AGO. HE DID MAKE JUDGEMENTS ON MY MENTAL CAPACITY AND PLACED BLAME ON MY HUSBAND. HE DID IMPLY THAT I COULD NOT FORMULATE AN OPINION FOR MYSELF BECAUSE OF WHOM I AM MARRIED TO. HE DID QUESTION MY MENTAL CAPACITY. HE DID WRITE THAT HE BELIEVED THAT I WAS UNABLE TO PASS THE BAR, THEREFORE THAT WAS WHY I WAS NOT A PRACTICING ATTORNEY.
HE HAS POSTED HIS DESIRE TO LEARN WHERE OTHER BLOGGERS LIVE AND HIS DETERMININATION TO FIND OUT. HE HAS MADE SCURRILOUS REMARKS ABOUT OTHER BLOGGERS.
HIS VILE AND HURTFUL PERSONAL REFERENCES TO INDIVIDUALS SIMPLY CLOUDS ANY GOOD IDEAS HE ATTEMPTS TO THROW INTO HIS HORRIFIC COMMENTS.
FREE SPEECH MY A….. THE CONSTITUTION WAS NOT WRITTEN TO PROVIDE PERSONS LIKE HIM A BLANKET APPROVAL TO POST WHAT HE DOES.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO CLEAR THE AIR. IT IS MY HOPE THAT IF I DECIDE TO CONTINUE INTERACTING WITH ALL OF YOU THAT YOU WILL READ WHAT I OFFER AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELVES IF THERE IS ANY VALUE IN IT.
August 22nd, 2010 at 6:28 pm
I hope everone who has students starting school tomorrow has a positive experience and that your kids make easy transitions.
August 22nd, 2010 at 10:37 pm
Kathi, I wish all parents and their children a successful school year too. I hope the parents of the children that attend the 4 schools in transition stay very alert!
August 22nd, 2010 at 10:59 pm
Ms. Booth, You are guilty of Calumny.
Surely, you spoke of having completed law school, but despite that education, you fail understanding of the difference between Freedom and license.
Your support of that equally acrimonious offender, “Obama new age” whose slanderous remark about Mr. Armas demanded my indignant resonse,, places you in a difficult position considering that you had spoKen to Mr. Armas and had suggested to him that he take the position held by Ms. Duran. Thus you implied he was a friend….. BUT you failed to defend the man.
When in my post, numbered 59 above, you and the others of my critics passed over the scandelous, obvious
inaccuracy of HUSD’s report dealing with truancy it
seemed to me that your inability to ‘lock on’ to an obvious need for correction in the reporting techniques dealing with unexcused absences’ (of three days or more), would have drawn the attention of blog contributors who are ‘deeply interested’ in HUSD, as you state your self to be. Why the indifference?
An example of your lack of recollection of facts; I did not specifically identify your place of residence, what I DID STATE WAS THAT YOU LIVED IN THE LONGWOOD-WINTON GROVE AREA. AT LEAST AS FAR AS I KNEW THE FACTS FROM THOSE DAYS WHEN I BOTHERED TO ‘CAMPAIGN’ FOR VARIOUS CANDIDATES WHO HAD ASKED FOR MY ASSISTANCE.
IF YOU ARE FEARFUL OF LIVING OR ASHAMED OF HAVING LIVED IN AN AREA SO NOTORIOUS FOR IT’S POSSESSION OF A FAILING SCHOOL……. I AM UNABLE TO FATHOM YOUR ATTITUDE. ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS INDICATE THAT YOU HAD MOVED. IT WAS BY NO MEANS AN EFFORT ON MY PART TO
DENIGRATE YOUR ESTEEMED, HIGH SOCIAL POSITION IN SOUTH COUNTY SOCIETY.
SHUCKS, THE ONLY REASON I REMAIN IN HAYWARD IS THE FACT THAT I NEED TO BE NEAR KAISER HOSPITAL. YOU WOULD NOT KNOW IT WHEN YOU SPEAK TO MY WIFE BUT SHE IS A TYPE 1 DIABETIC AND HAS SUCESSFULLY BATTLED THAT PROBLEM FOE 62.5 YEARS. I OCCASIONAALY HAVE FOUND IT NECESSARY TO DIAL 911 WHEN SHE BECAME NON-RESPONSIVE DUE TO A MISCUE IN BALANCING HER BLOOD SUGAR CONTENT WITH THE NEED TO TAKE TWICE DAILY INJECTIONS…… a REAL PERSON WITH STRENGTHS AND DETERMINATION TO BEAR FOUR CHILDREN WHILE SUFFERING A STILL BIRTH AND THREE MIS-CARRYS’ YET SHE IS CHEERFUL, A NON-COMPLAINER WHO ON A WEEKLY BASIS ESCORTS AN RC PRIEST TO NURSING HOMES WHERE HE CONDUCTS RELIGIOUS SERVICES FOR ‘OLD FOLKS’ WHO ARE ‘SHUT-INS’ AT REST HOMES/OONVALESCENT FACILITIES.
FOUR MONTHS YOUNGER THAN MYSELF… SHE NEVER COMPLAINS, IS CONSTANTLY CHEERFUL AND WILL TURN 80 IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2011. NOT ONE SINGLE GRAY HAIR ON HER HEAD!
ONE THING MOST ADMIRABLE ABOUT MY WIFE, IS THAT SHE AND I WILL CELBRATE 57 YEARS OF MARRIAGE WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. I HAVE NEVER HEARD HER ‘KNOCK’ OR MALIGN THE NAME OR CHARACTER OF A SINGLE PERSON, WHICH IS REFRESHING IN THIS DAY AND AGE!
WHEN SHE CONTRACTED DIABETES, SHORTLY BEFORE HER GRADUATION, SHE WAS HOSPITALIZED, FOR A MONTH, BUT AT ABOUT THE THIRD WEEK SHE WAS RELEASED FOR FIVE OR SIX Days SO THAT SHE COULD ATTEND GRADUATION WITH HER CLASSMATES. a year and a half ago. SHE ATTENDED HER 60TH RE-UNION AND IS NUMBERED AMONG VERY FEW SURVIVORS.
THE IRONY IS THAT SHE HAD CONTRACTED TO BECOME A NUN IN THE RELIGIOUS ORDER TEACHING AT HOLY NAMES HS AND COLLGE IN oAKLAND…. AFTER GRADUATION SHE WAS TO MAKE AN INITIAL PROFESSION OF VOWS BUT SOME POOR ADMINISTRATOR AT THE CONVENT WAS STUCK AT WRITING THE LETTER, THAT SINCE TYPE I DIABETICS HAD A VERY SHORT LIFESPAN… AS REVEALED IN STATISTICS, THEY COULD NOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR HER TRAINING AND COLLEGE EDUCATION….. TOO BAD, SHE HAS BEEN TEACHING SURVIVAL STRENGTHS EVER SINCE!!!!
NOW, HOW COULD GOD BLESS ME WITH HER PRESENCE IN MY LIFE IF I WAS AS BAD AS YOU STATE ME TO BE? ARE YOU GUILTY OF PRESUNPTION?
WISE UP… MY WIFE WILL PUT IN A GOOD WORD FOR YOU…. WHERE IT COUNTS!
August 23rd, 2010 at 9:06 am
Mr.Kyle,
Tell your wife thanks but no thanks. With respect to you,I need not answer to you about anything personal in my life. My admiration for Mr. Armas’ abilities as a city manager remain the same and my wish that he had opted to interview for the the post of superintendent was genuine. He is a big boy and quite capapble of defending himself regarding posts on this blog. I am sure that he is not nearly offended as you are, since his career in public sector jobs has led to many other criticisms and as you put it “name calling, licentious accusations”. Give it up Jonny boy, once again you have made more assumptions regarding my reason for being angry for your personal revelations. You simply did not have my permission nor my blessings to speak of me in any personal manner. My life is my life and it is up to me to share any or no part of it.
To Lucy’s Mom,
I too hope that the transition schools provide a positive experience for students. I am sure that some brave parents will attend the next few board meetings to share their experiences.
August 23rd, 2010 at 11:13 am
To all:
I just scanned the board agenda and it looks as if somebody got the message on the board members collecting more than they were legally entitled to and now they will be receiving the $400-420 they should get. While it”s not an enormous amount at least some of the funds that students should be receiving will, I hope, return to the classrooms or other necessary programs.
August 23rd, 2010 at 11:52 am
Booth,
Congratulations on saving the $250 per month eacth. Fine bit of sleuthing! THAT LOSS MIGHT AFFECT REYNOSO’S CONTINUED PRESENCE….. HE HAS BEEN DEEPLY ENGAGED IN PURSUIT OF HIS ADVANCED DEGREE……. LIVING ON SAVINGS I WAS TOLD.
Now, what can you do to address the ADA AND TRUANCY PROBLEM?
WHEN YOU SOLVE THAT, TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO THE INFLUX OF PAROLEES IN HUSD SEVICE AREA……. KNOWING THAT YOUR DILIGENCE WILL SOON SOLVE THAT ALSO…. WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR INPUT NECESSARY TO ASSURE THAT NO STINKING ‘AD HOC’ GROUP RAISES FUNDS FOR SPORTS OR MUSIC PROBLEMS. THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS TO ASSURE NO SUCH THING AS A TOWN HALL MEETI8NG IS HELD IN HAYWARD.
OBANA NEW AGE WILL AID THAT FIGHT….
WONDER WHY SHE STOPPED CONTRIBUTING…. YOU DON’SUPPOSE THAT SHE HAS BEEN BANNED”” DO YOU?
August 23rd, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Mr. KILLE,
What Mr. Reynoso does or doesn’t do with his personal finances is of no concern of yours. It is sniping comments like that which are unbecoming of even a person such as you.
It is not my job to solve anything for HUSD. I simnply point out where I believe mistakes or illegalities are happening and hope that the readers of this blog use the information or have suggestions that may benefit HUSD.
There was no sleuthing on my part, I just accessed the Education Codes, something you should try. Since you are insisting that I solve truancy, why is it that you have not inquired about the School Attendance And Review Board and what they are doing to assist in this problem????? A simple call to the district office should get you through to the person who may be willing to respond to the question(s).
There are currently several groups that raise money for HUSD students; the Hayward Education Foundation and Chime In to name just two. I am so sorry that you are so bitter about the fact that I personally do not agree with the effectivness of “Ad Hoc” groups or Town Hall Meetings. Who knows Mr. Kille, maybe I am alone in my opinion regarding them and many people will participate in them.
August 23rd, 2010 at 12:49 pm
Kathi:
Do you know anything about the $52,800 ASES/21st Century money for the Mad Science Program through YEP? This is on the agenda for Wednesday night. Is this money under restrictions that won’t allow it to be used for programs that might benefit the entire student body as opposed to the small number of student served in YEP? I though the Supplemental Ed money was for students that needed the additional academic support.
August 23rd, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Ms. Rocchio,
I thought I had posted a reply. I will attempt to research info regarding ASES and any restrictions on the use of the monies. It may take a day or so but I will make every effort to get find out.
August 23rd, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Kathi Booth –I want to say thanks for sharing knowledge about our District and how the rules that our Board and District should follow. If more people were aware and knew about some of the things that go on we might be able to help bring things in this district back to order. Does the $1500 ($300-350 X 5) solve the budget issue in HUSD? No. It does show that the community is watching and is willing to keep the business of the Board in check! I guess some people might think it is okay to let such a small amount slide by, but those are also the people who think it’s okay to have a spouse of an HR Director on the board. By helping the community stay up on their knowledge you will make the system less open for abuse. Thanks for that.
August 23rd, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Dear Observer,
I try my best to get HUSD to do what is right for students, and to let the community know when I think there is something not right in the operations of the district.
If my entries do nothing more than to spur people to think and try to learn to use the tools that are out there for all of us, then I am happy.
Thank you.
August 23rd, 2010 at 3:08 pm
For all who would like to look at Candidate Will McGee’s website. http://www.WilliamMcGee.com
It is a good look at what he stands for and who he is. I think he is someone worth looking at and chatting with. Please take the time to read it.
August 23rd, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Great news, Kathi, about the board stipend. And thanks for the well wishes to all of us. My son and I each had a great day – much calmer than last year (as Duran promised in the Daily Review article.) Teachers also got a motivational email from Supt. Duran, which is far more encouragement than we ever got from Vigil. Let’s see what the next 179 days bring.
August 23rd, 2010 at 9:09 pm
Unfortunately, the state has decided to withhold its September payment to schools. I am thinking for hayward (and probably any other school) this is BAD news. Anyone know how this will affect our students?
August 23rd, 2010 at 9:24 pm
Ms. Booth and Teachermama,
We had a good day! Hopefully the ALD will improve.
About the meeting this Wed. Did you notice the number of consultants to be hired? The district continues to move on as if nothing happens. We know that the rubber stampers will approve such scandalous spending.
How much money was spend on the new guidelines/ policy for board members? Why do we need that?
I would think an efficient Superintendent should be able to facilitate meetings for the board and help them solve their issues.
I hope someone ask how much it cost.
I wonder about that SES money too.
Thank you for the great conversation we are having. I concur with Observer.
August 23rd, 2010 at 9:58 pm
To Lucy’s Mom:
I think your question regarding “new”guidelines for board members is a good one, my guess this is a payment that goes directly to the legal firm that supposedly represents the board of education. Each time they prepare something for the superintendent and the board majority it involves what are called billable hours, at $250.00+ an hour that adds up quickly. I would not be surprised if the yearly bill will be at well over $500 thousand dollars. I wonder if this is money well spent? Do we really need to formulate a board conduct policy to police a single member of the board? I think you are correct, this is a matter to be handled “in house” by all parties concerned.
To Teachermama:
Ihope, as you do, that Ms. Duran will continue to encourage teachers to do their best and honor their efforts. I’m just not sure that will be the case in the future. I am glad yours and your son’s day was a positive one. I guess we all have to take the attitude of “one day at a time” when it comes to student success.
Don’t forget to check out the website for Mr. McGee. I’ll be watching Wednesday evening to see the interactions of the board, superintendent and community. I hope that there will be a true effort to treat ALL with respect, regardless of whether there are differences of opinion(s).
August 24th, 2010 at 7:14 pm
To Kathi Booth: Thanks. To Lucy’s mom: I did notice that, with suspicion.
August 24th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
Follow this link to learn about the 21st Century Grant
http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/policy21stcclc.cfm
Hugh Lenahan
Tennyson High School
August 24th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
For K. Rocchio,
My initial research seems to confirm that the ASES/21st Century Mad Science money is restricted to in HUSD’s case the YEP program participants. It is a matching funds grant.
My question(s) would be, if we use matching funds will this open the YEP to any and all students who wish to participate in the Mad Science Program? Correct me if I am wrong, but it is my belief that YEP spots are limited, if this is the case they may be “exclusionary”.
I would want to know where the matching funds are coming from; I would be interested to know if this program will be taught/implemented by credentialed teachers.
I am waiting for some final information and hope that it comes tomorrow regarding whether the funds would be available if participation is limited and what happens if HUSD does not provide the matching funds.
Sorry that I couldn’t give you anything more difinitive. Hope thiis will help you some.
August 25th, 2010 at 9:29 am
Thanks for the information. I have also been doing some research. I still have questions. For example, you mentioned the funding. “Grant funding for each fiscal year is contingent upon the availability of federal funds and the enactment of each respective federal and state Budget Act” per the CDE. Can we sign a contract with a consultant on a budget that we don’t have in place yet?
On participation, you are correct. YEP does have a limited number of spots at each site and due to such a low fee, often has long waiting lists. YEP enrollment is not based on academic achievement. According to the CDE website, their intentions of after-school programs are to “provide disadvantaged kindergarten through twelfth-grade students (particularly students who attend schools in need of improvement) with academic enrichment opportunities and supportive services to help the students meet state and local standards in core content areas.” Are we screening YEP applicants based on this goal?
I hope the District pays attention to this information found on the CDE website regarding ASES:
EC Section 8482.6 states, “Every pupil attending a school operating a program pursuant to this article is eligible to participate in the program, subject to program capacity. “ So, the law says that every pupil (defined as “kindergarten and grades 1 to 9, inclusive”) attending a school that operates an ASES program is eligible to participate subject to program capacity. However, based on local program design and local needs of the district, a school/district could choose to target students based on an assessed need, such as a priority for students with certain scores on the STAR tests, or students in danger of failing because they aren’t turning in their home work.
We do lots and lots of complaining about our achievement gap in Hayward. Let the money back up what the goals say the priorities are in HUSD.
August 25th, 2010 at 9:46 am
Regarding the “Protocol for School Site Visits by Board Members”: I can’t imagine it was necessary to have legal counsel write up a formal document asking site administrators to report back on the behavior of Board Members. Doesn’t the Superintendent meet regularly with Principals in a forum where this request could have been made? It is an “interesting” scenario when we have a Superintendent (employee) requesting staff to report back on the behavior of the Board Members (elected officials).
I feel this money spent on legal counsel might have been money better spent to review the Board Policy AE9270 (Conflict of Interest) or BB 9323 (Meeting Conduct).
August 25th, 2010 at 10:58 am
And this is where is starts. Every nickel and dime saved by questioning old spending habits (and wondering why no matter how many property tax bills pass, the school district never has enough money when frivolous spending is uncovered) is a music or art or sports program that can be saved. It’s a library that can be staffed by a librarian rather than parents. It’s a tutoring program after school. It’s a truancy officer that can be hired to enforce a daytime curfew as is being done in Richmond. It’s a crossing guard that can be hired in a high traffic area……
Ms Rocchio and Ms Booth….thank you to you both for researching this and bringing the information to the attention of everyone! As shown in Cupertino and other communities around the state, community involvement can save school programs.
August 25th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
To K. Rocchio:
This document was designed to “control” Mr. Reynoso and I believe that asking site administrators to report on the behavior of board members is just as “disruptive” as any visit. The sad part is, the majority of the board has given Ms. Duran total control, and they simply respond to her wishes.
The cost of the attorney is approximately, $250.00 per hour and all hours are billable. As far as I can tell, we do not have a flat fee contract, so every time the attorney is asked to review or create a document they bill hourly. AND YES THE SUPERINTENDENT IS THE EMPLOYEE WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE CONCERNED WITH SUCCESSFULLY EDUCATING STUDENTS, NOT PLAYING “GOTCHA” WITH REYNOSO.
With respect to the ASES grant, the district does not screen for the most academincally needy in YEP, it is first come first served. They “excuse” this method by saying any student who needs afterschool care, do to parents’ work schedule, is needy.
To Observer and Ms. Rocchio:
I believe there will be at least one person speaking regarding using money for questionable legal fees at tonight’s meeting. They are going to raise the issue of the board handbook and possibly the directive to site administrators and the wasted cost for these items.
August 25th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
To all potential attendees….
Keep it civil, Observe the three minute rule at public comments. Work to have the Board adapt to the system followed by City Council when contentious issues come before the Council. Mr Armas is easily able to explain the techique; ‘groups’ wishing to have folks speak their piece ought to choose a leader who will be permitted 5 minutes and that individusl would be follwed by two more, eash with a three minute time allocation……. If three are unable to cover the points in 11 minutes, they ought re-study their topic.
Impress upon the board the need to fiollow the Brown act petmissive rule used by the Hayward City Council!
Avoid ‘confrontation ! We have had enough of that at Trustee mwwtings.
What ought be brought forward is a rewal need to examine the causes of the ADa MONEY LOSS!
i THINK THAT THE ATTENDENCE CLERKS NEED RE-EXAMINATION OF THEIR DUTIES,,, HOW IS IT POSSUBLE tHAT TRUANCY, AS INDICAYTED BY THE THE CALCULATION OF ALL THOSE ‘UNEXCUSED ABSENCES’, COUNTING ONLY THOSE WHICH INVOL;VRED ANBSENCE OF THREE DAYS OR MORE HAS RISEN FROM THE 2008- 2009 EXPERIOENCE OF 5,318 SUCH INCIDENCESW TO 10,432 SUCH INCIDENTS IN 2009-2010.
tHAT IS AN INCREASE OF 49% …….
iS IT POSSIBLE THAT TRANSIENCY IS CONFUSED WITH TRUANCY. WHAT IS THE AFFECT UPON MONIES?
Last year we had a reputed 92% average daily attendence….. will someone, in my absence at thise evenings meeting deliver that message so that all watching the entertainment will become at least a tad more interested in the money problem…. I thought that the ADA lossess were around # 1 to $2,000,000. I am tempted to believe it would solve our problem with the State threat of takeover….if we spent more time examing and seeking resolution of the loss of income than proclaiming triumph of Stipend reduction to be suffered by Trustees.
Blowing horns over reduction of expense involving $1,000 is not a triuph…. recapturing $4,000,000 or $5,000,000 in ADA loss should be uppermost in our minds.
Speakly with respect tonight but elevate your vocal tones only to assure us old, hearing aid dependent folks, who might then think of you kindly, then appreciate your thoughts.
Angry delivery of deprecating thoughts are like commercials on tv…. time out to visit the frige etc……. I simply turn away from the likes of some who consistently complain……. those offering real solutions earn my interest as well as gratitude.
So now. who is up to making comment on the obvious truancy problem confusion.
Last year the daily aqttendenc factor was around 92% tHGAT WAS BAD…. i CAN HARDLY WAIT TO SEE THE REPORT WHICH STATES THE AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDENCE WHEN ANOTHRE REPORT INDICATES 10,422 ABSENCES OF 3 DAYS OR MORE!
August 25th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
POT
August 25th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
Mr. Kile,
You seem to have a handle on the truancy problem. I would not blame anyone for not joining you for fear that you will find a way to denegrate them come tomorrow.
Again I ask you why you haven’t responded to my question regarding the School Attendance and Review Board. Is it because it came from me? Because if that is the reason then I am sorry.
Perhaps you can volunteer your services to resurect the SARB and assist them in developing new measures to deal with this problem.
To All:
If you attend the meeting tonight speak from your heart and if that ends up being inappropriate in Jon’s eyes worry not. Heartfelt words are important.
August 25th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
I will not be able to attend tonight due to a Back-to-School Picnic. I agree with Kathi on speaking from the heart. I have sent an email to the Board and Superintendent Duran expressing some concerns I have. One is described above regarding the ASES/21st Century $$ and the other is regarding a recent post on the HUSD website regarding combo classes. In that post Supt. Duran states that combos are “becoming an alternative solution to displacing students who would otherwise need to be sent to other school sites within the school district.” I believe if you look at East Avenue, you will find that by creating the combination classes, they had the exact opposite outcome. Classes were packed to capacity and now any new students must be redirected. Existing students were placed in combo classes and now there is no opportunity to go back to straight classes because any new students will be sent to other sites.
I will be interested to see how many of the candidates (the original topic of this thread) show up at the meeting tonight and speak on topics of interest to the community. Mr. Armas attended our Back-to-School night. I hope some of the other candidates start reaching out and showing interest to the community soon. I did visit the website for Mr. McGee and was very impressed with him during the interview process for the appointment to the Board. I would really like to hear him speak on some of the agenda items tonight.
August 25th, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Ms. Booth
Thank you for reduciong the expense of payments to the trustees for their presence..
Mr. Reynoso has done some calculations and says that Mr. Frumkin neds to pay back all the he recieved in nearlt 10 yeaRS ON THE bOARD. sOMETHING LIKE $37,000 FOR fRUNKIN THEN THERE WAS ADVICE THAT WE NEED TO CONTAV=CT mR.sAQEWMZ, mR, pETERSON, sAEAH gONZALEZ AND ANY THAT ARE STILL ALIVE AND Can be contacted.
That must mean Mr./ Larry Booth, soes it not let see 350 per month x 12 months x four (4) years ?
Can you cover that?
August 25th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
I assure you Mr Kyle if you ever receive any extra pennies in your social security check, they will definitely require that you repay that amount (i.e. if you worked a paying job that exceeded the amount allowed). I believe the point is that is was the responsibility of the board member is to know the laws of California education code. If they had done so, they would have known the stipend they were receiving exceeded the stipend allowed based on the number of enrolled students in the district. So how is this Ms Booth’s fault???
By the way, it is my understanding the budget gap for HUSD is somewhere on the order of $18M. Just as your pet project of truancy recovering $4M-$5M will not bridge that gap, neither will the $1000/month of overpaid stipend to board members but that doesn’t make it any less important. $1000month can be used in any number of ways to assist with programs for the children that have been canceled due to lack of funds. Rather than wanting to recreate the wheel (because if you haven’t noticed, nobody is jumping on your bandwagon) you may want to look into how truancy is being handled in Richmond where the problem is 10 fold . Your $100 bond is never going to fly but there are other programs (I believe Ms Booth refers to SARB in case you missed that in her previous posts) that you could channel your energy toward.
August 26th, 2010 at 12:23 am
If Social Security finds out about it, they will indeed recover from you extra payments. This is part of what my husband does. However, SS will take even a five dollar payment per month until it is paid off.
Otherwise, they will sic the IRS after you.
Good luck with the school meeting. I wish I could get this on television. Can I pick it up on my computer some way? It seems I used to be able to view the meetings through the city website, but now I don’t see how. If someone can help me with this, I would be very grateful.
August 26th, 2010 at 10:02 am
To Jon Kile:
Once again you just can’t resist sniping at me or my family. So glad that you found something to “tickle” your nasty bone.
To All:
The board/superintendent violated Roberts Rules of Order regarding the placement of the controversy of the board stipend on the Consent Calendar. If you aren’t aware, the Consent Calendar items are Action Items, requiring a vote of the board. The stipend reduction was ordered by the STATE DEPARTMENT of EDUCATION and was could not be challenged by the board. It was an informational item that, by parliamentary procedure was required to be a separate Agenda item.
Placing this on the consent calendar was an effort by the superintendent and the board to avoid any comment by members of the audience and to prevent any board member from asking for discussion. Unfortunately, the majority of the board did not expect members of the audience to speak to it.
Since we are talking about over payment and how monies could be better spent, last night, very late and with virtually no one in the the audience, HUSD administrators admitted that for the past school year the Garcia Law firm was paid between $600 and $900 THOUSAND dollars for legal fees.
How many programs or teachers could have been saved with this money? Are you aware that with a contract paying “billable” hours HUSD pays the Garcia firm to sit in on ALL closed sessions? This by the way is a violation of the Brown Act; it is very clear who and why anyone other than the board and superintendent may sit in closed session. So to circumvent the Brown Act, Ms. Duran has appointed the attorney to take minutes of the closed session. Minute taking of closed session is the job of the superintendent.
Ms. Rocchio:
I don’t know if you watched the board meeting last night but the item regarding the ASES grant was conviently “bundled” with the renewal of the attorney contract, and the changes of the Adult School calendar for a single vote. It was done late in the evening, there was no discussion prior to the vote, no board members could ask questions, there was no deliberation and no opportunity for the few left in the audience to question the ASES grant. Convienient wasn’t it?
To Qodrn:
If you receive basic cable service from comcast you can view the board meetings on channel 15 here in Hayward. The next best thing is to watch the “edited” video of the meeting via HUSD’s website later in the week.
August 26th, 2010 at 10:16 am
To All Regarding Repayment of Board Stipends:
I’m sorry but the history buff in me has taken over…so here goes.
In 1999 and for several years prior, the board stipend was $420.00 per month, reflecting that the enrollment of HUSD was below 25,000 students. I believe for the 2000.01 school year the enrolment rose above. How do I know this Mr. Kuyle will ask? Well because I KNOW HUSD!!!!
With respect to re-embursement: The Education Code provides for a three(3) year period to collect retroactive monies. Such money, if owed, can be paid on a mutually agreed schedule. How do I know this Mr.Kiule? Because I research Education Codes and the law.
August 26th, 2010 at 11:22 am
On the subject of truancy in HUSD: I don’t believe it is fair to look at this problem without looking at what is being done to encourage our students to attend our schools.
Am I the only one who thinks that teachers and counselors with manageable workloads, electives of interest to teens, and invigorating arts, music and science programs are some things that might help with the truancy problem. If we continue to eliminate programs that engage our young people, they will continue to let us know! One of the most important steps to reducing truancy is to notify a parent/guardian immediately (not an answering machine) that their student was absent. We don’t have the staff for this. Our classrooms are so large that attendance is simply a report. Our teachers rarely have the luxury of talking to individual students about why they were absent.
There are other things the community can help with. Businesses can request attendance information from teens when applying for jobs. Fast food and movie theaters could refuse to serve or admit students during school days (we would need to have some sort of identification for home schooling). However, I believe that until we can bring our kids back into our schools, these things will only chase them to our neighboring communities.
August 26th, 2010 at 11:23 am
Hugh, thank you for the link. The site contained some great information re: 21st CCLCs.
Kathi & Qodrn, I plan to watch the re-run on the cable today at 4pm. I have also tried the link through the City of Hayward website without success for some time. Did any of the candidates make a showing?
Observer, you make a good point regarding the money situation in HUSD. We can’t afford to look away from the lesser amounts. Any savings equals funding for the students (ohhh, I wish it was that easy). We would never walk away from a $21,000 annual donation (that’s $350/mo. per Trustee). Imagine if the Board only cut programs that would save $1,000,000 or more. We would still have music, GATE, counselors, etc. Every dollar counts. And if it makes the people worried about the Trustees feel any better, notice on the presentation materials it stated that the Board Members were the people that questioned the stipend amount. Hmmmm … I can’t believe that a fiscal advisor doesn’t spend every well-paid minute looking for discrepancies just like this! Instead we are questioning schools ordering supplies and materials.
I look forward to watching the meeting and hope to see our two incumbent candidates showing us what our future holds if re-elected. Every question they ask and every vote they make speaks volumes more than any campaign speech they could ever make!
August 26th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Observer
If you read my #102 as well as the one at around #57 dealing with statistical data on truancy, be sure to read slowly so as to be accurate in your next response.
You will then note that Ms. Booth was so successful, due to her superior research activity, that the district will now save $350 per month from the amount paid to Trustees for their service to community.. Now down from the $750.MONTHLY STIPEND. which was until recently, the monthly stipend paid to Trustees. On Mr. Armas’ recent motion, the amount was reduced but that was insufficient to meet the problem resulting from Ms. Booth’s research.
Now the ‘legal‘ limit is $400. per month..
Then, last night, Mr. Reynoso brought up the subject of restitution, which by his calculation saw a need for Mr. Frumkin to return around $37,000 of illicit payments calculated at $350 per month x 12 months x 9 + years that Mr. Frumkin served on the board, and the excess, if any that might be paid between the first day of September and the end of the year when the new ‘winners’ are sworn in!
Always on the alert, Mr. Reynoso , thoughtful as he is, suggested that we go on the hunt for the ‘payback’ from Sarah Gonzales, and all the others, found alive as far back as possible, so to recoup those illicit $350 overpayments.
So, quite legitimately, I suggested that MS. Booth, our model of political correctness, prepare to repay all of those sums of overpayment that her Husband owes as result of his presence on the Board when Ms. Kohl was hired to be our replacement Supt. Why stop at regaining the overpayment from Ms. Sara Gonzales…? Why not go after Mr. Petersen, Mr. Saenz, Ms. Truhill, Mr. Cook , Mr. Booth etc. etc. etc .
The ‘performance bond’ idea is valid despite your opinion to the contrary. And if you accept the latest truancy data which states that 49% of our students have missed class for 3 successive days. Why do you protest the loss of your own money which may occur with the proposal; the Trustees have almost with certainty,to impose a $200. annual ‘parcel tax’ on top of the coming ‘added incremental’ increases of the School bond ( eventually reaching four times the original amount,,,, as the re-construction / modernization plans progress,)
Frankly, I do not believe the truancy data which was placed in my hands; I think the data is skewed for the simple reason that HUSD, in it’s penny pinching frame of mind, decided to reduce the number of attendance clerks so that two or more schools would share a single employee…..
What is also obvious is that the data submission which reflects the 49% Truancy rate might easily include “Transience”…. those two factors ought be segregated.
If a family with kids enrolled at HUSD, moves away because of the foreclosure problem, do you think that they remain thoughtful enough, under those highly emotional conditions, to phone the school district AND ADVISE DEPARTURE FOR PLACES UNKNOWN ? When does HUSD realize that problem?
Please advise your well considered opinion, only when you and your opinions are well considered. Thus do I suggest that you might wish to become a bit more accurate in your estimate of the budget problem..
For example: The $18 million was the beginning point…. From that amount about $10 million has been slashed; that sees a remaining sum of about $ 8,000.000 to be cut in order to satisfy the State of California, which by the way is again going to be tardy in supply of cash……until it balances it’s own budget…??.
If we crack down on truancy…. how much of the ADA money will we recover.
If folks resent the thought of a performance bond… limited to $100 per family, ( about the sum needed to attend 7 or 8 movies ?), will we see parents who are moving away, neglect to tell HUSD, in order to regain that $100. Will Dad give up a couple of weeks of beer money to assure his kid will be present at the roll call? You can be sure he will kick some fanny of he loses those beer bucks! How in blazes would he ever again enjoy TV ?
When kids are frequently absent at the moment when the roll call is conducted, what recourse do we have for that parental neglect?
We have a right to a free education but what right do we exercise when we fail to hold up our end of the plank?
You might want to read my # 59 contribution, (scroll up for about half a minute )!
No word from Booth? She must be weighed down by the affects of Reynoso’s comments on return of stipend overpayments.
If you choose to ignore the need to correct the problem of lost ‘average daily attendance’ (ADA) money the think about this:
The Board of Trustees will soon be asking for a ’parcel Tax’ of at least $200. Per property. That sum is above and beyond the Maintenance Assessment District tax of just $28 per year, which caused a disgruntled former school principal to get mad at MAD and the trustees. He organized the other two zanies active in his LANGIA group to ATTEMPT A RECALL IN 1994, which I picketed thus causing his defeat. At my present age I am to old to attempt defeat of another recall attempt should it develop.
The zany part of that recall attempt was that had it been successful, the recall election would have occurred about three or four months prior to the fall election at which two of the three would need re-election. One of those three was a much admired gentleman on staff at Cal State Hayward, ( as it was then known). That gent was a cousin of the wife of the man who attempted the trecall….. They had all traveled together to attend San Jose State, sharing their autos down that old two lane highway through Milpitas in the 1946-50 period of time.
Now we are faced with the high probability of a $200 dollar parcel tax which the district will present to the voters in about 12 months.
Guess what? The second of four strtched out Measure I bond installments will appear on your tax nill in year 2011-2012 and the third such ’add on will occur in 2016 and the fourth will rise up to bite in year 2020. Cheer uip, that $60 per assessed valuation will start dropping off, in four year intervals in year 2033 and the final installment will be paid off in 2045.
So, if your home was assessed on the basis of $300,000 value in 2008 your $180 bill will jump up by a similar amount in 2012 etc. etc. Then add the $200 per year needed by HUSD for budget purposes.
Having succeeded in absorbing all that above, you might want to do something about reducing ADA l;osses… at age 80 with a list of medical problems of my own, I probably will not see final solutions to the truancy, transience and parolee problems, as well as the disproportionate numbers of Section 8 beneficiaries living in Hayward ( Disproportionate on basis of per capita count of recipients per report developed by ANNA MAY earlier this year!.
Near my 80th Birthday and battling deafness, glaucoma, emphysema, diabetes and prostrate cancer,. I will be able to meet my maker with my only defense for poor behaviors, : “At least I tried“.
I sincerely hope that your own use of that thought will be of service to you!
Now, when you have addressed Truancy, Transience and ADA problems, give some thought to the planned release of parolees into Alameda County. I have some limited data which SUGGESTS that about 13% of those numbers will be released to Alameda County which already has about 3700 of which about 2,900 live either in Oakland or Hayward. Some will not be supervised since the State does not have the money to hire more parole agents…… and we must not overload those guys….. Their efforts are ineffective when trying to keep up with 125 or 150 parolees per each!.
A very few of the current blog folk will jump on the band wagon to effectively aid HUSD in it’s crisis! However, there are a few who might jump on the idea of a TOWN HALL MEETING at which a sufficient number of folk will come up with creative as well as productive ideas TO AID SOLUTIONS TO HUSD’S PROBLEMS BY ‘COPY CATING’ THE USE OF Commissions as seen making effective contributions to operation of the City of Hayward.
Of course, finger pointing, accusations etc would be banned….only those with a positive. mental attitude and willingness to ‘physically‘ take a role need attend. An idea which does not eliminate all blog folk….. But just those who are unable to discern the difference between ‘license’ and ‘freedom’ of speech!
This is my last entry to the Hayword blog at least for quite a few weeks as I move on to other tasks etc.
We celebrate our 57th wedding anniversary next week….a fling at something besides HUSD !
August 26th, 2010 at 1:44 pm
If indeed the present and past Hayward Unified School Board Members have received stipends that were more than specified by law then I believe all must pay restitution as far back as the statute of limitations allows.
August 26th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
To Jon Kile and all:
once again I will restate, the boards of education prior to the year 2000 received $400.00 per month as is allowed by law. Additionally, any repayment to HUSD for overages is limited to a 3yr statute of limitations.
It is my understanding that sometime in 2000 or 2001 the district, as allowed by law, caounted all student population for which they received ADA(average daily attendance) monies. With that in mind the superintendent, business manager caounted all students K-adult school which made the total over 25,000. If and when the numbers dropped it was the FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT SUPERINTENDENT AND BUSINESS MANAGER, AS WELL AS ANY THAT FOLLOWED TO THE PRESENT TO KNOW THAT THE BOARD WAS BEING GIVEN EXCESS COMPENSATION. YES THAT’S RIGHT, JANIS DURAN, DALE VIGIL, BARRY SHIMMEL AND THOSE OUTRAGEOUSLY OVER PAID FISCAL ADVISORS…SHIRKED OR VILOLATED THEIR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO LAWFULLY MANAGE THE FUNDS OF HUSD.
Should board members have been more aware? Most certainly, however we pay excessively high salaries to HUSD district office administration to be on top of it all. Hmmmmmmmm maybe they are over paid and under qualified.
The BOE’s bylaws specifically refer to the education code that provides a stipend and ANY member of the board should have been aware of it and perhaps Mr. Armas should have checked it out before he suggested taking 100.00 less per month.
I wish Mr. Kile a good rest, and assure him that I have other things to worry about than his insistance that somehow I cannot focus on anything that is not related to my finances, my health, my mental state and what Mr. Reynoso says during board meetings. BTW I am not in contact with Mr. Reynoso sooo sorry to disappoint you.
For Ms. Rocchio;
As far as I could tell there were no candidates present at the meeting. Then again, there were less than 10 community members present. Interestingly enough maybe more than your child’s school had back to school events conveniently planned for a board meeting night. I think you will find the meeting interesting, that is if it is not edited to remove some of the curious behaviors of the superintendent and other board members.
August 26th, 2010 at 4:17 pm
Boothy,
Good sleuthing ! Larry is off the Hook?
Bock ducked out but the lady from the Adult SWchool covered her fanny by reading someting unrelated to the goings on.
August 26th, 2010 at 5:18 pm
MR. KYLE:
No sleuthing on my part just the law, which by the way has been in the Education Codes for MANY years. Of course it is just like you to try to focus on me rather than the big picture.
The ultimate responsibility rests on the shoulders of past superintendents, Kohl, Totter, Duran(#1) Vigil, Duran(2) and their respective business directors and the fiscal advisors (time 1 and presently). It is their abusolute responsibility to monitor and protect the funds that are provided for our students. For your information it is their, in legal jargon, FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY AS EMPLOYEES OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL. Clearly they thought over compensation for board members was something that nobody cared about or they had bigger fish to fry. In either case THE TRUTH IS THEIR NEGLIGENCE ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN.
Again Mr. Kile, get the spelling of my name correct, both first and last, and I will honor you with doing the same.
AGAIN MR. KYLE, STOP NAMING ANY OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS, YOU HAVE NEITHER MY PERMISSION OR THEIRS.
Re: The Lady from the Adult School; she read a letter under items from the community. The last time I checked comments need not relate to any agenda item to be spoken. But perhaps you have a different interpretation of it. However, I do recall a number of times when you addressed the board under this part of the agenda when nothing you had to say pertained to any part of the meeting. Are the rules different for you?
Enough sniping Mr. Kyle; have a good break, enjoy your time with your wife.
August 26th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Sometimes I can’t quite follow, but maybe the afore mentioned superintendents and other employees should share in the reimbursing of the district if it was there job to know what is going on.
August 26th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
To Qodrn:
You are exactly right, the board is constatntly reminded by the district office that there job is not to micromanage the day to day affairs of the district. They are told the job of the board is to make policy that benefits students and to leave the management of the district to the trained professionals.
So, the superintendents and their business directors are ultimately responsible for all expenditures in HUSD. It is and was their job to make sure that the board was being paid only what the law provided.
I don’t know if there is any recourse against those administrators and superintendents but it would sure be nice to find out.
To K. Rocchio:
Would love to hear your take on the events of last night regarding the ASES grant in particular, but also the costs of legal fees for the year.
August 26th, 2010 at 11:08 pm
Kathy Bouth
A sniper is sniping at me but the shots are too wide fot her to ever improve. Fortunately, there is no injury when considering the source.
Question: Which trustees went to Florida in attempt to ‘vet’ Kohl?
Are you germanic? In Deutscheland They have a 25 letter
alphabet….y (ipsilon) is excluded…… you have permission to use it!
August 27th, 2010 at 9:01 am
Mr.Kyle:
Who cares besides you who went where or when? My name is Kathi Booth. Get it right or don’t bother, just refer to me as your nemisis. Aren’t you on vacation yet???
August 27th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
It appears they no longer replay the HUSD Board Meetings on the Thursday afternoon following the Board Meetings. I will wait until the edited version is posted on-line.
August 27th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
To K. Rocchio,
Sorry you couldn/t see the meeting. I have sent an inquiry to the First Amendment Coalition asking if School Boards may “bundle” action items, thus avoiding public comment, board discussion and deliberation on any individual item in the bundle. Hopefully I will get a response from them Monday or Tuesday.
Have a good weekend.
August 27th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
Miz Booth,
Vacation delayed by need for organizational work on my Town Hall Meeting idea.
Behave! I nught let you attend !
August 27th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
I am running for HUSD School Board and would like to apologize for missing the first HUSD Board Meeting for the 2010/2011 school year.
My husband and I are presemtly attending paremt orientation and getting our daughter, Colleen, who just graduated from Hayward High School, Jume 2010, settled at St John’s University im New York. She received am Academic Scholarship in Business.
I am running for HUSD School Board because I believe all students in HUSD should have the same educational opportunities as my children. I do sincerely believe in education as the great equalizer in life; and that each individual gets out of an education what they put into it.
August 30th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Ms. Brunner,
so you have a website for people to view? You missed an “interesting” meeting. Hope your orientation and your daughter’s new challenges are nothing but positive. I look forward to watching/hearing you speak at the board meeting(s), your thinking and viewpoints are very stimulating.