Each candidate must indeed state what their personal plan would be to make improvements to the distressful conditions in HUSD.

There is one major stumbling block to the chance of getting their plan(s) implemented, and that is they must garner at least 2 other votes from their colleagues to make it happen. And there in lies the problem, there is absolutely no guarantee that there will be the necessary support. Unfortunately, it matters not whether the idea or plan is a good one and could be implemented district wide, what matters is if 2 other board members agree. I realize that I sound like a nay-sayer, and perhaps I am, but I do think that what I have stated is most likely a reality.

I agree with Ms Rocchio that each board candidate needs to have a real plan of what they will propose as a real change toward improvement. Programs that benefit all of children. Parental involvement is essential but if a child is identified as one who needs fostering because their parent is not able to provide them with the support they need then there should be a program in place for that. And if there are bad apples that need to be left to fall through the cracks to save the children who want to learn then sometimes you have to allow that to happen as well. Some of those apples will come around as adults but others are so intent on failing that to continue to spend all of the resources trying to “save” them while the kids who just need a little extra boost to be successful are left to flounder just doesn’t seem right to me. With limited resources the money needs to go where it can do the most good and result in overall improvement.

Well said! QUITE PRO-ACTIVE!

I agree with the post and comment from Lucy’s Mom and Teachermama regarding leaving the district. As an involved parent, one can not only make a difference for one child, but for many. I not only have high expectations, but I am willing to fight for what my children need and deserve. “Don’t leave HUSD, make it better!” … difficult at times, but well said!

Michael Moore – I am also frustrated with those that believe hoping for improvement is enough. We have to be willing to get involved and sometimes do the job ourselves! I don’t want the Board Candidates to say they want to make things better, change things, improve achievement, etc.. I want details on what they will change. What policies do they question, what conditions will they make an effort to change?

Some of my concerns regarding compensation based on results: As a parent I am already greatly concerned by “teaching to the test”. I am also worried about teachers trying to select the high scoring students when breaking out the classrooms. Who will choose to have the FBB (Far Below Basic) students?? There are already schools and entire Districts willing to “take-in” our students with high test scores. To some extent high test scores are the ticket out of HUSD, and if so our teachers will never reap the benefits of their hard work!

I think that to some extent compensation based on performance is an excellent motivator. I just think it is critical that we find the appropriate way to measure performance, and I’m not convinced API numbers tell the whole story.

I’ve been into the blog since it’s beginning.You/// 30 -40 days?

In 1.0 above YOU STATE: “the best efforts of the Hayward and HUSD…..? By ‘the Hayward”…DO YOU MEAN THE CITY? A SEPARATE JURISDICTION ONLY PART OF WHICH IS WITHIN husd BOUNDARIES…. AND IT LACKS JURISDICTIOHN. Unfortunately when two school districts were merged it would have been preferable to Use The Mt. Eden name rather than Hayward….. for the obvious reason!

# 4.) no interest in helping the community….?
…… then why all the belly aching?

#5.0 if so annoying… why read it?

#6.) I thought it was about students and their success in latter life !

7.) I agree…. a single person by themselves will not aid parents….. but collectively ?… Think about that !

8.) True, Pleasanton is not the center of the problem in Hayward… but it contributes to our problem when, as I explained earlier, pergaps before you joined the blog, …. When the Supt. of schools speaks to the parents on graduation day and while pointing to the west… states: “Are you not glad that your children are not attending schools on the other side of those hills….at which time the audience brole out into cheers, applause, foot stomping, whistles and laughter…. an honest person,. such as your self would have to ask why Pleasanton is not brought to the party ! Do you think the State might find a way to share som convicted felons and lighten their influece upon young minds raised in near proximity to those ‘models of good citizenship’!

9.) The issues involving HUSD are intertwined with the heavy load of social issues found in Hayward and adjacent un-incorporated areas of Alameda County.

10.) now you are guilty of being rediculous!.

Finally, who in blazes are you to tell me that I am not welcome here. That is a really dumb remark!

Thoughtless folk soon tire of the blog…. you are becoming tiresome!

To everyone,
Did anyone go to the candidates’ forum on Saturday>

1. The best efforts of Hayward and the HUSD have not yielded acceptable results. Acceptable results are performance equal to that of the average of California.

2. My purpose is to speak directly to my opinion that the State should take over the HUSD. They state should identify all of the failures and fix them.

3. The Trustees will be fixed by the voters. I urge all of the incumbents to resign as soon as the state takes over HUSD.

4. I am not cryptic and my comments are limited to the HUSD. I have no interest in spending time helping the community.

5. You need to slow down and correct your spelling, grammar and use of capitals. Your continued failure is an insult to all of us. Please stop doing this.

6. This series is about HUSD. Leave it at that.

7. None of us can fix parental problems. Your solution to that is in your elected represenatatives. I do not chose to comment on that in this series. When Hayword brings up the political points I will weight in. You need to stay on point.

8. This is about Hayward, not Pleasanton. I do not care about Pleasanton. If you like, perhaps you will go there.

9. I have no interest in to the issues outside of the HUSD in this series.

10. Perhaps you will continue to talk to the police and ask them to enforce your rules. They will do what is correct.

You need to stay on point or better yet, just quit. You are not really welcome here Mr. Kyle.

Most pleased to hear that you had no direct, classroom experience as a teacher. One might have been tempted to cite that as a contribution to problems at HUSD.

Your problem is endemic to education in this portion of Alameda County. Much in the way of criticism but little or no constructive thought brought forward from too many mindless members of this community. I had thought you might be different, another culpa hardly worthy of recognition at confession time.

Now my thoughts about you lead to the conclusion that you are destructive rather than constructive in your self defeating criticism of the Trustees and Administrators of HUSD. Guys like you encounter the tendency to ‘circle the wagons’ which solves nothing for this community, which has long been seen as contributing to the problem rather than solving anything.

Again, public comments at Board meetings are abusive and frequently based on ineptness of mind found in those issuing complaint. It is seldom that you see folks coming forth to offer compliment or, more seriously, present solid suggestion leading to adoption. As an example, for many years I had asked the Administration to print out an index of acronyms (abbreviations for various ‘programs’) in use at publication of the Board’s agenda.

In next Wednesday’s board meeting the agenda is preceeded by a list of acronyms which identify the verse and chapter identifying the topic at hand. My thanks to Mr. Armas for making it easier to aid assimilation of new comers, whether they be teachers or parents. A simple request directed to Mr. Armas privately rather than still another public request made at ‘comment time’ preceeding the meetings as I had done in earlier years. Do you thimk I made a ,mistake by not approaching others in private fashion. I do, because it is my present suspicion that Trustees just ’tune out’ when barraged by thoughtless, uninformed complaints. which are delivered in upbraiding fashion.

What you need to do is to employ your mind in presenting solutions rather than outright dumb statements to the effect that pay checks, miserable as they are, ought be denied until….. what or when?

Sir , use of the Merriam Webster dictionary is quite germane to the fashion in which issues are raised. The fact that you are unable to recognize an understanding or recognition of slander when it occurs, reflects your need to examine your approach to the problems of HUSD. Try something to aid your outlook. Have you volunteered any of your time to HUSD? In any capacity?

In yours numbered # 25, third paragraph you make grammatical errors

In fourth paragraph, slander is not drivel especially when it implies or makes direct accusations.

In your last sentence you offer advice which you ought accept for yourself.

Finally, in your second paragraph… You state that: “Those who have been in the system, like you, should quit……. Sir, I have never been in the ‘system’ if by use of that word you imply that I was on the payroll. On the other hand since my early retirement in 1991, I have volunteered to serve in an advisory capacity, together with other citizens in about 23 or 24 ‘Task Force Groups’ or ad hoc advisory groups involving both the City of Hayward and HUSD School district. I even performed landscape/janitorial efforts at the closely located Longwood School, even though I had sent all four of my children to a nearby parochial school. Heck, at one time I heard advice at public comments, by a neighbor, that by virtue of sending my children to Parochial schools, I had no right to stick my nose into public school affairs. At that point a Trustee, known to be active in the Presbyterian Church, broke silence to rebuke that gentleman and suggested that I be thanked for my tax contributions to public schools.

That gent, a former principal, took ‘early retirement’ and it was He whose efforts at recall of three trustees, (including his wife’s cousin and advocate at Personnel Commission hearings), would have necessitated an election three months prior to the general election. I enjoyed picketing his recall efforts through the spring of 1994. None of the teachers offered aid in that effort.

I do not include that ‘picketing’ effort in my service involving 23 or 24 ad hoc or task force groups serving the City and School District.

In all that effort, which involved 100’s of hours of retirement time, while the list of ’honey do’s at home grew just as long as ever. I never once ran across the name of Michael Moore.

I wonder, sir, why you offer criticisms of HUSD Administration or the Trustees which remarks are seen as being destructive rather than pro-active in a fashion that resolves the problem. Some times, paying taxes simply does not relieve citizenry of ’pitching in’ to resolve issues in a more successful manner than what you suggest.

I am done with you!