Teachers snipe at district's ideas
Apart on key issues as deadline nears
By MENSAH M. DEAN- Philadelphia Daily News
Contract negotiations are finally getting testy between the Philadelphia School District and the city teachers' union, nearly eight months after the two sides started talking.
In a caustic, one-page letter sent to 16,000 union members late last week, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President Jerry Jordan said that district officials say that they want reforms in public, but have failed to translate such talk into contract proposals.
"They talk about increased safety personnel, the need for libraries that are properly staffed and art and music teachers in every school," Jordan wrote. "They talk about improved professional development and support for teachers and staff.
"But across the table, they are not willing to put into the contract any language that addresses these serious issues." Click here for full story
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Monday, September 22, 2008
The "Big Give"
-Opportunity for giving . . .
Help kids succeed
Bucks County Courier Times
With school back in session, many parents have sent their children off in newly purchased school clothes, armed with new backpacks filled with supplies. But for many local families struggling to make ends meet, it's a much different story.
More than 130,000 children and families in the Greater Philadelphia region live below the poverty level. They desperately need basic items like clothing and school supplies — all things many folks may take for granted. By digging in our closets, attics or storage areas and donating our gently used or new items, those of us who are in a more secure financial position can make a big impact on those in need throughout our community.
My colleagues and I at Shire Pharmaceuticals encourage everyone in Bucks County and the region to participate in Shire's “BIG GIVE” event benefiting Cradles to Crayons, a nonprofit organization that directly helps children and families in need. Start a local drive at your schools, church, synagogue or business and collect new and gently used children's clothes, baby items, school supplies and other items. Your donations to Cradles to Crayons go to other non-profits such as The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and school districts across the region, which fill specific requests from families and children in need.
Due to the generosity of our neighbors in Bucks County and from across the region, children who need our help the most get the resources they need — clothes, shoes, school supplies and more — to better succeed in school and life.
Find out more information about Cradles to Crayons and starting a local community drive by logging on to cradlestocrayons.org.
Scott Applebaum
Shire Pharmaceuticals
Holland
Help kids succeed
Bucks County Courier Times
With school back in session, many parents have sent their children off in newly purchased school clothes, armed with new backpacks filled with supplies. But for many local families struggling to make ends meet, it's a much different story.
More than 130,000 children and families in the Greater Philadelphia region live below the poverty level. They desperately need basic items like clothing and school supplies — all things many folks may take for granted. By digging in our closets, attics or storage areas and donating our gently used or new items, those of us who are in a more secure financial position can make a big impact on those in need throughout our community.
My colleagues and I at Shire Pharmaceuticals encourage everyone in Bucks County and the region to participate in Shire's “BIG GIVE” event benefiting Cradles to Crayons, a nonprofit organization that directly helps children and families in need. Start a local drive at your schools, church, synagogue or business and collect new and gently used children's clothes, baby items, school supplies and other items. Your donations to Cradles to Crayons go to other non-profits such as The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and school districts across the region, which fill specific requests from families and children in need.
Due to the generosity of our neighbors in Bucks County and from across the region, children who need our help the most get the resources they need — clothes, shoes, school supplies and more — to better succeed in school and life.
Find out more information about Cradles to Crayons and starting a local community drive by logging on to cradlestocrayons.org.
Scott Applebaum
Shire Pharmaceuticals
Holland
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Is it About Kids Or Standards?
I spend my summers in a small coastal fishing village. I frequently hear gunshots at night, but they never scare me. Now I’m back in Philly where I occasionally hear gun- shots in the daytime, and they always scare me.
I wasn’t even home yet when I turned on the radio to get a traffic report. The news told of a child killed at 2:00 A.M (though it was not a gunshot). They gave the address and I immediately knew the child was student where my wife teaches, five blocks down the street from me. The next day it was confirmed.
Today I helped my wife set up her room and then left past the two bullet holes in her doorway. They fortunately had arrived on a weekend about three years ago. I drove down the street past a student’s home where last year her father was assassinated, and walked to my room, past the memorial for one of my students who died from a mis-diagnosed illness last spring.
I have to wonder what happened. I used to feel safe at my school, a high achieving school where students behaved and learned. We went five years at one point without a fight in our 7th and 8th grades. We had the second highest growth in achievement citywide in 2003-2004. We made PVAAS in every grade in 2006-2007, and we made AYP in 24/25 categories in 2007-2008. For all that success we are considered a failing school.
I was at the gym last Sunday, and lo and behold a former student came up and greeted me. He didn’t have to. He could have snuck out without me seeing him. Instead he enthusiastically approached me. I had only seen him once since I had removed him from graduation on graduation day, so I really didn’t know what to expect. I knew back then I had done the right thing, and now this young man, on the brink of receiving a Division 1 Scholarship, has reaffirmed this. Two students have called me since I’ve returned home, and parents have come to visit me, and still I sit here near tears, full of hope and fear. I know for every one I reach, there is one where my grasp will slip.
(This posting was submitted by a Philadelphia teacher)
To Read more:
http://teacherscount.wordpress.com/2008/08/28/its-supposed-to-be-about-the-kids-stupid/
I wasn’t even home yet when I turned on the radio to get a traffic report. The news told of a child killed at 2:00 A.M (though it was not a gunshot). They gave the address and I immediately knew the child was student where my wife teaches, five blocks down the street from me. The next day it was confirmed.
Today I helped my wife set up her room and then left past the two bullet holes in her doorway. They fortunately had arrived on a weekend about three years ago. I drove down the street past a student’s home where last year her father was assassinated, and walked to my room, past the memorial for one of my students who died from a mis-diagnosed illness last spring.
I have to wonder what happened. I used to feel safe at my school, a high achieving school where students behaved and learned. We went five years at one point without a fight in our 7th and 8th grades. We had the second highest growth in achievement citywide in 2003-2004. We made PVAAS in every grade in 2006-2007, and we made AYP in 24/25 categories in 2007-2008. For all that success we are considered a failing school.
I was at the gym last Sunday, and lo and behold a former student came up and greeted me. He didn’t have to. He could have snuck out without me seeing him. Instead he enthusiastically approached me. I had only seen him once since I had removed him from graduation on graduation day, so I really didn’t know what to expect. I knew back then I had done the right thing, and now this young man, on the brink of receiving a Division 1 Scholarship, has reaffirmed this. Two students have called me since I’ve returned home, and parents have come to visit me, and still I sit here near tears, full of hope and fear. I know for every one I reach, there is one where my grasp will slip.
(This posting was submitted by a Philadelphia teacher)
To Read more:
http://teacherscount.wordpress.com/2008/08/28/its-supposed-to-be-about-the-kids-stupid/
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