Monday, February 05, 2018
Monday, November 13, 2017
Aquatics and Pittsburgh Public Schools
Tip: You might want to view this on the SlideShare site so it can easily go to full screen.
Ask for the PDF or Keynote if you want parts or all of it.
Friday, April 14, 2017
Curling Trivia in Pittsburgh
Friday, October 14, 2016
You are invited: Saturday Swim School at Oliver High School, 2323 Brighton Road, Pgh 15212
Friday, June 10, 2016
Hiring the new PPS Superintendent
I have been following this noise about the hiring of Dr. Anthony Hamlet as close as possible and have some suggestions. STICK TO YOUR prior DECISION.
Sure, a storm has come. Blame goes here and there in bits, but golly. Plug ahead.
I feel that saboteurs are trying to derail elected school boards and are trying to damage Pittsburgh Public Schools.
The board voted 9-0 to hire the guy. To change your views now would spoil the desire for others to seek the job. None would want to deal with the mess in this wake, plus deal with a fickle board, nor confront the wire-pulling and outside influence from beyond the school board.
IMHO, two of those claims are bogus fabrications. An open source approach of wikipedia on a definition of terms is desired and should not be original.
There should be some repercussions and remedies. I have made some solution suggestions. Follow my Facebook page and http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com.
Triple his probation period.
Seek a partial refund from the consultant.
Allow for a super MINORITY to terminate his contract within the probation period.
Work harder.
+ +
Final two points:
#1: I volunteer to stand with you or stand alone and talk to the media, the citizens. other politicians, union leaders or anyone else on this topic.
#2: Furthermore, Let's begin again with sports reform, something that did NOT resonate with Dr. Linda Lane, sadly. Teaching our kids how to play well with others isn't an expensive proposition, and it is a great investment if done well. I volunteer to help to re-think the issues with PPS. System-wide athletics, sports, after-school recreation, swimming, student leadership with jobs and after-school technology have pressing issues. The city can't wait to get started on the heavy lifting on those fronts.
Good luck.
Wednesday, February 06, 2013
PPS Attendance matters, plus Senior night at pool. H2O = Hail 2 Obama!
Plus at 6 AM swims practice this week we had 20, 17 and 12 each on M, T and W.
One other tidbit on attendance, our biggest trouble point in Summer Dreamers Swim and Waterpolo Camp was guarding the door to prevent kids from sneaking into our sessions. We had waiting lists. We got scolded for recruiting, but really so many were having fun and learning they told their friends. PPS record showed Waterpolo at 95% attendance in 2012, and that included the need for all kids to run 1 mile over and back to the pools in The Hill.
I really wish we were offering, robust year round, "Dreamers" at PPS with Swim and Waterpolo so our kids could get invested in their teams, fitness, schools and academics. Let's all replicated and empowered what is proving to really work wonders in our community and hooked to athletics.
Go, go, go!
H2O
Coach Mark Rauterkus
412-298-3432
PS: Heard that high school students in National Honors Society have been asked, because of funding issues, to tutor middle school kids now. Rather, let's get those senior and smart students, our swim team really, to teach swimming and play waterpolo with the kids. Then greatness can happen with self esteem, relationships, mentoring, sportsmanship and rule following. Then the academics can flow for the individuals and institutions.
PSS: Friday's visit with USA Olympic Gold Medal Swimmer, Cullen Jones, with black history month, has the potentials to be special. He is at Obama at noon and UPrep at 2 pm. FYI, in April, three other USA Olympians, Waterpolo players, visit Pitt for a weekend clinic with Tiger Waterpolo (community, club program that supports our Summer Dreamers), and we will get our kids and the media to interact as well.
From: "Mark Rauterkus" for Morning Announcements
Date: Feb 6, 2013 7:01 AM
Subject: Senior night
Hannah
Wendy
Nicole
Rene
Tobias
Max
Mat
Demetri
Ben
And, Sam Lapp who will compete in his first ever swim event on Thursday.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Third letter on this blog about the sell off of PPS school assets
October 20, 2011
Dear General Wagner,
I am writing you today as a citizen, and former Pittsburgh Public Schools Board Member, to express my great concern about the sale of a public asset. I am writing about the proposed sale of the former Florence Reizenstein Middle School to the development company Walnut Capital. I believe that this sale would constitute an irresponsible stewardship of public assets by the Pittsburgh School Board and Administration. And that it should be stopped for the following reasons:
1) According to Allegheny County Assessment Office the Building and Land is worth $22,920,500.00
2) Sole Bidder bid $5,700,000.00
3) Bidder announced plans for $119,000,000.00
4) Bidder has history of seeking tax exemptions, thereby reducing or eliminating tax revenues to City, State, and School District.
5) There was only ONE Bidder
6) Bidding process was "fast-tracked". A shorter bidding process from other buildings for sale.
7) Property is within an area (East Liberty) that has seen great economic investment in the last 10 years(A Target store opened 3 months ago)
8) Board did not properly (only locally) advertise this property for sale.
9) Bidder developed property across the street from school.
10) Property not appraised by a least 3 appraisers.
11) School building only 30 years old.
12) School building is used for many community activities.
13) Building is modern facility with large gymnasium, pool, and air conditioning.
I believe that this property should remain a school. There is currently one proposed charter school for East End of Pittsburgh with of others likely. I believe the property's continued use as a school is highly possible and, most likely in the future, necessary.
Furthermore, the Reizenstein building is a valuable asset to the East End of Pittsburgh community. This building, because of its central location and access to public transportation is a natural meeting place. Its gymnasium and pool are used by many groups and organizations. It even housed the Pittsburgh Public Schools"Summer Dreamers" education program for hundreds of students.
The taxpayers of the city have invested tens of millions of dollars in this building and property. They should have every right to expect the property to be put to the best use for students and, if this property is to be sold, to receive the maximum amount possible. This sale should be halted for the purpose of determining if this has occurred.
Looking back over the years, I also believe the handling of this property to be a prima facie case(s) of, not only wasting precious tax dollars, but of NO fiscal planning by the Pittsburgh Public Schools.
I placed before the Pittsburgh School Board in April 2008 a resolution to cancel the planned move of students from the closed Schenley High School to the Reizenstein Building. $10 million dollars was slated to be spent to make the facility more appropriate for High Schools students. However, the Board knew at that time the move would be temporary because Business Affairs Director stated "that to make building permanent home for High School students would cost $40 million in upgrades". I asked Board to move those students to an existing High School. The Pittsburgh School Board voted my resolution down. In May of this year, the Pittsburgh School Board voted to send Reizenstein students to that very same existing High School. Yet, it does not end there.
The East End of Pittsburgh is an area that is experiencing great commercial and residential development (Coincidentally, the bidders for Reizenstein are proposing a $119 million dollar residential development). The communities of Garfield, East Liberty, and Highland Park are all doing significant building of new homes. Even the struggling communities of Larimer and Homewood have plans and funding and are beginning long overdue community re- development. We are already seeing many new families moving into the East End of Pittsburgh, and I believe many, many more will follow. What if the School District of Pittsburgh finds, in a few short years, that there is a need to build a new school for the new families? A new school will cost at minimum $40 million dollars. The East End also has many schools that are over 90 years old. How long will it be before it becomes cost prohibitive to maintain and upgrade these buildings? How long will it be before these buildings are obsolete? The Reizenstein property would provide a large parcel of flat land in an attractive location. If a new building is ever constructed the existing sports facilities might well be incorporated at significant savings. The lack of planning may cost the taxpayers of the city and state tens of millions of dollars.
I am writing to ask your office to intervene and investigate the sale of this building. I believe that tens of millions of public dollars are at stake. Yet, most importantly we are facing the loss of a building that has helped to enrich the educational experience of thousands of students. I believe that a building with excellent amenities make for a well-rounded education. Pittsburgh has long believed that well maintained facilities are important to a child's education. We have long believed in the importance of pools for our children to learn to swim and large gyms and fields for them to play and grow strong. This current Pittsburgh School Board has forgotten this. My hope is that you will us here in Pittsburgh to remind them.
Sincerely,
Randall Taylor
Former Pittsburgh School Board Director, District #1
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Can't Langley be turned into a City-Wide Magnet to focus on PUBLIC SAFETY? Let's call it Pgh Sci-Service Magnet, 6-12
I think that there is plenty of merit to the plan championed by Pgh City Councilwoman, Theresa Smith, for PPS.
If the City of Pgh buys PCA/Greenway, then the city can put all the public service enterprises into that building and avoid paying more
than $1-M per year in rent. So, the city has the cash-flow to float such a deal.
Then the PPS sells a building for more than $1.
Then PPS can move the Pgh Gifted Center to another building, perhaps back into the Hill District, something central. That is a simple move.
Same too for staff training uses.
Then PPS can move the Greenway/PCA students and staff to another building -- such as Langley in part.
Langley HS can be a High School magnet, grades 9-12, for those that are interested in working and training and studies that are central to public safety.
Furthermore, Langley can be a 6-12 school with general education for local kids in grades 6, 7 and 8. It could be PCA as is, but in a
different home.
Then the HS kids can do projects and more with the city EMS, building inspectors, firefighters, police, and others that can be put into that building. The Greenway building and Langley are not far from each other for a high school student.
To me, a public safety focus for a magnet could be very interesting
for the students. Good for environmental studies, lifeguarding, CPR, First Aid, Biology, physics. I see advance sciences at that school so kids that want to take Pre-Med in college could get a leg up at this school.
Furthermore, the city firefighters and the city police who have to send their kids to private schools while residing in the city limits could then have a school to be stewards with the PPS faculty and administration. Those families are seemingly sending many of their children to Catholic or other private schools. If we make a good alliance with city workers and that school -- we could get more engagement in after-school offerings and other efforts to insure that the school functions with gusto.
I'd even suggest that the SCIENCE Department at Sci-Tech could be duplicated at this public safety magnet at Langley, if it is up to everyone's standards. Rather than Sci-Tech, the Langley could be Sci-Service Magnet.
Perhaps too, if there is room, the Citiparks Aquatics Department and other parts of Citiparks might be able to move into Greenway as well. If that was the case, and the city had a year-round swim pool, I would not be opposed to the selling off of the Oliver Bath House by the City of Pittsburgh.
From Frick-swim |
Finally, on a different note, I think the name WESTINGHOUSE should be retained with the school. The blue color and the name Bulldogs are fine too. But by all means, don't rename the school away from the inclusion of the name, Westinghouse. Westinghouse Academy Blah-blah-blah is fine. But keep Westinghouse. In my humble opinion, the whole name switch from Schenley to Pgh Obama has been a real thorn in the side of the school and its students. Sure, each school has its own situation -- but Westinghouse is still at Westinghouse. It will
cause years of confusion to make a name change. That's the last thing PPS needs now, confusion and alumni disrespected so as to never offer
to engage again.
Wouldn't it be great to send a message that the city and the schools are working together on a venture for the interest of the kids and taxpayers.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Judge upholds rejection of Mt. Lebanon High School plan
The Mt. Lebanon School District filed a court appeal in April, after the three-member zoning hearing board issued an eight-page decision denying the variances. The zoning hearing board wrote that it believed the district could have complied with zoning requirements but for its "overreaching," specifically singling out the athletic field house planned on Horsman Drive across from the main academic building.So, the over-reaching of the building happens at the athletic field house, exactly where there should be over-reaching.
Read more: http://post-gazette.com/pg/10287/1095195-100.stm#ixzz12LUyjDOM
Zoning problems are a pain.
How about if you put the swim pool and some athletic facilities on the roof, as is done in Hong Kong swim pool at HKU. The swim pool at HKU is over a parking garage. Very nice.