Public comment to PPS Board from Mark R

http://cloh.org/wp/archives/2002

Also in a PDF, https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sq9OUxW7NpULSOSLky0WYzs9BmYk9AX7

Aquatics and Pittsburgh Public Schools

PPS Community Schools v2.0 from Mark Rauterkus

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.

Conservative foil: Sue Kerr of Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

Conservative foil:Sue Kerr of Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

Let's ponder the definition. “Conservative” is holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in relation to politics or religion.

Sue Kerr, a blogger, (I am a blogger too) is playing the role of a conservative and asking people to vote “NO” to the City of Pittsburgh ballot measure that I have championed because:

- She has not found anyone with actual facts, however, she refused to answer my friend request on Facebook and refused to discuss this with me despite my repeated approaches to her. So, her seeking is more like planned avoidance. Come on Sue. Why can't we be friends? One of my central themes as a coach and advocate for better government is “playing well with others.”

- Then she writes, “the narrow exclusion would only benefit a few people.” Really? You really want to put hardships on super-minorities? You think that because only a fraction of the population is (insert letter of your choice) that they don't deserve the rights of others? What about protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity? Hey, that is a “narrow” and those protections only benefit a few people. So, let's let things as they are. So conservative of you.

Pittsburgh passed a law with sexual orientation protection and that benefits few – and I'm proud to have that as part of the fabric of our city's legacy. Helping a few people helps us all be better, be stronger, be more whole. At its roots, the ballot question is about non-discrimination. I don't like discrimination, even for a few, and I'm puzzled why you favor it.

- Vote no, posts Sue, “because some are already coaching and teaching in public universities as adjunct faculty (just Google a few names.)” What? Who? Name names! I know of none. Should we google the entire city payroll? And, what might that uncover? I don't have the names of all the city workers. Sue, why don't you send this posting to Michael Lamb, city controller. Does your partner work for CCAC? I don't know what to think. I lost my decoder ring anyway. And, let's say it is true in that perhaps there are a few workers in the city who are already working another part-time job, against the norm and city charter's stipulations, for CCAC and /or Pittsburgh Public Schools – then what? Do you want to whistleblow? Or, would you just forgive them and not allow others the same opportunities? Then vote YES with me. Or, are you just without any logic and wishing to spread fog and doubt?

- Since, as Sue posted, “enforcement of this ban has certainly not been consistent” then it makes sense to vote YES and be done with this opportunity for meaningless rule-breaking. All should know that I championed this ballot question because last year a newly-hired coach was forced off of the PPS job because of his city employment with the department of public works. Real work actions, to my knowledge, have been fully consistent and ethical. He should not have worked last year – and he didn't. But, he should be able to work as a coach next week if we change the charter. And, I hope he applies, gets hired and takes another coaching job as soon as possible.

- Sue thinks a no vote is wise because of a lack of an informed perspective. Wrong. The matter before the voters in the election is for part-time employment. Part-time employment for public-school coaching and adjunct teaching at CCAC is different. The charter's authors didn't visualize every possible situation under the sun for the future of our city. This is an enhancement. Be progressive.

The quote from Mr. O'Connor of city council speaks against a broader exemption as being problematic, but this ballot question is specific and NOT A PROBLEM.

Ms. Rudiak of city council defends the ballot question too. The change is what it is. It is not an exemptions for all types of government side work. It is a question with focus. Perhaps Sue likes uncertainty and sinister plots within her ballot questions. I don't.

- Sue goes on to slam Natalia Rudiak for leaving office at the end of her term. She didn't seek re-election because she is moving on to other chapters in her life. “Who would champion such a thing?” is a direct question from Sue. Answer: A reasonable person who listens to citizens' concerns and does her job while she is hired to do her job. I'm happy that Natalia has not been a lame duck for an entire year.

Sue attempts to throw stones now at the messenger and not the message, a childish ploy.

Sue then plays the not forthcoming victim yet won't converse with me. Joke is on Sue.

Sue gets it wrong again when she posts that the goal is to create more employment and side income opportunities for City employees. Wrong! That is not the goal. Sue knows what the goal is, as the first line of her blog post reads, “… I think students in Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) deserve good coaches.” That's the goal. We had a good coach knocked off of a part-time coaching job opportunity because of a city-charter provision that worked AGAINST good coaching. Here is the formula from 2016-17 season on the PPS pool deck: 2 coaches, minus one, equals less coaching. That's bad. Help fix it.

- Sue asks a question for another day and another referendum, “Why not allow employees to do holiday temp work with the postal service?” That's not the issue. Your thinking that voters should pick “NO” because this ballot question is not going to help the postal service is crazy talk. I'm happy Sue thinks coaching is important. No amount of her lengthy googling should get in the way of a YES vote on this simple measure.

- Sue asks: Is it reasonable to amend our City constitution to address select employment vacancies in PPS? Isn’t that the responsibility of PPS? NO! The sticking point is the city, not PPS. The problem is with the city's charter, not PPS. When fixing a problem, go to the source of the problem. Victims are not to blame.

We’re talking 3,100 people who would be ineligible out of the whole population of the City. Is that a reason to change the constitution? YES. Vote yes. Problem fixed. Changes made. No blood required. This is not a drastic measure. I hate to write such a drastic blog post too.

The 3,100 people who work for the city account for the second largest block of employed people in the city. If five great coaches come from the ranks of the city's work force, they could impact hundreds of kids a year. Whole schools and neighborhoods could change. Teen violence might reversed itself. I know that I help to teach about 200 kids how to swim and swim better every year. In the course of my career, more than 10,000 kids have called me “coach.” The impact of a few coaches can be tremendous. I think that some of the folks who work in the city should have the same opportunities to contribute to the community in meaningful ways as I have had the good fortune to do as well.

I've been known to recruit coaching help for employment needs anywhere and everywhere. Even at UPMC and at AGH. Last year, an kid of an AGH employee was employed with our Summer Dreamers Swim & Water Polo Camp. Furthermore, it is HARD to find qualified candidates to coach in part-time positions. There is a world-wide shortage of lifeguards. Coaching shortages are, well, just google it yourself, Sue.

Sue says that this proposed change will disproportionately benefit men. Sue, ever hear of Title IX? There are not fewer opportunities for women coaches. And, women and men make the same money in coaching with PPS as it is a union-negotiated amount. Double-wrong.

OMG Sue, here is my answer for your absurd question that follows. Yes. Anyone can sue anyone at any time. Sue's Q: “Does this set up the possibility for excluded employees to sue the City because they are not able to pursue a sorting gig with the USPS over the holidays?” No one answered that question – except me.

Only a conservative crank would use the lack of a robust research process on the charter provision’s history – paralysis by analysis – as an excuse for a no vote.

Coaching is a privilege. I am privileged. I coach boys and girls. Title IX insures that the boys and girls get equal treatment.

I do not want to see our police union in Harrisburg at the PA Supreme Court in litigation seeking rights to move their homes and their kids into school districts that are out of the city. Rather, I'd be more willing to permit employees of the city, such as those on the police force, to be permitted to coach their sons and daughters and their classmates in the city's schools programs of sports, music, chess, drama, debate – with part-time jobs. For some, being engaged in the lives of their children is important. And, it is important enough that if my city prohibited that from happening, moving out of the city makes great sense. Let's keep those people here.

And you'd rather have a volunteer coach from the ranks of city employees – for further hardships on families. A volunteer coach isn't accountable. A volunteer coach has no standing with the district and can be flicked aside by the PFT in a heart-beat. Clueless odds are high. I do not want evenly applied coaching employment. I want talented, inspiring coaches. You seem to want to keep employees of the city within financial distress.

Your commending of the city employees who put forth this suggestion is misplaced too. A city resident and a PPS coach, acting on my own, seeing the reality of situations, put forth the ballot measure. The city and the district have been reserved. Let's all applaud people who act with integrity and let's all fix flaws, together. Both big and small flaws count. Don't get in the way of progress because it has always been done in another flawed way. This is fair. This is complete for what it is. If you want utopia, put it on the ballot yourself.

A good reason for you to block this YES vote is because a women helped get it in front of the voters and she is quitting. We are losing women in elected roles so we should not pass measures that they help to advance. Come on.

You, Sue, can write the post-office ballot measure for 2018. Go for it.

By the way, off of society's needs can't be put into one YES or NO ballot measure. By voting YES, the citizens of Pittsburgh get to side-step and fix a WORST-PRACTICE clause in the city's charter. It isn't about “best-practices” – but rather about making improvements.

Wanted: Running Mates and places to run to!

Time to hit the road to share insights about this ballot question for city voters in the 2017 general election.

Who wants to help spread the word?

Where and when are the meetings being held? 

Who can we talk to about getting an invite to speak to the audiences -- for only a couple of minutes.

Getting more people eligible to coach in Pittsburgh Public Schools requires a change in the city's charter

Fwd: PAA Disaster

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: John H

You are receiving this e-mail because you live in the Pittsburgh region and might have some interest in what is happening relative to the scandals at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association (PAA).  You may have heard about the financial debacle of the PAA on taxes, utility bills, etc. and the terrible treatment of 24 students living on the 4^th and 5^th floors of the building; but you almost certainly have not heard about the plight of the PPA's employees since the newspapers have shown no interest in their situation.  Attached is an op-ed which Mike Stout and I have submitted to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for publication.  We hope that they will print it, but are not at all confident since it casts a bad light on some of Pittsburgh's elite. 

The workers at the PAA are now out of a job.  We hope the people of Pittsburgh will put as much pressure as possible on the Directors, Members and management of the PAA to help ensure that the workers finally receive a fair shake.  These folks have been stiffed and badly treated by the PAA since at least 2011.  

Tomorrow Mike and I and a couple of other will be meeting to plan a fundraiser to help the workers pay for the legal fees in the ERISA suit they are filing over their missing pension funds.  As you may imagine these workers are not floating in cash.  They have been beaten down for so long that they feel hopeless and alone.  They need all the help they can get.  So anything you can do will be gratefully appreciated.  We will keep you informed of any plans for a fundraiser as they develop.

If you are not interested and want no further information on this please let me know and I will remove you from the list.

John

Link

• What about the workers, LTE

Zing!

Jim R. Forsythe posted on Facebook's South Side Secrets page:

Top ten Bruceisms!!

1. We now have more Parking Enforcement Officers than pedestrians on East Carson Street.(ask the Pretzel shop).

2. South Side hospital has closed for business.

3. Zone 3 police station has closed for business, and soon to be up for sale.

4. Vacancy on East Carson climbed from 5% to 35% in 7 years. 

5. Beltzhoover and Knoxville havent seen the councilman in years, while the councilman is busy measuring sidewalk cafes on East Carson. 

6. South Side Slopes and Hilltop infrastructure continues to crumble while Bruce eyes removing the Shriners Circus. 

7. Residential parking plan that Bruce said cant be amended is now being amended. 

8. While the East End and Lawernceville continue to grow and expand, Bruce opposes the 25 million dollar apartment complex on 23rd and Wharton. 

9. Bruces staff turnover is more than hamburgers be flipped on East Carson. 

10. Bruce shelves 300k hospitality study that he initiated because " he always knows better". 

Stay tuned for the sequel because he just cant help himself! Can you believe we are paying Bruce Kraus with hard earned tax dollar money for his lack of council.
Note: We will trade him for any other councilperson or a warm six pack!!

Kickoff for Pittsburgh Mayor Candidate, John Welsh, seeking the D-Party nomination in spring 2017

Video camera of a Saturday event at the Homewood Library featured a new candidate to challenge for the Dem Party Nomination for Mayor, City of Pittsburgh.

Exciting event in terms of audience and messages of the need for a new movement in Pittsburgh.

These are three segments (not complete) from the podium.

Family photo after the speech:

Big welcome for a movement:

Pitt students, police and dorm entry pushing

Accurate? Truthful? I'm not sure. But, here is a statement worth reading.

Thomas Merton Center Blog
Dear Dean of Students, Apologize for Lying about the Litchfield Towers Protest
Posted: 18 Nov 2016 12:45 PM PST
November 18, 2016
By Tallon Kennedy

On November 17th, a group of protesters took to the streets of Pitt’s campus to rally against tuition hikes, to voice support for making the University of Pittsburgh a sanctuary campus, as well as to voice concerns for the wave of racism and alt-right ideologies surfacing throughout the country as a result of Trump’s election to the presidency.

The students went into the Towers Residence Hall on campus, and according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, police forces ordered the students to leave the residence hall, and when the protesters refused, the police got violent, pushing the demonstrators out of the dormitory, and using batons against them. The Post-Gazette also reported that the students began pushing back, and claimed that since they pay tuition to the University, that they have a right to protest in a residence hall they help pay for.

Since the incident, the response from the campus authorities has been less than admirable. Vice Provost and Dean of Students Kenyon Bonner sent out a statement to the student body, saying that, while the University wants to protect the students’ rights to protest on campus, that “protesters do not have the right to act in a manner that disregards the safety of others or damage property,” and that students who do protest without following the law “risk losing the great privilege of attending” the University.

The problem with this statement is that no reports indicate that the protesting students were damaging property as Bonner claims, or were acting in any manner that would make them a genuine risk to the safety of others, as Bonner also claims. This blatant lie from the Vice Provost is reprehensible, and is no doubt attempting to raise fear and antipathy of protests across campus, and is attempting to quell any protests from breaking out in the future. I believe Bonner has a moral obligation to retract his statement and to clear up the lies that he has espoused. University officials must be held accountable for their falsehoods and for promoting antipathy towards peaceful protests.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s report indicates that the protest didn’t become violent until the police started to use force. By all means, up until that point, the protest was a peaceful one, and while it’s fine to argue that Litchfield Towers is private property, and thus the protesters didn’t have a right to protest there, to suggest that the protesters were damaging property or compromising the safety of others is a blatant falsehood. If anything, the actions of the police in the situation were more damaging to the safety of community members than anything else.

Kenyon Bonner, Vice Provost, Dean of Students, if you want to take the moral high ground, you should apologize for lying about the Litchfield Towers protest.

To contribute to the bail of the students arrested at the peaceful protest, you can go here: https://fillerpgh.wordpress.com/2016/11/18/anti-fascist-legal-defense/

Let's fund Water Polo as a sport at Obama

See my expanded comments to the school board and superintendent asking for help to expand water polo at Obama. Talks of one possible next step for sport reform.

http://cloh.org/wp/archives/596

Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership BetaBurgh proposals

Three proposals were made to the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnerships for its BetaBurgh RFP (request for proposals). The grants are for up to $10,000 each. See the text of those links by surfing around the site, Swim.CLOH.org.


Directory: http://swim.cloh.org/betaburgh/

1. Open water swimming, Swim.CLOH.org  http://swim.cloh.org/betaburgh/Swim_CLOH_org_text.html
2. River lagoons, 4RS.org  http://swim.cloh.org/betaburgh/4RS_org_text.html
3. Floating pools feasibility, Rauterkus.com http://swim.cloh.org/betaburgh/Rauterkus_com_text.html

What is the excuse? Being lazy? Not able to think again? Lack of political will?

There is a 4-letter word that seems to get in the way of what you want done. The hurdle, it seems to me, is a concept called, " W O R K ." Hard work, heavy lifting, planning, follow through, relationship building, problem solving and general FIXING of things needs to happen. Sometimes the work doesn't get done because of another 4-letter word, " L A Z Y ." There are some who want to have others do the work for them. They hire others to do their homework. They use consultants. They have to use OVERLORDS as an excuse. Without the money to pay off the contracts and the others, it isn't going to happen. If the work won't get done because of a lazy attitude, that is one possible way to explain frustrations.

Another way to account for the lack of desired outcomes is smarts. Do they understand? Do they get it? Can they "think again?"
There are a host of other reasons why things lag in Pittsburgh. Mostly, most are smart enough to understand. And, BK is one who has shown his ability in the past to hustle and buzz and try from time to time. So, I'm not sure what to think in this case.

Mostly, if things don't get done it is because there is a lack of political will. They don't care. Gathering a room full of people with an agenda gets things to a CARING level more quickly.

Keep plugging.

I care. Others care too. Call them out and ask them why fumble?

----
Posted above on a thread about South Side transportation matters that seem to be lagging.

A document from JG has been released. Not sure if I should share it here or not, just yet.

Voter Registration to "R"

Because Rand Paul, a former swimmer I coached, was gearing up for a race for President of the USA, I switched to become a Republican.

I'm a Rand Paul Republican now.

Recap: Final Public Hearing for Pittsburgh Public Schools in its Hiring Quest for a New Superintendent.

Replacing the retiring Linda Lane can be an opportunity to recreate Pittsburgh recreation. We're a sports and river town and should use our swim pools.

From Mark Rauterkus, Mark@Rauterkus.com, varsity swim coach at Obama Academy and leader of the PPS Summer Dreamers Swim & Water Polo Camp with the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation


On Thursday night, January 28, 2016, right after our home swim meet at Pittsburgh Obama against South Fayette, I dashed over to U-Prep for the public hearing concerning the search for the new PPS superintendent of schools. We lost the swim meets, but game them a good scare. One new school record was set by Obama sophomore, Sead N, leading off the 400 free relay in a 49.

I was speaker 13 and took some notes as the others before me gave the school board their thoughts. It was wild to hear what the others would say as nearly everyone else had statements that resonated with my message too. What they want, and what I want, are identical in terms of values and vision.

Pittsburgh Public Schools needs to make an overhaul to its sports and after-school programs.

Two years ago, the wake of Doctor Linda Lane's state of the district speech when she said she wanted to cut a number of sports from the budget, I released a position paper. Thankfully, those cuts never occurred. Now that there are some new board members, it is prudent to re-introduce this document again to get them aware of these situations.

http://aforathlete.wikia.com/wiki/Fewer_Sports_Alternatives

When Mark Roosevelt became superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools, a few of us shared concerns with him. Mr. Roosevelt, a former tennis player, understood the value of sports. To his credit, he was in agreement but said sports reform and athletics were not a priority – yet. He had bigger problems: principal accountability, teacher evaluations and contracts, merit pay, and of course, right-sizing. Nothing changed for years. Then, finally, Mark Roosevelt sent me an email around New Years Day and he promised me that sports reform was coming off the back burner. Wow!

A study was done on Title IX, a consultant was hired with grant money. A committee was established and meetings were held. Real issues were talked about. Mark Roosevelt came to a meeting with about 35 people, VIPs in PPS in terms of coaching, sports, security, transportation, administration, principals, and said, “I'm sorry.” Roosevelt apologized for the terrible treatment and lack of support his administration had given throughout the years to sports and athletics. He had seen the light and now understood what was happening with PPS and how many of the pitfalls could be rectified through a more robust attention to these areas. Improvements in school spirit, attendance, grades, student health, graduation rates, discipline and scholarships are evident. I was so excited to hear of the new change in direction and within the month, Mark Roosevelt resigned and took a new job at a college in Ohio.

Linda Lane was hired by the board without interviewing anyone else so as to sustain the changes Mark Roosevelt was championing in PPS. But sadly, she failed and fumbled the whole sports reform movement. She was clueless. She pulled the plug and wouldn't do anything else in this regard except cut and starve.

When Dr. Lane gave her State of the District speech at CAPA in the fall of 2013, she talked about saving $600,000 from a budget by cutting some sports and all intramural programs and upgrading computers less frequently. That's some line item: Sports and technology upgrades for $600,000 savings. That move seemed to be a surprise to everyone, even within PPS, who had worked on sports reform. I pushed back with a position paper, “Fewer sports alternatives,” and the cuts to the budget never materialized, thankfully, due in great part by board members who knew better. Two years later in the fall of 2015, the PA auditor general and city controller told the newspapers of a PPS surplus of more than $120-million. Go figure.

The first suggestion in the position paper reads: PPS Superintendent, Doctor Linda Lane, should re-establish our Athletic Reform Task Force. Suggestion #1b: This position paper can fill the early agenda for task force meetings. Suggestion #1c: The next task force should include a research component. Examine student data along with Pittsburgh Promise data.

Some other of my favorite suggestions to PPS administrators include the establishment of PPS H2O for city-wide aquatics, an All-City Sports Camp from May to September and the formation of a private-public partnership, an Olympic Sports Division, to manage the scholastic sports of Swimming, X-Country, Track-and-Field, Tennis and intramural programs. After a three month wait, I finally did have one 30-minute meeting with Dara Ware Allen, PPS Administrator in charge of all student services (including athletics). She hadn't even read the position paper. No follow up since.

Linda Lane's Administration lacks leadership in terms of sports, after-school and community building – that's my top concern with PPS.

With the superintendent search, and new board members, it is time to double down. I want to re-visit the 2014 position paper and to insure the new PPS Board Members see it. But I am releasing a new document, a new vision. We can build upon our Summer Dreamers experiences with Swim & Water Polo and turn them into Year-Round Achievers. Let's train 250 new lifeguards in the next five years. You know, PPS has 14 indoor swim pools and there was a time a few years ago when every pool was closed all summer long. We ran the numbers, we have the opportunity to train 6,000 students a year in a five-week Swim & Water Polo Camp. We can teach every kid in PPS how to swim. And, we already have these facilities. They are too often closed. And, these plans are affordable. The pools are there. The water awaits. The plans call for no extra time for custodians. Done well, I expect sensational health benefits and community school interactions.

In the final public hearing concerning input for the new superintendent search, I was the 13th speaker. Every other speaker that came to the microphone to share insights had common ground with my central message as well.

Speaker #1 said: Services and support are not in place in PPS.

Speaker #2, a young woman, remembered that the only thing she was jazzed about at Allderdice through 9th, 10th, and 11th grade was her involvement in marching band. That experience kept her going through high school.

Speaker #3 works as a professional in out-of-school time activities as a community-based provider. She wants PPS to embrace partnerships and have that as a skill-set. The new superintendent needs to have a “track record” (pun to me) and display “small wins” in after-school programming. Well, I want big wins.

Speaker #4, an 8th grade student in Higher Achievement, spoke of the need for a fresh environment. In past years I coached water polo with students in Higher Achievement. Of course, that's fresh!

Speaker #5, a 7th grade student, wants communication skills and respect in communities.

Speaker #6, Hill District Economic Council spoke of being healthy. Wishing for transforming students, leadership, innovation. Athletic do that.

Speaker #7, a Pitt Education Professor and a parent spoke about deep and sustaining partnerships. Pittsburgh has an incredibly rich network. Civic and community engagement are needed and golly, she said that PPS often seems as if it does not want input. Spot on!

Speaker #8, Sala Udin, wants to see someone articulate a strategy. That's exactly what the position paper did. That's exactly what the Sports Reform Task Force did. That's what was ignored by PPS. Sala wants a “turn around” and I do too. We'll even teach flip turns! Yes, Sala, Pittsburgh is a segregated city with a large number of poor people. That's why we are excited to do water polo in the Hill District's Ammon Swim Pool again in the summer of 2016 and champion swimming and water polo, activities that don't cost much beyond having swim suits.

Speaker #9 wants community schools and job training for parents. I've been working with the Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center, but that's not the social skills job training that is really desired. But the new document speaks of community fitness for the parents and guardians of the students we coach. I want adults to start to train when their kids are youngsters so that a few years later as the kids are in high school we can kayak together in our rivers.

Speaker #10, the President of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers hit a home run and made mention of the word “athletics.” She wants none of this as an “after-thought. Rather, authentic working together is desired. Bravo.

Speaker #11, a U-Prep teacher, Chris, made mention that Pittsburgh has been a sports town with some graduates in the NFL and NBA. Who is going to stand up and take the heat, he asks? I think we teach that in athletics too.

Speaker #12, Fred Logan of Homewood, wants the PSCC (Parent School Community Councils) to return with gusto. And our sports boosters, sports leagues and sports advocate efforts should be a part of those PSCC gatherings, perhaps bringing purpose for some to show up and get more involved.

I spoke at #13.

Speaker #14 ranted about knowledge being power. Learn everything and many things. “We should do better than that so our kids can survive in the world.” Learning to swim is a survival skill.

Speaker #15, a Linden teacher and advocate with gifted referrals wants a universal screening so that all the kids who qualify as gifted get an invite to the Pittsburgh Gifted Center. Of course, all the kids should have some of the same opportunities. We could tie a universal gifted screening approach to a mission to have universal swimming lessons.

Speaker #16, Obama Academy senior, spoke of Teen Block and speaking up with student voices. The most popular messages among the kids have been about school starting too early and PPS teaching the whole person. I just released a new video about the AM Swim Practices we have at 6 am. And, I'm a big fan of holistic coaching.

Speaker #17, a U-Prep junior, a young Mr. Sanders, wants to be an entrepreneur. His personal finance class doesn't have a stable teacher and there are many faculty who seem to change often. The lunches do not seem to be nutritional and he and his classmates do not seem to be energized after eating. With athletes, great nutrition is vital. With growing kids, nutrition matters. I also expect that with more athletes, we'll diminish violence. Learning to play well with others is a central theme we should embrace often.

Speaker #18, a parent wants to develop amazing adults and wants inclusion with the disability community. Unemployment is at 70% in that sector, and teaching needs to be visual, auditory and kinetic.

Speaker #19, Ron Lawrence, 100-Black Men and an A+ Schools board member is one I want to get to meet. Closing the achievement gap is important. That achievement gap happens at the swim pool too.

Speaker #20, Education Rights Network advocate wants to end that pipeline to prison. I agree, the PPS administrative cabinet should have a commitment to include an administrator to work full time on efforts to better support those with disabilities. Another after-thought it seems.

Speaker #21, Kenneth, a long-time community activist and friend wants student government and school newspapers to be a first contact with visitors to the school. The newspapers teach ethics and are a place to get focus in a crisis. What's going on should be written about and he feels Mark Roosevelt was a terrible person, especially as he sold off the printing presses in all the schools.

Speaker #22, Tim Stevens, spoke and sang of his days in the U-Prep school, site of the meeting, as it was then called Herron Hill. He spoke at a past meeting and he highlighted the slogan above the stage, “We are all learning.” Enough said.

Speaker #23, Chris Moore, the new U-Prep principal, a former teacher at Schenley, is back in PPS and he feels the new superintendent should be one who is “called” to the job. That is a great trait. He also says that the new superintendent should have the discipline to put students first as he or she makes decisions. I got to chat for a minute after the meeting with the new principal. He'll help to get the word out to the students about the opportunities to play water polo in the neighborhood on Fridays at the Thelma Lovette YMCA.

Help in reaching kids, ages 14 to 21, for the city and county's summer job program before the application deadline

I've been working in April 2015 as a recruiter for the 2015 Learn & Earn Youth Job Program so that kids are aware and making their application for summer jobs. We go to schools and mingle at lunch period to help get out the word. But there are plenty of others that we are not reaching, and we could use your help.

As you see a kid in the next week, ask them if they've got a summer job and if they've applied for the city program.

The application is full of "red tape" in that the kids need birth certificate, a Social Security card (not just the number), proof of address (a copy of a report card with the student's name and address will do), and proof of household family income too. All the details on in an 8-page PDF.

http://www.ENECpittsburgh.org

Time for Letter to US Senators

Help!

Re: Continue Federal Support for Afterschool and Summer Learning Programs


Dear Senator:

Please ensure that any reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) includes continued support and authorization of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative that provides funding to local school-community partnerships in order to provide quality afterschool and summer learning programs to children. These funds provide academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools.

I am concerned that in the ESEA draft bill Every Child Ready for College or Career Act of 2015 proposed by Sen. Alexander, eliminates all the funding currently supporting thousands of students in afterschool and summer programs in Allegheny County. This year the 21st CCLC brings in over 6 million to support afterschool and summer program. 86% of parents support public funding for afterschool and summer programs.

Please support a dedicated funding stream like 21st CCLC that leverages the resources of for-profits, faith based organizations, community based organizations (CBOs), tribal organizations, non-profits, local government, colleges and universities in addition to school districts, to provide students the support they need to succeed in school and life.

Given these concerns, we strongly urge Congress to maintain authorization of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative and strengthen it as proposed in the bipartisan Afterschool for America’s Children Act.

Sincerely,

Happy Labor Day to all, and a special shout out to the long, lost net friend, The Mosque Avenger

I am missing the Mosque Avenger. Where ever he may be, "Happy Labor Day."

Public School Teachers Paid More Than Most Households

From Newsmax:

Despite the clamor about low teacher pay in America, the average teacher in a taxpayer-supported public school earns more in base salary alone — with summers off — than the median U.S. household earns in an entire year.

According to a new report from the Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the average base salary for a full-time public school teacher in the 2011-2012 school year was $53,100.

The Census Bureau estimated that the median household income in the United States was $50,054 in 2011, the latest year for which figures are available.

The income earned by public school teachers is also significantly higher than the base salary of the average private school teacher, $40,200 a year, according to the NCES.

Many public school teachers earn more than their base salary. For example, 41.8 percent of teachers receive additional income to work in extracurricular activities in the same school system; 4 percent earn additional compensation based on students' performance; and 7.3 percent receive income from other school-system sources, such as state supplements.

On top of that, 16.5 percent of public school teachers have another job outside the school system.

When all sources of income are included, the average public school teacher earned $55,100 in the school year studied.

Teachers at public high schools earned even more: $57,700 in 2011-2012, and teachers at schools with at least 1,000 students made $59,100.

In contrast, teachers at private elementary schools earned just $38,400 that year, and those who work in a community classified as a "town" earned only $31,200.

Footnote: The NCES figures for public school teachers do not include their often generous retirement pensions.

Erik and then myself, Mark, at PPS School Board public comment with back to school message

Speaker # 20, Erik Rauterkus.



Speaker # 21, Mark Rauterkus.

Meet the four Dem Party candidates for nomination for Pittsburgh City Council, District 3. March Debate Videos

From my camera to your brain, thanks to the efforts of the South Side Community Council and the Brashear Assocation, from March 2011.

Each of the 12 parts has the replies from the four candidates, with one miss due to a different camera angle need. The order is mixed among the four with each question.

My opinions are being curbed in this blog post.

Hint: The Viddler video server software is especially valuable as mini-notes can be put into the video along the timeline button. But, to leave a note, you'll need to use a Viddler account and log in.

Part 1: Opening statements:



Part 2: Two problems, quality of life, and realistic solutions:



Part 3: Proposed Neighborhood Improvement District, NID:



Part 4: Saturation of bars on the South Side and the failed attempt to restrict them:



Part 5: Cooperation and relationship with the mayor's office:



Part 6: Cooperation with East Carson Street Business Owners:



Part 7: Best asset of the South Side and its protection:



Part 8: South Side Slopes and Flats distinctions:



Part 9: Parks plans:



Part 10: Bad boy city employees:



Part 11: Keeping tax incomes in the South Side:



Part 12 and conclusion:

Your comments are welcome as part of this blog posting, or at Viddler.com, or best of all, within the timeline of the videos. Click the bead that scrolls along the horizontal timeline and insert your tidbits. Then those remarks show up for others to see as they watch.

Feel free to email this URL to others to have them check out the videos on the Pittsburgh group at Viddler: http://www.viddler.com/groups/pittsburgh .

The direct link to this blog posting is: http://rauterkus.blogspot.com/2011/04/meet-four-dem-party-candidates-for.html  .