Former Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw told a reporter he used steroids and
that a doctor administered the injections. VIDEO: Former Steeler LC Greenwood Comments On Steroids
http://www.wpxi.com/tu/5yP5S1OpX.html
Schenley No. 1 topic at meetingOkay -- for the sake of discussion -- let's say Schenley isn't safe today. Then what? I was pleased to hear the questions that came from Mrs. Hazuda about fixing Schenley. The fact that Schenley isn't safe is one thing. But, none within the administration are trying to fix it. She wanted to know how it could be done to make Schenley safe into the future. Good questions. But they were not interested. They said -- well, you know, you've got to get building permits to do that. Like building permits are a deal breaker.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 By Joe Smydo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A leader of the Save Schenley movement last night made a last-ditch appeal to save the Pittsburgh Schenley High School building, but Pittsburgh Public Schools officials again insisted the structure isn't safe.
Board member Theresa Colaizzi, angry that Mr. Lardas was given time to speak, stalked from the room and returned after he had finished.Childish, to say the least.
Mr. Lardas said the reports, commissioned by the district, show that the building remains safe for students and that there's no widespread collapse of asbestos-containing plaster. But district officials said the architects and engineers repeatedly have told them that the district no longer can risk exposing students and staff to asbestos.Aim arrow. Shoot messenger. Great for you Mr. Roosevelt.
Mr. Roosevelt and Paul Gill, the district's chief operations officer, said the qualifications of their industrial hygienists and other experts trumped those of Mr. Lardas, a civil engineer and contractor.
"He's not an expert in this field," Mr. Roosevelt said.
Board members Mark Brentley Sr. and Randall Taylor assailed Education Committee Chairman Thomas Sumpter, who presided at the workshop, for using the first 90 minutes to list and rank members' concerns about improving the district's high schools.
The pair wanted to spend the time asking administrators about Schenley and other high-school issues up for a vote tomorrow.
"What kind of game are we playing here?" Mr. Brentley said.
Mr. Taylor said the listing and ranking of concerns on large sheets of paper was a "filibuster" designed to prevent discussion of controversial issues. When Mr. Sumpter asked him to rank the concerns written on the sheets, Mr. Taylor said, "Hand me a couple of darts, and I'll throw them over there."
Mr. Sumpter said the board was divided into "two camps" on Schenley. He said some of his colleagues didn't understand that the workshop was intended to be an exercise in policy analysis, not a "rabble-rousing" session or forum for discussing Schenley exclusively.
Before the workshop, about six parents and other supporters held a news conference outside district offices to protest the proposed merger of the middle-grade and high-school arts schools. Among other complaints, the group said there wouldn't be enough space in the Downtown building to accommodate both schools.
Because of rain, the group tried to meet inside board offices but were told to leave.
Joe Smydo can be reached at jsmydo@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1548.
Nothing is more telling than that. Parents were told to leave!
Schenley asbestos findings challenged by district residentsThe superintendent, the attorney, Ira Weiss, Mr. Gill of the facilities side are reading from The Old Testament. Over and over and over again we've heard about the things in the past. Roosevelt calls names and dwells on things that happened last summer, last fall, last reports, last decade, last superintendent. He is Mr. Rear-View Mirror.
By Bill Zlatos, TRIBUNE-REVIEW, Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Supporters of Schenley High School disagreed Monday night with officials of Pittsburgh Public Schools over the danger of asbestos in the building.
"Now, from everything I've seen in the reports and from what I know about plaster and asbestos, the building is as safe as any other Pittsburgh public school for students to be in," said Nick Lardas, 53, of Oakland.
Lardas, who runs a contracting company that specializes in historical renovation, made the comment during the school board's workshop on high school reform.
His qualifications were immediately challenged by district officials.
"Were I to hire you to tell us about asbestos at Schenley, I should be fired," said chief operations officer Paul Gill.
Gill said the district has received four reports from architectural firms stressing the risk of asbestos-containing plaster at the landmark high school in Oakland.
He said the majority of plaster samples in Schenley show levels of about 3 percent asbestos, with some as high as 7 percent. The safety threshold is 1 percent asbestos.
The school board is scheduled to vote Wednesday night on a recommendation by Superintendent Mark Roosevelt to close the school because of that risk and the estimated $76.2 million cost to overhaul the school.
"Mr. Lardas is a reputable contractor," Roosevelt said. "He is not an expert in the (asbestos) field."
Citing advice from the architects and Solicitor Ira Weiss, Roosevelt added, "It is inconceivable to me that we would be discussing to have students in the building."
Before yesterday's meeting, the Task Force for Excellence in Education at CAPA -- a parents' group -- held a news conference to discuss its opposition to the proposed merger of Rogers Middle School for the Creative and Performing Arts in Garfield with the Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, Downtown.
"It's just not a matter of packing it up and bringing it over," said Linda Doernberg, 58, of Point Breeze. She has four daughters who went to the Pittsburgh High School CAPA, three of whom went to Rogers.
Parents raised concerns about possibly cramming students into rooms, greater wear on facilities and equipment, safety and the teacher-student ratio.
Doernberg complained that a feasibility committee met just once on the merger. The school board is scheduled to vote next month.
Bill Zlatos can be reached at bzlatos@tribweb.com or 412-320-7828.
Some attendees said they would like to see Knoxville Middle School reopened in the summer as a recreational site. The school, which closed in 2007, has a gymnasium, auditorium, swimming pool, playground, and basketball courts that would keep children off the street, said the attendees.There's a plan.
Mr. Kraus told them to get a signed petition and take it to the school board, and he would back them.
CAPA Parents Voice Concern Of Possible School MergerCAPA is not a 'clown car.' I love that sign. I had the photo on this blog weeks ago.
Parents Feel Decision Overshadowed By Schenley Controversy
PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- CAPA High parents spoke out against a plan that would merge the schools their children attend on Monday night.
The proposal calls for the merging CAPA and Rogers CAPA.
Parents said the plan has not received a lot of attention because of the decision to close Schenley High School.
Linda Doernberg is a chairwoman of the Task Force for Excellence and has children that graduated from both schools.
Doernberg voiced her concern about the priority of the possible merger and said, "Shockingly there has been one meeting of the feasibility committee for this merger and it was held on June 11...one meeting."
Opponents said the merge does not make sense financially.
They said if both schools merge, the academic credibility of its staff will decline.
I'd like to invite you all to the first meeting of the Campaign for Liberty. The mission statement can be found here: http://www.campaignforliberty.com/mission/
Details regarding the meeting can be found here:
http://ronpaul.meetup.com/97/calendar/8170348/
I'd like to see this group as a network of activist networks, building on the meetings begun last year at Tom K's house, with the Libertarian party, Constitution party, Republican Assembly, Second Amendment groups, etc. all communicating and cooperating on the liberty activist front.
Ideally, we will go over the agenda items for CfL, then each group represented should be able to go over their current slate of activities (ie: LP-Barr's and CP-Baldwin's presidential campaigns, anti REAL-ID, voting system audits, etc). Afterwards, I'd like to break up into discussion/planning groups, and people looking to get active can choose which projects to work on.
We should have computers, wireless access and printers available.
Whether you are just looking for information on the liberty agenda or interested getting active, this should be one of the best opportunities to advance the liberty agenda since the start of the Ron Paul primary campaign, and I would encourage all to come, whether or not you can be active right away.
I hope to see you all there!
-Dave Powell, Chairman, LP-PGH, Co-Org, PAFA
Libertarians 'may send a message' to the GOP - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Libertarians 'may send a message' to the GOPWonder when the coverage is going to flip to Bob Barr? Will he get two front page stories from the Trib in the weeks after the election too?
This is from citizen, parent, advocate: Kathy Fine. It is a reposted here, with pleasure, with slight edits. My reactions to follow, later.
June 23, 2008
Dear PPS board members,
As we all seek the information necessary to make an informed decision regarding the fate of Schenley High School, it is important to remember that we are all on the same side. We all want a public school system that serves ALL children. We all want to be fiscally responsible in that quest. We all want our voices to be heard and to be given real consideration when it comes to the education of our children.
Below are 3 questions to which we need clear and detailed answers to before anyone can consider closing the Schenley building:
What are the 5 and 10 year vision if the district? How will high school reform affect the other 9 PPS high schools?
Given that Schenley High School is the only high school between the rivers (besides Alderdice and CAPA) that is not perceived by the public as in an “unsafe” location, where will the IB students be housed if Schenley is closed?
What is the cost for a renovation that would make the building safe and available on a no frills basis?
I know that this process has been difficult for everyone involved. There are no easy answers. We know that the administration is trying to do what is right to make our students safe as well as address the wide array of academic needs of all of our students. But there is usually more than one option when solving a problem, and we would like all of those options to be thoroughly evaluated.
We would like to thank each of you for your dedication to our public schools. We realize that it is often a thankless job, but one that is so important to the success of our public schools and the vitality of our city.
Best Regards,
Kathy Fine
Schenley Remediation
Why did the plaster start falling in the Schenley building?
Administration response:
The district yesterday said the installation of new windows in 2005 has reduced ventilation, contributed to humidity and weakened the plaster. (PG 11/20/07)
On June 18, 2008 Mr. Vidya Patil, Director of Facilities, PPS, reiterated the often repeated statement that the cause of the falling plaster from the ceilings in Schenley High School is due to delamination (failure to adhere) caused by age.
Reality: Failing plaster is due to repeated water exposure from roof leaks, possible ventilation problems, inadequate plaster repairs by PPS facilities, and delayed repair (WJE Conclusions, Materials experts hired by PPS, 10/07, tab 8, pg 7)
When did the falling plaster begin and how large the problem?
Administration Response:
Mr. Fellers said in a report that "ceiling and wall plaster (particularly on the upper floors) is falling away from surfaces on a recurring basis" (PG 11/20/07)
After a ceiling collapse in a stairwell last summer, the district spent $750,000 to repair 10,000 worn areas of plaster building-wide. (PG 11/20/07)
Reality: WJE reports that Robert Kennedy, PPS Facilities, stated that there were 5,000-10,000 patches were repaired last summer (tab 8, pg 2). Mr. Roosevelt repeatedly states only the 10,000 number. This is often reported as failure on a grand scale. However, the Schenley building has approximately 600,000 to 1 million square feet of plaster (ceiling and wall). If there were 5,000 one square foot patches done, this would be only .5% of the total ceiling space in Schenley needing repair.
The piece of plaster that Mr. Fellers refers as a “ceiling collapse” was a 4’X4’ piece of patch that had been repaired improperly (PPS facilities did not use mesh or latex modifiers/plasticizers which is why some patches failed. (documentation here)
What is the recommendation for solving the falling plaster problem?
Administration response
Astorino: Vacate and gut the building. “It would be difficult to determine the magnitude of overall danger of possible plaster failures in the future. It is important to understand that danger does exist and requires constant monitoring” (Astorino, tab 1, pg 2)
Kimball and Assoc.: Vacate the Schenley building until it can be adequately renovated. “Asbestos plaster of this era typically adheres to substrate very well (that was the purpose for putting asbestos in plaster) (tab 1, pg 3). This is not true, asbestos is put in plaster for fireproofing and increased tensile strength. “The plaster in this building has maintained its integrity for approximately 90 years and started to fail almost universally across the entire building.” (tab 1, pg 3) Also untrue, plaster failure was due to ongoing, unaddressed moisture exposure according to WJE.
Note: MacLachlan, Cornelius and Filoni made no statement regarding the immediate removal of the students and staff or to potential danger posed asbestos or falling plaster, only that the major renovations should be done while the building is vacant. It should also be noted that the Filoni report initially contained a section evaluating the costs of renovating Reizenstein for converting into a high school and evaluating the worth of Reizenstein building, but this section was redacted before it was released to the public.
Reality: According to WJE, the materials expert hired to assess falling plaster, PPS should: fix leaks to stop moisture, repoint mortar joints, hire engineer to assess ventilation system, inspect plaster near any roof repairs, use proper techniques to repair plaster (use mesh or latex modifiers to do it correctly, PPS facilities did not do this, that is why some patches failed), periodically inspect for future plaster distress.
Summary of damaged plaster assessment: WJE, the materials experts hired by the PPS, evaluated the remediation of the patches done on the PPS facilities and states most areas of plaster failure had been identified and that correct repair methods and periodic monitoring along with proper ventilation will be sufficient for safety. However, the administration, Astorino, Kimball looked at the evaluation done by WJE and came to completely different, more dire conclusions. If roof leaks and ventilation are repaired, there is no reason to keep students out of the building in the fall. Humidity, poor ventilation, water infiltration and windows not opening can be remedied in a cost effective manner.
What is the cost of only asbestos removal?
Administration response: Robert Kennedy states that asbestos removal will cost about $40 million.
Reality: Al Filoni reports that estimates for asbestos management range from $3.5 million to $30 million, but he estimates that the costs would be closer to $10.5 million.
What is cost of asbestos removal and new ventilation only?
Administration response: Mr. Roosevelt said he fears that a partial renovation merely would mean doing more work down the road. Two Kimball executives said they doubted a partial project would be feasible now anyway because the falling plaster would prevent the asbestos from being encapsulated (PG, 11/20/07)
Reality: The standard management of non-friable asbestos (the type that is present in the plaster at Schenley and is not a risk to health) according to the EPA is to leave it in place. Even the plaster that has fallen has not released asbestos into the air (AGX report) The ventilation system can be replaced/repaired during the summer when no students are in the building and abatement of asbestos around ducts can be done at that time.
Two Kimball officials -- Thomas Blank, vice president and operations manager for the civil and environmental division, and Ryan Pierce, vice president of K-12 architecture -- today said the $37.8 million estimate was made before plaster began falling away. The low estimate included encapsulating the asbestos, which is cheaper than removal. However, encapsulation is not possible when the plaster is falling down.
Can the work be done to make Schenley safe for students/staff and the rest of the renovation (electrical, plumbing, air conditioning) be done in stages as funds become available? Will this add substantially to the costs?
What is the scope of work that will be done at Schenley for the $76 million costs?
Administration response- Mr. Roosevelt yesterday released six renovation cost estimates, the highest an $86.9 million proposal from L. Robert Kimball & Associates in 2005. That proposal included $500,000 for refurbishing an organ. Ryan M. Pierce, the Downtown firm's vice president and market sector leader, said the proposal was not only a renovation but a "restoration" of the building. (PG 11/20/07)
Reality: It is unnecessary and extravagant to perform a “restoration” on the Schenley building at this time.
What are the costs to remove all asbestos and make the building available on a no frills basis?
What is the level of asbestos in Schenley compared to the level of asbestos present in the other six PPS high schools?
Administration response: “It's in every wall, in every ceiling, on every floor," and more prevalent in Schenley than other district schools, the district's chief operations officer, said Richard Fellers, (PG 11/20/07).
Paul Gill states that what differentiates Schenley from other high schools is that extensive work was done at Peabody and Westinghouse. What does that mean? Was asbestos abated completely at these other two high schools? Is there asbestos in the plaster at these schools?
Reality: Awaiting documentation from administration.
What is the total cost for housing the Schenley students in 3 separate facilities?
Administration response: In October 2007, the cost estimates from the administration for renovations at Reizenstein, Milliones and Peabody were $28.2 million. Add the costs for CAPA expansion and Sci-Tech renovation and the administration was proposing to spend $49.3 million.
Reality: Architect Al Filoni placed the renovation costs for Reizenstein at $50 million, bringing the total cost for housing Schenley students to $64 million. This cost does not reflect the soaring construction costs or the fact that the Milliones and Sci-Tech price tags are most likely grossly underestimated as the cost for Reizenstein was.
General Questions
What are the 5 and 10 year plans for the district?
What are the plans for the other nine high schools?
Shouldn’t we have a permanent location for the IB program before any decision is made regarding Schenley?
Wilkinson dives into effort to replace training facility UT isn't the only university to find divers at the Woodlands. 'Well over 140 divers have received Division I scholarships; that's every single diver for the last 19 or 20 years who graduated,' Armstrong said. 'That's our No. 1 goal, to get their education paid for. The Olympics is just the icing on the cake.'"Let's do some math.
UT isn't the only university to find divers at the Woodlands. "Well over 140 divers have received Division I scholarships; that's every single diver for the last 19 or 20 years who graduated," Armstrong said. "That's our No. 1 goal, to get their education paid for. The Olympics is just the icing on the cake."
New plan for pool
The Woodlands, which opened in 1974, boasts that it is the first master-planned community in Texas, and it is certainly one of the largest, most successful and well known. In 2000, the bedroom community 25 miles north of Houston had a population that exceeded 55,000; it's now approaching 90,000. The community was the vision of oil and gas magnate George Mitchell and was designed to be an alternate to the sprawling suburbs, incorporating nature and outdoor activities into everyday life. The private athletic club, with its swimming and diving facilities, was one of the development's original amenities.
Of the Woodlands' diving well, Scoggin said, "It's my favorite outdoor facility in the world. It's surrounded by all these pine trees. It's picturesque and pristine, and it's neat the way the way they can pack the crowd around the pool. It's like tennis at Wimbledon."
The Woodlands will open a new $5 million aquatic center this year. Instead of platforms and springboards, however, the kid-friendly facility will have a lazy river for floating and a two-story slide.
Susan Vreeland-Wendt, marketing director for the Woodlands Development Corp., which controls land use in the community, confirmed that the club is scheduled to close at the end of the year.
"The cost of renovation would be pretty big," she said. "I really can't say anything specifically, but we're looking at a lot of options."
Possible uses for the club site include townhomes, condominiums or an expansion of the Woodlands' resort and conference center.
Armstrong said there were plans to close the club before the 2008 Olympics, but the development corporation has kept it open so that the divers would have somewhere to train.
"I thank them for letting us stay," Armstrong said. "I'm sad to see it go. I have some strong feelings for this, but I understand it's totally a business decision."
To the School Board Members, Foundation Leaders and City Council:
This is not a 74 million dollar question of whether to Save Schenley or not.
The question is “Should we spend over 60 million to move 1200 kids out of Schenley into ‘boutique’ schools in less safe neighborhoods and lesser buildings on the assumption that smaller 6-12 schools will improve academic performance?”
The question is “Should we give up one of our highest academically performing schools in the best location in town (for collaborative magnets on science, technology, health, and more) and move kids to lower performing schools, on an unproven assumption of yet another ‘silver bullet’ for improving academic performance?”
The question is “should we repair and upgrade a grand, crafted school building that has 50-100 years left, or should we repair and upgrade buildings with 20 years of life left, sinking our tax dollars into oblivion?”
Even if you have no children left in the Pittsburgh Schools, the answer to these questions will affect your economic future. Our future tax base is dependent on continuing to attract young families to live in the city, and every resident will tell you this is school dependent. Only three high schools give prospective residents confidence: Allderdice, CAPA and Schenley, and real estate values reflect this directly. The value of your own real estate, and the viability of our city, is dependent on the quality and proven success of our schools. Of course, there is significant room for academic improvement, but you want to start with the highest base you can find, a school that effectively merges diverse populations with shared success.
Then, there is the question about the true condition and costs of renovating Schenley. Though worn, Schenley is a perfectly adequate learning environment as is, in fact far superior to any of Schools under discussion since it is a truly ‘green’ school with daylight, natural ventilation, thermal mass, and highly crafted construction. While the cracking plaster that contains modest amounts of asbestos should be abated (taken out) or encapsulated (covered), monthly measurements have shown it is not a danger to students. Estimates vary from a few million to 10 million to remove and resurface all 300,000 square feet of Schenley. 5-10 million is all that must be spent to save Schenley, unless we want to restore the building to its full glory with the most up-to-date laboratories and amenities. This was done in rival Cleveland with State and Federal support, where John Jay High School was renovated into a breathtaking destination for three smaller magnet schools – a success story we should all see first hand.
To act in a professional manner, the school board and the superintendent must:
* Secure three binding bids from leading US firms to undertake asbestos abatement now, considering all choices. This task that must be undertaken even if the building is to be sold.
* Secure 1-3 binding bids for upgrading the schools that would be absorbing the 1200 Schenley students, if a move was really in the best interest of our kids, so full comparisons can be made.
* Complete a 5 and 10 year plan for School closings and re-assignments that reflect comprehensive assessments of the academic, space and location benefits of each school, and the range of student populations that can be anticipated (especially if school confidence is assured and fuel prices remain high).
* Demonstrate to the residents (and future residents) that merging middle and high school populations into one school building definitively improve educational outcomes and that the scheduling, space and advising challenges of housing 11 and 18 year olds together has been fully resolved.
These tasks must be accomplished before decisions are made by the School Board.
Given that there has been inadequate research on the value of boutique 6-12 schools to academic outcomes; Given that there has been inadequate planning to establish the ‘ultimate’ school portfolio for the next 10 years; Given that there has been inadequate planning to work through the chaos of merging middle and upper school schedules and spaces; Given that there has been inadequate cost estimating on any of the ‘domino’ schools in play; Given the extensive press on “we don’t have 74 million dollars to spend” - there is no way the Schenley question can be put on a public referendum and receive unbiased or informed votes.
Yours Sincerely,
Vivian Loftness, FAIA (Fellow of the American Institute of Architects)
Professor and 1994-2004 Head of the School of Architecture
Carnegie Mellon University
Board of Directors, US Green Building Council
Oliver's seniors fell short on days: "Oliver's seniors fell short on daysThey administration just proved our point! They are so worried about Schenley, that they are able to ignore the schools that need the attention, need to oversight, need the coaching, need the support.
District blames principal, seeks waiver from state
To say I was shocked to see that KQV Newsman Steve Lohle died suddenly today of an apparent heart attack was an unterstatement.
The last time I spoke with Steve was last year when I called to tell him that my short-stint as a Metro traffic reporter was over. As usual, when a friend was getting screwed, Steve would utter a cloud of obscenities that would make you laugh. When I was on the air last year there were a couple of "lines" we'd share with one another and I could hear the smile in his voice.
Guys with booming voices and penchant for humorous fits of cussing got to stick together, you know.
Steve was the kind of guy who "saw it all" in radio news. He had been at KQV since 1974. Once he knew he could trust me, we hit it off. He was my best friend in the KQV newsroom, and with folks like Maloney, Goldman, Hagman, Cloonan, Effort, Riley and Ballarotto, there wasn't a loser in the bunch.
Dan Wineberg solemnly talked about Steve at the top of the 5 p.m. hour then played a canned interview between Maloney and Lohle. Steve, as usual, was shy "being interviewed" then came alive when he laughed.
KQV General Manager Robert W. Dickey called Steve "The Voice" of the Station. Dickey also mentioned that Steve "confided in him" that he wanted to "go" like Tim Russert almost a week to the hour prior. Dickey and I agree: God was listening.
I vividly remember taking the call from Steve when he informed the newsroom that his wife Barbara had given birth to his son Colin, who is now 10. We often talked about fatherhood as he was a "late in life" Dad. Over the years after I left KQV, I'd call to check in on Steve. He'd always answer the phone in a gruff manner. When I'd say hello, he'd say "Tommmmy." Then we'd share stories.
Wineberg's voice justed cracked just a smidge when he read "The Late Steve Lohle" at the conclusion of the taped interview just before 5:15 p.m. It's hard to comprehend.
Steve Lohle was my best friend at KQV. Please say a prayer for this wonderful man and his family.
Dear Colleagues,Schenley-letter-Dowd to page with a link to the PDF now posted at FixPA.wikia.com
I would be grateful if you would take a few moments to review the attached letter. I look forward to spirited and positive discussions over the next few days.
All the best,
Patrick
Board to tackle Schenley referendum The city school board may vote as soon as Wednesday on member Theresa Colaizzi's proposal for a referendum on whether to renovate the Pittsburgh Schenley High School building.
A day after going public with the idea, Ms. Colaizzi yesterday reiterated her desire to resolve the controversy with a ballot question and said Pittsburgh Public Schools Solicitor Ira Weiss is working on a resolution that she hopes to introduce at Wednesday's legislative meeting.
Navy SEAL Fitness Challenge: "Welcome to the Navy SEAL Fitness Challenge"
Another option? Let voters decide Schenley's fate: "Another option? Let voters decide Schenley's fateI dare say that Theresa Colaizzi is feeling a little heat on the pending vote to advance into the darkness known as Mark Roosevelt's High School Reform by closing Schenley High School.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
By Joe Smydo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh school board member Theresa Colaizzi last night threw another wrinkle into the debate over Pittsburgh Schenley High School by proposing that voters decide whether to renovate the Oakland building.
Ms. Colaizzi said a referendum could be placed on the ballot to ask voters whether the Pittsburgh Public Schools should borrow nearly $80 million to renovate a building that's historic and beloved, but plagued by asbestos and other maintenance problems.
I do think that board member Colaizzi does have a point i the mention above. I wrangled with Gene Ricciardi about these concepts. He got mad at me for my statement that he was not a friend of public education due to the fact that the TIFs (Tax breaks) were pushed to include the schools and the mess with the crossing guards. The city of Pittsburgh should never have pushed a burden of paying for crossing guards onto the backs and budget of the Pgh Public Schools. Never. I raised my voice on this matter dozens of times.
She said council has no business commenting on school renovations and finances when the Legislature about four years ago diverted millions of dollars in school taxes for a city bailout package.
Internal Pittsburgh School Audit Criticizes Student Tutoring Arrangement - Target 11 News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh Target 11’s Rick Earle has discovered a Pittsburgh school board member's son was paid to tutor other students during the school day.True story. My son, now finished with 4th grade, walks past a classroom of K students in the hallway counting off after a bathroom break. They count, 5, 6, 7, 8, etc. My son, being the wise guy, injects some other numbers into the mix, under his breath, 12, 5, 9, 13. He walks past.
Earle obtained an internal school document that was critical of the arrangement. The school board member's son wasn't alone.
In all, 20 Pittsburgh School District high school students were paid to tutor last year. Some of them were paid to tutor during the school day.
At Monday nights meeting, there were 87 speakers signed up -- more than half were Schenley. There was also a contingent of CAPA parents and students, as well as several teachers. In general, the CAPA point was that they had raised many concerns about the merger that remained unaddressed, most urgently the issue of crowding, but including many others.
Listening to their complaints that the administration doesn't listen, refuses input, and ignores issues felt very familiar! I urge you to go back and look at the plans put out this fall (on the district website). Other than moving three grades of Schenley together to die a slower death (a change which was likely undertaken to make the Milliones move more successful, they certainly didn't want kids who had known Schenley ruining their new program!), the plans haven't changed at all. All those months of A+ meetings, hearings, and other meetings were just to allow us to feel heard, rather than be heard.
Anyway -- the speakers Monday were again great, there was someone talking about Oakland land use and the need to keep Schenley a school. Barbara Ernsberger, chairperson of the City of Pittsburgh Democratic Committee reported the results of a meeting showing overwhelming support among ward chairs for saving Schenley the building as a school. Vivian Loftness reiterated the value of the building that was spelled out so beautifully in Sunday's paper. Parents asked for a comprehensive plan and for a comparison of the costs of moving schools here and there, over and over again.
On Tuesday at City Council, it began with a mystery. The printed list of speakers listed three "Invited Guests" including Derrick Lopez (Chief of HS reform), Paul Gill (Director of Operations), and Linda Lane (Deputy Superintendent, only member of the administration I saw at the Schenley musical, turns out she went to every HS's musical, I like her!). Doug Shields said that this happened without going through his office, as it should have and without his knowledge. A quick decision was made that they'd only have 3 minutes, like everyone else. However, none of them were there. Here's the PG's write-up:http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08170/890678-85.stmThe discussion after our testimony was interesting to watch, if only because we never get to hear from the School Board at hearings. As you may have heard though, they already wrote and voted on a resolution, without Peduto there to vote (or call in) and with a seemingly confused Rev. Burgess voting against a delay because he doesn't know what's happening with Peabody and Westinghouse, it didn't get the 5 votes it needed, only got 4.
Today's paper has this story:http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08171/891071-52.stmPatrick Dowd went on about a bond issue on Tuesday night too. We've never gotten an answer as to who it was in the administration that was tasked with looking at alternatives (and if there really was someone, any indication of the extent of their efforts.) -- instead some have jumped directly to the ballot. Liked Randall Taylor's suggestion that all the other reform spending should be bundled up and put to a vote too, if that were to happen. Part of the point of Peduto's plan and the lease buy back idea of 2005 was that it avoided debt altogether.
More later -- just wanted to get something out. I'm off to write a letter to the editor and spend some time with a 5 year old who's sick of listening to me type!
Please keep getting the word out to non-Schenley affiliated parents that there are so many parts of this plan that affect all city residents, all students and that they need to be active now. After plans are announced, as we well know, it's very hard to get any movement at all.
Jen Lakin
Letters to the editor/West
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Carlynton needs nonresidents on teams
Despite opposition from residents representing youth programs, some elected Carlynton school directors want to limit facility use to organizations with 100 percent district youths.
They believe nonresidents take opportunities from Carlynton kids because nonresidents outperform our kids; thus, Carlynton kids need contrived opportunities for success because they are unable to succeed on their own. Not only are these beliefs untrue, they are insulting.
Without basis, these directors also claim that clubs "train the competition" and that's the reason high school teams don't win. What they don't realize is that barring nonresidents won't hurt those kids, it will only hurt ours.
Nonresidents will train elsewhere, while our kids will lose out because without nonresidents, many Carlynton programs will fold. Carlynton is too small to field teams by itself. In the end, our kids will get less training, and high school teams will suffer.
When asked, no director could explain what Carlynton gains by limiting programs. In contrast, youth leaders stated that further restrictions would hurt our programs and our kids. Nonetheless, some directors still advocate excluding nonresidents.
These "nonresidents" aren't aliens from Mars. They're our neighbors in Ingram, Thornburg and Scott. They live down the street from us. They work, play, shop and worship with us, and their districts warmly welcome Carlynton kids into their programs.
Let's hope those districts don't adopt the "us only" view of some Carlynton directors. Our kids will suffer greatly. Instead, let's hope Carlynton's directors listen to the people who elected them and adopt policies to keep our kids off the streets and engaged in positive, directed pursuits.
FRANCES MARY MODUGNO, Rosslyn Farms
Report says gifted children are being left behind A report released today asserts that gifted children are being left behind in the era of school accountability.I was just yapping about this topic on another blog thread.
Debt disservice - Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewDebt disservice
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
At a time when Pittsburgh Public Schools is facing a monumental debt of nearly $476 million, the answer to this economic crisis should not be more debt ("Hard numbers haunt district: City schools' debt $476 million," June 10 and PghTrib.com).
Yet, that is exactly what Superintendent Mark Roosevelt offers as part of his sweeping consolidation program for the Pittsburgh Public Schools.
Before we take another step down this path, we should ask: Would the planned program be doomed to fail because there is not money available to carry it out when it is time to execute?
I urge Pittsburgh Board of Education members to delay any decision regarding any of the planned mergers until a full accounting for all costs is presented to the board.
Our children's and our region's future depends on their decision. This is their last chance to make the right decision. They should not make it in haste.
Brian K. Del Vecchio, Squirrel Hill
PolicyBlog: Limiting political speech won’t create good government Monday, June 16, 2008My reply there
Limiting political speech won’t create good government
Report: Tiger to Miss Rest of SeasonPerhaps we'll see Tiger in Beijing in August, soaking up the Olympics, and doing golf's political work to insure that his sport gets inserted into the line-up in future Olympiads.
Days after what he called his "greatest tournament," Tiger Woods will miss the rest of the season because of a left knee that will require more surgery, a person with knowledge of the decision told the Associated Press earlier today. That means Woods will miss a major championship for the first time in his career. "This excitement of this past major championship created a transcendent drama and it may be the one we remember the best of all his majors," said SI senior writer John Garrity. "Not to be able to continue this soap opera the rest of the year is tough. I think we thought it would kind of be an on-again, off-again story and even that would have kept the excitement going for fans. Now the curtain has been pulled back. Sorry, that’s the show for this year. It was fabulous, but it’s over."
Council resolution to delay Schenley vote fails: "Ms. Harris and Ms. Payne wanted council to ask the board to put off its vote until the public could study the conflicting accounts on the cost of fixing Schenley and all interested parties could come together. They won the support of colleague Bruce Kraus and Council President Doug Shields, who argued that there are 'no easy choices here' but that the district should make its decisions on Schenley only as part of a complete plan for its buildings.My email was just sent:
Engineers say Schenley is safe, claim there is no asbestos problem in building Two engineers claim that if Pittsburgh Public School officials had read their own reports, they would realize that there is no asbestos problem at the Schenley High School building.This is what we need. MSM coverage of the real story.
Not only should it not be permanently closed, they said, it should reopen in the fall.
“Schenley can open in the fall for zero dollars,” said Lafean. “It is just as safe today as it was when it was built.”"Bring it on."
Lafean, an industrial engineer formerly with Westinghouse who also did extensive work for the U.S. Navy, said Superintendent Mark Roosevelt’s $72 million repair estimate—which he said the district cannot afford—is a complete fabrication.
Even if the expenditure was needed, Lafean said, Roosevelt is prepared to spend at least that much to renovate the closed Reizenstein and Milliones middle schools and Frick 6-8 to house the displaced Schenley students. So, he asked, if it’s not about money or about safety, what is it about?
“In all those reports, there is not a single quote from any asbestos abatement firm, ventilation or air conditioning contractor—no one has submitted any bids,” said Lafean. “He just took all the square footage and asked what would a total rehab cost.”
Nick Lardas, owner of Niko Contracting, who earned his civil engineering degree from Carnegie Mellon University and has remodeled several historic buildings including Smithsonian Institute buildings in New York City and Washington, D.C., said Schenley need not be renovated all at once, nor completely gutted to address its issues.
Students, Parents Fight To Save Schenley High
WPXI.com - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
PITTSBURGH -- Parents and students who are upset about the closing of Pittsburgh's Schenley High School took their protest to the halls of the City- County ...
Good evening City Council Members. Thank you for providing us an opportunity to voice our concerns regarding the upcoming vote on the Schenley High School closure. It has been a long eight months since Mark Roosevelt first announced his plan to closure this flagship of the Pittsburgh Public Schools.Three, including Kathy, were also on PCNC TV's NightTalk, tonight. I didn't get home in time to watch.
Although we realize that this entity is has no real jurisdiction regarding school district affairs, we felt that we needed to use this venue to shine a spotlight on the fact that the administration has had an advantage when it comes to framing this debate and that our viewpoints have not been clearly heard.
One point that is essential to make is that everyone in the “Save Schenley” movement is in favor of meaningful reform. We are not obstructionists. In fact, I have been dedicated to achieving progressive school board governance by working tirelessly to get first Patrick Dowd, your esteemed colleague, and then Heather Arnet elected to the school board. Ultimately, my work on these elections contributed to bringing Mr. Roosevelt to Pittsburgh. No one is here to tear the superintendent down. We want, no, need him to succeed for the sake of our children and for the sake of our city.
But just because we need a forward thinking, dedicated superintendent does not mean that parents, community members, school board directors or city leaders should be a rubber stamp for all of his efforts. Parent and community input is crucial to the success of reform on the scale that Mr. Roosevelt is proposing. That is all we are asking for, that Mr. Roosevelt allow us to be a part of creating a better public school system for our children.
I think that this will run in the P-G West tomorrow.
Comments:
Editor: In light of the upcoming Carlynton School Board meeting in which the directors will vote on a facilities usage policy, I submit the following letter for publication. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.
Editor:
Despite opposition from residents representing youth programs, some elected Carlynton school directors want to limit facility use to organizations with 100% district youths. Why? They believe non-residents take opportunities from Carlynton kids because non-residents outperform our kids; thus, Carlynton kids need contrived opportunities for success because they are unable to succeed on their own. Not only are these beliefs untrue, they are insulting. Without basis, these directors also claim that clubs "train the competition" and that's the reason HS teams don't win. What they don't realize is that barring non-residents won't hurt those kids, it will only hurt ours. Non-residents will train elsewhere, while our kids will lose out because without non-residents, many Carlynton programs will fold. Carlynton is too small to field teams by itself. In the end, our kids will get less training and HS teams will suf! fer.
When asked, no director could explain what Carlynton gains by limiting programs. In contrast, youth leaders stated that further restrictions would hurt our programs and our kids. Nonetheless, some directors still advocate excluding non-residents. These "non-residents" aren't aliens from Mars. They're our neighbors in Ingram, Thornburgh and Scott. They live down the street from us. They work, play, shop and worship with us, and their districts warmly welcome Carlynton kids into their programs. Let's hope those districts don't adopt the "us only" view of some Carlynton directors - our kids will suffer greatly. Instead, let's hope Carlynton's directors listen to the people who elected them and adopt policies to keep our kids off the streets and engaged in positive, directed pursuits.
Francesmary Modugno
http://carlynton.blogspot.com/
The first Black Principal of Schenley High School informed me today that asbestos was removed from Schenley in the summers of 1970 and 1971. This is a BOMBSHELL!! He states that if there is asbestos there, it
would only be enough to fit in this pocket!!
He is willing to come tonight, and at my request has just signed up to speak...
Supporters Urge Board To Save School
Group Fights To Save Schenley High School
KDKA - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― Supporters of Schenley High School are making a last-ditch effort to save it. The Pittsburgh Public School Board is set to vote next ...
WPXI.com - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
PITTSBURGH -- Supporters of Schenley High School make a last ditch effort to save the school. They attended a public hearing in front of the school board, ...
Pittsburgh Channel, WTAE TV:
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/16626216/index.html
Great quotes: "gentle investment" ... "Colossal mistake."
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