I'm going to live blog the KDKA Radio show with Marty Griffin and Mark Roosevelt.
I'm sure that Marty won't have me on the show. I've been emailing him about this topic for a few days and he is not able to reply.
On the teaser, they said that it is just about money. The Pgh Public School District just does NOT have the money. Schenley is too expensive. Well, this is NOT true. Every system in Schenley needs a new system Marty said. Well, the outside is in great shape. The windows are only five years old. The plaster is falling off in a few places. That's all.
The building does NOT need air conditioning. It never had it. Many schools don't have air. So what.
The swim pool and athletic complex at Schenley is just 10 or 15 years old. It is NEW -- with the rest of the building.
Schenley was built 91 years ago. When it opened, it was the best public school building in America. Today it is a classic building that can be fixed.
Plus, it costs $31-million to fix up the other schools. It costs MORE to do the silly plan of Mark Roosevelt.
Last night's vote was to hire consultants. CONSULT WITH US FIRST. Consult with the students, the parents, the citizens, the taxpayers, the customers, the neighborhood groups, the city's educators, the alumni.
Marty says no one is screaming about urban education and test scores. Well, Marty would be WRONG. I'm screaming about it. And, I'm on hold. I've been screaming about it.
The implication is that it will take $65M to $85M to fix Schenley. Bull.
Yes, People have mentioned the test scores. Schenley SPARTANS have are one of the best test scores of all PPS Schools. Even the Spartins are tops.
Roosevelt said: No maintance. Everything is original.
Swim pool isn't original.
Windows are not original. Five years old.
Under $45 M says Roosevelt.
Add $6M to annual budget. Have to pay it back.
We have declining enrolement.
Great bones. Great tradition. Honor the sadness of it. Ha.
Eight weeks ago sat with the consultant, Roosevelt said. He didn't release the consultant study. He didn't get a second opinion.
The only ventilation needed is an open window.
Schenley isn't Peabody, Marty! We are fired up about test scores.
We are doing it because the building is collapsing. That isn't the intention. That is the crisis.
The protest is here -- Marty. You don't see it. Treat it as a crisis. It is 'hard work.'
Homework is a part of LIFE, so said Mr. Roosevelt. Well, Mr. Roosevelt has NOT done his homework. He is selling this as a done deal without the homework being delivered to the community.
Marty is talking on and on about Peabody. Well, let's talk about Peabody. Mr. Roosevelt isn't under fire for Peabody. He is under fire for Schenley and the Rightsizing plan, the K-8 that just began and are proven to be broken -- and are being changed again -- and Schenley, Frick, I.B., Reisenstein rehab, Board of Ed building not going for sale, lack of Vo Tech School, moving 6, 7, and 8 into 9-12 settings, moving 6th graders to downtown, putting school buses downtown, etc.
Marty, it would be great to talk about the "Drop Out Factories." That is being missed by Mark Roosevelt now. We are clueless as to what he plans on doing about any of those schools.
With this plan, there could be a way to make the new, proposed Science and Technology school to move within WESTINGHOUSE. But, he isn't doing that. He is blowing an opportunity to make great things come of the poorest performing schools where there were recent rehabs.
I was clicked off the air.
The building has NEW WINDOWS. The building has recently new athletic facilities. They just said that the building was all in its original state! LIES.
I said on the air that the students have to do their homework -- and that the Administration needs to do its homework.
Click.... Marty knocked me off the air and said, "He's gone."
Then he took another call. Mr. Roosevelt had nothing to say about his recent on-air lie.
There NEVER was a 'ventalation system.' It was steam heat and windows. The ceilings are big. The halls are big. Stairwells are everywhere. You don't want to put in a ventalation system.
This "homework" needs to be done and revealed in the conversation.
Call in: 412 333 5352 (KDKA)
Face Facts says Marty Griffin. The consultants have been hired to spend more money. Not to coach the board members. The voters have spoken and the two lame duck board members are changing the history of the district.
Lie again Marty. He says disgusting. Look in the mirror. The aim of the consultants isn't what the radio host talks about on the air.
Marty says, "God bless the kids at Peabody." That 11% of anything is a failure. Seriously. Expand that to an entire high school. Our future rests in these numbers. Marty does put a lot of 'weight' on the school issue. But, he misses the point. Schools matter. Schools matter more than Grant Street.
Caller: Ed, 58 SHS grad. Taxed to the max. Says close SHS. $64M is 64-M reasons to close it. If you want to fix public education, go to vouchers. Send more to private/catholic schools. He was a tutor at Milliones in the past. A few kids can hurt the rest.
Marty would like to start the conversation, so he says. But, he sustains the lie. He doesn't dig into the specifics. I'm not sure who is worse, the media and Marty Griffin or the administration and Mark Roosevelt. The watchdog is barking at the wrong things. The man with the purse strings is spending more money in the wrong directions.
Next caller: Matt, Thank goodness for the option of going to private schools. Spent retirement money of grandma to cover Catholic Schools. Some of this starts at home.
Peabody Principal is on the line.... Stand by....
Sixty plus percent of the students are African American.
John, Principal at Peabody, joins the show. I can tell you one thing. The teachers and community are all united. We are facing the issue head on. We aim to increase the test scores. There are some things that the superintendents put in place to help me. Change is a process, not an event. The support has come from the community.
MG: I don't belive it.
Parents have issues. The community has a wealth of support services. Trying to meet the social needs prior to giving a quality education.
There are external issues. And then there is what we do with them when we have them.
Marty gripes on parents.
Principal is a parent too. We try to help the parents understand and support. Have a homework time. Parents are not the only issue.
We have a mulit-pronged approach, especially in the math.
When they come to us they have a double block of math for 9th grade students. They have a double block to work on English. The test is about meeting certain standards. They are not at the level that the state wants them at that time.
That # is disastrous.
Why are we seeing all the yelling and screaming about the physical building?
Principal: I'm open with PSCC meetings. We move the meetings. We have events. We interact. See the building. We see that these are good kids and we are there to help. The outrage is there. I'm feeling it. I'm pushing the teachers. We have Pitt folks to work with the teachers. Tailor needs. Individualize. We are looking at the scores. We are working on the teaching.
You know the vibe in Pgh. I'm sending my kid to private school. How to overcome that?
Events that invite the public. Symphony. Interact in the building. Education is an issue that goes beyond the school walls. (Schenley is beyond the school walls joy.)
Wants a magic wand. Suspensions have decreased. We are making changes when the 9th grade reaches the 11th grade.
Marty will use Peabody as our petri dish.
Hang with me.... Labor agreement that is going to blow your mind. Marty's mind is blow, fur shore.
Jennifer E is on the show.
Parents are not against reform. Parents want to know about the reform that is being placed on them. The district average is 44%.
There is no proof from Mark Roosevelt.
He got that info 8 weeks ago. He didn't put that info out on a desk for others to see it. No public venting.
Show me something that 6 to 12 is going to work.
Thanks for caring, comes from Marty.
I'm glad I pinged Jen and got her to call into the show. And, I'm glad she hung on the phone to talk to Marty. Now Marty wants her info for later discussions. Jen was quoted in the P-G today. BTW, Jen and I co-taught at BootCamp about net and politics.
Expert, Female guest, a "Doctor": Attendance is up from Westinghouse. Marty's data is wrong. Schools start at 8 am, not 7:30. We can't ignore student achievement. Society is ignoring the crisis. It is a team effort.
Well, a team effort -- needs to have an open playbook.
She said she could fill two pages of notes. Let's not just blame.
Are the parents blowing it off? -- Absolutely not.
We need to create a culture where we need to educate the parent and the student. Mom and Dad have to buy in or nobody succeed. But we have to educate the parents and the kids. It is say, says Marty. But it isn't sad said the expert.
Rumblings that they can close Westinghouse. ?? I'm an educator. I'll fight for the students as their safety is a concern.
Promise me one thing... Encourage more school visits. Everyone is open to visit Westinghouse to see learning is occurring.
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