City teams tango w WPIAL squads. Allderdice boys regroup for PIAA playoffs

PG East: After City League title game loss, Allderdice boys regroup for PIAA playoffs Allderdice will face WPIAL runner-up Mt. Lebanon (21-5), a familiar opponent, in the PIAA first round Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Peabody. Knowing that a postseason run was possible with his team this year, McDonald scheduled a challenging out of league schedule of games, including a matchup against Mt. Lebanon. Allderdice defeated Mt. Lebanon, 42-40, Jan. 17, 2009.

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Main Feature - Pittsburgh City Paper hits touchy subject

What is going on here? Well, I don't really want to know. But the telling part is the six year delay. Pittsburgh is a smokey city, sadly.

Serving Time - Main Feature - Pittsburgh City Paper Of course, in most sex-abuse allegations there are rarely witnesses apart from the alleged victim and perpetrator. And while delays in criminal cases are 'the rule, rather than the exception,' says Tracey Provident, an associate director of the Center for Victims of Violence and Crime in East Liberty, a six-year delay is rare indeed. Hearing about it, Provident exclaims, 'Wow. We often prepare victims that their case won't go to trial for a year.' A half-dozen years of waiting 'is probably the far end of postponements.'

Mike F talks of this all the time. Here is his latest rant.

Parents and Education -- connections

In the Classroom Connecting with over- and under-involved parents
No matter how much an educator begs, some parents won’t get involved in the classroom; others are so-called “helicopter parents” who hover over their children constantly. Whether you’re faced with too much or too little from parents, it can sometimes be a struggle to develop positive relationships with family members in order to ensure student success.

Advice:

Call parents at the beginning of the year to introduce yourself.

Be clear about when and how it’s appropriate to contact you.

Call, e-mail or send notes home about your students’ positive accomplishments, not just negative happenings.

Send home student-generated newsletters regularly.

Maintain a class Web site.

Send home progress reports for all students.

Let parents know how they can help their children at home.

Publicize classroom volunteer opportunities on a special parent bulletin board.

Encouraging reluctant parents

McDonald says: “Informed parents equal empowered parents, which equal supportive parents; uninformed parents equal frustrated/helpless parents, which equal angry/defensive parents.”

Gateway girls devour Allderdice

Ouch.

Brown, Gateway girls devour Allderdice - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Gateway built a 55-13 lead

View from the BurghChair: 14 to 8.3% -- City vs County

View from the BurghChair: "Fourteen percent of city births are from women under the age of 20 (post). This is compared to 8.3% in Allegheny County (post). Twenty -four percent of African American births in the city last year were to mothers under the age of 19 (post).

Landlords sue city to stop registrations

This is what folly looks like:

Landlords sue city to stop registrations The Apartment Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh sued the city of Pittsburgh today to try to overturn the rental registration ordinance that tells landlords to pay a $12-per-unit fee by April 1.

The association, which includes 185 landlords with properties in the city, according to the complaint, believes the law is unconstitutional, unenforceable and an illegal tax.

City council needs to be relevant, again, someday. City council can't get there doing what shouldn't be done. Rather, do what needs to be done. Do that well.

Don't talk to opponents after they file paperwork with the courts. Too late. Too little.

It is impossible to legislate morality -- and responsibility. Plus, these acts of over-reaching are not prudent for a city on the brink. The purpose of government needs to be respected before respect can be delivered by the force of government run a muck.

Auditor General Says State Should Hold Off On Sale Of Building - News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh

Way to go Jack Wagner.

Auditor General Says State Should Hold Off On Sale Of Building - News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh: "Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner said Monday that the commonwealth should postpone plans to sell the State Office Building in Pittsburgh because of the weak economy.

'A financial transaction in these depressed market conditions amounts to a fire sale that is not in the best interest of taxpayers,' Wagner said in a letter sent to James Creedon, secretary of Pennsylvania's Department of General Services.

I'm "sold." Good logic.

However, I'd be happy to sell the Convention Center at a fire sale. Sell it to the slots parlor owner and then he could put slots in a part of the Convention Center next week.

Sell Heinz Field to the Steelers.

Sell PNC Park to the Pirates.

Sell things that cost money to maintain. Sell those facilities at a price that equals what is still owed on the facilities.

Sell the Pittsburgh Airport.

Sell the assets of the Pittsburgh Parking Authority. Don't lease the parking garages for 30 or 99 years -- sell them.

Sell them for fair prices -- and sell them over a course of years, if necessary.

Blast from the past: Patrick Dowd

Tour of University Prep, a new PPS school for grades 6 to 12

The Excellence for All meeting was held at U-Prep. I went. We got an informal tour. Here is the video.



The University Prep School is now only with kids in 9th grade. There are 140 students. They have room for 150.

Next year, starting in the fall of 2009, the school expands as the 9th graders go to 10th and a new 9th class enters. Plus, the school grows to include grades 6, 7 and 8. So, the school will be 6 to 10 in fall of 2009. It goes to 6 to 11 fall of 2010. And, then in the fall of 2011, the school goes from 6 to 12 -- full capacity. The first graduates are in May (early summer) of 2012.

Presently, the kids who want to play sports do so with Schenley. Later, the sports teams will come from joint student bodies -- U-Prep and the new Science and Technology School. Perhaps, one day, the team will have its own sports teams.

Students will be able to enter the school at grades 6 and grades 9. The middles-school has fewer students per grade than what will be in the high school. Half of the kids in the high school grades will come from within the U-Prep middle school and half will come to the school from other schools.

Half of the kids at U-Prep are from the neighborhood. The other half are from around the city. There is a city-wide magnet program at U-Prep. So, regardless where you live, you have a 'chance' to get into that school.

There are a lot of flags and banners around the school devoted to various colleges and Universities. I didn't get much of that on the video tour. Grambling to Ohio State to MIT were represented. College is on the front of everyone's minds, I dare say.

The school's slogan is "We Believe, We Achieve, We Succeed." That is the same slogan as at CAPA, for what its worth. I like the slogan as one like it was used in books on sports psychology I published years ago.

WPIAL team scores

Girls -- AA

1. Oakland Catholic 372
2. Shady Side Academy 317
3. West Allegheny High School 162
4. Mars Area 140
5. Hampton 129
6. Uniontown High School 128
7. Blackhawk High School 127
8. Knoch High School 103
9. Mt. Pleasant 93
10. Greensburg Salem 86
11. Montour 84
12. South Fayette 60
13. West Mifflin 50
14. Derry Area High School 47
15. Burrell 44
16. Indiana 31
17. Northgate 30
18. Brentwood 20
18. Quaker Valley 20
18. Elizabeth Forward 20
21. Belle Vernon Area 19
22. Riverside (Ellwood City) 15
23. Valley 14
23. South Park 14
25. Highlands 7
26. Seton LaSalle 6
27. Carlynton High School 3
28. Freeport Area 2

Boys -- AA

1. Shady Side Academy 277
2. Indiana 237
3. Hampton 234
4. Riverside (Ellwood City) 171
5. Moon Area 142
6. West Allegheny High School 106.5
7. Belle Vernon Area 106
8. Burrell 99.5
9. Carlynton High School 88
10. South Park 81
11. Blackhawk High School 77
12. Highlands 68
13. South Fayette 67
14. Derry Area High School 60
15. Trinity (Washington) 59
16. Montour 54
16. Quaker Valley 54
18. Elizabeth Forward 45
19. Brentwood 41.5
20. Cornell 29
21. Uniontown High School 28
22. South Allegheny High School 27
23. Valley 22
24. Seton LaSalle 18.5
25. Thomas Jefferson High School 17
26. Beaver Area High School 14
27. Chartiers Valley High School 13
28. Knoch High School 10
29. Bishop Canevin High School 5
30. Mt. Pleasant 4
30. Northgate 4
32. Freeport Area 2
32. Washington 2
34. Greensburg Salem 1

Girls -- AAA

1. North Allegheny 372
2. Bethel Park High School 281
3. Peters Township High School 234
4. Hempfield Area High School 168
5. Fox Chapel Area 161
6. Greater Latrobe 135
7. Seneca Valley 130
8. Penn Trafford High School 129
9. Woodland Hills 104
10. Franklin Regional 101
11. Moon Area 92
12. Norwin Area 75
13. Mount Lebanon 70
14. North Hills 63
15. Pine Richland High School 54
16. Plum 35
17. Trinity (Washington) 26
18. Kiski Area High School 16
18. Gateway 16
20. Canon-McMillan 14
21. Butler 13
22. Connellsville Area 11
23. Shaler Area 8
24. Baldwin 6
24. Laurel Highlands 6
26. Chartiers Valley High School 3
27. Upper St. Clair 2

Boys -- AA

1. North Allegheny 433
2. Mount Lebanon 247
3. Pittsburgh Central Catholic 225.5
4. Peters Township High School 183
5. Penn Trafford High School 148
6. Franklin Regional 134
7. Upper St. Clair 110.5
8. Norwin Area 101.5
9. Gateway 98
10. North Hills 95.5
11. Fox Chapel Area 92
12. Hempfield Area High School 91
13. Seneca Valley 71
14. Bethel Park High School 64
15. Penn Hills 50.5
16. Connellsville Area 32
17. Canon-McMillan 25
17. Kiski Area High School 25
19. Greater Latrobe 24
20. Butler 23
21. Shaler Area 22.5
22. Plum 12
22. Woodland Hills 12
24. Baldwin 5

More: PA Swimming || Official Site || Competitive Swimming in Pennsylvania

Info picket after the Bishop's visits

If anyone wants to join Mike F, as he passes out flyers at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in West Mifflin, PA, with the arrival of Bishop Frank Zubik of the Pittsburgh Diocese on Thursday, March 5, 2009 and/or Wednesday March 18 -- call him. He hopes to pass out flyers detailing his investigation into former Catholic priest John Wellinger who served as the parish priest at Holy Spirit in West Mifflin, PA. Wellinger also served as an assistant at Our Lady of Grace in Scott Township.

BISHOP ZUBIK LEADS PENANCE SERVICES, CELEBRATES STATIONS OF THE CROSS IN PARISHES
Bishop David A. Zubik will continue to lead penance services around the diocese and celebrate the Stations of the Cross at parishes during Lent, all beginning at seven p.m.

The penance services with Rite of Reconciliation are as follows:

Thursday, February 26, Saint Catherine of Sweden, Wildwood
Monday, March 2, Sacred Heart, Shadyside
Wednesday, March 4, Saint Barbara, Bridgeville
Thursday, March 5, Holy Spirit, West Mifflin
Monday, March 9, Saint Gregory, Zelienople
Tuesday, March 10, Our Lady of Joy, Holiday Park
Thursday, March 12, Our Lady of Fatima, Hopewell
Tuesday, March 17, Saint Benedict the Abbot, Peters Township
Wednesday, March 18, Our Lady of Grace, Scott Township

More in comments.

We're running a mapping party in Pittsburgh!

Ever heard of Open Street Maps?

I'd like to invite you to the mapping party I'm hosting in Pittsburgh on 3/7/09 and 3/8/09.

Come and meet other mappers, learn more about OSM and have some fun! A GPS unit is not required, we can lend you one. Let me know if you can come or if there's anything I can do to make this party better. Please RSVP on one of the sites below.

You can check out more info at the wiki page or any of the event sites listed below.

http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Pittsburgh
http://www.meetup.com/Pittsburgh-OpenStreetMap/calendar/9837977/

http://www.meetup.com/Pittsburgh-OpenStreetMap/calendar/9838226/
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/2112410/

Russ Nelson, Twitter: russnelson

State Rep. DeLuca wants to limit outside income

State Rep. DeLuca wants to limit outside income: "State Rep. Tony DeLuca, D-Penn Hills, wants to limit how much outside income a legislator can earn.

Dowd bashes Pittsburgh finances, says more cuts needed

Humm...

Dowd bashes Pittsburgh finances, says more cuts needed: "he called that 'fleecing these organizations for cash' and likened it to 'demanding large monetary gifts from close friends.'

The other interesting quote is saying that the city's goofy budget is like "trying to sell your house to pay your bills instead of cutting expenses."

To be honest, the city already sold the pipes in its house to pay for the neighbor's expansion. Years ago the city sold off the water and sewer authority. That's like selling the pipes within your house. Mayor Murphy was great at one-time fixes. This is exactly what Luke Ravenstahl is doing as well. He offers a one-time fix of leasing the Parking Authority assets.

To lease the Parking Authority assets is silly. Sell them. The Parking Authority assets are like the side lot that is a place where you could park your car.

But the selling of the assets in the past was done so as to build the stadiums, in part. Large sums of money were spent in one-shot deals that invested into the Steelers' Heinz Field and Pirates PNC Park. Both are authority built -- and both should be owned by the teams and not by a city agency.

Well, at least Dowd is trying something.

2 teens charged in Duquesne U. parking lot robbery

Three cheers for the police on this! Way to go.

2 teens charged in Duquesne U. parking lot robbery: "Police and security personnel responded within seconds to obtain information from the victims, three teens who had attended the City League playoff game between Perry and Allderdice high schools."

SWOTs notes from Excellence for All monthly meeting

This week I had the painful pleasure of going to yet another community meeting with those over-sized post-it notes. Generally, I'm with more comfort if they are using butcher paper.

This one was organized by Pgh Public Schools and its parent engagement coordinator, Mark Conner under the Excellence for All flag. The main note taker was an employee from A+ Schools.

At the end of the meeting, I went to the notes and took these snaps. They need to be better organized to tell the SWOT story.

I'll try, if I have the time, to put them into concept maps.

---

 
 
 

 
 
 
 

Click on any image to see a larger view.

I would have rather been watching the Pitt basektball game -- but then again, that was the night of the loss to the Friars.

I heard today that Sports Illustrated was set to feature Pitt on the cover of this week's magazine, until that loss to an un-ranked team. I guess it was reported in the P-G?

A School Booster Story

Just the other day I was talking about how the Pittsburgh Public Schools lack in terms of "booster groups." Here is a nice example of what is missing throughout the district throughout all the programs and schools.

CAPA friends nurture school, talent - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "CAPA friends nurture school, talent

CAPA is a jewel among the offerings in Pittsburgh. Yet, it isn't for my kids. And, there are some 'issues" -- as there must be with all schools.

Great to have strong academics and strong arts. However, a person asked me recently, "Do those who have outstanding talents in the arts always strong grades in other academic areas?"

"We strive to produce outstanding academicians as well as outstanding artists," Taliaferro said. "It makes our kids ready to problem-solve and participate in critical thinking, really ready to go out into the world and fulfill that Pittsburgh Promise."

Walt Disney would not be able to get into CAPA. Andy Warhol might have had a hard time getting into CAPA.

CAPA is for those who are good at arts and good in school courses. Both are necessary.

One knock against CAPA is that it excludes those with the raw artistic talent if they don't have the grades as well. Humm... What do you think.

For me, I'm okay with those standards that require solid classroom and artistic outcomes.

Of course CAPA students are making top test scores among the PPS High Schools. You don't need the combination of an audition and solid grades to get into any of the other schools. Why only 93.1 percent and only 92.4 percent? What about those others? CAPA should score the typical 110%, right? (Joke, re: the >100%, but not on the only 7.4%.)

CAPA does offer a welcoming environment. That's splendid. And, that feeling of a school is hard to replicated. Schenley had a great atmosphere too, when it was in Oakland. It moved and was changed by the PPS Board, including Patrick Dowd. Plus, CAPA's feel gets a whole new jolt for the 2009-10 school year as those in grades 6, 7 and 8 are going to be put into the same building / school as the existing kids of grades 9, 10, 11 and 12.

Yikes. I wish the district would tinker with the schools that are NOT so friendly and without the accomplishments.

Boosters are great. It is wonderful that the parents are stepping up to genreate additional support programs. Every school and every program needs its boosters.

We're starting on an effort to make a meta booster group in Pittsburgh for various programs and schools -- starting with sports. Interested?

PghComet plugs a couple of my recent tweets

Thanks Bram.

Shots fired in Forbes Avenue Parking Garage

Shots fired in Forbes Avenue Parking Garage: "The Palumbo Center this evening was hosting the city League Basketball Championship game between Pittsburgh Allderdice and Pittsburgh Perry at 6 p.m., followed by a girl's championship game between Pittsburgh Westinghouse and Pittsburgh Schenley."