Fwd: [New post] Salt in Schenley’s Wounds

From: Yinzercation <comment-reply@wordpress.com>

YinzerThing posted: "Is Pittsburgh seriously going to consider handing over the beautiful old Schenley High School to a charter school operator? Closing that building back in 2008 raised many concerns in the community about dismantling a thriving urban high school. More recen" Respond to this post by replying above this line New post on Yinzercation Salt in Schenley's Wounds by YinzerThing Is Pittsburgh seriously going to consider handing over the beautiful old Schenley High School to a charter school operator? Closing that building back in 2008 raised many concerns in the community about dismantling a thriving urban high school. More recently, Schenley alumns and supporters have raised serious questions about the rationale for the closing, which was based in large part on the estimated costs of asbestos remediation. It now appears those costs may have been vastly overstated and that the School Board may not have had important data on which to base their decision. Protestors have gathered over 1,000 signatures on a petition these past couple of weeks asking the School Board to take its time and investigate these significant charges. [Concerned Citizens Petition] Meanwhile, however, the School Board has received proposals from four groups wishing to purchase the historic Schenley building in Oakland. And two of them would turn the space back into a school. Most heart wrenching to me is the proposal from a group of Schenley alumns who are trying to raise money to create a private school for visual and performing arts named after a fellow alumnus, Andy Warhol. Here I have to agree with Post-Gazette letter writer Anna Watt-Morse, who said that this plan strikes her "as out of touch with the current realities of our city and its schools." She reminds us that "Pittsburgh already has a wonderful school for the arts, CAPA … that has had to cut art departments and eliminate vital private music lessons because of reduced funding" and that "arts education at other city schools … is drastically underfunded." What's more, "A new, tuition-based Schenley would … benefit only the students who can afford private education." Watt-Morse concludes, "A gift in the name of Andy Warhol should provide opportunity for all students of the Pittsburgh Public Schools, not a select few." [Post-Gazette, 1-17-13] The second proposal the School Board is considering that would turn the building into a school would actually mean handing it over to a charter school operator. Kossman Development Co. plans to convert the space into housing for college students and young professionals as well as the Provident Charter School for dyslexic children. [Post-Gazette, 1-23-13] If students are not having their learning needs met in their neighborhood schools, this is a serious equity issue that we must address. But I am not a big fan of creating segregated learning ghettos, especially since this model does not address the needs of all our students, just those who might gain access to the school. And the last thing we need is another charter school draining resources from our already struggling public schools. Among other things, the Kossman/Provident Charter School proposal depends on $5.2 million in federal and state tax credits – those are our public dollars that will not be available for other public needs, including public education. Last week the Tribune Review reported that public schools are now having to spend thousands of dollars on advertising campaigns to "compete" with charter schools. Penn Hills school district will spend $84,000 over the next two years and Woodland Hills just awarded a $13,000 contract to develop infomercials. [Tribune Review, 1-17-13] Corporate-style-reformers love to talk about the benefits of "competition" – but what a great example of the waste this creates. As taxpayers and parents we ought to be incensed that our public schools are now forced to spend valuable resources on TV spots when students are losing art, music, and history. My 6th grader is sitting in a math class with 39 students because of budget cuts. The last thing I want is my school district spending money on internet pop-up ads. But that is just what districts across the state are being forced to do as charter schools take painful bites out of dwindling resources. The Tribune Review recently surveyed 50 school districts in our area and found that some have seen their student enrollment in charters double, or even quadruple in the past four years. Others have stemmed the tide, and are seeing a reverse flow, with fewer students enrolled in charters than four years ago. Most of those districts surveyed had between 1-3% of their students enrolled in charters; but eight schools have more than 10% attending charters this year. These include 37.5% of all students in Duquesne; 35% in Wilkinsburg; 29% in Woodland Hills; almost 23% in Sto-Rox; and nearly 20% in Penn Hills. [These are my calculations based on the Trib's report: see all the data here.] Notice anything? These are districts with high poverty rates, some suffering from the worst effects of post-industrial decline. They are also districts with large African American populations. The state-imposed recovery officer in Duquesne is talking about closing the elementary school there, which would essentially dismantle the entire school district. Something is seriously wrong with our funding mechanisms when a community can no longer educate its own children. This year, the 49 school districts that responded to the Trib's survey will spend a whopping $118 million on charter school reimbursements. And that's only 49 districts out of the 125 here in Southwest Pennsylvania. $118 million. For all that money, we ought to be getting a great return. But the fact is that while some charter schools perform well, the majority do not. The Corbett administration tried to mislead the public last fall by using different criteria to judge charter school performance on standardized tests than for traditional public schools. [See "A Liar and a Cheat"] The Lehigh Valley's Morning Call published an investigation today revealing that, "The number of charter schools hitting testing benchmarks plummeted after the federal government said the state Education Department graded them too leniently." [The Morning Call, 1-23-13] Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Ron Tomalis initially claimed that almost half of charter schools had made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under federal guidelines, but that number dropped to only 28% of the state's 156 charter schools. By comparison, 49% of the state's public schools made AYP. The report found that "Tomalis initiated [the new grading system] without federal approval and at the behest of a charter school lobbying group." He made it "easier for charter schools to reach federal standards" by classifying "charters, no matter their size, as school districts, which are measured on a broader scale than individual schools." Again, to compare: 61% of Pennsylvania's 499 school districts made AYP. [The Morning Call, 1-23-13] This deception matters on another level, too: besides misleading us about the success of charter schools, Governor Corbett and Secretary Tomalis would now have us treat charter schools as their own school districts. This is a new development, since brick and mortar charter schools have always claimed to be public schools operating under the auspices of local districts and their democratically elected school boards. (Cyber charter schools are already chartered by and operating only under the supervision of the state, which poses other issues of centralizing power with political appointees.) If charter schools are in fact districts, where are their locally elected school directors who answer to the public that put them in office? This feels like another way of taking the public out of public education. It's time to put the brakes on authorizing yet more charter schools. The Pittsburgh school board needs to take a close look at the money it is being forced to spend on charter school tuition – $52 million this year alone – before it sells Schenley to another charter operator. That would be like rubbing salt in the deep wounds of a community already reeling from the effects of a painful and disruptive school closure. YinzerThing | January 23, 2013 at 1:11 pm | Categories: charter schools, competition, cyber charters, Duquesne school district, Public Education, Sto-Rox school district | URL: http://wp.me/p288Ox-op Comment    See all comments    Like Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://yinzercation.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/salt-in-schenleys-wounds/

WPIAL Schools in Double A Swimming

Moon Area (W)
Laurel Highlands (M)
Aliquippa (W)
Aliquippa (M)
Ambridge Area (W)
Ambridge Area (M)
Apollo Ridge High School (W)
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Aquinas Academy (W)
Aquinas Academy (M)
Avella Area High School (W)
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Avonworth (W)
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Bishop Canevin High School (W)
Bishop Canevin High School (M)
Blackhawk high School (W)
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Brentwood (W)
Brentwood (M)
Brownsville Area High School (W)
Brownsville Area High School (M)
Burgettstown (W)
Burgettstown (M)
Burrell (W)
Burrell (M)
California Area High School (W)
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Carlynton High School (W)
Carlynton High School (M)
Carmichaels Area (W)
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Central Valley (W)
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Charleroi (W)
Charleroi (M)
Chartiers Houston (W)
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Chartiers Valley High School (M)
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Cornell (W)
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Deer Lakes (W)
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Derry Area (W)
Derry Area (M)
Duquesne High School (W)
Duquesne High School (M)
East Allegheny (W)
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Elderton (W)
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Elizabeth Forward (W)
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Ellwood City High School (W)
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Farrell (W)
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Geibel Catholic High School (W)
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Hopewell (W)
Hopewell (M)
Indiana (W)
Jefferson Morgan (W)
Jefferson Morgan (M)
Keystone Oaks High School (W)
Keystone Oaks High School (M)
Kittanning Senior (W)
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Laurel (M)
Leechburg Area High School (W)
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Monaca (W)
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Monessen (W)
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Mt. Pleasant (M)
Neshannock (W)
Neshannock (M)
New Brighton (W)
New Brighton (M)
North Catholic High School (W)
North Catholic High School (M)
Northgate (W)
Northgate (M)
Oliver (W)
Oliver (M)
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (W)
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (M)
Quaker Valley (W)
Quaker Valley (M)
Quigley Catholic (W)
Quigley Catholic (M)
Ringgold (W)
Ringgold (M)
Riverside (Ellwood City) (W)
Riverside (Ellwood City) (M)
Riverview (W)
Riverview (M)
Rochester (W)
Rochester (M)
Saint Joseph (W)
Saint Joseph (M)
Seaton LaSalle (W)
Seaton LaSalle (M)
Serra (W)
Serra (M)
Sewickley Academy Senior Schoo (W)
Sewickley Academy Senior Schoo (M)
Shady Side Academy (W)
Shady Side Academy (M)
Shenango (W)
Shenango (M)
South Allegheny High School (W)
South Allegheny High School (M)
South Fayette (W)
South Fayette (M)
Southmoreland High School (W)
Southmoreland High School (M)
Southside (W)
Southside (M)
Springdale (W)
Springdale (M)
Steel Valley High School (W)
Steel Valley High School (M)
Sto Rox High School (W)
Sto Rox High School (M)
Summit Academy (W)
Summit Academy (M)
Thomas Jefferson High School (W)
Thomas Jefferson High School (M)
Trinity Christian School (W)
Trinity Christian School (M)
Union Area (W)
Union Area (M)
Uniontown Area (W)
Uniontown Area (M)
Valley (W)
Valley (M)
Vincentian Academy (W)
Vincentian Academy (M)
Washington (W)
Waynesburg Central High School (W)
Waynesburg Central High School (M)
West Allegheny High School (W)
West Allegheny High School (M)
West Greene High School (W)
West Greene High School (M)
West Mifflin (W)
West Mifflin (M)
West Shamokin (W)
West Shamokin (M)
Western Beaver (W)
Western Beaver (M)
Wilkinsburg High School (W)
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Wilson Christian Academy (W)
Wilson Christian Academy (M)
Winchester Thurston High Schoo (W)
Winchester Thurston High Schoo (M)
Yough (W)
Yough (M)
Indiana (M)
Jeannette (M)
Jeannette (W)
Knoch High School (M)
Ellis School (W)
Schenley (W) -- That's us, Obama Academy.
Schenley (M) -- Obama Academy, formerly Schenley.
South Park (W)
South Park (M)
Washington (M)
Kittanning Senior (M)
Knoch High School (W)

Some Diving and a Saturday Intertube Race

Fwd: Controller Lamb wants review of decsion to close Schenley building

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Concerned Citizens"

Please give Controller Lamb a thumbs up and ask your county council, city council and school board representatives to join the Controller's request. Press Releases Sent 01/18/2013 @ 2:09 pm PITTSBURGH - As the Pittsburgh Public Schools consider the sale of the former Schenley High School building in Oakland, City Controller Michael Lamb sent an email to Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Linda Lane and members of the School Board, asking for a review of the decision to close the former high school. "I know the Board and staff at PPS have labored over the decision to close Schenley and the prospects for the future of the building," wrote Lamb "I am writing today to join in the suggestion that the Board should not only take its time with this decision, but also review information that has been made available since the decision to close Schenley to determine the cost effectiveness and impact on student achievement of that closure." Bids from potential buyers and developers of the former Schenley building were due into the district today. The Schenley High School building was closed in 2008 due to maintenance concerns and the estimated costs of repair. This message is from Concerned Citizens who started the petition "Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of Directors: Investigate if important information about Schenley was withheld at the time of closing ," which you signed on Change.org. View the petition  |  View and reply to this message online Unsubscribe from updates about this petition

Tips for Teachers

Eventsburgh bites the dust

We are notifying you that Eventsburgh.com is in the process of terminating its current operation. 

Although we have attracted many businesses and major local organizations to utilize our service,  the business model has not been able to generate sustainable revenue for us to continue operating.

We would like to thank your support for the last 2 years and take this opportunity to recommend Pittsburgh business calendar (http://pittsburgh.businesscalendar.org/) for your future event postings. 

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Ta.
 
 
Mark Rauterkus       Mark.Rauterkus@gmail.com    
PPS Summer Dreamers' Swim and Water Polo Camp Head Coach
Pittsburgh Combined Water Polo Team

http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com
http://FixPA.wikia.com
http://CLOH.wikia.com
412 298 3432 = cell

Winning

Obama swim team won again in a sectional swim meet o er Northgate. We are looking good. Super inspiration from Hailey in a. EPIC 200 IM. Good efforts  everywhere.
Boys score 97-44 Obama over Northgate.
Girls score 86 to 63 Obama over Northgate.

Monday we go to Brashear at 3:15 meet.

Results to be posted soon thanks to Mary S, a vital volunteers

Thinking about summer employment. Apply here.

Dirty Dozen summary from Danny

2012 Dirty Dozen Results & Summary Article are now up on my website at:

http://www.dannychew.com/dd_12.html

 

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Ta.
 
 
Mark Rauterkus       Mark.Rauterkus@gmail.com    
PPS Summer Dreamers' Swim and Water Polo Camp Head Coach
Pittsburgh Combined Water Polo Team

http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com
http://FixPA.wikia.com
http://CLOH.wikia.com
412 298 3432 = cell

Fwd: Standing up for Pennsylvania

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "PA Governor's Office" <gov@pacast.com>
Date: Jan 6, 2013 3:22 PM
Subject: Standing up for Pennsylvania
To: <mark@rauterkus.com>
Cc:

Standing up for Pennsylvania Surrounded by Penn State alumni and local business owners, Governor Tom Corbett this week announced that Pennsylvania is suing the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for its sanctions against Penn State University. This historic lawsuit is already being branded "the right call" by Gil Spencer of the Delaware County Daily Times. Here are five things you need to know: 1.   The lawsuit was brought by the Governor on behalf of all the citizens of Pennsylvania, and asserts that the sanctions, unlawfully leveled by the NCAA, will have irreparable effect to the economy of all of Pennsylvania in addition to Centre County. 2.   The suit asserts that the NCAA overstepped their authority by weighing in on the Jerry Sandusky scandal.  The crimes perpetrated by Jerry Sandusky and three other administration officials are a criminal matter and are, and should, be handled by the court system. 3.   The suit asserts that the NCAA did not follow their own due process rules when evaluating and handing down these sanctions.  The normal review processes were ignored and a small group of members made the sanction decisions. 4.   The choice given Penn State wasn't a choice at all. The University had to either accept the sanctions or face the harshest punishment available, a total football blackout, otherwise known as "the death penalty." 5.   The Governor will encourage the Penn State Board of Trustees to keep its commitment of $60 million to help victims of sexual abuse, but to keep that funding in Pennsylvania as opposed to the NCAA who would have it leave the fine leave our commonwealth.  Prefer a visual? Click to the right to see video and pictures from yesterday's press conference.

You are subscribed and received this message because you, or someone on your behalf, signed you up for this newsletter. If you feel you have received this message in error, please click here to unsubscribe. To ensure our messages are delivered properly to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), add gov@pacast.com to your Address Book or Safe List. This email was sent from an account that is not monitored. Please do not reply.

Fwd: 2013 Learn-to-Swim Program - Enroll Today!

From: American Red Cross National Headquarters

The American Red Cross is pleased to announce that enrollments are now open for the 2013 Learn-to-Swim program. New with the 2013 Learn-to-Swim program: Annual fee per facility, based on projected 2013 enrollees No additional student learning fees Simplified registration, ordering and fulfillment processes Exclusive access to a dedicated aquatics online store, with special offers for our partners Package containing educational posters for your facility Get Started Today! To get started, please visit redcross.org/LTSenroll. Act Now! Special Offer Enroll your facility in the 2013 Learn-to-Swim program by February 5 and receive 2 FREE lifeguard hip packs. Offer expires February 5, so enroll your facility now at redcross.org/LTSenroll.* Thank you for your interest in the American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim program. We look forward to a successful partnership with you in 2013. Best regards, Your Red Cross Aquatics Team

Fwd: FIJA demonstrations at courthouses

From: Julian P Heicklen <jph13@psu.edu>

Subject: FIJA demonstrations at courthouses

Hi Tyranny Fighters:

As you know, Mark Schmidter and I were arrested on the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, FL on separate occasions. We both have been convicted of criminal contempt and sentenced to several months in jail.

The case is on appeal.  The appellate court is upholding the convictions based on the argument that courthouse plazas are not public forums, so First Amendment rights are not protected.

My aim is to refute the appeals court claim with facts on the ground.  I aim to show that many, many FIJA demonstrations have occurred on both federal and county courthouse without incident, so that the court's argument fails the test of fact.

For any of you that have participated in a FIJA distribution at any courthouse, please send me the courthouse, the number,of appearances, dates of appearances to the best of your recollection, and he names of any individuals who may have participated with you.  Let me know if you were hassled by any law enforcement officers.  If so what was the outcome?

With your help, we can smother the court's claim with the facts on the ground.

Our time has come to end the anti-FIJA efforts of the government.  Please do not let this moment pass.

Yours in freedom and justice — Julian

Things to do in 2013 include:

Watch this movie:

School Doors

Last Monday, like so many parents of young children across America, I found an excuse to visit my child’s classroom. As I stood outside the door of my son’s Kindergarten classroom before lunch, I heard his teacher remark to the class that there was a new rule: every classroom door was going to be closed and locked. If someone came to the door, the students were to first get the teacher before opening even if it was a parent or a fellow student.

I fought back tears as I listened to the little voices ask questions regarding the new policy and a sense of anger was rekindled. Adam Lanza not only took the lives of 26 innocent victims on December 14th, but he also stole the security of many families across this nation. Gone are the days where you could walk down a school hallway and hear a chorus of children’s voices, answering questions, or laughing at a story being read by their teacher. Now, school hallways are becoming as sterile as the corridors of a hospital. It makes one wonder if a child can really grow in such a cold, silent environment.

...

My son will go to school after the first of the New Year to a learning environment much different from what he left in 2012. His classroom has been transformed more into a jail cell not to keep him locked in, but rather to keep the world locked out.

Source.

psych sheet

The South Side Residential Parking Program went down in flames

Hi Director Ismail and Mayor Ravenstahl,

What's this letter dated Dec 21 from City Planning about the Residential Permit Parking Program? The South Side firmly defeated the parking program. It went down in flames. It is a done deal -- and NOT to happen -- for a few more years. 

What is this letter. 

Treason?

I live on the South Side Flats at 12th Street and the community went AGAINST the plan. There was a clear statement to NOT allow it because we could not agree on a number of pressing factors.

I went to many of those meetings and this issue was DEAD ON ARRIVAL to city hall. 

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Ta.


Mark Rauterkus       Mark.Rauterkus@gmail.com  
PPS Summer Dreamers' Swim and Water Polo Camp Head Coach
Pittsburgh Combined Water Polo Team

http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com
http://FixPA.wikia.com
http://CLOH.wikia.com
412 298 3432 = cell

Fwd: Not just a suicide, NFL petition

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Players on 21 NFL teams have faced domestic assault or sexual assault charges. Ask the NFL to require counseling and intervention services for players who have committed domestic violence. Sign My Petition Mark - On December 1st, pro football player Jovan Belcher killed Kasandra Perkins, the mother of their three month old daughter, before he killed himself in front of coaches at a Kansas City Chiefs practice facility. The media was shocked by his suicide, but they seemed to forget about the murder. The National Football League (NFL) has a disturbing history of domestic violence. In August, Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson was arrested for headbutting his wife. Last March, Brandon Marshall was accused of punching a woman in the face outside a nightclub. Those aren't even all the assaults this year. In fact, out of 32 NFL teams, players on 21 have at some point faced domestic assault or sexual assault charges. As a professional child therapist, I work with families in domestic violence situations at an organization called House of Ruth Maryland. I know how devastating violence can be for partners, children, and even the perpetrators themselves. And the sad truth is that without proper treatment, it's a vicious cycle that goes on and on. That's why I started a petition on Change.org calling on the NFL to require counseling and intervention services for any player convicted with domestic violence. Click here to add your name. This isn't just an issue that affects NFL players and their partners -- it also affects women all over America. 1 in 4 women will face domestic violence in her lifetime, and studies show that violence goes up by 10% when the local NFL team lost a game it was expected to win. The NFL has shown an admirable commitment to women's health and mental health, promoting breast cancer awareness as well as providing counseling services for players who need it. But for players who have assaulted their partners or family members, the NFL must do more. People have used petitions on Change.org to help victims of domestic violence before: just this fall, petitions convinced Verizon and Sprint to change their policies so victims won't have to pay to break their cell phone contracts. I know that if enough people sign my petition, we can convince the NFL to take a stand and intervene when players have committed domestic violence. Click here to sign my petition demanding that the NFL require counseling and intervention services for all players convicted of domestic violence. Thank you, Gretchen Tome Baltimore, Maryland

Educate

Rauterkus Letter, mailed on December 20, 2012

#Firstworldproblems

As we reviewed the highlights we wanted to share over the past year, we realized that we have been blessed with a year full of first world "problems" and we thought we'd share some of them.

Which gelato flavor should Grant choose? Should Catherine have a cappuccino or latte? These questions came up daily as Catherine and Grant toured Northern Italy in June, 2012.

What water polo team should Grant play with for the Junior Olympics? Grant stayed with a very generous family in Princeton, New Jersey, while he trained with the Princeton club team to get ready for the JO competition at Stanford, CA, in July. Erik's God parents hosted him while he was in California!

Would Erik prefer the garnet colored sweatshirt or the white with garnet trim?  A decision that became important after receiving early acceptance to Swarthmore College!

What do you do when Grant becomes a freshman in HS and wants to play on the golf team but there is no coach? Dad steps up and becomes the golf coach and big brother joins the team. Grant was 4th in the city championships (after 3 seniors). So, Dad is "Obama's new golf coach." (Keep in mind that "Obama" is the name of the school!)

Which dress shirt should Erik wear for his acceptance speech as Youth Governor of Pennsylvania? Erik was elected by Youth and Government (YAG) students from around the state to be their Governor.  He traveled to North Carolina for the Conference on National Affairs and spent a week in Washington, DC at the governors' conference. He has spoken to groups throughout PA and was met with a standing ovation at a talk to YMCA CEOs.

Will Grant be on the A or B Northwest Zone Olympic Development Team?  It was the A Team so the whole family had a great vacation visiting family and friends in Florida.

Should you eat another delicious meal at the Loveless Café or play a round of golf? A common question when Erik and Grant make their yearly Nashville visit to Uncle Bob and Aunt Molly.

Is it possible to make every city youth water safe? Mark's reach stretches beyond first world problems as he provides aquatic opportunities to the youth of the city.  What do you do when kids can't be on the swim team because they have no way to get home – you drive them home yourself. What do you do when you are organizing a trip to a water polo tournament and a kid can't tell you where to pick them up in the morning because they don't know where they will be spending the night – you have them spend the night at your house. What do you do when kids show up to play water polo not owning swim suits or towels – you make sure you have extras of both.

We hope to embrace more first world problems this year and to reach out to others who are facing real problems.   

Happy Holidays 2012    

Mark, Catherine, Erik, Grant

108 S. 12th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203  mark@rauterkus.com

Fwd: [DW] Article - Engagement Organizing

From: Steven Clift
Date: Thursday, December 20, 2012

http://engagement-organizing.org/

ENGAGEMENT ORGANIZING
The Technology and Culture of Building Power | Matt Price & Jon Stahl

We are in the midst of a historic shift from one era of social change
advocacy to another.  A world of expert-driven, direct mail oriented
organizations is giving way to nimble, data-driven, learning
organizations that place relationship building and mobilization of
supporters at the heart of their work.  There is a model emerging
here, and in this paper, we attempt to describe and document it
through the stories of five midsized organizations.

Got comments?
"Engagement Organizing" is about raising questions and starting a
conversation.  What do you think?  Does the model speak to your
experience?  Do you have other lessons to share? How do we move the
work forward from here?  Let us know.

Steven Clift - http://stevenclift.com
Executive Director - http://E-Democracy.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/democracy