From the current edition
Tepid response to attacks against Asians is nothing new
by Gustavo Martínez Contreras Posted in February 2010 | Permalink
In 1981, two stabbings and a series of brawls between African American and Asian students disrupted school life at University City High School.
Two years later, a Vietnamese student named Do Manh spent a month in traction after a pair of attacks at University City left him with a broken neck and a Laotian girl needing stitches in her lip.
Then, as now, in the aftermath of attacks on Asian students at South Philadelphia High, District officials were slow to recognize the problem as ethnic violence and take action. Only after community outcry did they move to respond.
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Notes from the news, Mar. 12
Submitted by Erika Owens on Fri, 03/12/2010 - 09:44 Posted in Notes from the news | Permalink
Are Some Races More Equal Than Others? The American
This piece, from the journal of the American Enterprise Institute, asked how Sec. Duncan's new civil rights push will deal with the situation surrounding South Philly High.
SRC outrage: Cartoons but not violence? Young Philly Politics
South Philly principal LaGreta Brown testified at the SRC for the first time in response to the Tony Auth political cartoon.
See also: In solidarity with Tony Auth Attytood
Phila. science fair winners anounced Philly.com
The best in fair winners of the George Washington Carver Science Fair include a student at Girls', Central, and Penn Alexander.
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Notes from the news, Mar. 11
Submitted by Erika Owens on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 10:33 Posted in Notes from the news | Permalink
Phila. principal defended; cartoon denounced The Inquirer
An Inquirer political cartoon that showed South Philly Principal LaGreta Brown asleep at her desk caused quite a stir at the SRC meeting.
See also: Cartoon attacking principal ripped at SRC meeting Daily News
Phila. School Officials Irate Over Newspaper's Cartoon Portrayal KYW
Opportunity to learn, rush to equity The Notebook blog
In this guest blog post Herbert Kohl laid out things we should think about when considering reauthorizing NCLB.
Teachers’ union endorses Onorato PA2010.com
The PSEA endorsed the Allegheny County Executive in the Democratic primary for governor.
Parent Teacher Conferences A Very Public Education blog
The tightly scheduled conferences don't leave much time to really discuss any issues students may be having.
Make Every School a Charter? Philly School Search blog
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Opportunity to learn, rush to equity
Submitted by Guest blogger on Wed, 03/10/2010 - 15:30 Posted in Community voices | Permalink
This week's guest blog post comes from Herb Kohl, who continues to be an educator and writer. His most recent book is The Herb Kohl Reader (New Press, 2009). He's also a Notebook Member.
Some suggestions for educational reform: I suggest we replace the Race to the Top with a Race to Equity, and find a way to introduce Opportunity to Learn articles into the ESEA reauthorization.
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Notes from the news, Mar. 10
Submitted by Erika Owens on Wed, 03/10/2010 - 09:00 Posted in Notes from the news | Permalink
Making progress, West. Phila. High wary of district move The Inquirer
West's application to be an Innovation School, where a team of current school leaders would run it as a Renaissance School, was rejected. But the District may manage it as a Promise Academy, run out of central office.
Save the National Writing Project Practical Theory blog
The project lost federal funding, so now SLA Principal Chris Lehmann is suggesting NWP supporters write to their federal representatives.
Benchmark time again The Notebook blog
How do you use the results from benchmark tests in your classroom?
Attn. South Philly High: You Are Probably Screwed And The Rest Of Us Are Probably Psyched Philebrity
The federal Dept. of Education moved to reinvigorate the civil rights office. The move involves opening 38 cases, one being about “’major urban school district’ and its treatment of students who speak English as a second language.” That district is LA.
Shame on You, Newsweek Philly Teacher blog
Teacher quality is big in the news right now and this week's cover story "appalled" Philly Teacher.
National Coming Out Day for Undocumented Youth Young Philly Politics
Phila. School Children Learn Laws of Motion Through Septa KYW
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Benchmark time again
Submitted by Timothy Boyle on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 13:37 | Permalink
This week teachers across the School District will administer the benchmark tests.
This process doesn't always yield great results. There have been questions on material that was well ahead on the planning and scheduling timeline. Reconciling different curricula leads to concepts being displayed differently on the benchmark than I have taught them. I believe this is the reason that benchmarks are always a hot topic whenever a group of science educators gets together at professional development.
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Notes from the news, Mar. 9
Submitted by Erika Owens on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 09:59 Posted in Notes from the news | Permalink
Schooling parents Daily News
A look at the variety of reasons parents aren't involved in the schools, and ways the District is trying to engage them.
Latest Auth Cartoon The Inquirer (opinion)
A political cartoon of South Philly High's principal's office.
Education takes a back seat The Notebook blog
Mayor Nutter gave his budget address last week, but only made brief mention of schools.
State senator wants school named for Rivera The Inquirer
State Sen. Tartaglione wants Olney HS renamed for Joaquin Rivera, who was a bilingual counselor there.
Avoiding a legal pileup: The Education Empowerment Act and the reauthorization of NCLB The Notebook blog
Legislation at both the state and federal level is up for reauthorization, and Len Rieser suggested that the state wait for the feds to move first.
Computers and Education: How Much is Too Much? A Very Public Education blog
School Success Criteria Vol 2: Teachers Philly School Search blog
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Avoiding a legal pileup: The Education Empowerment Act and the reauthorization of NCLB
Submitted by Len Rieser on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 09:27 Posted in Education law corner | Permalink
Picture yourself walking into a huge, noisy factory that makes education. We won’t stop right now to talk about the quality of the product. Instead, we’ll just take in, for a moment, the commotion, the people racing around, the machines rising and falling and clanking and crashing. We’ll call this factory the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
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Education takes a back seat
Submitted by Helen Gym on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 12:21 | Permalink
Last week Mayor Nutter delivered his budget address – highlights of which you can find at It’s Our Money – but left out a central message: public education. Not once did the mayor talk about public schools or public education. He didn’t even mention the word dropout.
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Notes from the news, Mar. 8
Submitted by Erika Owens on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 09:57 Posted in Notes from the news | Permalink
Adults' missteps detailed in S. Phila. High violence The Inquirer
This front page story examined the report on the violence and how school administrators reacted.
See also: Confusión y errores de adultos en South Philly High Al Día
Things that make me want to go . . . . UGH Young Philly Politics
Only six providers approved for 'turnaround' The Notebook blog
Of 28 lead applicants to run Renaissance Schools, six were approved including ASPIRA, Johns Hopkins, Mastery Charter, and others.
See also: 6 applicants qualify to run Renaissance schools Daily News
Candidates to run Phila. schools cut to 6 The Inquirer
Still time to apply for Renaissance councils The Notebook blog
The deadline for parents, teachers, and others to join the school councils has been extended to tomorrow.
Editorial: Reaching for a dream The Inquirer
Congress is urged to pass the DREAM Act to help undocumented students go to college.
Allegheny/Strawberry Mansion: After a Century, Library Still Serves its Community Philadelphia Neighborhoods
Danza says class act isn't just for show The Inquirer
Local Kids Sharpen Decision-Making Skills in Class KYW
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Current Edition February 2010
Vol. 17. No. 4
Focus on School Turnarounds
This issue looks at Renaissance Schools and other turnaround models.
From this Edition
- Waiting for the Renaissance by Bill Hangley Jr.
- What's been tried already by Dale Mezzacappa and Lynne Blumberg
Renaissance School provider applicants await the first cut
by Dale Mezzacappa
More from the NEWSFLASH
The NEWSFLASH, a free e-bulletin, provides timely stories and updates in between print editions of the Notebook.
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Past Editions of the NEWSFLASH
Notebook Chatter
This practice breaks my heart!
-- Michelle Breum responding to Corrective Reading raising questions
- Tepid response to attacks against Asians is nothing new
- How teachers and unions feel about turnaround
- Back to the drawing board: huge deficit means it's time to re-engage the public, re-establish priorities
- S. Philly High violence: Time to clear the record about Dec. 2
- Renaissance School provider applicants await the first cut
How should the District make up for the 
