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Chula Vista candidates declare intent to run June 3
Unfortunately, although Chula Vista feels like a small town, it is a big city. It takes a lot of connections and money to run for a major position like mayor or city council. As a result, we see the same names regurgitated in various posts in the city. Speaking of regurgitation, John McCann is a disaster as a politician. He has done nothing as a Sweetwater Trustee other than agree to all of Ed Brands bad decisions and wasteful spending. He is a poor choice for city council as well and I truly hope voters do more than rely on name recognition to base their votes on. I see his lawn signs all over Eastlake. Obviously, many Eastlake residents have not been paying attention to him allowing Brand to open boundaries causing Eastlake schools to be overcrowded, nor to Brand constantly borrowing from the mello roos fund, nor to him allowing Brand and Tom Calhoun lie about the fire alarm situation in our schools. There are many other examples of his poor leadership and lack of good decision making as a trustee. He is a passive aggressive bully who uses his position of power in an attempt to intimidate parents.— March 11, 2014 9:13 p.m.
Sweetwater district meeting marked by chaos
As far as Brand starting a district resource center, i would venture to guess it is to have control of even more district money. Just think, with the Local Control Funding Formula, as well as Charters, before and after school programs, partnerships with private colleges, and access to Prop O, Mello Roos and ASB funds, he is trying to solidify his empire!— February 20, 2014 8:19 p.m.
Sweetwater district meeting marked by chaos
Susan, the meeting On Mello Roos that BBQ mentioned is a continuation of a series of meetings a group of us parents started with ex CFO Al Alt. These meetings have produced a bit more transparency from the district on the Mello Roos, but work remains. We will be meeting with interim CFO Karen Michel next week.— February 19, 2014 3:53 p.m.
Sweetwater district meeting marked by chaos
Thanks to those of you that attended and continue to hold the district and administration accountable. An example of how your actions are working - Ed Brand pulls item K.1 asking for an ok to hire ex CFO Dianne Russo for $60k for 6 months of consulting. She of course is alleged to be the mastermind behind many of the financial schemes that have occurred at the district over the years. By the way, it appears she has been on the job since Dec 2013 working as a consultant. Since the item was pulled, I wonder how Ed is going to justify paying her for 2.5 months of work? A few of you have commented on the Audit - item K.9. Boy, the results are appalling! They find a systemic failure of district leadership, with findings that include misuse of funds, improper reporting and inapproriate claims, internal control deficiencies, questionable or inappropriate expenditures, lacking appropriate documentation, etc! It's not just a few instances where this has been found, it is throughout the entire audit of several departments!! Any other organization, public or private, would have grounds to fire their CEO just based on these findings. Only at the Sweetwater Union High School District, where the **Sweetwater Way**is practiced is this allowed. Let me also point out item M6 - The Growth Management Oversight Report to the City of CV. The eastside schools, especially Eastlake High and Middle, are severly overcrowded and will be so for the next 5 + years. The following eastside schools are overcrowded: Eastlake Middle and High, Otay Ranch and Olympian High, and Rancho Del Rey Middle. Notice that some of these schools have only 70% of the kids attending the school to live in the neighborhood these schools were intended to service. Why is this? Because Ed Brand opened district boundaries, and there has been a flight from the westside schools. The enrollment at every single west side school has declined, and enrollment at the eastside schools has increased. Enrollment in the district as a whole has increased by 13%, and all of those kids are going to eastside schools. The solution is that Charter Schools will relieve overcrowding until Middle School 12 and/or HS 14 are built and open in 2017. Are you kidding - charter schools are the answer?! How about reinstituting school boundaries, focusing on the needs of the neighborhood schools to get them out of Program Improvement and giving kids a a reason to want to attend those school. To much bad stuff going on in this district, with poor leadership by Ed Brand, Jim Cartmill and John McCann!!!— February 19, 2014 2:45 p.m.
Castle Park Middle School principal punches back!!
Mr. Bleisch, as an administrator and leader of young minds in this district, quite frankly I am appalled by your words and actions. While my children are not in your school (lucky you!!), i have family in the CPM area whose elementary aged children will likely attend CPM. Although I dont know you, your words and actions are well known in the district. The stories I have read about you certainly track with what people that know and work for you say. As others have indicated, your leadership style of intimidation and bullying is from a bygone era. Your tactics of dishonesty and lack of transparency remind us of Ed Brands style. Although you perceive that the CPM community will be fooled by your style and tactics, dont count on it! Like the undue pressure that has been placed on Brand, you are starting to and will continue to feel it also. When you treat people badly, and are not honest and open, we clearly see it! Like with Brand we see this in you! The South Bay community has awoken and we will not let your and Brands style and tactics continue to be used on us parents, teachers, community members and students! You have probably heard Brand is leaving in September (we hope sooner!). Your time is up as well. We will not allow your type to continue to intimidate, bully and mislead South Bay residents. You are on our radar!! By the way, I am not a white elite negative extremist. I am a hispanic business professional who went to CVESD and SUHSD schools, have two children in the district, and am moderate in my political views. What I am an elite negative extremist on are the style and tactics you and Brand use as you try to push your agendas on our students, teachers, parents and community.— February 6, 2014 10:30 a.m.
San Diego County Office of Education loves to pay lawyers
Dorian, interesting piece on the County Office of Ed. Many of us parents with children in the Sweetwater Union High School district have wondered what they do there. So "financial and curriculm oversight" is what they are responsible for, huh? Well, they certainly have let us down in the Sweetwater District. Time and again we have reached out to Mr. Ward and our elected rep Lynn Neylon, only to be told time and again they can do nothing about the mess that is the Sweeteater District. They will not publicly comment, nor will they look into any of the financial red flags and alleged improprieties that are going on. Suzanne Lazarro of The Reader has written numerous stories about these issues. If Mr. Ward spent a small amount of the effort and resources directed at Hartnett on the Sweetwater District, he would get better results. We are looking forward to him coming down to the Sweetwater District tomorrow night - Feb 6 at 6pm - to discuss district area elections. He is going to hear an earful of concerns with Sweetwater, many of which he knows about. He and our elected rep, Ms. Neylon, better be ready to take some heat for their poor leadership and oversight!!— February 5, 2014 11:06 a.m.
Classroom shenanigans in Sweetwater school district?
Glad to see all this interest and discussion regarding charters and possible unification. I know that Mary wants to meet with the community to get input. You will likely hear about at least two community meetings to discuss the issue of unification so be on the lookout for it and please attend to be heard. Also encourage your friends and neighbors to attend. The process itself, as others have stated, is a long and complicated process. Mary is just initiating it and opening it up for community discussion. I think its at least good to have the public forums to discuss it as it will force Sweetwater and Brand into discussions they dont want to have. As far as our elected officials finally taking action, dont look a gift horse in the mouth! With Ben Hueso holding a community forum on fire alarms tomorrow at CV High, Randy Ward holding a public meeting on district or area Trustees next week, and Mary Salas holding meetings on the unification issue, this puts extreme pressure on Ed Brand, jim Cartmill and John McCann. It shines even more light on them and their actions which is good for the community. Lets embrace their involvement and keep personal feelings out. You can express those at rhe ballot box in November! By the way, attached is a flow chart on what would be required for unification. At the end of the day, the voters in our community decide. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2014/j…— January 30, 2014 9 a.m.
Picket at Sweetwater trustee Cartmill's home
Oskidoll, a number of folks have talked about getting a core group to discuss what you propose. It just has not happened. Lets make it happen! I agree that we need to organize, identify the specific issues and message points we want to get across, how we are going to do it, create a PAC if needed. But we need to do this soon.— January 20, 2014 6:01 p.m.
Picket at Sweetwater trustee Cartmill's home
Additional items on the fire Brand list: - lied about the Southwest High Dirt fiasco - walked off the job to force the trustees to give him a contract - opened district boundaries and caused severe overcrowding at east side schools and undercrowding at west side schools - questions about the creation of the Ed Brand SUHSD Hall of Fame - argued to create a Sweetwater section for sports because he didnt feel our schools could compete in the San Diego Section - tried to secretely purchase the old North Island building in March 2013 for a district office till he was called out on it during a board meeting - embarrassments and lies with Grand Canyon U and Alliant U - premature disbanding of a great adult ed program What more is needed on the fire Ed Brand list? I tell you what more is needed - Jim Cartmill needs to be found guilty for his criminal actions and little man McCann needs to be voted out or run for CV City Council where he definately will not win!!— January 19, 2014 6:40 p.m.
Picket at Sweetwater trustee Cartmill's home
And those of us in the Mello Roos communities need to keep asking and demanding transparency on how those funds are being used. The district borrowed close to $120 milion from the mello roos fund from July-December 2013 to pay for day to day operations. Thats about 75% of their expenses having to be borrowed from this fund! Because the financial records are so unclear, its hard to confirm that they have been paying quarterly interest back as required by law. Then, with the termination of CFO Al Alt, who along with interim CFO Rick Knott, were restoring transparency to the districts financials, there are even more questions about district finances. Brand, with the boards approval, hires insider Karen Michel as temporary CFO, apparently with retired CFO lurking in the shadows. Funny business certainly continuing in the district. Cartmill is a bit off on his perception of himself. He approached me during a break at the last board meeting. He apologized that he had unfriended me on Facebook because his wife was mad at me for tagging him on a critical article and post i posted. His is a family FB page and i should not have posted what i did. I reminded him he is a public official, and if his FB page is public, he should not be surprised. He walked away reminding me that he has been in the ministry for 20 years. So Jim, you being in the ministry makes it ok for your actions that have led to criminal charges? Please dont use that as an excuse or crutch! Be honest and do the right thing! I can care less about your religion! Make sure your moral compass is reset!!— January 19, 2014 2:54 p.m.