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Sweetwater school district’s weird, failed real estate deals
Your use of "Bozos" is condecending to a fine profession of Clowns, I for one grew up with Bozo the clown sponsored by Twin Pines Dairy in Detroit, many fine winter afternoons watching and learning the philosophy of the cartoon. I used to use a quote from Yogi Bear, Yogi -"Hey BooBoo let's go steal some Picnic Baskets" BooBoo -"But Yogi, Ranger Smith does not like when we steal Picnic Baskets!" Yogi - "Hey BooBoo, What Ranger Smith does not Know will not hurt Him" I never thought it would come true, SUHSD aka Jellystone Park: staring Yogi Brand, the BooBoos of trustees and the voters of SUHSD as Ranger Smith.— February 8, 2013 2:33 p.m.
Sweetwater school district’s weird, failed real estate deals
bvagency, first "Open Boundaries" is a spin that The district and Brand have put on something not so good, Academic Probation. The district has to accomidate anyone in a school with low academic scores by allowing them to transfer elsewhere in the district. Dr Brand is only giving us what he had to and is trying to make the bad situation, schools on Academic Probation not smell so bad.... On the current issue, I am sure the property boom and bayfront development was a goldmine too big to ignore by our "smarter than the average bear" sorry Yogi, school trustees and superintendent, with experience in education not business. Again I question why we need to expand the Education business beyond a failing 7-12 model at all. Why can't the District rally the wagons together and focus on the current situation with regards to our schools. THAT'S THEIR ELECTED AND HIRED JOBS!!!!!— February 8, 2013 12:39 p.m.
Sweetwater's gathering storm
WTFEd - In response to your 6:02 comment, 1) There is no doubt that things are "Better" with the new superintendent, mostly because the "old" Superintendent was worse the "New" but who is telling the king he has no clothes on? 2) Calling out the "Activists" as being a problem with America is as fudimentally wrong, as Mr McCann calling out the disrespect for Veterans when people don't agree with him. 3) You say you have been with the district many years, I question if you are part of the problem or part of the solution, Until the status quo of Education starts looking outside the box for solutions we will continue to borrow from the future while not preparing our kids to be able to pay it back. 4) Respect does not come from fancy letters after your name, or your position in an organization, it comes from how you treat others, how you express yourself, and leading with a vision. Where is the Vision of the Trustees, The Superintendent, The Adminstration Staff, the Teachers and the Citizens? Rather than continue this self-distructive path, Let's work on whats broken or at least discuss what each of us thinks is broken and set a long term plan in motion. Respectfully submitted a Citizen, Taxpayer, Customer of the SUHSD— January 31, 2013 6:44 a.m.
Sweetwater's gathering storm
As I have tried to state in the comments I have posted the last few days, a long term outlook for the district needs to be started, I tried to get involved with assisting with STEM Programs, Lean Management Training, Budget Review Commitees, attending board meetings, District Outreach, with both the former and present superintendents. It is frustrating when there is NO follow-up and it feels like Lip-Service, I call it ask and ignor policy. Do I believe there is a conspiricy within the district? No, Just a lack of good Oversight and Management. There is also a lack of trust and ethics concerning our Trustees. Remember if there is talk of conflict of interest or other impropriety, there is a conflict of interest, it is self-fulfilling. Again before you can grow a business, yes this is a business, you should have your core business under control, the foundation is what supports the new structure and the development, The district fundamental business model is broken and it does not appear to be being addressed. Chaos Management, Slight of Hand, always keep them guessing, are usually the tactics of weak managers and egotists.— January 31, 2013 6:08 a.m.
Sweetwater board votes to open second charter school
One more time a Board and a Brand out of control, wake up schmucks, both the board and the citizens of SUHSD. They cannot even get the existing Schools out of academic probation or finacial, peril, we are pursueing college and k-12 education. I guess if we have locals that will Re-elect indicted persons to the board, we get what we get. While I know innocent until proof, ethics are something else. Including those not indicted.— January 30, 2013 5:51 p.m.
Sweetwater's gathering storm
Absolutely agree, what gives a superintendent and boaed the right to determine what is or is not open for review by the public they are elected or employed to serve. Again it is out of control...— January 30, 2013 5:40 p.m.
Sweetwater's gathering storm
Actually he was an interum employee, when I asked if he would stay on if possible, he replied that 1)His wife would kill him and 2) He would give up his current retirement benefits (education/Teachers retirement, State Mandate against Double dipping). Again a system that drives good people out. (Good based on one experience, vs. bad based on two experiences with Dr. Brand. Again what to do? Get a group of non- (OK Mildly)Biased citizens together and develop a future for the district beyond the current morass of whooey...— January 30, 2013 1:14 p.m.
Sweetwater board meeting times may change
AnnaJ, I did not even know about a new CFO, I do not know if it is possible but when we get a new Superentendent can the board change his ability to hire and fire top level personnel in the adminstration? It is so messed up the whole place. Again I repeat that I fully respect what you activist folks are doing, but it has been dismissed by the current power structure as a few malcontents. No offense but others need to step-up and start the course to the future. Maybe it's my turn, I am hopeing that a small group of people see some of this ad will step-up with me, outside to "occupy Sweetwater" group and the already active. My experience with two graduates of the district is we are not preparing our kids for the world. I have one more of my own but many that i touch on a yearly basis with after-school programs. It is discusting what has been going on....— January 30, 2013 1:05 p.m.
Sweetwater's gathering storm
After attending a version of the Budget presentation by Mr. Rick Knott, I was impressed with his knowlege and openness on the financial subjects of the district. My biggest concern however is we have been living this Budget crisis for 5 plus years now and the Board, Adminstration (Former CFO Russo) and two Superintendents keep burying their heads in the sand. I sat on one of the Budget review comittees a couple of Years ago and all that came of it was woe as me, and the board did not follow any of the recommendations. My thought is we as citizens enlist Mr. Knott to give us an up to date assessment of what he saw in the books while he worked as interium CFO for the last few months, and maybe we could have him work with us towards the District of the future.— January 30, 2013 6:16 a.m.
Sweetwater board meeting times may change
AnnieJ, I do not advocate that the present objectives of the vocal few Like you, Mr. Payne and others back down from the frontal attack, it keeps the Board et.al. on their toes however the forum at the board meetings and other District outreach are so contrived and hostle that I admit I have been escalated to discust, bordering on anger. I have had direct meetings with Dr. Brand who asked me to help him with STEM Tutoring, when I approached an organization to help, he was nowhere to be found, I guess I am not connected or rich enough to warrant his favor. All of this said over the last few years I have watched this process, we've seen Gandara released on a sweetheart deal, Mello Roos misused, promises ignored, but still no move forward plan. Surely there are people who better understand the inner workings of a well run School District than I do, I doubt that they are local but something needs to be done. I will continue to follow the blog/comment threads and may try to set up a location to start some dialog for the future goals of OUR district. I am certainly concerned to find a way for the new blood candidates to recieve some media attention without having to borrow tens of thousands of dollars to fund a campaign.— January 30, 2013 5:50 a.m.