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Something is not right at Sweetwater
joepublic is right on target in his description of the operant Sweetwater culture. I note that tomorrow is March 15....hope at least that some of the most 'deserving' of the 'good old and girls club' within the administrative ranks have been duly noticed with regard to their futures with the District. The 'old guard' has been in place thru several superintendent administrations. The questionable and seeming irregular treatment of two applicants for principal positions is a good case in point. wonder who might be afraid of any new well-qualified faces, whatever their color, from outside the district? Seems to me that this situation bears close review and investigation.— March 14, 2015 12:39 p.m.
Something is not right at Sweetwater
More doublespeak from the depths at Sweetwater? Seems someone got their story mixed up. Tarantino should definitely look into this embarrassing story.— March 12, 2015 12:17 p.m.
Land sakes, Sweetwater, get it together
I see a notice on the SUHSD site that there will be a special closed session meeting this evening, March 12, to discuss the Interim Superintendent -- and also to consider other personnel actions. Could it be the Board is actually going to issue some 'March 15' notices to certain administrators? That would be an ideal move to begin the process to rid the district of the likes of Calhoun and others who facilitated the perfidy of the former board and superintendents Brand and Gandara.— March 12, 2015 11:32 a.m.
Transparent as mud in Chula Vista
Visduh: The extent that anything changes at the CBOE will depend largely on the expectations the voters have for change, and the expectations they have that the CBOE will actually exercise its responsibility for oversight of the schools in its jurisdiction. I say the place to begin is with peppering the current board with questions about why it is AWOL in that responsibility and going on the record, over and over, so that the general public becomes aware of that issue and shares such an expectation. Otherwise, the glib response 'it's not OUR job' will override the fact that it IS their job. Also, I say that the former CBOE member, who supposedly represented South County, is certainly NOT the person to serve as Interim Superintendent at SUHSD! If he couldn't figure out his job there, why would anyone expect him to figure it out while sitting in the SUHSD superintendent's office?— March 9, 2015 11:03 a.m.
Transparent as mud in Chula Vista
But the County Office of Education DOES have responsibility and authority over the school districts in its jurisdiction. The passage below is copied from the Alameda County Office of Ed (CA) website. Seems the folks in Alameda are more savvy than those here in San Diego. "Oversight Responsibilities In 1855, the County Superintendent of Schools was officially established in California. A primary responsibility of the new office was to provide services to, and oversight of, schools districts within the county. The County Superintendent’s office is the intermediary between the State and local school districts and charter schools. Since that time, the Legislature has continued to expand the role of the County Superintendent and to strengthen the oversight role of County Offices of Education. Significant emphasis was placed on the oversight responsibilities with the codification of AB 1200 in the early 1990s. This legislation charged County Superintendents with the fiscal oversight of school districts including the approval of their annual budget and the monitoring of the school district’s fiscal stability. AB 1200 has been expanded over time and has added additional responsibilities to the County Office’s fiscal oversight of school districts. Since AB 1200, the Legislature has continued to legislate additional oversight responsibilities to County Superintendent’s office. Recent legislation has codified the agreements from the Williams lawsuit, giving the County Superintendent the responsibility to oversee the Williams legal settlement relative to facilities, textbooks, and teacher assignments. County Superintendents will continue to provide leadership and support of school districts and charters schools as a key mission of their offices. Some of the oversight responsibilities of ACOE include: • Budget Review - AB 1200 • Credentials • Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA) • Williams Legislation " By the way, the Williams Legislation has to do with ensuring that all students have an equal opportunity to receive educational services. Seems that Sweetwater schools that are 'improvement needed' status might be a problem. Where is the San Diego County Office of Education on that one?— March 7, 2015 4:46 p.m.
Only a fence between them
We DO know that some, such as Calhoun, need to gone, gone, gone. March 15 is just a week away. Wonder if the new board can get their schedules together enough to take care of at least one of the rats.— March 7, 2015 10:44 a.m.
Transparent as mud in Chula Vista
Visduh - I think that the possibility of sending kids to religious schools with vouchers was a problem in the early days of the voucher discussion. However, in today's world. I think that vouchers could be used within the public school network with some positive results.— March 5, 2015 8:10 p.m.
Transparent as mud in Chula Vista
Susan, the two districts have little or no incentive to cooperate because ADA funding per pupil is at stake. Stands to reason that without understanding or commitment to their respective greater missions (educate their stakeholder students) that they would scheme to poach each other's students. Here is a case where unification would eliminate the competition between these two districts for the same students.— March 5, 2015 11:07 a.m.
Transparent as mud in Chula Vista
It's all on the public's dime, that's for sure. If there are to be alternatives to 'regular' public schools, let's try the voucher system that lets parents vote with their feet and find the best schools for their kids with the voucher. It seems to me that vouchers avoid the need for charter schools' duplicative administrative structures and investment of public funds in 'buildings' while achieving the goal of 'choice' for parents and their students. Parents will validate outstanding schools by wanting to use vouchers there. What a concept....recognize excellent educational leadership and teaching by choosing exemplary schools for their children to attend.— March 4, 2015 3:31 p.m.
Transparent as mud in Chula Vista
Recalling that Ed Brand and Company of thieves were so very eager to make Castle Park Middle School into a charter makes me think that there must have been a very great incentive in it for themselves. Wonder what that might have been?— March 4, 2015 10:15 a.m.