Once again we have had to set up a new SAUSD corruption thread as the last one started to run slow with all the comments on it.
Our schools are in crisis today – not just here in Santa Ana but all over the state. The only thing we know for sure is that we are going to take more budget hits.
I am amazed that the SAUSD hired back all their laid off administrators. How crazy is that? Class sizes are growing, good teachers are laid off, and the union, as usual, is asleep at the wheel.
We will continue to reason through all this here at the Orange Juice blog! We can but hope for the best…
Please give the time and place once more where we can hear about our health benefits from the union.
Calif. commission recommends rolling back pensions for current workers… http://bit.ly/emBANP
Should districts allow teachers to be paid for doing union duties? http://snipurl.com/wastemoney
What are your thoughts on this?
Also, do you think Jane Russo is getting out before they cap her pension?
http://www.ocregister.com/news/pension-289705-education-state.html
We are Wisconsin
http://vimeo.com/finnryan/wearewi
Wonderful, Wisconsin … thanks for sharing this.
What was the transition between these blogs and the next group? I somehow lost the thread. Update, please: what is happening w/ the religion thread at some middle school? What is the next step concerning the changes in insurance? and finally, how many teachers are getting pink slips yet again this spring?
Since this is just one continuous thread, it is hard to follow. Some issues never get a follow up. Religion in middle school, I have no idea. Changes in insurance, check with your union rep, I believe the meetings are done but the contract is still to be voted on. According to the union’s information (which could change), they believe that the district is telling the truth and there won’t be any pink slips (aside from the temp and probationary teachers who were asked to resign). You can click on “older comments” above to see if any of your issues were answered.
The “religion in middle schools” story was about Willard and their principal Dennis Cole, and I found it interesting enough that it became two new stories:
http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2010/12/the-wrath-of-cole-willards-jaguars-for-jesus-principal-bans-all-student-clubs/
http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2011/01/willard-update-dawn-miller-responds-and-teachers-arm-themselves-against-cole-with-small-recording-devices/
Thanks, Vern. I’m not sure if the poster saw those. I just haven’t seen anything regarding a resolution of the issues.
Thought some folks might enjoy this (courtesy of some Facebook friends):
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/jon-stewart-exposes-the-lavish-lifestyle-of-the-american-public-school-teacher/
Thanks for sharing, Patricia. As some other friends have said, sorry this isn’t getting out to the people who should see it.
My hope is; Jane’s departure will force the school board to see the inhuman and immoral treatment Think Together call its service to our students.
Think Together promises the world on a silver platter, but only gives the Santa Ana Unified School Students a paper plate full of empty promises
and services that they can’t fulfill.
Perfect example:
Willard, Jane should have been fired long ago for allowing Think Together to come into the district and provided inadequate services to the students.
Willard has had 2 good teachers step down as the Think Together site Coordinator.
Why you might ask?
For the same reason, they are promised services, materials and personnel. At the end of the day, Think Together gives them nothing, but still expects
them to maintain their “numbers”. That’s all they care about. NUMBERS, that’s how they see the kids. As numbers. Think Together demands the
school site coordinator maintain the same number of students enrolled day, day out.
Think Together wants to fix the books, so it shows a high number of enrolled students in their after school program. When the site Coordinators
refused to cook the books for them, they brought in their on person to do it.
Every week Willard gets a new face. A new Think Together coordinator. They are kids strait out of college. No experience
and they are suppose to help our kids raise their test scores.
Sure, why not.
Take a look at the girl that is there now. From the minute she stepped on campus, she started barking orders at Willard staff. She is immature,
inexperience and has the manners of an uneducated, illiterate monkey. She has no social skills and she is whom Think Together sent to run the program.
Thanks, Jane Russo.
Whose going to clean up her mess.
The Think Together program is about as corrupt as a program could possibly get. They don’t want teachers running the program, they cost too much and demand too much professionalism. Think Together is nothing more than a babysitting program that receives LOTS of federal money. The head of Think Together makes approximately 350K, more than our own superintendent who is in charge of a 500 Million dollar budget. They are in it for their survival and they could care a less that the kids are destroying our classrooms and personal property that we purchased with our own money for our own students.
Think Together broke my classroom tv. How does one break the on/off button??? They found a way. I don’t use the tv much, but it certainly was nice for the kids to watch while eating their lunches on a rainy day. Thanks Think Together!
That’s like the year the kids in the afternoon program stole all the little ceramic balls out of the attached to the computer mouse(es).
Dr. Olsky promised a committe of people to oversee Think Together 3 years ago when they were going to take over. She stated that is would consists of teachers and principals to make sure they were doing what they were supposed to be doing and using the funds per legislation.
Is anyone you know on that committee? Oh, wait, I don’t think it exists.
1. What happened to all the clubs which were disbanded?
2. How does this after school program “replace” actual school classes and the corresponding credits for subjects like PE, art, and music?
3. Who is minding the money store regarding this Think Again program? oh and where in the world did the get the title???
So, are you all out buying Jane Russo a present? I doubt she needs “anything” making $256,000.
Maybe she’s getting a job in Bell.
Think Together is such a waste of time. Over at our school she is supposedly a ex-cop. But after getting to know her its no wonder she never made it as a police officer. She is barely able to manage the program. Every few weeks there is a new “program leader” in the classroom while I see kids running around the school, yelling at their peers, and are completely out of control.
At our school they also manipulated our principal into starting a pre-school program. Now we don’t need SAUSD to provide education, Think Together can manipulate our principal into starting a program.
So now that the substitute teachers are joining a union? Give me a break. They will wind up making less money. If they can negotiate a salary increase, their union will be sure to take it from them in dues. This is really unbelievable. There are some great subs. out there who probably didn’t want to be forced into a union. But the majority of subs. don’t show up on time, carry out lesson plans, or give much of an indication that they care. Yet the troublemakers among them somehow feel that they should get an increase in salary when school districts are in so much financial trouble. I don’t understand. They were never promised anything other than on call day to day employment, and they carry out the few responsibilities they have poorly. Not all of them, but most. Yet somehow the district is supposed to find money to pay them more. Where should that money come from exactly? This is an ill thought out and ill timed plan.
I heard Valley’s principal was replaced today. Please tell us how it happened so Mr. Cole can travel down that same road.
Does anyone know why the principal of Valley was suddenly removed? Is this normal so close to the end of the school year and with CST right around the corner?
Can you post the student teacher ratios for first grade for this school year and next? Why do some NON QEIA schools only have 23 while others have 25 or more?
JUAN LOPEZ..
NEW
SANTA ANA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
SUPERINTENDENT..
The good olde’ club will continue..
District Administration and all other Administrators will continue their “CLUB” on everyone expense.
It is not about education, it is and will continue to be about securing their high paying jobs.
Current District Administration will never allow for and outside Superintendent to come in and jeopardize their high paying jobs.
Juan Lopez…
Your new BOSS…
Mr. Cole is now assigned to Mendez for the 2011-2012 school year. Lots of happy folks at Willard and the best of luck to all at Mendez.
Yes, good luck Mendez. We’d be sending you our prayers but you’ll be getting a garbage truck full of that with Cole.
Susan Mercer needs to go!
To Annon D –
Why do you think Susan Mercer needs to go?
So who *is* Willard’s new principal? Good luck, Mendez! Beware ever being cornered alone with Mr. Cole.
This thread has sure been quiet for an unusually long time. I wonder why.
On another note, I just finished an awesome 3-day GATE training provided by SAUSD -definitely something (imo) all teachers would find helpful and energizing.
Originally posted on
http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2010/12/the-wrath-of-cole-willards-jaguars-for-jesus-principal-bans-all-student-clubs/
Annon C. is not a union thug. Annon C. is a union member and a supporter of unions.
Annon C. lives modestly in a racially mixed neighborhood by choice.
Annon C. holds the Constitution of the U.S. in high regard.
Upholding the Constitution is not a political slant. As an educator it is my sworn duty to uphold the Constitution.
My questions were directed towards SAUSD and their policies and their lack of written policy, not an individual.
Those in power who felt attacked knew that what they were trying to do was against the law.
As I told Mr. Cole, I would not hesitate to do it again.
And Is Annon C still going to be around to fight the good fight? I’m going to upset a certain blogger (no names but her initials are MQ): The Coles of this world rely on the “underlings” to be quiet and not rock the boat because they are afraid for their own jobs and because they rationalize that the targets of the injustice “must deserve it”. Hmmmm. pre WWII Germany anyone?
check………
check
Anyone here knows why there is a veil of secrecy on the master schedules at all the schools in SA? Teachers start back tomorrow but no one knows their assignment. They were not informed at the end of the school year last year. And no one is allowed to talk? Sounds bad.
OK, everybody move to the NEW THREAD. I’m closing comments here. This is where we’re heading:
http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2011/08/new-santa-ana-usd-thread-2011-12-edition/
I will copy over annon’s comment there, maybe somebody will answer!
You’re welcome – ed.