Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts

5/11/10

District Writing Assessment

Recently we had the district writing assessment test. All students had to write a persuasive essay. Here are some great lines from the the sixth graders

The prompt asked the students to think of something you would like to change at school and include reasons why. Here are some highlights:
  • They can even make a cure for cancer if only we have more 7th period
  • Sometimes you can trust a student, sometimes you can’t.
  • Teachers and staff will say “if we change our food menu, it will cost a great amount of money, and cut down on the school budget.” I would say “Heck with the school budget, let the students live a happy life and do great in life. 
  • Do you know the number of bad problems Harvest MS has? About 8 or 9, but I ‘m going to say the 3 main ones.
     
  • Cholesterol is what causes stomach disease.  
  •  One more thing is you get to sweat. That’s good because that means you are burning calories, saturated fat, and trans fat.
  • Studying all night is not good for student’s brains. Next morning, your brain isn’t starting up, and you have sags under your eyes. 
  • First, when we have 2 hours to do a test, what would you do if you were a teacher? I would sit, relax, and calm down.
     
  • Being awake during the day helps you at school
     
  • Teachers are finally giving the students a chance to speak!
     
  • Some people intend to forget their money. I think I would change the lunch money police.
     
  • Although my PE teacher is great at soccer, I think we should change him for a pro soccer player.   
  • Whenever I drive by Harvest, I never notice it. (This student went ahead to explain if we painted Harvest neon pink then it would be easier to see.
     
  • For example, if you whant a good future then have education as a friend.

5/3/10

Sweet

The Napa County SELPA is the Special Education Local Plan Area serving Napa County.

SELPA’s role is to ensure that the specialized education needs of each disabled student in the Calistoga, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, Pope Valley and St. Helena Unified school districts are appropriately met.

Today I got this in my box:


8/19/08

so far so good

Well, school has started and is moving forward around me. I'm hoping to do some fun stuff with the kids. It's definitely a different feeling than last year...

8/13/08

Here we are getting ready for school to start. Monday the kids come. Uf.

I've been fortunate enough to get hired at River School to start a choir program there. Should be fun. Hopefully.

5/29/08

busy

getting ready for tonight's concert...last one of the year! it was an espresso morning.

5/17/08

May 17

Really? Did I just do that? Did I get up at five am? Did I get on a bus with forty seventh and eighth grade kids? Did we drive to Fremont? Did I give them all choir shirts? Did we sing at the Forum Festival at Ohlone College? Did the kids earn a gold medal? Did the kids scream like crazy? Did we then go to Great america and ride on crazy fast roller coasters backwards and forward and upside down? Was it super hot but not too hot? Did we congratulate each other on a very fun relaxed connected bus ride home? We did.

4/29/08

New York

Our school's big show "Harvest goes Broadway" was a success. I had the teachers sing a song because the kids love that. Their performance has ended up on youtube. It's pretty funny.

3/7/08

No child left behind?

Here are the proposed cuts to the district if arnolds budget passes. Note my BTSA program is on the block. And who needs clerical staff? Middle schools don't need assistant principals anyway. And elementary science? Unnecessary.


30% Across the Board - District Unrestricted budgets
350,000

30% Across the Board - Site Unrestricted budgets
330,000
Academic Coaches:
1,345,000

Literacy, Math, Technology, Special
Education, English Language Development
Athletics (Change to pay to play)
150,000

Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA)
150,000

Charter School Service Fees
200,000

Communications Contract
55,000

Connect-Ed
65,000

Consolidating Schools
300,000

Declining enrollment reduction of clerical staff
50,000

Early Retirement Contracts
88,000

Ed Center Administrative Furlough
55,000

Ed Center Staff Reduction
200,000

Elementary Science
350,000

Elementary Summer School
25,000

Energy Savings


200,000

Flexibility Transfer


165,000

Grant Writer


50,000

High School Class Size Reduction


240,000

Hiring Freeze


TBD

Instructional Data Management System


90,000

Middle School Assistant Principal's (Declining enrollment)


100,000

No overtime


25,000

One Time Employee Compensation (Year One)


950,000

One Time Employee Compensation (Year Two)


950,000

Reduce use of classified subs


75,000

Reserve Spend Down


500,000

Retro Payment


1,500,000

Special Ed Administration


250,000

Training/Retraining Fund


30,000


TOTAL


8,838,000