Dear Members:
 
There is a class coming up at UOP, and I’ve worked out with the district to pre-approve the units.  Course description below provided by instructor.  By the way, the deadline to turn in your admin pre-approval for units is Sunday, March 1.  That means, that’s due tomorrow.
 
Conference fee, no credits $98, 
Conference fee plus 1 sem. credit $213, 
Conference fee plus 2 sem credits $313
 
Summer Institutes is coming to the UOP Campus for the first time on Saturday, March 14, 2020. Scott Ricardo, the President/Founder of Summer Institutes, will be introducing his new work on "Empowering (At-Hope) Students to Self Manage...the first step to reducing teacher burnout."
 
Like always, this SI RECHARGE will be action pact with relationship building activities, featured presentation, introduction to dealing with trauma induced students,  committee subject PLCs, PBE independent study & social emotional wellness to finish the day!
 
Enrollment limit is 80. This RECHARGE is being marketed by word of mouth and digital email only. 
 
How to Register:
WWW.SUMMERINSTITUTES.COM/
​

Dear Members:

• I posted a series of newspaper articles on our website about charter schools including one small school district in our area that normally receives only $400,000 a year in school funding from the state.  Compare that to MUSD’s $300 million in funding.  Teeny tiny New Jerusalem School District has only 16 kindergartners in its entire school district.  However, they received an additional $550,000 per kindergartner in additional funding or about $9 million extra.  $550,000 for EACH kindergartner.  Click here to read the charter schools articles on our website.  Fascinating reading.

 

• New Jerusalem supervises a number of private charter schools. The fact of the matter is they really don’t supervise them, but they sure do get paid for them.  That’s been the problem nationwide with private charters. No supervision.  New Jerusalem, for its 16 kindergartners, has a Superintendent and 3 Deputy Superintendents.  MUSD has ONE Deputy Superintendent.  One of their former Deputy Superintendents is running for the County Office School Board.  Maybe that extra $9 million helps with the extra admin cost to handle those…16 troublesome kindergartners. Plus, their teachers are the lowest paid in the county.

 

• As  you probably know, MUSD has a charter, be.tech, which is a DEPENDENT public Charter run by the district, and not an Independent Charter run by a private company or individual.  That means it is operated by the school district and has fewer freedoms than an independent charter, but still allows for innovation in curriculum, scheduling, and training.  They don’t take funds away from MUSD, but rather provide an alternative learning experience for students.  be.tech is a vocational program which is REALLY needed in education.  Private charters are run by private individuals or companies.

Dear Members:
 

• First off, I want to say thanks to all of you that have signed the petitions to bring in more money to public schools(5% more) and our local communities(8% more).   We have turned in the most signatures of any local in the county. The strength of our district has always been our certificated staff.  Based on research, the #1 SCHOOL factor for student success is the quality of the educators. That accounts for 2/3 of a student’s success.  I will be visiting your site you would like to sign.

 

• Did you know…Disney pays on average 5 cents per square foot in property taxes for their properties?  Want to know how much my wife and I pay?  $3.45 per square foot.  Divide your yearly property taxes by the square footage of your house to see how much you pay.  And you know, when Disney purchased Marvel and Star Wars recently, any properties included were not reassessed at fair market value.  Again, Disney purchased a company directly, not land. The land indirectly followed the sale of the companies.  That’s the loophole fixed by this petition.

 

• Most commercial property is already being taxed at fair market value.  Nearly 80% of the new tax revenue will come from only 8% of commercial property.  Do your students need a helping hand or does Disney and Chevron?

 

• This petition does not raise residential property taxes, agricultural land, or apartment properties.  Small business owners receive a tax break from this petition.  This petition only affects large corporations. 

Dear Members:
Second, Ed Code allows parents to observe their child in your classroom but it leaves it up to each district on how it is done. 

49091.10.(b) A parent or guardian has the right to observe instruction and other school activities that involve his or her child in accordance with procedures determined by the governing board of the school district to ensure the safety of pupils and school personnel and to prevent undue interference with instruction or harassment of school personnel. Reasonable accommodation of parents and guardians shall be considered by the governing board of the school district. Upon written request by the parent or guardian, school officials shall arrange for the parental observation of the requested class or classes or activities by that parent or guardian in a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with procedures determined by the governing board of the school district.