Teaching Math to Spark Creative Thinking

The Wall Street Journal highlighted the Harlem Success Academy, running a short piece and video on December 14, 2010.  The piece focused on the Cognitively Guided Instruction or CGI method of teaching math that HSA implemented this year.  

CGI is not a traditional primary school mathematics program.  Children in CGI classrooms spend most of their time solving problems, usually problems that are related to a book the teacher has to read to them, a unit they may be studying outside of mathematics class, or something going on in their lives.  Various physical materials are available to children to assist them in solving the problems.  Each child decides how and when to use the materials, fingers, paper and pencil; or to solve the problem mentally.  Children are not shown how to solve the problems.  Instead each child solves them in any way that they can, sometimes in more than one way, and reports how the problem was solved to peers and teacher.  The teacher and peers listen and question until they understand the problem solutions, and then the entire process is repeated.  Using information from each child’s reporting of problem solutions, teachers make decisions about what each child knows and how instruction should be structured to enable that particular child to learn.

A math class being taught by Ms. Jenny Cloncs at HSA4 was featured in the WSJ video.  HSA4 scholars, Ms. Cloncs, and CGI are definitely going Beyond Z!      

One Harlem charter school gets creative with problem solving. WSJ's Christina Tsuei sees how the school is developing ingenuity and reasoning in their students at a time when research shows Americans are less creative.

HSA3 Parent Council Newsletter - December 2010

Success Charter Network Hosts Reception for Chancellor Joel Klein

On Friday, December 10, 2010, a reception for Joel Klein was held at the Charter Success Network Offices in Harlem.  The small and personal gathering was held to thank Joel Klein for all his hard work and unwavering support of parent choice and Public Charter Schools during his eight year tenure as the NYC School Chancellor.

Chancellor Klein gave a rousing speech regarding the importance of taking up his torch and moving the parent choice movement ahead, despite his imminent absence at the forefront of the movement.  Klein has been well known for his expansion of small schools and charter schools to provide more high-quality educational options for students.  He encouraged all in attendance to never give up on the children of the City of New York.

Eva Moskowitz, Founder of the Success Charter Network addressed the gathering as did Ex-Senator Craig M. Johnson (D-Nassau).  Senator Johnson, who lost his seat to Senator elect Martin after two terms, is a staunch supporter of public charter schools and parent choice.  

Joel Klein is awarded the HSA3 2010 Beyond Z Award

back row: Sabrina Williams (HSA1), LiSandra Rivera (HSA3), John Bosley (HSA3)
middle row:  Tom Perna (HSA1), Mashairi Motta (HSA3), Chancellor Joel Klein, Glo Anderson-Flete (HSA3)
front row: Ny Whittaker (HSA3), Valencia Motta (HSA3)   

A representative group of Harlem Success Academy (HSA) parents joined the HSA3 Parent Council Executive Committee (PCEC) on the stairs of the Tweed Courthouse in lower Manhattan on Wednesday, December 8th as they awarded outgoing NYC School Chancellor, Joel Klein with the 2010 Beyond Z Award.

The chancellor was awarded a framed certificate, thank you cards and a Harlem Success Academy themed gift basket in appreciation for his unwavering support of parent choice and Public Charter Schools during his eight year tenure as the NYC School Chancellor.  

At one point during the meeting, Chancellor Klein was visibly touched and moved to tears when a current Harlem Success Academy parent recounted his tale of trying to educate an older child in the NYC traditional Public school system before charter schools and parent choice were an option.  “Traditional public schools failed my oldest child.  There is no comparison between the rigorous curriculum and total-child focus of public charter schools and what I was offered in traditional public schools before all of this was an option.  My youngest son is thriving.  Thank you, Chancellor Klein for being our champion for change.  My family thanks you.” said parent, John Bosley, with tear filled eyes.   

Chancellor Klein lamented about the inequity of not being able to find good quality, free education 56 years after the Brown vs. The Board of Education ruling.  Brown vs. The Board of Ed was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which allowed state-sponsored segregation. Handed down on May 17, 1954, the Warren Court's unanimous (9–0) decision stated that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." As a result, racial segregation was ruled a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.  This ruling paved the way for integration and the civil rights movement.  He encouraged parents to fight tirelessly for what they believe in even after his departure from the office of the Chancellor.  

The event was covered by Fox 5 new and aired at 5 o’clock and 11 o’clock on December 8th.  

     

Math?? No problem!!

HSA3 2010 MATH BEE PARTICIPANTS

Sean Pena

Nervous parents adjusted ties and ponytails in the lobby outside the auditorium at HSA2.  Cameramen from NY1 news adjusted their lenses and the audience buzzed as the third grade scholars from the Harlem Success Academies 1, 2, 3 and 4 gathered on Tuesday, December 7th for their second annual Math Bee.  In early November each third grade homeroom class held their own math bee and three scholars from each homeroom were selected to represent their class and school in the network math bee and all contestants received a medal for their participation.  

At promptly 5:00pm the opening remarks were made and the bee was officially underway!  Slowly, third grade contestants made their way to the front of the stage for a practice round where they were given simple questions to acclimate them with the format of the bee.  After the practice round, the bee kicked into high gear with scholars being asked to answer questions related to addition and subtraction with and without regroup, multiplication and division.  Scholars were given 5 seconds to answer each question.  Our scholars fought hard and the competition was fierce!  Finally, the field was narrowed and a victor emerged!

Evelyn Knapp (HSA1) emerged victorious!  Sean Pena (HSA3) and Brandon Bautista (HSA4) shared second place!  Kiss you brains scholars!  Job well done!  The winners are pictured below with Eva Moskowitz, founder of Success Charter Network.   

After the competition, the winners were invited to the NY1 studios and were interviewed by Shelley Goldberg.  The segment will aire on December 16th throughout the day.  Be sure to tune in!

HSA 2010 Math Bee winners with Eva Moskowitz

HSA Math Bee winners with Shelley Goldberg of NY1

BRANDON BAUTISTA

SEAN PENA

EVELYN KNAPP

  

City Sued Over Cathie Black Waiver

The following article was published by NYTimes.com in the New York Region section on Wednesday, December 8, 2010:

December 8, 2010, 2:51 PM

Second Suit Challenges Waiver for Chancellor

By SHARON OTTERMAN

A group of public school parents and advocates, including a member of the Assembly, filed suit in State Supreme Court in Albany on Tuesday to stop Cathleen P. Black from becoming the next city schools chancellor.

The suit, whose plaintiffs include Hakeem Jeffries, an assemblyman from Brooklyn, is the second legal challenge to Ms. Black’s appointment. Last Friday, Eric J. Snyder, a Brooklyn parent and bankruptcy attorney, also sued for her appointment to be annulled.

The new suit argues that David M. Steiner, the state education commissioner, erred in interpreting the law or acted arbitrarily when he decided to grant Ms. Black a waiver that allows her to become the next chancellor without educational credentials.

In a compromise, Dr. Steiner granted the waiver after the city agreed to appoint a senior deputy with strong educational credentials to serve under Ms. Black. But the law, the suit argues, does not allow the commissioner to rely “upon the educational qualifications of the staff the candidate is to supervise” as a substitute for her own qualifications.

The suit also repeats an argument made by Mr. Snyder, stating that while the law allows the commissioner to excuse Ms. Black’s lack of teaching experience and graduate courses in education, she must still have a master’s degree of some sort.

Ms. Black, 66, a successful publishing executive, holds only a bachelor’s degree in English from Trinity University in Washington.

Norman Siegel, the civil rights lawyer who will be the lead counsel in the case, said he expected the court in Albany to consider his and Mr. Snyder’s suit together. Oral arguments in Mr. Snyder’s case are scheduled for Dec. 23.

A spokesman for the state Department of Education, Tom Dunn, said Tuesday that the department had been notified of the suit, but that he would not comment on pending litigation.

Among the plaintiffs are members of a group called the Deny Waiver Coalition, a collection of parent groups critical of how the mayor has managed the city’s 1,600 schools. They include Khem Irby, the former president of the Community Education Council for District 13 in Brooklyn; Lydia Bellahcene and Julie Cavanaugh, members of Community Advocates for Public Education; Mona Davids, the president of the New York Charter Parents Association; and Noah E. Gotbaum, the president of the Community Education Council for District 3 in Manhattan.

14 Schools Slated for Closure

Gotham Schools report:
http://gothamschools.org/2010/12/07/city-adds-14-schools-to-planned-closure-list-bringing-total-to-26/ 

Citing improvements the schools have made over the past year, the city is sparing four of the 19 schools the city proposed closing last year: the Choir Academy of Harlem, W.H. Maxwell Career and Technical Education High School, the Middle School for Academic and Social Excellence and the Business, Computer Applications and Entrepreneurship High School.

The city is proposing that most of the schools on its list stop admitting new classes next year and phase out over time. For two schools, KAPPA II and the Academy for Collaborative Education, the city plans to shutter all grades at once at the end of this year.

City officials culled the final list of 25 district schools to close from a larger list of 55 schools that they targeted for possible closure earlier in the fall. Of the 30 schools on that list that were spared today, 14 may still undergo one of two federally-approved strategies for school improvement.

One of those scenarios, known as the “turnaround” model, requires that the schools’ principals be replaced and its staff and teachers re-apply for their jobs; only half may be re-hired. The other model, known as “transformation,” relies on replacing the principal, bringing in outside support services and experimenting with new teacher training and school schedules.

The city and union are currently in talks over which schools might use each model.
Here is the final list of schools the city wants to close. The schools highlighted below were announced today.

Joel Klein: What I Learned at the Education Barricades - WSJ.com

This is a fascinating article that was published in The Wall Street Journal this morning.  Klein, who has always been a friend of charter schools and parent choice, gave a major kudos to Harlem Success Academy in the second paragraph!  Roller Coaster Cheer for Chancellor Klein!!  

What I Learned at the Education Barricades

Our embrace of charter schools was especially controversial. But why should any student have to settle for a neighborhood school if it's awful?

By JOEL KLEIN

Over the past eight years, I've been privileged to serve as chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, the nation's largest school district. Working with a mayor who courageously took responsibility for our schools, our department has made significant changes and progress. Along the way, I've learned some important lessons about what works in public education, what doesn't, and what (and who) are the biggest obstacles to the transformative changes we still need.

First, it is wrong to assert that students' poverty and family circumstances severely limit their educational potential. It's now proven that a child who does poorly with one teacher could have done very well with another. Take Harlem Success Academy, a charter school with all minority, mostly high-poverty students admitted by lottery. It performs as well as our gifted and talented schools that admit kids based solely on demanding tests. We also have many new small high schools that replaced large failing ones, and are now getting outsized results for poor children.

Second, traditional proposals for improving education—more money, better curriculum, smaller classes, etc.—aren't going to get the job done. Public education is a service-delivery challenge, and it must be operated as such. Albert Shanker, the legendary teachers union head, was right when he said that education has to be, first and foremost, about accountability for "student outcomes." This means there must be "consequences if children or adults don't perform."

When Mayor Bloomberg and I started, there was zero accountability. Instead, bureaucrats, unions and politicians had their way, and they blamed poor results on students and their families. When we talked about managing the system with organizational practices that work in every other sector of our economy—like accountability, incentives and competition—we were told that education isn't a business. Maybe so, but whether it's health care, education or any other service, poorly-structured, nonaccountable delivery systems cost a fortune and don't work.

To counter the dysfunction, we turned the system upside down. We empowered principals, giving them new authority over budgets, hiring and other programs. In return, we held them accountable for student outcomes, rewarding them for success or removing them and closing their schools for poor performance. To attract and retain strong teachers, we raised salaries substantially and paid more to our best teachers who agreed to transfer to low-performing schools. We also increased choices for families by replacing almost 100 failing schools with about 500 new, small schools designed with community and charter management groups. Multiple studies showed that these new choices yielded significantly better results. Competition works.

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A math class at the Harlem Success Academy charter school.

Our embrace of charter schools was especially controversial. But why should any student have to settle for a neighborhood school if it's awful? The debate shouldn't be about whether a school is a traditional or charter public school. It should be about whether it's high-performing, period. Low-income families deserve the ability to make the best choices for their kids, as more financially secure families always have.

Changing the system wasn't easy. The people with the loudest and best-funded voices are committed to maintaining a status quo that protects their needs even if it doesn't work for children. They want to keep their jobs by preserving a guaranteed customer base (a fixed number of students), regardless of performance.

We have to rid the system of this self-serving approach. We must stop protecting ineffective teachers and stop basing layoffs on a last-in/first-out rule. With federal stimulus dollars running out, budgets are only going to get tighter and layoffs will be necessary. When that happens, do we really want to lose the talented and energetic new teachers we have hired in the last few years?

Finally, we need to innovate, as every successful sector of our economy does. The classroom model we have used since the 19th century, in which one teacher stands in front of a room of 20-30 kids, is obsolete. We should be making the most of new technology and programs that help teachers deliver personalized instruction and allow students to learn at their own pace. In New York City we've experimented with new models and seen great promise, but it will take larger investments to see real results.

As I leave the best job I've ever had, I know that more progress is possible despite the inevitable resistance to change. To prevail, the public and, most importantly, parents must insist on a single standard: Every school has to be one to which we'd send our own kids. We are not remotely close to that today.

We know how to fix public education. The question is whether we have the political will to do it.

Mr. Klein is the outgoing chancellor of the New York City Department of Education. In January he will become an executive vice president of News Corporation, which owns the Journal.

*This article can also be accessed through the link below or copy and paste the entire address into your web browser. Joel Klein: What I Learned at the Education Barricades - WSJ.com http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748704104104575622800493796156-lMyQjAxMTAwMDAwMzEwNDMyWj.html

Cathie Black's 1st Interview

The new NYC School Chancellor, Cathie Black, granted her first interview since her appointment on November 9th, which aired this morning on channel 7 Eyewitness news.  The lively and fast paced interview with Art McFarland touched on many topics including parent choice, which she values!  In fact, she herself exercised parent choice 15 years ago while attempting to secure a quality education for her own children.

During the course of the interview she constantly repeated the mantra, "children first".  When asked about how she might deal with Michael Mulgrew, the President of the NYC teachers union, on the topic of contract negotiation and teacher tenure, she said that hopeful they could meet in the middle somewhere or if not they would likely retreat to their respective corners.  First though, she said that she would likely need to determine whether or not the union realizes that in NYC, it's "children first".  Reading between the lines, I took this to mean that she would not be bullied by Michael Mulgrew and the UFT!  She was asked why she thought she was qualified for the job of Chancellor and how Mayor Bloomberg went about offering for the position.  To this, she dispelled the rumors that this appointment was done between friends in a non-professional setting.      

Overall my impression was that Cathie Black is a whip!  She exudes confidence and seems to have a good background understanding of the history and topics surrounding public education in NYC.  Her sleeves are rolled up and she's ready to hit the ground running on January 3rd when she officially assumes the role of the NYC School Chancellor!  This interview is a must see!  You may view the complete interview at Channel 7 Online.  On the home page it is in the video section.  The interview is entitled:  Up CLose:  Cathie Black Interview.  Note that this interview broadcasts in three parts, all of which may be accessed in the video section by using the Channel 7 Online link.     

Kiss Your Brain New York!  I think that Cathie Black is a friend of the children of this city!  We must continue to impress upon her, Mayor Bloomberg and the City of New York that charter public school parents value parent choice, school co-location and equal funding for our children.  She seems to be an ally; however, this is prime time to cultivate an excellent working relationship... Put on your advocacy hats people and go Beyond Z for our kids!       

The Lottery Film - Academy Award Nominee Finalist

The Lottery Film, a documentary about the Success Academies is a finalist to become an Academy Award nominee.


Here is a link for the trailer of this exciting documentary: The Lottery

It can also be streamed/rented/purchased on Netflix and Amazon.com. Here are the links:

• Netflix: http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/The-Lottery/70138616 ]http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/The-Lottery/7013861
• Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Lottery/dp/B0041JH6VC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1290636125&sr=1-1

Spread the Word!

Real Talk - Real Issue: The World of Cyber Bullying

• I thought the following information would be interesting, as the topic is relevant to my last post on the topic of bullying.  
• 
  
• The North Manhattan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is hosting a workshop on Cyber Bullying.

• What:  Real Talk - Real Issue: The World of Cyber Bullying
• When:  Saturday, December 18th from 11:00am – 1:30pm
• Where:  Columbus Medical Center - Hammer Health Sciences Building (Room 401), 701 Fort Washington Ave @ 168th Street, NY, NY 

• 
  
  For more information contact:  nmac.projectace@gmail.com
• This even is FREE AND OPEN TO PUBLIC AND ALL AGES

Bullies are always cowards at heart...

... and may be credited with a pretty safe instinct in scenting their prey.

~Anna Julia Cooper

Bullying is a white-hot topic in the media right now and has also been a topic of particular concern this school year at Harlem Success Academy 3 (HSA3). Approximately one third of the concerns that have been expressed by parents to the Parent Council Executive Council (PCEC) this year have been around the topic of bullying.

A word of advice to concerned HSA3 parents: HSA3 has a ZERO TOLERANCE policy in reference to bullying, and so should we all. Bullying is hurtful, harmful, unbecoming of a scholar (or any other member of a civilized community), and damaging on so many different levels. Unfortunately bullying is widespread and apparently commonplace in American schools.

What is Bullying?
Bullying is defined as when a person is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons, and s/he has difficulty defending himself or herself. Bullying is aggressive behavior that involves a behavioral pattern repeated over time that displays an imbalance of power and strength.

Bullying behavior can include:

• Verbal bullying (derogatory comments and name calling).
• Bullying through exclusion or isolation.
• Physical bullying (hitting, kicking, shoving, spitting, etc.)
• Spreading lies and false rumors.
• Being threatened or being forced to do things.
• Racial bullying (racially motivated name calling and physical aggression).
• Having money or other things taken or damaged by the bully.
• Sexual bullying.
• Cyber bullying (aggressive or insulting emails, IMs, or other negative behavior transmitted through electronic means or social networking sites).

The Impact Of Bullying
Bullying has wide reaching effects that affect more than just the victim of the bullying behavior. Kids deserve to be safe at school, but when they experience bullying the effects can be serious and long-lasting. Victims of bullying may suffer from depression, low self-esteem, poor grades, and suicidal thoughts or actions in severe cases.

Those who bully are more likely than others to get into frequent fights, steal and vandalize property, drink alcohol, smoke and report poor grades. Be warned though that not all bullies have obvious behavior problems. Some bullies are highly socially skilled. This trait is even more common of girls who bully.

Observers of bullying, may also feel that they are in an unsafe environment. They may feel fearful, powerless to act, guilty for not acting and tempted to participate.

Schools with bullying issues also suffer the consequences of bullying. When bullying continues and a school does not take action, the entire school climate can be affected. The school develops an environment of fear and disrespect, students have difficulty learning, students fell insecure, dislike school and perceive that teachers and staff have little control and don't care about them.

Bullying Statistics

• 1 out of 4 kids is bullied.  The America Justice Department says that this month 1 out of every 4 kids will be abused by another youth.
• Surveys show that 77% of students are bullied mentally, verbally and physically.  
• 1 in 5 kids admit to being a bully or doing some bullying.
• 8% of students in America miss 1 day of class per month for fear of bullies.
• 43% of American school kids fear harassment in the bathroom at school.  
• Every 7 minutes a child is bullied.  Adult intervention - 4%.  Peer intervention - 11%.  No intervention - 85%.

In short, bullying is real!  If you suspect that your child is the victim of bullying, DO NOT ignore it and expect that the behavior will resolve itself.  Parents need to be the one trusted place that kids can go when things go wrong.  Be a resource for your child!  If they come to you with a concern regarding this topic move swiftly, Go Beyond Z to investigate and put an end to this negative, unwanted and damaging behavior.  Your first recourse should be to speak to your child's teacher.  If no acceptable resolution is reached or if the unwanted behavior is ongoing, request a meeting with the administration at your school.      

Teach Me How To Study

This morning the second and third graders at HSA3 had their first Community Circle (assembly) of the 2010-2011 school year. Ms. Kirchner stood in for Mrs. Rodriguez as the official Master of Ceremony, as Mrs. Rodriguez's ascent to the fifth floor is becoming increasingly slower as her gait becomes more unsteady!

Community Circle at HSA3 is a school-community building event where all scholars and teachers gather to celebrate their individual and group accomplishments. This event usually begins with roll-call, where scholars answer the call with resounding class cheers and chants! Awards are given for going "Beyond Z" in terms of adhering to the school's ACTION values. Birthdays are also acknowledged with a cheerful rendition of the HSA3 original birthday jingle, "It's Somebody's Birthday!" and a certificate. This morning the second and third grade scholars unveiled the new school song, "Teach Me How to Study" (set to the tune of "Teach Me How to Dougie" by the California Swag District).

I left the Community Circle celebration enveloped in camaraderie and school spirit, as I usually do. It's always a pleasure to see children with a renewed enthusiasm marching off to "Go Beyond Z" and accomplish great thing!

Keeping Scholars Motivated

So, as most of my readers know, I am the proud mother of two HSA3 Scholars. Jordan, 7, is a young third grader and Julia, 6, is an even younger 2nd grader. Team Flete is soliciting ideas or suggestions on ways to keep our scholars motivated.

HSA scholars begin their academically rigorous day promptly at 7:45am and are in the clutches of teachers who expect nothing short of excellence for the next almost nine hour until their 4:30pm dismissal. Upon dismissal, the tired scholars are expected to come home and complete no less than 1+ hours of math, spelling, writing and independent reading homework.

Academic results of this schedule are tangible; however, the successes come with a price tag. My children are often cranky as the evening approaches and their deferred need for active play combines with their little bodies' craving for sleep. These most basic needs abruptly collide with the mountain of responsibility that is figuratively and literally placed squarely on the tiny shoulders of every HSA scholar. The mountain of responsibility is displayed in the form of a HSA royal blue backpack where scholars so proudly carry their blue homework folders and book baggies!

Despite Team Flete's best efforts to keep Jordan and Julia focused and on task, inevitably, somewhere between the "small moment story" and the spelling exercise the Flete children lose steam. I'm sorry to report that on most nights the last portion of the homework assignment becomes a chore and threatens to take the entire team down. Most nights I'm a tireless cheerleader, offering an abundance of praise and positive reinforcement. Some nights, I resort to threats and punishment. **I've learned that cranky children could care less about and do not respond well to threats.

Being tired, cranky and unable to focus myself, I pose this question to you: What do you do to motivate your scholars?

I ask that you please leave comments to this question in the comments section on this blog so that everyone may learn from our shared experiences. You may also respond to this question by emailing me directly at: GloJA@aol.com. Please write Keeping Scholars Motivated in the subject line. I plan to publish the most exciting and innovating suggestions in the October 2010 edition of the HSA3 Parent Council Newsletter.

KISS YOUR BRAIN New York!

YAY! New York finally got it right! New York managed to win almost $700 million for schools this Tuesday when it was selected as one of the ten winners of the federal Race to the Top competition. This was a major victory for New York State schools and more importantly New York State school-children who stand to benefit the most from the winnings. New York lost out in the first round of Race to the Top primarily because of the cap on charter schools in the city.

Despite the push back from the state and city's teachers unions who were initially opposed to many of the proposed changes, most notably, increasing the number of charter schools and standards for evaluating teacher performance, success was finally realized. Among other things, this money will allow New York state to create an immense tracking system to monitor how students perform from kindergarten through college and standardized tests are also slated for revision.

Though New York City will receive only approximately $380 million of the federal prize winnings, officials acknowledged its significance. The additional funding will allow the city to make changes to its curriculum and state standards which will enable great things to happen as a result of those changes. The bigger picture suggests that the teachers unions may be softening their position or at the very least realize that change is on the horizon and charter schools are here to stay.

Kudos to New York State on a job well done! KISS YOUR BRAIN!

Half-Time Show

The HSA3 space hearing has deteriorated into an unorganized, loud, disrespectful shouting match. I am shocked and appalled at the level of disrespect that the anti-charter protesters have shown at this hearing. At one point they were marching around the venue shouting, "You say charter, we say NO!",while pounding drums.
It is unbelievable that a group of adults with opposing views are unable to have a reasonable and intelligent discourse without it turning ugly. If this group is representative of the teachers, parents and advocates of traditional public education then is not at all hard to imagine why traditional public schools are an overwhelming failure. Civilized people solve problems by talking through them. Savages solve problems by bullying people into taking their side.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

HSA3 Hearing

On site at a public hearing at HSA3 to increase space for our school and to be able to pull additional kids off the wait list. The room is filled with anti-charter protesters. We are outnumbered to the tune of five-to-one.

Scheduled to speak on behalf of HSA are Ray Flete, Henry Peña, and John Bosley.


Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

HSA 3 Field Day

The date was Thursday, June 10th, and HSA3 Field Day was underway! The weather was perfect and the scholars and staff were psyched! Classes trooped over to Thomas Jefferson Park on first avenue to enjoy a healthy dose of competition and fellowship.

HSA3 Scholars participated in egg races, a spirited game of tug-of-war (in which I was hurled to the ground by the mighty scholars of Berkeley), limbo, face painting, sack races and relays. Great fun was had by all!

Parent Council Elections

The cap on charter schools has been lifted. HSA has fought hard and won space for ALL of our new schools and is prepared to welcome our new scholars. Year-end testing is underway and scholars are preparing for HSA Field Day! The school year is almost over, but one there is one more important piece of business to attend to: HSA3 Parent Council Executive Committee Elections!

There are four positions available on the Parent Council Executive Committee: President, Vice-President, Secretary and Officer. I've decided to throw my hat in the race this time and am running for the position of Officer. Wish me luck!

When to vote: Tuesday, June 8 through Friday, June 11 between 7:20am and 5:00pm.

How to vote: If you are a parent of an HSA3 scholar, you can vote in the lobby during arrival and dismissal, or come by the main office during the school day and fill out a ballot.