I am joining many other bloggers around the U.S. and World trying to help raise money for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina and the devastation she wrought on the Gulf Coast. I am recommending Feed The Children as the charity I would like to help.
I have 2 children. I know what [...]
Winthrop Harbor Elementary Distict 1 is being very audacious in their attempts to get a referendum passed. They went to court to get them to allow what they are calling an “Emergency Referendum”. The election will be held October 11.
The district is trying to sneak this through folks. It’s [...]
Here is a freindly reminder from Students First, “Save those receipts”.
IRS reminds teachers to save receipts
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
By Anita Szoke
Source: Peoria Journal Star
Out-of-pocket expenses can lower taxes
PEORIA – Teachers, save those back-to-school receipts.
With back-to-school sales in full swing, the Internal Revenue Service is reminding teachers and other educators to save their receipts for purchases [...]
District 158 continues to find more problems with their financials. From these reports it does not appear the State is doing a good job of oversight either. This district passed their referendum and the voters are still finding out about all the abuses and total lack of accountability its’ past Administration had.
District 158 [...]
Todays special Board Meeting was held to discuss payments to Ruck/Pate and PCM that were delayed at last week’s regular meeting. The delay was due to some questions by the board members of the billed amounts. It appears there are still questions to be answered, because the Ruck/Pate payment was delayed again for [...]
This is going to be a case for all homeschoolers and those that attend a Relgious school of any kind to watch as it progresses through the courts. It could very well end up at the Supreme Court and have very dramatic ramifications on private edcuation institutions and I believe ramifications on public eduation [...]
I have discovered an issue with the BOE email. I know there have been several of you that have not received a response from the Board. The issue is the Board may not have received it. What is happening is that if you use web-based email your email may be breaking. [...]
Lemont’s school district is not having great luck choosing Superintendents. The current Superintendent, Thomas F. Cusack, was arrested for soliciting. Read the full story in the Chicago Tribune. Cusack replaced the last Superintendent when he was fired for lying about a fine after his sex related escapades.
A Lemont schools superintendent who was [...]
By now, I am sure everyone in Illinois knows about what is happening in the Sauk Village schools. If not, start here.
I had a discussion with Bruno from Extreme Wisdom a few days ago. We discussed how Big Ed is becoming more and more like Enron every day, especially here in [...]
I know I don’t usually post about homeschool topics here, but I thought this was very releveant. I found this posting about Home Schoolers & the Education Monopoly at this week’s Education Carnival. They are ask the following question, “If teaching is a profession, why can a bunch of amateurs do so well?” [...]
Spunky Homeschooler made a call to Wake The Up NEA after the NEA and other unions started a campaing to Wake Up Wal-Mart. Well, a homeschooler, AgentTim, did just that with Wake Up The NEA.
You can add a link to your site with the following image:
http://www.agenttimonline.com/images/stopthenea.gif
I wrote a sample pledge for them if they [...]
Thomas Ryan, the Cleptocratic School Superintendent, is finally behind bars. He has also resigned as Superintendent. I wonder if the district will have to pay him the $500,000 they still supposedly owed him for sick and vacation time.
‘He was stealing from the children’
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
By RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
Former Community Consolidated School [...]
The Rockford Register Star had an editorial yesterday asking the question, “Should teachers be able to strike?“.
My answer to this is simple. I do not believe teachers should have the right to strike. They provide an essential service to the community.
Should teachers be able to strike?
Tonight’s last-minute Rockford contract vote stirs [...]
Scholastic has these 10 best ways to help your Kindergartener. Tips for other ages can be find by clicking on the appropriate grade under the Family page.
Children’s book publisher Scholastic offers tips for your child’s academic success:
1. Encourage reading in any way you can.
2. Treat your child as though he’s an author.
3. Make math [...]
Teachers in several areas are making house calls on new students to bring them a gift and encourage their parents to be involved in education. (Hat tip: Students First) This seems like a very interesting idea. It will probably make it easier for these young students entering school for the first time. [...]
Soft drinks being banned from elementary and middle schools. This is being done voluntarily by the soft drink industry.
Most elementary schools don’t even have soft drink machines for students. Nationwide, state legislatures and school districts are increasingly taking it upon themselves to replace sodas and junk food in vending machines with healthier offerings.
But with [...]
The Daily Southtown is reporting that bundles of cash were seized in a search of District 168 Superintendent Thomas Ryan. You can read more of this continuing saga here and here.
Did you know that the school board can’t fire him for this yet. Even if they do, they have to [...]
Students First had this editorial from the Peoria Journal Star. They are suggesting that the State change the testing of Special Needs Kids in the State to be “based on their learning abilities rather than their age level”. I would like to hear from you Special Needs parents and experts on Special [...]
I read this quote from Chester Pierce at Extreme Wisdom. It is an old quote from 1973 and is from in Educating For The New World Order. Pierce was a Harvard University Professor and is described as a Humanist and New World Order Guru.
Every child in America who enters school at the [...]
Students First has the letter to the editor below. It brings up an important issue about education responsibility. After you read the letter, please let me know your opinion on this topic.
Letter to the Editor: Parents should foot the bill for children’s education
Monday, August 15, 2005
By Jeff Trigg, Peoria
Source: Peoria Journal Star
Re. Aug. [...]
The highlights of the Comscrore Report “Behaviors of the Blogosphere” are as follows (Hat tip: IlliniPundit):
50 million U.S. Internet users visited blog sites in the first quarter of 2005. That is roughly 30% of all U.S. Internet users and 1 in 6 of the total U.S. population
Five hosting services for blogs each had more than [...]
The Illinois Leader has a great opinion piece on the high cost of your child’s education. Theire are some great resources pointed out int this article. I will be checking them out myself.
MORRISON: Your child’s education comes at a high cost
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
By Joyce Morrison (admin@illinoisleader.com)
OPINION – Summer is almost over and [...]
The Education Carnival is up and running over at The Education Wonks. Please stop by for a visit. I have not had a chance to go through the posts myself yet. I’ll be doing that later tonight. Head on over an enjoy!
The Daily Herald ran the article below about how contributors to groups supporting District 120’s referendum (registration required) also have contracts with the district. Though this is legal, it is gives a very bad appearance of political collusion, corruption or at a minimum a conflict of interest.
I have also been doing some digging into [...]
Here is an update about the Interim Business Manager and when the budget will be reveiwable and voted on. This is from the News-Sun.
D46 hires, promotes staffers New personnel: 30 new teachers picked
By Marcia Sagendorph
SPECIAL TO THE NEWS SUN
GRAYSLAKE — There will be many new faces in the classrooms this fall in Grayslake [...]
The Chicago Sun-Times has an article entitled “Third of grads not ready for college“. This is not a new topic. In fact, it was discussed in February at the 2005 National Governors Association (NGA) Winter Meeting. It included a keynote address by Bill Gates.
Third of grads not ready for college
August 5, 2005
BY [...]
Jenny D has a post on solution for fixing education. Money is no object in this lesson and the rules were simple, fix education and you can’t spend any money outside the school. You can read the comments she received, but if you want the quick version read her second post where she [...]
I keep hearing a lot about unfunded mandates. Here is another article about this topic (Hat tip: Students First).
School officials tired of unfunded laws
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
By MOLLY PARKER
Source: Peoria Journal Star
PEORIA – Several local school administrators speaking at U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood’s Central Illinois Education Summit on Tuesday said they are tired of the [...]
Have you ever wondered who was on the legislative education committees? Well, wonder no more. Here is the list of them. If you want to contact them visit the Illinois General Assembly and click on the “Legislator Lookup” under Additional Resources.
Source: Students First Illinois
Contact the House and Senate education committees at the [...]
Here is a progam from The International Quality Leadership Institute that appears to be very good. I have not checked out it out myself, but it seems worthy (Hat tip: Students First).
Spotlight: Kidz America TV program gives students a voice
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
South Shore Cultural Center Theater Camp: Chicago Park District
Mayor Daley’s Kidstart: Rogers [...]
