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California Students Among the Most Successful on AP Tests

Here’s something which all of us Californians should be concerned about. Which do you want first? The good news or the bad news?

By: Deborah Cahill

Report: California Students Among The Most Successful On AP Tests.

The Los Angeles Times (2/11, Cruz) reported that California “boasts one of the nation’s highest percentages of public school students passing AP tests, but educators are concerned about a dramatic slowdown in the rate of students taking those college-level courses, according to an annual report released Wednesday.” The number of high school students taking AP exams nationally “almost doubled from 2001 to 2009, but course enrollments are slowing, particularly in California, said Trevor Packer, vice president of the College Board, which administers the tests and released the report.” In the last decade, California “saw 8 percent average growth in AP course enrollment each year,” but in the 2008-2009 school year, that growth “slowed by almost half.”

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Tags: AP test scores in California, AP Tests in California

Calabasas High Poker Tournament and Casino Night

By: Patte Gilbert

The Calabasas High School Baseball program will host their annual fundraiser on March 14th at the Agoura/Calabasas Community Center from 5pm – 9pm. This adult only event will help support the Baseball program this spring season. Come out for a great evening and support our wonderful Calabasas Baseball program at www.calabasasbaseball.net.

This event will host an array of fun opportunities from casino gaming, a poker tournament, dinner, cocktails, music and a luxurious silent auction.

There are 2 available packages:

- The “Casino Night Package” for $75 per player.

- “Poker Tournament Package” for $150 per player.

If you’re looking to sponsor, there are 4 options from the “Grand Slam” to the “Single.” The Grand Slam will buy you a table for 8 players for the evening with catered dinner, 2 drinks per person, and dessert for your group.

All proceeds benefit the CHS Baseball Program. For more information visit the CHS baseball team at: Calabasas Baseball

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Tags: Calabasas High Poker Tournament and Casino Night, CHS Baseball Poker Tournament and Casino Night

The Implications of Junk Food Today

JUNK FOOD BEGONE!

By: Deborah Cahill

As an educator in various parts of the country, and most recently California, I am amazed at what the students eat for “lunch.”  Often times they will not even buy a lunch but instead have chips and other “junk food” as their meals.  The number of overweight and even obese students is disconcerting to say the least.  As adults we know that one is more likely to gain weight as we grow older.  If that is the case, then what lies ahead for these young people?  That is why this generation is the first in many to actually have a shorter life expectancy than their parents!  I absolutely support cutting out junk food and not having it available on school campuses.  An effort needs to be made to deter at the source so much which contributes to health issues.  This alone will not do the trick, of course, but at least it is a step in the right direction.

Leading the News

Obama Administration Launches Campaign To Remove Junk Food From Schools.

The AP (2/8, Jackson) reported that the Obama administration “will ask Congress to improve childhood nutrition by ridding school vending machines of sugary snacks and drinks and giving school lunch and breakfast to more kids. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the administration will seek changes when Congress overhauls the Childhood Nutrition Act.” In a speech planned for delivery on Monday but cancelled due to snow, Vilsack “outlined changes that include a push to jettison cookies, cakes, pastries and salty food from school vending machines and cafeteria lines.”

The St. Petersburg Times (2/9, Marshall) reports that a proposed federal bill “is said to include $1 billion in extra money to pay for more of the fruits, vegetables and whole grains that make teenagers cringe. But Republican support is far from certain, and the American Beverage Association told the New York Times it did not support a federal ban” on junk food in schools.

Op-Ed: Obesity Seen As National Security Threat. Retired U.S. Army General Johnnie E. Wilson writes in an op-ed for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (2/9) that child obesity “has become so serious in this country that military leaders are viewing the epidemic as a potential threat to our national security.” Wilson adds, “Today, retired admirals and generals are calling on Congress to support at least $1 billion per year in new funding that will help to improve nutrition standards for meals served in school, after school and in child care settings. We are also seeking improved nutrition standards for all competitive foods and beverages sold on school grounds.

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Tags: Junk food in America, The Implications of Junk Food Today

Teacher Accountability: What to Do?

School Accountability Needs Proper Metrics

By: Deborah Cahill

I agree with Professor Daniel Willingham (see below) that there are no good tools to measure teachers.  If you base a teacher’s success strictly on student test scores, you have done a gross injustice to teachers and students alike.  This throws us right back to teaching to the test and sacrificing core curriculum and content which are so enriching, interesting and necessary.  Having to limit our content means our students are missing valuable material and are even less prepared if they are attending college.  Even more unconscionable is withholding funds from those states who disagree with this practice of  evaluating teachers based on test scores.  If the federal government and President Obama want educators to be held more strictly accountable then they must come up with a fair and effective way to measure teachers’ performances and stop black mailing states if they do not go along with this practice.

Law & Policy

Op-Ed: School Accountability Push Will Fail Without Proper Metrics

University of Virginia Psychology Professor Daniel Willingham writes in an op-ed in the Boston Globe (2/4), “In an effort to improve public schools, President Obama wants to hold individual teachers accountable for student test scores; indeed, states that prohibit the practice are ineligible for the ‘Race to the Top’ funds.” However, “we do not have good tools to measure teachers, and when you hold people accountable with poor measures, things…get worse. The reason is simple: Accountability changes workers’ focus from ‘do a good job’ to ‘do a job that looks good according to the measure.’”

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Tags: Daniel Willingham, School Accountability Push Will Fail Without Proper Metrics

Recess: The Importance of Play

By: Deborah Cahill

This study ties play time to success in the classroom.  This makes perfect sense.  Even as adults with longer so called “attention spans,” when we are attending lectures or involved in classroom studies, how long does it take before we get “figidty” and want a break!  Children need to be alert and fresh.  Sometimes it is even appropriate to get the class up (whether they are elementary or college!) and have them do stretches or some other physical activity to re-focus their attention.  I don’t think we really need a study to tell us this, unless they are making a case for putting recess back in schools as the favorite class of the day!

Leading the News

Most Elementary School Principals Say Recess Positively Impacts Achievement, Poll Shows.

The Christian Science Monitor (2/4, Paulson) reported that a new Gallup survey shows “more than 80 percent of elementary-school principals believe that recess has a positive impact on academic achievement.” Also, according to “two-thirds of the principals” polled, “students listen better and are more focused in class” after recess. “The findings support a growing wave of educators who are pushing to restore the place of recess in schools and, in some cases, to improve its quality.” Schools in some cities such as “Chicago, Atlanta, and Boston…have dropped recess completely,” amid budget cuts and an increasingly intense focus on test preparation.

Nancy Shute wrote in the US News and World Report (2/4) On Parenting blog, “Recess has almost disappeared from the curriculum at many schools, edged out by more math and reading work as schools push to raise scores on standardized tests.” But more and more research “shows that adding more play to the day, not less, improves the likelihood of better test scores and behavior.” However, Shute adds, “The news wasn’t all good. The principals said most of their discipline problems happened during a recess or lunch break and said that they would like to have more staff to monitor the playground, better equipment, and training in playground management.”

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Tags: Deborah Cahill, Recess: The Importance of Play

Calabasas Green Building Code

Calabasas Code Effective January 1, 2010

By: Jeff Biebyuck

As a leader in environmental progress, Calabasas aims to conserve resources and build more efficient homes. That’s why the City of Calabasas has adopted the California Green Building Standards Code, which goes into effect on January 1, 2010.

California is the first state to publish a green building code, and the Calabasas is the first city in the state to adopt the new state code.

The code identifies areas of construction that can be more environmentally friendly in terms of energy and water conservation. The full text of the 2008 California Green Building Standards Code is available to download as a pdf here: Green Codes

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Tags: Building codes in calabasas, Calabasas Green Building Code, Green Codes in Calabasas

To Have AYP or Not Have AYP. That is the Question

By: Deborah Cahill

Yet another follow up on NCLB, this time addressing AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) requirements for all schools.  I think there needs to be some middle ground between was has been expected and what the new expectations are to be.  Without doubt the perimeters the Bush Administration set up for “No Child Left Behind” has not worked and has only served to punish schools who have not made “the grade” but have clearly shown progress, which in many cases has been quite substantial.  Totally eliminating the program, or suspending it indefinitely, may not be the answer either.

I think perhaps the Obama administration needs to get a wider range of educators, including teachers in “the trenches,” involved nationwide to give their input and expertise based on in the field working knowledge of the situation at hand.  I believe more control needs to be given locally to states and districts because they are in a much better position to access progress and set relevant and realistic goals.  California is one state that does have the CAHSEE (California High School Exit Exam) which is a state exam that all students must pass in order to graduate.  Clearly more states needs to institute a similar program.

I am not saying that this will “fix” everything, nor I am saying that there is one solution to this problem.  Undeniably if the United States is going to remain a world force we need to step up the pace in education to make our youth viable contenders as the world leaders of tomorrow.  I am glad to see, at least, according to the article below, that this issue is starting to be more aggressively addressed.

Law & Policy

Obama Administration Seeking To Eliminate “Adequate Yearly Progress” Benchmark.

The Washington Post (2/2, Anderson, 684K) reports, “As legions of schools nationwide fall short of academic targets, the Obama administration proposed Monday to toss out” the NCLB Adequate Yearly Progress “pass-fail measure that for 15 years has been the bedrock of the school accountability system and replace it with an index that would reward educators who prepare students for college and careers.” Duncan “credited” NCLB “for exposing achievement gaps but said it has focused too much on reading and math and unfairly labeled many schools.”

Globe Calls Backing Away From AYP Mandates A “Mistake.” The Boston Globe (2/3) editorializes that the Obama administration “is retreating from a deadline to bring every child in 98,000 public schools to academic proficiency by 2014. What was seen as an attainable goal in the Bush years is now a ‘utopian goal,’ according to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.” Yet, according to the Globe, “backing away from the goal that all students achieve proficiency on their state exams is a mistake in a field where nothing short of high-stakes testing grabs the attention of students, parents, teachers, and school administrators.”

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Tags: Adequate Yearly Progress, AYP Adequate Yearly Progress, NCLB, No Child Left Behind

Calabasas Relay for Life KickOff

Stop by to get started on this years event…

By: Kenny Melcombe

This Friday, Feb 5th at the Calabasas Civic Center, Relay For Life will host a kick off night at 6:00PM.  Learn how to be a captain, get a sneak peek of the relay experience or use it as a time to register for the event. Registering on that night will cost on $50 instead of the usual $150.

Stick around for a movie after and grab some snacks as you converse with other participants.

The event takes place at Founders Hall: 100 Civic Center Way, Calabasas, Ca 91302 from 6-9PM.

For those who know little about Relay for Life, this is also a great time to learn how rewarding this event can be. Relay for Life, taking place on May 15-16,  is an event that typically brings 3.5 million people to celebrate the lives that have battled cancer.

For more information, visit: Relay for Life

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Tags: Relay For Life, Relay For Life founders hall, Relay For Life KickOff night

The Realities of “No Child Left Behind”

By: Deborah Cahill

The New York Times (2/1, A1, Dillon) reports on its front page that the Obama administration “is proposing a sweeping overhaul” of NCLB “and will call for broad changes in how schools are judged to be succeeding or failing, as well as for the elimination of the law’s 2014 deadline for bringing every American child to academic proficiency.” However, the Times adds that the “administration is not planning to abandon the law’s commitments to closing the achievement gap between minority and white students and to encouraging teacher quality.” The Times notes that Secretary of Education Arne Duncan “foreshadowed the elimination of the 2014 deadline in a September speech, referring to it as a ‘utopian goal,’ and administration officials have since made clear that they want the deadline eliminated.”

Finally some common sense when it comes to this legislation.  NCLB (No Child Left Behind) is a wonderful in theory but it lacks the realistic ability to enforce it.  You cannot expect schools in “School Improvement” to miraculously catch up to schools in areas where the average household has at least one parent with a college degree just because the state is requiring higher test scores!  It just is not possible.

Realistic goals need to be set so that we are seeing steady improvement and at the same time are not setting goals which increase each year making it impossible for these schools to ever get out of School Improvement.  This encourages and allows the best students from the School Improvement schools to leave to go to other schools which are not in school improvement, hence making it more difficult for the SI school to improve test scores because their best students are no longer in attendance to help pull up their scores! It has been a “catch 22″ which has caused a great deal of distress and unfair pressure on the SI schools.  Maybe this new understanding on the part of the government will finally help public education and take some pressure off the schools who are drowning under this deadline.

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Tags: Deborah Cahill, NCBL, No Child Left Behind

Free Foreclosure Clinic in Chatsworth

Don’t Pay for Loan Modification

By: Sean Mitchell

Most of us attempting to receive loan modification help have an array of problems. Some people have paid hoards of money while the banks keep telling them to resend the application. Some say we don’t qualify and occasionally it’s difficult to reach someone you can understand. Well there’s some free help available.

Come by tomorrow, Saturday Jan 30th from 10am to 4pm to receive free assistance with credit recovery, legal concerns and social services. Bank of America and Chase representatives will be there to assist. Stop by the address below and you’ll work face to face with your lender and HUD Certified Counselors at NO CHARGE.

St. Stephen Presbyterian Church
20121 Devonshire Street, (at Winnetka), Chatsworth CA
Just Show Up with your paper work!

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Tags: Don't Pay for Loan Modification, Free Foreclosure Clinic in Chatsworth, St. Stephen Presbyterian Church