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Friday, June 30, 2006
Metro TALK
Villa Park Freedomfest
Villa Park kicks off the Greater Orange Communities patriotic summer festivities this year on July 1st with its Red, White and Blue Freedomfest Picnic and Fireworks. To big for one venue, the Freedom Fest will take place both at Villa Park High School and Irvine Lake.
Freedomfest starts on July 1st from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Villa Pak High School and will include the annual Villa Park Independence Parade and the 2nd Annual Run/Walk Race. In addition, the Antique Auto Show and a variety of fun activities from a 5-Hole “Mini Golf” course to carnival type activities for the whole family. An 11:30 a.m. lunch will be prepared by the Villa Park Rotary.
Freedomfest continues later that evening at Irvine Lake from 5:00 pm- 9:00 pm ( Adults $10.00, Kids 6-17 $5.00 and Tots 5 and under free) with a picnic ( bring your own or buy it there) and more fun family activities including live music by White Lightning , country music, and dancing. All the fun ends with a spectacular fireworks show over Irvine Lake.
Freedomfest is co-sponsored by the Villa Park Community Services Foundation and the City of Villa Park. For more information contact Terri Elmendorf at 714-997-9288. For an online vendor information and form:
CLICK ON: http://www.villapark.org/rwbvendorform2006.pdf
For online information and registration form for the 2nd Annual Run/Walk Race CLICK ON: http://www.villapark.org/rwb2006.htm
Annual Orange 3rd of July Celebration
This year Orange’s own All-American Independence Day celebration won’t compete with Villa Park because it is on Monday, July 3rd. The event will be held at the brand new Fred Kelly Stadium at El Modena High School, 3920 E. Spring Street from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Festivities for Orange’s hometown event will include games, live music, pony rides, a petting and BMX stunt bike team exhibition. Local community non-profit organizations will be selling a variety of food and novelties.
The Orange Community Master Chorale of Santiago Canyon College will perform a patriotic program at 8 p.m. and one of Orange County’s most spectacular hometown fireworks shows will begin at 8:50 p.m.
Tickets are $5 for children and adults, kids two and under are free. Tickets can be purchased at the Orange Community Services Department, 230 E. Chapman Ave. until June 29. A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase at the gate at El Modena High School on July 3 before 8 p.m.
For more information about events, please call the Orange Special Event Hotline at (714) 744-7278.
Summer Concerts in the Park Series Begins June 21
The City of Orange Concerts in the Park series begins June 21 with a performance by the Hodads. All concerts in the 8-weekseries will be held at the Hart Park Band Shell, on Glassell Street . All concerts begin at 7 p.m. and conclude at approximately 8:30 p.m. The Kiwanis Club of Orange will sell refreshments. Be sure to bring blankets or low lawn chairs. Pet owners are asked to please leave all pets at home. For more information, please call 714-744-7278. Here is the complete summer schedule:
June 21 Hodads, Beach & Variety
June 28 The Beatless, Rock n' Roll
July 12 The Perfect Gentlemen, A Variety Show
July 19 Nannette & Her Hotsy Totsy Boys, Music from the Roaring 20's
July 26 Gregory Wolfe, Tribute to Rod Stewart
Aug. 2 Film @ 11, Disco and Funk
Aug. 9 Alley Cats, A Capella music from the 50's & 60's
Aug. 16 Chico, Latin Beat Party Favorites
Metro TALK is a community service of the
Greater Orange Communities Organization
Villa Park kicks off the Greater Orange Communities patriotic summer festivities this year on July 1st with its Red, White and Blue Freedomfest Picnic and Fireworks. To big for one venue, the Freedom Fest will take place both at Villa Park High School and Irvine Lake.
Freedomfest starts on July 1st from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Villa Pak High School and will include the annual Villa Park Independence Parade and the 2nd Annual Run/Walk Race. In addition, the Antique Auto Show and a variety of fun activities from a 5-Hole “Mini Golf” course to carnival type activities for the whole family. An 11:30 a.m. lunch will be prepared by the Villa Park Rotary.
Freedomfest continues later that evening at Irvine Lake from 5:00 pm- 9:00 pm ( Adults $10.00, Kids 6-17 $5.00 and Tots 5 and under free) with a picnic ( bring your own or buy it there) and more fun family activities including live music by White Lightning , country music, and dancing. All the fun ends with a spectacular fireworks show over Irvine Lake.
Freedomfest is co-sponsored by the Villa Park Community Services Foundation and the City of Villa Park. For more information contact Terri Elmendorf at 714-997-9288. For an online vendor information and form:
CLICK ON: http://www.villapark.org/rwbvendorform2006.pdf
For online information and registration form for the 2nd Annual Run/Walk Race CLICK ON: http://www.villapark.org/rwb2006.htm
Annual Orange 3rd of July Celebration
This year Orange’s own All-American Independence Day celebration won’t compete with Villa Park because it is on Monday, July 3rd. The event will be held at the brand new Fred Kelly Stadium at El Modena High School, 3920 E. Spring Street from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Festivities for Orange’s hometown event will include games, live music, pony rides, a petting and BMX stunt bike team exhibition. Local community non-profit organizations will be selling a variety of food and novelties.
The Orange Community Master Chorale of Santiago Canyon College will perform a patriotic program at 8 p.m. and one of Orange County’s most spectacular hometown fireworks shows will begin at 8:50 p.m.
Tickets are $5 for children and adults, kids two and under are free. Tickets can be purchased at the Orange Community Services Department, 230 E. Chapman Ave. until June 29. A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase at the gate at El Modena High School on July 3 before 8 p.m.
For more information about events, please call the Orange Special Event Hotline at (714) 744-7278.
Summer Concerts in the Park Series Begins June 21
The City of Orange Concerts in the Park series begins June 21 with a performance by the Hodads. All concerts in the 8-weekseries will be held at the Hart Park Band Shell, on Glassell Street . All concerts begin at 7 p.m. and conclude at approximately 8:30 p.m. The Kiwanis Club of Orange will sell refreshments. Be sure to bring blankets or low lawn chairs. Pet owners are asked to please leave all pets at home. For more information, please call 714-744-7278. Here is the complete summer schedule:
June 21 Hodads, Beach & Variety
June 28 The Beatless, Rock n' Roll
July 12 The Perfect Gentlemen, A Variety Show
July 19 Nannette & Her Hotsy Totsy Boys, Music from the Roaring 20's
July 26 Gregory Wolfe, Tribute to Rod Stewart
Aug. 2 Film @ 11, Disco and Funk
Aug. 9 Alley Cats, A Capella music from the 50's & 60's
Aug. 16 Chico, Latin Beat Party Favorites
Metro TALK is a community service of the
Greater Orange Communities Organization
Monday, June 19, 2006
Orange Unified Schools DIGEST
OUSD Board Approves a 4.75% Pay Hike to Godley and Contract Extension
At the June 8th, OUSD Board meeting, the Orange Unified School Board approved a one year contract extension until June 30, 2009 for Superintendent Godley and a 4.75% retroactive pay hike. The retroactive amount Godley will receive for 2005/06 is $4,893. For 2006/07 the 4.75% increase will amount to a $9,787 a year increase. The total for the retroactive to January of this year, plus three additional contract years is $34,260.
The debate over the pay raise and contract extension brought heated exchanges between the Board members. The fiscally conservative OUSD Trustee Rick Ledesma argued that the November election has a majority of OUSD Trustee seats up for reelection (including Ledesma’s) and therefore extending Godley’s contract a year beyond the original contract, right before the election, was irresponsible. Ledesma argued that if a new Board had different dynamics with the current administration, then buying out Godley’s contract to remove him would increase to over $400,000 of educational tax dollars. Ledesma likened the move to a “political ploy” that the former Recalled Board would have done (in fact after loosing the recall election, the former Recalled Board in their last meeting did grant then OUSD Superintendent Barbara Van Otterloo and top administrative allies huge pay increases, which the current Board rescinded immediately after being sworn in).
Ledesma also questioned the fact that the contract extension was placed on the agenda a week before the formal superintendent review by the OUSD Trustees, in effect having an agenda item granting a raise and contract extension in place before the formal review and evaluation took place by the Board. Ledesma called the current process “deceitful” to the public, “irresponsible” of the Board, “terrible management” of resources and a “political ploy” which in all his time on the Board he had never seen before (he has been elected twice inconsecutively). Trustee Wes Poutsma took exception to the Ledesma comments and after exchanging words with Ledesma, tried to cut off discussion by a motion to have an immediate vote. As in a past attempt to cut off Trustee Steve Rocco from speaking, Poutsma’s motion was again voted down by the Trustees, and the discussion continued.
After support for the measure was voiced by Moffat, Smith and Nichols, the original motion to approve the Godley raise and contract extension was approved: 5 Yes (Kim Nichols, Kathy Moffat, Lissa Smith, Wes Poutsma and John Ortega); 2 No (Rick Ledesma, and Steve Rocco). Immediately after the vote, Moffat started to clap. The four other trustees who voted yes and the administrative staff joined in the applause.
Trustees to dump $163,400 on “marriage encounter” Consultant program
The OUSD School Board was scheduled to approve without comment another year of the controversial Focus on Results program for $163,000 at June 8th meeting. However, Trustee Rick Ledesma again pulled the item to be voted on separately. After Trustee Kathy Moffat parroted the administrative line (without any hard evidence to support her comments) that the program was responsible for increased testing scores across the district, the Trustees approved the $163,400 more for the program: 4-2 (Yes- Kim Nichols, Kathy Moffat, Lissa Smith, and Wes Poutsma, No- Rick Ledesma, and Steve Rocco with John Ortega not present to vote). At one time in a report to the OUSD Board on what Focus on Results, Assistant OUSD Superintendent Cheryl Cohen compared the million tax dollar plus program as akin to “marriage encounter training”. Cohen also revealed she had a personal “consultant” from the program.
When Focus on Results started in OUSD, the district had only two California designated Underperforming Schools. Now after over a million of dollars dumped into Focus on Results, OUSD has eight California Designated Underperforming Schools (California, Esplanade, Fairhaven, Handy, Prospect, Sycamore, Portola, and Yorba) and two Targeted Assistance Schools, Palmyra and Taft (http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/sw/rt/tasinfo.asp). In addition, designated Underperforming School Esplanade has also just been designated a high risk State Monitored School, subject to a state take over (see http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/lp/iu/stmonschls.asp).
June 22 OUSD Board Meeting Budget Estimate
Agenda Item 12 A is a public hearing for Budget Estimated Actuals/2006-2007 Budget and predicts the OUSD 2006-2007 Budget will have $7,344,510 in Unappropriated funds beyond the legally required 3% ($6.9 million) reserve.
$50,000 to Santiago Revocation Law Firm
In the Business Services Consent Agenda (automatically approved without debate) on page 15 is $50,000 more for one of the many OUSD law firms, Miller, Brown and Dannis. The law firm gained widespread OUSD recognition as it spearheaded the OUSD attempt under then OUSD President Kathy Moffat to revoke the Charter of Santiago Charter School under the pretense of student safety. The plan met widespread community opposition and fell flat as the Miller, Brown and Dannis Revocation Report was systematically rebutted point by point by the community. The page 15 Agenda Item states: “The law firm of Miller Brown and Dannis provides specialized legal services in matters related to general counsel and school charters. The legal services will include reviews, recommendations and advice to the district.”
Another $175,000 to OUSD Law Firm
Also on the Business Services Consent Agenda page 15 is approval for $175,000 to Parker & Covert, LLP. The agenda item states: “An open purchase order will be established for payment of invoices for the period of July1, 2006 through December 31, 2006.” This year, the OUSD Board has voted twice for a total of $250,000 in “open purchase orders” to Parker & Covert (1/19/06- $200,000 and 4/20/06 $50,000). The total approved for the year-to-date for Parker and Covert will be $425,000.
$2000 for Book Review Speech
Those oral Book Reports most of us hated in school might have been a little easier if we were getting paid $2000 a pop. Agenda Page 16 has $2000 going to former Encinitas Union Schools Superintendent Douglas P. DeVore for a “keynote address” at the August 15 OUSD Leadership Conference. DeVore will get $2000 in OUSD educational tax dollars for a speech based on New York Times Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Thomas L. Freidman’s book, The World is Flat: A Brief history of the Twenty First Century. Author Friedman is a devoted and leading advocate of globalization based on internet technologies.
Douglas P. DeVore quit Encinitas (located in San Diego County) in July 2005 and took a position as an Associate Professor with the University of La Verne and does consultant work(and apparently reads a lot). DeVore is no stranger to the subject of the leadership conference, “working with resistance to change”. Five months before leaving his superintendent position, he proposed a controversial change in the local city zoning codes to allow the school district to rent out a closed school site to developers for a 59,000 square foot medical complex. This proposal was after earlier trying to move the district offices to an undeveloped school site so another developer could have the current district office site.
Community Donations: Mr. and Mrs. Nichols donated a sofa and chair to El Modena H.S.
The next Orange Unified School Board Meeting: JUNE 22, 2006
Closed Session will begin at 7:00 pm, Regular Session remains at 7:30 pm
Other Agenda Items:
• OUSD High School Ninth Grade Initative will be introduced.
“We’re a $220 million dollar business; we’re going to spend the money somewhere.”-OUSD Trustee Wes Poutsma 9/22/05
Digest’s EDUCATIONAL TAX DOLLARS WATCH 2006
Total for Watched Tax Dollars spent in 2006: $ 669,717.00:
2006 Consultant Fee Tally:
6/22/06 Douglas DeVore $ 2,000
6/08/06 Focus on Results $164,400
3/09/06 Bob Sadler 3 Day Workshop $ 10,000
Total $176,400
2006 Attorney Fee Tally:
6/22/06 Miller, Brown & Dannis $ 50,000
6/22/06 Parker & Covert $175,000
4/20/06 Parker & Covert: $ 50,000
1/19/06 Parker & Covert: $200,000
Total $475,000
2006 Administrative Conference/Travel:
2/9/06 Roney and 5 principals to Florida $ 10,623
2/23/06 Roney and 2 principals Tx/ Fl $ 4,050
3/09/06 2 to Florida Conference $ 3,644
Total $18,317
Total for Watched Tax Dollars spent in 2005: $ 978,300.000:
Total 2005 Conference Administrator/Board Fees: $ 7,500.00
2005 Attorney Fee Tally: $730,600.00
Total Watched 2005 OUSD Consultant spending: $ 270,200.00
The next Orange Unified School Board Meeting: JUNE 22, 2006
Closed Session will begin at 7:00 pm, Regular Session remains at 7:30 pm
For a complete OUSD Board Agenda CLICK ON:
http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/board/pdf/agenda_062206.pdf
For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040
For budgeting questions Just call Jon at the Business Services at 714-628-4015
At the June 8th, OUSD Board meeting, the Orange Unified School Board approved a one year contract extension until June 30, 2009 for Superintendent Godley and a 4.75% retroactive pay hike. The retroactive amount Godley will receive for 2005/06 is $4,893. For 2006/07 the 4.75% increase will amount to a $9,787 a year increase. The total for the retroactive to January of this year, plus three additional contract years is $34,260.
The debate over the pay raise and contract extension brought heated exchanges between the Board members. The fiscally conservative OUSD Trustee Rick Ledesma argued that the November election has a majority of OUSD Trustee seats up for reelection (including Ledesma’s) and therefore extending Godley’s contract a year beyond the original contract, right before the election, was irresponsible. Ledesma argued that if a new Board had different dynamics with the current administration, then buying out Godley’s contract to remove him would increase to over $400,000 of educational tax dollars. Ledesma likened the move to a “political ploy” that the former Recalled Board would have done (in fact after loosing the recall election, the former Recalled Board in their last meeting did grant then OUSD Superintendent Barbara Van Otterloo and top administrative allies huge pay increases, which the current Board rescinded immediately after being sworn in).
Ledesma also questioned the fact that the contract extension was placed on the agenda a week before the formal superintendent review by the OUSD Trustees, in effect having an agenda item granting a raise and contract extension in place before the formal review and evaluation took place by the Board. Ledesma called the current process “deceitful” to the public, “irresponsible” of the Board, “terrible management” of resources and a “political ploy” which in all his time on the Board he had never seen before (he has been elected twice inconsecutively). Trustee Wes Poutsma took exception to the Ledesma comments and after exchanging words with Ledesma, tried to cut off discussion by a motion to have an immediate vote. As in a past attempt to cut off Trustee Steve Rocco from speaking, Poutsma’s motion was again voted down by the Trustees, and the discussion continued.
After support for the measure was voiced by Moffat, Smith and Nichols, the original motion to approve the Godley raise and contract extension was approved: 5 Yes (Kim Nichols, Kathy Moffat, Lissa Smith, Wes Poutsma and John Ortega); 2 No (Rick Ledesma, and Steve Rocco). Immediately after the vote, Moffat started to clap. The four other trustees who voted yes and the administrative staff joined in the applause.
Trustees to dump $163,400 on “marriage encounter” Consultant program
The OUSD School Board was scheduled to approve without comment another year of the controversial Focus on Results program for $163,000 at June 8th meeting. However, Trustee Rick Ledesma again pulled the item to be voted on separately. After Trustee Kathy Moffat parroted the administrative line (without any hard evidence to support her comments) that the program was responsible for increased testing scores across the district, the Trustees approved the $163,400 more for the program: 4-2 (Yes- Kim Nichols, Kathy Moffat, Lissa Smith, and Wes Poutsma, No- Rick Ledesma, and Steve Rocco with John Ortega not present to vote). At one time in a report to the OUSD Board on what Focus on Results, Assistant OUSD Superintendent Cheryl Cohen compared the million tax dollar plus program as akin to “marriage encounter training”. Cohen also revealed she had a personal “consultant” from the program.
When Focus on Results started in OUSD, the district had only two California designated Underperforming Schools. Now after over a million of dollars dumped into Focus on Results, OUSD has eight California Designated Underperforming Schools (California, Esplanade, Fairhaven, Handy, Prospect, Sycamore, Portola, and Yorba) and two Targeted Assistance Schools, Palmyra and Taft (http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/sw/rt/tasinfo.asp). In addition, designated Underperforming School Esplanade has also just been designated a high risk State Monitored School, subject to a state take over (see http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/lp/iu/stmonschls.asp).
June 22 OUSD Board Meeting Budget Estimate
Agenda Item 12 A is a public hearing for Budget Estimated Actuals/2006-2007 Budget and predicts the OUSD 2006-2007 Budget will have $7,344,510 in Unappropriated funds beyond the legally required 3% ($6.9 million) reserve.
$50,000 to Santiago Revocation Law Firm
In the Business Services Consent Agenda (automatically approved without debate) on page 15 is $50,000 more for one of the many OUSD law firms, Miller, Brown and Dannis. The law firm gained widespread OUSD recognition as it spearheaded the OUSD attempt under then OUSD President Kathy Moffat to revoke the Charter of Santiago Charter School under the pretense of student safety. The plan met widespread community opposition and fell flat as the Miller, Brown and Dannis Revocation Report was systematically rebutted point by point by the community. The page 15 Agenda Item states: “The law firm of Miller Brown and Dannis provides specialized legal services in matters related to general counsel and school charters. The legal services will include reviews, recommendations and advice to the district.”
Another $175,000 to OUSD Law Firm
Also on the Business Services Consent Agenda page 15 is approval for $175,000 to Parker & Covert, LLP. The agenda item states: “An open purchase order will be established for payment of invoices for the period of July1, 2006 through December 31, 2006.” This year, the OUSD Board has voted twice for a total of $250,000 in “open purchase orders” to Parker & Covert (1/19/06- $200,000 and 4/20/06 $50,000). The total approved for the year-to-date for Parker and Covert will be $425,000.
$2000 for Book Review Speech
Those oral Book Reports most of us hated in school might have been a little easier if we were getting paid $2000 a pop. Agenda Page 16 has $2000 going to former Encinitas Union Schools Superintendent Douglas P. DeVore for a “keynote address” at the August 15 OUSD Leadership Conference. DeVore will get $2000 in OUSD educational tax dollars for a speech based on New York Times Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Thomas L. Freidman’s book, The World is Flat: A Brief history of the Twenty First Century. Author Friedman is a devoted and leading advocate of globalization based on internet technologies.
Douglas P. DeVore quit Encinitas (located in San Diego County) in July 2005 and took a position as an Associate Professor with the University of La Verne and does consultant work(and apparently reads a lot). DeVore is no stranger to the subject of the leadership conference, “working with resistance to change”. Five months before leaving his superintendent position, he proposed a controversial change in the local city zoning codes to allow the school district to rent out a closed school site to developers for a 59,000 square foot medical complex. This proposal was after earlier trying to move the district offices to an undeveloped school site so another developer could have the current district office site.
Community Donations: Mr. and Mrs. Nichols donated a sofa and chair to El Modena H.S.
The next Orange Unified School Board Meeting: JUNE 22, 2006
Closed Session will begin at 7:00 pm, Regular Session remains at 7:30 pm
Other Agenda Items:
• OUSD High School Ninth Grade Initative will be introduced.
“We’re a $220 million dollar business; we’re going to spend the money somewhere.”-OUSD Trustee Wes Poutsma 9/22/05
Digest’s EDUCATIONAL TAX DOLLARS WATCH 2006
Total for Watched Tax Dollars spent in 2006: $ 669,717.00:
2006 Consultant Fee Tally:
6/22/06 Douglas DeVore $ 2,000
6/08/06 Focus on Results $164,400
3/09/06 Bob Sadler 3 Day Workshop $ 10,000
Total $176,400
2006 Attorney Fee Tally:
6/22/06 Miller, Brown & Dannis $ 50,000
6/22/06 Parker & Covert $175,000
4/20/06 Parker & Covert: $ 50,000
1/19/06 Parker & Covert: $200,000
Total $475,000
2006 Administrative Conference/Travel:
2/9/06 Roney and 5 principals to Florida $ 10,623
2/23/06 Roney and 2 principals Tx/ Fl $ 4,050
3/09/06 2 to Florida Conference $ 3,644
Total $18,317
Total for Watched Tax Dollars spent in 2005: $ 978,300.000:
Total 2005 Conference Administrator/Board Fees: $ 7,500.00
2005 Attorney Fee Tally: $730,600.00
Total Watched 2005 OUSD Consultant spending: $ 270,200.00
The next Orange Unified School Board Meeting: JUNE 22, 2006
Closed Session will begin at 7:00 pm, Regular Session remains at 7:30 pm
For a complete OUSD Board Agenda CLICK ON:
http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/board/pdf/agenda_062206.pdf
For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040
For budgeting questions Just call Jon at the Business Services at 714-628-4015
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Metro TALK
Grad Schedule
Spring means June gloom, June Bugs, and of course June Graduations. Here are the schedules of the Orange Unified high school graduation times:
All Graduations take place on Thursday June 15th
10:00 a.m. Richland C.H.S.
Condor Quad
at Richland
1:30 p.m. El Modena H.S.
Fred Kelly, 3920 Spring St.
4:00 p.m. Canyon H.S.
Fred Kelly,3920 Spring St.
4:30 p.m. Orange H.S.
Outdoor Theater at Orange H.S.
7:00 p.m. Villa Park H.S.
Fred Kelly, 3920 Spring St.
Man Bites Comedy Central
After being ambushed by Comedy Central’s new fake reality television news show Dog Bites Man, Chapman University Professor Fred Smoller bit back. Smoller joined with another fooled educator (who had the fake newscasters in her classroom) to get an apology and a promise from the producers not to air the episodes that use the educators and students. Even the prestigious Chronicle of Higher Education took note of the rare Television vs. Academia battle and even rarer apology by the shows producers.
However, Smoller may not let the issue rest. In a statement to Orange Net News, Smoller states:
“Individuals across the political spectrum seem to agree that we do not want Comedy Central making a joke of the political process--especially when we have so many important issues to discuss. Teaching--and learning-- are difficult enough without having these jokers "punking" the classroom. Since they are convinced they have done nothing illegal, we may have to get legislation passed in Sacramento and Washington.”
Dog Bites Man began showing Wednesday June 7th. For more information CLICK ON:
http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/dog_bites_man/press_release/press_release.jhtml
Story in Chronicle of Higher Education http://chronicle.com/daily/2006/05/2006052402n.htm
Metro TALK is a community service of the
Greater Orange Communities Organization
Spring means June gloom, June Bugs, and of course June Graduations. Here are the schedules of the Orange Unified high school graduation times:
All Graduations take place on Thursday June 15th
10:00 a.m. Richland C.H.S.
Condor Quad
at Richland
1:30 p.m. El Modena H.S.
Fred Kelly, 3920 Spring St.
4:00 p.m. Canyon H.S.
Fred Kelly,3920 Spring St.
4:30 p.m. Orange H.S.
Outdoor Theater at Orange H.S.
7:00 p.m. Villa Park H.S.
Fred Kelly, 3920 Spring St.
Man Bites Comedy Central
After being ambushed by Comedy Central’s new fake reality television news show Dog Bites Man, Chapman University Professor Fred Smoller bit back. Smoller joined with another fooled educator (who had the fake newscasters in her classroom) to get an apology and a promise from the producers not to air the episodes that use the educators and students. Even the prestigious Chronicle of Higher Education took note of the rare Television vs. Academia battle and even rarer apology by the shows producers.
However, Smoller may not let the issue rest. In a statement to Orange Net News, Smoller states:
“Individuals across the political spectrum seem to agree that we do not want Comedy Central making a joke of the political process--especially when we have so many important issues to discuss. Teaching--and learning-- are difficult enough without having these jokers "punking" the classroom. Since they are convinced they have done nothing illegal, we may have to get legislation passed in Sacramento and Washington.”
Dog Bites Man began showing Wednesday June 7th. For more information CLICK ON:
http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/dog_bites_man/press_release/press_release.jhtml
Story in Chronicle of Higher Education http://chronicle.com/daily/2006/05/2006052402n.htm
Metro TALK is a community service of the
Greater Orange Communities Organization
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Orange Unified Schools DIGEST
OUSD to Eliminate Teen Mom Program while….
Superintendent gets a retroactive 4.75% Pay Hike and….
$163,000 more for Consultant Culture Focus on Results
OUSD Teen Moms to be Left Behind
For over 30 years the Orange Unified School District has had the OUSD Teen Mom program in place to insure that young girls do not have to choose between completing their pregnancy and completing their education. That commitment will end on June 16th, as the current OUSD Administration eliminates the OUSD program and with it the long standing Greater Orange community commitment to the Teen Mom Program. Without any prior warning the program counselor was informed that OUSD would eliminate the program and transfer the OUSD students to the overwhelmed Orange County Department of Education ACCESS (Alternative Community and Correctional Schools and Services) schools.
OUSD’s Teen Mom Program provided transportation resources, child care, lunch, numerous local community resource people, and most importantly a road to graduation. Presently, what happens is that the girls enter the OUSD Teen Mom Program, have their babies, go back to regular high school, and then finish up between regular high school in the morning and Teen Mom in the afternoon. The girls are able to graduate because while they are finishing high school their babies are in established OUSD child care programs. All that will end as of June 16.
OUSD’s model Teen Mom Program is unique in Orange County in that it is among the oldest established programs. It’s widely recognized success is based on its support of the total child and teen moms’ educational, parenting, and health needs. The program currently serves 16 young women of which 93% are from minority households. Without the local program, these young girls, and future OUSD teen moms, will face an almost impossible hurdle of getting an education and becoming productive citizens in the county system. For these OUSD students, they will truly be Left Behind by their community.
Board to approve 4.75% Pay Hike to Godley and Extend Contract
At the June 8th, OUSD Board meeting, Agenda Item 12C (agenda page 7) will extend Superintendent Godley’s contract that ends June 30, 2008 until June 30, 2009. In addition the Agenda Item states: “That effective January 1, 2006 the District shall provide to Dr. Godley a salary increase of 4.45%.”
All OUSD Board Agenda Action Items have three parts: Description (an explanation of the item); Fiscal Impact (the actual dollar cost of the item); and Recommendation (from the staff on how to vote). In an apparent attempt to hide the monetary impact of Godley’s 4.75% retroactive raise, there is no monetary value in the “FISCAL IMPACT” section. Instead in that section the following words never before seen in an OUSD agenda appear: “FISCAL IMPACT: As per the terms and conditions of the contract.”
Trustees to dump another $163,400 on “marriage encounter” Consultant program
The OUSD School Board is scheduled to approve without comment another year of the controversial Focus on Results program for $163,000 (June 8th Board Agenda page 38). The program which has morphed so much no one seems to know what it is as top administrators look for a reason for it to exist. It has been called a “reading program” by Trustee Wes Poutsma (it's not), and also compared to “marriage encounter training” by Assistant Superintendent Cheryl Cohen. The multi-million dollar consultant program is now being morphed into the following according to the June 8th Agenda: “This training is a structure/scaffold of research-based effective systematic practices upon which the District and site strategies can be organized”. While the community still waits for the administrators to “show us the research”, after several years, and millions of dollars, program critics ask are now asking after years of the program, what’s left to “organize” ?
The controversial program’s funding was shifted to OUSD’s federal teacher training tax dollars last year, but that shift still impacts student-centered learning. One example is this year’s shortfalls in student-centered funding in special education led to funding for a bus for severely handicapped students being denied for a field trip. A district administrator in an email to the teacher reported was there was a huge funding shortage due to using much of the special education budget for teacher training. The watchdog Greater Orange Communities Group in an email about the new $163,400 taxpayer cost stated this year they would initiated a complaint with the “appropriate federal departments and representatives” over the use of the federal funding for Focus on Results as “teacher training under NCLB Title II”. The email noted: “especially in an election year, the community will not tolerate the continued wasting of scarce educational resources on OUSD’s administrative pet boondoggles”.
The Focus on Consultants special ONN investigative series this year revealed stunning facts about the OUSD program. As an example, the series reported that copyrighted professional literature was used without the author’s permission including adding the Focus on Results company logo to the copies. Since being revealed, that practice has ended. Now the OUSD program has degenerated into mostly a school “show and tell”, with no real “teacher training” going on. The latest educational fad of “classroom walkthroughs” has no research to show it is in any way an “effective systematic practice” and community calls for that research proof continues to go unanswered (to see what a day of work produces from Focus on Results CLICK ON:
http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/2005/11/one-days-work-yorba-middle-school.html ).
To view the complete ONN Focus on Consultants series CLICK ON:
http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/2006/05/special-report-focus-on-consultants.html
Prospect Elementary:
From Focus on Results Poster Child to High Priority School
When Focus on Results was first introduced into the district costing tax payers millions in educational tax funds, Prospect Principal Kathy Bruce spoke at an Orange Unified School Board meeting praising the Focus on Results program. At the time, the OUSD Trustees did not know that Bruce also worked as Senior Consultant for the private firm, and her school was listed on the firm’s website as a Focus on Results success story as one of Six Schools That Make a Difference. Today, Prospect is still listed on the web site, but of course the data on the site only goes to 2003. Since that time Prospect has become a state designated Under Performing School (in fact since Focus on Results, the number of OUSD state designated Under Performing Schools has grown and is second only to Santa Ana Unified in Orange County). Last year Prospect had the biggest state score drop in OUSD, a 19 point drop (to view Prospect’s state report on the drop CLICK ON: http://api.cde.ca.gov/reports/API/2005Grth_sch.asp?SchCode=6029912&DistCode=66621&AllCds=30666216029912 )
On Thursday, June 8th, while approving another $163,400 for Focus on Results, the OUSD Board will also approve Agenda Item 14 N (page 42) to accepting a $100,000 grant from the state for Handy and Prospect Elementary as participant schools in the state’s High Priority Schools program. From a Focus on Results Poster Child with a principal who worked as a Senior Consultant for Focus on Results (will she be part of next year’s training?) to a state designated Under Performing School and now part of the state’s High Priority Schools Program- that’s what over 2 million dollars in educational tax dollars supporting current OUSD administrators Consultant Culture. (For Prospect Poster Child School Link: http://focusonresults.net/results/ourresults_sixschools_5.html ).
ONN News makes News
With some OUSD Trustees openly laughing at the mention of Orange Net News at a recent meeting; and with Orange Net News a topic of discussion in the Partnership Group of the recent OUSD Strategic Planning Workshop; it comes as no surprise that OUSD Assistant Superintendent Jon Archibald has written the following in the June 2006 District Dialog online publication:
“Often information concerning the OUSD Budget appears in newspapers and local online blogs and that information is either incomplete or simply not accurate. Many times that information is an interpretation by someone without school finance experience and the Business Services Division wasn’t contacted to verify the accuracy of the information. If you see information concerning the OUSD budget and it prompts a question, please contact Business Services at 714-628-4045 and your question will be promptly and accurately answered”.
So don’t trust ONN, but are still are interested in the fiscal impact on the budget of ending the OUSD Teen Mom program? Give Jon a call. Want to know what the agenda’s “FISCAL IMPACT: As per the terms and conditions of the contract” for Dr. Godley’s 4.75 % retroactive pay hike means to your educational tax dollars? Give Jon a call. Want to know the TOTAL exact amount of educational tax dollars OUSD has spent on Focus on Results for a program that a top OUSD administrator compared to “marriage encounter training”? Give Jon a call. If you’re an inquiring mind and are suspicious of the local electronic media, Just call Jon, or email him at: jarchibald@orangeusd.k12.ca.us.
Community Donations: Olive PTC-$160 –Tech supplies; Cerro Villa PFSO-$1440.00 Promotion Party; Orange Community Council PTA $250- CPR training; Anaheim Hills PTA-$6686.00- computers. For a complete donation list see page 13 of the June 8th Agenda.
The next Orange Unified School Board Meeting: JUNE 8, 2006
Closed Session will begin at 6:00 pm, Regular Session remains at 7:30 pm
Other Agenda Items:
• OUSD High School 2006 Valedictorians will be introduced.
• Consent Item 14 O- Reorganization of the Technology Department
• Information Item 13 B- The Legislative Coalition Committee Chairman Larry Cohn will present a report on the Sacramento lobbying trip. Cohn is reportedly ready to run against Trustee Rick Ledesma in OUSD Area 7.
“We’re a $220 million dollar business; we’re going to spend the money somewhere.” -OUSD Trustee Wes Poutsma 9/22/05
Digest’s EDUCATIONAL TAX DOLLARS WATCH 2006
Total for Watched Tax Dollars spent in 2006: $ 436,717.00:
2006 Consultant Fee Tally:
6/08/06 Focus on Results $164,400
3/09/06 Bob Sadler 3 Day Workshop $ 10,000
Total $ 174,400
2006 Attorney Fee Tally:
4/20/06 Parker & Covert: $ 50,000
1/19/06 Parker & Covert: $200,000
Total $250,000
2006 Administrative Conference/Travel:
2/9/06 Roney and 5 principals to Florida $ 10,623
2/23/06 Roney and 2 principals Tx/ Fl $ 4,050
3/09/06 2 to Florida Conference $ 3,644
Total $18,317
Total for Watched Tax Dollars spent in 2005: $ 978,300.000:
Total 2005 Conference Administrator/Board Fees: $ 7,500.00
2005 Attorney Fee Tally: $730,600.00
Total Watched 2005 OUSD Consultant spending: $ 270,200.00
The next Orange Unified School Board Meeting: JUNE 8, 2006
Closed Session will begin at 6:00 pm, Regular Session remains at 7:30 pm
For a complete OUSD Board Agenda CLICK ON:
http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/board/pdf/agenda_060806.pdf
For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040
For budgeting questions Just call Jon at the Business Services at 714-628-4015
Orange Unified Schools Digest is an independent news service of
/O/N/N/
Superintendent gets a retroactive 4.75% Pay Hike and….
$163,000 more for Consultant Culture Focus on Results
OUSD Teen Moms to be Left Behind
For over 30 years the Orange Unified School District has had the OUSD Teen Mom program in place to insure that young girls do not have to choose between completing their pregnancy and completing their education. That commitment will end on June 16th, as the current OUSD Administration eliminates the OUSD program and with it the long standing Greater Orange community commitment to the Teen Mom Program. Without any prior warning the program counselor was informed that OUSD would eliminate the program and transfer the OUSD students to the overwhelmed Orange County Department of Education ACCESS (Alternative Community and Correctional Schools and Services) schools.
OUSD’s Teen Mom Program provided transportation resources, child care, lunch, numerous local community resource people, and most importantly a road to graduation. Presently, what happens is that the girls enter the OUSD Teen Mom Program, have their babies, go back to regular high school, and then finish up between regular high school in the morning and Teen Mom in the afternoon. The girls are able to graduate because while they are finishing high school their babies are in established OUSD child care programs. All that will end as of June 16.
OUSD’s model Teen Mom Program is unique in Orange County in that it is among the oldest established programs. It’s widely recognized success is based on its support of the total child and teen moms’ educational, parenting, and health needs. The program currently serves 16 young women of which 93% are from minority households. Without the local program, these young girls, and future OUSD teen moms, will face an almost impossible hurdle of getting an education and becoming productive citizens in the county system. For these OUSD students, they will truly be Left Behind by their community.
Board to approve 4.75% Pay Hike to Godley and Extend Contract
At the June 8th, OUSD Board meeting, Agenda Item 12C (agenda page 7) will extend Superintendent Godley’s contract that ends June 30, 2008 until June 30, 2009. In addition the Agenda Item states: “That effective January 1, 2006 the District shall provide to Dr. Godley a salary increase of 4.45%.”
All OUSD Board Agenda Action Items have three parts: Description (an explanation of the item); Fiscal Impact (the actual dollar cost of the item); and Recommendation (from the staff on how to vote). In an apparent attempt to hide the monetary impact of Godley’s 4.75% retroactive raise, there is no monetary value in the “FISCAL IMPACT” section. Instead in that section the following words never before seen in an OUSD agenda appear: “FISCAL IMPACT: As per the terms and conditions of the contract.”
Trustees to dump another $163,400 on “marriage encounter” Consultant program
The OUSD School Board is scheduled to approve without comment another year of the controversial Focus on Results program for $163,000 (June 8th Board Agenda page 38). The program which has morphed so much no one seems to know what it is as top administrators look for a reason for it to exist. It has been called a “reading program” by Trustee Wes Poutsma (it's not), and also compared to “marriage encounter training” by Assistant Superintendent Cheryl Cohen. The multi-million dollar consultant program is now being morphed into the following according to the June 8th Agenda: “This training is a structure/scaffold of research-based effective systematic practices upon which the District and site strategies can be organized”. While the community still waits for the administrators to “show us the research”, after several years, and millions of dollars, program critics ask are now asking after years of the program, what’s left to “organize” ?
The controversial program’s funding was shifted to OUSD’s federal teacher training tax dollars last year, but that shift still impacts student-centered learning. One example is this year’s shortfalls in student-centered funding in special education led to funding for a bus for severely handicapped students being denied for a field trip. A district administrator in an email to the teacher reported was there was a huge funding shortage due to using much of the special education budget for teacher training. The watchdog Greater Orange Communities Group in an email about the new $163,400 taxpayer cost stated this year they would initiated a complaint with the “appropriate federal departments and representatives” over the use of the federal funding for Focus on Results as “teacher training under NCLB Title II”. The email noted: “especially in an election year, the community will not tolerate the continued wasting of scarce educational resources on OUSD’s administrative pet boondoggles”.
The Focus on Consultants special ONN investigative series this year revealed stunning facts about the OUSD program. As an example, the series reported that copyrighted professional literature was used without the author’s permission including adding the Focus on Results company logo to the copies. Since being revealed, that practice has ended. Now the OUSD program has degenerated into mostly a school “show and tell”, with no real “teacher training” going on. The latest educational fad of “classroom walkthroughs” has no research to show it is in any way an “effective systematic practice” and community calls for that research proof continues to go unanswered (to see what a day of work produces from Focus on Results CLICK ON:
http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/2005/11/one-days-work-yorba-middle-school.html ).
To view the complete ONN Focus on Consultants series CLICK ON:
http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/2006/05/special-report-focus-on-consultants.html
Prospect Elementary:
From Focus on Results Poster Child to High Priority School
When Focus on Results was first introduced into the district costing tax payers millions in educational tax funds, Prospect Principal Kathy Bruce spoke at an Orange Unified School Board meeting praising the Focus on Results program. At the time, the OUSD Trustees did not know that Bruce also worked as Senior Consultant for the private firm, and her school was listed on the firm’s website as a Focus on Results success story as one of Six Schools That Make a Difference. Today, Prospect is still listed on the web site, but of course the data on the site only goes to 2003. Since that time Prospect has become a state designated Under Performing School (in fact since Focus on Results, the number of OUSD state designated Under Performing Schools has grown and is second only to Santa Ana Unified in Orange County). Last year Prospect had the biggest state score drop in OUSD, a 19 point drop (to view Prospect’s state report on the drop CLICK ON: http://api.cde.ca.gov/reports/API/2005Grth_sch.asp?SchCode=6029912&DistCode=66621&AllCds=30666216029912 )
On Thursday, June 8th, while approving another $163,400 for Focus on Results, the OUSD Board will also approve Agenda Item 14 N (page 42) to accepting a $100,000 grant from the state for Handy and Prospect Elementary as participant schools in the state’s High Priority Schools program. From a Focus on Results Poster Child with a principal who worked as a Senior Consultant for Focus on Results (will she be part of next year’s training?) to a state designated Under Performing School and now part of the state’s High Priority Schools Program- that’s what over 2 million dollars in educational tax dollars supporting current OUSD administrators Consultant Culture. (For Prospect Poster Child School Link: http://focusonresults.net/results/ourresults_sixschools_5.html ).
ONN News makes News
With some OUSD Trustees openly laughing at the mention of Orange Net News at a recent meeting; and with Orange Net News a topic of discussion in the Partnership Group of the recent OUSD Strategic Planning Workshop; it comes as no surprise that OUSD Assistant Superintendent Jon Archibald has written the following in the June 2006 District Dialog online publication:
“Often information concerning the OUSD Budget appears in newspapers and local online blogs and that information is either incomplete or simply not accurate. Many times that information is an interpretation by someone without school finance experience and the Business Services Division wasn’t contacted to verify the accuracy of the information. If you see information concerning the OUSD budget and it prompts a question, please contact Business Services at 714-628-4045 and your question will be promptly and accurately answered”.
So don’t trust ONN, but are still are interested in the fiscal impact on the budget of ending the OUSD Teen Mom program? Give Jon a call. Want to know what the agenda’s “FISCAL IMPACT: As per the terms and conditions of the contract” for Dr. Godley’s 4.75 % retroactive pay hike means to your educational tax dollars? Give Jon a call. Want to know the TOTAL exact amount of educational tax dollars OUSD has spent on Focus on Results for a program that a top OUSD administrator compared to “marriage encounter training”? Give Jon a call. If you’re an inquiring mind and are suspicious of the local electronic media, Just call Jon, or email him at: jarchibald@orangeusd.k12.ca.us.
Community Donations: Olive PTC-$160 –Tech supplies; Cerro Villa PFSO-$1440.00 Promotion Party; Orange Community Council PTA $250- CPR training; Anaheim Hills PTA-$6686.00- computers. For a complete donation list see page 13 of the June 8th Agenda.
The next Orange Unified School Board Meeting: JUNE 8, 2006
Closed Session will begin at 6:00 pm, Regular Session remains at 7:30 pm
Other Agenda Items:
• OUSD High School 2006 Valedictorians will be introduced.
• Consent Item 14 O- Reorganization of the Technology Department
• Information Item 13 B- The Legislative Coalition Committee Chairman Larry Cohn will present a report on the Sacramento lobbying trip. Cohn is reportedly ready to run against Trustee Rick Ledesma in OUSD Area 7.
“We’re a $220 million dollar business; we’re going to spend the money somewhere.” -OUSD Trustee Wes Poutsma 9/22/05
Digest’s EDUCATIONAL TAX DOLLARS WATCH 2006
Total for Watched Tax Dollars spent in 2006: $ 436,717.00:
2006 Consultant Fee Tally:
6/08/06 Focus on Results $164,400
3/09/06 Bob Sadler 3 Day Workshop $ 10,000
Total $ 174,400
2006 Attorney Fee Tally:
4/20/06 Parker & Covert: $ 50,000
1/19/06 Parker & Covert: $200,000
Total $250,000
2006 Administrative Conference/Travel:
2/9/06 Roney and 5 principals to Florida $ 10,623
2/23/06 Roney and 2 principals Tx/ Fl $ 4,050
3/09/06 2 to Florida Conference $ 3,644
Total $18,317
Total for Watched Tax Dollars spent in 2005: $ 978,300.000:
Total 2005 Conference Administrator/Board Fees: $ 7,500.00
2005 Attorney Fee Tally: $730,600.00
Total Watched 2005 OUSD Consultant spending: $ 270,200.00
The next Orange Unified School Board Meeting: JUNE 8, 2006
Closed Session will begin at 6:00 pm, Regular Session remains at 7:30 pm
For a complete OUSD Board Agenda CLICK ON:
http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/board/pdf/agenda_060806.pdf
For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040
For budgeting questions Just call Jon at the Business Services at 714-628-4015
Orange Unified Schools Digest is an independent news service of
/O/N/N/
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Community Update
A community news service of the Orange Net News /O/N/N/
The OC Blog has posted the funeral program from the Wednesday funeral service for Councilman Steve Ambriz. It is a large file due to the multiple photographs in the program. To download it CLICK ON:
http://www.ocblog.net/Steve_Ambriz_funeral_program.pdf
Frank Johnson at Orange Politicos posted a report on the Tuesday Vigil Services at St. Norbert Church. CLICK ON:
http://orange-politicos.blogspot.com/2006/05/lovely-vigil-service-at-saint-norberts.html
For the address for the Kaitlyn Ambriz Scholarship Fund CLICK ON:
http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/2006/05/steve-ambriz-1971-2006_31.html
The first Orange City Council Meeting since the passing of Councilman Ambriz will take place June 13th, 2006.
CLICK ON: http://www.cityoforange.org/cals/city_council_and_commissions.asp
OPA REUNION REMINDER:
The Orange Park Acres Reunion has well over 200 confirmed guests.
To be part of this historic event YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER
To be guaranteed a reservation, OPA must receive funds by June 15, 2006
CONTACT Lois Widy for reservation information: 714-633-0836 or by email
OPAreunion@socal.rr.com
For information on the OPA Reunion CLICK ON: http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/2006/05/metro-talk_24.html
Community Update is an independent news service of
/O/N/N/
OrangeNetNews@verizon.net
“Independent, Local, News and Viewpoints”
In cooperation with the
: Greater Orange Communities Organization
Orange Net News /O/N/N/
OrangeNetNews@verizon.net
Ecast on the
Internet Community Group i/)))cg
A 21st Century Communications System
For more information on the current issues of defending media freedom in the electronic world visit
The ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION link: www.eff.org.
The OC Blog has posted the funeral program from the Wednesday funeral service for Councilman Steve Ambriz. It is a large file due to the multiple photographs in the program. To download it CLICK ON:
http://www.ocblog.net/Steve_Ambriz_funeral_program.pdf
Frank Johnson at Orange Politicos posted a report on the Tuesday Vigil Services at St. Norbert Church. CLICK ON:
http://orange-politicos.blogspot.com/2006/05/lovely-vigil-service-at-saint-norberts.html
For the address for the Kaitlyn Ambriz Scholarship Fund CLICK ON:
http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/2006/05/steve-ambriz-1971-2006_31.html
The first Orange City Council Meeting since the passing of Councilman Ambriz will take place June 13th, 2006.
CLICK ON: http://www.cityoforange.org/cals/city_council_and_commissions.asp
OPA REUNION REMINDER:
The Orange Park Acres Reunion has well over 200 confirmed guests.
To be part of this historic event YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER
To be guaranteed a reservation, OPA must receive funds by June 15, 2006
CONTACT Lois Widy for reservation information: 714-633-0836 or by email
OPAreunion@socal.rr.com
For information on the OPA Reunion CLICK ON: http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/2006/05/metro-talk_24.html
Community Update is an independent news service of
/O/N/N/
OrangeNetNews@verizon.net
“Independent, Local, News and Viewpoints”
In cooperation with the
: Greater Orange Communities Organization
Orange Net News /O/N/N/
OrangeNetNews@verizon.net
Ecast on the
Internet Community Group i/)))cg
A 21st Century Communications System
For more information on the current issues of defending media freedom in the electronic world visit
The ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION link: www.eff.org.
