It's as if programming at Trewyn and Harrison was an after thought

The first full day of school in District 150 is August 20, 2012. At Monday night’s Board meeting the school board was prepared to vote on expanding the ELITE program, which has been highly touted as “successful” (although there is no data to prove it) into Harrison School. The founder of the ELITE Program, Carl Cannon was “caught by surprise” by this information and is not prepared to expand.

Now the vote has been tabled until the August 16, 2012, Board meeting – four (4) days before school starts. Here’s the problem with that…the programming for Trewyn, which is totally based around the ELITE program is now up in the air, because everything about the ELITE contract is now open to renegotiation. As an extension of that debacle, the programming for Harrison is now up in the air.

The Superintendent “announced” in May that she was expanding the program. Why didn’t the Board make sure that Administration was making the necessary plans in May, instead of waiting and finding out a few weeks before school starts that as a result of the ELITE snafu, they have major programming issues at two of the inner city schools that need the most planning and attention?

ELITE founder surprised by concerns

ELITE founder Carl Cannon says he's not ready to expand his behavioral management program to a second District 150 school this year.

Monday, the board tabled a vote to renew the one-year licensing agreement with Cannon for use of intellectual property rights for ELITE at Trewyn until the Aug. 16 board meeting. Delaying the vote gives them a chance to settle questions about who can make decisions to carry the program to other schools - Cannon or the park district.

District 150 Superintendent Grenita Lathan announced plans to start the program at a second school during her State of the Schools address in May. She eventually decided to expand the program to Harrison. Neither Cannon nor the park district has made public pronouncements about expanding the program this year.

The magic of Carl Cannon

The biggest problem that many who comment on this blog seem to have with District 150, is that they roll out programs so fast that they don’t check back to make sure that the administrative procedure is in place to implement it; or they don’t check to make sure it’s working before they start boasting about it. The ELITE Program is just the latest example of this dysfunction.

It would appear that Grenita Lathan’s way of rolling out a program is not conducive with the way Peoria Park District President, Bonnie Noble rolls out a program. As a result, expanding the ELITE Program into another District 150 school has been tabled until the Board can talk to Carl Cannon and Bonnie Noble about the issues of the licensing agreement.

Superintendent Lathan doesn’t appear to appreciate the fact that the Park District actually has the final say in how the program is expanded, is now threatening to reopen and renegotiate the contract and it's fees.

What’s wrong with the contract and the fees? If there were issues with it – why was it on the Board Agenda to be renewed? Additionally, why was it on the Board Agenda, when they hadn't even talked to Cannon or Noble about the expansion or seen results?

What I find MOST interesting, is the fact that this School Board entered into three contracts, totaling $365,000 a year,  in the first place, without even knowing who owns the program. Before signing the next contract, they may want to look further than Carl Cannon as to who really owns the ELITE Program, from what I am hearing somebody else actually owns it and Carl is limited as to how far he can actually take it.

Plans to expand ELITE program hit snag at District 150 board meeting

Peoria School District 150's plans to expand the highly praised ELITE program from Trewyn Middle School to Harrison Community Learning Center have hit a snag over questions about the total cost of the program - almost $1 million over three years for one school - and who has the right to authorize an expansion, ELITE founder Carl Cannon or Cannon's employer, Peoria Park District.

Three different contracts, totaling about $365,000 a year, govern the school district's use of the ELITE program, according to District 150 treasurer Dave Kinney. Two are with the park district, including one that pays for salaries of several ELITE program workers. While the park district pays Cannon's salary, District 150 also has an $80,000 licensing agreement with him for use of the ELITE program, which is his intellectual property.

Concerns about the program came out when the board was scheduled to vote on renewing the licensing agreement with Cannon.

"The question I keep trying to settle in my mind is how much we're paying at one school and what we're paying for," board member Linda Butler said.

Her question resonated with most of her colleagues, who voted 5-1 to table adopting the licensing agreement until they could talk to Cannon and Peoria Park District Director Bonnie Noble. Martha Ross voted no and Rick Cloyd abstained.

District 150 Superintendent Grenita Lathan said she initially was under the impression Cannon had the right to make decisions on when and how to expand the ELITE program to other schools.

Earlier Monday, Noble said The park district wants to see results from ELITE's experience at Trewyn before spreading the program to other schools.

"I don't know if we're talking about expanding," Noble said. "I want us to be positive that we don't do it too fast and that we do it right. I want to make sure there's data that shows the school has stabilized."

Noble said the park district also wants to be sure ELITE can sustain itself without Cannon.

These men want to help District 150

I just happened to see this photo on Facebook. I'm re-posting it here (with the permission of Mr. Porch), because I hope Mr. Porch and company will be able to connect with the right people at District 150 and get the access they seek. 

Peoria desperately needs grassroots involvement from the black community (especially men) to make a difference in educating our children. It's good to see more people looking to step up to volunteer.

We hear about how stellar the Elite Program is but unfortunately, there is only one Carl Cannon. If it's working, let's duplicate it and/or tailor something similar for other District 150 schools. Let's give some other programs a chance to make a difference. 

Does anybody know who could give them "the access Carl Cannon has" (click on image to enlarge)

Urban legend - the #150 Marauders

It’s interesting how getting information on District 150 school fights is almost like running down an urban legend.

About one week ago, I was exiting off of 74 at lower Knoxville Avenue. As we approached Glen Oak we heard and saw an un-marked Police car with siren blaring and lights flashing, zoom by. As it was just around the time school was letting out, we assumed they were headed to Peoria High School.

We saw the car turn off Knoxville onto Richmond, we drove slowly across Richmond, rubber necked down the street and didn’t see anything. We proceeded up Knoxville past the old Cub Foods, and we didn’t see anything there either. What is odd, is that I have been hearing people say that large fights took place that afternoon on Richmond and at the Old Cub Foods and pepper balls were dispersed.

I am having a hard time believing that with a Chief of Security as capable as Officer Collins that District 150 is letting their students maraud entire neighborhoods and Officer Collins wouldn’t have anything to say. If pepper balls were dispersed in the area of the school, with students present, he would have given a report on this – right?

I spoke earlier of Officer Collins neither confirming nor denying the reports of violence at last night's meeting. However, I am thinking that perhaps Officer Collins was at the meeting last night for the same reason I was, to see if parents would come forward with more information about the violence.

If children are being beat up and/or hassled on their way to and from school, why didn’t the parents of those children come to the BOE with their complaints? If neighborhoods around Peoria High School are being marauded, why didn’t the neighborhood come to the BOE with their complaints?

General Parker is the President of the Heart of Peoria Neighborhood Association. He and his wife, BOE Member, Rachael Parker live in the area of Peoria High School and are very active in the neighborhood. They both were at the BOE meeting and neither one of them spoke of receiving complaints from neighbors. As a matter of fact, if you go to the Heart of Peoria Neighborhood Association webpage, you will see the photo to the left, along with contact information.

I am bothered to hear people speaking of children with such disdain and I can’t help but wonder if some of the complaints of large groups of scary children are racially motivated. I also don’t like the component of people who didn't want Woodruff to close, implying that people from Peoria High are the problem. As I recall, Woodruff High School had fights and discipline issues just like Peoria High School, Manual and Richwoods. The propensity to fight appears to be District wide.

It was also very troubling for me to view Carl Cannon’s fashion police video. The uneasiness was heightened, when I saw my nephew in Mr. Cannon’s video being pulled to the side. My nephew is a good kid and he does not need the ELITE team to tell him how to behave or dress. He is a kid who is well taken care of; with a father who is gainfully employed and he does not wear baggy clothing to school. He was stopped by Mr. Cannon, at Manual, for wearing Birkenstocks. He was held up for .25 minutes, while Mr. Cannon continued to pull other children over and then he looked at him and said “oh yeah, you can go”. He was humiliated and it made me sad to hear that in his voice. He won't be happy about the fact that he is in a District 150 video, appearing to be disciplined.

Many clapped at the video presentation Mr. Cannon put on. I couldn’t, because it bothered me to see groups of children rounded up that way. It’s all just a little to close to racial profiling for me to cheer on the process. Oh well, I guess if it’s working, that’s more important than the humility of our young people.

One Million Fathers Asked to Lead the Nation Back to School this Fall

An estimated 650 cities could participate in the largest, organized back-to-school effort in U.S. history.

On Sunday, August 29, 2010, Illinois Fathers along with affiliate Black Star Project USA are sponsoring the Million Father March 2010 for the first-day-of-school in nearly 500 cities across America.

Peoria will hold their march at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 29, 2010 and leave from three different launch sites. Marchers will leave from Woodruff High School’s parking lot, Central High School's Parking lot and City of Refuge. They will march to Liberty Park where a short rally will be held and a call out will be made to fathers to accompany their children on the first day of school. We are asking that at least 1,000 fathers participate from Peoria.

Past. Spencer Gibson and Carl Cannon will speak on the importance of fathers involvement in their children’s education and the integrity singers will perform. Light refreshments will be served.

Participants in the event include fathers, grandfathers, foster fathers, stepfathers, uncles, cousins, big brothers, significant male caregivers and friends of the family. Although this event is created by Black men, women and men of all ethnicities are also encouraged to take their children to school on their first day.

Businesses are asked to give fathers and men two hours off that morning (with pay) to take their children to school. Participating men will also be encouraged to volunteer at schools throughout the year.

The 2010 Million Father March is sponsored in part by Peoria School District #150, The Black Star Project, Heart of Peoria Neighborhood Association and Illinois Fathers. You may also email general.parker@illinoisfathers.org or call (309) 696-7930 for more information.

Information submitted by General Parker

There is a war raging in our City

The Peoria Assn. Of Pastors Community Hero Campaign has been developed to encourage community and citizen involvement in standing up to address crime and violence in neighborhood settings. As Carl Cannon says, "Make The Call!" Citizens must make the call and we must support their efforts. We are doing what we can do to support citizens as they address unlawful activities in their neighborhood and community.

This message is designed to directly address the negative stigmas promoted by the gang and drug culture through their "no-snitchin" efforts. Further details can be found on our Pastor's web site at www.peoriapastors.blogspot.com

Peoria Pastors STOP THE CRIME Award Fund
At the DMI rally a special announcement will be made regarding the establishment of The Peoria Pastors "crime stoppers like" reward fund. This fund will be the first of its kind in Peoria established by Peoria Association Of Pastors Member Churches and supported by churches, community organizations and private donations.

Oh, the irony of it all...

Apparently the City of Peoria, Illinois has hired Scott Moore as Peoria City Manager. Mr. Moore, who was previously Assistant City Manager in Wichita, is African-American. If this City Manager will be visible and choose to live in the City, hopefully we will let him slide if he chooses private school for his children.

While the prospect of an African-American City Manager appears progressive, the irony of this situation is not lost on me. I hope Mr. Moore is not taken aback by what Peoria’s black community is facing once he sees it up close. I am referring specifically to the lack of basic city services (see no sidewalks, run down buildings, crumbling streets, etc); inadequate schools (most of which are shuttered); lack of police protection (see high crime rate in black neighborhoods); segregated dance clubs (see Club Apollo); restrictions on youth access to city events (see Carl Cannon); and limited access to quality shopping facilities (see Midtown Plaza and Northwoods Mall).

Good luck Mr. Moore.