Adkins-Dutro Announces Presidential Run

Long-time District 150 teacher, parent, and community member Jeff Adkins-Dutro has announced that he will be running for president of the Peoria Federation of Teachers. Adkins-Dutro says he’s stepping up because he feels a sense of obligation to the teachers, parents, and students of District 150.

When asked what kinds of changes he would make, Adkins-Dutro points to the system that governs the schools. “The antiquated bureaucracy that governs District 150 is played out. I think that’s why everyone is so exhausted. We’ve tried to collaborate with the school board and with the administration. President Darling explored every possible avenue and did so with the best of intentions; unfortunately, every avenue ended up being a dead end. What we need to do now is to take the lead in advocating for a more streamlined system that will respect, reward, and retain quality teachers and administrators -- a system (and governing body) that will draw families to our district instead of chasing them away. That said, families will only be drawn to District 150 if morale is high, if discipline is under control, and if parents are allowed to make solid connections with a consistent school staff. We need a system that will rebuild that kind of foundation.”

“We can’t continue to explore the dead ends. It’s time to forge a new path. I have four children in District 150 and one more who will be in 150 a year from now. I have absolutely no intention of taking my kids out of District 150 nor do I have any intention of moving out of this community. I intend to stay and to fight for the teachers, parents, and students of our district.”

“We have the most highly qualified, hardest-working teachers in the state. It’s time for us to stand up and to fight for a system that will set things right. There’s absolutely no reason for us to be anything other than the best district in the state. Period. We need to slay the beast -- do away with the bureaucracy -- and start anew.”

Retweet:   #JAD4PFTPrez

District 150 HR Report: 38 more teacher resignations

HR report of 10-09-2012

UPDATED - FOUR PSD 150 schools made AYP...

It would be four (4) five (5), if you count Quest but Quest is "technically" not a part of the District, so they don't count; and well, Washington Gifted is a given...

psd150
Related: Revisiting last year's scores; and ISBE School Report Card (click images to enlarge)

Minutes Per Day

Average Class Size

District Report Card Summary

Educator Information

Percentage of Students Meeting or Exceeding Standards

Still trying to understand it all...

Pam Adams wrote on February 14th, that it was illegal for District 150 to sell property to a charter school.

District 150 is selling the buildings to the county, which will then sell them to the charter school because school laws prevent the district from selling the buildings directly to the charter school.

pjstar February 14, 2012 

• On Feb 14 the District 150 School Board voted to sell the property to Peoria County. 
• On Feb 16 State Representative Jehan Gordon introduced legislation to make it legal for a public school to sell property directly to a charter school. 

HB5659 Introduced 2/16/2012, by Rep. Jehan A. Gordon SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/5-22 from Ch. 122, par. 5-22; and 105 ILCS 5/5-24 from Ch. 122, par. 5-24 Amends the Trustees of Schools Article of the School Code. In provisions allowing a school board to sell property to another school district in the manner provided in the Local Government Property Transfer Act, specifies that another school district includes a charter school. In provisions concerning a petition requesting the sale of school grounds and buildings to another school district, specifies that another school district includes a charter school, and makes conforming changes. Effective immediately. 

Read the entire bill here, the changes to the bill are underlined.

Superintendent Grenita Lathan being blamed for problems in San Diego Unified's special education program

Today I heard about how it was going for teachers who are now teaching gifted classes in District 150. They are excited to have the opportunity. The only problem is, the teachers I heard about have not had any training, the principal was not given any resources, there were no materials purchased and there is no directive on what the teachers should be teaching. When the teachers registered to receive training on gifted education at a seminar in Chicago, the District Administration denied the request. This sounds a lot like the San Diego Unified issue:

 San Diego Unified's Big Special Ed Shift

It was the biggest change in the way San Diego Unified educates its students with special needs in a decade, and we wanted to know how the district had coped with the transition.

In 2008, after a report concluded that children with disabilities were too often being segregated into separate classrooms, the district began a concentrated effort to include far more children with special needs in general education classrooms in their neighborhood schools.

The shift required a complex reorganization of where kids with special needs would go to school. Rather than being grouped at relatively few sites that focused on special education, thousands of students with disabilities instead began flooding into their local schools.

Here are the conclusions we came to:

• Interviews with more than two dozen teachers, principals, experts and parents revealed a haphazard rollout of the new special education model that was plagued by a lack of vision and leadership.

• On the issue of training, specifically, there was confusion. Despite advocates pushing for mandatory training for teachers, nobody at the district ever tried to make that happen.

• There's also disagreement about how principals were trained for the big change. The top official at the district's Special Education Division says she was blocked from approaching principals to tell them about training. But that claim is refuted by her former boss, who no longer works in San Diego.

• What's clear is that individual schools were essentially left to work out how to make the move on their own, with little help from the district.

• Though many schools say they have now ironed out most of the kinks in making the transition, that's taken time and has placed undue stress on teachers while impacting the education of kids with special needs and the children they now share classrooms with.

• Some principals said three years later they're still struggling to implement the new model, as each year they must learn to teach children with disabilities they have not encountered at the school before.

Why Training Was Never Mandated

Back in October, we described how many general education teachers at the district were suddenly faced with teaching children with special needs, despite having no training on how to do so.What we didn't tell you was why the district never made that training compulsory for the thousands of teachers making the transition.

Here's why: Nobody at the district ever tried to make training mandatory, despite being urged to do so by some advocates of the change.

Arguably the district's biggest challenge in implementing the new approach was convincing skeptical teachers and principals that it was the right thing to do. An effective way to do that was to get those teachers into training sessions, to show them the benefits of inclusion, said Marvin Elementary School Principal E. Jay Derwae.

"Of course training should have been mandatory. You have to make sure everybody buys into the new paradigm shift, and you've got to be able to hold teachers' hands through the changes."

Jay Derwae

Many Principals Weren't Trained Either

While the decision that more inclusion was needed came down from the higher echelons of the district, the foot soldiers in the effort to make the change a reality were individual school principals. Like teachers, many principals at the district needed crucial training to help them assimilate their new found students with special needs into their schools. And there were practical considerations too, like how to set up "sensory rooms" where children with certain disabilities could cool down after getting upset.

Special education training was never mandated for principals either. And there's more.

Susan Martinez, executive director of the district's Special Education Division, said she was told principals were too busy to hear about additional training. She said she was told not to attend meetings with principals, and was barred from putting information about training on the district's website.

"Because of the way the system was, we were not allowed access to principals. So, the word was out there that we didn't want to work with principals," Martinez said. "We would say 'We can do training, we want to do training, but we're not allowed to.'"

Asked who barred her from approaching principals, Martinez named Grenita Lathan, who used to serve as a deputy superintendent and is now superintendent of a school district in Peoria, Ill.

Lathan said Martinez's claim is untrue. She said she'll be contacting the district. Source

District #150 expected to terminate agreement with Concept Schools in 2015

It is reported in today's newspaper that in 2015, we can expect Peoria District 150 to terminate the agreement with Concept Schools, the management company for Quest Charter Academy. Read the entire article here...

The prediction is odd, considering the article is about the future of Quest Charter Academy and their efforts to expand into a high school. Additionally, in the article, Grenita Lathan, Superintendent of schools, is quoted as stating, "I'm excited about the success at Quest."

It's all quite contradictory. If the future of Quest is all good and 150 is all pleased, why would they terminate the agreement in 2015. I'm confused, is this a typo?

It should also be pointed out that the article is misleading about who holds the contract with Concept Schools.

District 150 has a contract with Peoria Charter School Initiative (PCSI). It is PCSI who hired Concept Schools to manage Quest Charter Academy. Concept Schools hired the Principal and the Business Manager to run Quest Charter Academy. PCSI, along with input from the Principal, hired the teachers, janitors and other administrators in the building, but they are Concept employees.

The distinction as to who holds the contract is important, as the ability to track accountability in charter schools is one of the largest complaints from folks who oppose charter schools.

Important news story covered in hyperbole

Its the END of week six of the 2011 - 2012 school year and finally the "local" newspaper is taking a look at the fact that students and teachers in District 150 STILL DON'T HAVE TEXT BOOKS. It's unfortunate that the "news report" makes light of something as important as students not having text books. The "news report" is filled with hyperbole, so I have attempted to glean some facts: 

• It's Week 6, and some students still don't have all of their textbooks.
• In some cases, the books haven't even arrived yet from publishers. When will they get here?
• The books are actually here - at the district warehouse.
• When will the textbooks get to students? 
• "Hopefully, they'll be on the way soon," says district spokesman Chris Coplan.
• Administrators keep filling out requests for books.
• As of this week, students - in history and other disciplines at Peoria High - still don't have books.
• It's the same thing with other kids and courses at other district schools: no books. 
• What's the hold-up? There aren't enough books because there are too many books.
• "We just ordered so many textbooks this summer," says spokesman Coplan.
• The district underwent a wave of curriculum changes after the last academic year.
• The district ordered a half-million dollars worth of new textbooks, a much higher sum than usual.
• Many of those books still haven't arrived.
• In many cases, the books came in plenty of time.
• They're neatly stacked at the district warehouse on Lake Street.
• There are just two employees at the warehouse.
• There are strict rules regarding intaking requests and unpacking supplies and tracking orders and marking books and distributing texts.
• Teachers are trying to make do with alternative teaching methods.
• In some cases, teachers are running off copies of book pages for students.
• In printing off copies, the district is wasting time and money in replacing books that are already here
• "We're working daily to get them out," Coplan says
• The process isn't working right.
• Those still-on-order books someday might get here from publishers.
• When that happens, fear more delays.
• Taxpayers pick up the tab for these materials.
• It's a waste to see these books languish without delivery.
• It's a waste to see students languish without books.

Costic goes to bat for Ross

Recently appointed District 150 School Board member, M. Lynn Costic went to bat for Martha Ross at Friday afternoon's school board meeting. Costic, who was appointed to the school board via the straw poll process in January of 2011, expressed concern for using the straw poll process to decide who the school board president will be.

Yesterday's meeting gives citizens some insight into the divisions that may exist within the BOE. The discussion around fairness is disappointing, as the students and parents expect this BOE to be focused on the serious issues that we are facing here in Peoria. Division does not encourage stability.

Linda Butler chosen as District 150 board president Longest-serving member Martha Ross questions 4-2 vote's fairness

District 150 School Board Vice President Linda Butler was elected Friday as president of the board, which again passed over longtime member Martha Ross.

Ross has been on the School Board for nine years, longer than any other member. After Friday's 4-2 vote, she said the practice of selecting a board president was "unfair" and "biased."

"We as a board are supposed to model how we want our children to perform. We want our children to treat each other fairly ... but yet I really feel that is not what is happening with this board and it is a personal feeling that I have not been treated fairly for whatever reason," Ross said during the meeting, adding that "it has the appearance in this community as being discriminatory and biased."

Board member M. Lynne Costic voted with Ross. Voting for Butler, in addition to herself, were Debbie Wolfmeyer, Chris Crawford and new board member Rick Cloyd, who was sworn in Friday. Laura Petelle, who gave birth to a boy on Wednesday, was absent.

Costic questioned the straw poll process of determining who will lead the board meetings.

"I am just going to call it. Mrs. Ross is continually getting passed over and passed over, and there is a major concern from the community as to why this continues to happen, and if she is not being told why she is not being selected for the office of president after serving on this board for nine years, then shame on us as a board. She needs to know. I would like to know." - M. Lynn Costic -

Wolfmeyer, the board's outgoing president, said "This is an individual decision that board members make as to who they want at any given time to lead the board."

Butler said she supported Ross for two years after coming on the board, even nominating her one year as president, but that the votes just didn't fall in her favor.

Currently, the only qualification to be president is to sit on the board for at least one year.

Ross said the process "has been changed many times to fit the people who wanted to be in the position." A past policy required a board member to be vice president before becoming president, she said.

Butler, an administrator at South Side Mission who has been on the board since 2007, said her two priorities for the next year are student academic improvement and the district's finances.

"I believe we have made some good decisions, but clearly there is a lot of work ahead of us," Butler said of the past year.

Cloyd, installed during the board's annual reorganization meeting, was elected earlier this year. He replaces outgoing board member Jim Stowell, who finished his five-year term.

"It's humbling and exciting at the same time and I appreciate the opportunity to serve - I've lived in the Peoria area my whole life and went to District 150 schools," Cloyd said. "This is a great opportunity to give back to the community. I think we're on the start of a good path and I want to help us stay on it." Source

OUR kids can't read: Will you help?

I was stunned to see the statistics in the November 9, 2010 New York Times article entitled "Proficiency of Black Students Is Found to Be Far Lower Than Expected". It hurt my heart to think about the magnitude of what we are dealing with.

Recently as I sat listening to students read to me, I realized I have to find a way to do more. I volunteer two days a week at a local District 150 school to read with students. This is my fifth year. I read with 4 students for 20 minutes each. Ideally, a child should probably read at least 20 minutes per night.

It started out selfishly - it was a way to be at the school; I could observe my student and I could help out. Win-Win. But I never lost sight of the fact that in many cases, the twenty minutes I was giving a student to read, may be the only time they had an adult, other than a teacher, sit with them and encourage them to read.

Read the article below and think about it...

Black kids can't read: What are you prepared to do about it?

The statistics in the November 9, 2010 New York Times article, "Black Boys Score Far Behind White Students," leave one speechless. According to the report entitled "A Call for Change" released November 8 by urban schools advocacy group the Council for Great City Schools, only 12 percent of black males are proficient reading at grade level reading while in fourth grade, compared to 38 percent of white males.

The statistics do not look much better when comparing for poverty as measured by qualifying for school lunches. Poverty does not seem to answer the question because, according to the report, poor white males do just as well as black males who are purportedly not in poverty. Looking forward, things don't get better. The article states:

President Obama stated: "One of the best anti-poverty programs is a world class education." I wholeheartedly agree. We know that people learn in different ways and many have different styles of learning, but there is no excuse on the part of our country, teachers and parents for the abysmal performance of our young men in education. The ability to read and do very basic statement analysis is crucial in just about every area of life. If one cannot read, they will not make solid, well-informed decisions. The likelihood of being deceived by contracts or any type of written agreement, multiplies when someone is a poor reader.

Armed with these new statistics, we must take action as a community and nation. We know that black male dropouts lead the country in terms of incarceration and that this trend will continue to increase. The high cost of sustaining a prison system -- in desperate need of reform -- is illogical and fiscally impossible. We need to conduct a national dialogue on how to get to the heart of criminality and truly start intervening at the first sight of risk factors. These traits unfortunately start before the child is ever born. As a strategic forecaster, I'm tempted to bury my head in the sand as I look forward.

So let's look at our options. Black males who drop out of school are likely to live in long protracted periods of poverty. They will pick up skill-sets often involving a criminal lifestyle. More than likely they will spend time in jail or prison, leading to the wrong type of schooling. We are faced with mounting crises in the black community and the days of deflecting simply will not work.

We can no longer trust in a savior that will emerge and fix our problems. The deliverers will emerge within our community. Mentors, coaches, parents, grandparents and professionals from all walks of life will say, "Enough!" The question is: How unbearable must this situation become?

We know that we should mentor young men and women in all areas of life, but we also have to send this message: "If you are unable to take care of children, it is unacceptable to have them. Stop!"

We have a plethora of "baby mamas" and daddies in all communities -- black and white -- who do not have the wherewithal to raise healthy kids. The 40 percent out of wedlock rate is a national crisis. We have to read the writing on the wall -- enough is enough. Unfortunately some can't read it. Those who are literate have to start reading it for those who can't, and teach them a better way.

New District 150 website

District 150 has a new website. They still have some bugs to iron out, but you can get the gist of where they are going with it.

I like that they are clearly trying to sell you on the District. What do you think?

Is Officer Greg Collins the new 150 Head of Security?

Sgt. Greg Collins, a Peoria police officer for a little over 30 years is believed to be the new head of Security at District 150.

Officer Collins is highly regarded in the black community and is considered a friend to many. He will be easily recognized and respected by many of the students who attend District 150.

For those who had complaints that the District would hire a candidate who was not qualified. What say you now? LOL

Great choice District 150, it appears this selection was made with the children in mind.

Thanks to Officer Collins for stepping up, he will make a difference.

Past time for the BOE to lay down some rules

Since the BOE voted to stop airing their meetings, information coming out about the District has been at a minimum (see … moratorium). Three specific reasons have surfaced as to why the meetings are no longer broadcast: control the message, tired of being bullied and the cost.

The fact that not televising the meetings is a cost saver has yet to be proven (even though I seem to recall BOE member Ross asking about it twice). However, it has become evident that the real reason for not televising the meetings is more than likely wanting to control the message, along with not wanting to publicize the level of discourse.

BOE member Stowell is correct that the District should care about the message that the public receives if the speakers make unfounded comments. But not televising the meetings in an attempt to “control the message” won’t work.

BOE member Petelle has speculated that perhaps allowing back and forth dialogue would allow the District to address the unfounded issues immediately. With discourse being at the current levels, in my opinion, back and forth dialogue in this type of forum could be a quagmire.

Sure it’s got to be hard being a BOE member on the end of a well researched issue that you have no knowledge of, delivered jabbingly (new word). However, you can’t deny that the District Watch Group has brought many issues to light that the BOE and the broader public were not aware of.

Mrs. Petelle’s intentions are good, but how many BOE members are really prepared to address the various issues that randomly come up from speakers? The majority of the commenter's at the BOE meetings are very well prepared. They have done the research, they have talked to people, they have handouts and they are passionate about that of which they speak.

Providing opportunities for members of the community, including employees, parents, and students, to have input in local school board deliberations is a very important part of conducting school system business.

At the same time, however, the BOE cannot effectively do its work and reach reasoned decisions if the public commentary portion of BOE meetings sets a tone of incivility and disorder. Thus, policies dealing with public commentary during official meetings of the BOE must make The Rules very clear...

The Rules

The Board encourages, welcomes, and will make opportunities for public comment on matters coming before the Board.
• All comments made during the public commentary portion of Board meetings will be limited to specific items included in the official meeting agenda.
• Individuals wishing to speak during the public comment portion of Board meetings must, prior to the Board meeting, have his/her name placed on an official list of speakers kept by the Clerk of the Board.
• Persons whose names do not appear on the approved list kept by the Clerk of the Board will not be permitted to speak.
• Speakers whose names appear on the list kept by the Clerk of the Board will be called in order and given a specific time limit within which to make their comments to the Board.
• Inappropriate comments, name-calling, profanity, the venting of personal issues, or other disruptive behaviors will not be tolerated.
• Civility will be insisted upon and enforced during all Board meetings.

Any individual or group of individuals whose comments and/or physical behaviors are deemed disruptive of Board business, and/or who engages in speaking on subjects not at the time relevant to matters before the Board, will be removed from the Board chamber and escorted off school system property. Source

If an issue is important enough for back and forth dialogue, perhaps the BOE member could discuss it after the meeting and/or place the item on the Agenda for a later date.

Give these volunteers time to do the research and get answers after the issues are raised and then hold them accountable based upon that feedback.

It's as if there is some sort of moratorium...

Curious as to what happened to ALL of the District 150 critics/commenters?

School's out, perhaps everybody is on vacation. Hopefully the teachers are enjoying their summer.

Monetary incentives for grades

Dr. Latoy Kennedy

Should students receive monetary incentives for grades and could such a program work in Peoria?

Dr. Latoy Kennedy, District 150's new Director of Curriculum over saw such a cash incentive program when she was the Principal of the Calvin Wiley Elementary School in Guilford County, North Carolina.

In 2008, after only one year at the reins of Calvin Wiley Elementary School, Principal Latoy Kennedy received the district's highest honor for an administrator. After being selected as one of five finalists, from more than 100 principals, Kennedy was named Guilford County Schools Principal of the Year.

"The faculty and staff (make) sure the students feel valued, smart and capable," Kennedy said. "Our kids are just as smart as everybody else's." In addition to the faculty and staff, Kennedy credited the school's incentive programs for the students' success.

The students participated in a program called "It Pays to Do Well." Students are paid cash when they make the honor roll. "If they make honor roll the first time, they get $10, the second time they get $20, the next time it's $40 then $50," Kennedy said.

If they receive a score of three or four on the end-of-grade test, students receive a $100 savings bond. The reward money comes from private donations. "You have to find out what it is to tap into that motivation -- you do what works," she said.

Eventually, the children won't need those incentives to do well, Kennedy said. "Once a person experiences success, they like that feeling."

Source

District 150's Black Student Suspension Rate

Recently, Pastor Harvey Burnett and the Peoria Assn. Of Pastors For Community & Spiritual Renewal sent the District 150 Board of Education a letter stating that they hold the BOE accountable for the results of the educational experience of the black and minority community and requested that they meet with them to address the fact that black students tend to be suspended at much higher rates than students of other races or ethnicity's.

Peoria Dist. 150 Board Members,

The minority suspension rate is far too high within Peoria School Dist. 150. I believe that we must open public debate over this issue. There is no one solution fix to this problem, but there are solutions as have been demonstrated around the country in various education and discipline models, that successfully address and have lowered minority suspension rates within public schools.

I believe that we must seek to create a much better education experience for all children and not continue to be tricked into affirming that "the home" is the only problem with many of our children. In many cases the educational system itself has failed to reach our children.

Testing arguably displays what the child has learned, but the opportunities to learn is what we want to increase. As the number bear out Out Of School Suspensions (OSS) and it's little brother In School Suspensions (ISS) have disproportionately effected Black students in District 150 for quite some time. We can change that if we try. I call on each of you to help facilitate that change.

I would like to meet with you to discuss our current findings and create a sustainable action plan that will address this highly important issue.

Pastor Harvey Burnett

The questions must be asked:

1. Has Peoria District 150 failed the Black and minority community? By not fulfilling the educational opportunities of ALL children it would seem that District 150 has failed a significant segment of its students, families and ultimately the community in general.

2. By suspending nearly 30% of Black students, is District 150 serving the educational needs of the Peoria Black population? One would say that Black education is important, but that does not hold true to the numbers. Is it possible that 2,567 students are not bad enough to expel, but yet bad enough to suspend and in some cases allow the disruption of the education of willing students?

3. Since the problem can be so easily and readily identified, what steps is District 150 taking to solve this crisis and is there a sustainable plan or effort in place to correct the problem? If not, WHY NOT? This problem is systemic in nature and cannot be addressed with a fix addressed to either parents only, teachers only, administration only or any individual segment. The part that is baffling is that there is NO plan in place to address the issue as we write this article.

District 150 Board has their finger on the trigger... but who should they be gunning for?

If I were a member of District 150’s administrative level clerical assistants, and found out that the Local 6099 union that is supposed to be representing me, is demanding that my hard earned pay raise be rescinded, I would be calling a meeting to examine to what advantage it is to remain with the Local 6099 Peoria Federation of Support Staff.

In my opinion, administrative assistants are uniquely skilled professionals and should not be a part of a union, unless it is a union that is specifically for clerical workers. As there is currently no union for general administrative assistants or clerical workers, school district clerical workers have joined forces with cafeteria workers and para-professionals.

For an administrative level employee to be a part of a union with cafeteria workers and para-professionals is a disservice to all groups. Exactly what do these groups have in common that would benefit them joining together and being part of a wage tier pay system?

The $9 hour pay raise the District 150 clerical workers received does sound exorbitant, especially in light of the fact that the District is laying off teachers and cutting programs. However, in the real world of an administrative assistant, to make $22 per hour is hardly unheard of.

The pay that these administrative level clerical workers get should be in keeping with the level of work they do for their supervisor. Perhaps Debra Dimke and Pam Shau’s Assistants deserved a raise – consider that.

Administrative level assistants in human resources and payroll should be making a salary commiserate with the work of their supervisors - they should not be union employees.

Think about the work that human resources and payroll is doing theses days. You don’t have to make much of a stretch to imagine the pressure that comes with the complexity of work these administrative assistants or clerical workers are dealing with. These employees need insulation right along with their bosses and pay is just one way of giving it to them.

There is a reason why the administrative level assistants at Caterpillar or any other corporation are not in the union - it is because their pay is commiserate with the level of work their management level supervisor is entrusted with, as it should be and with that pay comes loyalty. (Loyalty - the thing that is sorely lacking in the District from it's employees both past and present.)

Because of the confidential nature of the work this group of employees is doing, the District and the Board cannot afford to loose their loyalty.

Sure, there are some issues that need to be ironed out with the level of transparency between the Board and Administration. But don't be a reactive Board and just rescind the pay, take a look at the level of work these people are performing now in this climate and pay them accordingly and when the jobs are reclassified, if at all possible, you all should make sure they are not union jobs.

Related article: District 150 clerical rasies rescinded

Murder in the Glen Oak School Impact Zone

The Glen Oak Neighborhood Impact Zone, a two-block area in the East Bluff – the city's top target area for crime reduction, neighborhood revitalization and home improvement assistance, surrounding District 150’s new $25 million Glen Oak School.

Last night’s East Bluff murder at Peoria Food Stop Inc., took place immediately across the street from the new Glen Oak School (one block from the Boy's and Girl's Club).

The Glen Oak Neighborhood Impact Zone was identified by the City Council in May 2009 to be targeted for revitalization. The city designated millions of dollars in public investment, with more than $3 million in sidewalk and road projects already completed.

The City has already noted that there has been very few applications for down payment assistance to purchase a home near Glen Oak School. This murder in the Impact Zone certainly won’t help the situation. Unfortunate.

Related read: A Matter of Time

The "kickin it" video is making the rounds at the BOE

District 150 is currently investigating the Trewyn School video that was posted here on EmergePeoria. The link to the video was left by an Anonymous poster.

The District is said to be prepared to discipline the students who appear in the video as well as the teacher who should have been in charge.

The District is also investigating an altercation between an aide and a student at the Greeley Alternative School; and a locker fire at Mark Bills School, which required the school to be evacuated this afternoon.

Why no snow day today?

I found it interesting that District 150 and Morton Schools were pretty much the only area schools open today. Is it because Norm Durflinger who is now the interim Superintendent of District 150 is also the Mayor of Morton?

I live off a main snow route that was no where near being shoveled this morning as we struggled to get off the side street. The ride to school was nerve wrecking to say the least. Our school, which has a huge parking lot, was not shoveled and it was treacherous to maneuver.

Apparently, I am not the only person wondering why District 150 decided to keep schools open. Pastor Harvey Burnett sent the following inquiry to local media outlets:

Media:

I don't mean to be an antagonist (I really don't) but I have received a number of inquiries today regarding PSD150 and their decision to remain open.

From the accounts I have received from just 3 schools, there are over 1,000 students out because of the weather. Many other organizations have closed today also and most private schools that I am aware of (I could be wrong however). Can anyone inquire as to Dist. 150's rationale and treatment of our students regarding this matter?

I took mine late, only because the Dist was open and after quite a workout (which I can use) shoveling snow. In the inner city many of the kids have to walk to school and catch buses and the streets are a work in progress.

I don't necessarily want to push the issue but I think we need to know what the District's thoughts are regarding our children. Are they concerned?

Pastor Harvey Burnett

The Champaign School District: Why we should be interested

The story behind Federal Judge, Joe Billy McDade apologizing for allowing cameras in the courtroom deserves more in depth coverage by the Journal Star. Why? Because the court case the Judge is hearing is relevant to Peoria Public Schools, as they are embarking upon an effort to redraw school boundary lines.

The Champaign School District has been struggling to address concerns such as too many black students in special education and discipline referrals; too few in gifted and honors classes; and black students being bused out of their neighborhoods. Responses have been denying the problems or siting new schools outside of black communities (though still technically north side). (e.g., the importance of the Woodruff Community Learning Center to District 150).

The questioning of why it is Jeanne Williamson that is over seeing the redrawing of boundry lines, is where the push back has started. However, it won’t be long before the real issue of the District busing children north and south surfaces.

In the best interest of the children and the vitality of this community, it will be incumbent upon local main stream media to cover the issue of District 150’s redrawing of boundary lines openly and in a fair and balanced manner.

I appreciate Judge McDade's efforts at keeping this process transparent (as it should be). Watch Champaign School's consent decree hearing, with Peoria’s own Judge Joe Billy McDade here. There are some interesting personal comments from Judge McDade beginning at around the 54:00 mark.

Related reading: "Housing Patterns Are Segregated": The Part of the Champaign School Crisis That Requires Action Beyond the School Board.

District 150 loser in growth cell report.

Housing Incentive Program requirement could force some Taft Homes residents to leave.