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By Janet Evans
Saturday, Oct 4 2008, 07:56 PM
Well, a friend of mine says, "In light of the country’s financial situation, a little education goes a long way."
And I agree!
Hopefully, you’ll find something of interest or usefulness on this site.
"Money Smart Week WisconsinSM is a public awareness initiative made for you. It began in 2006. It aims to build your financial knowledge so you can deal with your own money more quickly, confidently and shrewdly. Use this site to find classes and events near you. Most activities are free. They offer unbiased financial education. "
Click old Ben Franklin for a visit...
I’m hoping Gov. Doyle visits his site often!
H/T Scott T.
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By Janet Evans
Saturday, Oct 4 2008, 10:35 AM
I mentioned that I would be presenting the MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) assessment program podcast that the school district gave at the last School Board meeting.
I was hoping Franklin Public Schools would post the PowerPoint presentation on their website, but I asked them if they didn't, to please send it to me, which they did. If anyone would like it emailed to them, just let me know.
In the half hour podcast you'll hear a presentation about:
What is MAP?
Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) tests are state-aligned computerized adaptive assessments that accurately reflect the instructional level of each student and measure growth over time.
Why MAP?
How does MAP work?
Students take adaptive computerized assessments.
Students get immediate results
and discussion.
You can listen to the podcast on Righty Blog HERE
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By Janet Evans
Friday, Sep 19 2008, 07:05 AM
I know, gas prices had been rising.
But then they tapered off.
If it hadn’t been for the hurricanes, they probably would have kept falling.
When I saw United Airlines was going to double its fee for a second checked bag to $50…I was shocked. That’s each way!
You know, you can mail a decent sized box of clothing to just about any state for $15, insured. Maybe that’s the way to go. If you can plan ahead for a trip, just pack up the wardrobe you need fro your vacation, and ship it off to your destination.
Extra bags or ones that weigh too much can add
hundreds of dollars to the price of flying. Kitchen/Getty
Extra bags or ones that weigh too much can add hundreds of dollars to the price of flying.
United has already made $700 million from the additional fees they have imposed. So it's not "irrational" for them to want to hike their fees more. They'll do it until passengers stop bringing the extra baggage and paying the higher fees.
Skyrocketing fuel prices prompted that trend, but on Thursday there was already one sign that competition may push it back: Air Canada said it would stop charging for a second checked bag. It had not added a fee for the first checked bag.
So if you want to do all you can to try and keep your luggage to one suitcase, what should you do?
Suitcase savvy
Battle those new luggage fees by adapting your packing habits.
1. Use soft-sided luggage or duffle bags. Some hardshell suitcases weigh up to 15 pounds when empty.
2. Select luggage that has multiple compartments, allowing suits to stay wrinkle-free and be kept separate from shoes and toiletries.
3. Instead of packing coordinated outfits that can be worn just once, choose clothing that can be mixed and matched to create multiple outfits.
4. Consider rolling jeans and T-shirts instead of folding them. This will save space and keep the clothes wrinkle-free.
5. Weigh your suitcase before leaving home. (Get on a scale with the bag, then without, then subtract.) If the bag is more than 50 pounds, remove a few items or use a second suitcase.
Checking a second bag is typically cheaper than the fee for overweight luggage.
Combat new airline luggage fees
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By Janet Evans
Thursday, Sep 18 2008, 07:05 AM
Safety in our schools should be of great importance.
There are many aspects of safety that need to be considered…Students, teachers, the school environment, procedures.
Since Columbine and 9-11, we have domestic and world terrorism to plan and think about.
We have the House of Correction on our doorstep.
Every School District has a Safety Committee.
Every School District has a plan.
On our District's website they have an “About Our District” page.
On that page is a link to the Safety Committee.
Also, there is a “New Addition to the Website” that has just been announced.
It is a “Business Services Portion.”
“Thanks to this addition, you will be able to find information about Finance, Transportation, Building and Grounds and Technology Support Services.”
I have been looking over the site since school began this year. With the Board Goals we should expect some changes.
Last night I found this regarding the Safety Committee:
Click to Enlarge
I don’t know about you, but I have some questions.
Who is on the Safety Advisory Committee?
Who is on the School Crisis Teams?
Who is on the Student /Employee Health Committees and what are their functions?
How often do these Committees meet?
What are the Crisis Response Guidelines?
This chart was designed to “keep the community informed?”
Just how is this chart doing that?
The only thing we ever hear about our Safety Team doing, as far as I am aware, is having, in conjunction with the city, mock accident/disaster preparedness, as the city did at Forest Park Middle School this summer. And we hear about that after the fact. Now of course, that's a good thing; but we need to hear more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
09/18/08
ATTENTION!
Dear Parents and Franklin Community Members:
Throughout the day today, all Junior and Senior students will be participating in a "Mock Crash" activity in coordination with the City of Franklin Police and Fire Departments, as well as emergency services personnel from Froedtert Hospital, the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center Flight For Life. This activity includes a dramatization of a serious car accident that includes serious injuries and a fatality. Our goal is to make a strong impression on our students relative to the dangers of driving and the importance of being attentive and safe whenever they are behind the wheel. This includes the importance of always wearing a seat belt, the necessity that they never travel in a vehicle with a driver who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and the dangers of inattentive behaviors like cell phone use while driving. This activity was not disclosed in advance because we believe, and the professionals who have done this before have experienced, that the impact of this event is much greater if students did not have advance notice.
I want to thank the members of the high school staff and the professionals associated with the organizations involved today for their wonderful work putting this event together for the benefit of our students.
Sincerely,
Mike Cady
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  Here are the cars from the "mock accident" on the FHS track. I have in my notes and on tape from the Buildings and Grounds meeting last week that this event was supposed to take place next week on the 23rd. The element of surprise I suppose... Now that it has taken place, track repairs will begin.
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By Janet Evans
Wednesday, Sep 17 2008, 11:53 AM
Grade: F
I’ll admit it…I’m a little bit puzzled and discouraged about the Communications issue in Franklin Public Schools. During the summer and until the Annual Meeting of the Electors, there was a “blurb” on the Franklin Public Schools website that stated there was going to be a change on the Franklin Public Schools Cable Channel . I should have printed it for safekeeping. I even believe it was in an email or two for you subscribers who get those notices. Anyone have a copy? It was supposed to be working in September.
Tanya Ruder was to have been working on setting up broadcasting Board meetings. She even video taped the Annual Meeting of the Electors and Regular Board Meeting before that. Then the message disappeared from the website. What happened Tanya? We're still listening to WMYX and watching a Power point presentation.
At the School Board meeting on July 23, 2008 I made a Comment to the Board suggesting that we broadcast our School Board meetings via the web as New Berlin does. They use Mediasite. School Board President Dave Sczychlinski responded to me at that meeting that he had not ever heard of the application Media site, but that Tanya Ruder had something in the works. If the District is having problems with their Communications, why not inform us of the problem?
They are failing in this aspect of their Board Goal.
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By Janet Evans
Sunday, Sep 14 2008, 11:30 AM
Wikipedia is an online reference tool that has caused some controversy due to the fact that anyone and their brother can add fact…or fiction, to its ever-growing body of information. For general information on topics that can be cross referenced, Wikipedia can be pretty handy. Google has unveiled its own online reference tool …a free online encyclopedia called “Knol.” You can find it at http://knol.google.com
“Knol” references a unit of knowledge.
If you create a Google login you may submit an article. “Knol” is just a baby and, so far, only has several hundred articles.
The difference with “Knol?”
Unlike Wikipedia, you must identify yourself when submitting an article.
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By Janet Evans
Wednesday, Sep 10 2008, 11:43 AM
Now this is an innovative idea.
May as well put those texting teens to work for the benefit of their community.
Since every teen seems to have a cell phone (how do they afford those hefty phone bills anyway?) and is texting like there’s no tomorrow, how about using them to stop crime?
That’s what’s being done at a pilot program in 10 Chicago schools.
"Crime Stoppers of Cook County is even offering rewards to tipsters whose information produces arrests. For murder cases, that can involve up to $1,000. "Practically every student these days has a cell phone. Students are texting each other messages faster than they can dial a number,'' Police Supt. Jody Weis said in announcing the pilot program with Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan."We want them to text a tip to the police -- a tip that could potentially save their life or someone else's."All text messages must begin with the letters "cpd'' and can include common text abbreviations.”
Read about it in the Chicago Sun-Times
HERE
Interesting that the messages have to be sent to Canada to be encrypted. Maybe they will come back in French. Go figure.
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By Janet Evans
Wednesday, Sep 3 2008, 10:08 PM
By Janet Evans
Wednesday, Sep 3 2008, 06:40 AM
And already the first incident of a gun being brought to school and fired has taken place.
It happened yesterday in Willoughby, Ohio…just north of Cleveland.
A student brought more that 30 rounds of ammunition to school and shot his handgun twice. Luckily no one was hurt…this time. The student wanted to kill himself, but was talked into giving up the gun.
"Principal Paul Lombardo and Assistant Principal Jeff Lyons caught up with the student, who told them he wanted to kill himself, Sevel said. While classrooms were being locked down, the two administrators persuaded the student to give up the gun.
"He did put the gun to his head numerous times," Lombardo said. "He never really said why he was doing it. He did say it wasn't like him to do this, and he was fearful that he had ruined his life.
"Police arrested the student, then searched the building and evacuated it room by room. The student was taken to a behavioral health center for evaluation."
Our indications are that he didn't have intentions other than maybe harming himself," Sevel said.
Investigators believe the student intended to kill himself in front of his girlfriend, Police Chief Conrad Straube said. Police did not identify him because he is a juvenile. No charges have been filed.
Lombardo said there were no warning signs that the boy was troubled. The school of about 1,450 students began the fall semester Aug. 26. Classes were scheduled to resume Wednesday. "
That's one week down for some schools...one day for others...
First semester ends mid January.
Harrold, Texas is looking pretty good to me. Read the full article HERE
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By Janet Evans
Tuesday, Sep 2 2008, 09:35 PM
What makes you so bold?
How did you make that choice?
Why do you think you can teach your children what they need to know better than the so-called “professional educators” in the public or private schools?
Why must you buck the “system?”
Aren’t you depriving your children of the social aspects of a public school education? Aren’t you making your children social outcasts?
Is it because you don't think public schools are challenging?
How are you qualified to teach “the three “R’s?”
Public school teachers are constantly being trained to be up-to-date…they have in-services all of the time. They have class prep time, too.
Do you object to what public schools are teaching?
As your child grows in knowledge…how will you stay on top of things?
What will you do if your child progresses further than you are able to teach?
~~~~~~~~~
Okay….homeschooling parent.
Those aren’t all serious questions.
But an article did come out today regarding home schooling.
I thought I would ask my own pointed questions just to get you going....
I am curious though.
Is it tough on you?
How do you know you are doing the right thing for your child?
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By Janet Evans
Tuesday, Sep 2 2008, 11:46 AM
Are you sure?
If you aren’t sure, there are students on campus who will probably make sure he or she is registered…
To vote…
Because, it’s an election year and campuses across the country want 100% turnout from students.
Well...dream on...
"One hundred percent participation might be a tall order, especially among students navigating dorm life and midterms for the first time.
"I'm excited about voting, but that's one of the last things on most people's minds right now," says Patrick Szawara, who's starting his first classes at Wake Forest. "
Read about it at the Christian Science Monitor
HERE
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By Janet Evans
Friday, Aug 29 2008, 11:57 AM
ABC News photo
Children are suffering.
Parents are suffering.
A school system in the United States is suffering.
Why?
Because the elected officials who were supposed to serve the public were self-serving instead.
Where? Georgia…Clayton County.
Why? Violating Open Meetings Act and State Ethics Code.
The state of Georgia has removed four School Board members. The state of Georgia has stripped away the accreditation of the District. Families will move away. Property values will go down. This place is destroyed.
"Clayton becomes the first U.S. school system since 1969 to have its accreditation fully stripped. Accreditation represents an important seal of approval in the education world. Its loss signals that a school system has not met standards, and, as a result, Clayton students may not qualify for certain scholarships or be welcomed by some selective colleges."
Elected officials may think that simple violations don’t matter…they may think they may go unnoticed.
Well, think again.
Elected Officials everywhere…jot down these four words on a Post-It note “New Clayton School Board.” Stick it where you do most of your planning of your meetings and activities for your School Board or City Government functions. Take a look at it often and remember New Clayton. Know that you will never do to your constituents what those School Board members did to theirs.
New Clayton School Board Must Buckle Down, Pronto
Georgia School System Loses its Accreditiation
Clayton Schools' Fears Are Realized
How The Clayton Accreditiation Issue Will Impact Recruiting
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By Janet Evans
Thursday, Aug 28 2008, 11:47 AM
I bet you want a reason to say “Hello, how are you doing?”
Here’s one…
Send them a link to this blog post:
Back to School: 10 Great Web Apps for College Students
For a lot of college students, the new semester is just around the corner. Last year, we created a long list of great Web 2.0 tools that we thought would be helpful for college students.
But given how fast things develop on the web, we thought we would revisit this topic again this year and look at some of the most useful Web 2.0 tools that have the potential to help students do better in school, collaborate with their fellow students, and save them time.
From Read Write Web
Continued HERE
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By Janet Evans
Tuesday, Aug 26 2008, 06:56 AM
"Future Shock," a great book I read back in high school. We may have a little of our own future shock to deal with monetarily regarding maintenance and improvements in our school district:
What’s that dollar amount?
That’s the Grand Total of the Future Long Range Maintenance and Remodeling Plan for Franklin Public Schools dated 5/15/08 (revised). I received a copy of the Status of Ongoing Buildings and Grounds Projects (2007/08) and 2008/09 Buildings and Grounds Projects back at a Building and Grounds Committee meeting on May 21st. I was pretty impressed by how most of the projects over the years had been allocated funds and then came in under budget. The last two pages of the large packet were Future Long Range plans.
That doesn’t mean everything on the “wish list” will be implemented. The district has running lists for each school and they are still working on projects from prior school years.
Some of the larger items on the packed two page list include the following:
| Ben Franklin |
|
Grounds |
Create drive for loop by receiving area and dumpster enclosure |
|
$100,000 |
|
|
Grounds |
Additional athletic field |
|
$250,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Country Dale |
|
School Bldg |
Replace Classroom Doors |
|
$70,000 |
|
|
School Bldg |
Replace coat strips with lockers |
|
$50,000 |
|
|
School Bldg |
Remodel Center restrooms |
|
$15,000 |
|
|
School Bldg |
Remodel East restrooms |
|
$30,000 |
|
|
School Bldg |
Remodel West restrooms |
|
$30,000 |
|
|
NW Exit |
Replace one door w/two |
|
$25,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Forest Park |
|
FACE |
Divide FACE into two rooms, not three |
|
$120,000 |
|
|
School Bldg |
Replace all lockers @12" to achieve 850 total |
|
$107,000 |
|
|
School bldg |
Replace lockers in girls locker rooom |
|
$225,000 |
|
|
Interior |
Retrofit lighting system to T8 |
|
$150,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| High School |
|
Parking area |
Add drop off loop and widen access |
|
$180,000 |
|
|
Parking lot |
expand student parking areas to the west and add visitor stalls |
|
$250,000 |
|
|
Pool locker rooms |
Replace lockers |
|
$60,000 |
|
|
Grounds |
Renovate stadium w/8 lane track |
|
$2,750,000 |
|
|
Grounds |
Add roads and develop practice fields |
|
$300,000 |
|
|
Grounds |
Add tennis courts |
|
200,000 |
|
|
Back hall classrooms |
Replace tile and base |
|
$50,000 |
|
|
Pool |
Renovate and allow for use of starting blocks/replace deck coating |
|
$200,000 |
|
|
Gym |
Replace air handling units and add A/C |
|
$250,000 |
|
|
Science rooms |
Upgrade and add sinks and safety equpiment |
|
$500,000 |
|
|
Near Cafeteria |
Add a Senior commons area |
|
$25,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Pleasant View |
|
Grass Playground |
improve drainage to expand play area |
|
$180,000 |
|
|
Playground |
Resurface and extend play area to playstructures |
|
$205,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Robinwood |
|
Playground |
Renovate pavement & improve drainage |
|
$159,000 |
|
|
Interior |
Renovate lighting system to T8 |
|
$110,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| SW Glen |
|
Boiler Room |
Replace Boilers |
|
$100,000 |
|
|
School bldg |
Carpet multi-year replace all |
|
$200,000 |
|
|
Exterior |
Replace asphalt, address drainage & expand playground |
|
$250,000 |
Long Range Maintenance & Remodeling Plan - Page One.pdf
Long range Maintenance & Remodeling Plan - Page Two.pdf
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2008-09 Project Status
| Country Dale |
|
School Bldg |
Run New TV cable to all classrooms |
|
7,000 |
|
| High School |
|
Roof section 4 |
Replace |
|
$55,250 |
|
| High School |
|
Parking Area |
Widen egress lanes |
|
$26,000 |
|
| Pleasant View |
|
Section B |
Replace HVAC systen (1st flr remaining north half classrooms) |
|
$199,000 |
|
| Robinwood |
|
Pod H |
replace hall floor tile |
|
$20,800 |
|
| Robinwood |
|
C-pod |
Abandon and replace underground ductwork to overhead |
|
$30,000 |
|
| SW Glenn |
|
Interior |
Retrofit lighting system to T8 |
|
$85,100 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sub-total |
|
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