07.16.05
Posted in News at 10:02 pm by Paloma Cruz
Educator shares passion for reading, Spanish
Katy district honors her as teacher of year
–reported by the Houston Chronicle
When Anna M. Baker, 38, talks about her work as a bilingual teacher for Katy Independent School District her face glows.
“All these years, all I’ve ever wanted to do is be with the kids,” she says. “They make me laugh. They’re intelligent beyond their years. I love being a part of their lives just as much as I think they love being a part of mine.”
Baker, who has been teaching for only four years — one year at McRoberts Elementary School in Katy — recently was named bilingual teacher of the year by the Katy district.
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Posted in General at 9:47 pm by Paloma Cruz
Shameless promotion of headlines in my other blogs:
Bilingual Life
Houston Life
Library Life
- A Texas Digital Library. “Four Texas university systems and Rice University will collaborate on a digital repository whose goal is to offer online resources, such as teaching aids, dissertations, and practical information, although not books.“
- Sunday hours added to Houston Libraries
- returning library books on time. “LifeHacker recently published a post entitled How to finish library books on time which has a link to a tabbed system to… well, finish library books on time and (here’s the important part) return them on time as well.“
Ordinary Life
- I’m in a mood - welcome to retail therapy. “These posts will be things I want to buy, but can’t. It’ll be a virtual shopping bag, just shy of actually taking things to the checkout counter to pay for them.“
Pasadena Life
- watching Emily. “In case you haven’t been paying attention, Hurricane Emily is headed to Texas.“
- senior health workshop. “If you’d like help in understanding the new Medicare Prescription Drug Program taking effect in 2006, the Madison Jobe Senior Center is teaming up with the Pasadena District Social Security Office to host a free workshop, Tuesday, July 19th, 2 - 3 p.m., to explain the details to you.“
- great Pasadena photo. “Houston Photobloggers has a fabulous photo of Capitan Theatre, in Pasadena. As far as I can tell, it’s the only photo of Pasadena in their collection, but certainly worth a look.“
- the city of Pasadena has a budget… sort of. “At first glance, Pasadena’s 2006-10 budget forecast may look bleak. However, the document is intended to give the city a starting off point to plan for the future.“
Public Relations life
- work for Gizmodo. “Gawker Media is expanding its technology coverage, and is seeking to fill the following positions. All these roles are full-time, and paid accordingly, though we take a relaxed attitude towards external freelance.“
- do I own this brand? “The redesign of the Diva Marketing Blog has prompted a discussion centered on the question who owns a brand?“
- are bloggers journalists? “This is a question that comes up frequently in my life, from both ends of the issue. If I’m covering a topic in one of my blogs and request information from a company or organization, should they treat me the same as they would a Houston Chronicle reporter? At the same time, if a photoblogger calls my office wanting to set up a shoot of one of my clients’ buildings, would I give him or her the same consideration as… say, a photographer from 002+ Magazine?“
- the wonderful world of media relations. “John Wagner’s comments in Now It’s The Corporate PR Folks’ Turn To Be Slammed about his experience with the media has had me thinking about the adversarial quality of my daily dealings with the members of the press. And I’ve been thinking about the many things I do, every day, to make those dealings better.“
- PR blogging isn’t ego polishing…”…or so says John Wagner in his post PR Bloggers Not All In It For Self-Promotion. In it he responds to some recent criticism and attacks that public relations professionals have received, in particular PR bloggers.“
Web Junkie life
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Posted in General, News at 6:49 pm by Paloma Cruz
Operation Backpack to benefit local school children, reported by KHOU CBS Channel 11.
KHOU is proud to be part of a new effort to help children in need get ready to go back to school. We’re teaming up with the YMCA for Operation Backpack.
It’s the city’s largest ever school supply drive.
Now through august 18, you can drop off backpacks and school supplies at our studios at 1945 Allen Parkway, near downtown Houston. They’re also being accepted at area YMCAs and participating churches.
Visit the YMCA of Greater Houtson Web site to find the location nearest you.
Reminder: KHOU requires a free registration to access articles.
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07.15.05
Posted in General, News at 8:33 pm by Paloma Cruz
I come from a family of teachers, so I’ve pretty much heard every teaching story you can think of. I know, my sisters know, and all teachers know that more children are being raised by their grandparents these days than ever before.
In a recent story on KHOU CBS Channel 11, Senior citizens need pantry food, but not just for themselves, the economic reality of these situations are highlighted:
Many senior citizens who depend on weekly visits to local food pantries need the food not just for themselves, but because they are taking of grandchildren.
There are so many children whose only meal of the day is what they’re fed at school. Children who hoard food to give it to their brothers or sisters later in the day. Children who, when given a treat by one of the teachers, ask if they can take it home for later. Children who don’t eat all their food so they can place it on their younger sibling’s plate.
It’s heartbreaking.
More children getting free summer meals, even more may go hungry, reported KTRK ABC Channel 13 recently. Excerpt:
More of Texas’ low-income children are participating in the free summer meal program, but tens of thousands might still go hungry, according to a recent report.
[snip]
But only 8.2 percent of the 2.4 million Texas children eligible for the program in 2004 received the free summer meals, according to findings based on U.S. Department of Agriculture data.
Welcome to the reality of teaching.
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07.13.05
Posted in News at 11:28 pm by Paloma Cruz
I’m the first to admit that I don’t really follow politics, so when the recent eminent domain decision came down I didn’t pay attention to the possible ramifications. I should have. Here’s one situation that’s a direct result from that:
City wants school’s land to build turn lane
Spring Branch trustees oppose seizure, will attend council meeting
reported by the Houston Chronicle
[snip]
School board trustees in Spring Branch say they’ve been given the brush-off by city of Houston officials intent on taking land from an elementary school to widen a busy street.
The trustees, who unanimously adopted a resolution opposing the city’s decision to add a right-turn lane from Westview Drive to Pech Road because of safety concerns at nearby Valley Oaks Elementary, plan to voice their feelings at today’s City Council meeting. Despite that school board vote, the city has moved to condemn the property through eminent domain and proceed with the project.
Wow, they sure took their time with that decision.
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Reminders:
- Houston Chronicle links expire after a couple of days. Articles are archived after a few days. If you want to access these articles after that, you either have to be a subscriber or go to the Houston Public Library and access the database using your Library Power Card.
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Posted in General at 1:39 am by Paloma Cruz
The Pasadena ISD Web site has a Back to School Guide up to help parents get ready for the August return date. Here you will find everything from enrollment processes to meal prices and school holidays. Worth a visit.
The Pasadena Independent School District is gearing up for what promises to be a successful 2005-2006 school year as our district welcomes more than 45,000 students back to school in August.
The district will also mark the final stage in the opening of Pasadena Memorial High School as the campus welcomes its first senior class this school year.
If you can’t find the back to school information you need, contact your child’s school directly. Office staff at elementary and intermediate campuses are on-duty until Monday, June 27, 2005.
They will return to the campuses on Tuesday, July 19, 2005. High school office staff remains on-duty throughout the summer.
For more info, call the main PISD number, 713-740-0000.
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07.11.05
Posted in News at 11:58 pm by Paloma Cruz
- TxDOT To Phase Out Some Specialty Alumni License Plates, reported by Click2Houston.com. “The University of Texas at Dallas took a hit. So did Texas Woman’s University. Waning support for specialty license plates for those universities and 22 others has those plates on the way out.” [snip] “The Texas Department of Transportation has decided to phase out specialty alumni license plates that have fallen below certain performance standards.“
- Teachers’ aides hit the books to keep their jobs, reported by the Houston Chronicle. “…hundreds of Houston area school employees in danger of being pushed out of low-wage jobs if they don’t meet higher employment standards by a federal deadline at the end of the upcoming school year.” [snip] “To keep their jobs at schools that receive certain types of federal funding, most teachers’ aides, special education assistants and other types of ‘paraprofessionals’ must have two years of college or complete an equivalent type of training.“
- School districts’ enrollments soar — Suburban voters face endless array of bond issues in a bid to keep pace, reported by the Houston Chronicle. “School districts across suburban Houston, such as Pearland, Katy, Cypress-Fairbanks and Humble, are adding thousands of students, building dozens of schools and passing bond issues worth hundreds of millions of dollars to pay for it all. Experts cite affordable housing and quality schools as the most common reasons for the growth trend.“
- Special education law changes raise concern — Advocates fear parents will be discouraged from challenging the way children learn, reported by the Houston Chronicle. “Recent changes to the federal law that governs how 7 million special education students are taught could weaken parental involvement and scare parents away from taking school districts to court, according to advocates who testified at a federal hearing Thursday.“
- President of Rice weighing changes — One year into the job, David Leebron looks to increase enrollment and raise school’s visibility, reported by the Houston Chronicle. “One year into the job, Leebron has yet to propose an agenda to answer that elemental question. But he has pleased those who govern Rice with his thoughtful, inclusive approach that could produce a larger enrollment and generate greater visibility beyond its hedges.“
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Reminders:
- Houston Chronicle links expire after a couple of days. Articles are archived after a few days. If you want to access these articles after that, you either have to be a subscriber or go to the Houston Public Library and access the database using your Library Power Card.
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Posted in General at 12:09 am by Paloma Cruz
A good example of how a community blog can generate conversation and interest in a grassroots initiative.
Save Our Schools
This site is dedicated to furthering community discussion about the needs and state of Fort Bend ISD. We start from the premise that Fort Bend has the teachers, talent, and resources to become a model of excellence and achievement in our schools. Our goal is to ensure we’re using our resources, listening to our best teachers, involving our community and tapping the talent of all our children to achieve that vision.
The comments to the posts are wonderful. Some are attacks, some are insightful and all are passionate (for the most part). Visit it just to get an idea on what you can do for your school district.
Of course, since I don’t live there and haven’t read all the posts, I can’t say that I agree or disagree with the posters. I can say that attention to the needs of school is necessary. And even attacks bring attention to the issues.
Get involved in the education system… it affects everyone. If you don’t have kids yourself, just think that you want educated, qualified employees at your business. Where do you think those are coming from?
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07.10.05
Posted in General at 1:39 am by Paloma Cruz
In an example of creative uses of podcasting, McMaster University is podcasting their student recruitment drive. (Link found via blogwithoutalibrary.net.)
Proof that higher education is actually paying attention and, in this case, keeping up with the trends.
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Posted in News at 1:38 am by Paloma Cruz
Found this in Deer Park school superintendent gets contract extension, as reported by the Pasadena Citizen:
Deer Park schools Superintendent Arnold Adair recently had his contract extended past the 2010 school year by the Board of Trustees.
The unanimous decision was made after a closed session at the recent Deer Park Independent School District Board of Trustees regular June meeting.
Adair, a 1970 graduate of Deer Park High School, has spent his entire professional educating career in Deer Park.
[snip]
His original contract was set to expire June 30, 2008. His new contract will expire June 30, 2010.
Congrats.
(…reprint from stories from a Pasadena life…)
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