Four facilities requests will be discussed, but Rhythms of the Village is the only charter to come a with negative recommendation. If the board rejects the proposal - 15,000 sq. feet of space at Edison - the charter may not have a home to come back to.

The charter's financial difficulty - sparked by low enrollment - continues to hamper its growth. Last month, the district sent a second letter to the school, informing them of their concerns over enrollment and instructional methods. Apparently, on a few school visits, PUSD officials observed students "putting their heads on their desks."

I'm told to expect a pretty large group of the school's supporters at the meeting. District officials say they don't want to punish the school and Esteban Lizardo, board president, even said the school's focus on the arts offers students a different curriculum and should be supported.

Mr. Ortega joined the Star-News staff today as the new Pasadena reporter. His byline should be familiar to those who read the paper because he covered the cities of West Covina, South El Monte and Rosemead for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

Todd is still around...but be nice and visit Under the Dome to view gossip and tidbits posted by Fred.

Videos of sick cows being mistreated by workers at the Westland Meatpacking Co. leads to the largest beef recall in U.S. Department of Agriculture's history. Officials estimate that about 37 million pounds of the 143 million pounds recalled beef went to school programs, but they believe most of the meat probably has already been eaten.

About 150 school districts around the nation have stopped using ground beef from Hallmark Meat Packing Co., which is associated with Westland.

In observance of Presidents Day, the school districts are closed today, but I'm fairly certain letters will be sent to parents regarding school lunch programs.

I'll be working on a story regarding the local school response tomorrow.

That's a little harsh, but if you are bored, a space lover, or just a museum-enthusiast, Kidspace Museum has a 379-pound meteorite on display.

The meteorite landed a long, long, long time ago in Argentina and was discovered a long, long, long time ago. It now sits on a stand - with its own elevated platform - for the public to coo over. There was a lovely unveiling ceremony on Tuesday, but when I was there today, the swarms of children were more interested in the climbing tower than staring at a large rock (an unattractive one, too.)

I waited about 90 minutes before one child decided to take a breather from running around the room to stop at the exhibit. I sprinted over and had a lovely chat with Roy Marquez, who thoughtfully informed me that the rock was ugly and at least one side reminded him of a turtle.

A brief recap: Hillard has been the superintendent since 1999, survived a no-confidence vote in 2004, and apparently has a "strained" relationship with the teachers union, according to the union president.
Oh..and in the most recent school board election, three incumbents were shown the door. It probably comes as little surprise to people that Hillard's time in the district was coming to an end.

In the last 18 months of covering schools, I've covered at least four districts looking for a new superintendent. Unfortunately, the applicant pool is very small and as one search firm official told me last year, not everyone wants to go into the administrative side. Lots of politics and in some cases, not a lot of satisfaction. :(

Just in case the link doesn't work..the story is here.

I'm doing a follow-up on the story. I've posted below the press release sent out late Friday afternoon.

At a Special Meeting held on February 6, 2008, the Temple City Unified School District Board of Education took action not to extend the Superintendent’s contract beyond June 30, 2008. The Board recognized Dr. Joan Hillard’s steadfast leadership and dedicated years of service, serving as Superintendent since 1999.

The Board will immediately begin the Superintendent search process.

It would be an gross understatement to say the teachers are livid over the process. Most of the frustration though stems from not having all of the information they want: how the school will be configured, what the themes of the small learning academies will be. That will all be figured out...but not till after the teachers submit their materials.

I think this quote sums up the situation:
"I feel bamboozled. I feel cheated. I accepted this position for this year, but on my first day I was told I was being fired." - a first-year Muir teacher to Diaz.

I'm back to blogging again. I was pulled away from the schools beat to cover some gang violence in a neighboring city.

As I'm writing this, I'm only into hour 3 of my work day. It's election night and I'm writing a story on a few local measures - Measure D in Pasadena and Measure A in San Gabriel Unified.

UPDATE: It's 12:21 a.m. I'm a little tired but the 20 cups of coffee I've had so far are keeping me in good spirits.

With 75 percent of precincts reporting, Measure A has 70 percent of the vote. Translation: voters ponied up to paying the $48 per $100,000 of assessed home value. If the district does its job, then the school will get some technology upgrades they apparently need.

Measure D is winning...so far with 58 percent of the vote. My colleague Todd Ruiz, who covers the city of Pasadena for the paper, made a pit stop at the office about two hours ago to check on yours truly and see how the utility tax was doing.

He went home. I'm still here. Isn't life grand?

OK - no more rambling. Tomorrow (actually, later today) I'll have a few entries on the Muir Reinvention process. Highlights include some tart comments from Muir teachers to Edwin Diaz, PUSD superintendent, regarding the reapplication guidelines.

GOOD NIGHT!! POST SOME COMMENTS!

Here's the education tie-in: Sight for Students is a charity group that provides free vision exams and glasses to low-income, uninsured children. Most, if not all, of our area school districts are partners.

Staff quickly revised the resolution on Monday with more general and non-education code violating "NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Pasadena Unified Board of Education supports the passage of Measure D to continue the funding of these vital programs that help families and children, which will allow Pasadena to maintain existing services, including those that directly affect our schools, with no new taxes."

My story should have run in today's paper, but it didn't. I have no idea why.

Here's a version that my editor just re-worked so my long hours tracking down the superintendent, school board members along with a election-law expert weren't for nothing! Thanks Hector!

_____________________

By Caroline An
Staff Writer
PASADENA — Prompted by questions over whether it violated state law, a resolution putting the Pasadena Unified School District on record in support of a city utility tax measure has been re-worded.
The reworked resolution, which the district’s school board was expected to adopt at its Tuesday night meeting, eliminated wording saying that the district “urges voters” to support Measure D.
It now states that the “Pasadena Unified Board of Education supports the passage of Measure D to continue the funding of these vital programs that help families and children, which will allow Pasadena to maintain existing services, including those that directly affect our schools, with no new taxes.”
Under Section 7954 of the state Education Code, public school districts are forbidden from using funds to urge the support or defeat of any ballot measure or candidate.
Long-time district critic Rene Amy lodged a formal complaint against the original resolution with the Public Integrity Division of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. He asked the office to look into whether the resolution violated any part of the code.
“You are not allowed to urge people,” Amy said. “What did somebody do, read the law and figure out how to break it?”
Superintendent Edwin Diaz said board member Ed Honowitz developed the original resolution.
Board President Esteban Lizardo said, after reviewing the resolution and state guidelines, he ordered staffers to revise the wording. Diaz said the district’s legal counsel then reviewed the revisions to ensure that “it is safe and in no violation of the education code.”
“Any language in which we urge people to go out and vote is not allowed in resolutions,” Lizardo said.
School boards can support a measure, but it is different from saying “please go out and vote for it,” Lizardo added.
Bob Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies, a watch-dog group, said the district might have received bad advice when drafting the original resolution.
“I would have advised them not to take a formal position on this. It looks like the government is telling you what do,” he said.
caroline.an@sgvn.com
(626) 578-6300, Ext. 4494
www.insidesocal.com/hallwaymonitor

My story on the PUSD chief of staff hiring did not make it into the paper today. That sucks.

However, for you lucky blog readers, it's posted below! Take a minute to read it!

By Caroline An

Staff Writer

PASADENA — Pasadena Unified School District’s newly created chief of staff position was filled Wednesday, three months after the superintendent requested the post.

Stephen Brinkman, 59, who was a colleague of PUSD Superintendent Edwin Diaz when Diaz worked for the Gilroy Unified School District, will serve in the new job, beginning Feb. 4.

Brinkman’s appointment comes as the PUSD attempts to implement an array of recommendations from two 2007 audits and those contained in Diaz’s “Approach to Excellence” blueprint, his list of district priorities.

Brinkman, 59, is currently assistant superintendent of administrative services for the Gilroy district, overseeing its operations, accounting and finance divisions.

At Gilroy, he helped the district eliminate a $4.5 million budget deficit and oversaw a $200 million campus improvements plan.

Prior to coming to Gilroy Unified, he was chief financial officer, secretary and executive vice president for the Monterey Pasta Co. for six year.

The chief of staff job is a temporary position that comes with a $150,000 salary, which is being funded by the Helen and Will Webster Foundation, an Altadena-based foundation.

The PUSD board approved the position in September.
It was the second time Brinkman interviewed for a job at PUSD. Last year, he was considered for the job of interim assistant superintendent for business services.

Regarding his new role, which will be similar to an internal auditor, Brinkman acknowledged that in the upcoming months the district will be undergoing a major overhaul.

“It is a big challenge,” he said. “When you’re excited and anxious, it stimulates you to be creative and gets things done.”

Diaz said he is thrilled to have Brinkman part of his staff. His strengths, Diaz noted, are his hard-working nature and his high level of integrity.
“I expect he would move quickly and aggressively,” in making changes, Diaz said.
Esteban Lizardo, PUSD board president, said he was pleased that the job was filled by someone with a background in education and operations.

Along with making structural changes in staffing and school facilities, officials hope to make the district more responsive to parents and students, Lizardo said.

Brinkman said his first priority will be getting to know the staff and discussing where they feel improvements need to be made.
“We need to develop a positive culture within the district,” he said. “Anytime you have a transition, you need to develop a brand new team.”
[TAG1]caroline.an@sgvn.com
(626) 578-6300, Ext. 4494
www.insidesocal.com/hallwaymonitor

]]> http://www.insidesocal.com/hallwaymonitor/2008/01/if_you_couldnt_find_itheres_th.html http://www.insidesocal.com/hallwaymonitor/2008/01/if_you_couldnt_find_itheres_th.html Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:00:15 -0800 Edwin Diaz gets his wing-man...three months after the PUSD board approved the position.
Stephen Brinkman received the nod Wednesday - along with a $150,000 salary - and will start his year-long stint as the district's internal auditor on Feb. 4.

It's a tough job though - he acknowledged this in a phone interview with me today. His priorities include implementing changes from personnel to facilities based on three audits; two from Gibson Consulting and the third from Diaz himself.

Brinkman's background includes stints as a chief financial officer for the Monterey Pasta Company and his current position as Gilroy Unified's assistant superintendent. Edwin went with who he knew best - the same man who used to report to him when he was Gilroy superintendent.

Check for the story tomorrow.

]]> http://www.insidesocal.com/hallwaymonitor/2008/01/pusd.html http://www.insidesocal.com/hallwaymonitor/2008/01/pusd.html Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:58:03 -0800 I don't get the two weeks that students get off for break, but I'm not at work today (I know - I'm blogging so I guess I'm still in work mode). However, writing this entry from my parents house where the laundry is free and the food is good, is more fun.

This lovely work-free day came courtesy of Todd Ruiz, who decided to schedule a lot of activities last Saturday and didn't realize he had to work the weekly Saturday shift. It was not the most fun Saturday shift (writing a follow-up on stabbing doesn't translate to an easy, breezy 8-hour day).

Covering the Rose Parade yesterday was a lot of fun - especially sitting in seats on Orange Grove Blvd. Since I grew up in the area, joining the masses to see the parade is a yearly tradition. However, my friends and I usually get to the spot a tad late and I'm short so I usually get elbowed/knocked over by some tall meanie.

I hope everyone had a lovely New Year's and don't forget, school's back in session Jan. 7.

]]> http://www.insidesocal.com/hallwaymonitor/2008/01/a_day_off.html http://www.insidesocal.com/hallwaymonitor/2008/01/a_day_off.html Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:50:30 -0800 The PUSD board approval of the consultant contract a few weeks ago continues to aggravate the same people who tried to dissuade their colleagues from voting "yay" on an issue they gave two thumbs down on.

Some members of the school board are not happy about the result or with the actions of their colleagues.

Pasadena Unified board members not all content
Hiring of consultant stirs up old concerns
By Caroline An, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 12/29/2007 10:40:21 PM PST

PASADENA - The new school board and district leadership promised improved openness and accessibility. At least two board members complain it's business as usual at the school district.

The divisiveness that marked the five-year tenure of former Superintendent Percy Clark may be back after a consultant was hired Dec. 18 at the urging of new Superintendent Edwin Diaz and over the objections of two board members.

Percy Clark, PUSD's former superintendent who was given a polite boot out the door last year, is still around. For board member Renatta Cooper, that's not good news. In the story, Cooper said that the district can't move forward if people associated with Clark and his senior administration are in decision-making positions.

From the emails I have received, the general feeling is that the issue comes down to the old boys, or in this case, old girls network and just how much power the PEF'ers have over the board. In an earlier story on the board approval of the contract, Edwin Diaz said that all consultant contracts - including Kristin M's - would be re-evaluated.

Additionally, Diaz acknowledged that based on strong sentiments - translation: irritation - expressed by certain board members at the Dec. 18 meeting, Maschka's work would be evaluated frequently and presented to the board.

]]> http://www.insidesocal.com/hallwaymonitor/2007/12/its_not_all_warm_and_fuzzy.html http://www.insidesocal.com/hallwaymonitor/2007/12/its_not_all_warm_and_fuzzy.html Mon, 31 Dec 2007 10:45:17 -0800 With winter break comes a lot of free time and for most students that means catching up on shut-eye or shopping. It was a little upsetting to hear about the shooting that took place in Old Pasadena Wednesday. I happened to be in the area (returning gifts and buying myself some new ones...I'm so awful!).

City officials and Old Pasadena merchants say that it is an isolated incident and the area is still very safe. However, I'm sure that little comfort to families with school-age children and teens.

As the New Year approaches, here's a little sprinkling of advice: look your best, keep your wallet on you at all times and don't talk to strangers. :)

]]> http://www.insidesocal.com/hallwaymonitor/2007/12/a_little_shooting_with_your_sh.html http://www.insidesocal.com/hallwaymonitor/2007/12/a_little_shooting_with_your_sh.html Thu, 27 Dec 2007 18:22:42 -0800