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Archive for March, 2010

Whatever It Takes Documentary Review….

March 31, 2010 By: richard.ginn Category: Uncategorized

I was watching PBS last night and this enjoyable documentary popped up. The documentary is on the Bronx Center for Science and Mathematics which has a small population of 108. It focused on the new principal at the school Edward Tom and one student named Sharifea Baskerville. Another student gets briefly looked at in the documentary. He winds up dropping out of school and gets picked up on some drug charges. The school has students wearing uniforms.

Throughout the documentary we look at one school year, the 2005-2006 school year, and the problems and triumphs Edwards has. The school is not your typical school. 80 is passing and anything less puts you into tutoring. We find that Edwards used to work at Saks Fifth Avenue before working in the school system. At then end I liked Edward and his way of doing things and I felt he got the job done as the leader of the school.

When it came to Sharifea Baskerville she was a bigger problem. He mom has drug problems so Sharifea has to wind up helping take care of the rest of the kids in the family. Sharifea wants to become a pedestrian. Edwards finds a summer enrichment program at Dartmouth she could attend. She gets in, but we later find out that she has been not doing her homework big time which threatens her chance to get into the program.

The best part of the documentary for me was when they got into the cartoon like segments. One for Edward and one for Sharifea. I felt it really got us closer to knowing and understanding the two main people in the documentary.

At the end of school year we find out that 27 students in the school got over 75 on the math regents with 9 students getting over 95. When Shariefa finally got to take the math regents she passed easily.

We also saw students in the Dartmouth program in an engineering class talk about a final project they had to do.

Again if another airing of the documentary comes on again watch it, it was a joy to see.

Jamie Escalante Has Passed Away…..

March 31, 2010 By: richard.ginn Category: Uncategorized

He was the former teacher at Garfield High and the person portrayed in the movie “Stand and Deliver.” If you have not seen the movie “Stand and Deliver” it is one must see picture with amazing performances by the whole cast.

The LA times has an amazing piece out on this famous teacher.

The AP is also out with a long piece and the Washington Post as well.

The Detroit News Reports….

March 31, 2010 By: richard.ginn Category: Uncategorized

on schools all across the Detroit area that can now have ads up in order to bring in some extra money.

They also have an article up on a judge that says the local school district can keep 259 million bucks in property taxes.

They also report on Robert Bobb who says that he would meet regularly with the school board as long as they drop the lawsuit against him.

The Christian Science Monitor And Herald Leader Both….

March 31, 2010 By: richard.ginn Category: Uncategorized

have reports out looking at federal stimulus money.

The Christian Science Monitor looks at weather other states can win some federal stimulus money.

The Herald Leader reports on passage of pending bills that would help them in the fight to get money.

The Union-Tribune Reports…

March 31, 2010 By: richard.ginn Category: Uncategorized

on San Diego schools that will not cut back on “minimum days” to make up for the lost instruction time that will come with five furlough days during each of the next two years.

The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News….

March 31, 2010 By: richard.ginn Category: Uncategorized

both report on 14 schools in the local school district that are going to be getting major changes.

The Daily News link, Philadelphia Inquirer Link.