Why do all good things come to an end?
“All Good Things (Come to an End)”-Nelly Furtado
Greetings folks! I just bought my flight home and it just hit me; my summer is almost over. Gone will be the leisurely days, getting up when I want, and the travelling (not the travelling but you get the point). When I get back home, it’ll be back to the daily grind, 5 a.m. workouts, wedding planning, long days and even longer nights as I lay in bed alone.
I am very grateful for the opportunity to spend most of the summer with my fiancé. We’ve taken this time to get to know each other even more, enjoy each other’s company and confirm what we already know; we’re made for each other. It hasn’t all been peaches and cream. Going from living alone to living with your significant other, even in a great relationship, provides some interesting challenges. Challenges such as, how to divide up the household chores, who pays for what, what side of the bed will each person sleep on and the who controls the remote? Thankfully these are all challenges we took on and took down. I’m sad to see the summer melt away but I’ve even more sad to have to get on a plane in a couple of weeks knowing while she may be coming to Miami with me, that she won’t be staying…at least not this time.
All in all I have no complaints about this summer. It would have been easy to take issue with the fact that I’ve been unemployed for the past few months. However, this “free time” has allowed me a few luxuries that being unemployed doesn’t allow me to enjoy. It has allowed me to get some much needed rest. If you’re a workaholic like me, the only time you stop working is when you’re sleep. This time off has really allowed me to see just how tired I was. The first two weeks of my vacation I slept 10 hours a day; abnormal for a guy who’s accustomed to 5 hours or less. Hell getting 6/7 hours of sleep in a night means I’m well rested. It also made me realize that there is no way I could have kept working at the pace I was without a vacation or experiencing a stroke. Thank God for the former as opposed to the latter.
I’ve had time to sit back, relax and travel. This summer I’ve been blessed to go to D.C. (of course), Detroit, Myrtle Beach and Chicago. While I don’t stop travelling during the school year, my travel is focused around quality time with the wifey and in the fall football. So being able to go to these places and not having to bring my laptop to do any work was an interesting change that after a while I thoroughly enjoyed.
The time off has also allowed me to get quite a bit of work done. You didn’t think I took the entire summer off did you? L.O.L. I’m way too much of a workaholic for that. I’ve been working generally the same number of hours, just a reduced number of days and have augmented the times. Instead of waking up at 4:30 for my 5 a.m workout so I can then be at work by 7 I’ve been getting up at 7:30 or 8, working out at 9 so I’m back at my desk by 10. I still don’t call it quits until sometime around 6, but since I’m on vacation that fluctuates. It’s much easier to get work done when the phone isn’t ringing off the hook, my email isn’t full, and everyone isn’t asking for something and wanting it done IMMEDIATELY. I thrive under pressure. The difficulty and enormity of a task doesn’t make me shy, it makes me eager. But I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I have been enjoying the relative quiet and peacefulness work space I’ve had as of late.
While I will miss the summer vacation, and the lazy days and carefree spirit that comes with it, it’s time I get back on my grind, back to work and back to receiving a real paycheck. I’m going to miss you baby like crazy, but as the number of days we spend apart grows the number of days that we’ll have to endure this separation shrinks.
Thanks to everyone for reading. Until next time; Stay Up and Be Blessed!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
S.O.S.
Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom
-George Washington Carver
Greetings family! I know it’s been a while (but then again what’s new). After a much needed vacation I’m back. I took some time to see my second family in Chicago (shouts out to everyone in the Chi for the wonderful hospitality) and I took a quick jaunt down to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to clear my mind for the boat load of work waiting for me. Now that I’m back, it’s time to get to work.
I’m writing to you with a little bit of anger and frustration over the news that Florida may be closing two historically black and minority schools: Miami Central Senior High and Miami Edison Senior High. Miami Central is located in West Little River, a predominantly African-American community. Last year they were crowned 6A State Champions in Football. The school boasts notable alumni such as football players, Willis McGahee, Najeh Davenport, Ali Highsmith and Darnell Jenkins; and 2008 Olympic Bronze medalist Bershawn Jackson. Miami Edison is located in Little Haiti and boasts alumni such as NFL star William Joseph, former NFL start Nat Moore, and former University of Connecticut football player Jasper Howard, who was tragically stabbed to death in 2009. However, these schools are more than just a hub for athletic prowess. Their most notable achievements aren’t the Division I athlete prospects, or the NFL 1st round draft picks, but the progress they made in raising their school grade the past 3 years.
In 2008, both Miami Central and Miami Edison were threatened with school closures. They were two of the worst performing schools in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. At the time, Miami Central had the dubious honor of being the worst performing high school in the entire state having had 5 straight F’s. Former Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent, Rudy Crew wanted to close down the schools but due to fierce opposition from the community, he opted not to. Shortly thereafter, Rudy Crew left, and Alberto Cavarlho took the helm. Upon assuming control of the fourth largest school district in the nation, one of Cavarlho’s priorities was to save Miami Central and Miami Edison and truly adhere to the mantra of “No Child Left Behind.”
Miami Edison lies in the heart of Little Haiti and has many challenges to academic progress, chief among them are language barriers of the predominantly Haitian immigrant community and poverty. These obstacles severely limited Edison’s progress. To combat these impediments, the school underwent a facelift both inside and out. New programs were added to spark interest and encourage the student body to perform higher. The school received a new paint job and some upgrades. Additionally, a new principal and teachers were brought in to lead the turnaround. Their hard work was met with results when the school was awarded a grade of “C” in 2010.
At Miami Central, the state of Florida’s principal of the year, Doug Rodriguez, was brought in along with some of the best teachers. Rodriguez instituted a no non-sense discipline policy and enlisted the help of the community which responded by volunteering and mentoring students at the school. The result was the school raising its grade from an “F” to a “C” in 2 years, which even prompted a visit from President Barack Obama, this past school year.
The turnaround at both schools was nothing short of miraculous and despite the progress that has been made the state is still seeking to shut the schools down. Despite the fact that both schools have raised their school grade out of the doldrums to a respectable “C” state officials are saying that’s not enough. An article in the Miami Herald, states that “while school grades for high schools have not yet been released, the state says both Central and Edison are within the ‘F range’ based on their performances on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests.” Under the No Child Left Behind Act and the Florida Department of Education Policy, another failing grade, despite the progress, could subject the schools to closure.
The answer to failing schools isn’t school closure. The answer to failing schools isn’t charter schools. The answer to failing schools is stronger parental involvement, higher per pupil spending, higher teacher salaries to attract the best minds to teach our kids and adults, leaders and stakeholders who care. I will be the first to admit that the charter school model works. Charter schools work because they have lower overall enrollment numbers, lower teacher to student ratios, tend to have better facilities, and selective admission.
Before we delve any deeper, I think it’s best that I explain what a charter school is.Charter schools are schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools. Their accountability lies in producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter. Charter schools are part of the public education system and are not allowed to charge tuition. They have increased in popularity since their creation in 1988, largely due in part to their overwhelming success rate, relative to each school’s charter. A result of their ever-increasing popularity is that they have more applicants than they have seats. When this happens admission is frequently allocated by lottery-based admissions. In a 2008 survey of charter schools, 59% of the schools reported that they had a waiting list, averaging 198 students. (For more insight on charter schools and this lottery process see the documentary film “Waiting for Superman”).
What would happen if the state decided to shut down Miami Edison? Good question. Miami Edison has a student enrollment of almost 1,000 students. Let’s assume for this hypothetical that the state chooses to allow a charter school to utilize the building after Edison is closed. You say, “Great! Now the kids of Edison Senior high won’t have to go far to find another school.” Well, herein lies the problem. The average charter school has less than 400 students, which would displace at the very least, 600 students in this hypothetical. Additionally, charter schools have an application process and the ability to accept or deny whoever they want. Meaning of the 400 “space eligible” students remaining, it’s likely less than half of them would make the grade sufficient enough to be eligible for acceptance into the new charter school. Of those who qualify, if the number of students seeking to attend this new charter school is greater than the desired enrollment number (statistics state that this is very likely) there’s a lottery, which further dilutes eligible students chances of attending that school.
If this new charter school is a special area school which focuses on a particular subject area like Math and Science, or Criminal Justice, the number of potential students decreases even more. What we’re left with is a school in Little Haiti that doesn’t serve all or even most of the high school students in that area, and upwards of 800 students who need to find new homes to finish their high school careers.
Under NCLB, the State of Florida allows parents of students in low performing schools such as Miami Edison and Miami Central to move their students to another school. However, a parent’s ability to move their child to another school is limited and restricted by space requirements as well. The next closest school is not likely to be able to accommodate all of the students displaced by a school closure, and neither is the 2nd next closest, or the third. In all probability, the 3 closest schools are at or over capacity. Additionally, the next closest school may not be all that “close.” This creates the problem of transporting these displaced students to their new school. This is a problem for an urban school district such as Miami-Dade County Public Schools, where public transportation isn’t as efficient as it is in other major cities like New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. To further complicate matters, there were drastic cuts made to education by the Florida legislature this past legislative session, reducing per pupil spending. These cuts are forcing school districts all over the state to make tough choices on where to spend their limited dollars.
I admire Superintendent’s Cavarhlo’s zeal and declaration to “save” Miami Central and Miami Edison, and I will support this fight the best way I can. However, in my humble opinion, I think he’s fighting a losing battle. The state’s position is that despite the progress these schools have made, it isn’t enough, which allows the state to close them down. It isn’t a done deal yet and there will be a hearing in Tampa next week, but I’d put my money on the state taking over those schools and closing them down. However, this is one bet I’d like to lose.
I didn’t attend Miami Central or Miami Edison but that doesn’t mean this doesn’t affect me or anyone else who’s an alumni of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Today it’s Central and Edison, tomorrow it could be Miami Carol City and Miami Northwestern. If it can happen to them, it can happen to your school too.
We must speak up, speak loudly and then have our actions match our words. We pack out stadiums all over Miami-Dade County during football season to support our high schools but our students and schools need us to pack out the halls and mentoring programs as well. The support we give them on Thursday and Friday nights pales in comparison to the help they need to make the grades which will allow them to compete both on and off the field.
Special recognition to the Miami Herald on shining a light on this topic. Feel free to click on the link below to read the article I referenced above. Also, special recognition to Luther Campbell (@unclelukereal1) who brought this to my attention and lead me to do my own homework and speak out on the matter. You can read his work on this and other topics in the Miami New Times in a column entitled “Luke’s Gospel.” Until next time, Stay Up and Be Blessed!
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/07/12/2311653/carvalho-vows-to-keep-miami-edison.html#ixzz1S1AHhdyp
-George Washington Carver
Greetings family! I know it’s been a while (but then again what’s new). After a much needed vacation I’m back. I took some time to see my second family in Chicago (shouts out to everyone in the Chi for the wonderful hospitality) and I took a quick jaunt down to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to clear my mind for the boat load of work waiting for me. Now that I’m back, it’s time to get to work.
I’m writing to you with a little bit of anger and frustration over the news that Florida may be closing two historically black and minority schools: Miami Central Senior High and Miami Edison Senior High. Miami Central is located in West Little River, a predominantly African-American community. Last year they were crowned 6A State Champions in Football. The school boasts notable alumni such as football players, Willis McGahee, Najeh Davenport, Ali Highsmith and Darnell Jenkins; and 2008 Olympic Bronze medalist Bershawn Jackson. Miami Edison is located in Little Haiti and boasts alumni such as NFL star William Joseph, former NFL start Nat Moore, and former University of Connecticut football player Jasper Howard, who was tragically stabbed to death in 2009. However, these schools are more than just a hub for athletic prowess. Their most notable achievements aren’t the Division I athlete prospects, or the NFL 1st round draft picks, but the progress they made in raising their school grade the past 3 years.
In 2008, both Miami Central and Miami Edison were threatened with school closures. They were two of the worst performing schools in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. At the time, Miami Central had the dubious honor of being the worst performing high school in the entire state having had 5 straight F’s. Former Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent, Rudy Crew wanted to close down the schools but due to fierce opposition from the community, he opted not to. Shortly thereafter, Rudy Crew left, and Alberto Cavarlho took the helm. Upon assuming control of the fourth largest school district in the nation, one of Cavarlho’s priorities was to save Miami Central and Miami Edison and truly adhere to the mantra of “No Child Left Behind.”
Miami Edison lies in the heart of Little Haiti and has many challenges to academic progress, chief among them are language barriers of the predominantly Haitian immigrant community and poverty. These obstacles severely limited Edison’s progress. To combat these impediments, the school underwent a facelift both inside and out. New programs were added to spark interest and encourage the student body to perform higher. The school received a new paint job and some upgrades. Additionally, a new principal and teachers were brought in to lead the turnaround. Their hard work was met with results when the school was awarded a grade of “C” in 2010.
At Miami Central, the state of Florida’s principal of the year, Doug Rodriguez, was brought in along with some of the best teachers. Rodriguez instituted a no non-sense discipline policy and enlisted the help of the community which responded by volunteering and mentoring students at the school. The result was the school raising its grade from an “F” to a “C” in 2 years, which even prompted a visit from President Barack Obama, this past school year.
The turnaround at both schools was nothing short of miraculous and despite the progress that has been made the state is still seeking to shut the schools down. Despite the fact that both schools have raised their school grade out of the doldrums to a respectable “C” state officials are saying that’s not enough. An article in the Miami Herald, states that “while school grades for high schools have not yet been released, the state says both Central and Edison are within the ‘F range’ based on their performances on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests.” Under the No Child Left Behind Act and the Florida Department of Education Policy, another failing grade, despite the progress, could subject the schools to closure.
The answer to failing schools isn’t school closure. The answer to failing schools isn’t charter schools. The answer to failing schools is stronger parental involvement, higher per pupil spending, higher teacher salaries to attract the best minds to teach our kids and adults, leaders and stakeholders who care. I will be the first to admit that the charter school model works. Charter schools work because they have lower overall enrollment numbers, lower teacher to student ratios, tend to have better facilities, and selective admission.
Before we delve any deeper, I think it’s best that I explain what a charter school is.Charter schools are schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools. Their accountability lies in producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter. Charter schools are part of the public education system and are not allowed to charge tuition. They have increased in popularity since their creation in 1988, largely due in part to their overwhelming success rate, relative to each school’s charter. A result of their ever-increasing popularity is that they have more applicants than they have seats. When this happens admission is frequently allocated by lottery-based admissions. In a 2008 survey of charter schools, 59% of the schools reported that they had a waiting list, averaging 198 students. (For more insight on charter schools and this lottery process see the documentary film “Waiting for Superman”).
What would happen if the state decided to shut down Miami Edison? Good question. Miami Edison has a student enrollment of almost 1,000 students. Let’s assume for this hypothetical that the state chooses to allow a charter school to utilize the building after Edison is closed. You say, “Great! Now the kids of Edison Senior high won’t have to go far to find another school.” Well, herein lies the problem. The average charter school has less than 400 students, which would displace at the very least, 600 students in this hypothetical. Additionally, charter schools have an application process and the ability to accept or deny whoever they want. Meaning of the 400 “space eligible” students remaining, it’s likely less than half of them would make the grade sufficient enough to be eligible for acceptance into the new charter school. Of those who qualify, if the number of students seeking to attend this new charter school is greater than the desired enrollment number (statistics state that this is very likely) there’s a lottery, which further dilutes eligible students chances of attending that school.
If this new charter school is a special area school which focuses on a particular subject area like Math and Science, or Criminal Justice, the number of potential students decreases even more. What we’re left with is a school in Little Haiti that doesn’t serve all or even most of the high school students in that area, and upwards of 800 students who need to find new homes to finish their high school careers.
Under NCLB, the State of Florida allows parents of students in low performing schools such as Miami Edison and Miami Central to move their students to another school. However, a parent’s ability to move their child to another school is limited and restricted by space requirements as well. The next closest school is not likely to be able to accommodate all of the students displaced by a school closure, and neither is the 2nd next closest, or the third. In all probability, the 3 closest schools are at or over capacity. Additionally, the next closest school may not be all that “close.” This creates the problem of transporting these displaced students to their new school. This is a problem for an urban school district such as Miami-Dade County Public Schools, where public transportation isn’t as efficient as it is in other major cities like New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. To further complicate matters, there were drastic cuts made to education by the Florida legislature this past legislative session, reducing per pupil spending. These cuts are forcing school districts all over the state to make tough choices on where to spend their limited dollars.
I admire Superintendent’s Cavarhlo’s zeal and declaration to “save” Miami Central and Miami Edison, and I will support this fight the best way I can. However, in my humble opinion, I think he’s fighting a losing battle. The state’s position is that despite the progress these schools have made, it isn’t enough, which allows the state to close them down. It isn’t a done deal yet and there will be a hearing in Tampa next week, but I’d put my money on the state taking over those schools and closing them down. However, this is one bet I’d like to lose.
I didn’t attend Miami Central or Miami Edison but that doesn’t mean this doesn’t affect me or anyone else who’s an alumni of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Today it’s Central and Edison, tomorrow it could be Miami Carol City and Miami Northwestern. If it can happen to them, it can happen to your school too.
We must speak up, speak loudly and then have our actions match our words. We pack out stadiums all over Miami-Dade County during football season to support our high schools but our students and schools need us to pack out the halls and mentoring programs as well. The support we give them on Thursday and Friday nights pales in comparison to the help they need to make the grades which will allow them to compete both on and off the field.
Special recognition to the Miami Herald on shining a light on this topic. Feel free to click on the link below to read the article I referenced above. Also, special recognition to Luther Campbell (@unclelukereal1) who brought this to my attention and lead me to do my own homework and speak out on the matter. You can read his work on this and other topics in the Miami New Times in a column entitled “Luke’s Gospel.” Until next time, Stay Up and Be Blessed!
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/07/12/2311653/carvalho-vows-to-keep-miami-edison.html#ixzz1S1AHhdyp
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