There's some terrific news on two fronts!
First, Hinsdale Central's Students Assisting Students Club conducted a 'Caroling for Coats and Cans' over the holiday break. The result...the students collected 98 articles of clothing (mostly coats) and 131 canned goods. We'll help the students put these in the hands of those most in need.
I also want to alert you to a wonderful event taking place this weekend. The Darien based Kids4Good is hosting the 'ArtWorks4Good' (part of thie long standing commitment to Haiti in their Hope4Haiti initiative) viewing of scenes of Haiti and IMN School in Haiti. This organization was providing aid to the school well before the 2010 earthquake and its efforts continue to this day. On the cusp of the third anniversary of the quake a visual arts exhibit will be open to the public at the Haitian American Museum of Chicago. The museum is located at 740 East 56th Place, Chicago, IL. The opening of the exhibit is this Saturday, Janurary 12th from 4:00 to 8:00 pm. I think you'll find the exhibit to be inspiring and a reminder of the good done by so many in the face of trying circumstances and conditions.
The above are two wonderful examples of people stepping forward to make a concrete difference in the lives of others!!
Thank you,
Dick
Monday, January 7, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
More from Staten Island
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Much Remains to be Done
It is hard for me to fathom that the destruction rendered on many towns, cities and other eastern communities by Hurricane Sandy is still very much in evidence. It is even more difficult to comprehend, two months after the storm, why the U.S. House of Representatives has just passed but a paltry $9.7 billion to cover flood insurance claims. Most experts say that the real aid need is in the neighborhood of $60 to $80 billion.
I have been involved in many scenarios where there have been earthquakes and horrible hurricanes. I get the fact that there are 'channels' to go through to distribute aid but to see that our Congress has learned few lessons from these recent ravaging storms is pathetic.
As people are trying to get back on their feet, for Congress to wait this long to provide the assistance is simply criminal. Here's the real kicker, the House doesn't come back to session until January 14th. Are you kidding me!!! If a Congressional leader had a home or business on the Jersey shore or lived in the devastated section of Queens, I'll lay you odds there would have been more action by now.
And to think that 67 House members voted against the $9.7 billion in aid. That is very sad.
Dick
I have been involved in many scenarios where there have been earthquakes and horrible hurricanes. I get the fact that there are 'channels' to go through to distribute aid but to see that our Congress has learned few lessons from these recent ravaging storms is pathetic.
As people are trying to get back on their feet, for Congress to wait this long to provide the assistance is simply criminal. Here's the real kicker, the House doesn't come back to session until January 14th. Are you kidding me!!! If a Congressional leader had a home or business on the Jersey shore or lived in the devastated section of Queens, I'll lay you odds there would have been more action by now.
And to think that 67 House members voted against the $9.7 billion in aid. That is very sad.
Dick
Friday, January 4, 2013
Report from Staten Island
Many areas of Staten Island, weeks after Hurricane Sandy, are scathed with homes swept from their foundation or are in such a state of disrepair that it appears as though the fury of the storm occurred yesterday. The eastern beachfront areas of Staten Island around Midland Beach took a huge hit.
A fair number of children who attend Staten Island schools lived along the hardest hit areas of the coastline. These are students we are working to assist with our delivery of school supplies and winter coats.
The many thousands of binders, pencils, coats, spirals, paper, pens and folders will be distributed to those children and families, affected by the storm, who are currently living in shelters. In fact, as I write this blog Marie Castelucci and Zulma Cruz, along with others in the district office, are getting supplies to those with the most urgent needs. Once these students have been helped we'll see to it that those who lost many of their belongings will get some assistance.
Speaking of assistance, thanks to an extraordinary donation from ADM, we were able to provide the schools with nearly four tons of supplies. No doubt, hundreds and thousands of children will get the help they so richly deserve.
Channel 1 in NYC covered the trip and I have included a link with an article and video that you might enjoy.
http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/174918/chicago-based-charity-donates-goods-to-sandy-impacted-si-schools
Dick
A fair number of children who attend Staten Island schools lived along the hardest hit areas of the coastline. These are students we are working to assist with our delivery of school supplies and winter coats.
The many thousands of binders, pencils, coats, spirals, paper, pens and folders will be distributed to those children and families, affected by the storm, who are currently living in shelters. In fact, as I write this blog Marie Castelucci and Zulma Cruz, along with others in the district office, are getting supplies to those with the most urgent needs. Once these students have been helped we'll see to it that those who lost many of their belongings will get some assistance.
Speaking of assistance, thanks to an extraordinary donation from ADM, we were able to provide the schools with nearly four tons of supplies. No doubt, hundreds and thousands of children will get the help they so richly deserve.
Channel 1 in NYC covered the trip and I have included a link with an article and video that you might enjoy.
http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/174918/chicago-based-charity-donates-goods-to-sandy-impacted-si-schools
Dick
Monday, December 31, 2012
Here We Go Again!
The December 31st issue of the New York Times carried an extensive article on, guess what, another inner city school district closing a huge number of schools. This time it's Philadelphia's turn for the neighborhood schools, in the poorer sections of the city, to get hammered with the closings.
There is a plan in the works to close 37 of Philly's 237 schools. Yes, the district has financial difficulties and yes a good number of schools are underutilized. That being said, here's is a question for you to ponder.
How would you like it if your son and/or daughter, in a poor section of the city, was faced with this situation. Not someone else...YOU!
Let's say the school your child attends is making progress and that your children enjoy that school. Let's also suppose that you and your children are faced with traveling great distances to another school in another part of the city. It just may be that the new school and the classrooms, with the downsizing, are a bit overpopulated. How are you feeling about that?
This is but another example of the poorest areas of urban landscapes being the first to feel the axe of more cuts. By the way, speaking of cutting, perhaps these 37 schools wouldn't have closed if the state hadn't cut $419 million in educational financing this year.
Like I said, here we go again!
Dick
There is a plan in the works to close 37 of Philly's 237 schools. Yes, the district has financial difficulties and yes a good number of schools are underutilized. That being said, here's is a question for you to ponder.
How would you like it if your son and/or daughter, in a poor section of the city, was faced with this situation. Not someone else...YOU!
Let's say the school your child attends is making progress and that your children enjoy that school. Let's also suppose that you and your children are faced with traveling great distances to another school in another part of the city. It just may be that the new school and the classrooms, with the downsizing, are a bit overpopulated. How are you feeling about that?
This is but another example of the poorest areas of urban landscapes being the first to feel the axe of more cuts. By the way, speaking of cutting, perhaps these 37 schools wouldn't have closed if the state hadn't cut $419 million in educational financing this year.
Like I said, here we go again!
Dick
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Somthing to Think About
Just got my copy of the book, 'Defending Public Education from Corporate Takeover.' I'm thrilled for a number of reasons. First of all, I believe that the globalization of our economy along with the growth of large corporations (with their huge cache of money) does signal a movement towards the privatization of public education. I'm sad to say it but this book has much evidence of this situation.
You don't think this can happen? We've already privatized some schools. Look around you. Roads, skyways and more have already been privatized. There has even been talk of privatizing Social Security.
Second, my good friend, and former colleague, John Duffy, is one of the authors of the book. He is a thoughtful educator and a far sighted intellectual. His voice needs to be heard in the halls of schools, state legislatures, school boards and within the walls of school buildings.
The alleged crisis, concerning the 'failure of schools and teachers' voiced by various business associations, some citizens, and other critics is one of the underlying factors signaling a movement to privatize public education. This book has plenty to say regarding the misguided nature of such a takeover.
I'm eager to get into the meat of the book. Suffice it to say, you should realize that there is a serious effort underway to undermine public education, unions and the good work that has taken place in this country by men and women who have made American Public Education to be a shinning centerpiece that has much to do with aiding students to be all they can be.
If the American Dream does exist, our history of public education has play a dynamic role in the journey!
Dick
You don't think this can happen? We've already privatized some schools. Look around you. Roads, skyways and more have already been privatized. There has even been talk of privatizing Social Security.
Second, my good friend, and former colleague, John Duffy, is one of the authors of the book. He is a thoughtful educator and a far sighted intellectual. His voice needs to be heard in the halls of schools, state legislatures, school boards and within the walls of school buildings.
The alleged crisis, concerning the 'failure of schools and teachers' voiced by various business associations, some citizens, and other critics is one of the underlying factors signaling a movement to privatize public education. This book has plenty to say regarding the misguided nature of such a takeover.
I'm eager to get into the meat of the book. Suffice it to say, you should realize that there is a serious effort underway to undermine public education, unions and the good work that has taken place in this country by men and women who have made American Public Education to be a shinning centerpiece that has much to do with aiding students to be all they can be.
If the American Dream does exist, our history of public education has play a dynamic role in the journey!
Dick
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Ask Yourself, I Am
In thinking generally about schools and those our charity works with a few questions popped into my mind with regard to safety, violence and the possible appearance of guns in schools.
Do you want your 7 yr. old son or daughter to see guns?
Do you want your third grader going to school knowing that a teacher or principal has a loaded weapon?
What do you think the chances are, if teachers or other school personnel have guns in schools, that some
might well want to search them out?
Is there a remote chance that if guns were to appear in schools that they may get in the wrong hands either
intentionally or not?
Is this really what we want our schools to become?
Is putting guns in schools really the best way to teach children patience, tolerance and how to deal with
issues and problems?
Do you suppose some student(s) feel they have a right to bring a gun to school if they know that school
personnel are permitted to do so?
I know my answers to each of these questions and would encourage you and others to ponder the impact of such decisions on the process of teaching and learning.
Thanks,
Dick
Do you want your 7 yr. old son or daughter to see guns?
Do you want your third grader going to school knowing that a teacher or principal has a loaded weapon?
What do you think the chances are, if teachers or other school personnel have guns in schools, that some
might well want to search them out?
Is there a remote chance that if guns were to appear in schools that they may get in the wrong hands either
intentionally or not?
Is this really what we want our schools to become?
Is putting guns in schools really the best way to teach children patience, tolerance and how to deal with
issues and problems?
Do you suppose some student(s) feel they have a right to bring a gun to school if they know that school
personnel are permitted to do so?
I know my answers to each of these questions and would encourage you and others to ponder the impact of such decisions on the process of teaching and learning.
Thanks,
Dick
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