Take 55 eager volunteers from Schools Count Corp., Knickerbocker Roofing, Global Hope, and some students from Hinsdale Central High School and Southland College Prep H.S. and great things are bound to take place!
In just under six hours this group of people transformed an entire first floor hallway (and lockers) along with the gymnasium into a bright and sunny setting for the students and staff at Lowell Longfellow Elementary School in Harvey, IL.
When the students and staff arrive at Lowell this morning they are bound to notice the difference!! Dont' let anyone kid you, appearances do make a difference. Having freshly painted portions of the school make it more welcoming for one and all. It lets everyone know that they school and those in it are important and that others care for them.
This wonderful group of volunteers have, no doubt, lit up the hallways and brought a fresh breath of air to the gymnasium/auditorium. I want to thank each and every person who took some time from their weekend to step up and help a school working to make a difference.
Dick
Monday, April 29, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
A Bombshell
The State of Illinois has cut off funding to the UNO Charter School system. This is no small deal any way you examine it. The state took this action as a result of insider deals with respect to $98 million in state grant funding.
Here's the deal...two firms owned by members of the d'Escoto family received $8.5 million in funding. The owners of the companies are brothers of Miguel d'Escoto who use to be the No. 2 executive with UNO. The IL. Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity says it would not notified of what might be the appearance of a conflict of interest (familial relationship). There were a number of grant agreements that called for notification in writing of any potential conflicts of interest.
I don't know the particulars of how this will shake out but I do know some of the immediate repercussions.
This certainly presents a potential black eye to the public in terms of their feelings towards UNO in particular and, perhaps, about charters in general. Of course, the additional funding UNO was to receive is now cut off and it is hard to imagine their ability to obtain grants going forward. Obviously, UNO has some explaining to do in terms of their past, current and future relationship with the companies in question. It also remains to be seen how the current 13 UNO charters, and their staffs, along with parents and students, will react to this news. And will IL politicians who have backed UNO continue to do so?
No doubt, there is more to come.
Dick
Here's the deal...two firms owned by members of the d'Escoto family received $8.5 million in funding. The owners of the companies are brothers of Miguel d'Escoto who use to be the No. 2 executive with UNO. The IL. Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity says it would not notified of what might be the appearance of a conflict of interest (familial relationship). There were a number of grant agreements that called for notification in writing of any potential conflicts of interest.
I don't know the particulars of how this will shake out but I do know some of the immediate repercussions.
This certainly presents a potential black eye to the public in terms of their feelings towards UNO in particular and, perhaps, about charters in general. Of course, the additional funding UNO was to receive is now cut off and it is hard to imagine their ability to obtain grants going forward. Obviously, UNO has some explaining to do in terms of their past, current and future relationship with the companies in question. It also remains to be seen how the current 13 UNO charters, and their staffs, along with parents and students, will react to this news. And will IL politicians who have backed UNO continue to do so?
No doubt, there is more to come.
Dick
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Thank you Asean
Leave it to a 9 year-old. Asean Johnson, a third-grader at Marcus Garvey spoke at the CPS Board of Education meeting yesterday and his words should be a stinging reminder of the fact that some schools slated for closure should be left open.
"Why are you closing Gregory when it has everything you say you want a school to have?" implored Asean. Asean went so far as to show the CPS an editorial which noted that Garvey already has all the extras that CPS is demanding when schools are closed and consolidated into another neighboring school.
Garvey has a great library, a computer lab and it even has higher test scores than Mount Vernon, the school which is to accept Garvey students in the fall.
Perhaps most telling of all, proving that Garvey is doing the job, is the fact that this nine-year old was poised, on point (facts), made sense, dealt directly with the issues, and refuted many of the arguments posed by CPS these past few months. Asean's presentation, alone, was ample proof, to keep Garvey's doors open next fall.
Dick
"Why are you closing Gregory when it has everything you say you want a school to have?" implored Asean. Asean went so far as to show the CPS an editorial which noted that Garvey already has all the extras that CPS is demanding when schools are closed and consolidated into another neighboring school.
Garvey has a great library, a computer lab and it even has higher test scores than Mount Vernon, the school which is to accept Garvey students in the fall.
Perhaps most telling of all, proving that Garvey is doing the job, is the fact that this nine-year old was poised, on point (facts), made sense, dealt directly with the issues, and refuted many of the arguments posed by CPS these past few months. Asean's presentation, alone, was ample proof, to keep Garvey's doors open next fall.
Dick
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
HELP...Please!
To my friends, supporters of Schools Count Corp and anyone who is willing to give a 'shout out,' I can really use your help. On Tuesday, April 30th the Hinsdale Central High School Jazz Program is putting on a concert to benefit the work of Schools Count Corp. This is our final fundraiser of the spring/summer and we would love to have a packed house. Admission is $5 per person, $10 for the entire family. Donate an instrument and you get in FREE!
The performance will take place at the Community Center (on Madison St. in Hinsdale) at 7:30 pm. Drinks and snacks will be provided and the event will kick off at 7:30 pm. If you would kind spread the word...verbally, twitter, email, text, facebook, etc. I'd be most grateful.
Of course, of course...if you can make it, all the better!!!!!!!!!
Thanks,
Dick
The performance will take place at the Community Center (on Madison St. in Hinsdale) at 7:30 pm. Drinks and snacks will be provided and the event will kick off at 7:30 pm. If you would kind spread the word...verbally, twitter, email, text, facebook, etc. I'd be most grateful.
Of course, of course...if you can make it, all the better!!!!!!!!!
Thanks,
Dick
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Songhai Story
Given the fact that Songhai’s ISAT scores have gone up so drastically in the past three years, it is indeed a very sad day to learn that Songhai is to be closed. In 2010 49.1% of Songhai’s students met or exceeded state standards. By 2012 that same measurement found that 60.1% of the children met or exceeded that benchmark. That is an increase of 22.4%, far more than the average for the entire CPS system. This is indeed a remarkable achievement given the abnormal amount of CPS approved administrative turnover at Songhai.
As the Founder and President of Schools Count Corp, a federal charity that provides free student supplies to nearly 40 CPS schools, I can attest to the strong commitment of Ms. Pirtle, and her staff, to the students of Songhai and the community. Those of you at CPS should be made aware of the fact that the achievement I alluded to earlier is the direct result of the staff making significant improvements in curriculum delivery and their emphasis on helping students work to the best of their ability. Without the steadfast work of the Songhai staff you would have more empty desks and far less ISAT score achievement than you do now.
What is all the more remarkable about the Songhai success story is that it has been obtained in spite of the very real blight which exists in the neighborhood. I can assure you that closing Songhai will not only further exacerbate that blight but you are bound to see ISAT scores plummet as students are crowded into other schools. This school isn’t underutilized, it is utilized wisely by the current staff given the dearth of resources.
Closing schools just adds to the very real trend of something being taken away from the residents. They have lost enough stores, factories, jobs and security over the years. Closing the schools is but another instance of the citizens ‘losing’ something or having something taken away and it is outside of their control. I urge you to keep hope alive, give the children and community what they deserve. Keep Songhai open.
Sincerely,
Richard Flesher
As the Founder and President of Schools Count Corp, a federal charity that provides free student supplies to nearly 40 CPS schools, I can attest to the strong commitment of Ms. Pirtle, and her staff, to the students of Songhai and the community. Those of you at CPS should be made aware of the fact that the achievement I alluded to earlier is the direct result of the staff making significant improvements in curriculum delivery and their emphasis on helping students work to the best of their ability. Without the steadfast work of the Songhai staff you would have more empty desks and far less ISAT score achievement than you do now.
What is all the more remarkable about the Songhai success story is that it has been obtained in spite of the very real blight which exists in the neighborhood. I can assure you that closing Songhai will not only further exacerbate that blight but you are bound to see ISAT scores plummet as students are crowded into other schools. This school isn’t underutilized, it is utilized wisely by the current staff given the dearth of resources.
Closing schools just adds to the very real trend of something being taken away from the residents. They have lost enough stores, factories, jobs and security over the years. Closing the schools is but another instance of the citizens ‘losing’ something or having something taken away and it is outside of their control. I urge you to keep hope alive, give the children and community what they deserve. Keep Songhai open.
Sincerely,
Richard Flesher
Monday, April 22, 2013
In Their Shoes
Too often I hear people saying that the children and the families we serve just need to work harder or simply 'pick themselves up, dust themselves off' and carry on. That's pretty darn easy for people to say, especially if you have never experienced deprivation from day 1 of your life.
No, I'm not asking anyone or suggesting that someone foresake what they have in life. That's not my point by any stretch of the imagination. What I am asking people to do is to have some empathy for those who go without.
Put another way, put yourselves in their shoes. Before racing to judgement, imagine what it would be like living in a portion of a city or neighborhood when gunshots are ringing at night. Imagine trying to raise your son or daughter in such an environment. Imagine what it must be like to raise a child who is scared of gangs and gunshots. You just might come to understand their plight.
How easy do you suppose it would be to have two jobs, making close to minimum wage, and living in such poverty, hoping you can someday save enough for clothes and supplies for your kids. Saving for college? Really?
All I am saying is this...it doesn't hurt to have some empathy for these people.
Dick
No, I'm not asking anyone or suggesting that someone foresake what they have in life. That's not my point by any stretch of the imagination. What I am asking people to do is to have some empathy for those who go without.
Put another way, put yourselves in their shoes. Before racing to judgement, imagine what it would be like living in a portion of a city or neighborhood when gunshots are ringing at night. Imagine trying to raise your son or daughter in such an environment. Imagine what it must be like to raise a child who is scared of gangs and gunshots. You just might come to understand their plight.
How easy do you suppose it would be to have two jobs, making close to minimum wage, and living in such poverty, hoping you can someday save enough for clothes and supplies for your kids. Saving for college? Really?
All I am saying is this...it doesn't hurt to have some empathy for these people.
Dick
Friday, April 19, 2013
News on Different Fronts
Hinsdale Central 'Students Assisting Students' will take part in our painting of Lowell Longfellow Elementary School on Saturday, April 27th. This group has participated in significant projects to help the various schools and students we work with.
If any of you have contact with the Downers Grove or Glenbard school districts would you be so kind as to contact them to see if they would be willing to donate gently used student supplies at the end of the year? We are looking for binders, loose leaf paper, notebook, pens, pencils, colored markers, crayons, colored pencils, scissors, and rulers.
We will be running our 'Go Green' collection pickup from the area schools during the weeks of May 27 - 31 and June 3 - 7. I'll make arrangements to pick up at times that are convenient for the participating schools.
Remember, our May 30th benefit Jazz Concert will take place at the Hinsdale Community House (on Madison) at 7:30. This is a wonderful way to spend the evening with family and friends while assisting our charity! Tickets are purchased at the door.
Dick
If any of you have contact with the Downers Grove or Glenbard school districts would you be so kind as to contact them to see if they would be willing to donate gently used student supplies at the end of the year? We are looking for binders, loose leaf paper, notebook, pens, pencils, colored markers, crayons, colored pencils, scissors, and rulers.
We will be running our 'Go Green' collection pickup from the area schools during the weeks of May 27 - 31 and June 3 - 7. I'll make arrangements to pick up at times that are convenient for the participating schools.
Remember, our May 30th benefit Jazz Concert will take place at the Hinsdale Community House (on Madison) at 7:30. This is a wonderful way to spend the evening with family and friends while assisting our charity! Tickets are purchased at the door.
Dick
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