PeoriaStory

County auditor position may be on ballot ; fundraiser investigated

PEORIA -- The Peoria County Board's executive committee on July 31 took the first step in placing a referendum on the Nov. 4 ballot asking voters whether to abolish the position of county auditor.

And on another issue, the head of the board's judicial committee said tax dollars spent on the recent fund raising visit of President George W. Bush will be investigated.

After a long debate, the committee voted 5-4 to recommend that voters be asked whether to abolish the office of auditor. The committee's recommendation goes to the full County Board for its August 14 meeting. 

Carol Van Winkle now holds the position, and was appointed after Steve Sonnemaker resigned when he was elected County Clerk. Van Winkle defeated Kent Rotherham in the Democratic primary to become the party nominee. Republicans do not have a candidate in the race.

Board member Allen Mayer led the group opposed to placing the question before the voters.

Mayer and others argued that the position is part of the checks and balances of county government, and an appointed auditor could not honestly audit finances of the bosses, the county administrators and the board itself.

They also suggested that taking this issue to a referendum would waste time, money and energy, and that voters are not likely to give up their right to elect a county wide official.

Mayer said after the meeting that if voters approve the referendum, the office apparently would be abolished immediately, and Van Winkle would be left without an office to fill even if elected.

Proponents of the referendum said abolishing the office has been in the works since the board created its own finance department. Some said the move won't save money, but others, afterward, said it would save money.

Two other proposals, to place referendums to abolish the offices of coroner and recorder of deeds, fizzled. The committee voted 8-1 against placing the coroner measure on the ballot, then the other proposal was never placed before the committee for a vote.

Lynn Pearson commented that those two offices were offered merely as "smoke and mirrors."

Though Van Winkle is a Democrat, two Democrats on the committee voted to abolish the office, Pearson and Jim Thomas.

After the meeting Van Winkle said that while she is not opposed to voters having their say, a referendum on this office is a bad idea. "Peoria County is large enough to have an elected auditor," she also stated in an e-mail. "I don't see the taxpayers giving up the power to select their own watchdog. My main concern is the question of an appointed auditor. It is a bad idea. We can have an independent elected auditor - and we should. It is just not RIGHT to have the same people in charge of the books...in charge of the person who audits the books."

Also at the meeting, Bob Baietto, a Republican who chairs the board's judicial committee, reported that the county sheriff has been asked to report on "tax dollars spent for political fund raisers," namely how much tax money was spent on the recent visit of President George W. Bush at a fund raiser for Aaron Schock, who is running for the 18th District Congressional seat.

 "The fund raiser is a key issue," Baietto said afterward.

Asked whether Schock's campaign may be sent a bill, Baietto said he was waiting for a report from the sheriff. Police and other public employees turned out in force for the president's motorcade.

-- Elaine Hopkins

Callahan rally a contrast with Schock/Bush event

PEORIA -- With the dust settling from the July 25 Aaron Schock/President Bush fund raiser, it's time to consider the contrasts between that event and the Colleen Callahan fish fry, held later that day.

Peoria Pundit's Bill Dennis has done a terrific and accurate post on the fish fry, with one correction:  the fish was walleye, not catfish. It was delicious. 

The organizers had no idea how many people would appear, so they eventually ran out of potato salad. But there was enough walleye to go around until the end.

No police directed the way or spent public funds to control access to the event. Anyone could come and meet Callahan, and have a photo taken with her, free. In fact people attending didn't even have to buy food. They could just smooze with the crowd, estimated at around 700.

That's not bad for an event that had minimal publicity, and was organized in 10 days.

Compare that with the tightly controlled, police-state atmosphere at the Schock/Bush event.  Here's an account that blogger Diane Vespa wrote, complete with photos. She's lucky she didn't get arrested for taking the photos. She nearly got hauled away for demanding to use the ladies room.

No media types were allowed inside. Guess they didn't know Diane is a blogger.

Compare that with the open atmosphere at the Callahan fish fry, where media of all types wandered in and out freely and interviewed the candidate and those attending. 

Oh yes, Bush did work a "rope line" and kissed babies at the airport, apparently with pre-selected guests.

Let's count the differences:

Open versus closed.

Inexpensive versus high priced. 

Democratic versus autocratic.

No cost to the public versus high costs.

We'll see if Schock pays the city of Peoria and the other public organizations for the manpower and vehicles used to protect King George Bush from the public. If he does, the take from his fund raiser may be a lot less than the figures tossed around, said to be around $700,000.  

The press has reported various attendance figures for the Bush/Schock luncheon, but Democrats at the Callahan fish fry told of Peoria companies buying tickets and giving them out free to favored employees.

None of this made the adoring news coverage in the local media.  Too bad.

All is sweetness and light in Peoria-medialand where the monkeys see, hear and speak no evil.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

UPDATE, July 28, 2008:  Here's a link to the Billionaires for Bush protest photos.  This event was ignored by the mainstream media.

 

 

Peoria turns into a police state for Bush visit

PEORIA -- No protests allowed!

Even protest  t-shirts were banned in the small crowds that gathered today, July 25, 2008, at the parking lot of the Shoppes at Grand Prairie to see President Bush's motorcade speed by en route to the nearby posh estate called Weaver Farms.

There he was to lunch with those rich enough or stupid enough to pay $500 to get in. (See posts below.)

I parked in the parking lot and walked up to the yellow police line that kept the public well back from War Memorial Drive, where the motorcade would pass.  A woman outside Commerce Bank spotted my t-shirt and complained.

The t-shirt says "Don't blame me, I voted for Kerry."

I shouted back that I never will patronize her bank!

Yeah, sock her in the pocketbook!

A Peoria police officer told me the Shoppes are private property and the owners don't allow protest signs.  I would have to leave the area where people had gathered and sit in my car, he said. 

I never even had a chance to unroll my hand made sign that read "Impeach Bush/Cheney for War Crimes."

A woman at the yellow police tape, however, held a sign saying she supported Bush. Nobody kicked her out.

The police officer, who was pleasant and professional, escorted me back to my car, where I stashed the sign.  I then went into Borders bookstore, wearing my t-shirt.  There, nobody cared about my t-shirt or even gave it a second glance. 

Outside the bookstore, police were everywhere, hundreds of them. City, county, state.  Fire trucks, lots of city of Peoria vehicles.  Everywhere.  This is what a police state looks like.

The Peoria gang bangers would have had a fun day if they had bothered to get up by noon.

Police blocked off intersections for the motorcade, causing huge traffic jams. Giant trucks and buses lined War Memorial Drive blocking any view of the estate.  Roads on either side were closed off.

So it has come to this in Peoria and the USA.  Our leaders are kept in a bubble, safely screened from any criticism, even t-shirts. I have read about this situation elsewhere. Today I experienced it. Grrrrr.

What to do?  First boycott the Shoppes (except for Borders.) They're hard on animal advocates as well as political protesters. (See posts under 'defending animals.')

Then don't even think about voting for Aaron Schock, whose candidacy Bush agreed to promote.

Today's event is just one in a long list of reasons not to vote for Schock. But any candidate allowing such tactics for a fund raiser deserves to be kicked to the ditch. It's obvious that he will sell out any principle of free speech for money.

Finally, Peoria residents should demand that Schock pay the FULL cost of the hundreds of police and other public workers and their vehicles deployed to screen Bush from protesters. After that, there may not be much left for his campaign.

-- Elaine Hopkins

Billionaires for Bush plan protest

PEORIA --  With President George W. Bush scheduled to appear at a lavish and expensive fund raiser for Republican Congressional candidate Aaron Schock on July 25, protesters are getting organized.

Here's a colorful event:  Billionaires for Bush will gather at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 25 in front of the Federal Building at Main and Monroe.  Their slogan: "Let  Them Eat Cake!  Billionaires to Throw Bash for River City Rabble."

They'll be suitably dressed in tuxes and gowns, and will allow anyone to be photographed with a cardboard cutout of Bush, for free. A Cheney impersonator also will be present, according to a news release by the group.

They'll be serving "the rabble" an "edible cake-like substance while displaying pro-Bush, pro-Schock, and pro-corporation messages, including 'Clean Air: Can't Sell it, Who Needs It' and 'Corporations are People Too.'

Their members had plenty to say about the event in the news release.

“In a democracy, everyone gets to vote, regardless of personal net worth,” explained billionaire Iona Senator. “It’s a flaw in the system—but, so long as the poor have a vote, we need to make sure that they cast that grubby vote for our guys.”

“It’s like subliminal messaging, but with cake,” explained billionaire Robin Yall. “We like to think that, in our own small way, we’re helping to make the pie higher.”

"While those with the inclination and the means can fork over $5000 for a photo with the President of the United States, the hoi polloi will be permitted to pose for photos with a life-sized, full-color cardboard cutout of the President" the news release states.

The Dick Cheney impersonator offers special fun.

“It’s uncanny, the way he captures that Cheney warmth and charm,” said billionaire Ilene Farright.”

Asked if being linked with an unpopular president could damage the Schock campaign, billionaire Hal E. Burton responded in the negative.  “Hell, Schock’s on record suggesting we sell nukes to  Taiwan to coerce concessions from China.  If that didn’t kill his campaign, nothing will,” he said."

Schock is running against Democrat Colleen Callahan and Green party candidate Sheldon Schafer for the 18th District seat in Congress being vacated by Republican Ray LaHood.

Bush's appearance at a $500-a-plate event at 2 p.m. at Weaver Farms, featuring a fee of $5,000 for a photo with the president, has generated ridicule and controversy. But it's also expected to raise $700,000 or more for Schock's campaign, according to press reports.

Callahan is hosting a $15 fish fry, also on Friday, July 25 from 4-8 pm. at Kickapoo Sportman's Club, 11125 W. Route 150 at Brimfield.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

Bush brings Peoria and Illinois Demos together

PEORIA -- President George W. Bush is scheduled to be in Peoria on Friday, July 25 to campaign for Aaron Schock, the 27-year-old Republican candidate for the 18th Congressional District. Schock's campaign has said the event will raise $700,000 or more.

Tickets for the private event at the posh Weaver Farms estate on Illinois Route 150 near the Shoppes at Grande Prairie are $500, or $5,000 for a photo with Bush.

The president's appearance has generated a sea of controversy.  It's also prompted Illinois Democrats and the campaign of Schock's Democratic opponent Colleen Callahan to organize a counter event, a $15 fish fry, on Friday, July 25 from 4-8 pm. at Kickapoo Sportman's Club, 11125 W. Route 150 at Brimfield.

Invited guests include Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, Ill. Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Ill Comptroller Dan Hynes, Ill treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, Congressman Phil Hare, and a host of local Democratic office holders and candidates. The event is open to everyone, including children.

The Callahan news release states:

As most of you know, President Bush will be in Peoria on this day for a private fundraiser for our opponent, Republican Aaron Schock. According to press reports, that event is expected to bring in as much as $700,000 for this young man's campaign. We're offering an alternative. Please join us for an evening of family fun that's open to all central Illinoisans -- an event for all of those who cannot afford to take an afternoon off from work to pay $500 to spend time with a president whose failed policies have led to the current sky-high fuel and food prices, the crumbling economy and a war that continues to drag on far too long. Colleen and other elected officials will take the time to listen to your concerns and talk about the real issues affecting all of us in the 18th Congressional district.

 

Save the parks event

UPDATE, 7/23/08: Here's a link to a Journal Star story on the event. 


PEORIA -- Has it come to this? People who care about the state parks in Illinois must hold a news conference to beg Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the Illinois General Assembly, all Democrats, not to close the parks.

Yes, that's happening at 11 a.m. on Tues. July 22 at Jubilee College State Park, Quail Meadow Picnic Area. 

Even the ordinarily non-political Nature Conservancy is involved, along with the Heart of Illinois Sierra Club, the Illinois Sierra Club and others.

The groups are calling on the Blago administration and legislature to restore funding to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, so the parks will not close and wildlife and the environment will continue to be protected. 

The groups say, in a news release, that the cuts will take effect on July 24 unless the funding is restored. 

Will the parks really close in the middle of the summer vacation season?

There's lots to criticize about the IDNR, whose staff members can be difficult and arrogant, enforcing petty rules while neglecting big things, favoring hunters over other area users. I have personally witnessed this situation, been a victim of it, and seen IDNR staff wasting money. (My protests were ignored.) 

Still -- close the parks? Unbelievable! 

Here's what the release states; "A press conference to protest cuts made by Governor Blagojevich to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources that threaten to close state parks, eliminate outdoor recreation opportunities, and hurt the state's ability to protect wildlife and the environment."

Here's the location: Jubilee College State Park, Quail Meadow Picnic Area.(Go 3.8 miles west of Kickapoo on Rt. 150 to the main park entrance;stay on main park road past the Park Office, and turn right at the next corner.)

Here's the background from the news release: "On July 9th, Governor Blagojevich cut $14 million from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources₼ (IDNR) budget, decreasing by another 20% the general fund budget for an agency that has lost a quarter of its staff from budget cuts since 2001. This will undoubtedly force the department to close some facilities for lack of staffing, (and) comes at a time when our parks continue to experience increases in attendance by outdoor enthusiasts. 

The cuts will take effect Thursday, July 24 unless both the Illinois House and Senate act to override the Governor's cuts."


 --Elaine Hopkins

Bowman is back

PEORIA -- Has it really been a year since activist Bob Bowman spoke in Peoria?

Yes, he spoke here in July 2007.  He's coming back, to speak again at 6:30 p.m. on July 2, 2008 at the Universalist Unitarian Church, 3000 W. Richwoods.

Here's what we wrote about him last year:

Another unlikely and distinguished speaker will be here soon to question the official explanations for the 9-11 attacks.

He is Robert Bowman, Lt. Col., USAF, ret., president of the Institute for Space and Security Studies, executive vice president of the Millennium III Corporation, and retired Presiding Archbishop of the United Catholic Church.

He will speak at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 7 at Lakeview Museum Auditorium, 1125 W. Lake Ave.

According to a news release, he is the recipient of the Eisenhower Medal, the George F. Kennan Peace Prize, the President’s Medal of Veterans for Peace, the Republic Aviation Airpower Award, the Society of American Military Engineers’ ROTC Medal of Merit (twice), the Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, the Meritorius Service Medal, and numerous other awards, and one of the country’s foremost authorities on national security.

Colonel Bowman flew 101 combat missions as a fighter pilot in Vietnam and directed all the DoD “Star Wars” programs under Presidents Ford and Carter. He has been an executive in both government and industry, and has chaired eight major international conferences.

He has taught at five colleges and universities, holds a Ph.D. is in Aeronautics and Nuclear Engineering from Caltech, and has lectured at the National War College, the United Nations, Congressional Caucuses, the Academies of Science of six nations, and the House of Lords.

He founded “The Patriots,” a group devoted to government that "follows the Constitution, honors the Truth, and Serves the People. " As part of this campaign, he has been a major speaker at 9/11 Truth Conferences in Toronto, New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Boston, Detroit, and Phoenix.

He ran for President in the Reform Party in 2000 and was the Democratic candidate for the US Congress from the 15th Congressional District of Florida in 2006, the news release says.

The event, sponsored by Citizens for Truth, Midwest Chapter, is free and open to the public. For more information contact the organizers.

Quite a distinguished guy who is apparently devoting his life to making change by raising awareness. The event is free and open to the public.

His talk is entitled "Take Back America!  Why we need the government to return to the Constitution, honor the truth and serve the people."

But good intentions have their limitations. Let's hope some people who can register voters also will attend the July 26 event, because in the end, that's what matters in the US -- voting out the war criminals.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

 

Animal advocates harassed at HOI fair

PEORIA -- A trio of advocates for animals was harassed then kicked out of the Heart of Illinois Fair on Saturday, July 12 for videotaping and photographing tigers and elephants confined in small cages.

Two elephants "were confined under an awning secured by a small mobile home," and five "large big cats" were "in a mobile holding cage," advocate Dorris Muller wrote.

They were scheduled to perform at certain times, and a sign states elephant rides were available.

In the photo below, a tiger is visible in the small cage while a couple and a child listen to someone's pitch about the show.

In her account of the incident, Muller wrote that the exhibitors harassed one of their group taping the animals and called security. "Security called the (Peoria) police who ushered us off the fair grounds. One of the police officers "was appropriate in his actions and duty," but the other "threatened (one of the group) with arrest because she was videotaping."

When the animal advocates "told the officer he did not have the right to intimidate her with such a threat" he backed down. No names were taken and nobody was arrested.

Photosof the exhibit show how the animals are being exploited for money.  The elephant below did not voluntarily stand on that platform. In fact, it could be called animal torture.

 
An advocate reported seeing an elephant "eat a plastic bag and also try desperately to eat a plastic flower. Very sad.  The elephant on the platform did a lot of swaying when it went under a small awning for shade."

What on earth is the Heart of Illinois Fair Board thinking to allow such a sorry exhibit?

It sends terrible messages to the public, namely that exploitation, even torture of animals is OK.

And why would these animal advocates be evicted from the fair for videotaping and photographing this exhibit? Are other people who are not animal advocates being evicted for videotaping and photographing?

And what of the elephant rides?  Elephants elsewhere have been known to go nuts when performing. Peoria does not allow public contact with dangerous animals, but are elephants not in that category?

This stinks, and I don't mean the animals and their advocates!

 -- Elaine Hopkins

Wacky Wednesdays: More blacks than others have school time cut

PEORIA -- A bedrock principle of public education in the U.S. is that children receive equal opportunity in schools.

It's enshrined in law. It's part of Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark legal case that ended segregation.

Peoria School District 150's Wacky Wednesday plan denies equal opportunity to all fifth graders, by cutting short the time in school of black children, more of whom attend the schools to be cut back.

The plan, as approved 4-3 on June 16 by the school board, cuts back instructional time by 90 minutes every Wednesday in the primary schools. Five of those schools have fifth graders who will lose time in school.

Peoria's other fifth graders are in middle schools, but their school time is not being cut back, at least not yet. They get longer time in school, more contact time with teachers in classrooms. More of those children are white.

The Wacky Wednesday plan, then, is inequitable for fifth graders and it discriminates against black fifth graders.  No wonder a spokesman for the Illinois State Board of Education believes the plan is unique in Illinois.

Here are the statistics, based on the Illinois Interactive Report Card, a valuable website run by Northern Illinois University.

The figures are from the 2006-07 school year, but these types of statistics typically don't change much from year to year.

Below are the primary schools, the percentage of black students in the school and the percentage meeting or exceeding state standards.  Note how those percentages mostly show high numbers of black students and a minority of the students meeting or exceeding state standards.

Glen Oak, 84 percent black, 42 percent meet or exceed state standards.

Harrison, 80 percent black, 40 percent meet or exceed state standards.

Irving, 70 percent black, 55 percent meet or exceed state standards.

Kingman, 33 percent black, 49 percent meet or exceed state standards.

Tyng, 87 percent black, 31 percent meet or exceed state standards.

In other words, four out of the five schools with fifth graders are overwhelmingly black, and in three of those black schools a majority of the children were not meeting state academic standards.

Six middle schools also have fifth graders, but plans so far do not call for those fifth graders to be released early on Wednesdays, so they will gain more instructional time in school. They are:

Coolidge, 58 percent black, 66 percent meet or exceed state standards.

Lindberg, 19 percent black, 91 percent meet or exceed state standards.

Columbia, 71 percent black, 71 percent meet or exceed state standards.

Mark Bills, 53 percent black, 68 percent meet or exceed state standards.

Sterling, 69 percent black, 44 percent meet or exceed state standards.

Von Steuben, 47 percent black, 75 percent meet or exceed state standards.

Two of these schools have black populations of less than 50 percent,

Two more have black populations under 60 percent.

In these middle schools, attended by more white fifth graders in District 150, instructional time will not be cut back!  That is, unless District 150 cuts back instructional time for the middle schools as well as for the primary schools. That's a possibility, but it hasn't been approved by the board.

It will be sad indeed if to make education equal, the middle schools also lost 90 minutes every Wednesday.  Those older children are even more vulnerable to the streets, trash TV and video games, and whatever else they cook up on those Wednesday afternoons off.

District 150 is reportedly reconfiguring the schools, and will have to absorb the fifth graders from Loucks/Edison, which has closed, into its other schools this fall.  It had only 77 fifth graders in 2006-07. The school was 92 percent black, with 47 percent meeting or exceeding state standards.

District 150’s students overall are 60 percent black, 5 percent Hispanic and 31 percent white.

The school board has one more bite at the apple. It must officially change the school calendar to reflect the Wacky Wednesday plan.  Likely that will be on the agenda at its next meeting, July 21.

At that point, it could vote to put off the plan for a year, for better planning, or go ahead only a month before school starts to change the calendar, probably upsetting family vacation plans scheduled for School Improvement Days throughout the year. Those are to be moved to Wednesdays from Fridays, District officials said, in asking for state approval.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

 

 

Wacky Wednesday plan revealed

PEORIA -- In Peoria, less apparently is more.

Peoria School District's plan to cut the time primary pupils spend in school every Wednesday by 90 minutes  to allow more time for teacher planning apparently has been approved by the Illinois State Board of Education. At least that's what school officials said at the July 7 School Board meeting.

The Peoria Regional Superintendent's office on July 8 released the plan, which is reproduced below. It makes the argument that more teacher planning will result in better academic achievement, then cites as proof the Edison Schools where children attend school for a longer time, and Roosevelt where the time will not be cut back.

It also states that the two high schools and three middle schools now "in restructuring status" which is educational jargon for failing academic test scores, "would also benefit from an early release"

Less is more.

The one wise idea in the plan is to change the six School Improvement Plan days to Wednesday, so at least the little darlings won't have two short days a week.

Here's the plan:

Proposed Schedule Change for 2008-09 Peoria Public Schools District 150

Background Information:

In an effort to increase student achievement and to help schools to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AY?), .it was determined that intensive, on-going professional development and teacher collaboration was necessary. Job embedded professional development and collaboration is well supported through research. Marzano and Associates, DuFour, DuFour and Eakcr, and Elmore, to name just a few, all have evidentiary support for the need to provide time for teachers to do professional work and the benefits students receive as a result,

In our own district, we have five (5) school sites with embedded professional time and all of these schools have made AYP. The extra time has provided invaluable reflective and coaching time through intentional design. At this time, our newly restructured high school has job embedded professional development time in order to meet the achievement crisis at this school. With changes in the law and challenges of the new knowledge era, education has become increasingly more complex. It is only appropriate that we take the time to reflect and improve upon our practice to improve student achievement.

Originally, the Board of Education approved a plan that provided a daily thirty (30) minute later start time and fifteen (15) minute early release time for twelve (12) primary schools, excluding Northmoor Edison, Franklin Edison, Roosevelt, and Valeska Hinton Early Childhood Center, all of which already have embedded time for professional development and collaboration, The original plan was a cost savings plan due to the financial deficit of the district. There was a hope that this time would be used for professional development and collaboration, but there was no guarantee this would happen daily due lo the language of the teacher contract. Due to parental concerns raised regarding the later start time, cost for additional child care and shortening of the instructional day, the Superintendent met with various parent groups and researched the economic pmspect (SIC) of the local area,

As a result of discussions with parents and the financial impact the original plan would have on families, the Superintendent changed the recommendation to the Board of Education to an early release of ninety (90) minutes for those twelve (12) primary schools every Wednesday. Since this would not interfere with the contractual preparation periods provided in the teacher contract, this would be used solely for professional development and collaboration. The Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday schedule would remain unchanged. The plan was to "bank" time for the early release as allowed in the School Code for school improvement purposes. The plan is to pilot the early release schedule with the primary schools during the 2008-0.9 school year with ongoing evaluation and expansion, of il(SIC) district-wide in the future.

Additionally, we have three (3) middle schools and two (2) high schools in restructuring status. The middle schools are requesting time for collaboration as well. They would also benefit from an early release.

It would be proposed that our current six (6) School Improvement Plan (SIP) days be changed to Wednesdays instead of Fridays in the upcoming school year in order to avoid having two (2) shortened schedule days in a week for primary schools, yet have scheduled SIP days for the other

schools.

Current School Schedules

Primary Schools        8:45 AM - 3:15 M

Middle Schools         7:55 AM- 2;25 PM

High Schools              7:25 AM - 2:25 PM

Roosevelt Magnet      8:30 Am - 3:30 PM

VHECEC                  8:45 AM -  3:15 PM

Edison Schools           7:45 AM- 3:00 PM

Proposed School Schedules:

Primary Schools        8:45 A M - 3:15 PM (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday)

Primary Schools        8:45 AM - 1:45 PM (Wednesday)

Middle Schools           7:55 AM - 2:25 PM

High Schools               7:25 AM-2:25 PM

Roosevelt Magnet      8:30 Am. 3:30PM.

VHHCRC                   8:45 AM - 3:15 PM

Edison Schools           7:45 AM   3 ;00 PM

Proposed Plan for Early Release on Wednesdays:

In an effort to provide time for professional development and teacher collaboration to improve the instructional practice of teachers, there would be an early release for twelve (12) primary schools of 90 minutes every Wednesday. This time would provide teachers with time to do the following:

•        analyze both formal and informal student assessment data

•        participate in professional development activities related to District and School
Improvement Plans to increase student achievement

•        collaborate with other teachers at both the same grade level (horizontal articulation) and
different grade levels (vertical articulation)

•        develop and reflect upon lessons/assessments related to the Illinois Learning Standards
that have both relevance and rigor

•        problem solve (or both low and high performing students who need interventions

•        develop interventions/strategies for increasing student achievement as well as for
challenging students who are gifted/talented both of whom may he in Tier IT and Tier III

•        plan and reflect upon implementation strategies for Response to Intervention. (Rtl)

•        monitor student progress using benchmark assessment data as well as iSAT, DIBELS, NWEA, etc, data

•        conduct notion research

•         learn and use tools/new technology

Specific training would be done with administrators and teacher leaders from each school in the teaming/collaboration process. Ongoing evaluation of professional development activities and artifacts would occur to assure the time was being used properly and that district and school improvement activities were being addressed. The anticipated, benefits of the plan are teachers working together and sharing their knowledge and instructional practices; planning together; reflecting upon their instructional practices; and developing a shared mission and vision for their school, and students with, the end result of increasing student achievement.

Note -- This document may have been scanned before it reached me, as there are a couple of unreadable words in it. I added '(SIC)' by those words, to show they are in the original document.

I have requested the legal opinion from the ISBE, and hope to have that soon.

The District 150 Board meeting was a mess. If you want to watch it on YouTube click here.) The sound didn't work on the TV transmission, disappointing many home viewers.  But when it finally came on, those who stuck around or taped it for later viewing saw Martha Ross, who lost a bid for board president, blast the apparent racist rumor mongering of another board member, allegedly Jim Stowell, who reportedly told people he wouldn't vote for her for various reasons that appear to be code for racism.

Ross, a black women who holds a Master's degree in psychology, has served on the board more than anyone else, and was reelected recently without opposition. She lost the board presidency 4-3, to Dr. David Gorenz, a physician and board chairman who has presided over the Wacky Wednesday and the Title I audit debacle. (See posts under Peoria School District 150 for stories on these issues.)

Supt. Ken Hinton interrupted Stowell's denials with his usual "it's all about the children" speech -- the children he will send to roam the streets every Wednesday afternoon -- and the meeting was quickly adjourned.

See a transcript of this exchange on the Peoria Chronicle site.

Ross would have had a better claim to the presidency if she had voted against Wacky Wednesdays. She voted for the plan.

She also could have played hard ball politics and traded her vote to Stowell for his vote for president, but apparently did not. Stowell voted against Wacky Wednesdays on June 16, but it passed 4-3.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

UPDATE:  Here's the legal opinion from the ISBE:

Illinois State Board of Education
100 Randolph Street, Suite 14-300.
Chicago, 60601-3268-3169

July 7,2008

Via Facsimile Transmission 672-6820

Superintendent Ken Hinton
Peoria Public Schools District 150
3202 N. Wisconsin Avenue
Peoria, Illinois 60613

Dear Mr. Hinton:

Initially, I would like to thank you for your prompt response to the information I requested regarding the proposed schedule change for Peoria Public School District 150 ("District 150") for the 2008-2009 school year. ISBE staff, including myself, has reviewed this information (which I have attached to this letter), as well as information you provided during our telephone conversation last week. Based on such information, District 150's proposed school calendar for 2008-2009 is compliant with the requirements of Section 18-8.05 of the Illinois School Code.

As with any proposal, compliance may be affected if implementation diverges
from the proposal; however, again, based on our discussions and the materials you submitted, this is a proposal that allows for sufficient time in attendance units across the district such that the requisite instructional minutes can be completed, subtracting lunch, recess, and passing periods, while still allowing for banking of the necessary minutes to cover early dismissal on Wednesday. 

Please note, though, that in order to move forward with this plan, you will need to amend your current school calendar, which was approved by the Peoria County Regional Office of Education. The current approved calendar does not fully reflect the written proposal. Specifically, the calendar code Half-Day School Improvement Day (XHS) must be reflected for each day where early release time is used for School Improvement. To ensure that sufficient instruction time is being banked, please verify the Instructional Day Length reported on the calendar is an accurate reflection of the schools that are involved with the School Improvement activities stated in the proposal. Should you require any assistance in development of this updated district calendar, please feel free to contact Marj Beck, in our Funding and Disbursements Division. Ms. Beck can be reached at (217) 782-5256. The updated calendar should then be submitted to the Peoria County Regional Office of Education for approval.

I trust that this resolves the proposed school calendar inquiry presented by District 150 and the Peoria County Regional Office of Education. Due to the time-sensitive nature of this matter, and given the scheduled local school hoard meeting taking place this evening, I am responding directly to the school district and will copy the Honorable Gerald Brookhart, Regional Superintendent of Education for Peoria County, who, along with Assistant Superintendent Jeffrey Nelson, has provided my office with extremely helpful information and assistance relevant to this matter. Should you have any further inquiries regarding the ISBE’s position on this matter, please feel free to contact me at (312) 814-2223.
 

Very truly yours,

Darren Reisberg
General Counsel

-30-