Summer School Daze

Yes, it’s been a few months.

With culmination activities of a fifth grader (and saying goodbye to a phenomenal school), a college graduation, a shortened summer, and the dread of starting a new middle school, I chose to spend time elsewhere.  The dread is middle school as an institution.  We truly believe we’ve found the best fit for her imaginable.

A quick recap of summer:

The early-start calendar had everyone start August 14, welcomed back to well over a week of uncomfortable temperatures.  Hopefully that’s done with.  And more importantly, the A/C is now functional in all places for the next blast that will inevitably come in September or October.

The eight local districts have merged into four educational service centers (north, south, east and west) and an intensive support district that oversees focus schools and the pilot schools.

The official calendar gives off four days from August 31 to September, Veteran’s Day and an entire week off for Thanksgiving, and finishes May 31st.

Teachers have been pink slipped, and like summer action popcorn flicks, brought back at the very last moment.  And others are still waiting for that call.  Other administrators have moved to other positions and schools are still doing what they can with less.

LAUSD.net has been improved.  I would argue it has a LONG way to go, but it’s a start.  I’ll suggest anyone on Facebook take a quick gander at their page and ask any questions that need answering there.  I’ve gotten very reasonable response time, and when their media person doesn’t know the answer, she’s off to find it with very un-LAUSD vim.

I spent Tuesday watching the school board meeting on cable, and finally figured it was time to get back into the saddle to write.  They voted to support Props. 30 and 38.  They praised increases in CAHSEE pass rates (despite the fact that they’re praising success at the 8th and 10th grade level, not college readiness).  And so 2012-13 has started.

Let’s see where this year takes us.