School Information System

National Science Bowl for High School Students

US Department of Energy:

The National Science Bowl® is a highly visible educational event and academic competition among teams of high school students who attend science seminars and compete in a verbal forum to solve technical problems and answer questions in all branches of science and math. The regional and national events encourage student involvement in math and science activities, improve awareness of career options in science and technology, and provide an avenue of enrichment and reward for academic science achievement.

Waukesha West loses national title by hairbreadth

Scott Williams:

By the narrowest of margins, Waukesha West High School [Clusty Search] missed out Saturday on its second national championship in the United States Academic Decathlon.

The Waukesha school finished behind a California competitor by just 23 points, which amounted to one question out of hundreds asked during the academic competition.

"That's just the way it goes," said Randy Brown, a member of the Waukesha team.

Out of a possible 60,000 points, Waukesha West students scored 53,096, which is higher than the score that won the school its first championship in 2002.

But this time, Moorpark High School [Clusty Search] of Moorpark, Calif., was a little better, winning the title with a score of 53,119.

The razor-thin margin made the second-place finish all the more disheartening for Waukesha students.

Duane Stein, coach of the squad, said several competitors became emotional when they realized how narrowly they had missed the championship.

"My kids are kind of stunned right now," Stein said.

"I'm just so proud of these kids," he added. "They worked very, very hard."

Dane County Boasts 18 National Merit Scholars

National Merit Scholarship Corporation:

The National Merit® Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®)–a test which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.4 million entrants each year–and by meeting published program entry/participation requirements.

Student Entry Requirements

To participate in the National Merit® Scholarship Program, a student must:

1. take the PSAT/NMSQT® in the specified year of the high school program and no later than the third year in grades 9 through 12, regardless of grade classification or educational pattern;
2. be enrolled full time as a high school student, progressing normally toward graduation or completion of high school, and planning to enroll full time in college no later than the fall following completion of high school; and
3. be a citizen of the United States; or be a U.S. lawful permanent resident (or have applied for permanent residence, the application for which has not been denied) and intend to become a U.S. citizen at the earliest opportunity allowed by law.

Press Release PDF:

This year’s competition for National Merit Scholarships began in October 2006 when more than 1.4 million juniors in over 21,000 high schools took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. Last fall, the highest-scoring participants in each state, representing less than one percent of the state’s seniors, were named Semifinalists on a state representational basis.

Only the 16,000 Semifinalists had an opportunity to continue in the competition. Approximately 15,000 Semifinalists met the very high academic standards and other requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. By the conclusion of the 2008 program, about 8,200 Finalists will earn the "Merit Scholar" title and receive a total of more than $36 million in college scholarships. NMSC, a not-for-profit corporation that operates without government assistance, was founded in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. The majority of scholarships offered each year are underwritten by approximately 500 independent corporate and college sponsors that share NMSC’s goals of honoring scholastically talented youth and enhancing their educational opportunities.

CAUTION: Any attempt to compare high schools on the basis of numbers of Merit Scholarship winners will lead to erroneous and unsound conclusions. The National Merit Scholarship Program honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The program does not measure the quality or effectiveness of education within a school, system, or state.

The Capital Times:

Local scholarship winners are:
Seth B. Mulhall, Deerfield High School, Deerfield; Meredith L. Kremer, DeForest Area High School, DeForest; Aaron L. Owen, DeForest Area High School, DeForest.

Joseph K. Carlsmith, West High School, Madison; Sara C. Crocker, West High School, Madison; Erika A. Egner, James Madison Memorial High School, Madison; Reuben F. Henriques, West High School, Madison; Kelsey E. Johnson, Memorial High School, Madison.

Lucas Manuelli, West High School, Madison; Daniel T. Neuser, East High School, Madison; Richard K. Pang, West High School, Madison; Eleanor Shoshany Anderson, La Follette High School, Madison; Alexandro E. Trevino, Memorial High School, Madison.

Benjamin H. Witkovsky, West High School, Madison; Eleanor M. Wroblewski, West High School, Madison; Mary Q. Zhang, West High School, Madison.

Aubrey E. Lauersdorf, Monona Grove High School, Monona; Michael Bethencourt, home school, Mount Horeb.

Congratulations to the students and their families.

$60,000,000 to Raise US Education Awareness, 1 Year Later

Creative to run google ads..... not.

To this point, it has certainly not raised education issues effectively in the Presidential campaign. (Romer launched this initiative in April, 2007).

Former Colorado Governor and LA Superintendent Roy Romer has pulled together some heavy foundation funds. Much more on Roy Romer here.

National Academic Decathlon Finals 4/30/2008 to 5/3/2008

US Academic Decathlon:

2008 Nationals will be held April 30 – May 3, 2008 in Garden Grove, California.
The essay competition will take place online on April 17th, 2008

Wisconsin 2008-2009 Academic Decathlon Schedule.

Dane County Transition School Fights for Survival

Andy Hall:

To try to save his high school, student John Kiefler took an unusual approach this month that revealed both his commitment to the school and his level of desperation.

He contacted Oprah.

"Now I know that because I am a student that had problems in a normal school that if this place closes down that I will have problems getting a diploma," wrote John, a junior who rides a van 45 minutes north from Milton to Dane County Transition School in Madison.

"I hope you can help us."

After 15 years of educating students with fragile futures, Transition School itself faces a test of survival.

The publicly funded alternative school is in danger of closing as early as this summer.

"Our school system was set up for a factory model that has not changed in 100 years and it's growing more and more distant from what we need," said Deedra Atkinson, United Way of Dane County senior vice president of community building and an Oregon School Board member. Her daughter, Audra, is a graduate of Transition School.

Alternative education programs are part of United Way's countywide strategy to curb dropout rates, which according to the state Department of Public Instruction ranged from 1 percent in Belleville to 15 percent in Madison during the 2006-07 school year.

"The Factory Model" of Education via Frederick Taylor's "Scientific Management". A teacher friend lamented some time ago that we're still stuck in this model, making sure that our students are in and out of school around the milking and field work schedule....

Dane County Transition School Website.

2008 AP Annual Conference

July 16-20, 2008; Seattle:

The two days of the main conference will be filled with sessions for every AP course and every Pre-AP® area.

These sessions will provide curriculum information, helpful resources, and best practices for AP teachers, both new and experienced middle school teachers, as well as for AP Coordinators, school counselors, and administrators.

Each session will last 75 minutes, and participants will be eligible for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). To learn how these units will be awarded, see IACET CEUs.

Student Fights At Toki Middle School Posted Online

Channel3000.com:

Disturbing video showing girls engaged in vicious fights on the Toki Middle School grounds popped up on the popular Web site YouTube.

The video, which was posted on April 19, featured a fight between girls outside the school and one from inside the building.

Madison police confirmed that they responded to fights at Toki on Thursday, April 17 and one on Friday, April 18, but can't say whether the fights were the same ones posted online.

"School staff are very aware not only of the videos, but of the things that happened," said Madison Superintendent Art Rainwater. "The students have been identified and are being dealt with through the discipline system in the ways that are appropriate for what the incident was."

That discipline could include suspension. Rainwater said the incidents are so new the discipline process is still ongoing.

The incidents come one month after extra security was added to the school in the form of an additional security guard and a dean of students to deal specifically with problematic students.

The additional safety measure came at the request of Toki parents who felt the school was unsafe with escalating violence all year.

More from Kathleen Masterson.

Columbus, Stoughton Granted Startup Funds for 4-Year-Old Kindergarten; Background on Madison's inaction

Quinn Craugh:

School districts in Stoughton, Columbus, Deerfield, Sauk Prairie and Janesville were among 32 statewide named Monday to receive Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction grants to start kindergarten programs for 4-year-olds.

But it may not be enough for at least one area district.

Getting 4-year-olds enrolled in kindergarten is a key step to raising student achievement levels and graduation rates, particularly among children from low-income families, national research has shown, DPI spokesman Patrick Gasper said.

School districts' efforts to launch 4K programs have been hampered because it takes three years to get full funding for the program under the state's school-finance system, according to DPI.

That's what these grants are supposed to address with $3 million announced for 4K programs to start this fall.

Columbus, one of the school districts that qualified for the grant, would get an estimated $62,814 to enroll 87 children this fall.

Related: Marc Eisen on Missed Opportunity for 4K and High School Redesign.

The good news is that the feds refused to fund the school district's proposal to revamp the high schools. The plan was wrongheaded in many respects, including its seeming intent to eliminate advanced classes that are overwhelmingly white and mix kids of distressingly varied achievement levels in the same classrooms.

This is a recipe for encouraging more middle-class flight to the suburbs. And, more to the point, addressing the achievement gap in high school is way too late. Turning around a hormone-surging teenager after eight years of educational frustration and failure is painfully hard.

We need to save these kids when they're still kids. We need to pull them up to grade level well before they hit the wasteland of middle school. That's why kindergarten for 4-year-olds is a community imperative.

As it happens, state school Supt. Elizabeth Burmaster issued a report last week announcing that 283 of Wisconsin's 426 school districts now offer 4K. Enrollment has doubled since 2001, to almost 28,000 4-year-olds statewide.

Burmaster nailed it when she cited research showing that quality early-childhood programs prepare children "to successfully transition into school by bridging the effects of poverty, allowing children from economically disadvantaged families to gain an equal footing with their peers."

Madison Teachers Inc.'s John Matthews on 4 Year Old Kindergarten:

For many years, recognizing the value to both children and the community, Madison Teachers Inc. has endorsed 4-year-old kindergarten being universally accessible to all.

This forward-thinking educational opportunity will provide all children with an opportunity to develop the skills they need to be better prepared to proceed with their education, with the benefit of 4- year-old kindergarten. They will be more successful, not only in school, but in life.

Four-year-old kindergarten is just one more way in which Madison schools will be on the cutting edge, offering the best educational opportunities to children. In a city that values education as we do, there is no question that people understand the value it provides.

Because of the increasing financial pressures placed upon the Madison School District, resulting from state- imposed revenue limits, many educational services and programs have been cut to the bone.

During the 2001-02 budget cycle, the axe unfortunately fell on the district's 4-year-old kindergarten program. The School Board was forced to eliminate the remaining $380,000 funding then available to those families opting to enroll their children in the program.

Jason Shephard on John Matthews:

This includes its opposition to collaborative 4-year-old kindergarten, virtual classes and charter schools, all of which might improve the chances of low achievers and help retain a crucial cadre of students from higher-income families. Virtual classes would allow the district to expand its offerings beyond its traditional curriculum, helping everyone from teen parents to those seeking high-level math and science courses. But the union has fought the district's attempts to offer classes that are not led by MTI teachers.

As for charter schools, MTI has long opposed them and lobbied behind the scenes last year to kill the Studio School, an arts and technology charter that the school board rejected by a 4-3 vote. (Many have also speculated that Winston's last minute flip-flop was partly to appease the union.)

"There have become these huge blind spots in a system where the superintendent doesn't raise certain issues because it will upset the union," Robarts says. "Everyone ends up being subject to the one big political player in the system, and that's the teachers union."

MTI's opposition was a major factor in Rainwater's decision to kill a 4-year-old kindergarten proposal in 2003, a city official told Isthmus last year (See "How can we help poor students achieve more?" 3/22/07).

Matthews' major problem with a collaborative proposal is that district money would support daycare workers who are not MTI members. "The basic union concept gets shot," he says. "And if you shoot it there, where else are you going to shoot it?"

At times, Matthews can appear downright callous. He says he has no problem with the district opening up its own 4K program, which would cost more and require significant physical space that the district doesn't have. It would also devastate the city's accredited non-profit daycare providers by siphoning off older kids whose enrollment offsets costs associated with infants and toddlers.

"Not my problem," Matthews retorts.

It will be interesting to see where incoming Madison Superintendent Dan Nerad takes this issue.

Kindergarten.

Green Bay School Board Assesses Superintendent Wish List

Kelly McBride:

The next superintendent of the Green Bay School District should be an experienced, community-minded leader focused on student achievement and knowledgeable of changing district demographics, according to the search firm charged with finding him or her.

Those were just a few of the key themes that emerged as the result of two full days of interviews and written feedback submitted by about 275 district stakeholders earlier this month.

The School Board on Saturday assessed the results of that feedback in the form of a leadership profile submitted by search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, the group charged with finding current superintendent Daniel Nerad's replacement.

Nerad, who started as superintendent in 2001, will become the next leader of the Madison School District July 1. The search firm will use the profile to narrow a pool of perhaps 25 applicants to a field of five semifinalists.

Notes, links and video on incoming Madison Superintendent Dan Nerad.

Milwaukee City Leaders See Role in Schools

Larry Sandler:

A new term could bring a new emphasis on education to City Hall, as elected officials push for a stronger voice on an issue they say is vital to Milwaukee's future.

Otherwise, many of the issues will be familiar when a new term starts Tuesday for Mayor Tom Barrett and the Common Council.

Such perennial themes as economic development, public safety, transportation, taxes and state aid will continue to dominate the agenda over the next four years, Barrett and leading aldermen said in separate interviews.

On April 1, voters re-elected Barrett and 13 of 15 aldermen by comfortable margins. New to the council will be Aldermen-elect Milele Coggs, who defeated the jailed Ald. Michael McGee, and Nik Kovac, replacing Ald. Mike D'Amato, who did not seek re-election. Both the new and returning officials will be sworn in Tuesday.

Madison's Mayor appears to be paying more attention to our public schools, as well.

Madison School Board Says No to City Infrastructure Costs for a Potential New East Side School Development

There was an interesting discussion that unfortunately received no publicity during the March 24, 2008 school board meeting regarding proposed Sprecher Road [map] seven figure infrastructure costs (this spending would, perhaps have begun the process of constructing a new east side school). The Board voted 3-3 (Yes: Carstensen, Moss and Silveira; No: Cole, Kobza and Mathiak with Winston absent), which resulted in a no on these costs. Watch the video here. It would seem ill advised to begin borrowing money for a new school given the ongoing budget challenges. Last spring's downtown school closing unpleasantness is another factor to consider with respect to potential new edge schools.

CTM: Esperanza Rising

Children's Theatre of Madison:

Middle school students are a notoriously tough audience.

But at a recent theater arts workshop at Wright Middle School in Madison, students shed their inhibitions as they stomped their feet, practiced the breathing exercises of actors and helped make mariachi music.
In the process, they began to appreciate the effort, energy and excitement of producing a play like "Esperanza Rising," a Children's Theatre of Madison production that will begin on April 4 and continue weekend performances through April 20.

Members of the Esperanza cast, the director, musicians and others associated with the production ran theater arts workshops at Hawthorne Elementary and Cherokee Middle School in Madison last week as well as at Wright Middle School.

When Jane Schroeder, outreach educator for CTM, asked students in Erika Meyer's music class whether they had read the book "Esperanza Rising" by Pam Munoz Ryan, Jennifer Neblett, a sixth-grader at Wright, eagerly raised her hand.

How to Disagree: An Attempt at a "Disagreement Hierarchy"

Paul Graham:

The web is turning writing into a conversation. Twenty years ago, writers wrote and readers read. The web lets readers respond, and increasingly they do—in comment threads, on forums, and in their own blog posts.

Many who respond to something disagree with it. That's to be expected. Agreeing tends to motivate people less than disagreeing. And when you agree there's less to say. You could expand on something the author said, but he has probably already explored the most interesting implications. When you disagree you're entering territory he may not have explored.

The result is there's a lot more disagreeing going on, especially measured by the word. That doesn't mean people are getting angrier. The structural change in the way we communicate is enough to account for it. But though it's not anger that's driving the increase in disagreement, there's a danger that the increase in disagreement will make people angrier. Particularly online, where it's easy to say things you'd never say face to face.

If we're all going to be disagreeing more, we should be careful to do it well. What does it mean to disagree well? Most readers can tell the difference between mere name-calling and a carefully reasoned refutation, but I think it would help to put names on the intermediate stages. So here's an attempt at a disagreement hierarchy:

RISE OF THE 'ROCK STAR' SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT

Patrick Jonsson:

No Child Left Behind has created a demand for school administrators who can take the pressure, and some 20 percent of school districts are now seeking superintendents because of a shortage.

The list reads more like demands from a Hollywood agent than from a candidate to lead the schools for an antebellum-tinged suburb of Atlanta.

To come to work here in Clayton County, a failing school district in Georgia, former Pittsburgh superintendent John Thompson wants $275,000 in salary, a $2 million consulting budget, a Lincoln Town Car with a driver, and money to pay a personal bodyguard.

Sound a bit hefty for someone likely to pull a power lunch in a junior high cafeteria? Maybe not.

Fewer qualified candidates, rising expectations, and a near-impossible job description are creating a new breed of superintendents: Call them central office rock stars. These candidates say that, for the right price, they're willing to do an unpopular job that can take a heavy personal and professional toll to whip underperforming districts into shape.

The trend is exacerbated in struggling minority districts – many in the South – the very ones feeling the greatest pinch from new federal and state accountability laws.

'A truly great man': Milt McPike dies at 68

Channel3000.com:

McPike Battled Rare Adenocystic Cancer. After battling cancer, popular former Madison East High School principal Milton McPike died on Saturday night.

The Madison Metropolitan School District said that McPike passed away overnight at a hospice care facility, WISC-TV reported.

Family, friends, former staff and students said that they're remembering McPike as a man many called an educational hero.

For 40 years, McPike made his life educating youth. He spent 28 of those years in the Madison school district. For five years, he was an assistant principal at West High School, then as principal at East High School for 23 years.

"I've seen so much success through kids who everybody else has given up on," McPike said in a 1992 interview.

He shared his secrets on building relationships with his students.

Samara Kalk Derby:

Milton McPike, a giant in the Madison educational community, died Saturday night at HospiceCare Center in Fitchburg, surrounded by his family. He was 68.

At 6-foot-4, the former San Francisco 49er cut an imposing figure at East High School, where he served as principal for 23 years.

McPike was diagnosed with adenocystic carcinoma, a rare cancer that attacked his sinus area.

Superintendent Art Rainwater called McPike "a truly great man" and "an icon in our community."

"Milt was first of all a tremendous person. He was obviously extremely well respected and a talented educator," Rainwater said. "He led East for 23 years and really and truly was not only important to East High School, but was also important to our community."

Even after he retired from East in 2002, McPike continued to contribute to the community by being a member of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents and recently heading a gang task force in Dane County, Rainwater said. "So his loss will be deeply felt."

Clusty Search: Milt McPike.

2008 Madison Memorial / West Area Strings Festival Photos / Video

Watch a 15 minute video excerpt here and check out the event photos.

Incoming Madison Superintendent Dan Nerad made a few remarks [video], as did Madison Symphony Orchestra Conductor John DeMain [video].

John DeMain's Remarks at the 2008 Memorial / West Strings Festival

Madison Symphony Orchestra Conductor John DeMain made a few remarks at Saturday's Memorial / West area Strings Festival. Watch the video. Much more about John DeMain.

Incoming Madison Superintendent Dan Nerad's remarks. Event photos and video.

Dan Nerad's Remarks at the 2008 Madison Memorial/West Area Strings Festival

Incoming Madison Schools' Superintendent Dan Nerad made a few remarks at Saturday's Memorial / West area Strings Festival. Watch the video. Much more on Dan Nerad here.

Student Robot Competition

Wall Street Journal Video.

Invitation to HOPE/SIS Forum on Educational Equity - April 3

You are all enthusiastically invited to attend a public forum on Educational Equity on April 3, 2008 at 6:30pm at Centro Hispano of Dane County [Map] organized by HOPE (Having Options in Public Education) and SIS (School Info System). Rafael Gomez will be leading a panel discussion on the topic of Equity in Public Education followed by an audience Q & A that will focus on the following questions:

1. Are equal programs the same as equitable programs?
2. How do recent Board decisions (e.g., attendance boundaries and high school design) ensure equity and/or address the achievement gap?
3. Have other recent decisions/changes been made that will positively impact closing the achievement gaps?
4. How are we addressing the issue of ensuring equity in education in a diverse urban population?

Other panelists will include a member of the MMSD Board of Education, a representative from the Urban League, a representative from Centro Hispano, and a former member of the MMSD Equity Task Force. (The Equity Task Force's final report from March 2007 is attached.)

Thank you for your commitment to quality in our public schools and we sincerely hope you will be able to join us for this interesting and informative conversation.

Nancy Donahue, HOPE Organizer
320-9847

2008 Wisconsin Charter Schools Conference

Ingrid Beamsley:

April 21-22 at the Madison Concourse Hotel [map].

Wisconsin State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster will open the conference with her keynote presentation on Monday morning.

Dean Kern, Director of the Charter Schools Program at the U.S. Department of Education will also be speaking on Monday.

Speakers and Schedule.
Howard Fuller, Founder & Director at the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University will provide a keynote presentation Monday during lunch. See an on-line video interview with Howard Fuller by Alan Borsuk of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Be sure not to miss these presentations.

Remember to Register!

Wisconsin Charter Schools Association
PO Box 1704
Madison, WI 53701-1704
Phone: 608-661-6946
www.wicharterschools.org

Waukesha West makes it 7 straight

Amy Hetzner:

Waukesha West High School's Academic Decathlon team marched to a seventh straight state championship Tuesday, aided by veteran and new teammates as well as a seasoned coach.

The team won in a dominating fashion. Its overall score of 52,111 out of a possible 60,000 points set a state record. Nearly 10,000 points separated West from the second-place team from Sun Prairie High School.

"All our hard work has finally paid off," said West student David Haughney. "It's just an exhilarating feeling. It's awesome. It's mind-blowing."

The latest win sends the team to California for the national championships at the end of next month. Waiting for them is a team from Moorpark High School, a California school that West beat at the national event in 2002 and placed second behind the following year.

Madison School District Presentation on Standards Based Report Cards

Watch the District's presentation to the Madison Board of Education. Much more on the proposed "Standards Based" report cards, here.

Badger Spelling Bee Champ

Pat Simms:

Fourteen-year-old Kara Walla of Hales Corners gave God a lot of credit for her victory Saturday in the 2008 Badger State Spelling Bee.

God and good genes.

Home-schooled by her parents with her four siblings, the teenager comes from a family of spellers -- her father, Wade, placed ninth in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 1982 representing Montana, and her aunt, Theresa Walla, came in 27th in the national contest in 1976.

After 16 rounds of spelling against 48 other contenders at Monona Grove High School, Kara carved her own place in the family legacy by spelling ampicillin (an antibiotic).

Before that, she correctly spelled the Greek word echinoderm (a category of marine animal), which 12-year-old Sam Maki of Owen had missed. Third was Natalie LaPointe of Bayfield, who missed the word disciform (of round or oval shape).

Madison city champion Erich Wegenke went out in the fourth round on the word sassafras.

Channel3000 has more.

2008 African American History Challenge

Many thanks to the 100 Black Men of Madison for organizing the 14th annual African American History Challenge. More photos here. Five Madison middle schools participated this year: Cherokee, Sennett, Spring Harbor, Toki and Edgewood.

Wisconsin teenagers compete for academic honors

Anita Clark:

After months of practice and grueling drills, 180 Wisconsin teenagers will converge on Madison next week to face tough competition.

For these young people, the contests are academic, not athletic. They'll be competing in the finals of the Wisconsin Academic Decathlon, which this year includes Dane County teams from McFarland and Sun Prairie high schools.

It's among a growing number of academic extracurricular activities that help students flex their brains, polish their skills and pump up pride in their schools and communities.

Amy Hetzner has more:

After six straight state championship years, with nearly half of last year's winning team returning, what worries could face Waukesha West High School's Academic Decathlon team going into next week's state competition?

"We talk about the New England Patriots," West's veteran decathlon coach Duane Stein said. "We think anybody can fall on any day."

So the nine members of West's team have been staying late at school and studying in their spare time to try to avoid repeating at Wisconsin's academic Super Bowl the performance of a certain undefeated football team that lost its final game of the season.

They're not the only ones hard at work, however.

Madison West High Drama Benefit

via a Cyndie Spencer email:

Once again, excuse the duplicates... this is another great cause for West High School. Denny and i are planning to attend....

Please join Friends of West High Drama Friday March 7, 2008 at 7 PM at the Madison Club for a fundraiser to upgrade the sound system in the West High Auditorium. (see attached invite). We've planned a fun, welcoming and relaxing evening to celebrate the amazing student talent at West. We very much hope you can attend!

Meet the cast of West's spring musical "A Chorus Line". Hear them sing selections from the show as well as entertain you with some of the best "Singing Valentines" from West's celebration of Valentine's Day.

Enjoy delicious appetizers/dessert & bid on a few select auction items (condo in Myrtle Beach; theater tickets & dinner). Cash bar available.

Tickets are $35/person ($25 tax deductible). While tickets will be available at the door, your advance purchase helps us enormously in our planning. If you cannot attend but would like to contribute, please send your contribution made out to FMPS-Friends of West High Drama to Kay Plantes, 3432 Sunset Dr, Madison WI 53705.

We thank you in advance for your support. Your attendance and/or contribution are very much needed to improve the quality of life at West H.S. for all students.

Questions or to unsubscribe from this email, please reply to the address above or call Ruth Saecker (608-233-6943).

Walbridge School's Summer Program

Madison's Walbridge School:

Walbridge School is unique state wide in teaching children with different learning styles to become successful. With a full-day curriculum, Walbridge School teaches grades one through eight with individualized instruction focusing on strengths rathers than weaknesses. Walbridge School will host a summer school program from July 7 through August 1 offering creative courses in reading, writing, and math. Please call for more details at 608.833.1338, email: walbridge2006@yahoo.com.

Sable Flames Annual Second Alarm Scholarship Benefit on Saturday 2/23

via a Johnny Winston, Jr. email

On Saturday, February 23, 2008 at the Edgewater Hotel at 666 Wisconsin Avenue [Map] in Downtown Madison, The Sable Flames, Inc. (African American firefighters for the City of Madison) will present its Fifteenth Annual “Second Alarm Scholarship Benefit” at 8:00 p.m. until 1 a.m.

Entertainment for this year’s event features a disc jockey (DJ Surprise) and dance music; complimentary hors d’oeuvres, door prizes, music, dancing and a cash bar will be provided. A mature audience and dress attire is requested.

Tickets are available from members of The Sable Flames, Inc. or can be purchased at the door. The cost of the event is $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Tickets are tax-deductible and can be purchased as a donation if you cannot attend the event. The Sable Flames, Inc. is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization.

For tickets and additional information, please contact Mahlon Mitchell at 698-2333 or Johnny Winston, Jr. at 347-9715 or johnnywinstonjr@hotmail.com.

Please feel free to send this message to other interested persons, organizations or parties. My apologies for any duplicate messages or cross-postings.

On Madison's New Superintendent

Jason Shephard:

After a round of "meet and greets" with the three finalists for the job of Madison schools superintendent, insiders were divided on two favorites. Leaders who've pushed for greater educational reforms spoke highly of Miami's Steve Gallon, while key institutional players favored Green Bay's Dan Nerad.

Nerad, 56, the most battle-tested of the finalists, delivered a solid introductory speech that struck the right notes. He stressed his consensus-building record, cautioned against embracing reform for its own sake, and drew applause by blasting state revenue controls.

In contrast, Gallon seemed bolder but less experienced. He ventured into dangerous territory by saying inadequate funding shouldn't be used as an excuse for educational failures. A 38-year-old black single father, Gallon attended the same Miami public school system where he now runs alternative programs, and many saw his potential as a visionary leader.

In the end, picking a replacement for Art Rainwater, who is retiring in June after eight years in the top job, was not hard to do. The night before school board deliberations, Gallon dropped out after finding a job on the East Coast. The Madison board unanimously made an offer to Nerad, Green Bay's school superintendent since 2001.

Those who lobbied for Gallon behind the scenes say privately they're over any disappointment they initially felt. And school board members say they're excited — if not relieved — to find someone like Nerad. "It feels right. It feels good," says board president Arlene Silveira.

Much more on Dan Nerad here

Madison hosts all-city Scrabble tournament

Emily Mills:

Break out the dictionaries and the little wooden squares because it’s time for a Madtown Scrabble smackdown!

A citywide Scrabble tournament, organized by Madison Family Literacy, aims to help raise funds for reading and education programs for adults and children in the city. The tournament runs from February 23-24 at the Hilldale Shopping Center, and kicks off with a challenge game between Mayor Dave and whoever makes the highest bid for the honor of schooling him at wordplay.

Started in 1999 as part of the federal Even Start program, Madison Family Literacy (MFL) grew out of a need to restructure and move ahead when federal funds began to dry up for the various original branches of the organization. The programs provide adult education courses in English literacy, high school equivalency, employment readiness, childhood development and other essential skills to various at-risk and lower income families throughout Madison. They also provide daily early childhood classes for up to 50 children. And though many local and national groups, including Attic Angels, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and the Barbara Bush Foundation have chipped in to help keep the program afloat, finances remain tight.

Patti La Cross, the current coordinator, explains: “In the past four years, several things have happened: The federal budget for Even Start was reduced by about 70% and in succession the two other Madison Even Start grants were reaching the end of their four-year cycles. So, we voluntarily merged, eventually becoming One Grant -- Madison Family Literacy -- and serve the city's least educated, lowest income families on just over 1/3 of the original funds. And our success at meeting or exceeding all our performance indicators still went up!”

In addition to those families it was already serving, the program took on over 30 Hmong refugee families who began moving into subsidized housing in Madison back in July of 2004. Despite less money coming in and being told to cut back, MFL actually added services for these and other ethnic groups in the area.

Green Charter Schools Meeting

You’re invited to an important discussion about “green” public schools with environment-focused educational programs and practices.

Date: February 11, 2008 (Monday Afternoon)
Time: 1:30pm to 3:30pm
Site: U.W.- Madison Arboretum

Join this facilitated discussion among educators, students, environmental leaders, policymakers, green charter school friends, news media, school officials, and founding directors of the new Green Charter Schools Network.

Discussion & Reception

Facilitator: Doug Thomas, Director, EdVisions
Share your opinions about:
Green Charter School Choices in Public Education
Student Experiences at Green Charter Schools including River Crossing Charter School Students
What’s It Mean to Be an Educated Person?
Creating the Capacity for Change
Young People and the Environmental Legacies of:
Aldo Leopold
Gaylord Nelson
Sigurd Olson
Innovating with School and Schooling -- "Innovating" linked at Education / Evolving

VICTORIA RYDBERG and STUDENTS from River Crossing Charter School will join us at the February 11 discussion along with TIA NELSON, Gaylord Nelson’s daughter; JEFF NANIA, Director, Wisconsin Waterfowl Association; SARA LAIMON, Teacher, Environmental Charter High School, L.A., California; JIM McGRATH, JULIE SPALDING, & JIM TANGEN-FOSTER, Educators & Founders of Green Charter Schools; STEFAN ANDERSON, Headmaster, Conserve School, and many other environmentalists and educators.

Please RSVP to sennb@charter.net or 608 238 7491

Oregon and Monona Grove Add Elementary Spanish

Gena Kittner:

wo Dane County school districts will be saying "hola " to new language programs at the elementary level this fall.

In the Oregon School District, Spanish will be taught in kindergarten through fourth grades starting this fall, with fifth and sixth grades added in the fall of 2009, said Courtney Odorico, Oregon School Board member.

Teaching only Spanish is a scaled-down version of what the district originally considered -- teaching a different language such as Japanese, Chinese or German -- at each of its three elementary schools.

"I think parents were a little worried about not having a choice, " Odorico said. Also, "there were very few certified teachers in Chinese and some of the other languages we were looking at in the state. "

The School Board approved the program at a meeting Monday.

Spanish also is the language of choice for elementary students in Monona Grove, where the School Board approved the program earlier this month.

The parent response was overwhelmingly for Spanish, said Bill Breisch, curriculum director for the Monona Grove School District.

Parents Fight Plan To Shift Kids To Falk

Andy Hall:

The new elementary school being built on Madison's Far West Side, already mired in controversy over its name, now is part of a second emotional debate: Which students should be uprooted from their current schools when school attendance boundaries are redrawn this year to accommodate the new school and recent population changes?

A well-organized group of dozens of Stephens Elementary parents is fighting the Madison School District's proposal to move 83 students from Stephens to Falk Elementary. The students would be among 524 at seven elementary and middle schools affected by the proposal, which is known as Plan A.

Parents in the Valley Ridge neighborhood contend their children, most of whom are from middle-class backgrounds, would receive an inferior education at Falk because the school already has an extraordinarily high number of low-income and other students who need extra attention.

Fifty-three percent of Falk's students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, compared to an average of 36 percent at elementary schools in the Memorial High School attendance area.

More here.

Madison Superintendent Candidate Dan Nerad's Public Appearance

Watch a 28 minute question and answer session at Monona Terrace yesterday, download the .mp4 video file (168mb, CTRL-Click this link) or listen to this 11MB mp3 audio file. Learn more about the other candidates: Steve Gallon and Jim McIntyre.

I spoke briefly with Dan Nerad yesterday and asked if Green Bay had gone to referendum recently. He mentioned that they asked for a fifth high school in 2007, a $75M question that failed at the ballot. The Green Bay Press Gazette posted a summary of that effort. The Press Gazette urged a no vote. Clusty Search on Green Bay School Referendum, Google, Live, Yahoo.

Related Links:

• Dr. Daniel Nerad, Superintendent of Schools -- Green Bay Area Public School District, Green Bay, Wisconsin [Clusty Search / Google Search / Live Search / Yahoo Search ]
• Desired Superintendent Characteristics
• Five Candidates Named
• Learn more about the three candidates
• NBC15
• Hire the best
• Susan Troller:

  Dan Nerad believes it takes a village to educate a child, and after three decades of being a leader in Green Bay's schools, he'd like to bring his skills here as the Madison district's next superintendent.

  Nerad, 56, is superintendent of the Green Bay public school system, which has just more than 20,000 students.

  At a third and final public meet-and-greet session for the candidates for Madison school superintendent on Thursday at the Monona Terrace Convention Center, Nerad spoke of his passion for helping students and his philosophies of educational leadership.

  Speaking to a crowd of about 70 community members, Nerad began his brief remarks by quoting Chief Sitting Bull, "Let us put our minds together and see what kind of life we can make for our children."

  "I believe the 'us' must really be us -- all of us -- working to meet the needs of all children," he said. Several times during his remarks, he emphasized that education is an investment in work force development, in the community and in the future.

  He also said that he believes it's a moral commitment.

  Nerad talked about his efforts to create an entire district of leaders, and the importance of a healthy, collaborative culture in the schools. He said he saw diversity as "a strong, strong asset" because it allows kids to learn in an atmosphere that reflects the world they are likely to live in.

Emma Carlisle and Cora Wiese Moore provided music during the event. Both attend Blackhawk Middle School.

Madison Superintendent Candidate James McIntyre's Public Appearance

Watch a 28 minute question and answer session at Monona Terrace yesterday, download the .mp4 video file (195mb, CTRL-Click this link) or listen to this 12.3MB mp3 audio file. Watch [64MB mpeg4 download - CTRL-Click]or listen to a short, informal chat. Learn more about the other candidates: Steve Gallon and Dan Nerad

Related Links:

• Dr. James McIntyre, Chief Operating Officer – Boston Public Schools, Boston, Massachusetts [Clusty Search / Google Search / Live Search / Yahoo Search]
• Desired Superintendent Characteristics
• Five Candidates Named
• Learn more about the three candidates
• WKOW-TV
• NBC15
• Hire the best
• Susan Troller:

  The students in an alternative high school in East St. Louis inspired Jim McIntyre when he was their teacher and continue to inspire him today as an administrator in the Boston public school system.

  McIntyre, 40, spoke late Wednesday afternoon at Monona Terrace to a crowd of around 50 people at the second of three public meet-and-greet sessions for the final candidates vying for the job of Madison school superintendent.

  "Teaching in East St. Louis was a life-changing experience," McIntyre explained.

  "Many of my students were children who lived under very, very difficult circumstances. When you were able to eliminate some of the distractions they faced and get them engaged in school, they were smart, talented students," he said.

  But for some, the odds were so difficult, and their lives so daunting that hope was hard to maintain.

  "My brightest student, my best student, took his own life because he just didn't see any future. It's with me every day," McIntyre said.

  McIntyre, 40, is currently the chief operating officer of the Boston public school system, which has an operating budget of about $800 million. Before becoming chief operating officer about two years ago, McIntyre was budget director of the district, which serves about 57,000 students, for 8 years.

  He says he tries to bring a student-centered focus to his job managing facilities, food service, safety, transportation and all other aspects of his job.

A Discussion on School Models (Traditional, Charter and Magnet)

Madison Superintendent Art Rainwater and Rafael Gomez held an interesting discussion on school models recently [Announcement].

Read the transcript
Watch the Video
or listen to the event (41mb mp3 audio)

Related:

• Madison School Board Discussion of School Models, Including Basic and Alternative Approaches
• Where have all the students gone, an update.
• Competition in Public Education
• A History of the Madison Studio School Initiative

Martin Luther King Photo Essay

Time Magazine:

King's unique vision reshaped the landscape of American politics and society. In his brief life, he redefined what it means to be black in the United States, and, by extension, what it means to be an American.

And Then There Were 3: Finalists for the Madison Superintendent Job

Madison Board of Education:

Following a first round of interviews with the five semifinalists, the Board of Education has selected three candidates as finalists for the position of Superintendent of the Madison Metropolitan School District.

In alphabetical order, the three candidates are:

Dr. Steve Gallon, District Administrative Director – Miami/Dade Public Schools, Miami, Florida [Clusty Search / Google Search / Live Search / Yahoo Search]

Dr. James McIntyre, Chief Operating Officer – Boston Public Schools, Boston, Massachusetts [Clusty Search / Google Search / Live Search / Yahoo Search]

Dr. Daniel Nerad, Superintendent of Schools – Green Bay Area Public School District, Green Bay, Wisconsin [Clusty Search / Google Search / Live Search / Yahoo Search ]

The Board interviewed the candidates last evening and today.

Each of the three finalists will spend a day in Madison on January 22, 23 or 24. In addition to a second interview with the Board, the candidates will visit some schools and see parts of Madison, talk to attendees at the Community Meet and Greet, and speak with district administrators.

The community is invited to the Meet and Greets scheduled from 4:00 to 5:15 p.m. at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center on January 22, 23 and 24. In the first hour, attendees will be able to briefly meet and greet the candidate as part of a receiving line. From 5:00 to 5:15 p.m. each day, the candidate will make a brief statement and might take questions. The session will end promptly at 5:15 p.m.

The schedule for visits by the finalists:

Tuesday, January 22 Steve Gallon
Wednesday, January 23 James McIntyre
Thursday, January 24 Daniel Nerad

On January 26 or 27, the Board will identify a preferred finalist. To ensure the Board's research will be as comprehensive as possible, a Board delegation is expected to visit the finalist's community during the week of January 28. The announcement of the appointment of the new Superintendent is scheduled for early February.

Related:

• Desired Superintendent Characteristics
• Five Candidates Named
• Meet and Greet the Three Finalists

The consulting firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates was hired by the Board last summer to manage the search and advise the Board during the process. In October, the Board approved the leadership profile developed as a result of community input. This profile can be viewed by going to "Superintendent Search" at www.mmsd.org

For the last three months, the consultants recruited candidates for the position, conducted preliminary reference checks for the most promising applicants, and conducted initial interviews.

From this process, the consultants brought to the Board a select slate of candidates from which the five semifinalists were named by the Board on January 7.

The semifinalists were chosen from among 25 persons who sought the position currently held by Art Rainwater. Rainwater will retire on June 30, 2008, with the new Superintendent scheduled to begin on July 1.

Madison police respond to gun call at Sherman Middle School

Jesse Russell:

All is well after an incident earlier today when police responded to a "gun" call at Sherman Middle School. According to the Madison Police Department "an 11-year-old student discharged a cap gun inside the boy's locker room." While the gun was lime green students passing by only heard the sound of the cap gun discharging. Full report below:

1/8/2008 Madison Event on K-12 School Models

Rafael Gomez is hosting a discussion of school models (traditional, charter, magnet) with Madison School District Superintendent Art Rainwater.

When: 6:30p.m. Tuesday January 8, 2008.

Where:
Covenant Presbyterian Church
318 South Segoe Rd
Madison, WI 53705 [Map]

Background:
Many communities offer a growing number of K-12 educational options. Learn about Madison's current offerings and the climate for future charter/magnet initiatives.

Format:
Question and Answer

Rafael has hosted a number of previous forums, including those that address:

• Gangs and School Violence
• Budget
• Nutrition and Schools
• Math
• Abuses and Uses of Curriculum
• Poverty and Education
• Elections

Madison School Superintendent Candidates

Madison School District Press Release:

Following their meeting this evening with Superintendent search consultants from Hazard, Young and Attea & Associates, Ltd., the Board of Education has selected five applicants as semifinalists for the position of Superintendent of the Madison Metropolitan School District.

In alphabetical order, the five applicants are:

• Dr. Bart Anderson, County Superintendent - Franklin County Educational Service Center, Columbus, Ohio [Clusty Search / Google Search / Live Search / Yahoo Search]
• Dr. Steve Gallon, District Administrative Director - Miami/Dade Public Schools, Miami, Florida [Clusty Search / Google Search / Live Search / Yahoo Search]
• Dr. James McIntyre, Chief Operating Officer - Boston Public Schools, Boston, Massachusetts [Clusty Search / Google Search / Live Search / Yahoo Search]
• Dr. Daniel Nerad, Superintendent of Schools - Green Bay Area Public School District, Green Bay, Wisconsin [Clusty Search / Google Search / Live Search / Yahoo Search ]
• Dr. Marguerite Vanden Wyngaard, Chief Academic Officer - Racine Unified School District, Racine, Wisconsin [Clusty Search / Google Search / Live Search / Yahoo Search]

The semifinalists were chosen from among 25 persons who sought the position currently held by Art Rainwater. Rainwater will retire on June 30, 2008, with the new Superintendent scheduled to begin on July 1.

Related Links:

• A petition to the school board on the superintendent hire.
• Desired Superintendent Characteristics.
• Event Tonight @ 6:30p.m.: Retiring Madison Superintendent Art Rainwater discusses K-12 school models.
• Arlene Silveira comments.

Recognize (Wisconsin Virtual School's) school's success

Kathy Hennings [Hennings teaches at the Wisconsin Virtual Academy]:

Imagine if you were a member of a union whose actions hurt children and cost you your job.

Welcome to my world.

I am a teacher with the Wisconsin Virtual Academy, one of Wisconsin's most successful public virtual schools. Prior to working at WIVA, I spent 30 years employed in traditional brick-and-mortar public schools. I am also a dues-paying member of the Wisconsin Education Association Council.

Public virtual schools offer students a unique opportunity within the public school realm. A rigorous and rich curriculum, which meets Wisconsin standards, is provided for each child enrolled. In my school, licensed, experienced teachers instruct students and partner with parents (who strongly value their child's education) to ensure the curriculum is carried out. Online scripted lessons, written by professionals in the field, are presented to the students at their own pace. Because a student does not need to move along with the masses in a classroom of 25 to 30, individualized attention can be given.

..........

That WEAC, my union, doesn't care that these schools successfully educate kids at a substantial savings to taxpayers is a disgrace.

I hope the Supreme Court and lawmakers who may address this situation will agree with parents and teachers and not with WEAC. Otherwise, 3,000 kids in a half-dozen schools across the state will be forced out of the public schools that work best for them.

Much more on the Wisconsin Virtual Academy & WEAC's lawsuit - supported by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, here.

UW-Madison: Saturday Enrichment 2008

UW Madison School of Education Outreach:

The Saturday Enrichment Program provides a student-centered environment to explore a wide range of interests and new academic areas to empower 5th-8th graders to ask and learn about career options, interests, and choices. Students utilize state-of-the-art campus resources and interact with UW-Madison faculty, staff and community professionals in this pre-college program sponsored by the School of Education. This program has open enrollment with course registrations on a first come, first served basis.

December 12, 2007 HOPE (Having Options in Public Education) Meeting

All are invited to the monthly meeting of the HOPE (Having Options in Public Education) meeting on Wednesday, 12/12, 6:30-8:00pm at Escape Coffee House, 916 Willy St. [Map] Featured will be brief presentations by UW Professor John Witte regarding recent research on school choice and charters, and Bryan Grau of Nuestro Mundo Community School regarding what the NMCS Board has learned navigating MMSD.

Name Lauren Cunningham
E-mail: cunningham.lauren@sbcgobal.net
Telephone 221-9338

Wisconsin Way Forum on School Funding

As all of you are well aware, one of the most vexing issues facing public education today is funding and 14 years of revenue controls that have been placed on Wisconsin schools, causing on-going erosion in programs and services.

On Thursday, December 6, 7:00-9:00 PM, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way, Alliant Energy Center, Madison [Map], a community forum sponsored by the Wisconsin Way will be held to discuss the issue of taxation and public investment.

The Wisconsin Way is a non-partisan, grassroots effort to create a fair and equitable funding system that promotes excellence in education and public service. Area residents with different viewpoints are being invited to come together for a public conversation on taxes and possible solutions to the challenges we face in protecting and preserving Wisconsin?s quality of life and our great schools.

To learn more about Wisconsin Way, you can the website: http://www.wisconsinway.org

We are attempting to get a head count for turnout, so if you think you might attend, please contact me (even at this late date).

Also, if you have questions, don?t hesitate to contact me. Friends and neighbors are welcome as well.

Thanks much for your consideration.

Jeff Leverich leverichj@weac.org Telephone 608 276-7711

Elvehjem Boundless Playground Fundraiser Tonight

Via a reader's email:

LVM Dreams Big is working to bring the FIRST Boundless Playground to the state of Wisconsin by 8/8/08!

Join our effort to kick down physical barriers and raise a play structure that opens a world of play to all children.

Please help us build the dream so that children of all abilities can reach the highest heights and learn the lessons of childhood through play.

Since forming in 2005, the committee has worked to raise funds to support the mission of improving accessibility while also promoting physical fitness and increasing safety for all children.

December 4th 5:30-7:30 Great Dane Night! Spend an evening at the Great Dane Brew Pub [Map] - free food, fun and a very special guest! Donation Stations will also be available to help build the FIRST Boundless Playground in the state of Wisconsin!

Parents are the Problem (WEAC & Wisconsin DPI Sue to Kill the Wisconsin Virtual Academy)

Rose Fernandez, via a reader's email:

On Tuesday of this week, in a Waukesha courtroom, the state governmental agency responsible for our public schools and a labor union came before the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and pleaded with the judges to keep parents out of public schools. Yes, that's right. The state and the teachers union are at war with parents and I'm mad as heck about it. (Madder than heck, actually, but trying to keep this blog family friendly).

According to the Department of Public Instruction and the state teachers' union, parents are the problem. And these bureaucracies know just how to fix it. They want to keep parents, and indeed anyone without a teaching license, out of Wisconsin public schools.

Of course WEAC, the state teachers' union, likes that idea. Licenses mean dues. Dues mean power.

DPI likes it because ........well, could it be just because WEAC does?

The lawsuit before the Court of Appeals was filed by WEAC in 2004 in an effort to close a charter school that uses an on-line individualized curriculum allowing students from all over the state to study from home under the supervision of state certified faculty. The school is the Wisconsin Virtual Academy (WIVA). The Northern Ozaukee School District took the bold step of opening this new kind of school in the fall of 2003 after DPI approved their charter. Hundreds of families around the state enrolled their children under open enrollment that first year and mine was one of them. WIVA has grown every year since and this year has more than 800 students.

In January of 2004, WEAC filed their lawsuit against the school and DPI who authorized its existence. Later that year in a stunning reversal DPI switched sides and moved to close its own public school. DPI alleges that parents are too involved in their own children's education.

That's right. They argue parents are too involved.

I've always thought parental involvement in a child's education was a good thing. What do I know? I don't have a teacher's license.

This issue was discussed extensively by Gregg Underheim during the most recent Wisconsin DPI Superintendent race (April, 2005). Audio / Video here.

Much more on the Wisconsin Virtual Academy. Also check out www.wivirtualschoolfamilies.org.

Happy Thanksgiving!

French President Nicholas Sarkozy recently spoke to a joint session of Congress. Sarokozy's excellent speech can be heard here [8.5mb mp3 audio file]:

From the very beginning, the American dream meant proving to all mankind that freedom, justice, human rights and democracy were no utopia but were rather the most realistic policy there is and the most likely to improve the fate of each and every person.

America did not tell the millions of men and women who came from every country in the world and who--with their hands, their intelligence and their heart--built the greatest nation in the world: "Come, and everything will be given to you." She said: "Come, and the only limits to what you'll be able to achieve will be your own courage and your own talent." America embodies this extraordinary ability to grant each and every person a second chance.

Here, both the humblest and most illustrious citizens alike know that nothing is owed to them and that everything has to be earned. That's what constitutes the moral value of America. America did not teach men the idea of freedom; she taught them how to practice it. And she fought for this freedom whenever she felt it to be threatened somewhere in the world. It was by watching America grow that men and women understood that freedom was possible.

What made America great was her ability to transform her own dream into hope for all mankind.

"Wisconsin Way" Meeting Notes

The "Wisconsin Way" recently held a forum in Waukesha. The local Taxpayer's League posted some notes [website].

A schedule of forums appears on their website (Madison is 12/6/2007). More:

Welcome to the Wisconsin Way! You’ve made the first step to helping lower Wisconsin’s property taxes, while protecting our services and maintaining Wisconsin’s quality of life.

A groundswell of public concern about the affordability of property taxes on the one hand and the need to maintain Wisconsin’s critical infrastructure on the other has prompted several statewide leadership groups to join forces in a historic search for solutions called The Wisconsin Way.

In the coming months, the original conveners of the Wisconsin Way—the Wisconsin Counties Association, the Wisconsin Education Association Council, Wisconsin Realtors Association, Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association and Wood Communications Group—will host a series of public gatherings around the state in an effort to engage Wisconsin citizens in a constructive, solution-oriented conversation about what we can do to make Wisconsin taxes fairer and reduce the property tax burden without sacrificing the quality of public services that have made Wisconsin a special place to live and work.

Midvale School Pancake Breakfast

Madison's Midvale School is hosting a pancake breakfast this Saturday, 11/17/2007 from 8:30 to 11:00a.m. 502 Caromar Dr Madison, WI 53711 [Map] $4.00 per person / $12.00 per family.

Drama at East and West

Need a Little Drama in Your Life?

Come support the drama communities at East and West!

At West HS [Map] -- "I Hate Hamlet"
Friday, November 9, 7:30
Saturday, November 10, 7:30
Tickets $5.00

At East HS [