Latest news with #SchoolBoard
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
MPS plans to end full Italian immersion in place since 2006, switch to language class
Citing low enrollment and budgetary constraints, Milwaukee Public Schools plans to stop offering a full Italian immersion program and scale-down to an Italian class beginning in the 2025-26 school year. The Italian immersion program currently has 24 students enrolled in the two-teacher K4 through fifth-grade program, MPS Deputy Superintendent Eduardo Galvan said during a May 29 School Board meeting. The district plans to offer an Italian language class within Victory K8 School, where the immersion program has been housed since it opened in 2006. According to Victory K8's website, the immersion program is believed to be the first of its kind in the United States. Christina and Michael Balistreri wrote an op-ed published May 27 on urging the School Board to maintain the program "envisioned" by their father, Tom Balistreri, a former MPS school board member and principal of Rufus King International High School. "Unfortunately, MPS administration decided to dissolve the Italian Immersion Program with little communication with the community group they were collaborating with for nearly two years. After this decision, a letter was sent to parents informing them of this devastating change, leaving many feeling blindsided and confused," the op-ed reads. Christina and Michael Balistreri said MPS' proposal "strips the program of the immense benefits of full immersion" by offering a language class alone rather than all classes taught in Italian. During the May 29 meeting, Galvan said the district is "carefully evaluating how to best sustain and grow the Italian language and culture offerings." "We must grow this program in order to preserve it for years to come. Specifically, we are looking to ensure that the Italian language is offered to all K-8 students at Victory," he said. Ten people spoke during a public hearing on the topic at the meeting; all opposed ending Italian immersion in MPS. The School Board took no action during that meeting — but the district later confirmed its plans for the immersion program are contingent upon a future vote by the board. During the May 29 meeting, several speakers said MPS could grow enrollment by moving the program to a more central location in the city. Within Victory K8 school, the immersion program is at 2222 W. Henry Ave., on the far south side of the city near Greendale. "Let the Italian immersion school reboot somewhere new, centrally located. Victory was not the ideal for growth, and it was never, ever meant to be a permanent home," said Gina Jorgensen, an MPS educator and parent of a child who attended the school. Jorgensen petitioned the board to hold the public hearing, and for the School Board to have the final say in the future of the immersion program. "We have asked many times, for a decade, for this school to be moved. And here we are now today," Jorgensen said. Among the speakers at the meeting was Sandy Winard, president of the Italian Community Center of Milwaukee and the executive director of Festa Italiana. She described the east side, Brady Street and Third Ward areas of Milwaukee as among "the most vibrant building block areas of this city." She also pointed out that MPS operates immersion programs in other languages: French, German and Spanish. "We would like to see our culture, our language, have the same opportunity," she said. Cleo Krejci covers K-12 education and workforce development as a Report For America corps member based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at CKrejci@ or follow her on Twitter @_CleoKrejci. For more information about Report for America, visit This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: MPS to end full Italian immersion, switch to language class
Chicago Tribune
27-05-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Oak Park and River Forest High School teacher quits, alleges discrimination
A special education at Oak Park and River Forest High School who left her job and classroom with just two weeks left in the school year said in a public comment at a School Board meeting that she was forced to resign. Kiah Brown, who had taught at OPRF since 2019, addressed the OPRF District 200 school board at its May 22 meeting just six days after she abruptly left her job. In her approximately four minute statement at the meeting, Brown said she was forced to resign and that she believed her resignation constituted a 'constructive discharge,' a legal term meaning that conditions are so bad at a job that an employee has no alternative but to resign and is essentially fired. Brown told the board her experience at OPRF fell far short of the school's professed values of equity, inclusion and academic excellence. 'Unfortunately what I experienced and what I witnessed undermined those values,' a tearful Brown said at the meeting. 'Across departments and especially within the special education department, I observed inequitable treatment of students and staff and lack of support which led to the increase in turnover particularly among African American employees since the most recent change in administration. They reflect a pattern fueled by poor leadership practices, misrepresentation and the protection of internal leadership alliances over equity and accountability.' 'I've come to the point where the moral challenges I face within OPRFHS's system are no longer something I can ignore without compromising my own health and well-being,' Brown wrote. 'As much as I love the students I serve, I've realized that love cannot come at the cost of my own peace and professional integrity.' Brown also accused unnamed OPRF administrators of fostering a hostile work environment and inflicting psychological and professional harm on her. 'What I've endured is not isolated; it's part of a collective pattern of targeted attacks carried out by what I would describe as individuals operating like 13th graders,' Brown said. Brown, a math teacher, urged the board to look into what has been going on at OPRF and 'stop allowing image to outweigh impact.' 'You cannot continue to market equity by indirectly supporting those who perpetuate the antithesis and inadvertently punishing those who advocate for it,' she said. According to her LinkedIn page, Brown has just been hired as a case manager at Whitney Young High School in Chicago. 'Please be advised that Ms. Brown resigned for personal reasons,' Roberts wrote. Roberts told them a full time substitute who is a licensed learning behavior specialist at OPRF would take over Brown's assignments for the last two weeks of the school year. 'We would like to assure you that we have taken the necessary steps to ensure continuity of instruction for your student,' Roberts wrote. The School Board met in closed session at the meeting for 45 minutes with the district's human resources director Roxana Sanders and director of Special Education Andrea Neuman. After the meeting Sanders, Neuman and Superintendent Greg Johnson all declined to comment when asked about their reaction to Brown's public comment. New School Board president Audrey Williams-Lee had a short answer when asked about her reaction to Brown's comments. 'Everyone has the right to express their opinion and share their perspective,' Williams said. 'That's what our country is all about.' In April, Seneca Johnson, a Student Resource Center monitor at OPRF who has been on leave for the entire school year after filing a complaint with the federal Equal Opportunity Commission accusing administrators of discrimination, told the School Board that many top administrators, some of whom are Black, had discriminated against Black employees at the school. 'I want to speak on the disturbing reality of systematic injustice at Oak Park and River Forest High School,' Johnson said in a public comment at the April 10 school board meeting. 'For far too long the school has tolerated discrimination based on disability, age, sex and race, workplace retaliation, creating a hostile work environment that had disproportionately affected Black women and men.' The morning after the School Board meeting an OPRF spokeswoman said she couldn't comment about specific cases. 'We take them seriously and we do look into them,' said Karin Sullivan, the school's executive director of communications. 'It's a HR process and we follow our policies and procedures when it comes to investigations.' Two School Board members said that they want the school to look into what has been going on. 'It's obviously very concerning, it is something that needs to be looked into,' said Fred Arkin, the board's senior member. Arkin said that it was very unusual that a teacher would quit with just two weeks left in the school year and not finish the semester. Arkin was asked if he thought there was a problem with the workplace culture at OPRF. 'I think that has to be investigated,' Arkin said. 'Do I think there is a problem? I don't think there is a problem but I think we do need to dig into it and learn more about what's going on to determine if there is a problem.' But at a school with around 500 employees, 'It's difficult to make everybody 100% happy,' Arkin said. 'Obviously the two statements that we had from the two employees were very passionate, very emotional, but if there is something underlying that's a problem we've got to look at it,' Arkin said. New board member Josh Gertz said he has 'expressed concern toward the administration.' 'It's certainly something I intend to follow up on with the administration,' Gertz said. 'The other thing I would say is that it did seem that they had already begun a process of looking into the allegations and doing their due diligence which was welcomed, it was good to hear.'
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Majority of PENNCREST candidates look ready to advance
In an unofficial count Tuesday night, it seemed a majority of the eight cross-filed candidates for PENNCREST School Board will be on ballots come November. Based on Crawford County's precinct data, Tim Brown, Dani Schmidt, Robert Johnston Jr. and Amber Wright are ahead to be on the Democratic ballot, while Wright, Matt Warren, Kathi Despenes and Fred Bryant were the top candidates for the Republican ballot. Venango County election results were not available as of press time to determine the outcome. Current board President Johnston said his main priority moving forward is balancing the budget. 'We're the closest we've ever been in the eight years I've been on the board,' he said, mentioning that he wants to do it without a tax increase. PENNCREST residents saw a 4-mill tax increase last year, and the current preliminary budget has a deficit just over $525,000. On the Republican ballot, Warren said he wants to balance the budget without increasing taxes and to improve the quality of education. He believes his background gave him a leg up to get on the ballot. 'I have 18 years of business experience and I think I have good business sense and also have common sense,' he said. Also on the Republican ballot and focused on academic achievement is Despenes. She said she's tried to interact with the community as much as possible and hear what's important to them and how that measures up to her strong values. She wants to focus on transparency regarding the budget to let tax payers know where their money is going and hopes to continue test scores improvement. 'I hope I can improve the district if elected in the fall, help others and help work with whoever is elected to the board,' she said. All other leading candidates did not respond immediately for comment. The leading vote count for Crawford County precincts as of Tuesday night for the Republican ballot was Wright, 1,415; Warren, 1,376; Despenes, 1,361; and Bryant, 1,243. The Democratic ballot showed Schmidt, 786; Brown, 760; Johnston Jr., 612; and Wright, 342. Official results will be certified once all provisional ballots and other ballots that must be counted by hand are completed. The final computations, after a five-day posting period in which there are no objections or challenges, will be made official with the final signing by the Crawford County Board of Elections.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mix of newcomers, incumbents move on in school board races
The primary election results of school board races in Cambria and Somerset counties featured a mix on incumbents and newcomers who were cross-filed on Democratic and Republican tickets moving on to the general election in November. 'I just feel blessed to be able to continue what I started,' Greater Johnstown School Board member Missy Spaugy said. 'I think we have some really good things going on right now.' She advanced alongside fellow incumbents Edwin Mikesic and Michael Allen on the Democrat and Republican tickets for four-year seats, unofficial results show. Newcomer Randy Lear also advanced on both ballots for that position. Spaugy and Mikesic earned nods for two-year seats as well. If elected in November, this will be Spaugy's second term on the board. She said she's looking forward to all of the positive advancements in the district, and continuing to improve the school environment for students, staff and the community. Northern Cambria School Board had a hotly contested race, with eight people running for four seats. Unofficial results show school directors Danyelle Hoover and Jennifer Zeanchock will advance along with newcomers Sarah DeGol Wolfe and Christine Phillips. Board member Michael Vasil also will move on in a two-year position. Appointed members Thomas Rocco and Bob Westrick did not advance, and neither did challengers Jim Rocco and Wayne Krug. 'I just could not feel more blessed that our voters came out and spoke,' Hoover said of the results. She ran again because she wants to be a strong student advocate, she said, and provide better representation to all Northern Cambria School District municipalities. 'I've served on the board for three and a half years, and if reelected, I'll continue working to make smart, transparent decisions that support student success both in and out of the classroom,' Hoover said. One of her goals, she added, is to potentially create a policy to prevent immediate family members from serving on the board concurrently. Those advancing in the North Star race in Somerset County were nearly split along party lines. School directors Caitlin Fleegle, Kathleen Shaffer, Robbie Bloom and Cindy West are moving on to the November general election, along with newcomers Erin Lyn Maurer Maurer and Donna Matsko Schmitt, according to the unofficial results. Board member Colleen DeLuca and candidates Bretta Felesky and Elissa Boyd did not get enough votes to advance. Schmitt won a spot by one vote over West on the Democratic ballot in Region 1, with Maurer moving on over DeLuca and Felesky on the Democrat ticket in Region 2. Bloom earned 71 votes and Shaffer took 130 for four-year spots on the Democrat ticket in Region 3, but the incumbents earned more votes on the Republican side overall. West got 287 Republican votes for a four-year seat in Region 1, and Bloom collected 275 votes, Shaffer tallied 254 and Fleegle earned 186 votes in Region 3. 'It was a really great day,' Bloom said about his advancement. He's running for a third four-year term and was initially appointed to fill a vacancy several years ago. Bloom said he ran again because he'll soon have a child enrolled in the district. 'I want to create a good educational environment for her,' he said. Bloom added that North Star is a good school and he wants to see that success continue. Additionally, he considers himself a good fiscal conservative and wants to make sure the district's funds are managed judicially. Somerset Area's primary contest concluded with three incumbents and two newcomers advancing, unofficial results show. School board members Mark Weimer, Pete Putyrski and Emily Bare earned enough to move on on the Republican ticket alongside challengers Jim Summers and Jeremy Shockey. Sizemore, Shockey and Baer also garnered enough votes to advance on the Democrat ballot. School director Joseph Olsavsky will not move on. Conemaugh Township Area School Board in Somerset County had four at-large positions open for the primaries with Forrest Griesheimer, Deanna Maurer, Earl E. Sleek II and Jeffrey Alesantrino moving on on the Democratic ticket. On the Republican side, Marissa Bazyk, Deanna Maurer, Sleek and Alesantrino will advance to the November election. In the Central Cambria School Board race in Cambria County, incumbents Paul Seymour and Jessica Lieb advanced on the Democratic and Republican tickets for their four-year positions, edging challenger Steve Shuagis from the race. Newcomer Esther Gay-Primel pushed out board member Craig Gibsonon on both tickets for a four-year spot, netting 97 Democrat votes and 239 Republican votes. School director Matthew Sinosky also advanced on both ballots for his unopposed four-year seat. Joshua Byers is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5054. Follow him on Twitter @Journo_Josh.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Middle school girls left 'distraught' after transgender athlete dominates rivals in Illinois
Middle school parents were left in 'shock' and disbelief after a transgender athlete was reportedly allowed to dominate their female rivals at a track meet. It's alleged that the transgender pupil won several events while competing against seventh-grade girls during the Naperville School District 203 meet. At least one of the beaten kids was said to be 'distraught' and the controversy prompted fury among families. 'I was actually shocked. At first, I couldn't believe it,' Marie Davis told KBCD. 'I started talking to other parents, and it's like, is this really happening?' Another parent said: 'It's pretty upsetting to see your kid distraught out there trying to do her best and doesn't really have a shot.' It comes amid President Trump's attempts to ban transgender athletes from female events. After returning to the White House, the president signed an executive order entitled 'Keeping Men out of Women's Sports'. His administration has been at war with the state of Maine over its alleged failure to comply with his stance and now Naperville School District 203 is under attack. Social advocacy group Awake Illinois has reportedly filed a US Department of Education civil rights complaint, accusing the district of violating Title IX, which 'prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs and activities.' Frustrations came to the boil at a fiery school board meeting on Monday night. It's said so many people turned up that organizers had to set up an overflow room. Many people held up transgender flags and signs which carried messages such as 'the future is inclusive'. 'This is not about politics. This is about people. This is about a child,' one speaker said. But others urged the district to 'support common sense' and 'stop exploiting kids.' 'No girl should be denied participating in a conference championship because a genetic boy is taking that spot,' another parent argued. In a statement to KCBD, the school district refused to discuss to track meet. 'In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and district policy, we cannot and will not share personal or identifiable information about any student,' it said.
