Thursday, January 31, 2008

DInner Anyone???

An informal gathering of teachers will take place on Monday evening (Feb. 3) at Rose's Cafe near Hopwoood. It will be our treat to ourselves, for those of us who have workshops and can't watch the Super Bowl. ; - (

Please join us for great food, good company, and I'm sure lots of "shop talk." Networking is a beautiful thing!

Rose's Cafe in CK
6:00 Monday, Feb. 3rd
Full meal $5 (iced tea $1)

Hope to see you there!
Betty ; - )

From Bryan

SILENT PROTEST Friday FEB. 1st
5:30 pm to>> 5:55 pm
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS EDUCATORS SILENT PROTEST TO END THE IRAQ WAR ... NOW ( Everyone is welcome ... not just Educators )
When: Every Friday ... until the US troops come home ...
( War Protest Started ... July 2007 )
Time: 17:30 to 17:55 hours (5:30 pm to 5:55 pm) rain or shine
Chairs will be provided ... for those who need
Where: American Memorial Park , Saipan C.N.M.I.
Court of Honor Circle ... by the flag poles
Why: to SAVE OUR TROOPS ... by stopping the killing & bringing them back home ... NOW Who: Bryan Jones (670) 322-5545
Please Join with us and bring a friend
Everyone is welcome ... not justEducators
as of 11/07 *** U.S. soldiers Deaths = 3,904 in Iraq
At hospitals in Germany / U.S. = 4,185*
Total U.S. Soldiers Deaths = 8,000 (plus)
Outside Contractors Deaths = 933
*** Costs in Civilian Lives = 77,435 to 84,362
Amesity International says 150,000 plus civilian deaths
United Nations says = ONE.SIX MILLION REFUGEES
*** Costs in $$$$ = close to 500 Billion (as of 11/07)projected over $$$ (ONE.SIX TRILLION) $$$ U.S.$$$

Thursday, January 24, 2008

More budget woes

Here are the LAST four graphs of the PSS story in today's Variety:

The school system’s FY 2006 budget was cut by $2 million which the
administration promised to restore. “We can’t add personnel, we can’t even
replace some positions, and this may affect the regular opening of schools in
August,” Borja said. PSS has a current budget of $37.2 million of which $35
million is available for personnel following the across-the-board budget cuts
caused by the government’s declining revenue collections.“That’s already a
shortfall of over $2 million,” Borja said. “With the present number of personnel
actions that we have processed, we will have a shortfall in pay period 18 or
sometime in June.”
Is it only me, or is anyone else fed up with Ambrose Bennett's backhanded efforts to proclaim authority to speak for all teachers? Will his ranting never end?

Least anyone forget: Ambrose Bennett was seated as the Teacher Representative at the time the Board adopted the arbitrary threshold number that signaled passage of the Praxis test. When he failed to provide the Board with concrete facts establishing the arbitrariness of the number, the current pass rates were adopted. It was Mr. Bennett’s insensitivity, inaction, and downright inattentiveness that led teachers to organize without him and attempt to undo what he allowed to happen. Notwithstanding the efforts of James Yangtemai to present the Board with data confirming the problems the Board's wholesale adoption of unsubstantiated pass rates from other jurisdictions, the Board was unwilling to reconsider the issue. So, least anyone forget: the salary decreases and Praxis pass rates were adopted during Ambrose Bennett's watch. His “last ditch effort” to bypass procedures for the election of a teacher representative and to blame ACT for failing to “get the Board to reconsider the salary decreases should be seen for what they are: a sadly untypical effort to avoid responsibility and instead point the proverbial finger at someone else to take the blame.

The newspapers don’t elect teacher representatives. Courts don’t elect teacher representatives, either. Only teachers elect teacher representatives, and the last time I looked, no exclusive bargaining representative of all teachers elected Ambrose Bennett to sit at the table for or on behalf of any group of teachers.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Micronesian Blues Jam


Greetings Collegues:
Sam asked that I forward this to you.
Couldn't we all use one night to relax together before returning to school? I'd love to have someone to go with. Let me know if you're interested.
Happy New Year!
Betty ; - )

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Jaime's New Year's Thoughts

When I arise in the morning,
I am torn by the twin desires to reform the teachers' guild
and to enjoy the world of teaching.
This makes it hard to plan the day.
One should not fear that life is going to come to an end,
but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!JaimeSVES