altadenablog

PUSD Board, Altadena Town Council joint meeting Dec. 4

There will be a joint meeting of the Altadena Town Council and the PUSD School Board on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Eliot Middle School.  This meeting follows a successful Nov. 13 joint meeting between the Pasadena City Council and the Pasadena School Board.  A similar meeting will be held in Sierra Madre at a later time.

No agenda available as yet, but expect to hear some talk about the formation of a Joint Interest Commission, with members of the school board, Altadena Town Council, Pasadena and Sierra Madre City Councils, and Pasadena City College.

Another look at Nia

An editorial masquerading as a news story from the Pasadena/SGV Journal News sheds new light on Nia Charter School's woes.  While it's not a terribly coherent story and asserts a lot of things and makes a lot of accusations without providing evidence to back them up, it does point out that ringing up debts is typical of charter schools just starting out, not just Nia.  And it ends on a ringing note:

Because of these lowered expectations, Black and Brown parents and students must work hard to BE ASHAMED TO LET OUR CHILDREN FAIL. Tell the students that they can be successful and succeed at whatever they want, but that they must work hard at it like they work hard at winning games and learning the words to popular songs. Then tell them that there are people who think they are not as smart as White and Asian students. Tell them to work hard to prove those people wrong. Tell them to BE ASHAMED TO FAIL. Schools should print and hang up banners with this theme.

A right jolly old elf

Father Christmas delivers crystals at the Waldorf School's 22nd annual Elves Faire on Saturday.  Lots of music, crafts, fun kid activities, a not-to-be-missed festivity every year.

(Thanks to Mrs. Altadenablog for the photo!)

PUSD says Nia school skirting bankruptcy

PSN reports today that Nia Educational Charter School has until Friday to present a recovery plan to PUSD, which claims that the school at the Edison Elementary building, 119 W. Palm, is on the edge of bankruptcy.  A story by reporter Cortney Fielding says that Nia ended the last school year $41,999 in the red, and presently owes the district approximately $29,000 in lease payments, grounds maintenance, and food service fees.  There are also disputes over the number of students who actually attend the charter school and lagging accreditation issues.  The Edison building is also the location of another troubled charter school, Rhythms of the Village.