TUSD magnet schools can’t keep teachers put

The TUSD Governing approved spending $92,000 in grant monies to recruit students to three magnet schools. Robison K-5 Magnet, Ochoa Magnet Elementary and Safford K-8 Magnet will be the object of a marketing capaign intended to recruit students from across the community. The question is who will be there to teach those students?

Two of the three schools were the top travelers for the quarter April thru July of this year. From April to June Ochoa School staff travelled across the country at a cost of more than $51,000 and Robison Elementary School travel costs were over $12,000. Ochoa’s principal, Heidi Aranda was the district’s top travelling school administrator.

Ochoa staff took the highest number of travel days in the district. Teachers spent 101 days away from the classroom for conferences. Miscellaneous staff and Specialists spent 57 days away from the school for conferences. 33 staff members travelled to conferences in one quarter.

Portland, Oregon
2011 Summer Symposium
“Celebrating a Pedagogy of Listening and Relationships with Lella Gandini”
No other information is available about this conference. Lella Gandini, the United States liaison for the dissemination of the early-childhood education known as the Reggio Emilia approach, will be the guest speaker at Lesley University’s annual June Fox Lecture.

$4,192.80 Magnet Grant

Principal
Teacher
Teacher

$2,232.80 Title 1/ Magnet Grant

Teacher
Teacher

__________________

Pacific Grove, California
Dialogues for Quality in Education Valuing Early Childhood: An Invitation for Community Dialogue
The conference organization will take advantage of the “breathtakingly beautiful” 107 acres of protected beachfront land within the scenic town of Pacific Grove on the world-famous Monterey Penisula. Ecologically diverse, the grounds are a mix of California’s most pristine sand dunes, unspoiled beaches, and towering pine forests. Registrants are encouraged to browse the website [www.Visit Asilomar.com] for more information

14572.56 Magnet Grant

Teacher
Teacher
Senior Program Coordinator
Teacher
Teacher
Teacher
Teacher
Teacher

14179.32 Title 1/ Magnet Grant

Teacher
Teacher
Community Representative
Exceptional Ed Teacher
Instructional Specialist
Instructional Specialist
Teacher
Community Representative
Exceptional Ed Teacher

Key Speakers: Elena Giacopini, pedagogista
Anna Orlandini, atelierista, from Reggio Emilia, Italy presenting the municipal 0-6 education project by sharing experiences and perspectives in process
Encounters with “The Wonder of Learning – The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit, which will have an audio Spanish translation

__________________

Calgary, Alberta
Journey of Possibilities: Reggio Inspirations in Elementary Contexts
Ochoa Elementary School

$14,286.60 Magnet Grant

Principal
Teacher
Teacher
Teacher
Program Coordinator
Teacher
Teacher
Speech Clinician
Teacher
Teacher

$2441.66 Magnet Grant

Speech Clinician “(Had to stay an extra day to to illness and hospitalization of other teacher)”
Teacher “(Had to stay an extra day to to illness and hospitalization of other teacher)”

This conference will bring together international and Canadian educators to engage in dialogue around the Reggio Emilia philosophy in elementary and middle school contexts. The conference will be of interest to teachers, educators, parents and administrators from Kindergarten to middle school settings. Key themes of the conference will include documentation, negotiating mandated curriculum, addressing issues of cultural diversity, and building school environments and culture.

Key Speakers: Paola Cagliari – Pedagogista, Director of the Preschools and Infant toddler
Centres Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, Italy
Lella Gandini – U.S. Liaison for Reggio Children
Harold Göthson – Senior Consultant for Reggio Emilia Institute – Sweden
Mara Krechevsky – Project Zero – Harvard University
Cost: 2 day conference – $395/person

___________________

According to the district’s website, “Ochoa is a First Choice Reggio-inspired Elementary School. In our Pre-K through Grade Five Ochoa School Community children and adults are committed to creating a learning community that values caring relationships, inquiry and innovation, creativity and a democratic way of life. We are inspired by the values and practices of the Reggio Emilia approach to learning. The Reggio approach is symbolized by the metaphor that children have a “hundred languages” for learning.”

The past two years the students of Ochoa School did not make “Adequate Yearly Progress.” In 2010, their students’ overall Reading scores were 58.30% compared to the district average of 69.50%. In 2010, their students’ overall Math scores were 47.00% compared to the district average of 53.50%.

Robison School

Only 50.40% of Robison students passed the reading portion of the AIMS test compared to the district average of 69.50%. Only 45.10% of Robison students passed the writing portion of the AIMS test compared to the district average of 73.30%. Only 37.20% of Robison students passed the math portion of the AIMS test compared to the district average of 53.50%

Minneapolis, Minnesota
International Baccalaurete 29th National Conference on Magnet Schools
TDI can find no information about this conference.

$12,324.10 Magnet Grant

Teacher
Teacher
Project Director
Teacher
Teacher
Sub Teacher
Teacher
Library Media Specialist
Principal
Teacher

__________________

Robison Elementary School
2745 E 18th St, Tucson, AZ 85716
Grades: K-5

Robison is an International Baccalaureate (IB) Applicant school.

TUSD staff travel expenses from April to June were $272,324. TUSD staff was absent from the district for travel purposes a total of 1626 days for one quarter. The staff travelled across the world this past year; from Korea to California, Canada to Maryland.

Previously posted on the Tucson Ciizen