Cursive writing...the lost art

Times file photo

I can remember learning cursive for the first time in third grade.

Mrs. Benes was very serious when it came to penmanship and learning how to properly loop an "e" or an "l." There was actually time set aside each day to practice our writing.

I came across an article in The Augusta Chronicle that made me realize how valuable that time was.
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Mother knows best.

A mother in Florida has decided that kids in her neighborhood library should not read books in the Gossip Girl series. So she checked them all out and is refusing to return them...two years later.

So what's the policy for Caddo Parish School District's libraries?

District officials said that there is no policy. It's really up to the librarians at each school what books make it to their shelves. As a general rule, each librarian orders what they feel their school needs.

Of course if there are parent objections, they can file a complaint with the district but that doesn't mean that the book will be taken off the shelf, district officials say.


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No laptops were harmed in the making of this video

It's quite comical actually.

Here's a video of a professor destroying a laptop to make a point: NO LAPTOPS IN CLASS

I've heard this complaint from some professor about hearing students clacking on the devices during their lectures. Are they taking notes? Are they updating their Facebook?

Wonder they're doing on those laptops during class?




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Overcrowding in schools

Although the big news out of the Caddo Parish School Board was how they would fill the district five seat, there was also other business conducted. 

Among the most heated discussions was board member Barry Rachal's plea for another school in his district. He cited the recent incident where fire marshals had to excuse parents from a school event because there were too many people in the small auditorium. 

Rachal wants to have a public discussion on criteria on for neighborhood schools. This thought has come up in one form or another throughout the years. Each board member is a fan of having, developing, and implementing neighborhood schools but not all are for magnet schools as they are now. A huge reason, they say, is that it drains neighborhood schools of academic talent.

But Rachal's district, University Elementary in particular, has the opposite problem. According to the board member's comments during Tuesday night's meeting, there are 1,025 students in school constructed for 878. He also mentioned during his comments that 10 percent of the entire district's enrollment lives in that school's attendance zone. 

That's a lot of students.

Other schools like Youree Drive and Walnut Hill Elementary/Middle have more 1,000 students. 

So what's the solution? District administrator hope the solution presents itself after the faculties study has been completed. As part of Vision 20/20, the district is currently conducting a facilities study. Consider it like taking inventory, a very detailed inventory. That report is expected in the summer. 

One board member, Tammy Phelps, mentioned that the issue with overcrowding at some of the schools isn't about an increase in population. It's a migration problem. More people are moving to these areas away from the heart of the city. This would be interesting to find out and would probably be part of whatever results the Census finds. However, this phenomenon has happened in other districts. 

What ever the solution or thought, this is one issue that will not being going away any time soon. Superintendent Gerald Dawkins promised lively discussions on this in the future. 

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LaTech vs Houston? Great!

After the last weeks whirlwind of stories, I've been lacking in my blogging duties. So when I looked at the last week's worth of papers, a story from our wonderful sports desk caught my eye.

Jimmy Watson, wrote a story April 30, on LaTech playing Houston in 2011.

Be still my heart!

I am a proud Houston alum and when my alma mater got to go to the dance this year, I was elated. And when they got into a bowl game again this year...my heart was full. This will be a good match up. Of course we can go back and forth on player and team stats but it's an education blog so let's talk education...

A football game does so much for a school's recruiting effort. Studies have found that a winning team means more applications for the fall-- more viability and warm fuzzies for the team. It piques interests from would be freshmen and transfers.

So this match up is good for both schools since they'll be exposed to groups they aren't usually exposed to.

As far as the game, I'm not choosing sides on a game that's going to be played next year but I will say this ...I am a devoted alum.

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Requirements to be a board member

Here is board member Charlotte Crawley reading the motion to establish procedures for the district five vacant seat.

Board member Crawley reading the motion

Icess Fernandez's Podcast

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Legislative Update

The following bills are scheduled to be heard on May 3 during the Senate Committee on Retirement meeting at 1:00pm:



SB 274 - Heitmeier - Requires a charter school teacher, who is an active member of the teachers ' retirement system, to remain an active member for the duration of employment at the charter school, under certain circumstances.
SB 694 - B. Gautreaux - Requires membership in the Teachers' Retirement System for charter school teachers.
SB 729 - Shaw -Mandates that 50 percent of the net investment gains for the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana be credited to the system's account that funds retirement benefit increases.  This amount is to be credited before the $200 million allocation to reduce unfunded accrued liability. The present law states the 50 percent investment gain be credited after the $200 million allocation. The bill also reduces the eligibility age from 60 to 55 for those recipients eligible for benefi t increases. The bill also allows a benefit increase in years that the system is below 80 percent funded and fails to exceed the actuarially assumed rate of return.


The following bills are scheduled to be heard for final passage on May 3 during the House Session:



HB 561 - Baldone - Provides that certain educational diagnosticians who hold a valid Louisiana teaching certificate, state educational diagnostician certification, and the Nationally Certified Educational Diagnostician (NCED) credential are eligible to receive an annual salary supplement of $5,000 (subject to appropriation of funds).


The following bills are scheduled to be heard for final passage on May 3 during the Senate Session:



SB 293- Donahue - Requires an annual internal review by each agency of employee vacancies and attrition rates.  Establishes the goal of attaining strategic reductions in positions by five percent annually for three years and requires annual reports to the Commission on Streamlining Government.


The following bills are scheduled to be heard for debate on May 6 during the House Session:


HB 43 - Hardy - Increases the drug free zone of any school property, drug treatment facility, religious building property, public housing authority property, or child day care facility from 1,000 feet to 2,000 feet.
HB 556 - Wooton - Eliminates present law prohibiting the carrying of a concealed handgun within 1,000 feet of a school. The proposed law would allow any holder of a concealed handgun permit to carry his/her handgun within 1,000 feet of a school while retaining the ban on concealed handguns in school buildings, on school property, or in a school bus.


The foll0wing bills are due for final passage in the House, subject to call:



HB 405 - Dixon - Requires BESE to establish and adopt rules and regulations on the use of physical restraint and/or seclusion of students.
HB 1014 - Norton - Requires local school boards to provide planning time to each teacher -- a minimum of 30 minutes for lunch each day that is d uty-free and a minimum of 45 minutes daily or its weekly equivalent. These planning times and lunch periods will not result in a longer school day. Current law states that the availability of state funding for this purpose is a condition for the effectiveness of the present law. This proposed measure removes the funding requirement of present law.
HB 1055 - Richmond - Eliminates the Division of Adult and Family Services within LDOE and transfers the responsibility for adult and family services programs from BESE to the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS).


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