tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133521035538248322.post2716426957674549976..comments2023-12-24T05:39:44.753-06:00Comments on Mike Klonsky's Blog: U.S. schools get a C on Quality Counts Report. Here's why. Mike Klonskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017021676773731024noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133521035538248322.post-36379693575280577112017-01-06T19:01:29.418-06:002017-01-06T19:01:29.418-06:00Dear Dr. Klonsky,
I follow Diane Ravitch's bl...Dear Dr. Klonsky,<br /><br />I follow Diane Ravitch's blog and you were cited on it today. So I read your blog post in response to the EdWeek article about giving US Schools a "C". I totally agree with you and signed up to follow your blog tonight as well. <br /><br />I decided that you are clearly someone I need to know!<br /><br />About me:<br />I am a newly-elected school board member in Woodland, CA. <br />Woodland is a town about 30 minutes east of Sacramento and 15 minutes north of Davis (and UC Davis.) I have a BA in English (UCD) and a MS in School Counseling (CSU Sacto). I am married to a public school teacher (hs, computer science), and we have two daughters, 16 and 20. I worked for a number of different schools as a school counselor, including Sac High Charter (Kevin Johnson/Michelle Rhee) during it's first year and conversion to a charter with small schools. I also worked for two years as a school counselor in the school district where I am now a board member. I became an independent college admissions counselor after becoming a parent as it afforded me more flexibility to be involved in my children's lives...<br /><br />...So, long story short, I liked your blog and the stuff you write about. I'm still interested in small schools, despite my somewhat negative experience with them at Sac Charter, and I'd like to know more to see if they might be a good fit for our district. I've been thinking about this for years, and although we do have SLC's, they're not really very effective in the ways which I would like them to be effective.<br /><br />I also saw that you are an educational consultant, and I was wondering if you have any advice to a newly elected School Board member?<br /><br />Unfortunately, I am unlikely to come to Chicago (though I wish I could), so email will have to suffice. Or maybe you could write your answer in your blog so your readership could read it.<br /><br />Here's my question:<br />Many people tell me that school board is a thankless job and that a person can't make any real changes to education as a school board member. They tell me that school boards are basically obsolete and that most people on them are ineffective rubber stamps. What do you think? Is it possible to improve the education of the children in a community by being a school board member? And if so, how?<br /><br /><br />Thank you for your time.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br />Karen Rosenkilde-Bayne, MS, PPS<br />Trustee, Woodland Joint Unified School District<br />And Independent College Counselor <br /><br />PS: in a reply to a letter I wrote to Diane Ravitch about a year and a half ago, she encouraged me to run, so something must be possible, right?Karen Rosenkilde-Baynenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133521035538248322.post-17332370949198886312017-01-06T12:55:45.688-06:002017-01-06T12:55:45.688-06:00Agree. This is Social Darwinism run wild.Agree. This is Social Darwinism run wild.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com