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LAUSD board meets on superintendent as probe continues
It wasn’t by accident that all seven LA Unified school board members happened to be at this morning’s press conference with the mayor, the sheriff, the police chief and superintendent as they announced closing the schools today. The school board had already plan to continue closed-door deliberations to select a superintendent to succeed Ramon Cortines....
By Mike Szymanski | December 15, 2015
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Zimmer, other LA Unified board members offer their thanks
Several members of the LA Unified board are using their websites to reflect on what they’re thankful for with the long Thanksgiving weekend just ahead. Board President Steve Zimmer focused on education in his newsletter. He writes: “The recent attacks on liberty and peace in Paris, Mali, and across the Middle East shake our hearts and our spirit. Here at home, the...
By Mike Szymanski | November 25, 2015
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LA Unified in final preparations for approaching El Niño
And now for the weather forecast: More than $17 million in roof repairs still need to be completed at LAUSD schools before El Niño arrives in January. The district also needs to replace aging equipment at the Emergency Operations Center at a cost of $225,000 a year, and it will cost about $5 per student...
By Mike Szymanski | November 20, 2015
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LA Unified joins forces to stop commercial child sex crimes
As the FBI agent played a video of a 16-year-old caught in a sex ring in Los Angeles, the audience of the Successful School Climate: Progressive Discipline and Safety Committee yesterday remained hushed. Some wiped tears from their eyes. LAUSD Chief Deputy Superintendent Michelle King reviewed the list of local schools where such crimes occurred and she...
By Mike Szymanski | November 18, 2015
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After hot debate, LAUSD board refines superintendent criteria
After 90 minutes of contentious debate, the LAUSD school board agreed on a list of desired characteristics for the superintendent candidates they will begin interviewing. The discussion ran the gamut from the definition of the word “bold” to whether the members wanted someone with experience in an “urban environment.” Ultimately, the one-page list of desired...
By Mike Szymanski | November 17, 2015
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A special LAUSD board meeting to define superintendent profile
The LAUSD school board plans a meeting tomorrow afternoon to set the guidelines for a Leadership Profile that the board will us in picking the next school superintendent. The meeting was called last week after the search firm of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates presented its compilation of input from community forums, private interviews and surveys....
By Mike Szymanski | November 16, 2015
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Search firm urges LAUSD board reach unity on next superintendent
In presenting a detailed accounting of community input for LA Unified’s superintendent search, the president of the search firm urged the seven board members to reach consensus on what they are looking for in their ideal candidate. “You do not want to make this decision on four votes,” said Hank Gmitro of Hazard, Young, Attea...
By Mike Szymanski | November 10, 2015
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‘Zimmo’ urges more participation in LAUSD superintendent search
Where’s Zimmo? Dressed as the popular “Where’s Waldo” red-and-white-striped children’s book character, LA Unified School Board President Steve Zimmer took to the Vine Street Elementary School twice today to encourage parents and teachers to get involved in the superintendent’s search. He used his appearances to say he is extending the deadline for people to complete...
By Mike Szymanski | October 30, 2015
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LAUSD board votes down special panel for superintendent search
As LA Unified school board president Steve Zimmer pleads for more involvement with the public for the superintendent search, the board voted down yet another effort to give the community greater influence in the selection process. It was the latest example of how the district is urging the public to play a role in the...
By Mike Szymanski | October 27, 2015
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LAUSD’s ‘OUT for safe schools’ praised, expands to other districts
Two years after it was launched, an LA Unified program aimed at making schools safer for students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ) is being praised as it expands to eight other major districts around the country. The “OUT for Safe Schools” program was created in 2013 by a school board...
By Craig Clough | October 7, 2015