Yesterday IN requested a sample letter from the FDOE for its elementary school FCAT parental notifications. Here is what we were given: Here is a sample of what we provide to Local…
USA Federal and Navy Federal Announce Merger
Press Release: Navy Federal Credit Union of Vienna, VA, and USA Federal Credit Union (USA Fed), based in San Diego, CA, announced today that they have agreed to merge operations. The Board…
Thomas will allow students to hear Obama speech
Last year, Superintendent of School Malcolm Thomas refused to allow his students to hear President Barack Obama’s speech to open the school year. It was too disruptive, according to Thomas. That was…
Tale of two platforms
The Strong Mayor initiative was built on the concept that the elections for mayor would be based on platforms and that the voters would be able to hold the new mayor accountable….
Healthcare hearing this week
Florida’s lawsuit against the federal health care overhaul will get its first full hearing before Federal Judge Roger Vinson this Tuesday, Sept. 14 so expect some out-of-town reporters in the area. Attorney…
ECUA not only utility rate hike
Port St. Joe residents are upset that their water and sewer bills will double over the next three years. The issues facing the utility area the requirements for $16 million bond issue…
Other County Adminstrator candidates have baggage, too
Melinda Carlton, former Township Administrator for Vernon Township, New Jersey. Unanimously terminated in January 2010 after pressure from the Vernon Taxpayers Association. One of the reasons cited by VTA: failure to obtain…
Buzz: Steve Stephens favored for administrator (updated)
Steve Stevens, former CFO for Sheriff Ron McNesby, owner of Cabana Lounge and who failed to get approval of the Florida Senate to sit on the Public Service Commission, appears to have…
Miss. letter doesn’t single out race, poor or disabled
Here is the letter used in 2009 by Woolfolk Middle School in Yazoo City, Miss. It appears Superintendent Thomas might have misinterpreted the federal law concerning No Child Left Behind, but we…
N.B. Cook has problem with black and disabled students
The sentence from Principal Patti Thomas: “At our school two subgroups, Black students and students with Disabilities did not make the AYP target.” Read N.B.Cook Letter. Here is the sample letter used…
Sixty-Seven percent of African-American students passed at Cordova Park
We have learned that a letter similar to one we published from Suter Elementary was also sent home by Cordova Park. In checking FCAT scores in reading, we found that 67 percent…
History’s Greatest Book Burners
The Daily Beast has an article by Judith Miller on histories greatest book burnings, which includes: In 1842, Pierre-Armand Dufau, the new director of the school for the blind in Paris, ordered…
No Child Left Behind letters in Missouri don’t mention racial groups
The Missouri Department of Education has sample letters for No Child Left Behind and notifying parents about Adequate Yearly Progress. Districts are clearly instructed that: “It is not advisable to list specific…
How Mobile is spending BP tourism bucks
According to Mobile Press Register, Mobile, Ala. is getting $1.35 million for tourism from the funds BP gave the state of Alabama. Here is how some of it is being spent: *…
Thomas Says Letters Part Of Law
Escambia School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas tells the IN the A.K. Suter Elementary and Cordova Park Elementary parent letters that pinpointed inadequate test scoring for African American students, are a requirement by law….
County Closes In On Administrator
The Escambia County Board of Commissioners has narrowed  down its administrator search to  seven candidates. Here they are: (in no particular order) —Oliver, Charles (Randy) —Lewis, Gregory —Stevens, Steve —Carlton, Melinda —Griffin,…
Taxi Issue Put Off
Yesterday City Council decided to hold off on approving an amendment to an ordinance that would effect taxicab operations. The amendment to Ch. 7-10 of the Vehicles for Hire law brought forth…
Letter singles out African-American and Poor students
Below is a scan of the letter sent home with students that attend A.K. Suter Elementary. The letter is to explain the school’s FCAT grade. Principal Russell Queen writes how the school…
Air tanker decision could be December
Reuters is reporting that the decision on the $40-billion air tanker contract for the Air Force may be delayed until December. This has been going on since 2008. An Air Force spokesman…
Harbinger for Escambia County?
The Tea Party is much more organized in Fort Walton Beach and started to get involved in the local races. Will it move this direction or grow beyond a few small rallies…
