Fan bus to Lady Bulldogs District #1 Semi-Final Game
Congratulations to the Lady Bulldogs Basketball team on Saturday's 66-26 Victory over Calvary Christian. The team now faces Sacred Heart on Wed., Feb. 29th, 7:30 p.m. at Wissahickon High School, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. A student and adult fan bus will be going to the game. The cost is $10 which covers the bus ticket and game admission and will leave from the gym entrance at 5:00. Students must have a completed permission slip to ride the bus. For more fan-bus information, see Mr. Hubiak in room B-14 or call 267-246-9068. For those wishing to drive, directions to the game are available in the high school front office. The cost for admission only to the game is $5 (Same cost, student or adult).
FBI seizes records of Rep. Fattah’s son February 29, 2012|By Martha Woodall, Mark Fazlollah, Kristen A. Graham, and Joseph Tanfani, INQUIRER STAFF WRITERS
Federal authorities are investigating why a company owned by the son of U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah was paid $450,000 by an education firm that has received millions in contracts from the Philadelphia School District, according to sources familiar with the probe.
Agents from the FBI and U.S. Treasury Department served two search warrants early Wednesday for Chaka Fattah Jr.'s records, the first at his apartment at the Residences at the Ritz-Carlton. They also seized Fattah's records and a computer from the Logan Square law office of DAVID T. SHULICK. He is president of DELAWARE VALLEY HIGH SCHOOOL, a for-profit company that contracts with school districts to educate students with discipline problems.
The younger Fattah, 29, known as "Chip," is owner of a consulting company called 259 Strategies L.L.C. that works as a subcontractor for Shulick's companies. Fattah Jr. has working space at the law office.
The $450,000 payment from Shulick's company is more than 10 percent of the approximately $4 million that Delaware Valley will receive from the School District this year.
"We are cooperating with the investigation," said attorney Ronald A. Sarachan, who jointly is representing Fattah with Gregory P. Miller. "We've been in communication with the government."
Sarachan said he was "hopeful" that the investigation would be quickly resolved.
Shulick, who was interviewed Wednesday morning by agents at his home, said he was told that neither he nor Delaware Valley were the focus of the investigation.
"It doesn't have anything to do with the school," Shulick said. "We have nothing to hide, and we let them in and let them search [Fattah Jr.'s] office unfettered."
In a later e-mailed statement, Shulick said Fattah Jr. "is being victimized merely because his last name is 'Fattah.' "
" . . . He is dealing with issues that nobody without the last name 'Fattah' would have to deal with," Shulick wrote.
savethemorrisvilleschool blog: Wednesday, February 6, 2008
A 'privately managed' plan?
David Shulick, a Center City lawyer and president of the board of the for-profit Delaware Valley High School on Philly's Bustleton Avenue, says Morrisville school board representatives will meet with him in the next 30 days so he can pitch the idea of a “privately managed” Morrisville high school.
He'll propose keeping the school in or near the borough, and said he'd be open to using an existing school building if it's offered.
Shulick declined to name which school board members he's spoken with. Sources inside the district said a follow-up e-mail from Shulick to board members and administrators indicates he had a cell phone conversation with school board President Bill Hellmann. Efforts to reach Hellmann were unsuccessful.
School board leaders have explored the possibility of dissolving the high school program and sending kids to neighboring districts on a tuition basis. The goal is cost-cutting. Part of the challenge for the district is that all three of its school buildings are aging and in need of renovations.
Lots of public school systems use tax dollars to pay private firms to manage part of the works — busing and food service come to mind. Could Morrisville hire a private company to manage teaching and learning, too — and save piles of money doing it?
Shulick proposes charging just $6,000 a student, $7,000 for kids with special needs. Today, Morrisville spends closer to $20,000 per student, and tens of thousands more for those bused to life-skills programs in other districts. (That's $12,000 in local tax dollars and the rest in grants and subsidies.)
Shulick says he can do more for less because he uses a private business model based on merit and accountability. He also points to a student-management software program now used at Delaware Valley High to improve efficiency — fewer staff hours needed to develop rosters or track student attendance and performance.
Morrisville already contracts to send up to five students to the Bustleton site. Delaware Valley High serves kids who can't cope in a regular school setting because of behavioral problems.
Shulick estimates 100 Bucks kids attend Delaware Valley High, a licensed and accredited secondary school. They're referred by their school districts or enrolled by their parents.
This month, he also expects to announce a Bucks branch for the alternative school. He declined to name the location.
Shulick stressed he is suggesting something entirely separate from the alternative school for Morrisville.
Incorporated in 1980, Unique Educational Experiences owns Delaware Valley High School. It's a privately held company, and Shulick declined to disclose the principal partners, saying the information wasn't relevant.
Morrisville taxpayers might feel differently, but Shulick said they should be most concerned with whether Morrisville kids can be educated well for a reasonable price. He believes they can.
Parents are likely to have the most pressing questions. Can the company accommodate students with autism, mental retardation and speech and language disabilities with teachers who meet state standards?
What's the quality of the regular education Shulick proposes, and would a privately managed Morrisville High offer sports and other extra-curricular programs?
Then there is the not-so-little matter of Morrisville's teacher contract and a clause stipulating there can be no staff furloughs or reductions in student-teacher ratios until the contract ends in 2012. How would that figure into Shulick's plan?
There are lots of questions. Here's hoping they'll eventually be asked and answered in public.
Kate Fratti's column appears on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Unless I am mistaken, this is not the first time that this guy and his "school" has run afoul of the law. Good thing the SOC folks didn't get any traction with this one.
Join the Lady Bulldogs on the road to the District #1 Championship Game!
Saturday, March 3, at noon, Haverford College, 370 Lancaster Ave., Haverford, PA. Fan bus is being provided. Congratulations to the Lady Bulldogs basketball team on their 50-42 victory over Sacred Heart in the District # 1 Semi-Final game. The Lady Bulldogs now play Delco Christian in the District #1 Championship at Haverford College. Game admission is $7 for students and adults. A fan bus is available, leaving Morrisville H.S., from the gymnasium entrance at 10 a.m., Saturday, March 3. Bus cost is $5. Please see Mr. Hubiak in Room B-14 for more information or call (215) 736-2681 ext. 3973. Let's support the team at this championship game!
State passes up chance for relief from No Child Left Behind -- again
Posted: Friday, March 2, 2012 12:00 am | Updated: 6:35 am, Fri Mar 2, 2012. By Joan Hellyer Staff Writer | 1 comment Pennsylvania has passed up a second opportunity to secure relief from the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, education officials said. The Pennsylvania Department of Education had until mid-February to apply for a waiver from provisions of the federal education mandate that requires all students to learn at grade level by 2014. It’s an unattainable threshold, according to education experts.
But state officials opted not to pursue the relief, just like they did in November when the first round of waiver requests was due. “The (state education) department continues to review the requirements and criteria of the waiver program to determine if it would be in the best interest of Pennsylvania,” PDE spokesman Tim Eller said this week. President Barack Obama has offered states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia the chance to secure NCLB waivers to prevent them from being hindered by the cumbersome requirements of the federal act. One waiver allows states to flex their 2014 proficiency deadline if they establish achievable goals in reading/language arts and mathematics to support student improvement, officials said. The second waiver allows states to be flexible with how they reform their lower performing schools, and the third waiver allows schools and districts more flexibility in how they spend federal funds. New Jersey was among 11 states to receive relief from NCLB when the federal education department awarded the first round of waivers in January. That state sought and received flexibility in how it can use federal funds to help schools in need, officials said. Another 26 states and the District of Columbia applied for relief by the second deadline in February, education department representatives said. They should find out if they qualify for the waivers later in the spring, officials said. Pennsylvania education officials said they are hesitant to seek the waivers because they believe the federal government is trying to tell them how to replace the mandates. The commonwealth continues to monitor student progress through standardized tests, which show whether schools and districts are achieving Adequate Yearly Progress. The Pennsylvania representatives said they also are concerned with revising testing policies and procedures while Congress is deciding if it will reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act. The remaining states will have another chance to seek relief from NCLB by early September, education officials said.
Hang up, put ur frickin phones down, and drive. Stay out of the frickin passing lanes while ur going slow as mole asses 2. Can u handle it????
Pa. ban on texting, driving starts next week
Posted: Friday, March 2, 2012 10:40 am Associated Press | 1 comment ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Joey Castro thinks he can safely text while driving. The 19-year-old from Tobyhanna said he waits until there are no cars in front of him to quickly respond to messages from his mom and girlfriend while he drives to class at Northampton Community College.
Castro knows texting can be dangerous, but thinks he might forget to respond until after class and his mom might worry about him. He knows the keyboard so well, he said, that his eyes don't stray from the road for long. But starting Thursday, Castro said he will put his phone away until he's parked. And that's exactly what law enforcement officers want to see. A law passed by the state Legislature in the fall goes into effect that day, making texting while driving a primary offense — meaning police can pull people over for texting alone. It includes a $50 fine for a text-based communication, including sending or reading emails. It also forbids Web browsing but allows the use of smartphones for GPS. Your vehicle must be in motion for you to be fined, and talking on the phone while driving remains legal in Pennsylvania. Area police say they fully intend to enforce the law. State police have said troopers will pull over motorists who might be driving slower than surrounding traffic or bobbing and weaving. But as the start date nears, police officials and drivers have doubts about whether the law is tough enough to stop someone from dashing off a text while behind the wheel. "Are we going to be able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that somebody was texting? Probably not," Allentown police Capt. Daryl Hendricks said. The way Hendricks sees it, most drivers who get pulled over will claim they were dialing a phone number. Officers may not seize cellphones from drivers. Unless an officer is confident about testifying the driver was definitely texting, Hendricks said, the offender might get off with a warning. Hendricks said the legislation goes only halfway and would be better if hand-held cellphone use were banned completely. About 30 states nationwide bar motorists from texting and many ban hand-held cellphone use entirely. Allentown's short-lived ban on using cellphones while driving netted 47 offenders during parts of 2010 and 2011. But Lehigh County Judge James T. Anthony ruled the ordinance was invalid and said only the state, not municipalities, can enact such a law. Lower Saucon Township police Sgt. Thomas Barndt said his department will aggressively enforce the law if it can prove drivers are texting. He hopes drivers will simply abide by the new law. But confessed texters like Castro doubt people will follow that advice. "Honestly, I don't think people will stop texting," Castro said Thursday. "People are still going to do it, but if they get caught they deserve it." Matthew Olick, 22, of Easton, who along with Castro was interviewed at Northampton Community College, said part of the problem is the $50 fine is too low and won't teach drivers a lesson. Drivers who do get caught will not receive points against their license. A citation may affect some drivers' insurance rates, but the fine will be the sole punishment for others. Liz French, 43, of Bethlehem said texting should be taken as seriously as DUI. "It should be the same type of punishment as being in the car drinking," French said at NCC. "In order for it to be taken seriously, I think there have to be real consequences." While police will try to catch texters if they can starting next week, they're urging the public to be responsible. "The key is no text message is worth the value of a human life," Barndt said. "I don't know why you would want to do it anyway." ___
Posted: Saturday, March 3, 2012 11:00 am | Updated: 11:45 am, Sat Mar 3, 2012. By George Mattar Staff writer | 0 comments MORRISVILLE — The Morrisville YMCA is seeking donations for the 34 people who were displaced due to a massive fire Feb. 25. No one was injured, but 17 rowhomes on West Philadelphia Avenue were damaged when fire swept through them. And the Christopher Jones Foundation has donated $7,000 to the 14 families, which means they will get $500 each, said board of director's member Scott Molle. Jones was the first Middletown police officer killed in the line of duty. About 18 months ago, a foundation was set up in his name to help at times like this and also has a scholarship fund, Molle said. The foundation raises money throughout the year. One of the YMCA families is among the 34 people displaced by the fire. That family includes a girl in second grade, a boy in third grade and a boy in sixth grade. A total of 12 children in the Morrisville School District lived in the rowhouses, officials said. The Morrisville YMCA, 200 N. Pennsylvania Ave., will be a donation location, as is the Levittown YMCA on Oxford Valley Road in Fairless Hills. No clothing is needed at this time, but YMCA officials said Walmart gift cards, Giant gift cards, cleaning supplies, toiletries and cash donations are needed. Checks also will be accepted. Make checks made payable to the Ivins House, which is located on Trenton Avenue in Morrisville. Please mark "Morrisville Fire Victims" on the memo line. For further information, call Kim at 215-501-6686 or 215-736-8077 or email kakane369@aol.com To learn more about the Christopher Jones Foundation, visit dcjf4466.org
Behind the facade, troubles rose for Fattah son By Mark Fazlollah, Martha Woodall, and Joseph Tanfani
Inquirer Staff Writers
DAVID SWANSON / Staff Photographer David Shulick dismisses as "absurd" the idea that he hired Chaka Fattah Jr. at the behest of the congressman. 1 of 4View images Post a comment RELATED STORIES More News Webcam verdict may hinge on intent Texting while driving law to take effect Limbaugh apologizes to law student for insult PGW, others fight U.S. new-furnace rule BP settlement doesn't address environment
PHILLY.COM's TOP FIVE PICKS Flower Show preview wows Health chief's ego trip to federal court Problematic judge stood out in court Behind facade, troubles rose for Fattah Jr. Mitt Romney: Off script and off-key The son of U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah tried hard to keep up the image of a rising young entrepreneur, talking about his work for high-living clients and moving in to the luxurious Residences at the Ritz-Carlton in Center City.
But behind the facade, Chaka Fattah Jr.'s troubles were rising. Taxes went unpaid, checks started bouncing, and loan officers began calling about missed payments on a $50,000 loan, according to records and interviews.
And the FBI was secretly digging into his finances - even recording his conversations as he talked about his work as a budding political consultant.
Fattah Jr.'s image crumbled for good on Wednesday, when agents raided the Ritz-Carlton apartment and Fattah Jr.'s space at a law office, seizing a computer and records.
Agents are now asking about Fattah Jr.'s ties with politicians - including his father, Chaka Sr., the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.
And they want to know what he did for David T. Shulick, a lawyer and owner of a for-profit education company that receives millions in contracts from the Philadelphia School District and other area schools to educate students with disciplinary problems or those at risk of dropping out............
The winners in this year’s school-wide poster art competition, sponsored by the Bucks County Chapter of the Links, Inc., will be announced on Tuesday, March 6 in the Morrisville H.S. cafeteria, between 6 and 7 p.m. Door prizes will be given to the first 50 students accompanied by a parent or guardian. This year’s theme is “Healthy, Active and Wise – Make Health a Habit. The contest was available in grades 1 to 12. Prizes will be awarded to first and second place winners in each of the four categories. Among the prizes are two mountain bikes, a digital camera, and gift cards. Contest winners are entered in the Eastern Area competition. Last year, Morrisville’s Jenna Kownacky was the first place winner at the local and Eastern Area levels, where she was awarded a plaque and $500. Entertainment will be provided by the Morrisville High School Jazz Band and refreshments will be served. There also will be an opportunity to have a photo taken with the Morrisville Bulldog. The Links is an international, not-for-profit corporation. It membership consists of 12,000 professional women of color in 274 chapters in 42 states.
The Morrisville Board of School Directors are requesting sealed bids for the 2012-2013 school year. Specifications may be obtained from the School District of Borough of Morrisville website link: http://www.mv.org/district.cfm?subpage=963562 or by contacting the Business Office, 550 W. Palmer Street, Morrisville, PA 19067 (215-736-5932). The bid openings, listed below, will be on Monday, March 26, 2012 in Conference Room G-9 located in the Morrisville Intermediate/High School.
The Lady Bulldogs basketball team begins State Playoffs, Sat., March 10, traveling to Marywood University in Scranton, PA. The team will meet District #2 champions, Old Forge High School. Game time is 5 p.m. Help cheer them on. Driving directions are available in the high school front office. Please contact John Hubiak, 267-246-9068 or jhubiak@mv.org. for more info.
The winners in this year’s school-wide poster art competition, sponsored by the Bucks County Chapter of the Links, Inc., will be announced on Tuesday, March 6 in the Morrisville H.S. cafeteria, between 6 and 7 p.m. Door prizes will be given to the first 50 students accompanied by a parent or guardian. This year’s theme is “Healthy, Active and Wise – Make Health a Habit. The contest was available in grades 1 to 12. Prizes will be awarded to first and second place winners in each of the four categories. Among the prizes are two mountain bikes, a digital camera, and gift cards. Contest winners are entered in the Eastern Area competition. Last year, Morrisville’s Jenna Kownacky was the first place winner at the local and Eastern Area levels, where she was awarded a plaque and $500. Entertainment will be provided by the Morrisville High School Jazz Band and refreshments will be served. There also will be an opportunity to have a photo taken with the Morrisville Bulldog. The Links is an international, not-for-profit corporation. It membership consists of 12,000 professional women of color in 274 chapters in 42 states.
MORRISVILLE Washington re-enactor to speak at historic society dinner
Posted: Monday, March 5, 2012 5:00 am | Updated: 6:42 am, Mon Mar 5, 2012. By GEMA MARIA DUARTE Staff writer | 0 comments Gen. George Washington will make his way to Morrisville's Summerseat next week. Actually, it's Washington re-enactor Sam Davis, a New Jersey teacher, who will be on hand. He'll be the guest speaker at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Historic Morrisville Society's annual dinner.
As Davis portrays Washington, he will speak about his military campaigns from New York to Princeton in 1776 and his Masonic connections, said JoAnn Panzitta-Gigliotti, a member of the historical society. Davis' interest and lifelong study of the country's first president came from his father, who first taught him the general's significant contributions and accomplishments during the American Revolution, the fight against the British crown. American Revolution financier Robert Morris purchased properties in the area. One was his Summerseat estate that he owned from 1791 to 1798 near Colven's Ferry, the Delaware River crossing to Trenton. Morrisville's historical society still maintains the Georgian mansion at Hillcrest and Legion avenues in the borough. Summerseat housed numerous high-ranking military and government officials including Washington during the Revolution. The home served as Washington's headquarters from Dec. 8 to Dec 14 in 1776. Summerseat was built in the 1770s for Adams Hoops. It is the only house in America owned by two signers of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, Morris and politician George Clymer. The Historic Morrisville Society was established in 1976 with the goal of preserving and restoring Summerseat, as well as local history. The group also offers educational programs. For more information, log onto www.HistoricSummerseat.com, or to RSVP for the catered $20 dinner, call Sharon at 215- 295-2900 or Jane at 215-295-3645.
Morrisville EAC Public Program on Natural Gas Drilling
Natural Gas Drilling as it affects Bucks County and Pennsylvania will be the topic of a free public program at 7 PM on Thursday, March 15, in the Community Room of the Morrisville Public Library. The Morrisville Environmental Advisory Council (MEAC) is sponsoring the event.
The program will include a power point presentation by State Rep. Steve Santarsiero (D-31), a member of the PA House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, and remarks by Tracy Carluccio, Deputy Director of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network about the possible impacts of gas drilling and fracking on the Delaware River and our water supply. Discussion and a question and answer session will follow. Refreshments will be served.
The recent announcement that a drilling company is seeking a permit to drill for natural gas in Bucks County in Nockamixon Township, just 10 miles from the Delaware River, has made the natural gas drilling issue of increased interest to many Bucks County residents concerned about what drilling might do to the water supply of people and communities downstream.
The Morrisville Public Library is located at 300 North Pennsylvania Avenue in Morrisville Borough. For more information, contact Mary Ann Bentz, 215-295-2076.
Lower Makefield Parishioners: Archdiocese rejects plan to save school
Posted: Monday, March 12, 2012 12:00 am | Updated: 6:05 am, Mon Mar 12, 2012. By Joan Hellyer Staff Writer | 0 comments St. John the Evangelist Catholic School in Lower Makefield will close for good at the end of the current school year, said church parishioners, who learned of the closure decision over the weekend. Monsignor Joseph Prior, pastor of St. John the Evangelist, announced the archdiocese’s decision to close the school during Masses on Saturday and Sunday at the parish off Big Oak Road.
The decision comes less than a month after parents and church members rallied together to come up with a five-year sustainability plan to raise most of the funding needed to cover the school’s operating deficit. The grassroots group called the “Cornerstone Committee” formed in February after Archdiocese of Philadelphia officials announced St. John the Evangelist would close because Holy Trinity Catholic School successfully had fought to have a planned merger with the Lower Makefield facility overturned. The initial merger was announced as part of a restructuring plan announced in January. The St. John committee members, after developing a proposal in about a week’s time, presented the plan to Prior, who then took it to archdiocese officials for consideration. In a letter emailed to parents on Friday, Prior said diocese officials would not overturn the school closure decision announced in February. “Officials reviewed the plan and found that the concerns of eliminating the parish debt (which was accumulated due to the school deficit) was too overbearing for the plan,” Prior said in the email obtained by the newspaper. The newspaper was unsuccessful in its attempts to reach Prior or archdiocese officials Sunday for comment despite phone messages left and email messages sent to the parish and diocese offices. The closure announcement left members of the Cornerstone Committee reeling. “We were totally blindsided and not given the same time as every other school was (when the initial closures and mergers were announced in January). It’s incredible,” said St. John parent Bob Nawalinski. In a message posted on the church website, Prior asks parishioners to pray for the St. John families, faculty, students and staff. “As we move forward we can be confident that our children will receive a warm welcome at our neighboring parishes and that a sustainable quality Catholic school education will be available for our children in the future,” the church pastor said in the website post. The school is serving about 200 students in prekindergarten through eighth grade this school year. Tuition is $2,850 for parishioners and $4,369 for nonparishioners, according to the St. John website.
23 comments:
Fan bus to Lady Bulldogs District #1 Semi-Final Game
Congratulations to the Lady Bulldogs Basketball team on Saturday's 66-26 Victory over Calvary Christian. The team now faces Sacred Heart on Wed., Feb. 29th, 7:30 p.m. at Wissahickon High School, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. A student and adult fan bus will be going to the game. The cost is $10 which covers the bus ticket and game admission and will leave from the gym entrance at 5:00. Students must have a completed permission slip to ride the bus. For more fan-bus information, see Mr. Hubiak in room B-14 or call 267-246-9068. For those wishing to drive, directions to the game are available in the high school front office. The cost for admission only to the game is $5 (Same cost, student or adult).
FBI seizes records of Rep. Fattah’s son
February 29, 2012|By Martha Woodall, Mark Fazlollah, Kristen A. Graham, and Joseph Tanfani, INQUIRER STAFF WRITERS
Federal authorities are investigating why a company owned by the son of U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah was paid $450,000 by an education firm that has received millions in contracts from the Philadelphia School District, according to sources familiar with the probe.
Agents from the FBI and U.S. Treasury Department served two search warrants early Wednesday for Chaka Fattah Jr.'s records, the first at his apartment at the Residences at the Ritz-Carlton. They also seized Fattah's records and a computer from the Logan Square law office of DAVID T. SHULICK. He is president of DELAWARE VALLEY HIGH SCHOOOL, a for-profit company that contracts with school districts to educate students with discipline problems.
The younger Fattah, 29, known as "Chip," is owner of a consulting company called 259 Strategies L.L.C. that works as a subcontractor for Shulick's companies. Fattah Jr. has working space at the law office.
The $450,000 payment from Shulick's company is more than 10 percent of the approximately $4 million that Delaware Valley will receive from the School District this year.
"We are cooperating with the investigation," said attorney Ronald A. Sarachan, who jointly is representing Fattah with Gregory P. Miller. "We've been in communication with the government."
Sarachan said he was "hopeful" that the investigation would be quickly resolved.
Shulick, who was interviewed Wednesday morning by agents at his home, said he was told that neither he nor Delaware Valley were the focus of the investigation.
"It doesn't have anything to do with the school," Shulick said. "We have nothing to hide, and we let them in and let them search [Fattah Jr.'s] office unfettered."
In a later e-mailed statement, Shulick said Fattah Jr. "is being victimized merely because his last name is 'Fattah.' "
" . . . He is dealing with issues that nobody without the last name 'Fattah' would have to deal with," Shulick wrote.
Del Valley HS is who Stay on Track was considering for farm-out of Morrisville HS students.
savethemorrisvilleschool blog:
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
A 'privately managed' plan?
David Shulick, a Center City lawyer and president of the board of the for-profit Delaware Valley High School on Philly's Bustleton Avenue, says Morrisville school board representatives will meet with him in the next 30 days so he can pitch the idea of a “privately managed” Morrisville high school.
He'll propose keeping the school in or near the borough, and said he'd be open to using an existing school building if it's offered.
Shulick declined to name which school board members he's spoken with. Sources inside the district said a follow-up e-mail from Shulick to board members and administrators indicates he had a cell phone conversation with school board President Bill Hellmann. Efforts to reach Hellmann were unsuccessful.
School board leaders have explored the possibility of dissolving the high school program and sending kids to neighboring districts on a tuition basis. The goal is cost-cutting. Part of the challenge for the district is that all three of its school buildings are aging and in need of renovations.
Lots of public school systems use tax dollars to pay private firms to manage part of the works — busing and food service come to mind. Could Morrisville hire a private company to manage teaching and learning, too — and save piles of money doing it?
Shulick proposes charging just $6,000 a student, $7,000 for kids with special needs. Today, Morrisville spends closer to $20,000 per student, and tens of thousands more for those bused to life-skills programs in other districts. (That's $12,000 in local tax dollars and the rest in grants and subsidies.)
Shulick says he can do more for less because he uses a private business model based on merit and accountability. He also points to a student-management software program now used at Delaware Valley High to improve efficiency — fewer staff hours needed to develop rosters or track student attendance and performance.
Morrisville already contracts to send up to five students to the Bustleton site. Delaware Valley High serves kids who can't cope in a regular school setting because of behavioral problems.
Shulick estimates 100 Bucks kids attend Delaware Valley High, a licensed and accredited secondary school. They're referred by their school districts or enrolled by their parents.
This month, he also expects to announce a Bucks branch for the alternative school. He declined to name the location.
Shulick stressed he is suggesting something entirely separate from the alternative school for Morrisville.
Incorporated in 1980, Unique Educational Experiences owns Delaware Valley High School. It's a privately held company, and Shulick declined to disclose the principal partners, saying the information wasn't relevant.
Morrisville taxpayers might feel differently, but Shulick said they should be most concerned with whether Morrisville kids can be educated well for a reasonable price. He believes they can.
Parents are likely to have the most pressing questions. Can the company accommodate students with autism, mental retardation and speech and language disabilities with teachers who meet state standards?
What's the quality of the regular education Shulick proposes, and would a privately managed Morrisville High offer sports and other extra-curricular programs?
Then there is the not-so-little matter of Morrisville's teacher contract and a clause stipulating there can be no staff furloughs or reductions in student-teacher ratios until the contract ends in 2012. How would that figure into Shulick's plan?
There are lots of questions. Here's hoping they'll eventually be asked and answered in public.
Kate Fratti's column appears on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Doesn't Morrisville already send students to Delaware Valley HS?
Yes. Some. Stray on Crack was going for all 9-12 Graders.
Unless I am mistaken, this is not the first time that this guy and his "school" has run afoul of the law. Good thing the SOC folks didn't get any traction with this one.
Chaka Con?
MORRISVILLE MATTERS 2013
time to finish what we started
http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/alternative-school-head-says-district-defaulted-on-deal/article_68fc81c5-23ff-5f62-b83e-5f390b87d77d.html
Join the Lady Bulldogs on the road to the District #1 Championship Game!
Saturday, March 3, at noon, Haverford College, 370 Lancaster Ave., Haverford, PA. Fan bus is being provided.
Congratulations to the Lady Bulldogs basketball team on their 50-42 victory over Sacred Heart in the District # 1 Semi-Final game. The Lady Bulldogs now play Delco Christian in the District #1 Championship at Haverford College. Game admission is $7 for students and adults. A fan bus is available, leaving Morrisville H.S., from the gymnasium entrance at 10 a.m., Saturday, March 3. Bus cost is $5.
Please see Mr. Hubiak in Room B-14 for more information or call (215) 736-2681 ext. 3973. Let's support the team at this championship game!
State passes up chance for relief from No Child Left Behind -- again
Posted: Friday, March 2, 2012 12:00 am | Updated: 6:35 am, Fri Mar 2, 2012.
By Joan Hellyer Staff Writer | 1 comment
Pennsylvania has passed up a second opportunity to secure relief from the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, education officials said.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education had until mid-February to apply for a waiver from provisions of the federal education mandate that requires all students to learn at grade level by 2014. It’s an unattainable threshold, according to education experts.
But state officials opted not to pursue the relief, just like they did in November when the first round of waiver requests was due.
“The (state education) department continues to review the requirements and criteria of the waiver program to determine if it would be in the best interest of Pennsylvania,” PDE spokesman Tim Eller said this week.
President Barack Obama has offered states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia the chance to secure NCLB waivers to prevent them from being hindered by the cumbersome requirements of the federal act.
One waiver allows states to flex their 2014 proficiency deadline if they establish achievable goals in reading/language arts and mathematics to support student improvement, officials said.
The second waiver allows states to be flexible with how they reform their lower performing schools, and the third waiver allows schools and districts more flexibility in how they spend federal funds.
New Jersey was among 11 states to receive relief from NCLB when the federal education department awarded the first round of waivers in January. That state sought and received flexibility in how it can use federal funds to help schools in need, officials said.
Another 26 states and the District of Columbia applied for relief by the second deadline in February, education department representatives said. They should find out if they qualify for the waivers later in the spring, officials said.
Pennsylvania education officials said they are hesitant to seek the waivers because they believe the federal government is trying to tell them how to replace the mandates.
The commonwealth continues to monitor student progress through standardized tests, which show whether schools and districts are achieving Adequate Yearly Progress.
The Pennsylvania representatives said they also are concerned with revising testing policies and procedures while Congress is deciding if it will reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act.
The remaining states will have another chance to seek relief from NCLB by early September, education officials said.
Hang up, put ur frickin phones down, and drive. Stay out of the frickin passing lanes while ur going slow as mole asses 2. Can u handle it????
Pa. ban on texting, driving starts next week
Posted: Friday, March 2, 2012 10:40 am
Associated Press | 1 comment
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Joey Castro thinks he can safely text while driving.
The 19-year-old from Tobyhanna said he waits until there are no cars in front of him to quickly respond to messages from his mom and girlfriend while he drives to class at Northampton Community College.
Castro knows texting can be dangerous, but thinks he might forget to respond until after class and his mom might worry about him. He knows the keyboard so well, he said, that his eyes don't stray from the road for long.
But starting Thursday, Castro said he will put his phone away until he's parked. And that's exactly what law enforcement officers want to see.
A law passed by the state Legislature in the fall goes into effect that day, making texting while driving a primary offense — meaning police can pull people over for texting alone.
It includes a $50 fine for a text-based communication, including sending or reading emails. It also forbids Web browsing but allows the use of smartphones for GPS. Your vehicle must be in motion for you to be fined, and talking on the phone while driving remains legal in Pennsylvania.
Area police say they fully intend to enforce the law. State police have said troopers will pull over motorists who might be driving slower than surrounding traffic or bobbing and weaving.
But as the start date nears, police officials and drivers have doubts about whether the law is tough enough to stop someone from dashing off a text while behind the wheel.
"Are we going to be able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that somebody was texting? Probably not," Allentown police Capt. Daryl Hendricks said.
The way Hendricks sees it, most drivers who get pulled over will claim they were dialing a phone number. Officers may not seize cellphones from drivers.
Unless an officer is confident about testifying the driver was definitely texting, Hendricks said, the offender might get off with a warning.
Hendricks said the legislation goes only halfway and would be better if hand-held cellphone use were banned completely. About 30 states nationwide bar motorists from texting and many ban hand-held cellphone use entirely.
Allentown's short-lived ban on using cellphones while driving netted 47 offenders during parts of 2010 and 2011. But Lehigh County Judge James T. Anthony ruled the ordinance was invalid and said only the state, not municipalities, can enact such a law.
Lower Saucon Township police Sgt. Thomas Barndt said his department will aggressively enforce the law if it can prove drivers are texting. He hopes drivers will simply abide by the new law.
But confessed texters like Castro doubt people will follow that advice.
"Honestly, I don't think people will stop texting," Castro said Thursday. "People are still going to do it, but if they get caught they deserve it."
Matthew Olick, 22, of Easton, who along with Castro was interviewed at Northampton Community College, said part of the problem is the $50 fine is too low and won't teach drivers a lesson.
Drivers who do get caught will not receive points against their license. A citation may affect some drivers' insurance rates, but the fine will be the sole punishment for others.
Liz French, 43, of Bethlehem said texting should be taken as seriously as DUI.
"It should be the same type of punishment as being in the car drinking," French said at NCC. "In order for it to be taken seriously, I think there have to be real consequences."
While police will try to catch texters if they can starting next week, they're urging the public to be responsible.
"The key is no text message is worth the value of a human life," Barndt said. "I don't know why you would want to do it anyway."
___
Help for Morrisville fire victims
Posted: Saturday, March 3, 2012 11:00 am | Updated: 11:45 am, Sat Mar 3, 2012.
By George Mattar Staff writer | 0 comments
MORRISVILLE — The Morrisville YMCA is seeking donations for the 34 people who were displaced due to a massive fire Feb. 25.
No one was injured, but 17 rowhomes on West Philadelphia Avenue were damaged when fire swept through them.
And the Christopher Jones Foundation has donated $7,000 to the 14 families, which means they will get $500 each, said board of director's member Scott Molle.
Jones was the first Middletown police officer killed in the line of duty. About 18 months ago, a foundation was set up in his name to help at times like this and also has a scholarship fund, Molle said. The foundation raises money throughout the year.
One of the YMCA families is among the 34 people displaced by the fire. That family includes a girl in second grade, a boy in third grade and a boy in sixth grade.
A total of 12 children in the Morrisville School District lived in the rowhouses, officials said.
The Morrisville YMCA, 200 N. Pennsylvania Ave., will be a donation location, as is the Levittown YMCA on Oxford Valley Road in Fairless Hills.
No clothing is needed at this time, but YMCA officials said Walmart gift cards, Giant gift cards, cleaning supplies, toiletries and cash donations are needed. Checks also will be accepted. Make checks made payable to the Ivins House, which is located on Trenton Avenue in Morrisville.
Please mark "Morrisville Fire Victims" on the memo line.
For further information, call Kim at 215-501-6686 or 215-736-8077 or email kakane369@aol.com
To learn more about the Christopher Jones Foundation, visit dcjf4466.org
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20120304_Behind_facade__troubles_rose_for_Fattah_son.html?viewAll=y
Behind the facade, troubles rose for Fattah son
By Mark Fazlollah, Martha Woodall, and Joseph Tanfani
Inquirer Staff Writers
DAVID SWANSON / Staff Photographer
David Shulick dismisses as "absurd" the idea that he hired Chaka Fattah Jr. at the behest of the congressman.
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Behind facade, troubles rose for Fattah Jr.
Mitt Romney: Off script and off-key The son of U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah tried hard to keep up the image of a rising young entrepreneur, talking about his work for high-living clients and moving in to the luxurious Residences at the Ritz-Carlton in Center City.
But behind the facade, Chaka Fattah Jr.'s troubles were rising. Taxes went unpaid, checks started bouncing, and loan officers began calling about missed payments on a $50,000 loan, according to records and interviews.
And the FBI was secretly digging into his finances - even recording his conversations as he talked about his work as a budding political consultant.
Fattah Jr.'s image crumbled for good on Wednesday, when agents raided the Ritz-Carlton apartment and Fattah Jr.'s space at a law office, seizing a computer and records.
Agents are now asking about Fattah Jr.'s ties with politicians - including his father, Chaka Sr., the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.
And they want to know what he did for David T. Shulick, a lawyer and owner of a for-profit education company that receives millions in contracts from the Philadelphia School District and other area schools to educate students with disciplinary problems or those at risk of dropping out............
Annual Poster Contest – Winners to be Announced
The winners in this year’s school-wide poster art competition, sponsored by the Bucks County Chapter of the Links, Inc., will be announced on Tuesday, March 6 in the Morrisville H.S. cafeteria, between 6 and 7 p.m. Door prizes will be given to the first 50 students accompanied by a parent or guardian.
This year’s theme is “Healthy, Active and Wise – Make Health a Habit. The contest was available in grades 1 to 12.
Prizes will be awarded to first and second place winners in each of the four categories. Among the prizes are two mountain bikes, a digital camera, and gift cards. Contest winners are entered in the Eastern Area competition. Last year, Morrisville’s Jenna Kownacky was the first place winner at the local and Eastern Area levels, where she was awarded a plaque and $500.
Entertainment will be provided by the Morrisville High School Jazz Band and refreshments will be served. There also will be an opportunity to have a photo taken with the Morrisville Bulldog.
The Links is an international, not-for-profit corporation. It membership consists of 12,000 professional women of color in 274 chapters in 42 states.
As posted on Mv.org:
NOTICE
The Morrisville Board of School Directors are requesting sealed bids for the 2012-2013 school year. Specifications may be obtained from the School District of Borough of Morrisville website link: http://www.mv.org/district.cfm?subpage=963562 or by contacting the Business Office, 550 W. Palmer Street, Morrisville, PA 19067 (215-736-5932). The bid openings, listed below, will be on Monday, March 26, 2012 in Conference Room G-9 located in the Morrisville Intermediate/High School.
Grass Cutting / Snow Plowing Bid 9:00 a.m.
Trash Removal Bid 9:30 a.m.
Transportation 10:00 a.m.
The owner reserves the right to waive any information and to accept or reject any/all bids in its best interest.
Wanda Kartal
School Board Secretary
Lady Bulldogs in the Game !
The Lady Bulldogs basketball team begins State Playoffs, Sat., March 10, traveling to Marywood University in Scranton, PA.
The team will meet District #2 champions, Old Forge High School. Game time is 5 p.m. Help cheer them on.
Driving directions are available in the high school front office.
Please contact John Hubiak, 267-246-9068 or jhubiak@mv.org. for more info.
Don't Forget Tomorrow night:
Annual Poster Contest – Winners to be Announced
The winners in this year’s school-wide poster art competition, sponsored by the Bucks County Chapter of the Links, Inc., will be announced on Tuesday, March 6 in the Morrisville H.S. cafeteria, between 6 and 7 p.m. Door prizes will be given to the first 50 students accompanied by a parent or guardian.
This year’s theme is “Healthy, Active and Wise – Make Health a Habit. The contest was available in grades 1 to 12.
Prizes will be awarded to first and second place winners in each of the four categories. Among the prizes are two mountain bikes, a digital camera, and gift cards. Contest winners are entered in the Eastern Area competition. Last year, Morrisville’s Jenna Kownacky was the first place winner at the local and Eastern Area levels, where she was awarded a plaque and $500.
Entertainment will be provided by the Morrisville High School Jazz Band and refreshments will be served. There also will be an opportunity to have a photo taken with the Morrisville Bulldog.
The Links is an international, not-for-profit corporation. It membership consists of 12,000 professional women of color in 274 chapters in 42 states.
MORRISVILLE
Washington re-enactor to speak at historic society dinner
Posted: Monday, March 5, 2012 5:00 am | Updated: 6:42 am, Mon Mar 5, 2012.
By GEMA MARIA DUARTE Staff writer | 0 comments
Gen. George Washington will make his way to Morrisville's Summerseat next week.
Actually, it's Washington re-enactor Sam Davis, a New Jersey teacher, who will be on hand. He'll be the guest speaker at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Historic Morrisville Society's annual dinner.
As Davis portrays Washington, he will speak about his military campaigns from New York to Princeton in 1776 and his Masonic connections, said JoAnn Panzitta-Gigliotti, a member of the historical society.
Davis' interest and lifelong study of the country's first president came from his father, who first taught him the general's significant contributions and accomplishments during the American Revolution, the fight against the British crown.
American Revolution financier Robert Morris purchased properties in the area. One was his Summerseat estate that he owned from 1791 to 1798 near Colven's Ferry, the Delaware River crossing to Trenton. Morrisville's historical society still maintains the Georgian mansion at Hillcrest and Legion avenues in the borough. Summerseat housed numerous high-ranking military and government officials including Washington during the Revolution.
The home served as Washington's headquarters from Dec. 8 to Dec 14 in 1776. Summerseat was built in the 1770s for Adams Hoops. It is the only house in America owned by two signers of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, Morris and politician George Clymer.
The Historic Morrisville Society was established in 1976 with the goal of preserving and restoring Summerseat, as well as local history. The group also offers educational programs.
For more information, log onto www.HistoricSummerseat.com, or to RSVP for the catered $20 dinner, call Sharon at 215- 295-2900 or Jane at 215-295-3645.
Also overheard at MHS meetings, "Bring me Solo and the Wookie."
Morrisville EAC Public Program on Natural Gas Drilling
Natural Gas Drilling as it affects Bucks County and Pennsylvania will be the topic of a free public program at 7 PM on Thursday, March 15, in the Community Room of the Morrisville Public Library. The Morrisville Environmental Advisory Council (MEAC) is sponsoring the event.
The program will include a power point presentation by State Rep. Steve Santarsiero (D-31), a member of the PA House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, and remarks by Tracy Carluccio, Deputy Director of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network about the possible impacts of gas drilling and fracking on the Delaware River and our water supply. Discussion and a question and answer session will follow. Refreshments will be served.
The recent announcement that a drilling company is seeking a permit to drill for natural gas in Bucks County in Nockamixon Township, just 10 miles from the Delaware River, has made the natural gas drilling issue of increased interest to many Bucks County residents concerned about what drilling might do to the water supply of people and communities downstream.
The Morrisville Public Library is located at 300 North Pennsylvania Avenue in Morrisville Borough. For more information, contact Mary Ann Bentz, 215-295-2076.
Lower Makefield
Parishioners: Archdiocese rejects plan to save school
Posted: Monday, March 12, 2012 12:00 am | Updated: 6:05 am, Mon Mar 12, 2012.
By Joan Hellyer Staff Writer | 0 comments
St. John the Evangelist Catholic School in Lower Makefield will close for good at the end of the current school year, said church parishioners, who learned of the closure decision over the weekend.
Monsignor Joseph Prior, pastor of St. John the Evangelist, announced the archdiocese’s decision to close the school during Masses on Saturday and Sunday at the parish off Big Oak Road.
The decision comes less than a month after parents and church members rallied together to come up with a five-year sustainability plan to raise most of the funding needed to cover the school’s operating deficit.
The grassroots group called the “Cornerstone Committee” formed in February after Archdiocese of Philadelphia officials announced St. John the Evangelist would close because Holy Trinity Catholic School successfully had fought to have a planned merger with the Lower Makefield facility overturned.
The initial merger was announced as part of a restructuring plan announced in January.
The St. John committee members, after developing a proposal in about a week’s time, presented the plan to Prior, who then took it to archdiocese officials for consideration. In a letter emailed to parents on Friday, Prior said diocese officials would not overturn the school closure decision announced in February.
“Officials reviewed the plan and found that the concerns of eliminating the parish debt (which was accumulated due to the school deficit) was too overbearing for the plan,” Prior said in the email obtained by the newspaper.
The newspaper was unsuccessful in its attempts to reach Prior or archdiocese officials Sunday for comment despite phone messages left and email messages sent to the parish and diocese offices.
The closure announcement left members of the Cornerstone Committee reeling.
“We were totally blindsided and not given the same time as every other school was (when the initial closures and mergers were announced in January). It’s incredible,” said St. John parent Bob Nawalinski.
In a message posted on the church website, Prior asks parishioners to pray for the St. John families, faculty, students and staff.
“As we move forward we can be confident that our children will receive a warm welcome at our neighboring parishes and that a sustainable quality Catholic school education will be available for our children in the future,” the church pastor said in the website post.
The school is serving about 200 students in prekindergarten through eighth grade this school year. Tuition is $2,850 for parishioners and $4,369 for nonparishioners, according to the St. John website.
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