MDUSD Budget Reduction Meetings **IMPORTANT**

IMPORANT NOTICE. This was just received tonight from the Superintendent's office, you can also access information about the reductions online by CLICKING HERE.

This is IMPORTANT, these meetings are taking place NEXT WEEK, November 5th and 6th at various locations around the district.

Please come and help shape what will be on the chopping block in this next round of substantial budget cuts. 6.6 million needs to be cut and YOU DO HAVE A VOICE. This is your time to make your opinions known. There is also Parent Advisory Council coming up next Weds evening (7pm) November 5th at the Dent Center, all are welcome at those meetings.





For further clarity of the flyer, the meetings for parents, community and teachers thru-out our district are as follows:

Wednesday, November 5th, 3:30pm
Foothill Middle School Multi-Use Room w/ Asst. Supt. Rose Lock
Mt. Diablo High Library w/ Supt. Gary McHenry
Ygnacio Valley High Library w/ Asst. Supt. Gail Iserman

Thursday, November 6th, 3:30pm
Clayton Valley High Library w/ General Counsel Greg Rolen
College Park Library w/ Supt. Gary McHenry
Concord High Library w/ Assoc. Supt. Alan Young
Riverview Middle Tech Lab w/ Director Margot Tobias

I have this as a PDF if anyone wants a copy, please email: mdusdparents@gmail.com

Success! Supporters flood to the streets for Gary and Sherry!

Being at Ygnacio and Oak Grove was exciting today! We had an endless stream of teachers, parents, kids and community! We had people stopping to talk, cars honking and lots of hollering support out their windows (or convertibles!) We even had guest appearances by Board Members Paul Strange, Gary Eberhart and candidate, Sherry Whitmarsh.

Personally, I've never seen such a show of support for school board candidates -ever. It shows how important we all know this election is!

Signs we saw included:

Save our Schools!
Save our Teachers!
Save our District!
Elect Gary and Sherry!
Gary and Sherry for Change!
Honk for Change!
No more IRS FINES!

We even had some signs written in spanish - Por Favor!

It was impossible to get a photo of the huge line of people stretching more than a couple of blocks and on each corner of Oak Grove and Ygnacio - but it was impressive!

Hope you were there and remember to VOTE on November 4th for Gary and Sherry!

The time is NOW! The surge of support is here Tuesday!

For candidate information: http://www.changemdusd.com/

.

For a parent's "guest editorial" in the Times:

"The Times Got it Half Right . . . "

For a flyer to download and distribute about this event: CLICK HERE

We need 300 people on October 28 for one of TWO shifts:

(2) 150 people from 4-5pm
(3) 150 people from 5-6 pm

We will be covering one of THREE areas:
(1) Corner of Ygnacio and Oak Grove
(2) Corner of Clayton Rd and Treat/Denkinger
(3) Willow Pass across the bridge by El Torito leading to Sun Valley Mall (near Elephant Bar)

Bring a sign or we will have BLANK SIGNS and MARKERS. Just write a message like the ones below and hold them for cars to see. If we LINE UP THIRTY OR FORTY IN A LINE cars take a long time to pass – IT LOOKS IMPRESSIVE, far better than a cluster of people.

If you WANT CHANGE, then please get involved THIS ONE TIME! The time is NOW!

WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU NOW:

PLEASE COMMIT to one or more of those times.
CONFIRM by emailing andre@misterwriter.com with a TIME(S) and LOCATION CHOICE that you will do. If you have friends to join in, please include their name as well. If they do not want to give their name, just tell me HOW MANY and you be their contact.

Download a flyer to distribute, and join your fellow parents, teachers and community members to inform the public now in these final days before the election that the situation is dire and requires their VOTE for Gary and Sherry!

Elementary Students: "The BEE" just for you!

Wanted to pass on the news of this fun event in Pleasant Hill for K-5 students:

Hello MDUSD Community,

The Foundation for Pleasant Hill Education (FPHE) cordially invites you to attend our debut event: The Bee, a spelling bee for grades K-5. The Bee is a fun, educational event to promote education and introduce FPHE to the community.

When:Saturday, November 15, 2008, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm:Grades K-1 will perform 11:00-12:30Grades 2-3 will perform 1:00-2:30Grades 4-5 will perform 3:00-4:30

Where:Pleasant Hill City Hall, Council Chambers100 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill

Who:The Foundation for Pleasant Hill Education is a volunteer-led, non-profit organization committed to providing financial support to all 11 public schools in Pleasant Hill, K-12. The Bee is co-sponsored by the Pleasant Hill Education/Schools Advisory Commission.

How:Registration is $5 per participant.To register call 676-8921 or visit the FPHE website, www.fphe.org

All participants will receive a gift bag, a certificate of participation, and a free raffle ticket. Additional raffle tickets will be available for purchase. Prizes will be awarded to the top three winners of each group (K/1, 2/3, and 4/5).

All proceeds will go to FPHE to benefit Pleasant Hill public schools, K-12.

Please forward this email to people interested in The Bee or who would like to be included on our FPHE email distribution list. FPHE will not give out email addresses.

We look forward to seeing you on November 15th.

Surge of Support for Eberhart and Whitmarsh

For candidate information: http://www.changemdusd.com/

For a flyer to download and distribute about this event: CLICK HERE

We need 300 people on October 28 for one of THREE shifts:

(1) 100 people from 3-4pm
(2) 100 people from 4-5pm
(3) 100 people from 5-6 pm

We will be covering one of THREE areas:

(1) Corner of Ygnacio and Oak Grove
(2) Corner of Clayton Rd and Treat/Denkinger
(3) Willow Pass across the bridge by El Torito leading to Sun Valley Mall

We will have BLANK SIGNS and MARKERS. Just write a message like the ones above and hold them for cars to see. If we LINE UP THIRTY OR FORTY IN A LINE cars take a long time to pass – IT LOOKS IMPRESSIVE, far better than a cluster of people.

If you WANT CHANGE, then please get involved THIS ONE TIME! The time is NOW!

WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU NOW:

PLEASE COMMIT to one or more of those times.

CONFIRM by emailing andre@misterwriter.com with a TIME(S) and LOCATION CHOICE that you will do. If you have friends to join in, please include their name as well. If they do not want to give their name, just tell me HOW MANY and you be their contact.

Email for a flyer and join your fellow parents, teachers and community members to inform the public now in these final days before the election that the situation is dire and requires their VOTE for Gary and Sherry!

(artwork above courtesy of MisterWriter: Signs You May be An Idiot)

CCTimes weighs in: Elect Eberhart on November 4th, SAY NO TO TREECE

Have you seen the latest in a loooong line of endorsements for Gary Eberhart?

Of Eberhart they say:

Three of the four candidates, incumbent Gary Eberhart and challengers Jeff Adams and Sherry Whitmarsh, seeking two seats on the board understand that the district is in deep trouble. They point to financial bungling, frustrated teachers, upset parents and a superintendent who may need to be replaced.

Eberhart's criticisms of the district and McHenry are on target. He understands what needs to be done and deserves re-election.

Conversely, of Treece, they say:

Incumbent April Treece seems far more sanguine about the district and its superintendent, saying schools are making academic progress and that McHenry has been held accountable. We strongly disagree.

Treece's overly bright assessment of the district and unwillingness to hold its superintendent fully accountable are reasons enough for voters to replace her.


So, just say NO to Treece on November 4th!

Read the whole article here: Contra Costa Times Endorses Gary Eberhart

No freedom of speech in the MDUSD

Contra Costa Times has uncovered yet another issue within the MDUSD . Teachers are not allowed to express their political views even off the clock!

Check out the article:
http://www.contracostatimes.com/education/ci_10769276

















And, get this , yet another thing that the San Ramon Valley School District does better:

The San Ramon Valley school district, also governed by the Education Code, does not restrict teachers the same way Mt. Diablo does.


"When it comes to bumper stickers and buttons and things like that," said San Ramon district spokesman Terry Koehne, "it's our belief that it's their right to free speech. "

So what is wrong with MDUSD? Do they really thinks kids will be disturbed by a button on a teacher's lapel?


Click on the article to go direct to the Times.

Expect a call from McHenry?

I found today's letter in the Times very interesting. Perhaps McHenry should spend his valuable time figuring out how to fix the mess vs trying to defend the mess to people who write about it. I guess we see from this letter indicating she received a call in response to her letter in 2006 that things have gone from bad to worse. Would you be surprised if McHenry called you?

Letter to the Editor
Article Launched: 10/17/2008 12:00:00 AM PDT

School board picks
On a Friday in June of 2006, my letter to the editor stated that the superintendent of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District was incompetent.
I received a call from Superintendant Gary McHenry early Saturday morning instructing me to check my facts. I had my facts straight then, and I have them straight now.
Millions of dollars in legal fees spent without board approval, numerous payroll errors, a lack of department oversight, huge penalties payable to the IRS, highly qualified teachers leaving the district, top-down mandates with no employee input or collaboration, and unsuccessful contract negotiations with employees are but a few parts of McHenry's legacy.
"I think there is a tremendous amount of trust between the district and teachers," stated April Treece at the Pleasant Hill Forum for MDUSD candidates. Is she in La La Land? She continues to assert she has held the superintendent accountable for his ineffective management of the district. Who is she trying to fool, the trusting electorate of La La Land?
I am weary of absurd excuses and inane double-speak. Join me and vote for Sherry Whitmarsh and Gary Eberhart. We need MDUSD Board members who are not afraid of hurting McHenry's feelings.
Marilyn Hoffacker
Concord

Change is only 4 letters long

V - O - T - E

Vote for Gary Eberhart and Sherry Whitmarsh for CHANGE in the MDUSD!

www.ChangeMDUSD.com

Remember, though you see alot of signs around, SIGNS DON'T VOTE! Get out there, get involved in some of the activities coming up to show your support for change (including the teacher event today, more is coming in the next couple weeks). Tell your friends, family and neighbors why they need to care about this election.

Signs graphics from: http://myyardourmessage.com

Teachers "taking it to the streets" October 14

From the Mt. Diablo Teacher blog: http://www.mdusdteachers.blogspot.com/

Support our teachers and help them with YOUR show of support. Join them in holding signs, or just honk to show your support as you pass! Tell a friend and keep telling your friends until the election. We need to show our collective strength behind Gary Eberhart and Sherry Whitmarsh. You need to read the latest at www.changemdusd.com or www.mdusd.net or http://ccexm.blogspot.com
.

Taking it to the Streets--Tuesday, October 14
Remember to participate in our community outreach activity

tomorrow from 3:45-5:15

Bring a homemade sign or hold one of ours.

The three intersections we’ll be at are:
Ygnacio Valley Rd and Oak Grove
Treat Blvd and Clayton Rd
Contra Costa Blvd and Monument

.

\

"Fix MDUSD; elect Eberhart and Whitmarsh"

That, today, is the headline of a recent Letter to the Editor of the Contra Costa Times by Dorothy Englund. If you haven't seen it yet, here you go:

FIX MDUSD - click for article

Then be sure to leave your comments there on the Times site so that even more of the public may be aware of the conversation happening all around them here:

FORUM to discuss "FIX MDUSD"


You can also read MisterWriter's take here: CCTimes Letters to Editor


Also, for more on the campaign for CHANGE in our district, visit: www.CHANGEMDUSD.com

.

Parents don't let Parents Vote Treece . . .

Here is a letter I've received from a couple of sources. It is exciting that it's coming from a couple of sources as it means it is making it's rounds around to district families and community members. So cut and paste, add your own words, link to an article on the blogs, but pass it along.

Like a chain letter, something bad may happen if you don't help spread the word. That something BAD is that April Treece may get re-elected. Don't let that happen for the district, more importantly, don't let it happen for the kids! If you want a sign in your yard - let them know! If you want to help in anyway, let them know! It takes a large effort to defeat an incumbant. I know I am seeing Eberhart and Whitmarsh signs popping up all over town. Let's get the word out.

If you have facebook you can join this growing local cause there too: FACEBOOK CAUSE TO ELECT EBERHART AND WHITMARSH

-----------------------------Ok, letter starts here ------------------------------

Dear Friend,

Gary Eberhart and Sherry Whitmarsh are my two choices for MDUSD School Board. Together, Eberhart and Whitmarsh are The Right Team For Students.

Gary has served for over thirteen years as a MDUSD Board Member and he has never missed a meeting. His children attend Mt. Diablo Schools and he is greatly concerned about the direction our school district is heading. Gary has often been the lone voice seeking fundamental change, while demanding accountability and fiscal common sense. Gary asks tough questions and demands answers. This is the kind of board member I want serving our students.

Sherry has been involved in Mt. Diablo schools for the past 9 years. She has two daughters attending school in our district and has served as a member of the school site council at Bancroft Elementary. She is a member of the districts budget advisory committee and the Parent Advisory Committee. She is also currently on the PTSA board at both Oak Grove Middle School and Ygnacio Valley High School.

Both Gary and Sherry recognize the employee contracts need to be settled, teachers must have medical benefits, employee morale must improve and the board MUST hold the Superintendent accountable for mismanagement, under budgeting, and spending millions of dollars without board approval. They both support long range strategic planning, a safe learning environment, and new strategies to improve student learning.

The current board majority, April Treece, Dick Allen, and Linda Mayo have paralyzed the board by continually supporting the Superintendent without question. In fact, in a Contra Costa Times Article, “Mt. Diablo Schools in IRS sights” on September 30, 2008, April Treece is quoted as saying to a response of why the District owes unpaid tax penalties totaling $833,000.00, “This was something that came up in late 2006, early 2007, so that requires us to, I think, not overreact.” This is just the latest incident in which the board majority refuses to question the Superintendent or hold him accountable for his actions. Ms. Treece is running again for the school board as an incumbent. If you don’t want the same board majority blindly supporting the Superintendent, vote for Gary and Sherry.

Gary and Sherry Are The Right Team For Students. A vote for Gary and Sherry is a vote in support of finally having a UNIFIED Mt. Diablo District. Please visit http://www.mdusd.blogspot.com/ to read about some of the issues Mt. Diablo is facing and visit http://www.changemdudsd.com/ (site coming live this weekend) to learn more about Gary and Sherry. If you would like a lawn sign please send an email to changemdusd@gmail.com

Thank You,

Superintendent's Parent Advisory Council Meeting tonight (Weds)

Tonight (Weds October 1) is Superintendent McHenry's Parent Advisory Council meeting. This meeting takes place once a month at the Dent Center, in the Board Room. All are welcome at these meetings, not just the parent reps for their schools. With all the news of IRS penalties, contract negotiations, budgeting and more - will you be there?

Here is the information from the Superintendent's office about these meetings (the underline is mine for clarity):

PAC reps are an important link for sharing the information discussed at the monthly meetings with parents and other members of your school community. Each meeting is an opportunity for parents to meet with senior District staff, raise issues of concern, ask questions, learn about District programs and practices, and provide valuable information and opinions of their own. Membership on the council and attendance at its meetings are voluntary. Anyone—parent who is not a rep, employee, community member—is welcome to attend any meeting. Discussions are often lively and always informative for everyone involved.

PAC meetings are the first Wednesday of the month, 7-9 p.m. in the Board Room. Here’s the schedule for 2008-09:

September 3
October 1
November 5
December 3
January 7
February 4
March 4
April 1
May 6
June 3