Parents Uniting for Nelson - Part 2

I struggle with the decision on when to break an active thread and start a "Part 2" but when I have to scroll through five screens totaling 90+ comments my indecision subsides.  If you have not read the whole of Part 1, do that first.  Once you are caught up on your homework, you can rejoin the conversation here since I'm sure it will continue because:

Mr. Nelson’s transfer from BHS to Aragon is on the District Board’s agenda for approval next Thursday night, March 24th. The meeting starts promptly at 7pm if you want to come and voice your support for Mr. Nelson during “Public Comment” which is right at the beginning of the meeting.  We each have an opportunity for “public comment” and up to 3 minutes each to speak.

I have pasted the 91st comment as the first comment of this Part 2 since I found it particularly on point.

Photo added April 16.

Comments

[BHSStudentsRock]

In fact, the National Merit List is not used for college admission. Colleges do not even get the scores. Here's your proof, silly fool.

http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/do-colleges-look-at-psat-scores/

Students taking the exam are sophomores and juniors that haven't even voiced a preference for schools.

You have an agenda; one that is highly inaccurate and clearly your little bundle of joy couldn't cut it.

[NonationalMerit]

1. You used College Confidential as a source.
2. Stop living through your child.
3. I stated... colleges use the number of National Merit Finalists from a school as an indicator of rigor of a school.
4. Colleges know that some school GPA's and course are complete BS while others are full of rigor. The # of National Merit Finalists is a plum for the school to list on its School Profile (you can look up what that is)

5.You would also know that the PSAT scores are sold to colleges who recruit students based on the score received.

6. While the Colleges do not receive PSAT scores... see what happens when your little 1440 or whatever score they received lists National Merit Finalist on the application as an award. Eyes open... and so do wallets.

7. It looks like you... and many others are extremely confused about what data colleges actually look at and how they use the material. You need to look beyond your own seed and understand how you could benefit from the success of many students and not just your own.

8. You should be careful about typing with your foot in your mouth. You could get injured.

If you read up this thread, you will discover an entire town discussing the problems of Burlingame High School's gilded image. .. sparkling on the outside but tinges of corrupt on the inside.

While you relax and count your gold and dream of your child's admission to Harvard or Stanford or... (not with a 1440) , you should be paying attention to how your child's opportunities could be (and should be) so much better given the location, resources, opportunities, etc All that glitters... you can finish it.

[BurlingameWhinersSuck]

Your information is false and you know it. You are a foolish malcontent.

[hollyroller@gmail.com]

Nobody Cares.

[Mary Chang]

Get rid of the Unions and Vaporize the Department of Education entirely.

The only thing your local education system has done is get really good at being AVERAGE.

CONGRATS

[BennyC]

Proofiswhatisneeded.

Do you want the report where Murphy lied to the police officer or the Assistant Superintendent of Schools?

Either of those may still cost the teacher her credential.

I didn't like this person stalking me but it looks like that is what she does.

[NoNationalMerit]

BurlingameWhinersSuck and BHSStudentsRock

Click on the link for the SMUHSD and tell us how you feel? Every school in the SMUHSD is represented...... except BHS.

WTF. Stop making excuses. We are embarrassed. You don't pay $2.5 million for a house and $25,000 per year in property taxes so your children can attend a school that produces ZERO national merit scholars.

Parents - Why do you allow tolerate this level of incompetence by BHS teachers?

Where did all of that BCE money go?........POOF!!!!

Its time to take back BHS.

http://www.smuhsd.org/cms/news_item?d=x&id=1505807782159&group_id=1218758588757&return_url=1506055792489

[DeepThroat]

Palo Alto Administrator Botch Investigation

http://padailypost.com/archives/840

This is not much different than what happened at BHS and at Mills High School during the AP Exam Scandal. The investigation found that the school officials were at fault.... but they blamed the students.

https://www.leagle.com/decision/infdco20130903900

The lies at BHS are deep... but finding their way to the surface. Murphy's Law

Investigation botched

Lawyers with the firm Cozen O’Connor, Gina Maisto Smith and Leslie Gomez, found that administrators including Superintendent Max McGee, former Assistant Superintendent for School Support Services Holly Wade, who left the district in June, Diorio and assistant principals Laurence, Jerry Berkson, Victoria Kim and Adam Paulson had botched the investigation and documentation of the sex assault complaint.
No one at the district was trained on Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 or complaint procedures until May, despite that the district has been investigated by the Office for Civil Rights for its Title IX practices multiple times in the last four years.

[Beth Simpson]

I fail to understand what the concern is with PSAT scores. As a longtime school administrator and college application advisor for several schools, I have never seen a PSAT score taken into account. Not once, not ever.

Colleges and Universities look at SAT and ACT scores; the rigor of academic courses taken; AP Exam scores; essays, etc. In my experience, the six schools of the San Mateo Union High School District all fare very well.

Burlingame, Mills, Aragon, Hillsdale, San Mateo and Capuchino are all excellent schools and students are getting into top schools each and every year.

[NoNationalMerit]

Beth Simpson

So you....as a long time school administrator and college application advisor claim that PSAT scores have NO INFLUENCE on a high school's quality of education in relationship to admission?

Then why is there such a thing as National Merit Scholar?

Why do students take the PSAT? How dumb are you?

I would suggest that anyone paying you for advice.... would be throwing their money out the window.

So.... lets say a college has a choice between a high school that has 20 National Merit Scholars v. none?

Who do they admit?

BTW Beth what are your professional credentials to comment?

[NoNationalMerit]

To recap

As a College Advisor, who charges a signifiant fee to advise parents about college admissions.

In your mind, it si fine for a family to pay $25,000 to $30,000 per year in property taxes to a school that has ZERO National Merit Scholars?

This is your business model?

[Beth Simpson]

I have worked for several colleges and universities reviewing applications. I don't advise parents. Seems you read what you want to read.

There is not a single college that gets PSAT scores or National Merit Semifinalists per school. ZERO. You are wrong. Flat out wrong.

You can keep spouting nonsense anyway you would like to do so. It doesn't matter. You are wrong.

[Beth Simpson]

Maybe you aren't aware the the National Merit Scholarship program is a very small program administered by a private entity. If you seriously believe that $2,500 constitutes a maybe program, you'd be wrong there as well.

The PSAT is a practice exam so students get a feel for what the real SAT is like. Ever wonder why there isn't a Preliminary ACT? Because it doesn't matter.

[Beth Simpson]

I guess there isn't an opportunity to edit your post. Odd. My prior post should have said "constitutes a MAJOR program" not maybe.

[hillsider]

Even if colleges don't see or use the PSATs isn't it logical that a good score would correlate to later good scores on the tests that count? It doesn't seem like kids would get amazingly smarter in one year.

[hollyroller@gmail.com]

Until Mr. Nelson post a response, lets end this thread.

[hillsider]

Go back two pages. You missed it like you miss most things.

[KRN]

I was made aware of the retirement of BHS Social Science Teacher Dave Sullivan at the end of the year.

According to the SMUHSD Contract, I have a legal right to be returned to BHS.

I sent the SMUHSD Board members my official intent to exercise this contract right and requested to be returned to BHS for the 2018-19 school year as mandated by the contract.

Since the Board represents the students, parents and community, I would hope that they would respect the views of the community (2500 signatures) as well as the contract and return me to BHS.

To this day, there have been no official or written complaints against me. Despite statements made on the record by members of the Board, public record requests produced no communications to the SMUHSD Administration or the Board requesting that I leave BHS.

It has been reported that BHS is in good hands with Mr. Belzer as Principal. It would seem that there is no "above board" reason to block my return to BHS.

The Board promised an investigation of Burlingame High School, but never carried out their promise.

The Board's comments clearly indicated that the knew ALL of the issues at BHS.

If the Board's word is worth anything..... they will live up to their promise.

On the record, Mr. Land spoke out about the students having a voice. The students have spoken and they want Kevin Nelson to be returned to BHS.

In their statement to the public and "on the record" on the night of my transfer, Board Members Friedman, Dwyer,Land, and Griffith all stated that Nelson should be returned.

The vacancy at BHS is now upon us. So.. unless the SMUHSD "pulls a fast one" the legal contract should prevail and Kevin Nelson should be sent back to Burlingame.

So here it is. If the Board has ethics and lives up to its word on the public record I will be returned to BHS. If not, you will know that someone, somewhere has manipulated the system.

"sunlight is the best disinfectant"

We are now out in the open.

13.3.9.1
An employee administratively transferred shall have preference for three (3) years, including the school year of transfer, over other applicants should a vacancy occur at the school from which the employee was transferred, provided the employee is qualified to serve and there is no compelling reason to deny the request.

13.3.9.2
A vacancy is any position within the bargaining unit which the District intends to fill and which is not held by a permanent or probationary employee on leave.

[KRN]

At this time I would like to ask for the support of the Burlingame City Council in my return to BHS. This item was encouraged during the battle over my transfer, but I opted to allow the SMUHSD Board to makes its own decision.

While I understand that the SMUHSD is governed by its own board, I believe that I have made strong contributions to the City of Burlingame in my efforts to serve its students.

I allowed the SMUHSD the time to do what they wanted and transfer me to Aragon.

That time is done.

The SMUHSD has opted not to act and its time to let me come back to Burlingame High School and continue to serve the student of the town where I live.

Please keep an eye on this issuel.

[louise andersen]

Wow. Sounds like BHS has a bunch of BRAINSTEMS. Why not convert this high school to a Private Institution and get the Unions and Government out of its business?

[hollyroller@gmail.com]

Thank you KRN

[Beenhereforever]

If the SMUHSD doesn't grant you the move back to BHS, it is NO business of the Burlingame City Council to step in.
You have a huge ego. Get over it.

[KRN]

Beenhereforever,

The Burlingame City Council move was strongly advanced by the Parent Group backing my stay at BHS.

The reason for their suggestion is that the Burlingame City Council does represent the citizens of Burlingame.

It had nothing to do with my ego... but thanks anyways.

[Beenhereforever]

That would be properly written as "thanks anyway." And I have been involved in BHS and other district education since before you were born and I am well aware of your ego.

[KRN]

If standing up for students, pushing for stronger academic programs in our K-12 system, pushing back against those who would lie, cheat and steal to save their own skin.... is a big ego... then thank you.