I’m tired . . .

Last night’s meeting didn’t adjourn till 1 a.m., but less than 12 hours later wild rumors are circling about what we did or did not do. Don’t have time for the full roundup or a fuller discussion of the JROTC issue at the moment but here are the key points:

• The resolution to reinstate JROTC was introduced for first reading and referred to the Curriculum, Budget and Personnel committees. It will be considered at the next meeting of each of those committees and then forwarded back to the full board for second reading and a vote. Don’t hold your breath on this happening before May — the Ex is wrong about it being scheduled for a vote on April 14.
• We did NOT eliminate language immersion at the new DeAvila program. I am not sure where this rumor is coming from, but I’ve already heard it from two separate people. What we did is discuss the fact that there was not an optimal amount of time to discuss, weigh in and evaluate this decision before it was announced and kids were assigned to the program. There are lots of reasons for that, which the Superintendent explained in detail. There are some questions about whether dual-immersion Cantonese is the best model to align with our strategic plan goals and the needs of the students who will ultimately enroll at DeAvila (we’ll know who they are after Round II), but the Board voted to create a Chinese language program at DeAvila and children assigned to that program will receive a language immersion program. The debate is over whether that program, due to varying demand from English/Chinese speakers will offer Cantonese or Mandarin or a combination of both, and whether there will  be a dual-immersion strand or a one-way immersion strand. The public and especially the parents who have signed up at DeAvila will be given ample opportunity to discuss and participate in this decision, and Commissioner Fewer has called for a special augmented Curriculum committee meeting sometime in April to discuss and resolve these issues. I will be SURE the time and date of that meeting is publicized to families.

More later.