Some California Districts Limiting Homework Assignments. The Los Angeles Times (3/22, Mehta) reported that in response to “a vocal movement of parents and educators who contend that homework overload is robbing children of needed” sleep, playtime, and family time, school districts are increasingly “banning busywork, setting time limits on homework, and barring it on weekends and over vacations.” For example, “trustees in Danville, Calif., eliminated homework on weekends and vacations last year” and “Palo Alto officials banned it over winter break.” California is said to be “at the vanguard of the anti-homework movement. In 1901, the California Legislature banned it for students under 15 and ordered high schools to limit it for older students to 20 recitations a week. The law was taken off the books in 1917.” But, “the homework wars have reignited in recent years, with … the debate [being] driven by the belief that today’s students are doing more work at home than their predecessors.”

In the Classroom
Duncan Wants To Launch “New Era” Of Science Education. The AP (3/23, Bohrer) reports, “Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Friday he wants to launch a ‘new era’ of science education in the United States, one that encourages students to ask tough, challenging questions and brings more specially trained science and math teachers into the classroom.” Speaking to the National Science Teachers Association in New Orleans, Duncan said, “Whether it’s global warming, evolution or stem cell research, science will be honored.

Nevada Governor Asks For Education Stimulus Funding Waiver. The Las Vegas Sun (3/19, Schwartz) reports that Gov. Jim Gibbons (R) “has asked the federal government to waive the requirement that Nevada restore hundreds of millions of dollars in proposed cuts to higher education in order to qualify for a portion of the economic stimulus. … Under Gibbons’ budget, K-12 met that requirement.” However, Nevada “would have to restore $268 million in cuts to higher education, money that Gibbons’ staff said the state doesn’t have. The request for the waiver…was sent to Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan on Wednesday.” Gibbons said “that Nevada wanted to be first in line if a waiver is granted. He also criticized the stimulus as a ‘usurptation’ by the federal government of the state’s authority.”

The AP (3/18, Riley) added that in order to qualify for “$396 million for K-12 and higher education, the federal stimulus law requires” Nevada “to spend as much on K-12 and higher education as it did in 2006.” In a letter to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Gibbons “said the state is in a severe economic slump and the $396 million in stimulus funds for education could help in eliminating his proposed 6 percent cuts in teacher pay and other education-related cutback plans.”

In the Classroom
Prospect Of More Arts Education Funding Spurs Increase In Museum Programs. The New York Times (3/19, SPG1, Spears) reports that “for years, with school budgets declining in so many American cities, museums have provided a parallel universe for learning.

Physically Fit Students In Texas More Likely To Score Well On Tests, Study Shows. The AP (3/10) reports, “Physically fit students in Texas are more likely to do well on the state’s standardized test and have better attendance, according to a study released Monday.” For the study, researchers at the Cooper Institute “reviewed results of fitness assessments of students across Texas,” and “found that fit students are less likely to have disciplinary problems.” They also “found that cardiovascular health, measured by a walking/running test, had a higher correlation to school success than the students’ body mass index.”

According to the Dallas Morning News (3/10, Stutz), results were “Based on annual physical fitness assessments of more than 2.4 million students in” the state’s public schools.

In the Classroom
Students Said To See Relevance Of Lessons On Depression Era. Education Week (3/9, Zehr) reported, “Teachers are comparing and contrasting the causes of the Great Depression and the current recession, as well as the New Deal and the recent stimulus package and other government responses to today’s crisis.” This year, many teachers throughout the US “say their lessons about the Great Depression and ensuing recovery efforts have come alive.” For instance, “Elaine Holmes invited guest speakers with a vivid memory of the Depression to her history classes at Fort Collins High School in Colorado. … Ms.

“That” time of the year is upon us …. The dreaded tax time. And in an effort to continue bringing additional discounted services to our members, the APEA is pleased to announce that we have secured an agreement to give you a 25% discount on Federal and State tax return preparation.
Richard Bellows is a retired CPA with over 40 years of tax preparation experience. He offers personalized service, including, if needed, tax advice during the year at no additional cost. Using Richard is convenient. You can go to his house, which is located in Ocean Township, or he’ll come to your home. The fee charged is based on how complex the preparation is. A simple return costs only $75.
You can contact Richard at: (H) 732-493-0244
(C) 732-804-8591 or
(E-MAIL) rjbquixnetnet — insert “TAX” in the subject line.
We hope that this information will assist you with your taxes this year. Make sure that when you contact Richard, you mention that you’re an APEA member.

To: APEA Membership

From: APEA Negotiations Team

Re: Negotiations Update

Date: March 13, 2009

We apologize for not updating you after our February 26th meeting; therefore, we will combine that update with our most recent meeting which was this past Tuesday, March 10th. At our February 26th meeting, we went through the district’s scatter gram. A scatter gram is a detailed list of how much money is in each unit, the amount of people in a particular step, and the total amount of money our units have combined. This is an accurate reporting of the district’s payroll expenditures. This is a very important part of negotiations, as it allows us to do research on how much money it will cost the district to move everyone through each guide. It will also give us a clearer picture of this district’s financial obligations to its employees.

At our March 10th meeting, we narrowed down the proposal to five points of discussion for that evening. Going through it point by point, there was no movement from either side to give in on certain items. Our team had the opportunity to caucus as a group about the issue of not moving forward. We will be meeting prior to our negotiations session scheduled for that evening to be better prepared for the discussions.

Our next meeting will be held on March 25th. Please note that negotiations are a slow and arduous process, especially given the state of the nationwide economic crisis. With this in mind, we will continue to move ahead and work to settle this contract in a timely manner.

We apologize for our website being down for approximately two days. There was a bit of technical difficulty that has since been corrected.

From the Desk of the Election Chair

To: My 2nd and 3rd Cousins of the AP,

From: Johnny Grasso, Election Chair;

Date: 3/5/09 Re: Election Results
Well much to my dismay, the election is over and we can all resume our regular lives. It was a hard fought campaign by everyone involved and made for some interesting reading. I haven’t seen that much ‘mud-slinging’ since the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (G.L.O. W.) were on television. Heck! Even some mud was thrown at me! Not on my face of course, more so on my back.

In all seriousness, I would like to thank everyone involved especially my election committee, Mrs. Evelyn McNamee and Keith Killea, for their tireless commitment; I could not have done it without you. Also I would like to thank the ‘Guardians of the Ballot Boxes’: Ms. Gerling, Mr. Racket, Ms. Damour, Ms. Ambrozia, Ms. Ervin, Ms. Johnson, Ms. Solomon and Ms. Smith. You guys were amazing maintaining the integrity of this election, even the 3 big wig NJEA members said so, great job and thank you again so much!

As most of you know this was my first time as election chair and if I am chosen to do this again, and God I hope not, I will make some adjustments based on YOUR suggestions. For example, ‘snow day’ scenarios will be decided on and placed in the constitution pending the Executive Committee’s decision and approval. Second, absentee ballots will NOT be brought to you, you will hand deliver them to me in my building. Third, a sample ballot will be created and distributed a day or two before the election.