Management Counts for Good Education

January 1, 2011 Leave a comment

I have always thought that there has been little public discussion on poor school management (principals, especially) and leadership (school boards, especially).  Too much attention has been given to teachers.   Teachers lack support and motivation by school leaders.

Of all the factors common to successful schools, it is puzzling that so little weight is given to leadership. In the film Waiting for Superman, excellent teaching is rightly given credit as a major factor in student achievement, but there is no discussion of the exceptional principals leading the schools shown.

via On Leadership Panelists: For education reform, turning our attention to principals – Michael Maccoby.

Filed under Community

UM Student Dies

December 6, 2010 Leave a comment

There are two factors at play.

First, drivers in Coral Gables and Miami do not respect pedestrians.  In many other cities, a pedestrian in a walkway means STOP.  When you are driving it is your responsibility to watch out for the pedestrian.  For example, there is a flashing activated by pedestrians on Ponce de Leon in front of a series of doctors’ offices that drivers simple do not respect by slowing down or stopping.

Let’s face it, Miami is more like Santo Domingo than it is like Washington, DC.

Second, UM and other students walk around with their heads buried in their iphones and blackberries with total disregard for the traffic around them.  In fact, on the UM campus students just cross in front of you assuming that traffic will stop.  Many times a student has wondered in front of my car while talking or texting without lifting their eyes.

You will not change the drivers in Miami; UM  better reeducate their students, staff and faculty.  (And this is not a judgement on what may or may not have happened in the two recent sad and unfortunate deaths of UM students.)

University of Miami sophomore was killed early Sunday after being hit by a car near the Coral Gables campus, marking the second student within weeks to die from a crash.

via Crash claims life of another UM student – Miami-Dade – MiamiHerald.com.

Filed under Community, Coral Gables, Miami-Dade County

Ugliest Football Uniforms in the US

November 21, 2010 Leave a comment

I would say that that record belongs to UM–looks like a bunch of trick-or-treaters.  To get respect with those uniforms they will have to play much, much better.

Filed under Community, Coral Gables

Coral Gables has a Fictitious Master Plan, or Is it Amendment 4?

November 1, 2010 Leave a comment

There have been several actions taken recently by the Commission of the city of Coral Gables that demonstrate that its members are 1) captured by developers;  2) captured by the “too big to fail” UM; and 3) desperate for money to pay for huge unfunded liabilities and softball contracts with firefighters and police.

Thanks to the soon-to-be-absent commissioners and mayor, who seem to care little about the future pattern of development of the city after they leave the deus, the city is stuck with a 20-year master plan for UM and a potentially hugely distorted pattern of development, traffic and transportation in the commercial district.  All of this is happening because the commissioners are terrified by the possible approval of Amendment #4 that would take city development out of their hands and put it in the hands of citizens.  Yes, their commitment to developers stand ahead of their belief in local democracy and citizens.  At least, for reasons he had, thanks to Bill Kerdyk for voting against these buildings (but sorry, he voted for the UM master plan and commercial-health district).

Vice Mayor William “Bill” Kerdyk sees a dangerous trend in Coral Gables’ central business district: upzoning properties one at a time.

via Gables approves taller buildings in business district – Coral Gables – MiamiHerald.com.

Filed under Business and Commerce, Community, Coral Gables, Government

← Older posts

Newer posts →