Delia Armstrong Busby was the first African American principal in Colorado Springs and the first to serve on the District 11 Board of Education.
Provided by: Delia Armstrong Busby
The inauguration of Barack Obama leads me to these reflections---
The people of Colorado Springs were poised for change when Barack Hussein Obama appeared on the electoral scene. My first wave of "what in the world is happening here?" occurred during the democratic caucus in our neighborhood which is near Wasson High School.
My husband (Ron) and I arrived at Audubon Elementary School to find the largest democratic turnout in30 years. The next eye-opener was the campaign field workers at the Obama Party the evening of the caucus.
As newly selected Obama caucus delegates, Ron and I were surprised when we entered the Party at Phantom Canyon, to find a room full of energetic 20-somethings with faces aglow with happy and voices bubbly with "Yes, we can". It quickly reminded me of my days of high school supervision when the highlight of the evening might be stopping some youthful PDA (public display of affection). But the only PDA I found at Phantom Canyon was a philosophical love affair for Barack Obama.
This is my first experience with impassioned, youthful, campaigners in large numbers. To me it signals the changing of the generational guard. I am impressed.
Since moving to Colorado Springs in 1969, I have always had a personal sense of what I can do. And within this community, I have had the professional and personal opportunity of many firsts. This includes being the first African American female to be appointed to a high school principalship. In 1999, I became the first African American female elected to the Colorado Springs District Eleven School Board in over 140 years. Because of these experiences, the election of Barack Obama never seemed out of reach to me.
I certainly have been at the forefront of educational change in Colorado Springs for nearly40 years. My conclusion is that the community is empowering based on its perception of your ability to make a meaningful contribution. Obama arrived on the scene of a community hip-deep in a desire for better. A community still wanting to believe that America can indeed renew itself with the best leadership. There was and is a strong feeling of "we can be better" and "we can do better." Further, there are still numbers of people willing to extend themselves to make it so.
Since his election, the Obama team has been in constant touch keeping the dream of a renewed America alive. A day of service is being encouraged this month. The push for all of us to better our community by acting to make improvement or to just make a personal contribution to the common good is inspiring. We are Barack Hussein Obama. We make him possible because we make dreams come true when we continue to say yes to change and to hope and to seeing the possibilities of the new reality that emerges on Tuesday January 20, 2009.
Currently listening to:
Yes We Can: Voices of a Grassroots Movement (Barack Obama)
Released on: November 11, 2008
By: Various Artists and Barack Obama
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Children Engaged:AVisit To the Pikes Peak Urban League Child Development Center
Children Engaged: A Visit to the Pikes Peak Urban League Child Development Center
Smiling faces highlighted by hopeful, enthusiastic eyes helped to communicate the effectiveness of the Urban League Child Development Center run by Mrs. G. (Mildred Galbreath).
The Pikes Peak Urban League Child Development is partnered with Hope On Line Academy to create the educational setting which captures the learning energies of these children who are aged from kindergarten to second grade.
Research demonstrates that the years before the third grade are crucial. With this development center as a staging ground, young minds are being effectively prepared with literacy and mathematical curriculum. This rich curricular content is enhanced by a student-teacher ratio of about one to four. Add to this certified social worker support. With the assistance of a credentialed instructional coach, students have the equivalent of individual learning plans supervised by qualified instructional specialists.
What a wonderfully well executed design --- not only for at risk early learners---- but any early learners.
Hats off to Mrs. G and her children loving staff and the curricular/instructional assistance provided through Hope On Line Academy.
Observation completed by Delia Armstrong-Busby, Milken Educator, former School Board Director
Children Engaged: A Visit to the Pikes Peak Urban League Child Development Center
Children Engaged: A Visit to the Pikes Peak Urban League Child Development Center
Children Engaged: A Visit to the Pikes Peak Urban League Child Development Center
Smiling faces highlighted by hopeful, enthusiastic eyes helped to communicate the effectiveness of the Urban League Child Development Center run by Mrs. G. (Mildred Galbreath).
The Pikes Peak Urban League Child Development is partnered with Hope On Line Academy to create the educational setting which captures the learning energies of these children who are aged from kindergarten to second grade.
Research demonstrates that the years before the third grade are crucial. With this development center as a staging ground, young minds are being effectively prepared with literacy and mathematical curriculum. This rich curricular content is enhanced by a student-teacher ratio of about one to four. Add to this certified social worker support. With the assistance of a credentialed instructional coach, students have the equivalent of individual learning plans supervised by qualified instructional specialists.
What a wonderfully well executed design --- not only for at risk early learners---- but any early learners.
Hats off to Mrs. G and her children loving staff and the curricular/instructional assistance provided through Hope On Line Academy.
Observation completed by Delia Armstrong-Busby, Milken Educator, former School Board Director
Children Engaged: A Visit to the Pikes Peak Urban League Child Development Center
Smiling faces highlighted by hopeful, enthusiastic eyes helped to communicate the effectiveness of the Urban League Child Development Center run by Mrs. G. (Mildred Galbreath).
The Pikes Peak Urban League Child Development is partnered with Hope On Line Academy to create the educational setting which captures the learning energies of these children who are aged from kindergarten to second grade.
Research demonstrates that the years before the third grade are crucial. With this development center as a staging ground, young minds are being effectively prepared with literacy and mathematical curriculum. This rich curricular content is enhanced by a student-teacher ratio of about one to four. Add to this certified social worker support. With the assistance of a credentialed instructional coach, students have the equivalent of individual learning plans supervised by qualified instructional specialists.
What a wonderfully well executed design --- not only for at risk early learners---- but any early learners.
Hats off to Mrs. G and her children loving staff and the curricular/instructional assistance provided through Hope On Line Academy.
Observation completed by Delia Armstrong-Busby, Milken Educator, former School Board Director
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Doubt:The Movie and Pedophilia in the Schoolhouse
Sister Aloysius, the catalytic character in the movie, Doubt; portrays the responsible educator confronted with the duty to act when faced with pedophilia in the schoolhouse.
My own experience with this duty to act was driven by the complaint raised by the boyfriend of a former student. The student, still traumatized by the experience of the sexual betrayal at the hands of a trusted staff member. I was newly appointed to my position as a high school principal, yet I did take the responsibility. At the time, the laws were different on one level, but the individual accountability for doing the "right thing" are always present. I initiated an investigation, talking to staff members who came forward with what they knew. It was a floodgate with yearbooks used to point out students who were victimized over time.
My investigation revealed that the staff member in question had seventeen years of complaints about inappropriate sexual relationships with male and female students.
After bringing this information to the superintendent, he then hired an investigator.
The investigator compiled an overwhelming body of evidence as a result of gathering signed statements from parents and students regarding the sexual activity with children in the school.
As the episode progresses, politics prevails. The individual in question is permitted to resign.
when he surfaces again it is as a staff member in an adjacent school district with a recommendation from a then member of the state board of education.
And parallel to the outcomes for the accused in the movie, the individual is left to repeat the behavior with a new audience of students.dophilia
My own experience with this duty to act was driven by the complaint raised by the boyfriend of a former student. The student, still traumatized by the experience of the sexual betrayal at the hands of a trusted staff member. I was newly appointed to my position as a high school principal, yet I did take the responsibility. At the time, the laws were different on one level, but the individual accountability for doing the "right thing" are always present. I initiated an investigation, talking to staff members who came forward with what they knew. It was a floodgate with yearbooks used to point out students who were victimized over time.
My investigation revealed that the staff member in question had seventeen years of complaints about inappropriate sexual relationships with male and female students.
After bringing this information to the superintendent, he then hired an investigator.
The investigator compiled an overwhelming body of evidence as a result of gathering signed statements from parents and students regarding the sexual activity with children in the school.
As the episode progresses, politics prevails. The individual in question is permitted to resign.
when he surfaces again it is as a staff member in an adjacent school district with a recommendation from a then member of the state board of education.
And parallel to the outcomes for the accused in the movie, the individual is left to repeat the behavior with a new audience of students.dophilia
Doubt:The Movie and Pedophilia in the Schoolhouse
Sister Aloyious, the catalytic character in the movie, Doubt; portrays the responsible educator confronted with the duty to act when faced with pedophilia in the schoolhouse.
My own experience with this duty to act was driven by the complaint raised by the boyfriend of a former student. The student still traumatized by the experience of the sexual betrayal at the hands of a trusted staff member. I was newly appointed to my position as a high school principal, yet I did take the responsiblity. At the time, the laws were different on one level, but the individual accountability for doing the "right thing" are always present. I initiated an investigation, talking to staff members who came forward with what they knew. It was a floodgate with yearbooks used to point out students who were victimized over time.
My investigation revealed that the staff member in question had seventeen years of complaints about inappropriate sexual relationships with male and female students.
After bringing this information to the superintendent, he then hired an investigator.
The investigator compiled an overwhelming body of evidence as a result of gathering signed statements from parents and students regarding the sexual acitivity with children in the school.
As the episode progresses, politics prevails. The individual in question is permitted to resign.
when he surfaces again it is as a staff member in an adjacent school district with a recommendation from a then member of the state board of education.
And parallel to the outcomes for the accused in the movie, the indiviual is left to repeat the behavior with a new audience of students.
My own experience with this duty to act was driven by the complaint raised by the boyfriend of a former student. The student still traumatized by the experience of the sexual betrayal at the hands of a trusted staff member. I was newly appointed to my position as a high school principal, yet I did take the responsiblity. At the time, the laws were different on one level, but the individual accountability for doing the "right thing" are always present. I initiated an investigation, talking to staff members who came forward with what they knew. It was a floodgate with yearbooks used to point out students who were victimized over time.
My investigation revealed that the staff member in question had seventeen years of complaints about inappropriate sexual relationships with male and female students.
After bringing this information to the superintendent, he then hired an investigator.
The investigator compiled an overwhelming body of evidence as a result of gathering signed statements from parents and students regarding the sexual acitivity with children in the school.
As the episode progresses, politics prevails. The individual in question is permitted to resign.
when he surfaces again it is as a staff member in an adjacent school district with a recommendation from a then member of the state board of education.
And parallel to the outcomes for the accused in the movie, the indiviual is left to repeat the behavior with a new audience of students.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Connecting the Dots On Octoberquest and the Lost Students
Connecting the Dots on Octoberquest and the Lost Students: New Legislative Initiative to Create Accountability
In my blog Octoberquest and the Lost Students I wrote about what is described by Colorado State Representative Micheal Merrifield in “Life takes Visa”
Rep. Mike Merrifield wants to remove incentives from the ‘school-count game’
"This is a glaring loophole that needs to be closed," he says. "This law is going to apply evenly across the whole
“Educational Octoberquest and the Lost Students by Delia Armstrong Busby July 29, 2008
Is your local school district coming to you with the empty pocket pleas?
Assuring you that they have no money or that educational poverty requires that they close all the schools in the district.
No way can they hire the teachers to teach the students. No way can they continue to warm the schools or even open the cafeteria with the federally subsidized lunches.
If you are faced with the scenario identified so far
do this, look into the Educational Octoberquest.
This is when the schools are busy reaching out to the community looking for students.
This is the student count time. This is when school districts get the money that pays everyone.
Incentives are offered to get those student bodies into seats to fund the district.
Delia B Armstrong Busby
Deliabusby.blogger.com
From Adrian Stanley writer at the Colorado Springs Independent Newspaper (December 11, 2008):
Now if these school districts are asking you for this money. If the latest Colorado Student Assessment Program test results are to be believed, not all the kids in the popular Pueblo-based Cesar Chavez Academy School Network know their math. But, clearly, the administrators do.
In a Pueblo promotion, the Academy Network — a collection of charter schools in Pueblo and Colorado Springs — offered parents $100 Visa gift certificates and a chance to win a car or thousands in gift cards if they enrolled their kids in a Cesar Chavez school by Oct. 1. That just so happens to be the date of the head count that determines per-pupil state funding for schools.
Rep. Mike Merrifield wants to remove incentives from the ‘school-count game’
"This is a glaring loophole that needs to be closed," he says. "This law is going to apply evenly across the whole
This is positive leadership
More state legislators need to take the Merrifield initiative to heart and lower the dropout rate through such leadership
In my blog Octoberquest and the Lost Students I wrote about what is described by Colorado State Representative Micheal Merrifield in “Life takes Visa”
Rep. Mike Merrifield wants to remove incentives from the ‘school-count game’
"This is a glaring loophole that needs to be closed," he says. "This law is going to apply evenly across the whole
“Educational Octoberquest and the Lost Students by Delia Armstrong Busby July 29, 2008
Is your local school district coming to you with the empty pocket pleas?
Assuring you that they have no money or that educational poverty requires that they close all the schools in the district.
No way can they hire the teachers to teach the students. No way can they continue to warm the schools or even open the cafeteria with the federally subsidized lunches.
If you are faced with the scenario identified so far
do this, look into the Educational Octoberquest.
This is when the schools are busy reaching out to the community looking for students.
This is the student count time. This is when school districts get the money that pays everyone.
Incentives are offered to get those student bodies into seats to fund the district.
Delia B Armstrong Busby
Deliabusby.blogger.com
From Adrian Stanley writer at the Colorado Springs Independent Newspaper (December 11, 2008):
Now if these school districts are asking you for this money. If the latest Colorado Student Assessment Program test results are to be believed, not all the kids in the popular Pueblo-based Cesar Chavez Academy School Network know their math. But, clearly, the administrators do.
In a Pueblo promotion, the Academy Network — a collection of charter schools in Pueblo and Colorado Springs — offered parents $100 Visa gift certificates and a chance to win a car or thousands in gift cards if they enrolled their kids in a Cesar Chavez school by Oct. 1. That just so happens to be the date of the head count that determines per-pupil state funding for schools.
Rep. Mike Merrifield wants to remove incentives from the ‘school-count game’
"This is a glaring loophole that needs to be closed," he says. "This law is going to apply evenly across the whole
This is positive leadership
More state legislators need to take the Merrifield initiative to heart and lower the dropout rate through such leadership
Sunday, November 2, 2008
The Mythology of the Impoverished HIgh School Dropout and Other Misperceptions About HIgh School
The Mythology of the Impoverish High School Dropout and Other Misperceptions About High School…
Introduction
The typical high dropout is not poor.
Review the statistical report of the performance of schools statewide and review the economic status of the students who dropout and you will find that the ratio of poverty to discontinuance from school is not as highly correlated as the ratio of race/ethnicity to dropout
The typical dropout is not a minority.
Numerically, the typical high school dropout is a non minority who is not poor.
Minority governed schools do not assure that minority students will thrive there.
Some charters which are created expressly to show that minority governed schools will be more successful because of the race or ethnicity of the school leaders in relation to students have proven to be unsuccessful in student retention or academic achievement.
The truth is the unengaged student will disengage in a school environment that does not positively engage with the educational attainment of each and every student.
On the surface, minority students in predominantly white schools will attain greater levels of retention to graduation, as well, as proficient academic attainment. What would make this so? What is in the culture of some schools and districts that make the success quotient higher when the quotient is not being driven by wealth or affluence or race?
A truth
Effective Administrative and Classroom Leadership are Great Myth Busters
Clearly, there is superior educational leadership in the culture. There is a sound instructional staff. The administration and the classroom leaders facilitate the level of attainment represented in the positive statistical data. The data displaces mythology related to graduation rates, dropout rates and standardized tests performance.
Readers may want specifics to a greater extent. The reality is that success is homegrown. The best answers are found within the environment that seeks growth and improvement for its students. It is the school staff and community that govern the success of students. Parents are as a chorus to the sermon of the school culture. They can connect with the school leadership – administrative and classroom staff and students to create the mythology busting tapestry of effective schools.
More to come---
Introduction
The typical high dropout is not poor.
Review the statistical report of the performance of schools statewide and review the economic status of the students who dropout and you will find that the ratio of poverty to discontinuance from school is not as highly correlated as the ratio of race/ethnicity to dropout
The typical dropout is not a minority.
Numerically, the typical high school dropout is a non minority who is not poor.
Minority governed schools do not assure that minority students will thrive there.
Some charters which are created expressly to show that minority governed schools will be more successful because of the race or ethnicity of the school leaders in relation to students have proven to be unsuccessful in student retention or academic achievement.
The truth is the unengaged student will disengage in a school environment that does not positively engage with the educational attainment of each and every student.
On the surface, minority students in predominantly white schools will attain greater levels of retention to graduation, as well, as proficient academic attainment. What would make this so? What is in the culture of some schools and districts that make the success quotient higher when the quotient is not being driven by wealth or affluence or race?
A truth
Effective Administrative and Classroom Leadership are Great Myth Busters
Clearly, there is superior educational leadership in the culture. There is a sound instructional staff. The administration and the classroom leaders facilitate the level of attainment represented in the positive statistical data. The data displaces mythology related to graduation rates, dropout rates and standardized tests performance.
Readers may want specifics to a greater extent. The reality is that success is homegrown. The best answers are found within the environment that seeks growth and improvement for its students. It is the school staff and community that govern the success of students. Parents are as a chorus to the sermon of the school culture. They can connect with the school leadership – administrative and classroom staff and students to create the mythology busting tapestry of effective schools.
More to come---
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