Archive for July, 2011
No. 47: Kennesaw State men, Texas Tech women
July 27th, 2011
KENNESAW STATE MEN
2010-11 final ranking: 47
Coach: Jay Moseley (third year)
Top returnees: Jeff Karlsson, Matt Nagy
Top newcomers: Freshman Jimmy Beck of Columbus, Ga., freshman Austin Vick of Evans, Ga.
Projected starting 5: Jeff Karlsson (Sr.), Matt Nagy (Sr.), Ben Greene (Jr.), Jonathan Klotz (So.), Jimmy Beck (Fr.)
Key losses: Chad Wilson
Key fall tournament: Carpet Capital
2010-11 recap: In only his second year as coach, Jay Moseley and the Owls made huge strides. At the end of the 2009-10 season, the team was No. 105 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings, but at the end of last year they cracked the top 50 at No. 47.
“Last year was awesome,” Moseley said. “It’s one thing to start a year with goals and aspirations, but to fulfill most of them is exciting.”
Not only did Kennesaw State earn its first trip to an NCAA regional last season, but the Owls also became the school’s first athletic team to make it to an NCAA Championship. The team won five tournaments last season, including the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship. The Owls had only two finishes outside the top 5 (sixth-place finishes at the Linger Longer and Hummingbird Intercollegiate).
Player to watch: Jeff Karlsson. “I would put this guy up against anyone in the country,” Moseley said. “He is one of the most underrated players in college golf. I believe he had the second-lowest scoring average in the country to UCLA’s Patrick Cantlay. He will be a challenger for Player of the Year this season.”
2011-12 preview: With four starters returning, Kennesaw State has even bigger goals this season after the success of a year ago. With Georgia losing three of its top players to graduation (Harris English, Russell Henley and Hudson Swafford), and back-to-back NCAA champion Augusta State losing head coach Josh Gregory and its entire starting five, the door has opened for the Owls to battle Georgia Tech for top honors in the Peach State this season. “Being from the state of Georgia, I have always known how important golf is to this state,” Moseley said. “In Georgia, people know Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern (and Augusta State), but now we think we have jumped into the mix.”
The return of Jeff Karlsson, who finished last season at No. 27 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings, is huge. In 10 tournaments, Karlsson posted three victories, eight top-10 finishes and a tie for 20th at the NCAA Championship. He notched titles at the Sam Hall Intercollegiate, Atlantic Sun Championship and Seminole Intercollegiate (co-medalist).
This year, Kennesaw State no longer will be considered an underdog.
“We turned some heads and got some attention last year,” Moseley said. “This year, you’ll see a very poised team that is ready to take this program to the next level.”
The Owls have a tough schedule ahead of them, but Moseley hopes that playing in bigger events not only will help his team’s ranking but also bring more recognition on a national level. For the Owls to take the next big step, they’ll have to improve upon last season’s 2-27 record against top-25 teams.
Bottom line: This year is pivotal for the Kennesaw State program. With Georgia and Augusta State appearing to have rebuilding years ahead of them, the Owls could take major strides with top recruits from the Peach State. The talent is there, and the Owls have a Player of the Year candidate in Jeff Karlsson. If Kennesaw shows it can compete with top teams week in and week out, the Owls could find themselves battling for one of the elite eight spots at Riviera Country Club next June.
TEXAS TECH WOMEN
2010-11 final ranking: 47
Coach: JoJo Robertson (third year)
Top returnees: Gabby Dominguez, Kim Kaufman
Top newcomers: Freshman Mattie Tobey of Denver, N.C., freshman Elin Arvidsson of Sweden, sophomore Robyn Daniel (transfer from Sam Houston State)
Projected starting 5: Gabby Dominguez (Jr.), Kim Kaufman (Jr.), Beverly Mendoza (Jr.), Mattie Tobey (Fr.), and Elin Arviddsson (Fr.)
Key losses: Alex Gibson
Key fall tournament: Windy City Collegiate hosted by Northwestern
2010-11 recap: The Red Raiders won the Baylor Invitational in the spring and received a bid to NCAA regionals but failed to advance to the NCAA Championship.
“I thought we had really good moments and then times where I couldn’t believe we didn’t achieve,” coach JoJo Robertson said. “We played well in the fall but leveled off in the spring. We just didn’t play well when we needed it most.”
Texas Tech led after the first round of the Big 12 Championship, but a familiar trend of not playing well down the stretch continued as the Red Raiders finished sixth. Robertson’s squad then had high hopes of earning the program’s first appearance to the NCAA finals, but finished a disappointing 16th at the NCAA East Regional.
Player to watch: Kim Kauffman. “She has set the lowest scoring record twice at Texas Tech (and) she has lots of talent,” Robertson said. “If she believes in herself, she can be one of the top five players in the Big 12.”
2011-12 preview: Texas Tech enters the season with a solid 1-2 punch atop their lineup and a whole lot of questions after that. Juniors Gabby Dominguez and Kim Kaufman will need to be leaders for a promising group of newcomers. “Those two will be the key to our success,” Robertson said. “They had the lowest scoring average last year and I know the younger players will follow their lead.”
Robertson anticipates eight players pushing for roster spots each week. That means increased competition, but it also could mean the team’s line-up will be constantly changing. Most top teams in college golf have depth, but they also have a solid core of three or four players.
One player who may lock up a starting position is incoming freshman Mattie Tobey. “She really hasn’t competed a lot nationally but is a very strong player,” Robertson said. “She is physically gifted, and if she can adjust to the college game then she can do a lot of good things for us.” It will be crucial for Texas Tech to find a solid No. 3 player if the Red Raiders are to make that elusive first trip to the NCAA Championship.
Bottom line: Expect a year of growing pains. The team is young and has only two consistent golfers in Dominguez and Kaufmann, which won’t be quite enough. The Red Raiders have shown they can post a good round here and there, but they have struggled putting two or three together. Expect Texas Tech to make regionals, but that first trip to nationals is likely another year away.
Tags: Kennesaw State, Kennesaw State Men, Men, State Men
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APS cheating report cites “a culture of fear and a conspiracy of silence”
July 26th, 2011
UPDATE: Report is now online.
Gov. Nathan Deal today released the findings from the state’s investigation into the Atlanta Public Schools and cheating on the CRCT.
Here is the statement from his office:
“Nothing is more important to the future of our state than ensuring that today’s students receive a first-class education and integrity in testing is a necessary piece of the equation,” said Deal. “When test results are falsified and students who have not mastered the necessary material are promoted, our students are harmed, parents lose sight of their child’s true progress, and taxpayers are cheated. The report’s findings are troubling, but I am encouraged that this investigation will bring closure to the problems that existed in APS and restore the focus on students and the classroom. As we begin to turn the page on this dark chapter in Atlanta Public Schools, I am confident brighter days lie ahead.”
An outline of the findings of the investigation follows:
Thousands of children were harmed by the 2009 CRCT cheating by being denied remedial education because of their inflated CRCT scores. We found cheating in 44 of the 56 schools we examined (78.6%). There were 38 principals of those 56 schools (67.9%) found to be responsible for, or directly involved.
We determined that 178 teachers and principals in the Atlanta Public School cheated. Of the 178, 82 confessed to this misconduct. Six principals refused to answer our questions, and pled the Fifth Amendment, which, under civil law is an implied admission of wrongdoing. These principals, and 32 more, either were involved with, or should have known that, there was test cheating in their schools.
We empathize with those educators who felt they were pressured to cheat and commend those who were willing to tell us the truth regarding their misconduct. However, this report is not meant to excuse their ethical failings, or exonerate them from their wrongdoings.
The 2009 CRCT statistics are overwhelming and allow for no conclusion other than widespread cheating in APS. The BRC expert, Dr. John Fremer, wrote an op-ed article for the AJC in which he said there was widespread, organized cheating in APS.
The drop in 2010 CRCT erasures confirm the conclusion above. Cheating occurred as early as 2001.
There were warnings of cheating on CRCT as early as December 2005/January 2006. The warnings were significant and clear and were ignored. Cheating was caused by a number of factors but primarily by the pressure to meet targets in the data-driven environment.
There was a major failure of leadership throughout APS with regard to the ethical administration of the 2009 CRCT.
A culture of fear, intimidation and retaliation existed in APS, which created a conspiracy of silence and deniability with respect to standardized test misconduct.
In addition to the 2009 CRCT cheating, we found other improper conduct: several open record act violations; instances of false statements; and instances of document destruction.
Tags: Report, Report Cites
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Learning the Lingo – Unschooling
July 25th, 2011
This was an eye-opener for me-to learn what you want to learn, when and how you want to learn it. Is this possible? Can you really do that? Yes … if you are given that opportunity.
Children are naturally curious. They come into the world wanting to learn about everything. A little toddler wanders around touching everything-that’s his way of learning about it. Children ask questions (sometimes not very appropriate questions) and that’s their way of learning. You don’t have to tell a child to learn-it’s something they are already doing, something they already seek after.
In addition to curiosity, children also have their own areas of interest. My oldest son loves anything having to do with electronics. It’s completely within reason that he could spend his time studying electronics, and grow up to be an electrician or a computer programmer. My daughter enjoys writing. She could spend her time learning grammar and plotting, and grow up to be an author.
When I think about providing my children opportunities to learn the things they want to learn, that makes me happy. Of course, I have no intention of letting them go without math if they want to be authors, or other similar oversights, but I love the idea of letting them learn it in the way they want to learn it. At home, you can be more flexible. You can incorporate their own learning styles.
I’m excited about all the things I’m discovering for myself as I look into unschooling, and I’ll continue to share those discoveries here.
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With 2011 legislative session over, it’s time to update the Kitz-O-Meter
July 25th, 2011
Gov. John Kitzhaber visits with Nigel Wehling at Helen Gordon Child Development center last February. Soon after, the governor announced plans to create a single powerful board, which would oversee all levels of education. The board, recently approved by lawmakers, will likely help Kitzhaber make good on promises he made to voters last fall.Since early January, PolitiFact Oregon has been keeping track of the promises Gov. John Kitzhaber made last fall (back when he was candidate John Kitzhaber) with our trusty Kitz-O-Meter.
Now that the 2011 Legislature has wrapped up, we’ve been taking a look at our list of 34 promises, which covers everything from the taxes to the environment to education.
Over the next few days, we’ll be updating the governor’s progress on his various promises, particularly the ones that he needed legislative approval to get done.
Today, we have two fresh updates. Both of them stem from the wave of education reform bills passed this session:
- We took another pass at the governor’s promise to create a single state education budget that runs from kindergarten up to graduate studies. Thanks to a bill that created the Oregon Education Investment Board and another that makes the state’s governor the state’s superintendent of public instruction, Kitzhaber looks poised to make good on this promise. We’re calling it a promise In the Works with an understanding that Kitzhaber has completed most of the heavy lifting.
- The governor got a twofer in the bill that created the Oregon Education Investment Board. That legislation also established the Early Learning Council. That means that the governor gets a Promise Kept for his pledge to establish an early childhood coordinating council.
Stay tuned over the next couple days from more promise-related rulings.
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Julie Mack blog: Should a drunken-driving arrest threaten a teacher’s job?
July 25th, 2011
It remains to be seen whether a Portage teacher charged in a high-profile drunken-case case last week will return to the classroom this fall.
Drunken driving is not one of the crimes that results in suspension or revocation of a Michigan teacher’s certification, nor is it one of the offenses listed in the tenure law as cause for dismissal.
But there’s also the reality of community pressures, as well as the realities of the teacher’s legal and medical situation.
Leslie E. Buscher, 37, who has worked for Portage Public Schools since 1999 and currently is a fifth-grade teacher at Lake Center Elementary School, was found parked in her SUV along a road in Antwerp Township about 3:30 p.m. July 15.
She was unconscious, and police said she had a blood-alcohol level of 0.40, five times the legal limit for driving.
Also found in the vehicle was a cup of vodka and Buscher’s two children, ages 2 and 4.
Buscher was charged with operating a motor vehicle with a high blood-alcohol content, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated with an occupant under 16 years old and having an open intoxicant inside of a vehicle.
Portage school officials released this statement on Buscher’s situation: Portage Schools will follow appropriate personnel protocols as we monitor the outcome of this case.
I talked to a longtme school administrator who is not from Portage Public Schools about what happens in these situations.
It’s definitely a gray area.
In theory, this happened on Buscher’s own time and it’s not considered an offense that affects her job.
Misdemeanors that could cost teachers their job
Related stories
Drivers charged under ‘super drunk’ law often plea-bargain down to regular DUI.
Costs associated with drunk-driving arrest often $10,000 or more. (Detroit Free Press).
Michigan law governing teacher certifications and tenure say teachers can face dismissal and lose their teacher certification if they commit a felony or certain types of misdemeanors. Drunken driving is not on the list.
But that doesn’t mean that Buscher is off the hook. As the school official told me, “if the community wants you gone, the district is going to find a way to do it.”
This past winter, a West Ottawa teacher was put on suspension and district officials said they were seeking her dismissal because of poor job evaluations. The teacher said those poor evaluations were a result of school officials discovering that she had worked as a stripper in the summer of 2006.
Than there was the 2008 case of a Kalamazoo couple, both teachers at Gull Lake High School, who were growing marijuana in their basement. There was no evidence that they using pot at school or selling the drug. The argument could be made that — as with Buscher — this had nothing to do with their job. Still, the couple ended up resigning.
A search on the Internet indicates that Michigan attorneys see teachers as vulnerable to losing their jobs when charged with drunken driving. In fact, a blog by the Willis law firm, which has an office in Kalamazoo, posted an item last week specifically on the Buscher case. An excerpt:
Not only will this woman be dealing with some of the legal penalties if she is convicted of drunk driving, this charge could also affect her personal and professional life. Because her two children were in the car with her, questions could be raised about whether she put her children in danger. As a teacher, she could also face scrutiny at her job even if she is ultimately not convicted of the drunk driving charge.
To be sure, dismissal is not only remedy for Portage school officials in this situation. If Buscher had a clean record before this situation — and I’ve heard various reports that she is a good, conscientious teacher — one possibility is granting her a leave of absence this fall to receive substance-abuse treatment and pull her life back together.
In fact, Buscher is being charged under the new “super drunk” law that mandates such treatment, and the level of alcohol found in her blood suggests this wasn’t her first experience with heavy drinking.
Of course, the question of whether Buscher’s arrest will affect her job status is different than whether it should. I was with several teachers that other night who were very sympathetic to Buscher’s plight, but at least two of the three said she shouldn’t be back in the classroom this fall. Their thinking: Teachers are held to a higher standard and they should be. And in this case, the issue isn’t just drunk driving, but having children in the car.
But there’s also the argument that teachers are human, and ruining someone’s career does more harm than good.
William Maze, a Detroit-area attorney, expounded at length on that point in a post on a legal blog this spring that was debating the question of whether teachers should be fired for a drunk-driving conviction.
Wrote Maze:
I am a drunk driving defense attorney, and I frequently have to deal with people facing dilemmas with their employers in connection with DUI charges. Some of the other responses to this question are very disturbing. Why not just cut to quick and summarily kill anyone accused of driving drunk? Weve become a nation of Nazis on the issue of alcohol, and were heading down the path towards a new prohibition. Lying, cheating and stealing are all just fine, but you better not drink and drive because thats bad.
A teacher who loses a job over a DUI also risks losing his or her home, car, savings, and retirement. The students lives are disrupted and harmed because a new and presumably less qualified teacher must replace the terminated teacher. The terminated teacher may not be able to find employment in another field and is forced to accept state aid, which the remaining taxpayers who havent yet lost their jobs must subsidize. Everyone loses. And, of course, we can multiply that by 55,000 in my home state of Michigan alone, because thats how many convictions occur annually.
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