Ross wrote on Jul 21, 2008 10:59 PM:Why didn't they do it in the first place? Just to see how far they can get? Can they be trusted? I urge EUSD to revoke them. TIP says and does anything to get its way! Please EUSD board do it once in for all. You owe this to the people of Encinitas.

City Planning Meeting - July wrote on Jul 21, 2008 11:22 PM:Are all the TIPsters going to Thursdays City Planning Commission meeting regarding EUSD's request to rezone the Pacific View school site? See the Encinitas City website for details, if you can plough through the 180 page document EUSD submitted! Why is a school district involving itself in real estate deals, and not focussing on improving the educaiton in their schools?
TIPsters - DO YOUR HOMEWORK ON THIS ISSUE - it's your chance ... start asking Lane some hard questions. Let's see him squirm for a change.

Here we go again wrote on Jul 21, 2008 11:36 PM:A one-year transition time? Are they kidding? How long does it take to enroll their kids back into their neighborhood school? So the taxpayers should foot the bill for another $1.6 million for another year? These people have had enough time to prepare for this inevitability.

Sounds like just another in a long line of stall tactics to see how long they can maintain their private school setting on the public's tab.

Grabbing at Straws wrote on Jul 22, 2008 12:20 AM:This charter school has been charged with "fiscal mismanagement and conflicts of interest." Doesn't the "olive branch" idea seem a bit presumptuous on their part? When you're fighting for your life, don't you usually hope to grab for a branch, not the other way around? Seems like they're dumping a lot of work on the EUSD to take over and fix their mess. Frankly, if I were the EUSD--forget the olive branch--I wouldn't touch that deal with a ten foot pole!

curious wrote on Jul 22, 2008 6:10 AM:How did TIP justify the closed door meeting on such an important decision?

Christa wrote on Jul 22, 2008 6:18 AM:Good idea that is something Guajome Park should do give up 100% control over its operations to the sponsoring district. Since pretty much 100% of the BOD had either employment with the charter school or a family member working there.

Well, based on the fact that the sponsoring district didn't do a good job with oversight and transparency. Maybe both the charter school and the district should render 100% control to the state.

Joyce wrote on Jul 22, 2008 6:41 AM:Too little late! The trust is gone!

Shameful Tactics wrote on Jul 22, 2008 7:31 AM:"City Planning Meeting-July's" post above says it all. The message is, "EUSD if you don't do what we want, we will get back at you!" With threats to "make him squirm for a change" I don't see how EUSD can ever work with these people.

I hear no TIPsters denouncing all these calls to harass the school district on the Pacific View property.

Another Eleventh Hour Offer wrote on Jul 22, 2008 7:33 AM:I wholeheartedly agree with Ross. EUSD needs to revoke this charter. TIP has a pattern of waiting until the 11th hour to pop surprises on EUSD--like last time when they only fired their principal a couple days before the school board meeting when they've had months to fix the problems. It looks like a strategy to give EUSD no time to truly consider their response.

Overlooked Solution wrote on Jul 22, 2008 7:45 AM:With all the hand-wringing and histrionics, TIP has been strangely silent about an obvious solution to their problem. If the school is that fantastic and gets such amazing results, they could open their own private school and let people pay for the private school setting now being paid by our taxes! TIPsters have tried everything except actually charging tuition like other independently run schools do.

Or is this is all about getting something for nothing.

Revoke the Charter wrote on Jul 22, 2008 7:57 AM:EUSD should act in the best interest of the 5,400 students that attend the district's nine public schools. Please revoke the TIP charter.

TIP's "olive branch" is a last ditch attempt to salvage a mismanaged school that benefits only 300 students (many from out of the district). Instead of continuing as a public charter school and misusing public education funds, the TIP supporters should start their own private school.

EUSD: Protect the interests of the 5,400 public school students of the district. Revoke the charter.

Ditto to Joyce wrote on Jul 22, 2008 9:15 AM:It is too late, they cannot be trusted. Board of Trustees, Dr. King, do the right thing to our wonderful EUSD students. Revoked the charter.

get educated wrote on Jul 22, 2008 9:27 AM:Do you think for one minute that Tip parents do not pay taxes??????? The people that did Tip wrong were 3 people!!!Not the universal YOU!!!! Protect the 5400 public school students, don't forget the 100 plus out of district students currently enrolled in your EUSD schools. On our tax payers money, what an outrage!!!! FACTS, FACTS, FACTS.....

to ditto Joyce wrote on Jul 22, 2008 9:34 AM:You would not be feeling this way if you had children who were thriving at this wonderful school! Or better yet if your job and lively hood were on the line!! Have you ever fought for something that you believed in? No I am sure not, I can tell by how loosely that you speak. ALL STUDENTS ARE WONDERFUL, not just EUSD students. Who is they???? "They" were fired, all that is left is the WONDERFUL teachers and students! Why should these beautiful children pay the price of 3 narrow minded individuals.
Come on now, lets see it for what it really is, King doing the wrong thing for 280 wonderfully talented children!
How can you sleep or live with yourselves being so narrow minded.

Olivebranch wrote on Jul 22, 2008 9:45 AM:They would be "willing to consider" a district offer to keep them open? REALLY? Wow, that is a fresh approach! This could have been an option several months ago. However, with Hazelton's, Bishop's, Kaplan running the “new” board, this type of arrangement would never have seen the light of day under the shadow of Debbie’s ego. It is a shame that these fantastic teachers are shackled to this ridiculously self-important board. Even on their deathbed, this board cannot muster up enough sincerity to even propose this idea in a way that EUSD might consider. I know where they can stick their olive branch!

to all wrote on Jul 22, 2008 9:49 AM:Not everyone was charged with mismanagement, those fingered were the Hazelton's!!!! That leaves 280 honest STUDENTS without their school. Come on people, lets look at the whole picture. The children, that is what you have forgotten in all of your "YOU" talk. The children, why should they pay for what the Hazeltons have done.WHY! Let us put all of our energy into bringing them DOWN! Not the children paying the price. Our the parents that just want an education for their kids! Tip is not the enemy! Just the common thread, help Tip bring down the Hazelton's, what a feather in EUSD's cap if they did that.
CHILDREN FIRST

Geeze Louise wrote on Jul 22, 2008 9:51 AM:Strike THREE! You're out! Don't you get it?

To get educated wrote on Jul 22, 2008 9:55 AM:Please note that TIP's mere 200 Encinitas kids parents taxes can't begin to pay for the $1.6 million out of the other nine schools it takes to run TIP. TIP's other 80 or so out of district kids' parents taxes don't even follow them into EUSD.

Not to mention all the man-hours TIP's misdeeds have forced away from the district's time they would otherwise be devoting to the rest of the 5,400 children.

Your tax contribution doesn't cover special treatment, extra time, wasting revenues due to mismanagement and lawsuits to bite the hands that feed you.

TIP knows there is no deal like what you got from siphoning off funds from EUSD or you'd be a private school.

olivebranch wrote on Jul 22, 2008 9:55 AM:How do you know this about the new board? Firsthand knowledge, or a guess? Just curious?+-

Nail on the head wrote on Jul 22, 2008 9:57 AM:The commentary written by Logan Jenkins yesterday in the San Diego tribube, really hits the nail on the head. This is not about the children, it is about money and egos. There are numerous ways to correct the administrative and governance issues. If you have an innovative educational model that is working for the children then it is worth the effort to correct the governance. Dr. King doesn't want the competition and he is using thousands of taxpayers dollars to squash it. He is not interested in working the problems out. It is narrow minded and will hurt public education by not allowing parents choices when it comes to their children's education. Why not accept TIP as an alternative school (magnet or district run charter) so TIP and EUSD can work together and learn from each other together? It could truly be a great community asset.

Geeze Louise wrote on Jul 22, 2008 9:59 AM:Oh my were we playing baseball? I believe that you are blogging on the wrong story. Try the funny pages.

OLIVE wrote on Jul 22, 2008 10:05 AM:1.6 million. Sounds like you are quoting Dr. King again. Who is mislead. What about the 100 plus kids in EUSD that are not paying taxes! Oh boy, that is some math now isn't it! We have 28 you have 100 plus. Well, well. Changes things doesn't it. 1.6 million does this really add up? Think about it! Really..

Who You Are wrote on Jul 22, 2008 10:13 AM:I'll tell you where the "you" comes from. It comes from the fact that TIP was founded and run by the people you elected as your leaders and your representatives to EUSD, whom you supported and defended and praised. It comes from the months of denials from TIP (parents and teachers included) who called EUSD's oversight a "witch hunt" only "out to get us" with many months with no admission of wrongdoing.

It comes from going along with these wrongdoings, not listening to warning after warning from people within TIP, waiting until you had exhausted all other options to take action to remove them, and from apparently continuing to allow them to run things in an unofficial capacity.

You can't rewrite history.

And EUSD can't trust those who keep denying what they've done.

To Olive wrote on Jul 22, 2008 10:25 AM:I guess someone has their math mixed up! The last meeting of TIP that I attended, according to their enrollment report, they had 79 out of 316 students from out of district. EUSD has 100 out of 5,400! I'm sure you went to TIP and smart enough to figure the math!

long gone wrote on Jul 22, 2008 10:33 AM:I keep reading about the 280 students from TIP that will be left in the lurch should TIP close. This number is not accurate. Many of us TIP parents have happily enrolled our children back into our local EUSD schools and will not be returning to the mess that is TIP in the fall. I can't imagine leaving my child in a school that is this unstable where even the curriculum is lacking.

To Who you are wrote on Jul 22, 2008 10:38 AM:Amen!

To Nail on the Head wrote on Jul 22, 2008 10:58 AM:Actually he missed the nail slightly. He calls TIP "brilliant" for its "eye-popping 910" score on the API. First, he added 3 points to TIP's actual score of 907 (I'm sure all schools would love to "round up" their scores too. But that would be dishonest) and second, TIP's score is LOWER than EUSD's other similarly populated schools! So if a 907 is eye-popping, then El Camino Creek's 930, Olivenhain Pioneer's 927, Flora Vista's 925, and Mission Estancia's 916 are flabbergasting!

So why would EUSD be threatened by a school that ranks lower than half their own schools? Rather than assuming they have an "ego problem" why not try believing EUSD's own explanation that it doesn't trust a school that in only 2 years created "serious conflicts of interest, violations of open-meeting laws and financial improprieties. Very bad stuff" to use the articles own words?

To Shameful Tactics wrote on Jul 22, 2008 11:07 AM:OK, so let me understand ...
at TIP when one dared to question the leadership Debbie shouted "off with their head".
Now we question what EUSD is up to with Pacific View and the response is that this is harassment.
Humm ... seems like the same mentality to me. I guess no one at the top likes those "difficult" (ie is this legal?) questions.

Another View wrote on Jul 22, 2008 11:09 AM:I live in Encinitas and both of our kids attended Ocean Knoll many years ago. We still live in the neighborhood. Ocean Knoll was a great school for our daughter, and terrible for our son (we ended up putting him in a private school for many years). Our district, while great for the academically inclined student, isn't so great for the kids that may struggle or develop at a different rate than the "average" kid. Also, different kids have different learning styles, and the district doesn't do a great job of accomodating that.

I think that school choices would be best for the kids in our area, and I think that charter schools offer that. Based on the the testing scores, the kids at TIP have been doing great. Compare those scores (the only objective measure of performance) to those of the Ocean Knoll students who share the same location. Compare the cost/student for the TIP students to those of the Ocean Knoll students. My guess is that for a lower cost/student, you end up with kids who perform bettr academically.

Yes, there have been administrative problems with TIP, and the fact that the district has to pay full freight for out-of-district students is burdensome. For the sake of the kids in the district, work together to solve these problems. Just as diversity of the student body is a good thing, so is a variety of teaching methods and school choice.

That is a lof of commingling going on wrote on Jul 22, 2008 11:38 AM:Let's not forget Guajome Park has about 23-25 BOD with conflicts.

How did they get away with that?

to OLIVE wrote on Jul 22, 2008 12:00 PM:You have far more than 28 out-of-district students - at least double that amount. However, I do agree with you that all OOD students should be sent back to their home schools (including the nine EUSD schools). It's a drain on a system that doesn't allow for reimbursement for these kids. It's not fair to taxpaying Encinitas residents.

GOOD GRIEF wrote on Jul 22, 2008 12:11 PM:We did not elect the Hazelton's, what a bag of wind! We did not elect the teacher's, (another bag of wind) the board members appointed by the Hazelton's!!! Not the parents. We checked the credentials and the methods being offered! Wake up!! It is the kids here not the parents, One day I hope that you are in a spot and you can feel it too.
The parents did nothing wrong nor did the kids! THEY, YOU .......EUSD has done plenty, read the papers!

There Are Always Victims... wrote on Jul 22, 2008 12:42 PM:Whenever people do something wrong, there are always victims. In most all cases, these victims did nothing wrong.

However, simply pointing to the victims is a purely emotional argument. No one can reasonably argue that victims deserve their fate. However, neither can one argue that the fact of their existence should excuse or negate any remedy(ies) that need to be put in place.

The children were there when everyone was denying the allegations, and they were there when efforts were being made to stall the system and buy time. This was the time when action should have been taken to avoid turning the students into "victims". However, games were played and the result is the likely closure of TIP. This could/should have been avoided, and TIP would likely still be open and there would be no "victims".

Too bad that, yet again, the children have to also suffer for the egos and games of "adults".

To To Shameful Tactics wrote on Jul 22, 2008 1:18 PM:First, I am not "at the top." I'm a former OK parent who is repulsed by the retaliatory tone in City Planning Meeting's remarks ("Let's see him squirm for a change.") That sounds like harassment to me, not "questioning." Second, I haven't heard any evidence of Dr. King trying to silence anyone, so your attempt to equate his leadership to Debbie's is a transparent maneuver to deflect her style onto him.

ridiculous wrote on Jul 22, 2008 1:28 PM:Yes, it is sad that TIP will close for those children that it worked for. Instead of directing anger at EUSD, which was charged with oversight of TIP, be angry at those that mismanaged, lied, used funds for their own gain, etc. Has anyone even read the supporting documents??? The evidence is damning. That is YOUR money and mine, TIP parents, that was mismanaged. Your fundraisers, your donations, grants, and money from EUSD. If my school had to close because of the same things that happened at TIP I would be heartbroken. I love my EUSD school as much as TIPsters love TIP. Doesn't mean that I would look at EUSD as the devil but I would look at those that perpetuated the myth that all was well when in reality the ship was sinking.

public or private wrote on Jul 22, 2008 1:33 PM:Public school or private school. It looks like it's time to pick one. You can't have both.

TIP got the shaft wrote on Jul 22, 2008 1:53 PM:The EUSD never wanted or embraced the new school. The people of Encinitas didn't either and they were most vocal about it.

Such short sightedness is typical in elitist communities. "We're already great. No need to expand our horizons." is the mantra of choice.

Well done. You managed to stay stagnant and protect the status quo yet again.

to TIP got the shaft wrote on Jul 22, 2008 2:11 PM:Thank you Debbie for your input! you have said and done enough!

to TIP got the shaft wrote on Jul 22, 2008 2:13 PM:Then you are welcome to leave this "elitist community" at your earliest convenience. Don't let the door hit you on your way out.

To TIP got the shaft wrote on Jul 22, 2008 2:24 PM:Yes, indeed. The community's short sightedness to question potential for abuse early on by a charter school when they could have expanded their horizons to more conflict of interest, violation of state Brown Act, and mismanagement of funds!

And why on earth they prefer the status quo of a balanced budget and the stagnancy of continually high performing schools--including the ONLY 2008 National Blue Ribbon School in all San Diego County!

The elitists!

not a tip parent wrote on Jul 22, 2008 2:35 PM:I do not have kids in Eusd or at Tip, but I will be at the meeting tonight just hear what all of the hopla is.......This is crazy all of these adults acting like selfish brats. EUSD parents you are very hard nosed, thses Tip[ parents are not bad just sad. Tip parents, EUSD is money driven they really don't care one way or the other. I wish I had 1.6 million I would donate it so that you could start a private school. A win,win situation...
How about emailing the Pits I hear they like to help the under dogs!

to TIP got the shaft wrote on Jul 22, 2008 2:39 PM:Well said. Some in that crowd wouldn't know a good thing if it bit them in the you-know-what.

Gotta love this town.

shaft wrote on Jul 22, 2008 2:42 PM:You are right we don't want Blue Ribbon Schools, or your boring traditional schools. Just let us be us be it is obvious that we are not on the same page. We all do not speak the same language. That is why there is such a line drawn. We will never agree. That is why we can not attend the same schools. We do not settle. So lets just disagree, and let the appeals court figure this out and may the children win!

Tip please go away wrote on Jul 22, 2008 2:48 PM:Olive branch, my ////

Tip please go away wrote on Jul 22, 2008 3:08 PM:Olive branch, my ....

to Tip please go away wrote on Jul 22, 2008 3:39 PM:Care to repeat that?

To To TIP got the shaft wrote on Jul 22, 2008 4:18 PM:"Some in that crowd wouldn't know a good thing if it bit them in the you-know-what."

Quite right. That crowd oddly regards those "good things" that "bite people in the you-know-what" as wolves in sheep's clothing. The simpletons, why would they make such a fuss over a little biting in the backside? Can't they overlook that and see it's a good thing? The nerve of those elitists. Who do they think they are?

I Wish wrote on Jul 22, 2008 4:32 PM:I really wish you all could see it how it is. I really wish you all had all the facts... "THEY" as it has been said are GONE.... So many changes have been made but of course Dr. King does not talk about those changes why because then he has no fight. Us Tip parents are fighting for our school! We are figthing for our children! We are fighting because we have seen the teachers at work! If Dr. King said just one hour in any class he woudl see AMAZING things.... I hope tonight you listen with your mind and your heart.

Flora Vista parent wrote on Jul 22, 2008 9:00 PM:I've read all of the articles and attended 2 meetings, I really do feel for the teachers at TIP They seem dedicated and took a professional risk to come to TIP sadly they trusted a couple of people who let them them down in founding the school. I think EUSD should revoke TIP's charter and I hope the teachers are absorbed quickly. Maybe the true believers in TIP will start a private school and run it as they see it.

robyn wrote on Jul 22, 2008 9:30 PM:anyone go to the meeting? What happened?

Tammy wrote on Jul 22, 2008 9:33 PM:Hello everyone! Is there a such thing as a perfect school? No, didn't think so. So, let's all just try to support the schools our kids attend and be happy!

Huggy Boy wrote on Jul 22, 2008 9:34 PM:I think this calls for a quote from our famous and highly educated Rodney King: “ People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? Can we get along? Can we stop making it, making it horrible for the older people and the kids?...It’s just not right. It’s not right. It’s not, it’s not going to change anything. We’ll, we’ll get our justice....Please, we can get along here. We all can get along. I mean, we’re all stuck here for a while. Let’s try to work it out. Let’s try to beat it. Let’s try to beat it. Let’s try to work it out."

Resident wrote on Jul 23, 2008 12:36 PM:Consider:EUSD- 1 superintendent, 1 board, 1 set of office buildings and support staff- 9 schools. OUSD- 1 superintendent, 1 board, 1 set of office buildings and support staff- 26 schools. PUSD- 1 superintendent, 1 board, 1 set of office buildings and support staff- 37 schools. Doesn't it seem that EUSD is top heavy in administration for such a small district.
Consider: Encinitas Ranch homeowners were mislead with the empty lot where builders pointed and said- EUSD will build a elementary school. Are the builders at Encinitas Ranch connected in anyway with the builders at the Pacific View Site? How about EUSD board posting their form 700 so there is transparency in all their high end real estate deals.

Richard wrote on Jul 23, 2008 1:07 PM:After last nights meeting, I feel deeply disappointed. I think we need to reach out and hug our teachers and let them know how much we love them. Love will overcome all the evil in this world. We can still save TIP!

Tax Payer wrote on Jul 24, 2008 12:12 AM:I have been silently following this mess between EUSD and Tip Academy for the last few months. All I have heard EUSD say is, "Too little too late" and "We have lost out trust in the school." Give me a break..........do all of you realize that California schools rank 46 in the nation! This school has come up with an innovative curriculum which is working!! How can all of us tax payers sit silently and watch this injustice take place?? How can you board members justify closing the school even after the wrong doers have been fired and you see the academic program working? I do not have kids, but realize the value of innovative early education. I have been watching the schools in our state get worse every year. This is a chance for all of us in Encinitas to step up, whether we have kids or not and ask the EUSD board to keep this valuable resource of our community alive!

To TaxPayer wrote on Jul 24, 2008 7:40 AM:I agree with you. I also have been reading about this situation and do not have children in the schools here. I do own property here and believe that great schools increase our property values. If there is a school doing well, and it creates some competition to assure all the EUSD schools do well, don't we all win? Kids are getting what they need, property values go up, EUSD gets more money,...

Major Taxpayer wrote on Jul 24, 2008 9:20 AM:I pay more taxes than everyone here combined, as I own over sixty-one properties here, and I have no children and never plan to. I am a very busy and successful businessperson with no ties to education in any weigh, shape or form. I don't even have any grandchildren in the ESUD.

I have read every article, every blog and have attended every ESUD meeting. I personally have conducted very accurate studies of the effectiveness of TIP's theory and so I can say with 100% certainty your child cannot get a good education anywhere in the ESUD exacly like what they can at TIP. I've kept my true feelings bottled up until now, but now I'm opening up the bottle. I can't see what ESUD is afraid of. There were some minor little troubles with the founders and runners of the school, but I would be willing to bet everyone's tax dollars that based on their sincerity they could never made any misjugements again. Why would ESUD even worry about that for a second?