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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 2013)
News Gates Veterans Day Parade continued from page 1 the classroom seven years ago after serving in the U.S. Navy, would like to see protract- ed mentorship programs for teachers and more time to work together on self-evalua- tions. Gates said the foundation is conducting experiments in Fresno, Calif., and Bridge- port, Conn., to see how districts can give teachers more planning and training time. She said teachers need some of that time for learning about the new national academic standards known as the common core, which have been adopted by 45 states and are considered by Gates to be one of the most important education initiatives right now. Also on the top of the founda- tion’s agenda is improving teacher evaluation systems and professional development. The foundation’s third main education initiative involves helping teachers use tech- nology to support their work, such as online forums for sharing lesson plans. “I know the difference a great teacher can make,’’ said Gates, who has three children, one each in elementary, middle and high school. One of the foundation’s first big education initiatives focused on creating smaller schools out of large comprehensive high schools. The widespread and expensive experi- ment was considered mostly a failure by education experts, but Gates said the small schools initiative helped the foundation learn what was really important: the teacher at the front of the classroom. That’s what led to years of research on what makes a great teacher and how schools can use various evaluation methods to study teachers and help them improve. That initia- tive is now influencing many states in redesigning their teacher evaluation sys- tems, at the insistence of the federal gov- ernment. The foundation also has invested money into charter school networks and continues to support charter schools as laboratories for innovation, Gates said. ``You get these pinpoints of light from charter schools,’’ she said, adding that par- ents can evaluate their own children’s schools by looking for successful reforms first tried in charter schools. Gates said she is very excited to see char- ter schools finally coming to her home state. Last November, Washington voters approved adding up to 40 of the independ- ent public schools within five years. is necessary to secure the company’s 777X commitment to the region. In neighboring Oregon, some 1,200 machinists who work at Boeing’s Gresham facility and the net- Oregonian reported. Several Republicans expressed concern during debate Saturday that lawmakers would rush to aid Boeing but wouldn’t pro- Joel Kretz said his district has very little aerospace business, and he said some busi- nesses in his area spend years trying to get permits for work. ``We’ve got to fix it all over the state,’’ Kretz said. Separately, Inslee had sought a $10 billion transportation package as part of the Boeing bills, although some lawmakers say that measure can be passed at a later date. Dem- ocratic Sen. Tracey Eide, a leader on trans- portation matters, said she hoped lawmakers could have an agreement on the package soon and be able to approve it at some point this month. “We’re very close,’’ Eide said. The foundation also has invested money into charter school networks and continues to support charter schools as laboratories for innovation, Gates said. My gosh, they’re incredible,’’ she said, after a day listening to 110 teachers from around the nation compare notes and talk about what they need to improve at a gathering at the Seattle foundation. At a forum for teachers and foundation staff on Tuesday morning, educators talked about needing more time outside the class- room for training and collaboration. “Time is a great barrier to the many inno- vative things we would all like to do as teachers,’’ said JoAnn Miller, a biology teacher in Oconto Falls, Wis., who was one of three educators sitting on the podium with Gates. The relatively new teacher, who came into PHOTO BY VALERIE CHAMBERLAIN mer employees at the foundation in Wash- ington state. Some see the foundation as a critic of American teachers because of their empha- sis on teacher evaluations, but Gates said that impression is wrong. She hopes teach- ers see the foundation as partners in figuring out how to help them do their jobs. “We fundamentally believe in teachers. Buffalo Soldiers rode with the 27th annual Veterans Parade at Fort Vancouver on Saturday, Nov. 9. Hundreds turned out for flags, marching bands, Gold Star families and the Clark County Junior ROTC as well as many retired U.S. military personnel. Boeing continued from page 1 senators to oppose the bill, expressing a variety of concerns. He was concerned that the bill didn’t provide enough protections and that Boeing could use the 777X work to supplant work being done on the 787. Hasegawa also expressed concern that the Legislature was essentially pressing union workers to accept a contract that may not be beneficial to them. He was also concerned that lawmakers would approve such a large tax break after considering the issue for just a couple days. “We haven’t, I don’t think, fully thought out the uses of that $9 billion,” Hasegawa said. Boeing has proposed a lengthy contract with the Machinists union and says the deal Boeing has proposed a lengthy contract with the Machinists union and says the deal is necessary to secure the company’s commitment to the region. work of Boeing suppliers across the Port- land area could have been impacted, The vide tax or permitting benefits to other industries or businesses. Republican Rep. gally and are seeking to have them returned. They say they are glad they weren’t expelled, but they are appealing their proba- tion because they don’t want the sanction on discipline board on Friday found Fagan and McIntosh responsible for two violations: possessing weapons on school grounds and putting others in danger by the use of Gonzanga continued from page 1 Fagan offered the man a blanket and a can of food but refused to hand over any cash, he said. The man became agitated and com- bative. Fagan shouted for McIntosh, who came downstairs holding a loaded 10 mm Glock pistol. “I draw on him,’’ McIntosh said. “As soon as he sees me, he decides he doesn’t want to deal with me. So he takes off.’’ The men called police and campus securi- ty. Fagan has a concealed weapons permit, he said. Campus security returned the next day and confiscated McIntosh’s Glock and Fagan’s shotgun, which he uses for hunting and sport shooting. The men say their guns were seized ille- The men say their guns were seized illegally and are seeking to have them returned their school records. Students are not allowed to have guns in their homes if they live on campus or in a university-owned apartment. The university weapons. The man who went to their door, John M. Taylor, 29, is a six-time felon, said police spokeswoman Monique Cotton. His crimes have included riot with a deadly weapon, possession of a controlled substance and unlawful imprisonment. Officers responding to an initial report of a residential burglary, found him in the area, Cotton said. He was jailed on an arrest war- rant from the state Department of Correc- tions, she said. Typically that means a person under department supervision has violated terms of release. Taylor was no longer on the jail roster Monday. Calls to the Department of Corrections were not immediately returned Monday and there was no answer at the Spokane County Public Defender office, which might repre- sent Taylor. November 13, 2013 The Seattle Skanner Page 3
