MINUTES -- VNC Education Committee Mtg . (Sat., July 9, 2011; 2 to 5 pm)

(Unformatted minutes for the 7/9/11 meeting is reproduced further below in this entry)

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JULY 9th MEETING AGENDA LINK--->: http://venicenc.org/files/July92011_VNCEdCom_2to5pm_PDF.pdf
ADDITIONAL VNC EDUCATION COMMITTEE INFO: http://www.peterthottam.com/VNCEdCom.html

Chair: Pete Thottam
(Tele: 310.497.7255; peter.thottam@venicenc.org)

Location: Extra Space Storage
658 S Venice Blvd Community Room
Venice, CA, 90291

Date: Saturday, July 9th, 2011; Time: 2 - 5 pm.

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JULY 9, 2011 EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEETING (Minutes / Summary)

Chair: Pete Thottam
(Tele: 310.497.7255; peter.thottam@venicenc.org)

VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT: Pete Thottam, Rick Selan, Dr. Elsa Mendoza (Venice High School)

Number of Total Attendees present at Meeting: 42 attendees.

Location: Extra Space Storage, Presidents Row Conference Room
658 South Venice Blvd, Venice, 90291

Date: Saturday, July 9, 2011; Time: 2 - 5 pm

SATURDAY'S JULY 9TH VNC ED COM MEETING (42 attendees)
Fyi, below is a summary writeup for Saturday's July 9th VNC Education Committee meeting. Special thanks to Rick Selan for write-up (Rick was acting secretary that day)) as well as several emailed follow-ups (see below).

We had a comprehensive discussion centered on Walgrove and on Venice High School (Dr. Mendoza provided an excellent and thorough update). Principal Mendoza answered questions from the 42 attendees -- all actively engaged and participating. As with many of our local public schools, Venice High School needs more engaged support from Rosendahl & the LA City Council. Particuarly now w/ the recent reductions in force and VHS' shifting enrollment trends.

As Rick's below summary points out, there were members from other neighborhood council's education committees present. Again, 42 attendees total over the course of the three hour meeting. It was a terrific discussion and hopefully VNC Education Commiittee can build on it going forward in helping the community create collaborative solutions and interchanges (e.g. between Walgrove/OCS/Green Dot).

TOMORROW'S LA CITY COUNCIL MEETING (Rule 54)
Per my earlier email last week, several of the VNC Ed Com members will be at the City Council meeting tomorrow on the AEG/Rule 54 motion demanding more transparency on this NFL Football Stadium negotiation and related financing/expenses. The hearing is at 10 am in the Council's main chambers. If anyone else wants to come to support Rosendahl and Koretz/Krekorian, let me know.

Pete Thottam
VNC Education Chair
T: (310) 497-7255

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Rick Selan
Date: Sun, Jul 10, 2011 at 11:56 PM
Subject: VNC Education Meeting July 9, 2011 A Community Concern Regarding Colocation and Murder at Penmar Park

Rick Selan, Educational Advocate
“Ubi Ignus est?” 1615 Glyndon Ave.
Date: 7-10-11 Venice, CA 90291
(310) 396-5164
fax 310-396-0754

To:: Bong Hwan Kim, General Manager DONE
Brenda Manuel, LAUSD District 3 Superintendent
Amy Lawrence, MVCC Education Chair
Peter Thottam, VNC Education Chair
John-David Webster, Board Member, Westchester/ Playa NC

From: Rick Selan, Educational Advocate, Member -VNC-MVCC Education Committees

Re: The Importance of Neighborhood Councils in Neighborhood Education Issues

Kudos To VNC Education Chair Peter Thottam

VNC Education Meeting July 9, 2011

For years, Education within Venice Neighborhood Council has failed based on those VNC Education Chairs who placed self interests and directions from CD11 and the LAUSD Good Ol' Boys and Girls Club before the needs of the Venice kids and those Topics: Co-location of Charters at Walgrove Elementary & Venice Student & Venice Skills Center Student Murdered at Penmar Park involved in Venice-Mar Vista Education. Positive change , after almost a decade, has finally arrived as evidenced at the VNC Education Meeting on Saturday July 9, 2011 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Extra Space Storage on Venice Blvd.

Over 40 individuals representing five different neighborhood councils were present. Community Activist and Parent Collaborative Leader Bill Ring expressed the importance of the Neighborhood Councils throughout the city working in conjunction with LAUSD Over 40 individuals representing five different neighborhood councils were present. Community Activist and Parent Collaborative and Charter Schools within the LAUSD boundaries. Charter Schools are public schools and have co-location rights to share school land with current LAUSD schools if rooms are deemed available.

Besides this VNC Education Member and Chairperson Thottam, VNC Education Member Dr. Elsa Mendoza, Principal of Venice High was also present. Education members absent were Crenshaw teacher Marcy Winograd and Green Dot Schools Communication Director Doug Weston. According to Chairperson Thottam, two additional members will be selected after the first of the year 2012.

Truant Policy Budget Analyst / Educational Activist Tom Carter ( Mr. Flashlight) was present sharing his findings regarding what the District is losing in funds through an outdated truancy policy. LAUSD Education Budget Specialist Activist and walking budget dictionary was on hand throwing out facts and figures regarding transparency and accountability of District funds. All 40 plus who attended were amazed at the information stored "inside Mr. Buzzetti's head".

John-David Webster, a Board Member of Westchester/ Plays NC sent a quite inspirational message focusing on the need for Neighghborhood Councils on the Westside to work collaboratively to carry more weight with the Board and to serve as change agents for what needs to be fixed in our council Districts and schools so kids and education come first.

The first two hours of the meeting dealt with Walgrove Ave. Elementary being chosen as a co-location site where a charter school will be built with charter funds with a lease that might last from forty years to ninety nine years; no one was clear as length. All six Walgrove stakeholders were on hand to share their perception on what might be best for the Walgrove Ave. Property.

Ocean Charter, a current charter at Walgrove, was represented by numerous parents and grand parents and members of their Board. Ocean feels since they have been on the campus for five years, they might work best with Walgrove Ave. parents ,administration, teachers and community. Some Walgrove parents felt there has been "lack of interchange" between the two schools. Ocean members present were quite passionate regarding their Waldorf philosophy and how their philosophy might benefit Walgrove.

Animo Venice Middle School, currently with a co-location at Cowan Ave. Elementary in Westchester for one year, also, like Ocean, plans to turn in or have turned in their RFP (proposal for the property). Green Dot CEO Marco Petruzzi and Animo Venice Middle School parents present were also passionate for their middle school to be built on the school property.

Community stakeholders who were present expressed their dismay over the way their property has been used as pick up and delivery for Ocean students as LAUSD did not provide Ocean, not the Walgrove staff, enough parking spaces. While neighbors were upset with Ocean parents and their driving actions, can a new Charter, be it Ocean, Animo, or none, build adequate parking for their staff and parents and will the District provide parking that is needed as well as sufficient handicapped parking for Walgrove staff and parents ?

Is Board Member Zimmer aware that the once free flowing Walgrove Ave. has become a nightmare since Costco was built. With 300 more students at Walgrove Elementary and about two hundred students entering the Mark Twain new World Language Magnet coming into the school, total grid lock might exist daily from 23rd and Pico in Santa Monica to Washington and Walgrove in Mar Vista/ Culver City. Why isn't all the vacant land at Mark Twain not being used. Is this land being saved for big land developers?

New UTLA Secretary David Lyell was present who shared philosophy concerning NewTLA and the union's wish to work collaboratively with Neighborhood Councils over issues concerning community.

Also represented were the "One Option" group from the Community who want the walking track/ jogging track Park built as approved by the voters under Measure L to be built as promised. After the park was landscaped, the park got covered up by CD11 and former Friend of Walgrove/ Venmar President Marianne Brown. This park now is all weeds and dead plants, because the park was approved as a joint use land agreement between CD11 and LAUSD. Neither CD11 nor LAUSD will care for this once beautiful landscape that now is an embarrassment to residents. There was $10 million dollars allocated for joint use land funds? Where did these funds go? Why does the land cover up continue and why does LAUSD and city officials not contact Ms. Brown ? How deep does this land cover up go and how many tax payer dollars are we talking about ?

Friends of Walgrove, the strong booster club at Walgrove today ( a whole different group than the Venmar/ FOW group), was also represented by Co-President Michelle Dean. Former FOW President Laurie Hansen made a passionate speech regarding "lack of interchange between Walgrove and Ocean". This opened up a whole different discussion involving communications.

The final representative group present was Walgrove School Governance represented by John Fischer, SSC Chair who works collaboratively with the Walgrove UTLA Chair and will work, in this same fashion, with the incoming Principal at Walgrove who was named about ten days ago. The SSC works quite cooperatively with those involved at Walgrove in curriculum and philosophy. Walgrove is quite unique in its EVTF model. This qualitative research study and development explains how and why Walgrove makes a difference.

In the two hours, there was healthy interchange with all sides being able to express both facts and emotions why their option is the best option.

The next three quarters of an hour was devoted to the neighborhood shootings; especially the murders of two students on the bleachers at Penmar Park and the shooting of a third Venice student who had a bullet pass through both legs. Venice Principal Elsa Mendoza did an excellent job explaining the implications of the murders of Venice students and the continuation of grief counselors on campus when school resumes. One individual shared information only known by detectives which this advocate will not discuss based on an on-going police investigation. Many eyes and ears were opened with this collaborative interchange.

From the perception of this writer, police and law enforcement need to attempt to tie in the murders at Penmar with the Sunday before Memorial Day shots fired at Oakwood Park in broad daylight similar to Penmar. Both involved a lone gunman who walked onto the property and began firing.

Finally, this advocate did a short presentation supporting Community and NC involvement to raise $80,000 -$90,000 in funds to send the Mark Twain "English Bells" group under Director Ron Theile to London next summer, as the Mark Twain Bells were invited to perform at the London 2012 Olympic games. Letters supporting this initiative were past out to those present.

Again, many thanks to Peter Thottam for his organization in bringing out 42 concerned residents on a Saturday afternoon in July and all those who participated for the best interests for kids in the Venice-Mar Vista Complex.

It is important that Chairperson Thottam reaches out to the Oakwood community so all Venice residents are included in the education committee. Based on past practice, this will take time and trust. Peace.

In unity for acountability, Rick Selan

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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tom Carter
Date: Mon, Jul 11, 2011 at 8:36 AM
Subject: RE: VNC Education Meeting July 9, 2011 A Community Concern Regarding Colocation and Murder at Penmar Park
To: Rick Selan , BongHwan Kim , Janet Lindo , "Manuel, Brenda" , Pete Thottam

Amen, to Pete and all who attended and care that the community of humans that we are begin to “collaborate” as one for the good of KIDS, to whom we will leave the earth to make it a better place for all.

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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: George Buzzetti
Date: Mon, Jul 11, 2011 at 10:15 AM
Subject: Re: VNC Education Meeting July 9, 2011 A Community Concern Regarding Colocation and Murder at Penmar Park
To: Rick Selan
Cc: BongHwan Kim , Janet Lindo , "Manuel, Brenda" , Pete Thottam , Deputy Chief Jeff Crawford ,

This was one of the best education meetings I have been to. A very free flowing expression of concerns, ideas and solutions. Peter Trottam did an excellent job of keeping it on message while allowing free expression, democracy at its best. This is how things are supposed to be done. Thanks to all.

George Buzzetti

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On Mon, Jul 11, 2011 at 11:50 AM, George Buzzetti wrote:
I wish I could. To me the important point is why are we subsidizing billionaires. I thought they wanted a capitalist system. In a capitalist system if it does not pencil out, do not do it or pay the price. I have paid the price and no one saved me. I am one of the only people anyone I know is aware of that did not owe any money when I had to shut down my business of 37 years. Why should those who do not care about football or any sport of commercial operation be paying for them to make money when they have more than God? This is reverse socialism. Socialism for the wealthiest. We are a criminal country in reality. You buy this place so cheap it is a joke. If you are Boeing or Lockheed and you have a $20 billion dollar project you just go to your lobbyist and give them $30 million. $15 for them and $15 for campaign contributions. They just spent .0015% of the project for a guarantee. Very low cost of operation for a guarantee. They laugh all the way to the bank, offshore that is to not pay taxes. This is Amerika today. Pete you are doing a very good thing. Thank you for that meeting. This is real democracy in action. Something people have forgotten and if they do not remember soon it will be all gone into the total control of society by a few only for their enrichment.

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