Posted on August 17 at 12:47 p.m.

Make sure you charge up your cell phones and electronic devices like cameras, etc. You'll want to take pictures after the storm :-P If you can, get an a/c adapter for your car so you can charge things up. A battery powered TV saved our lives during Charlie.

Also, good advice on the phone, if you don't have an "old-fashioned" corded phone, go down to walgreens and get one for $5. Have enough gas for cars and grills, generators, etc, or get a small charcoal grill. After the storm is over, if your power is out, cook up your foods and put them in the cooler, they will only stay good about a day if in the freezer. Make LOTS and LOTS of ice.
Get BUG SPRAY and CITRONELLA!!!!!

The EMERGENCY INFO HOTLINE for CCPS is 1-888-994-NEWS- reads in English, Spanish and Creole.

On Hurricane supplies to have on hand

Posted on August 8 at 10:54 p.m.

Mercedes- I am so in awe of your story and I think that you are such a positive role model. I think what you are doing is amazing, not only as an Olympian, but as an American, a woman, and someone who is about to make history. I wish you all the best in your journey and competition!! Keep making us proud and writing about your experiences!

On Mercedes Farhat’s blog: Olympic village swells with athletes

Posted on August 8 at 2:16 p.m.

WOW! Gator! Finally something on which we agree.
**faints**
The school board will indeed choose the "replacement." The question remains, who will win with a 2-2 vote? Who will Withers side with? Clearly, Abbott and Donovon will want someone who will be in cahoots with them and continue to perpetuate the errors of comedy they have created, thus supporting Thompson and his new regime. Curatolo and Carroll will want someone who will join their good ole gal network and sink in to rule the schools with their rose colored glasses, looking at students as numbers, and probably demanding that students wear their numbers on their sleeve. Withers just wants someone who won't question his guaranteed for life contract. Which is better? Will they ever be able to come to a consensus? Only time will tell.

On Temporary replacement an option for ailing Collier School Board member

Posted on July 22 at 8:22 p.m.

"get a big lump cash payout at retirement of unused sick days and vacation time in addition to their fully funded retirement plan, guaranteed employment and so much more." Don't know about guaranteed employment, if you follow any of the news in CCPS, no one here is guaranteed employment, or a raise. As for the retirement, yes, I get a state funded retirement package that will guarantee me a rusted out trailer somewhere behind an abandoned barn when I retire. You get a 401K, Christmas bonuses, and if you're lucky, the chance to buy stock in your company. Six in one, half dozen in the other, wouldn't you say?
On top of all the other hats I get to wear in a day, I also get to hold my urine for hours on end, be exposed to viruses left and right, work an 8 hour day and then come home and work 4 more, and have a superintendent and a school board who constantly degrade me with their remarks and archaic, good ole boy employment tactics. I get to deal with hormonal teenage drama 150 times every single day and spend hundreds of dollars from my own personal funds on things like paper and basic necessities. Don't tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about because I worked for 14 years in "corporate America" before becoming a teacher. I love my job, and I wouldn't have it any other way. My point is, my job has its benefits, and it has its hazards, just like yours. We are not that different, but the constant cyclical comparison is getting old.

On Collier teachers’ union starts discussions with district over raises for coming school year

Posted on July 22 at 8:22 p.m.

"They do no marketing," no, we write syllabi, curriculum, grade papers, and we "market" our schools through parent contacts and school functions.
"no hiring or firing," ok, you got me there, but last I checked, only a small fraction of corporate America works in HR.
"don't worry about facilities maintenance," We are responsible for maintaining a safe environment for hundreds of students. Do I walk around with a drill and a hammer? No, but like I said, last I checked, most companies require only skilled employees to hammer nails.
"budgets," Wrong again! All teachers are responsible for their own classroom budget, and it always comes down to supplying 100s of kids with paper, pencils, and other necessities with $75 a year.
"security," Security is 100% of our jobs. Every day, we have to keep our eye on all people in the room and read their emotions in order to anticipate "events." We have to be the eyes and ears of the school, looking for issues that may arise within the building as well as outside the building. We don't have security guards, we ARE the security guards.
"no accounting or collections," Who do you think distributes and collects textbooks and fees? Teachers do.
"don't have to worry about malpractice insurance," no, I get to worry about a kid who gets their panties in a wad because THEY failed a test or a project because THEY didn't do assignments, study, pay attention in class, and their parents who want to get me fired and get my license revoked as a result of THEIR CHILD not doing THEIR JOB as a student.
"get lots of holidays and summers off," I get 2-3 weeks off during the school year which are paid "vacation" but the reality is that you do too, you just get the option of not taking vacation and banking it for when you leave your job or get fired. I am also at the tail end of what they call forced unemployment- that means, I get to take 8 weeks off for the summer and NOT GET PAID.
"get paid to attend workshops in Las Vegas or Orlando every year," Yes, I get to have someone tell me to attend a conference, take time out of my days, and try to eat 3 decent meals on $12 a day. I also get to learn and develop my skills as a teacher, and then spend even more time once I return processing and using the information, sharing it with those who couldn't attend, and writing an essay to prove that I attended because as a professional with graduate degreeS, I can't be trusted otherwise. Hmmm.. that almost sounds like the conferences that are set up for just about every other industry in the US, we just don't get an Amex gold card to cover our expenses.
(continued)

On Collier teachers’ union starts discussions with district over raises for coming school year

Posted on July 21 at 12:28 p.m.

I have 2 comments to make-
(1) A few years ago when I was on a board of directors for a volunteer organization, Robert's Rules of Order were required. I was a volunteer with an 80 hour a week job and wasn't familiar with RRO, but nothing stopped me from going to the bookstore and spending $10 on a guide on how to use them. I then read the book, and kept it at my fingertips during meetings. It didn't take long to learn, and we all helped each other through in a congenial and professional way. BTW, it was a youth sports organization, and we administered a much larger group with much less drama and controversy than these dimwits.
(2)flcertifiedteacher- I am just downright sick and tired of your posts. At first I thought that you offered a little insight into some of the many issues that have popped up here. Now, when I see your name below a post, all I can do is roll my eyes. You offer nothing of substance in your blog posts, and furthermore, your "satirical" websites are nothing but offensive. I don't like Dr. Thomson, the reams of uninformed decisions that have been made, his shady way of making decisions, the way he went about hiring his two friends, or any of the school board members any more than you do, but I can do it in a way that is adult, mature and professional. I think that what gets me most is that you claim to speak on behalf of CCPS teachers, and you are not one. You have your right to speak out on issues in ways that you choose, but please don't lump yourself in the same category as me. I don't know you, nor do I know anything about your situation or misfortunes other than what I have read here, and I certainly don't begrudge you the opportunity to be sour about whatever injustices you feel you've suffered. But, really, I think your motives are self-serving and filled with personal agenda, not to mention that the way you go about it is a horrible example to set for kids. If you are half the educator you say you are, you will understand that. I also know that there are 2 sides to every story, and with you , we are only hearing half. If you present yourself in real life in a way that is even remotely similar to the way you present yourself here, then the CCPS decision not to hire you is one I can stand behind. I am glad you are not a colleague.

On Abbott to seek another term on Collier School Board

Posted on July 11 at 9:31 a.m.

Dear Governor-

First of all, congratulations to your grandfather. Like mine, I suspect that he lived a full and happy life and his sacrifices culminated in his ability to enjoy a comfortable retirement and to see his grandchildren grow and succeed. But unlike you, I hold my grandfather's sacrifices as an immigrant and a veteran with the greatest reverence. If there ever were a lesson that my grandfather taught us, it was to work hard and work honestly. His work ethic and his level of integrity set an example for me, my brothers and sister, and all of my cousins. Which is why I find myself absolutely baffled that I am responding to this column at all. You see, I didn't vote for you, but for the first time, I was OK with the popular vote that got you into our Governor's mansion. You promised that you would allocate money to help education and make sure that every child in the state of Florida receives the best education we can give them. You also, during one of your many hype sessions for the property tax amendment, looked my father in the eye and guaranteed him that this amendment would not come at the expense of essential services, like emergency, road, and infrastructure. You changed his mind that day when you stood in HIS YARD, the yard that he worked his fingers to the bone to own and care for, the yard where he builds and nurtures his family. Then, within weeks of the property tax amendment being passed by the voters of Florida, you cut the budgets that allow Floridians to have safe and well-maintained roads and infrastructures, after you looked my father in the eye and promised him otherwise. You see, Charlie, my father is a highway engineer, he is also a veteran and a cancer survivor. And now, at the age of 63, he has already laid off almost his entire staff, and he worries himself sick that he will be next. He has no retirement, and he accepted long ago that he would work until the day he dies. He never complains, and he finds simple joy in holding his grandchildren and spending time with his children and their spouses. You also promised that you would allocate funds to the severely deteriorating educational system in Florida, yet you cut our school budgets and honest, hard working people are losing jobs, and innocent children are suffering for it. You promised the people of Florida that you would not allow drilling for oil off our coastline. So, you see Charlie, while I have no doubts that your grandfather is proud of all of your accomplishments, I can't help but wonder how he feels about you taking the oath of office to serve the people of Florida, and doing it with indignity and disrespect. I wonder how he feels about your dishonesty. I wonder, after all of his sacrifices, what he would think. I think you're a liar and a cheat and you have a very long way to go to fill the shoes of someone who can live up to the expectations of a generation who sacrificed everything so that we could have anything we want.

On Guest commentary: Governor’s immigrant grandfather lived the American Dream

Posted on July 11 at 9:06 a.m.

Sorry, Burt, this is NOT the only option out of the fuel "crisis." You seek to end partisan bickering only if it suits your needs and the votes go in your favor. You haven't even addressed the hoards of environmental issues with offshore drilling. This is NOT what's best for our country, our coastline, our citizens, or our economy. Let us know when you come up with a better plan.

On Guest commentary: Dispelling common myths about offshore oil drilling

Posted on July 7 at 10:09 a.m.

http://lwit.edu/LWTHS/AboutUs/History/

Read it... stop being ignorant.

On Collier adds new schools, renovations

Posted on May 30 at 8:48 p.m.

to gatorhater, re: #23-

The answer to your question is that you KNOW the backgrounds of who is working on CCPS campuses because once the Jessica Lundsford law went into effect, the district had to, BY LAW, immediately screen all current employees. This was not a retroactive law, where only future hires were required to be screened. The district also randomly re-screens employees annually.

Next question...

On Teamsters’ probe reveals possible issues with outsourcing Collier schools’ custodians