Rob Lifford

Hey Austin-based folks, if you have preschool or kindergarten age kids, or you know people who do please, take a sec to read this. I’m trying to help get out the word about AISD’s two-way Dual Language pilot program, and particularly the transfer opportunities to join that program (and Violet!) at Becker Elementary. This was written by Becker’s Enrollment Committee (of which I’m a member):

As you may know, Becker Elementary, in the heart of the Bouldin Creek Neighborhood, just south of Town Lake, is one of only four AISD Two-Way Dual Language schools and the only one in South Austin accepting transfers. Becker has an excellent, enrichment academic program, rated Exemplary (highest designation) by the Texas Education Association.

In two-way dual language programs, students who are native Spanish speakers and native English speakers are taught together. Students are taught in both English and Spanish, in order to become academically bilingual by the end of the 5th grade: able to speak, write, and think in both languages. This year, Becker has two classes each at Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st grade, and the school is currently accepting interest forms for those three grades next year. Becker has an “open-enrollment” Pre-K, meaning anyone who qualifies based on income or who speaks only Spanish can attend for free and anyone else can pay tuition to attend.

The research is strong on the advantages of bilingual education and long-term benefits for both native Spanish speakers and native English speakers who begin early in their academic careers. See http://dlti.us/7.html.

The dual language program has drawn numerous transfer families, as well as families from within the neighborhood. The teachers are well-trained and are committed to implementing the dual language program with fidelity. The school has a dedicated Art House as well as the Chicken Coop and Green Garden Classroom, where each class tends its own garden plot. Together all are working together to build a vibrant, active, diverse community.

Becker has a number of information sessions and tours coming up – please see the dates below as well as the attached flyer and plan to attend to learn more about the school, dual language, and the fantastic opportunity your family has to be part of something special in the best academic program Austin ISD has to offer.

Interested families can contact Katie McKay, Parent Support Specialist, at 841-0653 or katie.mckay@austinisd.org (habla español).

Please forward this on to folks you know who may be interested, especially in the Spanish language community. Thanks!

Upcoming Becker Events:

• January 19: Dual Language Learning Walk (tours, time TBD)
• February 10: Dual Language Orientation followed by International Day and Art Showcase, 5:00 pm
• February 11: Principal’s Coffee with Prospective Parents, 8 am
• February 16, February 24: Campus Tours (contact Katie to schedule a time)
• February 20: Meet and Greet with Becker Faculty and Families, 3 pm

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La escuela primaria Becker, en el centro del Vecindario del Arroyo Bouldin, al sur del río cerca de la 1ra y W. Oltorf, es una de solamente cuatro escuelas en el Distrito Escolar de Austin con un programa enriquecido de lenguaje dual y la única que está aceptando alumnos provenientes de otras escuelas. Becker tiene un excelente programa académico y tiene la designación más alta que da el Estado de Texas de Ejemplar.

En un programa de lenguaje dual bidireccional hay estudiantes que hablan español como primer idioma y otros que hablan inglés como primer idioma en el mismo salón. Se enseña a los estudiantes en inglés y español para que los niños sean académicamente bilingües para el fin del 5to grado y sean capaces de: poder hablar, escribir y pensar en los dos idiomas. Este año Becker tiene dos clases de lenguaje dual para los niveles de pre-Kinder, Kinder y Primer Grado y se están aceptando las solicitudes de estudiantes en estos tres grados para el año 2011-2012. Becker tiene inscripciones abiertas en el pre-Kinder, lo cual significa que cualquier persona que califica para pre-Kinder puede asistir (sea por ingresos, por hablar solamente español o si puede pagar colegiatura).

Las investigaciones demuestran las muchas ventajas del lenguaje dual y los beneficios para los niños hispanohablantes y anglohablantes quienes comienzan temprano el aprendizaje en los dos idiomas. Ve http://dlti.us/7.html. Un programa enriquecido de lenguaje dual, como lo que ofrece Becker, es el único tipo de programa que ha demostrado éxito en levantar a los hispanohablantes al mismo nivel académico de los anglohablantes.

El programa de lenguaje dual ha atraído numerosas familias provenientes de otras escuelas en el Distrito, así como también familias del vecindario. Los maestros son altamente calificados y están comprometidos a implementar un programa de idioma dual con dedicación. La escuela también tiene una clase de Casa Dedicada al Arte, un gallinero y un salon con Jardín Verde, donde los niños cuidan sus propias huertas. Juntos todos están trabajando para construír una comunidad vibrante, activa y diversa. Becker tiene varias sesiones informativas y tours de la escuela planeados – favor de ver las fechas abajo y el volante adjunto y por favor haz planes de asistir a uno y aprender más de la escuela, el lenguaje dual y la oportunidad fantástica que tiene tu familia de ser parte de algo especial en el mejor programa académico que ofrece Austin ISD.

Familias interesadas pueden contactar a Katie McKay, Especialista de Apoyo a Padres, en 841-0653 o katie.mckay@austinisd.org (habla español).

Por favor envía este e-mail a tus amigos o familiares que pudieran tener interés, especialmente aquéllos de habla hispana. Gracias!!!

Eventos Futuros en Becker:

• El 19 de enero: Caminata de Aprendizaje sobre el Lenguaje Dual (tours, la hora será determinada)
• El 10 de enero: Orientación al programa de lenguaje dual y Día Internacional, Exhibición de arte, 5:00 pm
• El 11 de febrero: Café con la Directora con prospectos Padres, 8 am
• El 16 y 24 de febrero: Tours de la escuela (contacta a Katie para hacer una cita)
• El 10 de febrero: Fiestecita, Reunión con Familias y Maestros de Becker, 3 pm

So, the last post around here was a little serious. Figured I’d lighten it up a little bit with a quick audio/visual project that I thought of a few weeks ago. Read the full backstory in the video description over on YouTube.

So, yeah, I can add “novelty musician” to my resumé (well, technically, I guess I was already on my way there with the black sABBAth thing)…

Comments are closed for this post, leave them on the YouTube page if you’ve got to be heard.

Here’s the letter I just sent to my senators and district representative:

I am writing to express my extreme displeasure with the new policies and procedures of the Transportation Security Administration.

As you know, TSA has recently begun implementing “backscatter” X-ray technology at airports around the country, and for those who choose to opt out of being scanned by these new devices, they are conducting wildly inappropriate physical searches on US citizens.

For one thing, the backscatter scanners have an unproven safety record. There are other, more effective means of screening passengers that do not require subjecting citizens to any quantity of radiation. Scientists from major American universities are very concerned about the effects of these machines, as evidenced from recent letters to Cabinet from the University of California at San Francisco, and at least two pilot unions oppose the use of these scanners.

Regardless of the health risks, the nature of the technology is simply not appropriate, and despite statements to the contrary by TSA officials, the machines do amount to a “virtual strip search.” This is not an acceptable way for the United States to handle security with everyday citizens, even in a climate of concern about global terrorism. Again, a program based on behavior profiling, with full-body scans only being conducted with probable cause, is the only appropriate approach.

Regarding the pat-downs conducted for those who opt out of full-body scans: reports are now frighteningly common across the internet and news media that these searches are invasive enough to be considered sexual harassment or even sexual assault.

I travel by air at least twice a year with my wife and children (ages 5 and 3). I should not be forced to choose whether my children will be subject to irradiation or a potentially traumatic physical search.

The most important matter, and the real heart of the issue, is that the TSA’s new policies are a clear and blatant violation of the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution: “Every subject has a right to be secure from all unreasonable searches, and seizures of his person, his houses, his papers, and all his possessions.” There is absolutely nothing reasonable about either the use of backscatter X-ray machines on ordinary citizens or the invasive physical searches that TSA is conducting.

This simply cannot be allowed to continue in the United States. I am asking you as my elected representative to make these TSA practices a top priority for you until they are ended and the TSA understands the clear Constitutional limits on its authority.

I thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

My first JavaScript mashup game is alive: play it now, please, and let me know what you think in the comments below. It’s best with four players crowded around a keyboard, getting to know each other, but anywhere from 2-4 players can be fun.

There were a lot of things I’d like to have done better, but this was just the right scope for a stealing-free-time-on-the-weekend project. Maybe someday I’ll revisit it to hack in a circular playfield instead of a square. The holy grail might be to do all the canvas management on the server (maybe a great node.js learning project) and allow players on different machines to play against each other via websockets…

Can’t wait to see the kids play this tomorrow morning…

If you had told me, when I was in high school, that both my kids would be born in Texas, and that in the year 2010 I would acquire a flock of 3 chickens, I sure would have had a good, long laugh.

In fact, it still gets a laugh out of me today.

He really got way too good way too fast. It’s definitely not fair.

In my own defense, I’ll just say that it was the only time I’d played since his last visit, a year before. This 9-hole round was at Lions Municipal course in Austin.