For MASSPTA

http://www.al.com/news/press -register/index.ssf?/base/news /1201169795184020.xml&coll=3

School lead cleanup bill skyrockets
Thursday, January 24, 2008
By JOSH BEAN, Staff Reporter
Eliminating lead contamination at Spanish Fort Elementary School is now
expected to cost almost $800,000, according to an estimate given to the
Baldwin County school board this week.
Previous estimates had pegged the price at $91,000 -- or $6,500 per day --
for a two-week cleanup. But the cost soared after school system officials
learned that the contamination was worse than first believed.
The school on Alabama 225 remains closed, and the children are taking
classes in space at three local churches.

For full story, click on link above

By: the National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society today named author Richard Louv as the 50th recipient of the prestigious Audubon Medal for sounding the alarm about the health and societal costs of children's isolation from the natural world-and for sparking a growing movement to remedy the problem.

Links to a healthy start, a healthy school and a healthy tomorrow:

Food as Reward

Healthy Celebrations

Healthy Fundraining

A Forum on Women's Health
January 23rd, 2008 9:45 -- 12:30 PM
State House Great Hall

Scientific research reveals that each of us ( even newborns *) have hundreds of chemicals in our bodies from exposures in  air, water and food, and products we use every day.  Many of them are associated with health conditions like cancer, infertility and reproductive problems, asthma and other chronic conditions and developmental disorders and disabilities.  See www.bodyburden.org

Come to this forum to learn about the unique impact of these exposures on women's health. 

Hear From Experts in the Following Panels
10 AM - "Systems Interrupted: How Chemicals in Our Daily Lives are Linked to Cancer, Infertility and Other Diseases"
11 AM - "Unequal Exposures: The Burdens of Toxic Chemicals on Women in Lower Income Communities of Color"

Co-Sponsored By: Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow , Asthma and Allergy Foundation/ New England Chapter, BOLD Teens, Boston Urban Asthma Coalition, Chelsea Collaborative, Clean Water Action, Healthy Mother's Healthy Babies Coalition of MA, Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, MassCOSH,  MA Public Health Association, National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, Silent Spring Institute, Wellesley Cancer Prevention Project, Women's Community Cancer Project, Women of Courage

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 
*In a study spearheaded by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in collaboration with Commonweal, researchers at two major laboratories found an average of 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants in umbilical cord blood from 10 babies born in August and September of 2004 in U.S. hospitals. Tests revealed a total of 287 chemicals in the group. The umbilical cord blood of these 10 children, collected by Red Cross after the cord was cut, harbored pesticides, consumer product ingredients, and wastes from burning coal, gasoline, and garbage.

Wednesday, February 13

10:30 am in Room A-1, State House, Boston

 

Ask our legislators and Governor Patrick to ensure high quality education by reforming MCAS now.  

 

The Education Committee recently sent H. 561, CPS' MCAS Reform bill, to "study", making legislative action this year unlikely.  Any changes to MCAS will most likely be proposed through the Governor's Readiness Project and most changes can be made by the Board of Education, without need for legislation. That's why our target is now the Governor to include MCAS reform in his Readiness Project proposals, and legislators who will be asked to contact Education Committee Chairs, Rep. Haddad and Sen. Antonioni, who both sit on the very important Leadership Council of the Governor's Readiness Project.  See below...

MCAS REFORM. Our Message:

*State standardized tests should not be a barrier to graduation for students who can demonstrate they have met the state standards in other ways."

*We must reduce the weight of MCAS and use a range of evidence to determine graduation, as has been done successfully in other states."
 

1.  Join us at the State House on February 13.   Please make appointments with your Representative and Senator to meet with them on February 13 (11:30 am or after).  Appointments can be made now, and let us know if you would like assistance in making appointments. Even if you can't make appointments before, please come anyway and we will direct you to your legislators' offices.

 

2.  Call the Governor, your Representative and your Senator anytime on February 13 . Ask for their support of MCAS Reform.

 

3.  Email the Governor, your Representative and your Senator anytime on February 13, and ask for their support of MCAS Reform.

 

4.   Please pass this information on to others who may be interested.

 

To endorse the Lobby Day or for more information, please contact Marilyn Segal at marilyn@citizensforpublicschools.org or 617-227-3000.

 

You are invited to read the position statements and areas of interest approved by the Massachusetts PTA board on January 13, 2008.  These positions will be presented to the membership at the Gala on March 15 for formal discussion and acceptance. 
WHAT DOES MASSPTA STAND FOR?

NEW REPORT LOOKS AT COST OF "READINESS PROJECT" PROPOSALS AND STATE SPENDING ON EDUCATION

Examining the costs of proposals in Governor Patrick's "Readiness Project" to make meaningful long term improvements in education in Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center released Education in Massachusetts: Governor Patrick's Education Proposals and the Current State of Massachusetts Primary and Secondary Education Funding.

The report identifies options for how broadly or narrowly focused initiatives in the "Readiness Project" could be and offers a range of cost estimates for these proposals, which include universal pre- kindergarten and full-day kindergarten, a longer school day and school year for K-12, and two years of free education at Massachusetts' community colleges...

The full report is available on MassBudget's website, www.massbudget.org, and can be read (in PDF format) at this link.

Are They Really Making Massachusetts Safer?

What are the Commonwealth's school expulsion laws and why were they adopted?

How are these laws implemented?

Are these laws meeting their intended goals?

What are the impacts of these laws on the juvenile court? On children?  On families? On schools? On communities? On public safety?

What do advocates and parents need to know?

What legislative reforms are needed?

Thursday, Jan. 24 ^th 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Suffolk Law School Function Room

Register by January 23 at 617-305-3200

45 Bromfield Street, 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02108 617.305.3200   http://www.law.suffolk.edu/academic/clinical/jjc/