Special thanks to Jeanne Bartley Archer for leading the Hickman Elementary School Gardening Program! AWAKE is honored to sponsor with soil and starts. Don't those kids look happy, and in their essence? Gardening is good for the soul -- young and old! :)
In her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle Barbara Kingsolver says, "potatoes are homeland security." We agree! The more self-sustaining we become, in harmonious cooperation with our surrounding community, the more we free and independent!
This video demonstrates planting potatoes around an apple tree in the front yard of AWAKE Community president, Jason Brock. Now is the perfect time to plant potatoes for spring harvest. Try it!
"Earth laughs in flowers." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
The yellow, purple and white flowers are vibrant. The myriad of smells from the plant life invigorating. The sweet sound of birds sing to the soul.
These delicate flowers, both endangered species, seem oblivious to the threats of bulldozers -- offering the intricacy of their beauty to those who will observe and appreciate them.
“God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees,
and in the flowers and clouds and stars.” ~Martin Luther
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Last week Hickman Elementary School started its gardening program! AWAKE Community was honored to donate soil and organic plant-starts to the project. The students, teachers and parents at Hickman are great gardeners, and will soon reap the rewards of growing a garden. Food you grow yourself just tastes better!
A special thanks to Jeanne Bartley Archer for organizing the project and leading AWAKE's involvement.
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Today AWAKE Community's Chairman, Emily Richards, had the opportunity to speak with Richard Berrera of the San Diego Unified School District on KPBS's These Days program. In classic politican double-speak, Mr. Berrera changed the subject and didn't acknowledge retiring bond funds, and reducing the overall debt of the School District as an option to increase the overall financial health of the school district.
"As I mentioned on my call, I'm a CPA and know very well how school accounting works. Schools have different 'funds' they use to account for different departments. It is true, you cannot transfer restricted 'funds' from one department to another. But, the School can increase its overall financial health by retiring old bonds, thus reducing its overall debt and expenditures.
For example, SDUSD is currently spending $30M to build a new school (Jonas Salk Elementary), and millions on environmental reports and mitigation to build that new school on protected land that is home to several endangered species. How? Using old voter approved Bond Funds = more debt when issued. They have a 'use it or lose it' policy. But this unwise.
For example, if you have a $10k home equity line of credit, is it wise to spend the $10k, and incur new debt, on building a new guesthouse -- when you can't afford to buy school supplies or clothing for your child? Wouldn't it be wiser to retire the home equity line and avoid going further into debt? This way, you aren't thinking myopically, but working toward your overall financial health and priority.
Just because a State Bond (debt) is available for spending on expensive developers and environmental mitigation, doesn't mean the school has to spend it. They could simply retire the bonds, save the debt, and increase the overall financial viability of the school district itself.
While retiring bonds may not DIRECTLY save teachers' jobs or help fund what happens inside our classrooms (instead of brick and mortar), it will directly increase the financial health of the school district and the state.
Why isn't the school district exploring this option? Why is Richard Barrera saying the construction program 'fund' of the schools is healthy, when everything else is failing? Don't let his tricky talk fool you. :) "
What do you think?
