Excellent Schools Through Local Control              

Happy Valentine's Day!


Innovating the Heart



“I cannot help fearing that men may reach a point where they look on every new theory as a danger, every innovation as a toilsome trouble, every social advance as a first step toward evolution, and that they may absolutely refuse to move at all.”

-Alexis de Tocqueville

 

“Learning and innovation go hand in hand.  The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.”

-William Pollard

 
Innovation is at the heart of our vision for Malibu’s own school district.  But what does innovation mean in the context of a school district?  Obviously, this is a huge subject and we’ll find our own path together.  However, please allow me to suggest two excellent places to start:

First, from the wonderful Education Week Magazine, here are six terrific rules:

  1. Craft a clearly defined and articulated vision for the district, and make sure everyone understands it and adheres to it.

  2. Develop strong leaders who encourage informed risk-taking and experimentation rather than protection of the status quo.

  3. Establish an expectation of continuous learning and improvement from every person at every level of organization.

  4. Foster an environment in which people have the power to change course quickly if a project or initiative isn’t working.

  5. Empower everyone in the district, from students to teachers and administrators, to take on leadership roles.

  6. Ensure a seamless infusion of technology throughout every sector of the district to produce efficiencies and collect meaningful data.

Second, is a brilliant game changing Ted Talk on organizational structure, called As Work Gets More Complex, 6 Rules to Simplify, by Yves Morieux.  This one I’ll leave you to watch on your own, by clicking here.  

I want to highlight a quote from Jorgen Vig Knudstrop, the CEO of the Lego Group: “Blame is not for failure, it is for failing to help or ask for help.”  We’ll be setting up the Malibu School District Implementation Committee pretty soon to discuss these ideas as well as others.  In the meantime, shoot me an email, and let me know what you think about innovation in our new school district, and what’s most important to YOU in its vision!

Sincerely,

Craig Foster
AMPS President
[email protected]


Global Education Movement



Meet four amazing people, who have taken it upon themselves to spread the joy of learning and education.  

Meet Myriam Mazzo, a teacher in the central Colombian city of Armenia, a rural town of about 300,000 people nestled in the mountains southwest of Bogotá. In her school’s single classroom, she teaches children of various ages and grade levels who work in small groups at their own pace. Rather than standing by a blackboard at the front of the class, Ms. Mazzo moves among them, serving as a guide more than an instructor.

To read the article click: here


Meet Rajesh Kumar Sharma, who became a hero after he began educating New Delhi's poorest children--and even went as far as creating a free school for them under a metro bridge.

To read the article click: here


Meet Mari Sawai and Mario Ferro, who graduated in 2009 from the Masters in Development program of the London School of Economics, founded Wedu last year, a program to help women in Southeast Asia gain access to higher education through micro-financing, mentorship and counseling.

To read the article click: here


 Featured Video 

How to Be a Hacker of Education?
April 2010, by Logan LaPlante, Tedx Talks

When 13 year-old Logan LaPlante grows up, he wants to be happy and healthy.  He discusses how hacking his education is helping him achieve this goal. 

Watch video: here

 Local Education News 

Ed Foundation Falls Short of $4 Million Goal
February 5, 2014 By Melissa Caskey, Malibu Times

Read more: here

PDMSS Spelling Bee Results

February 3, 2014, By Staff Report, Malibu Times

Read more: here

EPA: Malibu High Samples, Cleaning OK
January 28, 2014, by David Mark Simpson, Santa Monica Daily Press

Read more: here

 School for Thought 

Re-thinking Education: What Are We Teaching?
February 6, 2014, by Suna Senman, Huffington Post

Read more: here

The Pursue Your Dreams, Prepare for Reality
February 4, 2014, by Vince Bertram, Huffington Post

Read more: here

Teachers' Job Protection Debated in California Trial
February 3, 2014, by Stephen Sawchuk, Ed Week 

Read more: here

Obama Sells Race to Top, Early Childhood Education in State of the Union
January 28, 2014, by Alyson Klein, Ed Week


Read more: here

Like AMPS on Facebook!

Please click here to like AMPS on Facebook!

We are on Instagram!

Please click here to follow AMPS on Instagram!

Goal:
2000 Endorsements!

Please help AMPS reach our new goal of 2000 endorsements! 

Click here to become an AMPS advocate today!

Membership

Please join AMPS in the goal of forming a locally controlled Malibu Unified School District.

To become a member click here.

AMPS Malibu
Calendar:

No School:

President's Day
Monday, February 17th



Stairway to the Stars
Choir: Feb. 7th, 7pm
Band: Feb. 11th, 7pm
Orchestra: Feb. 13th, 7pm
@ Barnum Hall SMHS



MHS Middle School Musical
Feb. 20-22nd, 7pm
Feb. 23rd, 2pm
@MHS Auditorium



Kindergarten Round-Ups
Juan Cabrillo: Feb. 26th, 8:30am
Pt Dume: Feb. 20th, 8:30am
Webster: Feb. 25th, 8:30am



Pt. Dume Marine Science Dinner
March 1st, @ Duke's Malibu
Doors open at 6:00 Food, Drinks, Friends, Auction Items Silent & Live!


Juan Cabrillo Jog-A-Thon
March 14th, 8:30am-12pm




Malibu HS/MS Open House
March 18, 6:00pm


AMPS Coffee & Information Sessions
 

If you would like to attend or volunteer to host one, please call Alexia at (310) 734-2021 or visit our website at www.ampsmalibu.org.

Contact Us:

Website
www.AMPSmalibu.org

Address:
Advocates for Malibu Public Schools (AMPS)
23805 Stuart Ranch Rd. Suite #105
Malibu, CA 90265

Phone:
(310) 734-2021

Email:
[email protected]