We’re going to start our door to door this summer so we thought we’d update our flip card. This is a draft with more changes to come. I have a mental condition called “tweakitis”. I can’t stop tinkering with this stuff. The newest draft changes the background on side 2 and corrects the spelling of enrollment. What do ya’ll think so far?

You’re going to love the 5th video, so stay tuned!

Last week I had a wonderful visit from a group of ladies from the Gateway House. Gateway House is a private, not-for-profit, clubhouse model rehabilitation program for men and women in Greenville County suffering from mental illness. Modeled after Fountain House in New York City, the nation’s first clubhouse-model program, Gateway House has been providing a permanent support system for persons with mental illness in upstate South Carolina since 1984. Since that time, over 1,300 colleagues from 38 states and 11 foreign countries have participated in training at Gateway House. Click here to learn more about the Gateway House.

Last week I had a wonderful visit from a group of ladies from the Gateway House. Gateway House is a private, not-for-profit, clubhouse model rehabilitation program for men and women in Greenville County suffering from mental illness. Modeled after Fountain House in New York City, the nation’s first clubhouse-model program, Gateway House has been providing a permanent support system for persons with mental illness in upstate South Carolina since 1984. Since that time, over 1,300 colleagues from 38 states and 11 foreign countries have participated in training at Gateway House. Click here to learn more about the Gateway House.

H. 3124 is Jim Rex’s plan for open enrollment. I agree with the concept, but have a problem with the notion that this is being referred to as a school choice plan. Today, we considered an amendment to expand the options of children in a failing school. this amendment would offer a voucher to the child that meets the following criteria. 1-the child is below the 200% poverty level 2-the child is currently enrolled in a failing school & 3-the child has been denied access to seat in a passing school. Unfortunately, the amendment failed. The bill’s current status is this: A child trapped in a failing school may be granted access to a passing public school. This is an infinitesimal baby step in the right direction. Unfortunately, children will have to wait for meaningful school choice.

Here is a misleading portion of the bill:
(B) In establishing these programs, it is the objective of the General Assembly to make the South Carolina public school system the most choice-driven public school system in the nation by increasing student participation in and student access to public school educational opportunities both within and outside of their resident school district, regardless of where they may live or their socioeconomic status. It is therefore the intent of the General Assembly that this chapter be construed broadly to maximize parental choice options and student access to public school educational opportunities that are now not available to their children.

click for the full text of H. 3124