Board of Education Reverses
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WWW.KEYSNET.COM WEDNESDAY,MAY 16,2012 VOLUME 59, NO. 39 ● 25 CENTS OUR SCHOOLS Board of Education reverses By SEAN KINNEY more difficult Florida Rolls back scoring on voting for this as kind of a hold “hopeful,” the Florida Keys [email protected] Comprehensive Assessment harmless for this year only.” bucked the statewide trend, but Test in writing and changed the state-mandated writing tests On Tuesday, the Department didn’t have district results yet to Faced with plummeting proficiency grade from a three of Education only released analyze. scores on the latest, most rigor- out of six to a four. much better, with 52 percent of port a move “which will essen- statewide average scores on the In 2011, the Board of ous state-mandated standard- Students in grades four, eighth graders earning a 4 this tially hold the schools and dis- FCAT writing test; district-level Education moved “to increase ized writing test, the state Board eight and 10 took the new test year, compared to 82 percent in tricts harmless this year in results are still pending. expectations regarding the cor- of Education on Tuesday low- this spring and early statewide 2011; 10th graders plummeted regards to writing.” Jesus Jara, superintendent of rect use of standard English ered the passing score in an averages released Monday indi- from 80 percent earning a 4 or He addressed how the low- the Monroe County School conventions and the quality of effort to “hold harmless” dis- cate fourth graders earning a 4 higher last year to 38 percent ered cut score might be per- District, earlier this year noti- details provided as support,” tricts and students. or higher went from 81 percent this year. ceived: “Optically, a change fied parents to expect lower test according to back-up materials Last year the state board, in 2011 to a staggering 27 per- Padget, during an emer- from a 4 to a 3 looks like we’re scores as test standards contin- distributed for Tuesday’s emer- which includes Key West resi- cent this year. gency conference call meeting lowering standards. I for one ued to increase. dent John Padget, approved a Older students didn’t fare of the board, said he would sup- am against that and I’m only This week Jara said he was ● See FCAT, 2A MONROE COUNTY ISLAMORADA FIRM eyes Keys-only insurance are wrong. They don’t take Citizens officials into account our building support pooling code and also the unique geography of the county. The as a Keys mutual likelihood of a storm affect- ing the whole Keys is slim,” By RYAN McCARTHY Saunders said. [email protected] Saunders said he and FIRM officials pitched the idea to Citizens Property Grady and other state insurance Insurance Corp. President officials at a May 8 meeting at Tom Grady says he fully sup- Stanley Switlik Elementary ports Monroe County “put- School. The state contingent ting its money where its was in town for a Cabinet mouth is” when it comes to meeting with Gov. Rick Scott windstorm coverage. at the Marathon school. The watchdog nonprofit “We said, ‘You want to Fair Insurance Rates in get rid of policies; it would Monroe, along with state Rep. help if we start this new com- Ron Saunders (D-Key West), pany and we’ll be happy to are exploring the possibility of take the policies off your a Keys-only mutual wind- hands,’” Saunders said. storm insurance company. “These folks have clearly That means starting a researched everything. It was company that is essentially really educational for me and owned by its policyholders. what they taught me is you “The [actuarial] models Keynoter photo by KEVIN WADLOW these companies are using ● See Insurance, 2A Bill Clemons honors his late brother, Clarence ‘The Big Man’Clemons, by joining Jack Snipes (left) and the Family Fun Band at a Saturday celebration event of the Redbone Celebrity Fishing Series. Story, 6A ENVIRONMENT Reef restoration MARATHON faces budget ax eBay offer: Ride ‘em cowboy fully tended at an offshore eBay. Minimum bid is $5. Scientists worry underwater nursery. Chicken nugget “Don’t let this once-in-a- federal funding “We can’t restore the reef shaped like boot lifetime opportunity pass you that way,” Bartels said. “It by,” Coleman says. Just go to won’t be renewed would take tens of thousands brings in bids eBay and type in “cowboy of plantings.” boot nugget” in the search box. By KEVIN WADLOW “Our goal is to give the By LARRY KAHN The seahorse Cheeto was Senior Staff Writer coral an extra push to help [email protected] sold by Virginia resident [email protected] them get started,” he said, so Richard Schmidt to Pirate the branching coral can suc- Back in March, a Cheeto Radio of Key West. As angelfish and snapper ceed during its once-a-year shaped like a seahorse sold In one of the most famous looked on Monday, coral spawning. on eBay for $100, with the of these eBay auctions, a researchers bent to their task The staghorn corals, a money going to Reef Relief woman sold her 10-year-old Monday of bringing new life threatened species, were care- in Key West. grilled cheese sandwich for to an underwater ridge near fully selected to ensure genet- Now you have a chance $28,000 on eBay to a casino American Shoal. ic diversity and arranged at to buy a chicken nugget operator, who planned to Small branches of staghorn the planting site so they shaped like a cowboy boot to display the oddity. coral were snapped from their would be in close proximity benefit Keys Kops for Kids, The seller claimed the burn bases, then glued to the reef during the spawning. a program of the Monroe marks on the bread reproduced next to a mounting nail. Monday’s expedition led County Sheriff’s Office. the image of the Virgin Mary. Skilled divers from several by The Nature Conservancy Sgt. Dennis Coleman Then, in 2009, a South organizations then looped and Mote installed 50 new bought the nugget Sunday at Carolina woman claimed an small plastic wire ties around staghorn corals, raising to the Dion’s Quikmart at 63rd image of Jesus appeared on the coral and the nail, securing 300 installed at two Lower Street and U.S. 1 in Marathon. her grilled cheese sandwich. the branches. Keys sites, in about 25 to 30 He says “I was about to She told the Spartanburg The goal, explained Mote feet of water. start eating when I noticed Herald she had no intention Marine Lab coral-science Newly transplanted corals one of the nuggets resem- of selling the sandwich, or of manager Erich Bartels, is not “don’t do well in warm bled a cowboy boot.” So his eating it either, calling it “a to repopulate the reef through first thought was preserving This crispy critter being sold on eBay to benefit Keys daily reminder of my “outplantings” of corals care- ● See Coral, 2A the nugget and putting it on Kops for Kids. Christian faith.” INDEX Printed on 100% Classifieds . .4B recycled CONTRACT newsprint Living . .2B WHAT NEXT? CONTENTS © 2012 TALKS Business . .7A KEYNOTER PUBLISHING CO. Talks ongoing but no United Teachers of Monroe Obituaries . .2A resolution in rent dispute between The Studios of wants salary schedule to Opinion . .6A Key West and Foundation project pay cuts instead of Sports/Outdoors . .1B landlords. Story, 3A losing more teachers. Story, 5A Crossword . .4A 7786790 22222 2A Wednesday, May 16, 2012 KeysNet.com Keynoter NEWS BRIEFS OUR SCHOOLS $3 million grant Scales passed over for appeals court Search committee faces expires this year Key West attorney Ed From Story, 1 In the past three years, Scales has been passed over split over qualifications coral restoration efforts in for a job on the Third water,” Bartels said, so sci- South Florida, the Keys and District Court of Appeal. expressed concern with eration. entists and researchers are U.S. Virgin Islands have Judge Juan Ramirez Jr. Questions raised how the committee will This is the first time in keeping a hectic pace to beat been funded largely through has resigned from the 10- over experience handle the subject without the Keys the superintend- the summer heat. a $3-million stimulus grant judge court, which hears any clear direction from ent has been hired by the Ken Nediymer took part. via the National Oceanic and appeals from Monroe and as principal the board. school board; a 2010 refer- His Coral Restoration Atmospheric Administration Miami-Dade counties, creat- “I think the biggest endum changed that post to Foundation in Tavernier pio- as part the America ing the vacancy, and Scales By SEAN KINNEY gorilla in the room that I’m an appointed position from neered the establishment of Recovery and Reinvestment was one of 20 applicants. [email protected] worried about is the com- an elected superintendent underwater nurseries to grow Act in 2009. This past weekend, the mittee having to wrestle model. staghorn coral for replanting. That grant - shared by Third District Court of In the run-up to a with that qualification Randy Acevedo was the Coral in the nurseries is Mote Marine Laboratory, Appeal Judicial Nominating Thursday meeting of without clear direction last elected superintendent, carefully tended with regular Nova Southeastern Commission whittled the list Monroe County School from the board,” Griffiths elected in 2008. The fol- visits by staff to keep the del- University, University of of 20 to send to the gover- District’s superintendent said, “and dismissing the lowing year, then-Gov.