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A former planning inspector who falsely claimed her Spanish cousin had been driving her car when it was caught speeding twice in a week has been jailed.
Angela Banks' Citreon C5 was caught by speed cameras in Bierton driving at 35mph in a 30mph zone. She had a clean licence at the time.
There has to be a serious obligation to tell the truth. The system of attributing responsibility for driving offences would quite simply collapse without that obligation.Mr Recorder Simon Blackford
A court heard on Thursday that the 52 year old, of Shereway, Fairford Leys, had not only lied on two forms by claiming her cousin was the speeding driver, but had also lied to a police officer who visited her home.
Police discovered the lies after working out that the time and place the car was caught on speed camera coincided with Banks' daily route to and from work.
Prosecutor Philip Farr said that she now accepts she was the driver, but she had maintained her innocence throughout the trial, after which a jury found her guilty of two counts of making a false statement without oath under the Perjury Act.
Banks looked close to tears as she sat with her head bowed throughout the hearing, during which she was jailed for three months.
Defending Lesley Bates told the court that her client had resigned from her job after the conviction because she felt she could no longer command the honesty or integrity required of a planning inspector.
"She was informed that she would be able to remain in her position as a planning inspector, but she would be disciplined," she said.
"She informed them after careful consideration that she would in fact resign. She felt no longer able to put herself forward as a person of honesty and integrity.
"It says a great deal about her that despite being given the opportunity to fight for her job, which she had been highly commended in her work, that she chose to take the course of action that she did."
The court heard that following her conviction Banks might also have to give up her role as a volunteer gymnastics coach.
Miss Bates said Banks was ashamed and remorseful and had also been helping look after her frail father.
She added: "As a result of her giving her evidence your honour may conclude that she was a proud and dignified lady who maintained control as best she could.
"She is genuinely remorseful, her admissions have been made because the consequences have come crashing down on her.
"She is a lady who now feels crushed, she is unable to stop crying and uncontrollably shaking. She is ashamed and she is fearful."
Miss Bates said the conviction has already had a disastrous effect on Banks' life and appealed for a suspended jail sentence because no one had been falsely convicted because of her lies.
"The obvious aggravating factor is the degree of persistence," she said.
"Unlike some offences of this nature there was nobody else accused or convicted as a result of her actions."
Mr Recorder Simon Blackford ordered that the female security dock officer sit next to Banks because she had fainted twice over the course of the trial.
He told Banks that her lies about who was driving the car were never going to survive real scrutiny and if she had come clean she would not have been facing jail.
"Those statements that you made at that time were unlikely to survive any real investigation," he added.
"The offences were committed on exactly the route that you took every day, or just about every day, to work and exactly the sort of time that you would be travelling to work.
"Following your false declarations you were sent a further form in which you repeated the lie that you had told.
"It was made clear to you if you had come clean at that time and said that you were the driver that that was going to be the end of the matter.
"But you didn't take that course of action. You were then visited by PC Davies of the fixed penalty unit.
"Again if you had come clean at that stage you would have avoided the consequences which you now face."
Mr Blackford told Banks that if every driver lied about who was driving their cars it would bring the system down.
"The integrity of the system of enforcing driving offences and penalties is highly dependant on the registered keepers telling the truth," he added.
"There has to be a serious obligation to tell the truth. The system of attributing responsibility for driving offences would quite simply collapse without that obligation.
"The two offences you have committed are so serious that only prison sentences can reflect the seriousness of what you have done.
"You are 52 years of age, with no previous convictions. Not only do you have a responsible job in the planning work that you do, but you have done all sorts of good work both by way of your coaching of gymnastics and also the responsibility you have discharged within your family.
"The effect of the conviction has already had a very substantial effect on your life. You are remorseful.
"I have considered whether I can suspended the sentence. But I am afraid there are two aspects of these offences which seem to me that there is only one sentence that I can pass - that is a sentence of immediate custody.
Banks' speeding offences were not prosecuted as the delay in establishing the identity of the driver exceeded the statutory six-month period in which a speeding prosecution must be brought.


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The insider's guide to keeping up with marketing trends
Some people will never put the time in to stay abreast of the news and trends of this industry. If you're reading this, you might already be one of the ones who do. If you are, please pass this article to your colleagues who always say they want to stay informed but never follow through.
How does the industry stay informed? The most recent research I could find comes from a 2011 study:
How do you learn about emerging digital marketing technology and trends? (select all that apply)
Overall, it appears that agency professionals over-index for staying abreast of news and trends. That makes sense because they are generally one of the key information resources for their brand clients and have to be prepared to answer a variety of questions on digital marketing.
There's no single right way to stay informed. I can share my own process, but what works best for me might not work well for you. For example, I don't like reading on my smartphone, but other people feel very comfortable on the small screen. I'm also very outgoing and will walk up to strangers at conferences and ask them questions; some of you might never do that.
Later in this article, I detail my method. Hopefully it will provide a roadmap to build out your own process if you don't have one. But first, let's take a look at the common reasons people give for not staying on top of our industry's trends.
Common excuses
"I'll learn what I need to know on the job."
If this is truly the business that you are banking on for your future and expect to be in for the next four decades, then why wouldn't you try to absorb as much as you can? Even 15 minutes a day could add up to a major knowledge lift after a few years.
"That stuff has nothing to do with me."
One of the things I hear from people who don't stay informed is that the knowledge out there just doesn't pertain to their job duties. Bah.
Let me share with you the notion of consilience.
Consilience is a concept introduced to me by Jim Sterne, renowned speaker, analytics guru, and one of the most informed people in the digital marketing industry. "Consilience refers to the principle that evidence from independent, unrelated sources can 'converge' to strong conclusions. That is, when multiple sources of evidence are in agreement, the conclusion can be very strong even when none of the individual sources of evidence are very strong on their own."
I've embraced consilience to mean that learning things that might seem unrelated today could support incredible ideas later. This has probably happened to everyone reading this post, and the lesson here is that just because something doesn't seem relevant to you now doesn't mean that it doesn't have value. To take it a step further, if you absorb a lot of information, the chance of cashing in on beneficial consilience later goes up.
"I'm super busy already. It's not worth the time."
By building up your internal knowledge base, you can have this information on hand when you need it -- a potential ace up your sleeve. Whether it helps you overcome a particular challenge with your job, gives you a bit more polish to push you over the edge for a promotion, or introduces you to new concepts to help you shape career path, staying on top of the industry will have desirable long-term effects.
"I can't keep track of it all."
I think that part of the reason why some people don't aggressively stay informed is that it can be a bit intimidating. If you start reading any deep blog post from one of the online trade publications, you might immediately encounter company names you don't know, people you've never heard of, acronyms that aren't explained, and concepts that don't make sense.
Yes, there is an initial learning curve. It's almost like learning another language. You're not going to know every word. But if you take the time to investigate the topics that puzzle you, you'll become fluent in these areas over time, and it will become easier and easier to get through subsequent posts.
My advice is to not worry if reading a specific blog post or white paper is worth your time. Trust in the fact that the accumulated knowledge over time will benefit you in ways that you might not see right now.
It will be worth it, believe me.
Blogs and trade publications
Warning! With any presented information, there's an unavoidable slant no matter how much an author or speaker might try to keep the content objective. In some cases, the subjectivity of the analysis is the entire reason you might want to read what someone wrote. In other cases, at first glance, the material appears objective, but there's a hidden, deep intent to sway readers to a particular point of view, especially if it benefits the writer's own interests.
Sometimes I read the bio of an author first to better understand what could be under the surface before I even start with the main content. However, just because someone works at a certain company doesn't mean they can't be a good authority on a subject; they actually might be the absolute right person to learn from. But always keep a presenter or writer's role in mind when digesting their messages.
With that caveat in mind, it's amazing how much valuable knowledge is shared in blogs and trade publications. Every day you can find another "Top 10 Best Practices for..." or "7 Crucial Things to Know About..." Of course, you have to learn how to separate the clutter from the noise and the common knowledge from the truly new and compelling ideas. The only way to do that is to read a lot.
I try to read about 30 to 45 minutes a day, but I spread it out. In the morning, I skim through the headlines and click anything that looks interesting until I have a bunch of tabs open in my browser. Then I go back throughout the day whenever I need a quick break from my tasks or if I have a few minutes before my next meeting. If I find after a few paragraphs that the material isn't compelling or delivering on my expectations, I close that tab and move on to the next one. There are certainly days in which I am unable to spare the time to read, but it's not that hard to find 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes throughout the day at some point, and then 10 minutes before I leave for the night. It adds up!
Some of the different types of posts you'll find are:
- Industry coverage: A recap of an event or other newsworthy update such as a new product release.
- The business of this business: This is similar to industry coverage, but it's more about things such as the buying and selling of companies, stock price fluctuations and earnings calls, and when a big executive leaves Company A and joins Company B. It's good to learn the business of our business even if there isn't any information that you'll use immediately.
- Stats: These pieces might have some analysis but usually just present research either performed by the writer's organization or from another party. They generally contain proof points, charts, graphs, and infographics that you might find helpful later.
- Best practices: These how-to guides can be extremely useful. They usually contain lists of tips, some of which you might know and some of which you might not know. Even if you can just pick up a few nuggets of info, then it is worth reading.
- Point of view: These can be the most entertaining of all of the types of articles, especially when someone is really fired up on a topic and ranting. Sometimes even the back-and-forth in the comments section between the author and those with contradictory opinions can uncover deeper information.
- Outside your box: Some of the most educational posts are not even about this industry. I've read pieces on how to work in multi-generational workplaces, the best tips for business travel, or even life hacks to make you a happier person that have taught me more than any insider best practice guide. I recommend that you stay on the lookout for good sources of these posts and read any that catch your interest.
Tips on blogs
I have a separate free email account that I use for subscribing to blogs and newsletters. Some people subscribe using RSS readers, but I've found that if I miss a few days of feeds, the clutter can get overwhelming. I also have noted which writers I learn the most from or who, at the very least, entertain me while teaching. A few of those include Eric Picard, Avinash Kaushik, Tod Sacerdoti, Joanna O'Connell, Steve Smith -- all industry vets with unique points of view. These folks are absolute must-reads for me, along with about 20 other industry pundits. I urge you to seek out the thought leaders in your corner of the world and create your own must-read list.
White papers
Sometimes a blog post just isn't the right forum to explore weighty subjects, so long-form content such as white papers can cover complex ideas and present deep knowledge. I have a folder where I keep the very best white papers, and I find myself going back to them over the years as a great resource.
White papers generally involve multiple internal resources (writers, editors, graphic designers, promotion, etc.), so there's always a very specific goal in mind when these costs are required. Publishers might release them to drive traffic and newsletter subscriptions to their sites. Vendors might want to establish their strength in a certain area and tie back solutions to their product lines. Agencies could simply want to demonstrate their thought leadership in the marketplace. For research firms, these white papers are part of the packages their clients pay for.
Some of the types of white papers you'll find are:
Case studies and experiments
These can be the best sources of detailed, practical knowledge shared in our industry. Someone has an interesting premise and then attempts to prove or disprove that hypothesis via either analyzing historical data or setting up a test environment. A lot of interesting theories are presented in this industry, but we need the hard data to move those ideas from concepts to solid, actionable insights.
Aggregated research
These white papers take third-party research from various sources and build new, stronger ideas from them. For instance, "Winning in a Social Media World" or a similar title might borrow data, stats, and charts from already published reports and try to find trends in the data to help understand the world around us or plan for the future.
Best practice guides
Yes, the blogosphere is filled with how-to articles, but the longer, white paper format allows content publishers to build out these guides so they're not just quick bullet points of best practices. They can actually go in deep and spend some time dissecting the nitty gritty. A great best practice guide can be something you keep at your desk for months and share with colleagues.
The following are three superb white papers that I felt had a major impact on my industry point of view. As a white paper author myself, these examples remind me how to present ideas concisely, make definitive arguments, and, most importantly, be timely.
- How Online Advertising Works: Whither The Click?" from 2008 by Gian Fulgoni and the comScore team. In this white paper, Fulgoni made an impassioned plea for online advertisers to move away from the click (especially the last click) as the most important success metric and cites research from its influential "Natural Born Clickers" study.
- "The Future Of The Social Web" from 2009 by Jeremiah Owyang from Forrester Research. In this piece, Owyang outlined his now-famous five eras of the social web that helped marketers like me wrap our heads around the social media revolution spinning around us.
- "The Combined Impact of Search and Display Advertising" [PDF] from 2007 by Esco Strong and the Atlas Institute. In the mid-2000s, the research being put out by Atlas was some of the most well-read and quoted pieces in the industry. This white paper gave many marketers the fodder they needed to drive channel integration within their organizations in a time before standard measurement practices were able to support these notions.
Keep your own white paper library
For the past 10 years of my career, I have kept a folder of the very best white papers that have most affected the way I view marketing. Some of these are a bit outdated by now, but this library is one of my most valuable professional possessions and has been with me through four job changes. Start building yours today. Use a free, online storage service such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or Box so that you can access them from anywhere and easily share them out with your colleagues.
With conferences, the ball is in your court. You get out of them whatever you're willing to put in. If you're very passive and expect to just sit in sessions and get smarter through osmosis, you might learn something, but you're not taking full advantage of the opportunity at hand. These events are your chance to soak up knowledge, ask questions, and build your professional network. Jump in head first!
It is absolutely crucial that you make the most of your time at these events. When you add up the registration costs, hotels, airfares, meals, cabs, and, of course, the lost time from the work piling up in your inbox, you've literally wasted your time and your boss's money if you only go to the sessions.
Planning is key. Use the agenda to plan out your schedule. Look for sessions that interest you and read up on the topic as well as the presenters themselves. Sometimes the title of the session isn't that interesting but the speakers are. Most conferences have numerous tracks in multiple rooms, so you might have to run across a conference center in order to make the next session. The bottom line is that you should have a plan. You can always deviate from that plan but at least have your day filled before you get there.
Conferences with exhibitor sections (i.e., exposition halls) can be a great way to get introduced to new vendors or check out how your competitors are promoting themselves. I like to walk the show floor systematically and hit every booth. You never know when you're going to stumble over the next tool or meet a great contact who can provide tons of value even after the conference is over.
Be outgoing and don't be afraid to start conversations with strangers. Almost everyone is there for the same reason, and there's nothing like meeting people in person. You can build a long, professional relationship over lunch or coffee. My favorite ice-breaker is, "So, are you getting what you hoped for out of the show?" If it's a yes, then you can chat about what the person heard and what good sessions he or she attended. If it's a no, then you can talk about why the conference is terrible and that can be a great conversation starter too.
I also try to schedule meetings with clients or professional colleagues who I know are attending the shows. They don't have to be elaborate dinners. They could just be coffee in the morning or an invitation to sit together during lunch and chat. I have also reached out to presenters I find interesting and asked if they have any free time to meet up.
Special tip: Attend OMMA conferences from home
I'd like to personally thank MediaPost for the wonderful content over the last few years as it has begun streaming its OMMA conferences via Ustream. Folks, if you aren't hip to these free, live streams from the shows, I would make sure you're on the list to receive the notices of when these are taking place. I usually log on, put on my headphones, and keep working until I hear something interesting. Then I switch over to that window and watch for a few minutes.
More tips on conferences
A week or so before the conference, I usually print out the agenda and any relevant maps and materials. Get to the hottest sessions early to get a good seat, as you don't want to be one of the folks standing or sitting in the aisles. I don't need to be in the front row, but I like to be close enough to read small font on the slides. It's OK to work right up until the session begins, but when it starts, show respect to the presenters by closing your laptop and listening. Unless you have a fire burning back at the office, you owe it to yourself to give your full attention.
Make sure to pack a water bottle and some granola bars or other power snacks. Sometimes getting to food can be difficult, or you simply don't want to stop. Prices for food can also be outrageous inside conference centers, so don't waste your per diem on $10 hot dogs.
Miscellaneous sources of information
Your own network
Crowdsource it! Your peers and industry colleagues can share a wealth of information on news and trends. Over the years, I've created my own network of deep field experts to whom I'm able to ask very specific questions when I find myself stumped. I have about a dozen of the smartest pros with whom I've cultivated this kind of professional relationship. It includes a social guru, a video guru, a mobile guru, etc., and I have often shot out a quick text or email five minutes before going into an important meeting and had the answer arrive just as I needed it. It's a give-and-take relationship, as I make myself available to them whenever they have a knowledge gap in my areas of expertise.
Webinars are conference sessions that you can attend from your desk. They're almost always free as long as you are willing to give up your email address for their lead generation programs (yet another reason to have a dedicated email account for keeping informed). Try to find out before the webinar starts if the presenters will be sharing the slides after the presentation. If not, you might want to have a screen capture program ready if you see any visuals you'd like to download.
Trade associations
Industry groups such as the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO), and the Digital Analytics Association (DAA) have major education and research initiatives in their charters. Even if you're not a member, there's generally a lot of superb content that you can access. However, they generally keep the good stuff behind the pay wall to entice new memberships.
If white papers can go deeper into a topic than blog posts, then books are the ultimate deep dive. A book author has the ability to explore every theme of a subject and then offer multiple solutions. The only downside with books is that they take months to write, months to edit, months to print, etc., which means the information might be outdated by the time it gets to you. However, savvy writers know this and focus more on complex concepts instead of time-sensitive subject matter.
A book that stands out in my mind as truly revolutionary is "The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More" from 2006 by Wired editor Chris Anderson. I hear people frequently mention the long tail and probably don't know its origin even though the concept has become part of the industry lexicon.
Industry training
If you are looking to go beyond just being informed on a subject, you might want to invest in one of the formal training programs offered by various educational organizations. Some even offer certifications. Some of the best training can be found with trade associations -- or at the very least they can refer you to companies that support these educational programs.
However, if there isn't any budget available for this, check out some of free (or nearly free) video training available out there. For software on-demand video training, there's no better deal on the web than Lynda.com. For about $25 a month, you have access to literally thousands of hour so of training for common software such as Microsoft Office products, graphic and web design applications, etc. The trainers are top notch, and the platform couldn't be easier to use.
My general industry reading list
This is just my top-level reading list for articles, blogs, coverage, and links to white papers and conferences. For specific channels, such as search, social, mobile, analytics, etc., I have certain sites that are my favorites. For example, Search Engine Land is amazing for search engine marketing news, and AdExchanger does a great job covering the real-time buying (RTB) space.
In alphabetical order, my daily reading list includes the following general knowledge sites:
As I mentioned above, I subscribe using a dedicated email address, quickly skim through the headlines, click the links that interest me, and then fill in the small holes in my daily schedule by reading these tabs.
I keep a curated feed of the very best quotes, news, and stats I find while scouring the blogosphere at my@MediaTechGuy Twitter account. It's nice to see that others find it useful, but I use it mainly as a bookmarking system so I can go back and find articles that I find interesting and contain useful information.
My final best tip on staying informed: Become an informant yourself
There's no better way of growing your knowledge than by sharing your own expertise. In order to explain an advanced concept to someone else, you have to really understand it yourself. Writing -- especially having a deadline with your own blog or for an external publication -- can dramatically develop and refine your point of view. It gets you thinking deep about topics important to the industry, which is valuable considering we are all busy in this industry and rarely have time to prioritize self-reflection.
So, if you have ever had any interest in writing, I urge you to take the next step and try it. Not only will you be able to teach others, but you'll also end up learning something yourself.
Josh Dreller is director of marketing research at Kenshoo.
On Twitter? Follow Dreller at @mediatechguy. Follow iMedia Connection at @iMediaTweet.
"A business man is looking down at his feet with a red race line" image via Shutterstock.
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subset: commoncrawl


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The SF K Files is a place for parents who are seeking a school in San Francisco. The site offers up reviews of public, private and charter schools, as well as lots of advice and opinions from the community.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
PPSSF answers your questions about Round II and the Wait Pool
"It was an up-and-coming school, a lot like Sunnyside is now," she says. "When we got it, we were initially disappointed because we had really wanted our child to attend an immersion program and be 'a bilingual citizen of the world.' But we went for it, and the school has been everything we hoped it would be and more."
I started our discussion with the question that's keeping me up at night: Should I wait pool at Alice Fong Yu?
"You really need to think about that," Rossiter advised. "Last year, 80 people were on the wait pool at Alice Fong Yu, so your chances of getting in are low. You risk giving up an opportunity of going to another school. But at the same time you don't want to settle."
Rossiter sensed my utter disappointment and said, "Let me give you an analogy. It might help. When you're pregnant and until you know the baby's gender, you're having both. You can dream about life with your little boy one minute and life with your little girl the next. Once you find out the gender, whether it's at an ultrasound or at birth, you have to let go of the other one. It feels like a bit of a loss. Soon after, though, you realize that your life is all about the baby you got. You couldn't imagine anything else."
I also asked Rossiter a bunch of questions that came from SF K Files visitors. Here's a rundown:
Does it seem like a lot of families didn't get any of their seven schools?
Yes, this year the number certainly feels high. Last year and the year before we waited for the phone to ring and it rarely rang. The past few days the phones have been ringing nonstop. We've haven't experienced this level of activity in a few years. Apparently, 300 people were sitting at the EPC [educational placement center] at 8 a.m. on Monday morning.
If we request to be placed in a wait pool for our No. 1 choice, do we leave that school off our amended list?
Yes. You get your wait pool plus seven more schools. Your wait pool selection is considered your top choice. The amended list is your opportunity to expand your list—to opt for schools where your odds might be better. You need to start looking at up-and-coming schools. The wait pool choices are run before the amended lists, so if you want to try for a high demand school such as Rooftop you should list it as your wait pool option not on your amended list.
So what are those up-and-coming schools?
A few that come to mind are Harvey Milk, New Traditions, Sunnyside, Marshall, Sutro, Jose Ortega, and Francis Scott Key. We're waiting to review a document that the district will make available on Thursday at the first counseling session. It's last year's wait pool requests sorted according to wait pool demand. Schools with zero wait pool requests last year may be potential amended choice possibilities. But you have to weigh that data against this year's Round I demand data to gauge the "tipping point". For example, last year, Peabody showed zero people in the wait pool, but for two years in a row, Peabody has shown spikes in Round I enrollment requests, so it might not be an obvious amended choice anymore".
In terms of the wait pool, how do I know where my odds will be better?
You can find last year's Round II wait pool data and this year's Round I demand data on the Parents for Public Schools and SFUSD Web sites.
Is the wait pool first-come first-serve?
No. It's run just like the lottery in Round I. You don't get any special priority if you turned in your wait pool on Monday morning. You really should take the time you need to think about your situation. You have about two weeks to look at schools, since spring break starts on March 21. You should also talk to other parents at schools that interest you.
Can I change my wait pool request?
Parents can change their wait pool requests as many times as they want. Knowing this can be helpful in case you wish to change your wait pool school to one with better odds. Additionally, if your name comes up and you are assigned to your wait pool school, you will lose your spot at your current school of assignment—so make sure you really want a different school! If you are not assigned your wait pool school in this next run, then you will remain on the wait pool until one of two things occur: 1) you get assigned to your wait pool school; 2) you remove your name; or e) the wait pools are dissolved at the end of September.
Does registering at your assigned school affect your chances of getting into your wait pool or amended application schools?
No. Registering at your school holds your spot. The computer doesn't know whether or not you enrolled, so it doesn't factor into you're assignment.
If you know that you don't want a school should you enroll?
This is a hard one to answer. You may not be excited about the school now, but giving up a spot means your child is without a school. If you're absolutely certain that you don't want that school then you can consider releasing a spot that someone else may want. But before you entirely write off a school, especially one that you haven't even toured, you should visit.
It's great that parents are following our advice by exploring new school options and touring their assigned schools; however, we want to remind everyone to be sensitive to the fact that all schools are working hard to serve the children that attend them. Even if a school is not the right fit for your child or family, please try to hold back your negative comments.
Is our original application now void?
The computer will always know if you applied on time, which round, and what your priority cohort is. Your Round I application only affects you in terms of whether or not it was in on time and whether or not you received any of your choices.
How important is neighborhood preference in determining my school assignment?
Neighborhood preference has very little influence on you're assignment. The Student Assignment System considers a few factors to try to create balance in the schools (socio-economic status, language spoken at home and whether the child attended preschool or not). Choosing your neighborhood school won't help your chances if you don't meet criteria they are seeking to balance the schools, especially if it is a high demand school. It always comes back to supply and demand.
Is there a human factor involved in who gets picked out of the wait pool? Does calling the principal help?
No. The school sites have no Influence on your placement The district Educational Placement Center (EPC) handles the process. If you are still without a school and have questions after the Round II letters go out at the end of April, you are welcome to go the EPC. Create a relationship with a counselor there and feel free to check in with him from time to time about the status of the wait pool.
Do we need to attend a counseling session if we know what school we want to put down on our wait list?
No. Attending the counseling session is not a requirement of the Round II process. They're set up so a bulk of people can ask questions, get a lot of information at once, and fill out forms. It's also a chance to meet PPS Parent Ambassadors, parents who will be there to tell you about their schools -- schools you may want to consider in the second round.
Can someone post a list of the schools that have openings for Round 2, or must I go to a counseling session to see it?
All we have is data from this year's Round I demand and a snap shot from last year's wait pool, which you can find on the Parents for Public Schools Web site. You can use these two documents together to evaluate trends and help determine your odds. In May the EPC will publish a list of wait pool requests from this year.
What if I want to tour a school and the school isn't offering them?
Call Parents for Public Schools. We will connect you with a PPS Parent Ambassador representing the school.
Does the district plan to add more immersion programs?
Not this year. Currently, they're evaluating language programming in general, including immersion models and considering other languages and programs besides immersion. Also, they need to set up more programs in the middle schools and high school to accommodate the current elementary students in immersion.
We are trying to decide whether to put our #3 choice as our wait pool choice (small, neighborhood school, better chance of getting in), or our #1 choice (very high in demand, but some parents may choose private and spaces may open up). We'd be quite happy with our #3 choice, but also can't quite give up yet on #1 or #2. What should I do?
The best thing to do would be to look at last year's Wait Pool data and use that to inform your decision and figure out which way to go. This goes back to the tough decision about whether to "shoot for the moon" or play it safe. Rossiter said, "If it were me, and I knew I would be happy at the school that has better odds, I would choose #3 for my wait pool choice. I would want to avoid being without a school again after this round"
We did not save our original application, which is listed as one of the documents we need to register. Does anyone know if we can register without it?
Yes, try to register at the school. If you're having a hard time registering at the school, you can do it through the EPC.
At the end of our conversation Rossiter added:
"Many rumors, myths and misinformation have been spreading around blogs and list serves. Please read the SFUSD Enrollment Guide, pages 33-36 (available at www.sfusd.edu or any school) and PPS' "tips" at www.ppssf.org to get clear, correct information about the round II enrollment process."
17 comments:
- AnonymousMarch 12, 2008 at 3:02 PM
My daughter won't attend Kindergarten until next year, but I've been reading your blog nonstop to get some insight into what lies ahead. Thanks Kate for providing so much valuable information. I hope you will continue your blog through the summer and even into your daughter's first year of school. Can you archive it for future K parents? This interview, for example, is so useful - and I'll really need it a year from now!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 12, 2008 at 3:33 PM
i'm torn between 2 schools, so let me ask this:ReplyDelete
Imagine I waitlist at "School A" and list "School B" in the top spot on my round 2 application.
if a slot opens up at "A," am i assigned that school automatically, such that i now have NO CHANCE of getting "B"?
or is my Round 2 application still processed? if i get into "B" then, would i then have chance to really choose between "A" and "B"
sorry if this question has already been answered previously!
- Mark JeffriesMarch 12, 2008 at 3:55 PM
I would like to put in a little plug for Marshall Elementary, one of the "up and comers" that Ellie mentioned in the article. We are a small (only 240 students) Spanish Immersion school in the middle of the Mission district. We have a focus on Biliteracy, Bilingualism, and the Life Sciences. My two kids have been in the program for several years, and we feel that they are getting a solid education, where they are gaining the ability to think, express and do in both Spanish and English. We are always on the lookout for English speaking parents who want to check out what Spanish Immersion has to offer. (don't worry if you are not fluent in Spanish, there are resources available!)ReplyDelete
We are open for touring tomorrow, March 13, at 10:00 AM. Come check us out!
Marshall Elementary
1575 15th St. (near Capp)
Mark Jeffires
Marshall Dad
SF-AME Member
PPS-SF Board Member
- AnonymousMarch 12, 2008 at 4:07 PM
WARNING: this is not expert commentary and does not constitute advice...ReplyDelete
Waitlists are run before the amended apps. In the above scenario, if you got your waitlist choice A, your name would be removed from the amended app run, therefore you have no chance at B from that approach.
On the other hand, I believe that the district is being purposefully unclear with the below statements, in order to scare people into not trying to hog too many seats before deciding.
ATTENTION: If we are able to assign your child to one of your newly requested school(s), the new assignment will replace your previously accepted school.
If I register at a school but also choose to apply for a Waiting Pool at another school, I can then choose between either school if I receive an assignment offer to the Waiting Pool school.
• False – Waiting Pool schools are considered first choice schools. If you receive a space in the school through the waiting pool run, your previous school assignment will be cancelled. If you change your mind about your waiting pool school, please notify EPC in writing to remove your name from the waiting pool. "
Registering at your school holds your spot. The computer doesn't know whether or not you enrolled
The computer can't enroll you in a school Neither can it unenroll you from a school. So while "your previous school assignment will be cancelled," your enrollment won't! For example, if you get your waitlist choice in the 10-day period after school has started but find you like where you are enrolled, you stay. It happens all the time. The district doesn't yank you out and make you go to your waitlist school. They move on to the next person.
Enrollment is power.
- AnonymousMarch 12, 2008 at 4:16 PM
Can I get clarification:ReplyDelete
I got 0 for 7. If I get one of my amended choices, am I still in the preferred group for my waitpool choice? Or do I lose that edge?
- AnonymousMarch 12, 2008 at 4:17 PM
I think this last poster is correct--but obviously it would be important to know for sure! PPS people, can you clarify this? I can see why the district would not want people "hogging" spots or whatever, but this would be an important strategy for many folks.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 12, 2008 at 5:12 PM
Does anyone know:ReplyDelete
They use the diversity index AND the 10 priority groups in the wait pool. But which one do they apply first? Do they (using, say, Clarendon's wait pool as an example), assign the first poor-housing-project kid they can find, starting by looking in pool #1 (Medical Appeals) and proceeding through pool #10 until they find one? OR do they begin by looking in pool #1 to find a poor-housing-project kid, proceeding through pool #1 until anyone from that pool, regardless of their diversity-index score, will do (because Medical Appeals trumps all)?
Ah hell, probably don't matter anyway...
- AnonymousMarch 12, 2008 at 7:30 PM
I've found the data for last year's May 2007 and June 2007 wait pool counts on the EPC website (http://portal.sfusd.edu/template/?page=policy.placement.round_one). What I can't seem to locate is outcome. Specifically, how many people ultimately made it from the waitpool to an assignment after each phase, or even after the 10 day count. Does that data exist?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 12, 2008 at 9:05 PM
If I'm getting all the facts about the waitlist pools and amended applications in my head straight, then it appears that Round II is run very differently than Round 1. Waitlist pools are run before the amended lists in Round II, right? So it seems to me that if you really want to get into an oversubscribed school, your only chance is to list it as your one and only Waitlist School as the number of people in the waitlist pools exceeds the probable number of spaces that would open up.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 12, 2008 at 9:44 PM
Hi Everyone. Thanks for your comments. This is Ellie Rossiter (PPS) responding to some of the clarifying inquiries mentioned here. I don't always get to this blog, and there are SO MANY questions. Please feel free to contact me directly at firstname.lastname@example.com and leave your phone number. Some of these questions are easier to answer in person -- especially when dealing with scenarios and specific schools.ReplyDelete
But I'll give some of it a go -- Assuming the scenario is this: 1) you registered at your designated school. 2) you chose a wait pool school -- your highest choice 3) you listed up to seven additional schools with good odds on your amended application, then here's what happens, assuming you get none of your additional school selections again: you remain in your designated school -- the one you registered for. And your name remains on the wait pool school throughout the summer and into September unless 1) you get your wait pool school, 2) you take your name off the list 3) the lists are dissolved at the end of Sept. Your seven amended schools are no longer considered after this next run. However, Open Enrollment begins in June. During this time, you may opt to take a school that you prefer over your current designated school and still remain in the wait pool for the school you want. You can also change you wait pool school at any time if you feel you want to increase your odds.
Here's the bottom line: 1) a child can not be assigned to more than one school -- that's why you lose your spot in one when you are assigned to another and 2) if you get your wait pool school, it's over because you got what you wanted.
One person asked, if they get an amended choice, do they still carry the priority cohort in future runs? Yes. Your cohort will not change throughout the rest of the process.
A note on Wait Pool vs. Amended Applications -- Wait Pools are run before Amended applications, so yes to one blogger -- don't bother putting a highly requested school on the amended application -- it's sure to be taken by someone else's wait pool. the Amended apps are meant to expand your options -- to try for a school that you feel is a better fit than the one you were designated.
Also, keep in mind that most parents get what they want if they stick with the process, and there are great schools out there with good odds. So hang in there!
- AnonymousMarch 12, 2008 at 9:48 PM
I toured Sunnyside yesterday and registered my daughter today. I was pleasantly surprised by the calm and friendly nature of the school and the family feel between principal, teachers, children and parents.ReplyDelete
The strengths of Sunnyside... small and cozy school in a nice and mellow neighborhood. Many new teachers and a principal who seems committed to continuing to improve the school and who welcomes and encourages parent participation. Decent test scores (mid 700's). Diverse student population. Strong after school program with on-site Y program with flexible spending options. Lots of room for parent involvement, new ideas and fundraising. Lots of enrichment programs and a new play structure in the yard.
On the downside... parent participation could be improved upon although it seems that most families are dual-working and don't have as much time/resources to contribute. While principal has been infusing new teachers into the school... school could benefit from more movement.
Overall I feel that Sunnyside is ripe with possibilities. I firmly believe that we could make Sunnyside an amazing school (it's already pretty great). I encourage you to take a look at this school and to keep posting your experiences. Would love to hear other opinions.
- AnonymousMarch 13, 2008 at 8:08 AM
We just registered our daughter at Sunnyside as well. We're excited about the potential of the school and I hope more kinder parents will be involved this coming school year. I know we will.ReplyDelete
I think they're having an open house this evening.
anyone look at Jose Ortega-Mandarin Immersion or Sutro?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 13, 2008 at 9:27 AM
Here's the bottom line: 1) a child can not be assigned to more than one school -- that's why you lose your spot in one when you are assigned to anotherReplyDelete
Sorry, this still sounds like rhetoric to me. You can't have two assignments. You can't have two enrollments. But assignment and enrollment are two different things. You cannot be forced to unenroll from one school just because you were assigned to a different one after the fact.
- AnonymousMarch 13, 2008 at 9:41 AM
We looked at Jose Ortega Mandarin immersion and liked it a lot. We listed it #5 and would have been pleased to be there. Principal came up through the ranks and I've heard very good things about her from people who have worked with the school and people who work for the District. Active PTA, though I don't remember that they were able to raise a lot of money. Teachers were very impressive. Seemed like a very warm, cohesive place. The Mandarin program is small, just one class, which has its advantages and disadvantages. The K was only half full this year but I suspect next year's will probably fill.ReplyDelete
Was Jose Ortega a uniform wearing school and did they have many extra enrichment programs or an after-school program?ReplyDelete
I am considering it for Round 2, although a friend of mine toured it and said I wouldn't be happy there.
I guess it might be hard to compare it once you had your heart set on AFY.
- AnonymousApril 27, 2009 at 8:15 PM


text:
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