Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

o, you're a kids' festival artistic director looking for Sustainable artists and performers?

 

Only a few BC artists and performers can truly walk (ride) their talk.

 

There are a few singers and actors who sing and dance about forests and foxes. However, only a few entertainers have arrived to the Surrey, Whistler, and Canmore children's festivals with "hardware" and vehicles that are based on their own alternative-energy inventions and devices. Only a few BC artists and performers can truly walk (ride) their talk. Here they are, in this blog. They even have a trained trick bird show which supports the use of rescued birds.

 

Please click on underlined text for hypertext links to photos, webpages, TV, news clippings and video clips.

 

What are some of these energy devices and vehicles? They include a Revived Battery Electric Pickup Truck, the Mystery Electric Scooter, and one of the Tap Water Scooters that are running around in British Columbia.

  

What "hardware" did these artists, singers, and performer use at the Canmore, Whistler, Surrey, and Harrison Hot Springs children's festivals? Check out their performance videos, with the underlined links herein this blog, including an environmental recycling edu-tainment magic show at a community festival; a Catch & Release Balloon Fishing Conservation Show; solar voice-activated robot games, the Solar-Powered Bubble Machines.

       

Previous Media Coverage

At the Greater Vancouver Zoo's anniversary

At the BC Gifted Childrens Assn of BC special event

Fairchild TV broadcast (in Chinese)

City TV Breakfast Television with Tasha Chiu

Canada Day solar twist in North Vancouver Outlook

The Republic - sustainable events at shopping malls

Meadowridge School homecoming

Watershed-Sentinel magazine

Fire Prevention event for Lougheed mall in a Burnaby newspaper

        

Community Resources

 

Here are links to local community resources that may be of interest to you.

 

ArtStarts in Schools www.artstarts.com

 

Alliance for Arts and Culture www.allianceforarts.com

 

Vancouver YWCA Healthy Start for Children www.ywcavan.org

 

British Columbia Arts Council www.bcartscouncil.ca

 

British Columbia Music Educators' Association www.bctf.bc.ca

 

British Columbia Touring Council www.bctouring.org

 

Coalition for Music Education in British Columbia bcmusiccoalition.homestead.com

 

CAPACOA Canadian Arts Presenting Association/l'Association canadienne des organismes artistiques www.capacoa.ca

 

Canada Council Performing Arts Directories www.canadacouncil.ca

 

Vancouver City of Festivals www.vancouverfestivals.com

 

International

Asia-Pacific Producers, Presenters and Promoters Network

www.appnarts.net

 

ASSITEJ International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People www.assitej.org

 

International Performing Arts for Youth www.ipayweb.org

     

Children's Festival Network Here is a contact list of children's festivals in Canada, U.S.A. and around the world.

 

CANADA

 

VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 17-24, 2010

402-873 Beatty Street, Vancouver BC V6B 2M6

Phone: (604) 708-5655 Fax: (604) 708-5661

www.childrensfestival.ca

 

VANCOUVER ISLAND INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 7-9, 2009

Contact: Bobbi Kurtz

PO Box 197, Stn. A, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K9

Phone: (250) 754-3378 Fax: (250) 754-4878

www.childrensfestival.com

 

CANMORE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 16-17, 2008

Contact: Chris Bartolmie Burr

1900 8th Avenue, Canmore, AB T1W 1Y2

Phone: (403) 678-1878 Fax: (403) 678-6661

www.canmorechildrensfestival.com

 

CALGARY INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 19-23, 2009

Contact: Kate Newby

EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts, 205 - 8th Ave. SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0K9

Phone: (403) 294-7414 Fax: (403) 294-7425

www.calgarychildfest.org

 

OKANAGAN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 21-23, 2009

Contact: Gord Osland

#202 - 69 Nanaimo Avenue East, Penticton, BC V2A 1M1

Phone: (250) 493-8800 Fax: (250) 493-8825

www.okchildrensfest.org

 

NORTHERN ALBERTA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 26-30, 2009

Contact: Nancy Abrahamson

Contact: Troy Funk

5 St. Anne St, St. Albert, AB T8N 3Z9

Phone: (780) 459-1542 Fax: (780) 458-5417

www.childfest.com

 

OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE LA JEUNESSE D'OTTAWA

May 27-31, 2009

Contact: Catherine O'Grady

61A York St., Ottawa, Ontario K1N 5T2

Phone: (613) 241-0999 Fax: (613) 241-5774

www.ottawachildrensfestival.ca

 

SURREY CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 28-30, 2009

Contact: Marnie Perrin

Surrey Arts Centre, 13750 - 88th Avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 3L1

Phone: (604) 501-5583

www.surreychildrensfestival.ca

 

SASKATCHEWAN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 2-6, 2009

Contact: Shauna Bradford-Wilson

#706A - 601 Spadina Crescent East, Saskatoon SK S7K 3G8

Phone: (306) 664-3378 Fax: (306) 664-2344

www.saskatchewanchildrensfestival.ca

 

LONDON INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 3-7, 2009

Contact: Rebecca Vergunst

#2 - 515 Richmond St., London ON N6A 5N4

Phone: (519) 645-6739 Fax: (519) 645-7245

www.londonchildfest.com

 

WINNIPEG INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 4-7, 2009

Contact: Neal Rempel

201 - One Forks Market Road, Winnipeg, MB R3C 4L9

Phone: (204) 958-4730 Fax: (204) 943-7915

www.kidsfest.ca

 

WHISTLER CHILDREN'S ARTS FESTIVAL

July 11-12, 2009

Contact: Traci Despatis

Box 383, Whistler, BC V0N 1B0

Phone: (604) 938-9221 Fax: (604) 938-9241

www.whistlerartscouncil.com

 

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DES ARTS JEUNE PUBLIC/MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

November 17-30, 2008

Contact: Remi Boucher

1908 rue Panet, Suite 403, Montreal, QC H2L 3A2

Phone: (514) 499-2929 Fax: (514) 499-1400

www.coupsdetheatre.com

  

U.S.A.

 

PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FEST FOR CHILDREN

May 7-9, 2008

Contact: Dr. Michael J. Rose

Annenberg Center, University of Pennsylvania

3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6219

Phone: (215) 898-5828 Fax: (215) 898-7249

www.pennpresents.org

 

SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 11-16, 2009 (Seattle) May 18, 2009 (Tacoma)

Contact: Brian Faker or Andrea Wagner

305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA 98109

Phone: (206) 684-7338 Fax: (206) 233-3944

www.seattleinternational.org

 

PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S THEATRE FESTIVAL

May 13-17, 2009

Contact: Pamela Lieberman

182 Allegheny Center Mall, Pittsburgh, PA 15212-5337

Phone: (412) 321-5520 Fax: (412) 321-5212

www.pghkids.org

 

FLINT HILLS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 26-31, 2009

Contact: Kirstin Wiegmann

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

345 Washington Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102-1495

Phone: (651) 282-3035 Fax: (651) 224-5319

www.ordway.org/festival/

  

INTERNATIONAL

 

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

March 7-17, 2009

Contact: Ruby Lim-Yang

ACT 3 International, 126 Cairnhill Road, Singapore 229707

Phone: 65-6735-9986 Fax: 65-6736-1196

www.childrenfirst.com.sg

 

CAPITAL E NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL

March 9-21, 2009 (biennial)

Contact: Stuart Grant

P.O. Box 3386, Civic Square, Wellington 6003, New Zealand

Phone: 64-4-9133724 Fax: 64-4-9133735

www.capitale.org.nz

 

AGOR DRYSAU - OPENING DOORS

WALES INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

March 11-15, 2008 (biennial)

Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch

Contact: Jeremy Turner, Director

Stryd y Baddon, Aberystwyth, SY23 2NN, Wales

Phone: 44-1970-617998 Fax: 44-1970-611223

www.agordrysau-openingdoors.org

 

COME OUT - AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

May 18-30, 2009

Contact: Jason Cross

P.O. Box 569, North Adelaide, South Australia 5006

Phone: 61-8-8267-5766 Fax: 61-8-8267-5038

www.comeout.on.net

 

BELFAST CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 23 - June 1, 2008

Contact: Ali FitzGibbon

Young at Art, 15 Church Street, Belfast BT1 1PG

Phone: 44-28-9023-0660

www.belfastchildrensfestival.com

 

BANK OF SCOTLAND IMAGINATE FESTIVAL

May 26 - June 1, 2009

Contact: Tony Reekie

45A George St., Edinburgh, Scotland EH2 2HT

Phone: 44-131-225-8050 Fax: 44-131-225 6440

www.imaginate.org.uk

 

CIAO! Festival

June 6-9, 2008

Contact: Karen Draisey

7 Newtec Place, Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE

Phone: 44-1865-790933

www.ciaofestival.org.uk

 

SPREACHA INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

June 8-14, 2009

Contact: Emer McGowan

Draiocht, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland

Phone: 44-353-1-885-2610 Fax: 44-353-1-824-3434

www.draiocht.ie

 

HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL ARTS CARNIVAL

July 11 - August 17, 2008

Contact: Karen Lee

Level 5, Admin Bldg, HKCC

10 Salisbury Road, Tsimshatsui

Kowloon, Hong Kong

Phone: 852-2370-1044 Fax: 852-2371-4171

www.hkiac.gov.hk

 

ABERDEEN INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL

July 29 - August 8, 2009

Contact: Stewart Aitken

Custom House, 35 Regent Quay, Aberdeen, Scotland AB11 5BE

Phone: 44-1224-213800 Fax: 44-1224-213833

www.aberdeenfestival.ning.com

 

BABORO INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

October 12-18, 2009

Contact: Lali Morris

Hynes Building, St Clare's Walk, Merchants Road, Galway, Ireland

Phone: 353-91-562-667 Fax: 353-91-562-642

www.baboro.ie

 

AWESOME FESTIVAL

November 16-25, 2008

Contact: Carol Brearley

GPO Box Z5298, St.Georges Terrace, Perth, Western Australia 6831

Phone: 61-8-9485-0560 Fax: 61-8-

   

o, you're a kids' festival artistic director looking for Sustainable artists and performers?

 

Only a few BC artists and performers can truly walk (ride) their talk.

 

There are a few singers and actors who sing and dance about forests and foxes. However, only a few entertainers have arrived to the Surrey, Whistler, and Canmore children's festivals with "hardware" and vehicles that are based on their own alternative-energy inventions and devices. Only a few BC artists and performers can truly walk (ride) their talk. Here they are, in this blog. They even have a trained trick bird show which supports the use of rescued birds.

 

Please click on underlined text for hypertext links to photos, webpages, TV, news clippings and video clips.

 

What are some of these energy devices and vehicles? They include a Revived Battery Electric Pickup Truck, the Mystery Electric Scooter, and one of the Tap Water Scooters that are running around in British Columbia.

  

What "hardware" did these artists, singers, and performer use at the Canmore, Whistler, Surrey, and Harrison Hot Springs children's festivals? Check out their performance videos, with the underlined links herein this blog, including an environmental recycling edu-tainment magic show at a community festival; a Catch & Release Balloon Fishing Conservation Show; solar voice-activated robot games, the Solar-Powered Bubble Machines.

       

Previous Media Coverage

At the Greater Vancouver Zoo's anniversary

At the BC Gifted Childrens Assn of BC special event

Fairchild TV broadcast (in Chinese)

City TV Breakfast Television with Tasha Chiu

Canada Day solar twist in North Vancouver Outlook

The Republic - sustainable events at shopping malls

Meadowridge School homecoming

Watershed-Sentinel magazine

Fire Prevention event for Lougheed mall in a Burnaby newspaper

        

Community Resources

 

Here are links to local community resources that may be of interest to you.

 

ArtStarts in Schools www.artstarts.com

 

Alliance for Arts and Culture www.allianceforarts.com

 

Vancouver YWCA Healthy Start for Children www.ywcavan.org

 

British Columbia Arts Council www.bcartscouncil.ca

 

British Columbia Music Educators' Association www.bctf.bc.ca

 

British Columbia Touring Council www.bctouring.org

 

Coalition for Music Education in British Columbia bcmusiccoalition.homestead.com

 

CAPACOA Canadian Arts Presenting Association/l'Association canadienne des organismes artistiques www.capacoa.ca

 

Canada Council Performing Arts Directories www.canadacouncil.ca

 

Vancouver City of Festivals www.vancouverfestivals.com

 

International

Asia-Pacific Producers, Presenters and Promoters Network

www.appnarts.net

 

ASSITEJ International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People www.assitej.org

 

International Performing Arts for Youth www.ipayweb.org

     

Children's Festival Network Here is a contact list of children's festivals in Canada, U.S.A. and around the world.

 

CANADA

 

VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 17-24, 2010

402-873 Beatty Street, Vancouver BC V6B 2M6

Phone: (604) 708-5655 Fax: (604) 708-5661

www.childrensfestival.ca

 

VANCOUVER ISLAND INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 7-9, 2009

Contact: Bobbi Kurtz

PO Box 197, Stn. A, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K9

Phone: (250) 754-3378 Fax: (250) 754-4878

www.childrensfestival.com

 

CANMORE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 16-17, 2008

Contact: Chris Bartolmie Burr

1900 8th Avenue, Canmore, AB T1W 1Y2

Phone: (403) 678-1878 Fax: (403) 678-6661

www.canmorechildrensfestival.com

 

CALGARY INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 19-23, 2009

Contact: Kate Newby

EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts, 205 - 8th Ave. SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0K9

Phone: (403) 294-7414 Fax: (403) 294-7425

www.calgarychildfest.org

 

OKANAGAN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 21-23, 2009

Contact: Gord Osland

#202 - 69 Nanaimo Avenue East, Penticton, BC V2A 1M1

Phone: (250) 493-8800 Fax: (250) 493-8825

www.okchildrensfest.org

 

NORTHERN ALBERTA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 26-30, 2009

Contact: Nancy Abrahamson

Contact: Troy Funk

5 St. Anne St, St. Albert, AB T8N 3Z9

Phone: (780) 459-1542 Fax: (780) 458-5417

www.childfest.com

 

OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE LA JEUNESSE D'OTTAWA

May 27-31, 2009

Contact: Catherine O'Grady

61A York St., Ottawa, Ontario K1N 5T2

Phone: (613) 241-0999 Fax: (613) 241-5774

www.ottawachildrensfestival.ca

 

SURREY CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 28-30, 2009

Contact: Marnie Perrin

Surrey Arts Centre, 13750 - 88th Avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 3L1

Phone: (604) 501-5583

www.surreychildrensfestival.ca

 

SASKATCHEWAN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 2-6, 2009

Contact: Shauna Bradford-Wilson

#706A - 601 Spadina Crescent East, Saskatoon SK S7K 3G8

Phone: (306) 664-3378 Fax: (306) 664-2344

www.saskatchewanchildrensfestival.ca

 

LONDON INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 3-7, 2009

Contact: Rebecca Vergunst

#2 - 515 Richmond St., London ON N6A 5N4

Phone: (519) 645-6739 Fax: (519) 645-7245

www.londonchildfest.com

 

WINNIPEG INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 4-7, 2009

Contact: Neal Rempel

201 - One Forks Market Road, Winnipeg, MB R3C 4L9

Phone: (204) 958-4730 Fax: (204) 943-7915

www.kidsfest.ca

 

WHISTLER CHILDREN'S ARTS FESTIVAL

July 11-12, 2009

Contact: Traci Despatis

Box 383, Whistler, BC V0N 1B0

Phone: (604) 938-9221 Fax: (604) 938-9241

www.whistlerartscouncil.com

 

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DES ARTS JEUNE PUBLIC/MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

November 17-30, 2008

Contact: Remi Boucher

1908 rue Panet, Suite 403, Montreal, QC H2L 3A2

Phone: (514) 499-2929 Fax: (514) 499-1400

www.coupsdetheatre.com

  

U.S.A.

 

PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FEST FOR CHILDREN

May 7-9, 2008

Contact: Dr. Michael J. Rose

Annenberg Center, University of Pennsylvania

3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6219

Phone: (215) 898-5828 Fax: (215) 898-7249

www.pennpresents.org

 

SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 11-16, 2009 (Seattle) May 18, 2009 (Tacoma)

Contact: Brian Faker or Andrea Wagner

305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA 98109

Phone: (206) 684-7338 Fax: (206) 233-3944

www.seattleinternational.org

 

PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S THEATRE FESTIVAL

May 13-17, 2009

Contact: Pamela Lieberman

182 Allegheny Center Mall, Pittsburgh, PA 15212-5337

Phone: (412) 321-5520 Fax: (412) 321-5212

www.pghkids.org

 

FLINT HILLS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 26-31, 2009

Contact: Kirstin Wiegmann

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

345 Washington Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102-1495

Phone: (651) 282-3035 Fax: (651) 224-5319

www.ordway.org/festival/

  

INTERNATIONAL

 

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

March 7-17, 2009

Contact: Ruby Lim-Yang

ACT 3 International, 126 Cairnhill Road, Singapore 229707

Phone: 65-6735-9986 Fax: 65-6736-1196

www.childrenfirst.com.sg

 

CAPITAL E NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL

March 9-21, 2009 (biennial)

Contact: Stuart Grant

P.O. Box 3386, Civic Square, Wellington 6003, New Zealand

Phone: 64-4-9133724 Fax: 64-4-9133735

www.capitale.org.nz

 

AGOR DRYSAU - OPENING DOORS

WALES INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

March 11-15, 2008 (biennial)

Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch

Contact: Jeremy Turner, Director

Stryd y Baddon, Aberystwyth, SY23 2NN, Wales

Phone: 44-1970-617998 Fax: 44-1970-611223

www.agordrysau-openingdoors.org

 

COME OUT - AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

May 18-30, 2009

Contact: Jason Cross

P.O. Box 569, North Adelaide, South Australia 5006

Phone: 61-8-8267-5766 Fax: 61-8-8267-5038

www.comeout.on.net

 

BELFAST CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 23 - June 1, 2008

Contact: Ali FitzGibbon

Young at Art, 15 Church Street, Belfast BT1 1PG

Phone: 44-28-9023-0660

www.belfastchildrensfestival.com

 

BANK OF SCOTLAND IMAGINATE FESTIVAL

May 26 - June 1, 2009

Contact: Tony Reekie

45A George St., Edinburgh, Scotland EH2 2HT

Phone: 44-131-225-8050 Fax: 44-131-225 6440

www.imaginate.org.uk

 

CIAO! Festival

June 6-9, 2008

Contact: Karen Draisey

7 Newtec Place, Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE

Phone: 44-1865-790933

www.ciaofestival.org.uk

 

SPREACHA INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

June 8-14, 2009

Contact: Emer McGowan

Draiocht, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland

Phone: 44-353-1-885-2610 Fax: 44-353-1-824-3434

www.draiocht.ie

 

HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL ARTS CARNIVAL

July 11 - August 17, 2008

Contact: Karen Lee

Level 5, Admin Bldg, HKCC

10 Salisbury Road, Tsimshatsui

Kowloon, Hong Kong

Phone: 852-2370-1044 Fax: 852-2371-4171

www.hkiac.gov.hk

 

ABERDEEN INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL

July 29 - August 8, 2009

Contact: Stewart Aitken

Custom House, 35 Regent Quay, Aberdeen, Scotland AB11 5BE

Phone: 44-1224-213800 Fax: 44-1224-213833

www.aberdeenfestival.ning.com

 

BABORO INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

October 12-18, 2009

Contact: Lali Morris

Hynes Building, St Clare's Walk, Merchants Road, Galway, Ireland

Phone: 353-91-562-667 Fax: 353-91-562-642

www.baboro.ie

 

AWESOME FESTIVAL

November 16-25, 2008

Contact: Carol Brearley

GPO Box Z5298, St.Georges Terrace, Perth, Western Australia 6831

Phone: 61-8-9485-0560 Fax: 61-8-

   

o, you're a kids' festival artistic director looking for Sustainable artists and performers?

 

Only a few BC artists and performers can truly walk (ride) their talk.

 

There are a few singers and actors who sing and dance about forests and foxes. However, only a few entertainers have arrived to the Surrey, Whistler, and Canmore children's festivals with "hardware" and vehicles that are based on their own alternative-energy inventions and devices. Only a few BC artists and performers can truly walk (ride) their talk. Here they are, in this blog. They even have a trained trick bird show which supports the use of rescued birds.

 

Please click on underlined text for hypertext links to photos, webpages, TV, news clippings and video clips.

 

What are some of these energy devices and vehicles? They include a Revived Battery Electric Pickup Truck, the Mystery Electric Scooter, and one of the Tap Water Scooters that are running around in British Columbia.

  

What "hardware" did these artists, singers, and performer use at the Canmore, Whistler, Surrey, and Harrison Hot Springs children's festivals? Check out their performance videos, with the underlined links herein this blog, including an environmental recycling edu-tainment magic show at a community festival; a Catch & Release Balloon Fishing Conservation Show; solar voice-activated robot games, the Solar-Powered Bubble Machines.

       

Previous Media Coverage

At the Greater Vancouver Zoo's anniversary

At the BC Gifted Childrens Assn of BC special event

Fairchild TV broadcast (in Chinese)

City TV Breakfast Television with Tasha Chiu

Canada Day solar twist in North Vancouver Outlook

The Republic - sustainable events at shopping malls

Meadowridge School homecoming

Watershed-Sentinel magazine

Fire Prevention event for Lougheed mall in a Burnaby newspaper

        

Community Resources

 

Here are links to local community resources that may be of interest to you.

 

ArtStarts in Schools www.artstarts.com

 

Alliance for Arts and Culture www.allianceforarts.com

 

Vancouver YWCA Healthy Start for Children www.ywcavan.org

 

British Columbia Arts Council www.bcartscouncil.ca

 

British Columbia Music Educators' Association www.bctf.bc.ca

 

British Columbia Touring Council www.bctouring.org

 

Coalition for Music Education in British Columbia bcmusiccoalition.homestead.com

 

CAPACOA Canadian Arts Presenting Association/l'Association canadienne des organismes artistiques www.capacoa.ca

 

Canada Council Performing Arts Directories www.canadacouncil.ca

 

Vancouver City of Festivals www.vancouverfestivals.com

 

International

Asia-Pacific Producers, Presenters and Promoters Network

www.appnarts.net

 

ASSITEJ International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People www.assitej.org

 

International Performing Arts for Youth www.ipayweb.org

     

Children's Festival Network Here is a contact list of children's festivals in Canada, U.S.A. and around the world.

 

CANADA

 

VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 17-24, 2010

402-873 Beatty Street, Vancouver BC V6B 2M6

Phone: (604) 708-5655 Fax: (604) 708-5661

www.childrensfestival.ca

 

VANCOUVER ISLAND INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 7-9, 2009

Contact: Bobbi Kurtz

PO Box 197, Stn. A, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K9

Phone: (250) 754-3378 Fax: (250) 754-4878

www.childrensfestival.com

 

CANMORE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 16-17, 2008

Contact: Chris Bartolmie Burr

1900 8th Avenue, Canmore, AB T1W 1Y2

Phone: (403) 678-1878 Fax: (403) 678-6661

www.canmorechildrensfestival.com

 

CALGARY INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 19-23, 2009

Contact: Kate Newby

EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts, 205 - 8th Ave. SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0K9

Phone: (403) 294-7414 Fax: (403) 294-7425

www.calgarychildfest.org

 

OKANAGAN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 21-23, 2009

Contact: Gord Osland

#202 - 69 Nanaimo Avenue East, Penticton, BC V2A 1M1

Phone: (250) 493-8800 Fax: (250) 493-8825

www.okchildrensfest.org

 

NORTHERN ALBERTA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 26-30, 2009

Contact: Nancy Abrahamson

Contact: Troy Funk

5 St. Anne St, St. Albert, AB T8N 3Z9

Phone: (780) 459-1542 Fax: (780) 458-5417

www.childfest.com

 

OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE LA JEUNESSE D'OTTAWA

May 27-31, 2009

Contact: Catherine O'Grady

61A York St., Ottawa, Ontario K1N 5T2

Phone: (613) 241-0999 Fax: (613) 241-5774

www.ottawachildrensfestival.ca

 

SURREY CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 28-30, 2009

Contact: Marnie Perrin

Surrey Arts Centre, 13750 - 88th Avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 3L1

Phone: (604) 501-5583

www.surreychildrensfestival.ca

 

SASKATCHEWAN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 2-6, 2009

Contact: Shauna Bradford-Wilson

#706A - 601 Spadina Crescent East, Saskatoon SK S7K 3G8

Phone: (306) 664-3378 Fax: (306) 664-2344

www.saskatchewanchildrensfestival.ca

 

LONDON INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 3-7, 2009

Contact: Rebecca Vergunst

#2 - 515 Richmond St., London ON N6A 5N4

Phone: (519) 645-6739 Fax: (519) 645-7245

www.londonchildfest.com

 

WINNIPEG INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 4-7, 2009

Contact: Neal Rempel

201 - One Forks Market Road, Winnipeg, MB R3C 4L9

Phone: (204) 958-4730 Fax: (204) 943-7915

www.kidsfest.ca

 

WHISTLER CHILDREN'S ARTS FESTIVAL

July 11-12, 2009

Contact: Traci Despatis

Box 383, Whistler, BC V0N 1B0

Phone: (604) 938-9221 Fax: (604) 938-9241

www.whistlerartscouncil.com

 

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DES ARTS JEUNE PUBLIC/MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

November 17-30, 2008

Contact: Remi Boucher

1908 rue Panet, Suite 403, Montreal, QC H2L 3A2

Phone: (514) 499-2929 Fax: (514) 499-1400

www.coupsdetheatre.com

  

U.S.A.

 

PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FEST FOR CHILDREN

May 7-9, 2008

Contact: Dr. Michael J. Rose

Annenberg Center, University of Pennsylvania

3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6219

Phone: (215) 898-5828 Fax: (215) 898-7249

www.pennpresents.org

 

SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 11-16, 2009 (Seattle) May 18, 2009 (Tacoma)

Contact: Brian Faker or Andrea Wagner

305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA 98109

Phone: (206) 684-7338 Fax: (206) 233-3944

www.seattleinternational.org

 

PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S THEATRE FESTIVAL

May 13-17, 2009

Contact: Pamela Lieberman

182 Allegheny Center Mall, Pittsburgh, PA 15212-5337

Phone: (412) 321-5520 Fax: (412) 321-5212

www.pghkids.org

 

FLINT HILLS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 26-31, 2009

Contact: Kirstin Wiegmann

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

345 Washington Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102-1495

Phone: (651) 282-3035 Fax: (651) 224-5319

www.ordway.org/festival/

  

INTERNATIONAL

 

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

March 7-17, 2009

Contact: Ruby Lim-Yang

ACT 3 International, 126 Cairnhill Road, Singapore 229707

Phone: 65-6735-9986 Fax: 65-6736-1196

www.childrenfirst.com.sg

 

CAPITAL E NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL

March 9-21, 2009 (biennial)

Contact: Stuart Grant

P.O. Box 3386, Civic Square, Wellington 6003, New Zealand

Phone: 64-4-9133724 Fax: 64-4-9133735

www.capitale.org.nz

 

AGOR DRYSAU - OPENING DOORS

WALES INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

March 11-15, 2008 (biennial)

Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch

Contact: Jeremy Turner, Director

Stryd y Baddon, Aberystwyth, SY23 2NN, Wales

Phone: 44-1970-617998 Fax: 44-1970-611223

www.agordrysau-openingdoors.org

 

COME OUT - AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

May 18-30, 2009

Contact: Jason Cross

P.O. Box 569, North Adelaide, South Australia 5006

Phone: 61-8-8267-5766 Fax: 61-8-8267-5038

www.comeout.on.net

 

BELFAST CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 23 - June 1, 2008

Contact: Ali FitzGibbon

Young at Art, 15 Church Street, Belfast BT1 1PG

Phone: 44-28-9023-0660

www.belfastchildrensfestival.com

 

BANK OF SCOTLAND IMAGINATE FESTIVAL

May 26 - June 1, 2009

Contact: Tony Reekie

45A George St., Edinburgh, Scotland EH2 2HT

Phone: 44-131-225-8050 Fax: 44-131-225 6440

www.imaginate.org.uk

 

CIAO! Festival

June 6-9, 2008

Contact: Karen Draisey

7 Newtec Place, Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE

Phone: 44-1865-790933

www.ciaofestival.org.uk

 

SPREACHA INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

June 8-14, 2009

Contact: Emer McGowan

Draiocht, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland

Phone: 44-353-1-885-2610 Fax: 44-353-1-824-3434

www.draiocht.ie

 

HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL ARTS CARNIVAL

July 11 - August 17, 2008

Contact: Karen Lee

Level 5, Admin Bldg, HKCC

10 Salisbury Road, Tsimshatsui

Kowloon, Hong Kong

Phone: 852-2370-1044 Fax: 852-2371-4171

www.hkiac.gov.hk

 

ABERDEEN INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL

July 29 - August 8, 2009

Contact: Stewart Aitken

Custom House, 35 Regent Quay, Aberdeen, Scotland AB11 5BE

Phone: 44-1224-213800 Fax: 44-1224-213833

www.aberdeenfestival.ning.com

 

BABORO INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

October 12-18, 2009

Contact: Lali Morris

Hynes Building, St Clare's Walk, Merchants Road, Galway, Ireland

Phone: 353-91-562-667 Fax: 353-91-562-642

www.baboro.ie

 

AWESOME FESTIVAL

November 16-25, 2008

Contact: Carol Brearley

GPO Box Z5298, St.Georges Terrace, Perth, Western Australia 6831

Phone: 61-8-9485-0560 Fax: 61-8-

   

o, you're a kids' festival artistic director looking for Sustainable artists and performers?

 

Only a few BC artists and performers can truly walk (ride) their talk.

 

There are a few singers and actors who sing and dance about forests and foxes. However, only a few entertainers have arrived to the Surrey, Whistler, and Canmore children's festivals with "hardware" and vehicles that are based on their own alternative-energy inventions and devices. Only a few BC artists and performers can truly walk (ride) their talk. Here they are, in this blog. They even have a trained trick bird show which supports the use of rescued birds.

 

Please click on underlined text for hypertext links to photos, webpages, TV, news clippings and video clips.

 

What are some of these energy devices and vehicles? They include a Revived Battery Electric Pickup Truck, the Mystery Electric Scooter, and one of the Tap Water Scooters that are running around in British Columbia.

  

What "hardware" did these artists, singers, and performer use at the Canmore, Whistler, Surrey, and Harrison Hot Springs children's festivals? Check out their performance videos, with the underlined links herein this blog, including an environmental recycling edu-tainment magic show at a community festival; a Catch & Release Balloon Fishing Conservation Show; solar voice-activated robot games, the Solar-Powered Bubble Machines.

       

Previous Media Coverage

At the Greater Vancouver Zoo's anniversary

At the BC Gifted Childrens Assn of BC special event

Fairchild TV broadcast (in Chinese)

City TV Breakfast Television with Tasha Chiu

Canada Day solar twist in North Vancouver Outlook

The Republic - sustainable events at shopping malls

Meadowridge School homecoming

Watershed-Sentinel magazine

Fire Prevention event for Lougheed mall in a Burnaby newspaper

        

Community Resources

 

Here are links to local community resources that may be of interest to you.

 

ArtStarts in Schools www.artstarts.com

 

Alliance for Arts and Culture www.allianceforarts.com

 

Vancouver YWCA Healthy Start for Children www.ywcavan.org

 

British Columbia Arts Council www.bcartscouncil.ca

 

British Columbia Music Educators' Association www.bctf.bc.ca

 

British Columbia Touring Council www.bctouring.org

 

Coalition for Music Education in British Columbia bcmusiccoalition.homestead.com

 

CAPACOA Canadian Arts Presenting Association/l'Association canadienne des organismes artistiques www.capacoa.ca

 

Canada Council Performing Arts Directories www.canadacouncil.ca

 

Vancouver City of Festivals www.vancouverfestivals.com

 

International

Asia-Pacific Producers, Presenters and Promoters Network

www.appnarts.net

 

ASSITEJ International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People www.assitej.org

 

International Performing Arts for Youth www.ipayweb.org

     

Children's Festival Network Here is a contact list of children's festivals in Canada, U.S.A. and around the world.

 

CANADA

 

VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 17-24, 2010

402-873 Beatty Street, Vancouver BC V6B 2M6

Phone: (604) 708-5655 Fax: (604) 708-5661

www.childrensfestival.ca

 

VANCOUVER ISLAND INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 7-9, 2009

Contact: Bobbi Kurtz

PO Box 197, Stn. A, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K9

Phone: (250) 754-3378 Fax: (250) 754-4878

www.childrensfestival.com

 

CANMORE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 16-17, 2008

Contact: Chris Bartolmie Burr

1900 8th Avenue, Canmore, AB T1W 1Y2

Phone: (403) 678-1878 Fax: (403) 678-6661

www.canmorechildrensfestival.com

 

CALGARY INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 19-23, 2009

Contact: Kate Newby

EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts, 205 - 8th Ave. SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0K9

Phone: (403) 294-7414 Fax: (403) 294-7425

www.calgarychildfest.org

 

OKANAGAN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 21-23, 2009

Contact: Gord Osland

#202 - 69 Nanaimo Avenue East, Penticton, BC V2A 1M1

Phone: (250) 493-8800 Fax: (250) 493-8825

www.okchildrensfest.org

 

NORTHERN ALBERTA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 26-30, 2009

Contact: Nancy Abrahamson

Contact: Troy Funk

5 St. Anne St, St. Albert, AB T8N 3Z9

Phone: (780) 459-1542 Fax: (780) 458-5417

www.childfest.com

 

OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE LA JEUNESSE D'OTTAWA

May 27-31, 2009

Contact: Catherine O'Grady

61A York St., Ottawa, Ontario K1N 5T2

Phone: (613) 241-0999 Fax: (613) 241-5774

www.ottawachildrensfestival.ca

 

SURREY CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 28-30, 2009

Contact: Marnie Perrin

Surrey Arts Centre, 13750 - 88th Avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 3L1

Phone: (604) 501-5583

www.surreychildrensfestival.ca

 

SASKATCHEWAN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 2-6, 2009

Contact: Shauna Bradford-Wilson

#706A - 601 Spadina Crescent East, Saskatoon SK S7K 3G8

Phone: (306) 664-3378 Fax: (306) 664-2344

www.saskatchewanchildrensfestival.ca

 

LONDON INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 3-7, 2009

Contact: Rebecca Vergunst

#2 - 515 Richmond St., London ON N6A 5N4

Phone: (519) 645-6739 Fax: (519) 645-7245

www.londonchildfest.com

 

WINNIPEG INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 4-7, 2009

Contact: Neal Rempel

201 - One Forks Market Road, Winnipeg, MB R3C 4L9

Phone: (204) 958-4730 Fax: (204) 943-7915

www.kidsfest.ca

 

WHISTLER CHILDREN'S ARTS FESTIVAL

July 11-12, 2009

Contact: Traci Despatis

Box 383, Whistler, BC V0N 1B0

Phone: (604) 938-9221 Fax: (604) 938-9241

www.whistlerartscouncil.com

 

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DES ARTS JEUNE PUBLIC/MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

November 17-30, 2008

Contact: Remi Boucher

1908 rue Panet, Suite 403, Montreal, QC H2L 3A2

Phone: (514) 499-2929 Fax: (514) 499-1400

www.coupsdetheatre.com

  

U.S.A.

 

PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FEST FOR CHILDREN

May 7-9, 2008

Contact: Dr. Michael J. Rose

Annenberg Center, University of Pennsylvania

3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6219

Phone: (215) 898-5828 Fax: (215) 898-7249

www.pennpresents.org

 

SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 11-16, 2009 (Seattle) May 18, 2009 (Tacoma)

Contact: Brian Faker or Andrea Wagner

305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA 98109

Phone: (206) 684-7338 Fax: (206) 233-3944

www.seattleinternational.org

 

PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S THEATRE FESTIVAL

May 13-17, 2009

Contact: Pamela Lieberman

182 Allegheny Center Mall, Pittsburgh, PA 15212-5337

Phone: (412) 321-5520 Fax: (412) 321-5212

www.pghkids.org

 

FLINT HILLS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 26-31, 2009

Contact: Kirstin Wiegmann

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

345 Washington Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102-1495

Phone: (651) 282-3035 Fax: (651) 224-5319

www.ordway.org/festival/

  

INTERNATIONAL

 

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

March 7-17, 2009

Contact: Ruby Lim-Yang

ACT 3 International, 126 Cairnhill Road, Singapore 229707

Phone: 65-6735-9986 Fax: 65-6736-1196

www.childrenfirst.com.sg

 

CAPITAL E NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL

March 9-21, 2009 (biennial)

Contact: Stuart Grant

P.O. Box 3386, Civic Square, Wellington 6003, New Zealand

Phone: 64-4-9133724 Fax: 64-4-9133735

www.capitale.org.nz

 

AGOR DRYSAU - OPENING DOORS

WALES INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

March 11-15, 2008 (biennial)

Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch

Contact: Jeremy Turner, Director

Stryd y Baddon, Aberystwyth, SY23 2NN, Wales

Phone: 44-1970-617998 Fax: 44-1970-611223

www.agordrysau-openingdoors.org

 

COME OUT - AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

May 18-30, 2009

Contact: Jason Cross

P.O. Box 569, North Adelaide, South Australia 5006

Phone: 61-8-8267-5766 Fax: 61-8-8267-5038

www.comeout.on.net

 

BELFAST CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 23 - June 1, 2008

Contact: Ali FitzGibbon

Young at Art, 15 Church Street, Belfast BT1 1PG

Phone: 44-28-9023-0660

www.belfastchildrensfestival.com

 

BANK OF SCOTLAND IMAGINATE FESTIVAL

May 26 - June 1, 2009

Contact: Tony Reekie

45A George St., Edinburgh, Scotland EH2 2HT

Phone: 44-131-225-8050 Fax: 44-131-225 6440

www.imaginate.org.uk

 

CIAO! Festival

June 6-9, 2008

Contact: Karen Draisey

7 Newtec Place, Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE

Phone: 44-1865-790933

www.ciaofestival.org.uk

 

SPREACHA INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

June 8-14, 2009

Contact: Emer McGowan

Draiocht, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland

Phone: 44-353-1-885-2610 Fax: 44-353-1-824-3434

www.draiocht.ie

 

HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL ARTS CARNIVAL

July 11 - August 17, 2008

Contact: Karen Lee

Level 5, Admin Bldg, HKCC

10 Salisbury Road, Tsimshatsui

Kowloon, Hong Kong

Phone: 852-2370-1044 Fax: 852-2371-4171

www.hkiac.gov.hk

 

ABERDEEN INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL

July 29 - August 8, 2009

Contact: Stewart Aitken

Custom House, 35 Regent Quay, Aberdeen, Scotland AB11 5BE

Phone: 44-1224-213800 Fax: 44-1224-213833

www.aberdeenfestival.ning.com

 

BABORO INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

October 12-18, 2009

Contact: Lali Morris

Hynes Building, St Clare's Walk, Merchants Road, Galway, Ireland

Phone: 353-91-562-667 Fax: 353-91-562-642

www.baboro.ie

 

AWESOME FESTIVAL

November 16-25, 2008

Contact: Carol Brearley

GPO Box Z5298, St.Georges Terrace, Perth, Western Australia 6831

Phone: 61-8-9485-0560 Fax: 61-8-

   

o, you're a kids' festival artistic director looking for Sustainable artists and performers?

 

Only a few BC artists and performers can truly walk (ride) their talk.

 

There are a few singers and actors who sing and dance about forests and foxes. However, only a few entertainers have arrived to the Surrey, Whistler, and Canmore children's festivals with "hardware" and vehicles that are based on their own alternative-energy inventions and devices. Only a few BC artists and performers can truly walk (ride) their talk. Here they are, in this blog. They even have a trained trick bird show which supports the use of rescued birds.

 

Please click on underlined text for hypertext links to photos, webpages, TV, news clippings and video clips.

 

What are some of these energy devices and vehicles? They include a Revived Battery Electric Pickup Truck, the Mystery Electric Scooter, and one of the Tap Water Scooters that are running around in British Columbia.

  

What "hardware" did these artists, singers, and performer use at the Canmore, Whistler, Surrey, and Harrison Hot Springs children's festivals? Check out their performance videos, with the underlined links herein this blog, including an environmental recycling edu-tainment magic show at a community festival; a Catch & Release Balloon Fishing Conservation Show; solar voice-activated robot games, the Solar-Powered Bubble Machines.

       

Previous Media Coverage

At the Greater Vancouver Zoo's anniversary

At the BC Gifted Childrens Assn of BC special event

Fairchild TV broadcast (in Chinese)

City TV Breakfast Television with Tasha Chiu

Canada Day solar twist in North Vancouver Outlook

The Republic - sustainable events at shopping malls

Meadowridge School homecoming

Watershed-Sentinel magazine

Fire Prevention event for Lougheed mall in a Burnaby newspaper

        

Community Resources

 

Here are links to local community resources that may be of interest to you.

 

ArtStarts in Schools www.artstarts.com

 

Alliance for Arts and Culture www.allianceforarts.com

 

Vancouver YWCA Healthy Start for Children www.ywcavan.org

 

British Columbia Arts Council www.bcartscouncil.ca

 

British Columbia Music Educators' Association www.bctf.bc.ca

 

British Columbia Touring Council www.bctouring.org

 

Coalition for Music Education in British Columbia bcmusiccoalition.homestead.com

 

CAPACOA Canadian Arts Presenting Association/l'Association canadienne des organismes artistiques www.capacoa.ca

 

Canada Council Performing Arts Directories www.canadacouncil.ca

 

Vancouver City of Festivals www.vancouverfestivals.com

 

International

Asia-Pacific Producers, Presenters and Promoters Network

www.appnarts.net

 

ASSITEJ International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People www.assitej.org

 

International Performing Arts for Youth www.ipayweb.org

     

Children's Festival Network Here is a contact list of children's festivals in Canada, U.S.A. and around the world.

 

CANADA

 

VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 17-24, 2010

402-873 Beatty Street, Vancouver BC V6B 2M6

Phone: (604) 708-5655 Fax: (604) 708-5661

www.childrensfestival.ca

 

VANCOUVER ISLAND INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 7-9, 2009

Contact: Bobbi Kurtz

PO Box 197, Stn. A, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K9

Phone: (250) 754-3378 Fax: (250) 754-4878

www.childrensfestival.com

 

CANMORE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 16-17, 2008

Contact: Chris Bartolmie Burr

1900 8th Avenue, Canmore, AB T1W 1Y2

Phone: (403) 678-1878 Fax: (403) 678-6661

www.canmorechildrensfestival.com

 

CALGARY INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 19-23, 2009

Contact: Kate Newby

EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts, 205 - 8th Ave. SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0K9

Phone: (403) 294-7414 Fax: (403) 294-7425

www.calgarychildfest.org

 

OKANAGAN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 21-23, 2009

Contact: Gord Osland

#202 - 69 Nanaimo Avenue East, Penticton, BC V2A 1M1

Phone: (250) 493-8800 Fax: (250) 493-8825

www.okchildrensfest.org

 

NORTHERN ALBERTA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 26-30, 2009

Contact: Nancy Abrahamson

Contact: Troy Funk

5 St. Anne St, St. Albert, AB T8N 3Z9

Phone: (780) 459-1542 Fax: (780) 458-5417

www.childfest.com

 

OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE LA JEUNESSE D'OTTAWA

May 27-31, 2009

Contact: Catherine O'Grady

61A York St., Ottawa, Ontario K1N 5T2

Phone: (613) 241-0999 Fax: (613) 241-5774

www.ottawachildrensfestival.ca

 

SURREY CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 28-30, 2009

Contact: Marnie Perrin

Surrey Arts Centre, 13750 - 88th Avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 3L1

Phone: (604) 501-5583

www.surreychildrensfestival.ca

 

SASKATCHEWAN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 2-6, 2009

Contact: Shauna Bradford-Wilson

#706A - 601 Spadina Crescent East, Saskatoon SK S7K 3G8

Phone: (306) 664-3378 Fax: (306) 664-2344

www.saskatchewanchildrensfestival.ca

 

LONDON INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 3-7, 2009

Contact: Rebecca Vergunst

#2 - 515 Richmond St., London ON N6A 5N4

Phone: (519) 645-6739 Fax: (519) 645-7245

www.londonchildfest.com

 

WINNIPEG INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 4-7, 2009

Contact: Neal Rempel

201 - One Forks Market Road, Winnipeg, MB R3C 4L9

Phone: (204) 958-4730 Fax: (204) 943-7915

www.kidsfest.ca

 

WHISTLER CHILDREN'S ARTS FESTIVAL

July 11-12, 2009

Contact: Traci Despatis

Box 383, Whistler, BC V0N 1B0

Phone: (604) 938-9221 Fax: (604) 938-9241

www.whistlerartscouncil.com

 

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DES ARTS JEUNE PUBLIC/MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

November 17-30, 2008

Contact: Remi Boucher

1908 rue Panet, Suite 403, Montreal, QC H2L 3A2

Phone: (514) 499-2929 Fax: (514) 499-1400

www.coupsdetheatre.com

  

U.S.A.

 

PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FEST FOR CHILDREN

May 7-9, 2008

Contact: Dr. Michael J. Rose

Annenberg Center, University of Pennsylvania

3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6219

Phone: (215) 898-5828 Fax: (215) 898-7249

www.pennpresents.org

 

SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 11-16, 2009 (Seattle) May 18, 2009 (Tacoma)

Contact: Brian Faker or Andrea Wagner

305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA 98109

Phone: (206) 684-7338 Fax: (206) 233-3944

www.seattleinternational.org

 

PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S THEATRE FESTIVAL

May 13-17, 2009

Contact: Pamela Lieberman

182 Allegheny Center Mall, Pittsburgh, PA 15212-5337

Phone: (412) 321-5520 Fax: (412) 321-5212

www.pghkids.org

 

FLINT HILLS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 26-31, 2009

Contact: Kirstin Wiegmann

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

345 Washington Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102-1495

Phone: (651) 282-3035 Fax: (651) 224-5319

www.ordway.org/festival/

  

INTERNATIONAL

 

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

March 7-17, 2009

Contact: Ruby Lim-Yang

ACT 3 International, 126 Cairnhill Road, Singapore 229707

Phone: 65-6735-9986 Fax: 65-6736-1196

www.childrenfirst.com.sg

 

CAPITAL E NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL

March 9-21, 2009 (biennial)

Contact: Stuart Grant

P.O. Box 3386, Civic Square, Wellington 6003, New Zealand

Phone: 64-4-9133724 Fax: 64-4-9133735

www.capitale.org.nz

 

AGOR DRYSAU - OPENING DOORS

WALES INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

March 11-15, 2008 (biennial)

Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch

Contact: Jeremy Turner, Director

Stryd y Baddon, Aberystwyth, SY23 2NN, Wales

Phone: 44-1970-617998 Fax: 44-1970-611223

www.agordrysau-openingdoors.org

 

COME OUT - AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

May 18-30, 2009

Contact: Jason Cross

P.O. Box 569, North Adelaide, South Australia 5006

Phone: 61-8-8267-5766 Fax: 61-8-8267-5038

www.comeout.on.net

 

BELFAST CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 23 - June 1, 2008

Contact: Ali FitzGibbon

Young at Art, 15 Church Street, Belfast BT1 1PG

Phone: 44-28-9023-0660

www.belfastchildrensfestival.com

 

BANK OF SCOTLAND IMAGINATE FESTIVAL

May 26 - June 1, 2009

Contact: Tony Reekie

45A George St., Edinburgh, Scotland EH2 2HT

Phone: 44-131-225-8050 Fax: 44-131-225 6440

www.imaginate.org.uk

 

CIAO! Festival

June 6-9, 2008

Contact: Karen Draisey

7 Newtec Place, Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE

Phone: 44-1865-790933

www.ciaofestival.org.uk

 

SPREACHA INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

June 8-14, 2009

Contact: Emer McGowan

Draiocht, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland

Phone: 44-353-1-885-2610 Fax: 44-353-1-824-3434

www.draiocht.ie

 

HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL ARTS CARNIVAL

July 11 - August 17, 2008

Contact: Karen Lee

Level 5, Admin Bldg, HKCC

10 Salisbury Road, Tsimshatsui

Kowloon, Hong Kong

Phone: 852-2370-1044 Fax: 852-2371-4171

www.hkiac.gov.hk

 

ABERDEEN INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL

July 29 - August 8, 2009

Contact: Stewart Aitken

Custom House, 35 Regent Quay, Aberdeen, Scotland AB11 5BE

Phone: 44-1224-213800 Fax: 44-1224-213833

www.aberdeenfestival.ning.com

 

BABORO INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

October 12-18, 2009

Contact: Lali Morris

Hynes Building, St Clare's Walk, Merchants Road, Galway, Ireland

Phone: 353-91-562-667 Fax: 353-91-562-642

www.baboro.ie

 

AWESOME FESTIVAL

November 16-25, 2008

Contact: Carol Brearley

GPO Box Z5298, St.Georges Terrace, Perth, Western Australia 6831

Phone: 61-8-9485-0560 Fax: 61-8-

   

o, you're a kids' festival artistic director looking for Sustainable artists and performers?

 

Only a few BC artists and performers can truly walk (ride) their talk.

 

There are a few singers and actors who sing and dance about forests and foxes. However, only a few entertainers have arrived to the Surrey, Whistler, and Canmore children's festivals with "hardware" and vehicles that are based on their own alternative-energy inventions and devices. Only a few BC artists and performers can truly walk (ride) their talk. Here they are, in this blog. They even have a trained trick bird show which supports the use of rescued birds.

 

Please click on underlined text for hypertext links to photos, webpages, TV, news clippings and video clips.

 

What are some of these energy devices and vehicles? They include a Revived Battery Electric Pickup Truck, the Mystery Electric Scooter, and one of the Tap Water Scooters that are running around in British Columbia.

  

What "hardware" did these artists, singers, and performer use at the Canmore, Whistler, Surrey, and Harrison Hot Springs children's festivals? Check out their performance videos, with the underlined links herein this blog, including an environmental recycling edu-tainment magic show at a community festival; a Catch & Release Balloon Fishing Conservation Show; solar voice-activated robot games, the Solar-Powered Bubble Machines.

       

Previous Media Coverage

At the Greater Vancouver Zoo's anniversary

At the BC Gifted Childrens Assn of BC special event

Fairchild TV broadcast (in Chinese)

City TV Breakfast Television with Tasha Chiu

Canada Day solar twist in North Vancouver Outlook

The Republic - sustainable events at shopping malls

Meadowridge School homecoming

Watershed-Sentinel magazine

Fire Prevention event for Lougheed mall in a Burnaby newspaper

        

Community Resources

 

Here are links to local community resources that may be of interest to you.

 

ArtStarts in Schools www.artstarts.com

 

Alliance for Arts and Culture www.allianceforarts.com

 

Vancouver YWCA Healthy Start for Children www.ywcavan.org

 

British Columbia Arts Council www.bcartscouncil.ca

 

British Columbia Music Educators' Association www.bctf.bc.ca

 

British Columbia Touring Council www.bctouring.org

 

Coalition for Music Education in British Columbia bcmusiccoalition.homestead.com

 

CAPACOA Canadian Arts Presenting Association/l'Association canadienne des organismes artistiques www.capacoa.ca

 

Canada Council Performing Arts Directories www.canadacouncil.ca

 

Vancouver City of Festivals www.vancouverfestivals.com

 

International

Asia-Pacific Producers, Presenters and Promoters Network

www.appnarts.net

 

ASSITEJ International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People www.assitej.org

 

International Performing Arts for Youth www.ipayweb.org

     

Children's Festival Network Here is a contact list of children's festivals in Canada, U.S.A. and around the world.

 

CANADA

 

VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 17-24, 2010

402-873 Beatty Street, Vancouver BC V6B 2M6

Phone: (604) 708-5655 Fax: (604) 708-5661

www.childrensfestival.ca

 

VANCOUVER ISLAND INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 7-9, 2009

Contact: Bobbi Kurtz

PO Box 197, Stn. A, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K9

Phone: (250) 754-3378 Fax: (250) 754-4878

www.childrensfestival.com

 

CANMORE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 16-17, 2008

Contact: Chris Bartolmie Burr

1900 8th Avenue, Canmore, AB T1W 1Y2

Phone: (403) 678-1878 Fax: (403) 678-6661

www.canmorechildrensfestival.com

 

CALGARY INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 19-23, 2009

Contact: Kate Newby

EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts, 205 - 8th Ave. SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0K9

Phone: (403) 294-7414 Fax: (403) 294-7425

www.calgarychildfest.org

 

OKANAGAN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 21-23, 2009

Contact: Gord Osland

#202 - 69 Nanaimo Avenue East, Penticton, BC V2A 1M1

Phone: (250) 493-8800 Fax: (250) 493-8825

www.okchildrensfest.org

 

NORTHERN ALBERTA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 26-30, 2009

Contact: Nancy Abrahamson

Contact: Troy Funk

5 St. Anne St, St. Albert, AB T8N 3Z9

Phone: (780) 459-1542 Fax: (780) 458-5417

www.childfest.com

 

OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE LA JEUNESSE D'OTTAWA

May 27-31, 2009

Contact: Catherine O'Grady

61A York St., Ottawa, Ontario K1N 5T2

Phone: (613) 241-0999 Fax: (613) 241-5774

www.ottawachildrensfestival.ca

 

SURREY CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 28-30, 2009

Contact: Marnie Perrin

Surrey Arts Centre, 13750 - 88th Avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 3L1

Phone: (604) 501-5583

www.surreychildrensfestival.ca

 

SASKATCHEWAN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 2-6, 2009

Contact: Shauna Bradford-Wilson

#706A - 601 Spadina Crescent East, Saskatoon SK S7K 3G8

Phone: (306) 664-3378 Fax: (306) 664-2344

www.saskatchewanchildrensfestival.ca

 

LONDON INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 3-7, 2009

Contact: Rebecca Vergunst

#2 - 515 Richmond St., London ON N6A 5N4

Phone: (519) 645-6739 Fax: (519) 645-7245

www.londonchildfest.com

 

WINNIPEG INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 4-7, 2009

Contact: Neal Rempel

201 - One Forks Market Road, Winnipeg, MB R3C 4L9

Phone: (204) 958-4730 Fax: (204) 943-7915

www.kidsfest.ca

 

WHISTLER CHILDREN'S ARTS FESTIVAL

July 11-12, 2009

Contact: Traci Despatis

Box 383, Whistler, BC V0N 1B0

Phone: (604) 938-9221 Fax: (604) 938-9241

www.whistlerartscouncil.com

 

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DES ARTS JEUNE PUBLIC/MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

November 17-30, 2008

Contact: Remi Boucher

1908 rue Panet, Suite 403, Montreal, QC H2L 3A2

Phone: (514) 499-2929 Fax: (514) 499-1400

www.coupsdetheatre.com

  

U.S.A.

 

PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FEST FOR CHILDREN

May 7-9, 2008

Contact: Dr. Michael J. Rose

Annenberg Center, University of Pennsylvania

3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6219

Phone: (215) 898-5828 Fax: (215) 898-7249

www.pennpresents.org

 

SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 11-16, 2009 (Seattle) May 18, 2009 (Tacoma)

Contact: Brian Faker or Andrea Wagner

305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA 98109

Phone: (206) 684-7338 Fax: (206) 233-3944

www.seattleinternational.org

 

PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S THEATRE FESTIVAL

May 13-17, 2009

Contact: Pamela Lieberman

182 Allegheny Center Mall, Pittsburgh, PA 15212-5337

Phone: (412) 321-5520 Fax: (412) 321-5212

www.pghkids.org

 

FLINT HILLS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 26-31, 2009

Contact: Kirstin Wiegmann

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

345 Washington Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102-1495

Phone: (651) 282-3035 Fax: (651) 224-5319

www.ordway.org/festival/

  

INTERNATIONAL

 

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

March 7-17, 2009

Contact: Ruby Lim-Yang

ACT 3 International, 126 Cairnhill Road, Singapore 229707

Phone: 65-6735-9986 Fax: 65-6736-1196

www.childrenfirst.com.sg

 

CAPITAL E NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL

March 9-21, 2009 (biennial)

Contact: Stuart Grant

P.O. Box 3386, Civic Square, Wellington 6003, New Zealand

Phone: 64-4-9133724 Fax: 64-4-9133735

www.capitale.org.nz

 

AGOR DRYSAU - OPENING DOORS

WALES INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

March 11-15, 2008 (biennial)

Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch

Contact: Jeremy Turner, Director

Stryd y Baddon, Aberystwyth, SY23 2NN, Wales

Phone: 44-1970-617998 Fax: 44-1970-611223

www.agordrysau-openingdoors.org

 

COME OUT - AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

May 18-30, 2009

Contact: Jason Cross

P.O. Box 569, North Adelaide, South Australia 5006

Phone: 61-8-8267-5766 Fax: 61-8-8267-5038

www.comeout.on.net

 

BELFAST CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 23 - June 1, 2008

Contact: Ali FitzGibbon

Young at Art, 15 Church Street, Belfast BT1 1PG

Phone: 44-28-9023-0660

www.belfastchildrensfestival.com

 

BANK OF SCOTLAND IMAGINATE FESTIVAL

May 26 - June 1, 2009

Contact: Tony Reekie

45A George St., Edinburgh, Scotland EH2 2HT

Phone: 44-131-225-8050 Fax: 44-131-225 6440

www.imaginate.org.uk

 

CIAO! Festival

June 6-9, 2008

Contact: Karen Draisey

7 Newtec Place, Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE

Phone: 44-1865-790933

www.ciaofestival.org.uk

 

SPREACHA INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

June 8-14, 2009

Contact: Emer McGowan

Draiocht, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland

Phone: 44-353-1-885-2610 Fax: 44-353-1-824-3434

www.draiocht.ie

 

HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL ARTS CARNIVAL

July 11 - August 17, 2008

Contact: Karen Lee

Level 5, Admin Bldg, HKCC

10 Salisbury Road, Tsimshatsui

Kowloon, Hong Kong

Phone: 852-2370-1044 Fax: 852-2371-4171

www.hkiac.gov.hk

 

ABERDEEN INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL

July 29 - August 8, 2009

Contact: Stewart Aitken

Custom House, 35 Regent Quay, Aberdeen, Scotland AB11 5BE

Phone: 44-1224-213800 Fax: 44-1224-213833

www.aberdeenfestival.ning.com

 

BABORO INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

October 12-18, 2009

Contact: Lali Morris

Hynes Building, St Clare's Walk, Merchants Road, Galway, Ireland

Phone: 353-91-562-667 Fax: 353-91-562-642

www.baboro.ie

 

AWESOME FESTIVAL

November 16-25, 2008

Contact: Carol Brearley

GPO Box Z5298, St.Georges Terrace, Perth, Western Australia 6831

Phone: 61-8-9485-0560 Fax: 61-8-

   

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

o, you're a kids' festival artistic director looking for Sustainable artists and performers?

 

Only a few BC artists and performers can truly walk (ride) their talk.

 

There are a few singers and actors who sing and dance about forests and foxes. However, only a few entertainers have arrived to the Surrey, Whistler, and Canmore children's festivals with "hardware" and vehicles that are based on their own alternative-energy inventions and devices. Only a few BC artists and performers can truly walk (ride) their talk. Here they are, in this blog. They even have a trained trick bird show which supports the use of rescued birds.

 

Please click on underlined text for hypertext links to photos, webpages, TV, news clippings and video clips.

 

What are some of these energy devices and vehicles? They include a Revived Battery Electric Pickup Truck, the Mystery Electric Scooter, and one of the Tap Water Scooters that are running around in British Columbia.

  

What "hardware" did these artists, singers, and performer use at the Canmore, Whistler, Surrey, and Harrison Hot Springs children's festivals? Check out their performance videos, with the underlined links herein this blog, including an environmental recycling edu-tainment magic show at a community festival; a Catch & Release Balloon Fishing Conservation Show; solar voice-activated robot games, the Solar-Powered Bubble Machines.

       

Previous Media Coverage

At the Greater Vancouver Zoo's anniversary

At the BC Gifted Childrens Assn of BC special event

Fairchild TV broadcast (in Chinese)

City TV Breakfast Television with Tasha Chiu

Canada Day solar twist in North Vancouver Outlook

The Republic - sustainable events at shopping malls

Meadowridge School homecoming

Watershed-Sentinel magazine

Fire Prevention event for Lougheed mall in a Burnaby newspaper

        

Community Resources

 

Here are links to local community resources that may be of interest to you.

 

ArtStarts in Schools www.artstarts.com

 

Alliance for Arts and Culture www.allianceforarts.com

 

Vancouver YWCA Healthy Start for Children www.ywcavan.org

 

British Columbia Arts Council www.bcartscouncil.ca

 

British Columbia Music Educators' Association www.bctf.bc.ca

 

British Columbia Touring Council www.bctouring.org

 

Coalition for Music Education in British Columbia bcmusiccoalition.homestead.com

 

CAPACOA Canadian Arts Presenting Association/l'Association canadienne des organismes artistiques www.capacoa.ca

 

Canada Council Performing Arts Directories www.canadacouncil.ca

 

Vancouver City of Festivals www.vancouverfestivals.com

 

International

Asia-Pacific Producers, Presenters and Promoters Network

www.appnarts.net

 

ASSITEJ International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People www.assitej.org

 

International Performing Arts for Youth www.ipayweb.org

     

Children's Festival Network Here is a contact list of children's festivals in Canada, U.S.A. and around the world.

 

CANADA

 

VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 17-24, 2010

402-873 Beatty Street, Vancouver BC V6B 2M6

Phone: (604) 708-5655 Fax: (604) 708-5661

www.childrensfestival.ca

 

VANCOUVER ISLAND INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 7-9, 2009

Contact: Bobbi Kurtz

PO Box 197, Stn. A, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K9

Phone: (250) 754-3378 Fax: (250) 754-4878

www.childrensfestival.com

 

CANMORE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 16-17, 2008

Contact: Chris Bartolmie Burr

1900 8th Avenue, Canmore, AB T1W 1Y2

Phone: (403) 678-1878 Fax: (403) 678-6661

www.canmorechildrensfestival.com

 

CALGARY INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 19-23, 2009

Contact: Kate Newby

EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts, 205 - 8th Ave. SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0K9

Phone: (403) 294-7414 Fax: (403) 294-7425

www.calgarychildfest.org

 

OKANAGAN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 21-23, 2009

Contact: Gord Osland

#202 - 69 Nanaimo Avenue East, Penticton, BC V2A 1M1

Phone: (250) 493-8800 Fax: (250) 493-8825

www.okchildrensfest.org

 

NORTHERN ALBERTA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 26-30, 2009

Contact: Nancy Abrahamson

Contact: Troy Funk

5 St. Anne St, St. Albert, AB T8N 3Z9

Phone: (780) 459-1542 Fax: (780) 458-5417

www.childfest.com

 

OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE LA JEUNESSE D'OTTAWA

May 27-31, 2009

Contact: Catherine O'Grady

61A York St., Ottawa, Ontario K1N 5T2

Phone: (613) 241-0999 Fax: (613) 241-5774

www.ottawachildrensfestival.ca

 

SURREY CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 28-30, 2009

Contact: Marnie Perrin

Surrey Arts Centre, 13750 - 88th Avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 3L1

Phone: (604) 501-5583

www.surreychildrensfestival.ca

 

SASKATCHEWAN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 2-6, 2009

Contact: Shauna Bradford-Wilson

#706A - 601 Spadina Crescent East, Saskatoon SK S7K 3G8

Phone: (306) 664-3378 Fax: (306) 664-2344

www.saskatchewanchildrensfestival.ca

 

LONDON INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 3-7, 2009

Contact: Rebecca Vergunst

#2 - 515 Richmond St., London ON N6A 5N4

Phone: (519) 645-6739 Fax: (519) 645-7245

www.londonchildfest.com

 

WINNIPEG INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 4-7, 2009

Contact: Neal Rempel

201 - One Forks Market Road, Winnipeg, MB R3C 4L9

Phone: (204) 958-4730 Fax: (204) 943-7915

www.kidsfest.ca

 

WHISTLER CHILDREN'S ARTS FESTIVAL

July 11-12, 2009

Contact: Traci Despatis

Box 383, Whistler, BC V0N 1B0

Phone: (604) 938-9221 Fax: (604) 938-9241

www.whistlerartscouncil.com

 

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DES ARTS JEUNE PUBLIC/MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

November 17-30, 2008

Contact: Remi Boucher

1908 rue Panet, Suite 403, Montreal, QC H2L 3A2

Phone: (514) 499-2929 Fax: (514) 499-1400

www.coupsdetheatre.com

  

U.S.A.

 

PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FEST FOR CHILDREN

May 7-9, 2008

Contact: Dr. Michael J. Rose

Annenberg Center, University of Pennsylvania

3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6219

Phone: (215) 898-5828 Fax: (215) 898-7249

www.pennpresents.org

 

SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 11-16, 2009 (Seattle) May 18, 2009 (Tacoma)

Contact: Brian Faker or Andrea Wagner

305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA 98109

Phone: (206) 684-7338 Fax: (206) 233-3944

www.seattleinternational.org

 

PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S THEATRE FESTIVAL

May 13-17, 2009

Contact: Pamela Lieberman

182 Allegheny Center Mall, Pittsburgh, PA 15212-5337

Phone: (412) 321-5520 Fax: (412) 321-5212

www.pghkids.org

 

FLINT HILLS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 26-31, 2009

Contact: Kirstin Wiegmann

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

345 Washington Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102-1495

Phone: (651) 282-3035 Fax: (651) 224-5319

www.ordway.org/festival/

  

INTERNATIONAL

 

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

March 7-17, 2009

Contact: Ruby Lim-Yang

ACT 3 International, 126 Cairnhill Road, Singapore 229707

Phone: 65-6735-9986 Fax: 65-6736-1196

www.childrenfirst.com.sg

 

CAPITAL E NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL

March 9-21, 2009 (biennial)

Contact: Stuart Grant

P.O. Box 3386, Civic Square, Wellington 6003, New Zealand

Phone: 64-4-9133724 Fax: 64-4-9133735

www.capitale.org.nz

 

AGOR DRYSAU - OPENING DOORS

WALES INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

March 11-15, 2008 (biennial)

Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch

Contact: Jeremy Turner, Director

Stryd y Baddon, Aberystwyth, SY23 2NN, Wales

Phone: 44-1970-617998 Fax: 44-1970-611223

www.agordrysau-openingdoors.org

 

COME OUT - AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

May 18-30, 2009

Contact: Jason Cross

P.O. Box 569, North Adelaide, South Australia 5006

Phone: 61-8-8267-5766 Fax: 61-8-8267-5038

www.comeout.on.net

 

BELFAST CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 23 - June 1, 2008

Contact: Ali FitzGibbon

Young at Art, 15 Church Street, Belfast BT1 1PG

Phone: 44-28-9023-0660

www.belfastchildrensfestival.com

 

BANK OF SCOTLAND IMAGINATE FESTIVAL

May 26 - June 1, 2009

Contact: Tony Reekie

45A George St., Edinburgh, Scotland EH2 2HT

Phone: 44-131-225-8050 Fax: 44-131-225 6440

www.imaginate.org.uk

 

CIAO! Festival

June 6-9, 2008

Contact: Karen Draisey

7 Newtec Place, Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE

Phone: 44-1865-790933

www.ciaofestival.org.uk

 

SPREACHA INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

June 8-14, 2009

Contact: Emer McGowan

Draiocht, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland

Phone: 44-353-1-885-2610 Fax: 44-353-1-824-3434

www.draiocht.ie

 

HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL ARTS CARNIVAL

July 11 - August 17, 2008

Contact: Karen Lee

Level 5, Admin Bldg, HKCC

10 Salisbury Road, Tsimshatsui

Kowloon, Hong Kong

Phone: 852-2370-1044 Fax: 852-2371-4171

www.hkiac.gov.hk

 

ABERDEEN INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL

July 29 - August 8, 2009

Contact: Stewart Aitken

Custom House, 35 Regent Quay, Aberdeen, Scotland AB11 5BE

Phone: 44-1224-213800 Fax: 44-1224-213833

www.aberdeenfestival.ning.com

 

BABORO INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

October 12-18, 2009

Contact: Lali Morris

Hynes Building, St Clare's Walk, Merchants Road, Galway, Ireland

Phone: 353-91-562-667 Fax: 353-91-562-642

www.baboro.ie

 

AWESOME FESTIVAL

November 16-25, 2008

Contact: Carol Brearley

GPO Box Z5298, St.Georges Terrace, Perth, Western Australia 6831

Phone: 61-8-9485-0560 Fax: 61-8-

   

o, you're a kids' festival artistic director looking for Sustainable artists and performers?

 

Only a few BC artists and performers can truly walk (ride) their talk.

 

There are a few singers and actors who sing and dance about forests and foxes. However, only a few entertainers have arrived to the Surrey, Whistler, and Canmore children's festivals with "hardware" and vehicles that are based on their own alternative-energy inventions and devices. Only a few BC artists and performers can truly walk (ride) their talk. Here they are, in this blog. They even have a trained trick bird show which supports the use of rescued birds.

 

Please click on underlined text for hypertext links to photos, webpages, TV, news clippings and video clips.

 

What are some of these energy devices and vehicles? They include a Revived Battery Electric Pickup Truck, the Mystery Electric Scooter, and one of the Tap Water Scooters that are running around in British Columbia.

  

What "hardware" did these artists, singers, and performer use at the Canmore, Whistler, Surrey, and Harrison Hot Springs children's festivals? Check out their performance videos, with the underlined links herein this blog, including an environmental recycling edu-tainment magic show at a community festival; a Catch & Release Balloon Fishing Conservation Show; solar voice-activated robot games, the Solar-Powered Bubble Machines.

       

Previous Media Coverage

At the Greater Vancouver Zoo's anniversary

At the BC Gifted Childrens Assn of BC special event

Fairchild TV broadcast (in Chinese)

City TV Breakfast Television with Tasha Chiu

Canada Day solar twist in North Vancouver Outlook

The Republic - sustainable events at shopping malls

Meadowridge School homecoming

Watershed-Sentinel magazine

Fire Prevention event for Lougheed mall in a Burnaby newspaper

        

Community Resources

 

Here are links to local community resources that may be of interest to you.

 

ArtStarts in Schools www.artstarts.com

 

Alliance for Arts and Culture www.allianceforarts.com

 

Vancouver YWCA Healthy Start for Children www.ywcavan.org

 

British Columbia Arts Council www.bcartscouncil.ca

 

British Columbia Music Educators' Association www.bctf.bc.ca

 

British Columbia Touring Council www.bctouring.org

 

Coalition for Music Education in British Columbia bcmusiccoalition.homestead.com

 

CAPACOA Canadian Arts Presenting Association/l'Association canadienne des organismes artistiques www.capacoa.ca

 

Canada Council Performing Arts Directories www.canadacouncil.ca

 

Vancouver City of Festivals www.vancouverfestivals.com

 

International

Asia-Pacific Producers, Presenters and Promoters Network

www.appnarts.net

 

ASSITEJ International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People www.assitej.org

 

International Performing Arts for Youth www.ipayweb.org

     

Children's Festival Network Here is a contact list of children's festivals in Canada, U.S.A. and around the world.

 

CANADA

 

VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 17-24, 2010

402-873 Beatty Street, Vancouver BC V6B 2M6

Phone: (604) 708-5655 Fax: (604) 708-5661

www.childrensfestival.ca

 

VANCOUVER ISLAND INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 7-9, 2009

Contact: Bobbi Kurtz

PO Box 197, Stn. A, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K9

Phone: (250) 754-3378 Fax: (250) 754-4878

www.childrensfestival.com

 

CANMORE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 16-17, 2008

Contact: Chris Bartolmie Burr

1900 8th Avenue, Canmore, AB T1W 1Y2

Phone: (403) 678-1878 Fax: (403) 678-6661

www.canmorechildrensfestival.com

 

CALGARY INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 19-23, 2009

Contact: Kate Newby

EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts, 205 - 8th Ave. SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0K9

Phone: (403) 294-7414 Fax: (403) 294-7425

www.calgarychildfest.org

 

OKANAGAN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 21-23, 2009

Contact: Gord Osland

#202 - 69 Nanaimo Avenue East, Penticton, BC V2A 1M1

Phone: (250) 493-8800 Fax: (250) 493-8825

www.okchildrensfest.org

 

NORTHERN ALBERTA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 26-30, 2009

Contact: Nancy Abrahamson

Contact: Troy Funk

5 St. Anne St, St. Albert, AB T8N 3Z9

Phone: (780) 459-1542 Fax: (780) 458-5417

www.childfest.com

 

OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE LA JEUNESSE D'OTTAWA

May 27-31, 2009

Contact: Catherine O'Grady

61A York St., Ottawa, Ontario K1N 5T2

Phone: (613) 241-0999 Fax: (613) 241-5774

www.ottawachildrensfestival.ca

 

SURREY CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 28-30, 2009

Contact: Marnie Perrin

Surrey Arts Centre, 13750 - 88th Avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 3L1

Phone: (604) 501-5583

www.surreychildrensfestival.ca

 

SASKATCHEWAN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 2-6, 2009

Contact: Shauna Bradford-Wilson

#706A - 601 Spadina Crescent East, Saskatoon SK S7K 3G8

Phone: (306) 664-3378 Fax: (306) 664-2344

www.saskatchewanchildrensfestival.ca

 

LONDON INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 3-7, 2009

Contact: Rebecca Vergunst

#2 - 515 Richmond St., London ON N6A 5N4

Phone: (519) 645-6739 Fax: (519) 645-7245

www.londonchildfest.com

 

WINNIPEG INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

June 4-7, 2009

Contact: Neal Rempel

201 - One Forks Market Road, Winnipeg, MB R3C 4L9

Phone: (204) 958-4730 Fax: (204) 943-7915

www.kidsfest.ca

 

WHISTLER CHILDREN'S ARTS FESTIVAL

July 11-12, 2009

Contact: Traci Despatis

Box 383, Whistler, BC V0N 1B0

Phone: (604) 938-9221 Fax: (604) 938-9241

www.whistlerartscouncil.com

 

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DES ARTS JEUNE PUBLIC/MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

November 17-30, 2008

Contact: Remi Boucher

1908 rue Panet, Suite 403, Montreal, QC H2L 3A2

Phone: (514) 499-2929 Fax: (514) 499-1400

www.coupsdetheatre.com

  

U.S.A.

 

PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FEST FOR CHILDREN

May 7-9, 2008

Contact: Dr. Michael J. Rose

Annenberg Center, University of Pennsylvania

3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6219

Phone: (215) 898-5828 Fax: (215) 898-7249

www.pennpresents.org

 

SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 11-16, 2009 (Seattle) May 18, 2009 (Tacoma)

Contact: Brian Faker or Andrea Wagner

305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA 98109

Phone: (206) 684-7338 Fax: (206) 233-3944

www.seattleinternational.org

 

PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S THEATRE FESTIVAL

May 13-17, 2009

Contact: Pamela Lieberman

182 Allegheny Center Mall, Pittsburgh, PA 15212-5337

Phone: (412) 321-5520 Fax: (412) 321-5212

www.pghkids.org

 

FLINT HILLS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 26-31, 2009

Contact: Kirstin Wiegmann

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

345 Washington Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102-1495

Phone: (651) 282-3035 Fax: (651) 224-5319

www.ordway.org/festival/

  

INTERNATIONAL

 

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

March 7-17, 2009

Contact: Ruby Lim-Yang

ACT 3 International, 126 Cairnhill Road, Singapore 229707

Phone: 65-6735-9986 Fax: 65-6736-1196

www.childrenfirst.com.sg

 

CAPITAL E NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL

March 9-21, 2009 (biennial)

Contact: Stuart Grant

P.O. Box 3386, Civic Square, Wellington 6003, New Zealand

Phone: 64-4-9133724 Fax: 64-4-9133735

www.capitale.org.nz

 

AGOR DRYSAU - OPENING DOORS

WALES INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

March 11-15, 2008 (biennial)

Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch

Contact: Jeremy Turner, Director

Stryd y Baddon, Aberystwyth, SY23 2NN, Wales

Phone: 44-1970-617998 Fax: 44-1970-611223

www.agordrysau-openingdoors.org

 

COME OUT - AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

May 18-30, 2009

Contact: Jason Cross

P.O. Box 569, North Adelaide, South Australia 5006

Phone: 61-8-8267-5766 Fax: 61-8-8267-5038

www.comeout.on.net

 

BELFAST CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

May 23 - June 1, 2008

Contact: Ali FitzGibbon

Young at Art, 15 Church Street, Belfast BT1 1PG

Phone: 44-28-9023-0660

www.belfastchildrensfestival.com

 

BANK OF SCOTLAND IMAGINATE FESTIVAL

May 26 - June 1, 2009

Contact: Tony Reekie

45A George St., Edinburgh, Scotland EH2 2HT

Phone: 44-131-225-8050 Fax: 44-131-225 6440

www.imaginate.org.uk

 

CIAO! Festival

June 6-9, 2008

Contact: Karen Draisey

7 Newtec Place, Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE

Phone: 44-1865-790933

www.ciaofestival.org.uk

 

SPREACHA INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

June 8-14, 2009

Contact: Emer McGowan

Draiocht, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland

Phone: 44-353-1-885-2610 Fax: 44-353-1-824-3434

www.draiocht.ie

 

HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL ARTS CARNIVAL

July 11 - August 17, 2008

Contact: Karen Lee

Level 5, Admin Bldg, HKCC

10 Salisbury Road, Tsimshatsui

Kowloon, Hong Kong

Phone: 852-2370-1044 Fax: 852-2371-4171

www.hkiac.gov.hk

 

ABERDEEN INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL

July 29 - August 8, 2009

Contact: Stewart Aitken

Custom House, 35 Regent Quay, Aberdeen, Scotland AB11 5BE

Phone: 44-1224-213800 Fax: 44-1224-213833

www.aberdeenfestival.ning.com

 

BABORO INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN

October 12-18, 2009

Contact: Lali Morris

Hynes Building, St Clare's Walk, Merchants Road, Galway, Ireland

Phone: 353-91-562-667 Fax: 353-91-562-642

www.baboro.ie

 

AWESOME FESTIVAL

November 16-25, 2008

Contact: Carol Brearley

GPO Box Z5298, St.Georges Terrace, Perth, Western Australia 6831

Phone: 61-8-9485-0560 Fax: 61-8-

   

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**

Hello there. Many of you may already know this but I am a Chicago Teacher's Union delegate. I work with students who have special needs and disabilities and over the past 12 years at this job, I have seen my caseload steadily increase to over 60 students. In other school districts, Occupational and Physical Therapists have a caseload cap. of 32. That is what those school districts have decided is reasonable. I am willing to work extra time and in the evenings and on weekends but I am not able to see all of my students and meet their needs as only one person. The Board of Ed. still refuses to limit our caseloads and that is the major reason I am striking.

 

Many people have been only listening to the media and have been wondering why teachers are so "greedy" because they think all we want are raises. If you're going to parrot the media, I don't need your comments. However, if you're going to listen to what I have to say as someone who knows what it's like to work in Chicago Public Schools, please keep reading.

 

Some major reasons we are striking-NONE of which have to do with pay.

 

1. Chicago Public Schools wants to close another 100 schools and further corporatize America's children. This is sickening. Charter schools have not proven themselves to be overall any better than public schools and they have taken our most promising students from us. The Tea Partiers and corporations getting into education continue to try to get Illinois state legislature changes so that they get equal funding as public schools from YOUR tax dollars. However, did you know that not all teachers that work in charter schools have to be certified? This is eventually merely a way for corporations to get more of your tax dollars and pay teachers half as much so that they pocket the rest. Aren't you tired of that? I know I am.

 

2. The Chicago Public Schools want to put in the "contract" a clause called the "Management Clause" which basically states that at any time they can change their minds about anything in the contract for any reason. I'm pretty sure Brizard and Rahm Emanuel need to go back to their basic Language Arts classes and look up the word "Contract" as they would find this clause pretty much makes the whole idea of a promise or an agreement completely useless.

 

3. We want smaller classrooms. As someone who works with kids that have disabilities, I've seen the kid with Muscular Dystrophy who is depending on a wheelchair for transportation struggle because his regular education classroom does not have enough space for him. All of us Occupational and Physical Therapists have seen this. It's ILLEGAL. It goes against everything the Americans with Disabilities Act stand for and yet it is a reality.

 

4. We want to end the class warfare disparity. In Chicago right now, Rahm and the media completely ignore the fact that there is a huge amount of violence especially on the South side and our homicide rate has risen dramatically. One reason for this is that people are getting desperate in this economy and they don't have the skills to pursue other non violent measures. At this crucial time, Rahm has decided to cut technology classes. Schools on the North side also have way more access to Music and Art and even things like Foreign Languages whereas the South side kids literally (and I mean LITERALLY) have to bring their own soap and toilet paper to school.

 

5. At a time of rising violence as well as more premature babies being saved during delivery, there are more and more students in need of clinicians including: Occupational and Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Speech Therapists. The Chicago Public Schools Board of Ed. would like to forget these kids even exist. I've seen the mayor and administrators at schools. They go visit the gifted classrooms. They don't take a look into the classrooms for students with Severe/Profound disabilities, that's for sure.

 

Please support your local school and your local teacher. Give your local teacher a hug. Call your alderman and Brizard and tell them to support teachers.

 

***If you or your family members are in one of these photos and would like the high resolution version for free, please email me at kirstiecat@gmail.com with the subject "Union Rally Photo" and I will send this to you at no charge as soon as possible**