Monthly Archives: January 2009

(Community Matters) Steven and I saw MILK tonight. We were reminded how much we owe to our civil rights leaders. And, we’re reminded how much further we still have left for equality for ALL Americans. You can’t fire someone because of the color of their skin or their age, but in most states – including Texas – you can fire them for being gay. Hell, in Texas some legislators still want to take away the children of gay couples. rating: 9 out of 10

(Community Matters) Sothwest Keys sent the AAS this response (see earlier post below) from SW Key special projects director Layla Fry;

In response to a previous entry in your blog about Southwest Key’s charter middle school, please be advised that Southwest Key’s CEO does not receive any money from its subsidiaries or affiliates. Southwest Key has formed several subsidiary social enterprises and none of them are privately owned by Dr. Sanchez or any other individual. Those organizations are solely owned by the nonprofit Southwest Key Programs, Inc. They have no shareholders—no one makes money from these businesses – all revenue goes back to support the nonprofit mission. These subsidiaries pay rent and a management fee to the nonprofit parent company for administrative services, a standard practice of good organizational operations.

Southwest Key’s CEO salary information and financial information are all public and can be downloaded from the 990s at http://www.guidestar.org, and the organization’s audit statements and annual reports are published on Southwest Key’s website at http://www.swkey.org/financials.html . The Austin Business Journal’s Book of Philanthropy (pub. 2/29/08 – see attached) lists Southwest Key as the 4th largest nonprofit in Austin with an operating budget of $56.8 million. Southwest Key’s CEO compensation is $200,471, which is lower than the other nonprofits of comparable size in Austin and much lower than the social service industry standard.

Southwest Key’s charter school application was unanimously approved by the State Board of Education. It received the highest score of all applicants in the entire state in TEA’s extremely thorough review process.

Southwest Key has been recognized for its transparency and recently received a near perfect score and an official designation of accreditation from the national independent Council on Accreditation (COA: http://www.coanet.org ). COA accreditation attests that an organization meets the highest national standards of best practice and is delivering the best quality services to the community it serves. The COA accreditation process involves a detailed review and analysis of an organization’s administrative operations and service delivery against national standards of best practice, with a significant emphasis on transparency and ethics. All of Southwest Key’s programs for which COA has a service standard were subject to review as COA reviews and accredits the entire organization, not specific programs. Southwest Key was one of only three nonprofits in Austin to become COA certified.

All of the facts related to Southwest Key’s finances and governance are readily available and posted for public review on Guidestar and the organization’s website, so there is no need to rely on “unconfirmed reports” or intuition about “things not feeling right”.

The reality is that there is a dire need for quality education in East Austin. This neighborhood needs leaders from greater Austin to seek to truly understand the grassroots work going on here and be willing to lend their support to improve the quality of life for those who will be the ultimate beneficiaries – our children.

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Just ask that this be discussed, disclosed and dealt with. Again, the last time I toured they ran good programs. Imagine they still do. Posted from my blackberry

(Community Matters) A comment in response to my posting about Southwest Keys program and their new East Austin charter school.

(Community Matters) An important perspective from Andrew Sullivan.

(Community Matters)  In Paul Krugman’s column in today’s NYTimes, he doesn’t increase my optimism about our economy.  Thank gosh we have a new administration in just 15 days. Democrats and Republicans alike must set aside partisan bickering or we could spiral.  Barack, Reid & Pelosi must persuade GOP senators, and the good man from Kentucky must presuade his colleagues to vote courageously, rather than dogmatically.

(Community Matters) I’ve never watched this show but news of the upcoming episode (and the trailer) about dinosaurs caught me off guard.

(Community Matters) Four of my favorite friends spent the holidays in Costa Rica. Gable, Dio, Sonya and Reid are our dear friends in DC. We’ll be staying with them during the inauguration.

(Community Matters) Thinking we should help them

(Community Matters)
Eugene is satiated.

(Community Matters) I’ve been a total slacker and haven’t been taking pictures. Consequently so many friends aren’t pictured in this set, especially our Marfa friends who joined us New Years Eve – including Tim Johnson & Caitlin Murray, Ross Cahiola, Tim Crowley & Kristi, Jessie & Daniel Browning, plus Kevin, Shannon, Blair & Justin.

Michael Mitchell, chilling before the party

Richard Hartgrove & Gary Cooper at Cochineal the night prior.
They celebrated their 25th anniversary while in Marfa

Kala Philo, Zac Collier & Kim Hughes

Heath Riddles & Graydon Parrish

Simon Haas & Nick Blaine
stopped by on their way to LA

David Roth & Jessika Mann
David one of my former TAs. He’s living in Boulder, his gf, Jessika in Manhattan

Jan Hughes

Fletcher Locklear & Gail Papermaster

Joe Christie, Kim & Michael

Lawrence Morgan

Margaret Keys & Susan Ghertner

Palo Chalupka & Amy Bryant

Steven & MM

Victoria Corcoran, Jeff Neal & Michael Barnes

Rats, can’t find pics of Jill McRae, Stephen Yelenosky, Tana Christie, Kyle Hughes, Hazel Barbour, Karen Aboussie, Christina Gutierrez, Scott & Jessie Collier and other guests either. total slacker, I.

(Community Matters)
I should start out every new year with a spy thriller. Just read David Baldacci’s, *Divine Justice* and will launch into Christopher Plummer’s memoir after I make lunch for Steven, Amy and Palo. Posted from my blackberry. Marfa, Tx. MB asked for my word for the year, “Next,” though Obama was a close second, in many ways the same motivation.

(Community Matters)
we hate missing their wedding today and send them best wishes. Posted from my blackberry