Thinking about teacher’s child porn trouble and my old school’s website

Today, I found out some news about someone who went to school with me, pretty much since kindergarten. In fact, I think he lived two blocks away. I probably haven’t seen him since junior high, which is what we called middle school in those days.
He was very smart and probably could’ve done anything. Eventually, he became a teacher in Florida, near where we grew up. That, I knew. Nothing else, since we hadn’t kept in touch.
Now, I found out he’s in big trouble, pleading guilty to a count of child pornography possession. He’s not the first person I knew, and also not the first teacher.
Don’t ask me what I think. I don’t know the guy. I know what I read, and you can look it up if you have any interest. (I won’t share anything else because what I read made it clear there was electronic possession, and it came from outside this country. Therefore, there’s no threat nor need-to-know in this blog post. Anybody who’d need to know already does.)
That got me thinking about the school where I started teaching. Regular readers know I did way too much there and was taken advantage of. That included figuring out how to be webmaster of the school’s old website. I was assigned that responsibility since I had my own site for my classes throughout that time.
I know since I left, the school had a big web problem and apparently had to pay to get the job done. (It’s funny how they finally found money when they had nothing for me, but I got the last laugh through education, experience and respect.)

lenny michael charlot
June 6, 2012: Honored at the Teacher of the Year luncheon

All this thinking got me to check out the school’s website and I was not pleased.
Below is the email I sent to Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ superintendent, the board chairperson, and the board member whose district includes the school.
Keep in mind, the school is between North Miami and Miami Shores. The majority of the school population was Haitian when I was there, and I have no reason to believe that changed over the past five-plus years.
(I kept the web links in for time purposes, and so you can see for yourself how things are being done and what I’ll be discussing. It’s exactly like the email I just sent.)
email
Hi! Please take just one moment to think about the importance of getting complete, accurate information out to all of your stakeholders, at all of your schools, and looking professional in the process.
I know Superintendent Carvalho recognizes the significance of not just appearing but also being competent, and would think he, the Board Chair and District 2 Board Member will feel as badly as I do after seeing what I just saw on the website of the school where I used to teach, run the website, serve as grade chair, electronic gradebook chair, EESAC secretary, Rookie Teacher of the Year, Teacher of the Year, and too many other things.
Today, I was shocked by what they’re showing the world on the internet.
First, on the District’s information page on Hubert O. Sibley K-8 Academy http://www.dadeschools.net/schools/schoolinformation/school_details.asp?id=5141, the Principal’s Message writes the old school name (Hubert O. Sibley Elementary) which was changed years ago. He does it three different times in one single message. His message is not timely. There is no year on it. How long do you think it has been since he updated it? (And just wait. Keep reading and you’ll see I found it at three other locations!) The picture on top has that old school name on it. And there’s a link for the 2012 bond referendum still up. What grade are the children who were born that year in now?
Clicking onto the school’s actual site (which redirects to https://www.hubertosibley.org/
On the homepage:
The Principal’s Message https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=295193&type=d on the right side is exactly the same as I wrote about above, with the wrong school name.
elementary on homepage
“Who is Hubert O. Sibley?” on the left side should be “Who was” since he’s dead. Also, a phrase inside the link https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=297771&type=d looks more like an old phone company than a correctly-spelled description. (I’ll explain it to you later in this letter, if necessary.) A more recent picture of him would also be nice. I know the school had a painting when I was there. Personally, I think the students at the school would relate more to him as an old man in a suit, rather than what they’d consider an old picture of someone in a strange-looking uniform.
who was
phone company
While you’re there, look at the directory of links on the left side. There seem to be two links on most pages on the site and that’s bad, because I don’t think the first link works any of those pages and the second links to one particular person (a math coach) who is listed on every faculty and staff page, and more as you’ll see. FYI: It should probably link here https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/staff/, but that page isn’t totally up to date.
Back to the homepage:
The “Food Menu” https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/food_menu/ has a blank calendar, like they’re not serving anything for breakfast or lunch. My first thought was that the page could link to a District page since schools tend to serve the same foods. Don’t worry. I found where it should go: http://nutrition.dadeschools.net/#!/rightColumn/193. I would actually separate the District menus page from the “To Apply Online for Free and Reduce Price Meals” page. (It should really say “Reduced.”) I’d also add the page to pay for lunch, which is right there, and could save time in the lunch line.
The PTA page https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=295215&type=d looks very old and I don’t think any of the teachers listed have taught at the school in years. Furthermore, Ruth Robert’s name is spelled wrong. It’s not “Roberts” as you can see in her email address. (She’s one of those former Sibley teachers.)
The “Mission Statement” underneath is complete right there, so why do they begin another sentence (which never ends) and wastes the reader’s time to click a link when the new page simply restates that mission statement?
mission
Don’t forget, the homepage is the most important one you have.
Look at the top, and the “About Us” section:
There are at least two errors in “News and Announcements” https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/news/. The first link there (Middle School Mock Trial Virtual Competition, https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/news/show_news.jsp?REC_ID=524303&id=0) has a hyphen where there shouldn’t be, and the paragraphs ends referring to “finals rankings.”
bad hyphen and finals rankings
The third link (Social Media Toolkit, https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/news/show_news.jsp?REC_ID=520826&id=0) needs no explanation. Just look at it, and notice the repetition and lack of proofreading. I remember teaching the students to proofread. Also, there’s nothing to click where it says, “Please click here.”
repeat and no click
In “Upcoming Events” https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/events2/?id=0&v=1&m=9&y=2018#today, there is nothing planned past October? When did you publish the school calendar? (We’ll get to more on that.) And why not post the whole school year on one page instead of separating by month? Wouldn’t that be more reader-friendly?
In “School Improvement Plan,” (redirected to https://www.hubertosibley.org/pdf/5141.pdf), is 2014-2015 really the latest available? How many more recent ones were finished but never posted? I know a thing or two about this, considering I used to sit at the former assistant principal’s desk instead of teaching my students, and typing, doing math and coming up with ideas to write. I also went to a session at another school for administrators on how to do the SIP when again, I should’ve been teaching. We’ll get to more on the assistant principal. Until you get there, think about who gave him permission for me to not do my job.
In “Photo Albums” (plural in the menu but singular on the page https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/album/), the “School at a Glance” is no more than a glance because there are two pictures and one is fake! https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/album/#!albumREC_ID=105733&s=0
In the “Video Gallery” https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/video/, there seems to have been no videos uploaded in two years. I’d consider deleting any whole section with nothing but old material to avoid embarrassment. The reader won’t miss what he or she isn’t trying to find.
Now, to the “Academics” section:
The “Classes/Homework” page https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/classes/ shows there are zero classes offered at the school. Make that “0 classes” for every subject.
The “Departments” page https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/departments/ is similar with “0 classes” for every subject, but staff member numbers are listed and they’re NOT zero.
Also in “Departments,” the Principal’s Message is the exact same old one from the District’s info page, the school’s homepage, and in the “About Us” section. That means it’s wrong in three places the school controls (and that message, in turn, gives the wrong school name three times in each of those places).
That math coach I mentioned earlier, after Mr. Sibley’s biography, is listed in addition (like that math phrase?) to the folks who actually work in each of the other departments (like cafeteria, custodial, security, etc.)! Check them all out.
But more importantly, check out Administration https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=297881&type=d. Yes, she’s there too, but worst of all is the page includes the former assistant principal I referred to earlier who was the subject of many news reports, including the links I’m about to show you, and who will continue to serve time in federal prison for almost the next two years! (Go to bop.gov and look him up.)
clippinger bop
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/public-school-assistant-principal-sentenced-58-months-prison-and-25-years-supervised
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article161855528.html
https://www.local10.com/news/crime/assistant-principal-granted-200000-bond-after-arrest-on-child-pornography-charges
https://patch.com/florida/miami/miami-beach-assistant-principal-allegedly-went-666prv
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Miami-Beach-Assistant-Principal-Accused-of-Child-Porn-Leaves-Jail-412607673.html
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/crime–law/former-florida-assistant-principal-gets-nearly-years-for-child-porn-charges/vlpCjTWGq7EaIA1SvIyFgJ/
https://www.local10.com/news/crime/family-supports-assistant-principal-arrested-on-child-porn-charges-at-hearing
https://wsvn.com/news/local/assistant-principal-arrested-on-child-porn-charges-faces-judge/
https://www.briansilber.com/don-clippinger-miami-florida-arrested-allegedly-downloading-child-pornography/
https://miami.cbslocal.com/2017/02/02/bond-set-for-assistant-principal-charged-in-child-porn-case/
https://www.facebook.com/FDLEpage/posts/1648494785191744?xts[0]=68.ARDRJOdCWkzwN6bUPoYBJY6OnIo7yovY3-U9pjp4R8GI4FyLDYXW2EU3L3mEhlZIFatYBlM2YGEfOeu6RATypuiXVkes62s7-A6o_FsXuH-Hq–0rAGR-8-EICrjVyJzSseUyLlAp6Nek0H8WsTgT2DKagWVvAPCZB2kTUKEJgFEsXlzP9N7IMdqJ2lCj-FAhWojhOqi8HvUxW2HJdqov6T3o7Q&tn=-R
I don’t know how this happened. You’d think somebody would’ve/should’ve noticed!
Continuing in the “Academics” section:
The Bell Schedule (singular in the menu and plural on the page, which is the exact opposite of the Photo Album mention from earlier) https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/bell_schedules/ lists bell times for two prior years but nothing for this year. Why would anybody care about an old bell schedule? (You’re making me think of Mrs. Sibley, a belle rather than a bell!)
Now to the “Students” section:
Under “Student Links” https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=295194&type=d, you see that same math coach again! As I mentioned earlier with most pages on the site, the directory of links on the left side is a waste because the upper link doesn’t work and in this case, the content that the lower one links to could actually be on this page! (Remember about being reader-friendly?)
Go to that lower link https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=295194&type=d&termREC_ID=&pREC_ID=links and you’ll see the first two items are old school calendars! You’ll remember I asked about this year’s school calendar, when discussing the About Us/Upcoming Events page. Old, outdated information confuses people, whether it’s on calendars, bell schedules, the school’s name, or anything else you can think of outside a history class. You want to inform, not confuse.
Under “Clubs and Activities” https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/departments/clubs.jsp, look at Fairchild Challenge https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=295204&type=d and you’ll notice information about 2008 and 2009! I was teaching at Sibley Elementary in 2008 and 2009 (this page has the school’s name with Elementary four times, which shows how outdated it is) and even volunteered to chaperone the afterschool trip down to Fairchild for the awards ceremony! Again, what grade are the children who were born then in now?
I see they’ve decided to call Reading https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=295201&type=d a “Club and Activity” and even though I haven’t seen the old school website I ran for years for free, since the principal could never find the money, I could swear they took my writing verbatim and copied and pasted it over. Has the Suggested Summer Reading List changed in about the past decade? I know my writing, and the introduction probably hasn’t. Were any new books written in all that time?
They did the same with Science https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=295202&type=d and listed a 2012 event as one of two short paragraphs. That second paragraph may also be my writing because I remember trying to get the former science coach to give me something to write. By the way, in 2006, I got former WTVJ-NBC6 chief meteorologist Paul Deanno to Sibley for Saturday School. We’ve been friends since my first TV stint in Philadelphia. I still have the picture I took, even after 12 years. Do you want me to send it, to show what Sibley is doing in science, these days?
Just beneath “Clubs and Activities” is the “Food Menu” again, and I already mentioned it.
Finally, to the “Parents” section:
The “EESAC Info” page redirects to the District page, so it doesn’t mention any names of people at the school. It should, in addition to minutes and a schedule of future meetings. I was EESAC secretary for about seven years. The school is supposed to be recruiting as many stakeholders as possible, and I remember how difficult it was to get a quorum.
I mentioned the PTA page earlier.
The “Intervention Opportunities for Math and Science” page https://www.hubertosibley.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=301576&type=d&termREC_ID=&pREC_ID=563974 looks like part of a memo from the District to school administrators with no explanation for parents (which would be the point of it being on the website, right?). It lists a website without a link to it, and that page only concerns science. On top of that, it looks scary at first glance, with so much on there, especially to parents who don’t know English so well. If the information in what looks like a memo is so important, then why not link directly to each resource described? That would mean taking time to go to the District page, finding the resource among so many other things, and linking right to it. Are “Intervention Opportunities” important enough and therefore worth the time and effort? I’d think so! Then, the school’s page (or the memo) ends with email addresses for science supervisors in elementary, middle and senior high schools, but no links to click to write to them. And it’s a dead giveaway the page was copied and pasted sloppily, like others I mentioned, because Sibley is not a senior high school!
And last, the “Parent/Student Handbook” https://www.hubertosibley.org/pdf/2018-2019%20School%20Parent%20Student%20Handbook.pdf is a mess. Look at the spacing for the name of the school.
spacing
The District’s mission statement on page 3 is different than the school’s, which has been around since I worked there.
There’s no year listed on the handbook until the top of the Superintendent’s Message on page 4, like any letter would have.
The Principal’s Message on page 8 is the same wrong one I mentioned three times earlier. This makes four occurrences. I mean, the name of the school is different on the Principal’s Message than it is on the cover! Who’d sign their name to that nonsense?
On page 9, one assistant principal gets the name of the school correct. The other doesn’t mention it, but spells “Miami Dade” (referring to the County School District) without a hyphen.
On page 11, Mrs. Sibley is referred to as a “Southern bell” again. That’s almost like Ma Bell, which became BellSouth and now AT&T.
I can go on and on, as you can imagine. My first big thought is DISAPPOINTMENT. My second and third are lazy and cheap. That goes completely against the school’s mission statement, which is “Develop ourselves to be better people and professionals, so that we may develop better students.” I put everything I had into my work at Sibley — we were even an ‘A’ school for a year when I was there —  but I left at the end of the 2012-2013 year because I knew something there wasn’t right. I was right, and it’s still there.
I know you want to see your stakeholders getting complete, accurate information — so students will be better educated — and it’s obvious they’re not. You need people who can do better, at least at Sibley.
Thank you for reading, and please do the man justice. You named the school after him, and he can no longer help fix problems down here.
Lenny Cohen
Formerly employee #280155, if I remember correctly

Click here to go back to 2006-2014: Teaching Time.

message
How nice this was changed on Monday, Oct. 22! I can only imagine the curses.

Also, the “Food Menu” was replaced, the “Bell Schedule” was updated and the “Administration” section it its old state was removed.
These are other changes I noticed midday on Tuesday, Oct. 23:

Keep up the good work! I know you can do it!
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