There was a Newburgh School District Board of Education Workshop meeting on Tuesday December 13, 2010. Board Members Resch and Giudice were not present. There was an audience of around seven. The meeting agenda is available here. The meeting was held in the Newburgh Free Library auditorium.
The BOE workshop meeting was preceded by the "Public Hearing on Contract for Excellence", agenda here. This hearing consisted of Superintendent of Schools Pizzo and Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Forgit reading this document. No explanation was provided about what the Contract for Excellence program is, why the public should be interested in it, or how the Contract for Excellence initiatives fit within the school district's broader goals or academic initiatives. The hearing lasted less than five minutes.
The BOE Workshop meeting began with a presentation by Linda Bakst from NYSSBA about the Dignity for all Students Act. This new law will require the updating of several policies. (The NECSD is hiring NYSSBA for a comprehensive effort to update district policies.) The law goes into effect July 1, 2012. NYSED has a web page on the law and is expected to issue regulations. Board President Fucheck said that the District has been addressing this through policy and that the Save Committee is responsible for reviewing the district code of conduct. Board Member Levinstein asked would training of bus drivers be required. Ms Bakst said yes bus drivers, cafeteria monitors, hall monitors, do need to have some level of training to implement the law; and that it might be something to be specified in a contract. Assistant Superintendent for Student Intervention and Support Services Noriega asked about cyber bullying. Bakst said that though that term isn't used in the law, it would be covered under the law as a form of bullying or harassment.
Louis Rodriguez of the Palombo group gave the construction update. Since the last update was just three weeks ago, the changes were not large.
Board Member Prokosch said that she had done a walk through with building and grounds and found some of the finishing work at South to be shoddy--new windows difficult to open, casework over walls with holes. Rodriguez said some patching is known to be needed; haven't gotten as far as a punch list for the science classrooms and home and careers; work is ongoing in that area. Prokosch also raised that a computer lab had tables screwed to the floors, which would make cleaning difficult. Rodriguez explained the tables were secured because of electrical and data lines. Fucheck said that a lot of these issues had been brought to the weekly construction meeting last Thursday and were being followed up on. Fucheck said that she had questioned why the computer lab didn't follow the district design template. Also some potential quality issue (chipping) of tables in science rooms. Fucheck asked Rodriguez about status of doors for South. Rodriguez said he received a proposal but did not accept it. He will be following up with Terry Damon about it.
Terry Damon presented additional building planning information. One item was a proposal for design work for replacement of stairs at Temple Hill. Contracts for work at NFA North are almost closed out--final payments likely in March. Damon said that they did not expect to have enough savings to complete boys' gym ceiling abatement. He anticipated re-issuing that work for bid. There is science room work to happen at GAMS that had been estimated at around 580k--may have bids ready for approval at next BOE meeting. Some work will be targeted for winter break. When change orders came up for discussion Prokosch had additional questions: how were window shades overlooked for new windows; already have 190k in change orders for GAMS which just started; extra support for mechanical unit on roof. Damon explained that some of the work (including mechanical unit) was due to program changes. The original plans did not include the current program changes. Due to savings on other work, funds sufficient for the program changes at GAMS became available. The base contract was just for K-6 renovations. The conversion of the building to K-8 accounts for some of the additional work. Superintendent Pizzo added that the work at GAMS is being done using money saved on other projects. The move to K-8 will fulfill what the board wanted--to have a K-8 school in each of the townships and in the city. Can't go outside of the building footprint because this was not in the original project--have to fund it through change orders and stay within the footprint of the building.
Noriega presented a couple of facility use requests.
Executive Director of Special Ed and Special Programs Swanson presented Special Education items. One of these was a contract with an independent evaluator. The district is required to have someone available if parents request an independent evaluation. Swanson mentioned that there have been no parental requests for independent evaluation in the past 14 months.
Noriega presented a proposal to purchase electronic materials to implement the Olweus Anti-Bully Management program from the Hazelden Foundation. Board Member McAfee asked how we know what materials we want to purchase at this point--without a clear plan. Noriega seemed to say that the Olweus program is popular and well recommended. Forgit added that this program would help to determine what the plans and policy should be. Representatives from the district have done some research about the program. Fucheck said that the Olweus program is always mentioned at conferences in the context of the Dignity for All Act, and it is also a program recommended by the group we are working with from NYU. Noriega mentioned that this is a program that BOCES can provide training assistance with. Forgit added that he sees this program as complimentary to the RTI program.
Forgit added a Curriculum and Instruction proposed resolution to the agenda, an agreement with Mira Via for a contract from December 2011 through August 2014, not to exceed $264k. This is to assist preparing teachers with knowledge of the framework for teaching (PDF of the rubric from NYSED); to assist administrators with observations; assist staff with evaluation of administrators using the Kim Marshall plan. [This PDF may give a sense of the Marshall rubric.] Forgit said the proposal has taken six months to put together and was just finished this morning. Fucheck asked if this was part of the negotiations with the union around Race To The Top and APPR. Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Leimer answered that the unions have been informed and the intent was to do professional development for both of these tools and both unions are supportive of that initiative. [Likely to be NTA and the Administrators Union.]
Another C&I item was a $24k agreement with Naviance for software and training for use by guidance. This is for a system to help prepare applications and transcripts for college applications. Other districts are using this system.
When the HR proposed resolutions were presented, Board Member Lewis asked about additions to Home Teachers. Leimer answered that it is both suspensions and medical; the majority being suspensions. Lewis asked what are we going to do for them, "someone needs to do something for these kids". Fucheck said that two things come to mind: St. Christopher's is opening at the old McQuade site in January and may offer services that would be useful to the district. Fucheck mentioned attending part of a professional development session that was going on with Heidi Hayes Jacobs and discussion came up about an alternative education model within the buildings. Lewis said that "we did bring a program back from NASBA"--and is waiting to hear back about it.
Executive Director of Human Resources McLymore is working on compiling a report about home teaching. Leimer explained that the buildings did not use Infinite Campus to store this information as requested, but they will be using it now. McLymore is working from paper to compile some data. Lewis asked that twilight program be looked at as well. Lewis mentioned that SES is expected to be faded out--supposed to be one more year, maybe can use that money for other programs. McAfee suggested that there be an alternative education subcommittee.
Another HR item was to update the job description for Director of Social Studies Education and Foreign Language. Leimer explained that in the summer job descriptions were revised for all the director positions and one was overlooked. Since the summer there have been other changes (foreign language was removed and is now added back). Another change is that there will be a description for the Director of Bilingual Programs and Accelerated Programs. Leimer added that at the next Board Meeting there will also be a resolution for the job description of the Executive Principal position at NFA. Fucheck asked if the Director of Bilingual Programs was now going to oversee Accelerated Programs. Leimer agreed. Forgit clarified that Accelerated Programs would include Honors, AP, Accelerated, pre-AP.
The workshop meeting adjourned to executive session at around 9PM "to discuss the employment history of particular individuals. The Board will not be taking action after executive session."
I happen to have video of this meeting--usually I just video the Regular and Special meetings. Let me know via the feedback link or email to newburghedinfo@gmail.com if you'd like to see this one posted at YouTube. If there isn't much interest, I'll just wait post video of the Regular Board Meeting which will be Tuesday December 20.