The Times Herald-Record reports on preparations for the NFA's Second Annual Dancing With the Teachers Night.

The teachers also get the experience of stepping back into the student role where they don't have all the answers, dance teacher Mandy Clifford said. And judging from the atmosphere at school, many seem to be playing the role of model pupils. In most hallways this week, music emanated from behind partially closed doorways.

Excellent!

The Public Notice web page on the Newburgh School District site has been updated for October:

Monday, October 1 Curriculum Committee - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 2 BOE Audit Committee - 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 2 BOE Special Meeting - 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, October 4 CDEP Committee - 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 4 Compact Central Committee @ Meadow Hill School - 7:00 p.m.
Monday, October 8 Columbus Day Observance - Schools Closed
Tuesday, October 9 S.A.V.E. Committee - 3:15 p.m.
Tuesday, October 9 BOE Policy Committee - 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 11 BOE Diversity Recruitment Committee - 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 11 BOE Personnel Committee - 5:30 p.m.
Monday, October 15 BOE Buildings & Grounds Committee - 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 18 District-Wide Health & Safety Committee - 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 18 BOE Finance Committee - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 23 BOE Workshop Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 25 BOE Library Committee - 5:00 p.m. (NFL Director's Office)
Tuesday, October 30 BOE Regular Meeting - 7:30 p.m.

Please attend a meeting and share news or observations. There is not sufficient awareness or publicity about what happens at these meetings.

There is a web page on the official Newburgh School District site which lists monthly meeting dates and times. As far as I know, all these meetings are open to the public. Please consider attending a meeting. More public participation at these meetings would be a good thing.

Monday, September 17 BOE Policy Committee - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, September 18 BOE Curriculum Committee - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, September 18 BOE Workshop Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, September 20 District-Wide Health & Safety Committee - 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, September 20 BOE Finance Committee - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, September 25 BOE Regular Meeting - 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 27 BOE Library Committee - 5:00 p.m. (NFL Director's Office)

The Newburgh Enlarged Central School District often does an inadequate job of informing parents about district events and meetings. For instance, there is to be a Compact Central Committee meeting on Monday, September 10, 2007 at Vails Gate School at 7pm. This event is not listed on the district home page under "District-Wide Events". Nor will you find information about it by following the "Committees/Groups" and "Compact Committee" links. All of the schedule information on the Compact Committee page is from last year.

The meeting may be informative. The Superintendant of Schools is expected to attend, and the Curriculum and Instruction Division is expected to talk about Curriculum Maps and Benchmarks.

Not sure what the Compact Central Committee is? This document: District's Plan for Implementing C.R. 100.11 may help or it may not. In any event, the meeting should be a good opportunity to hear from the Superintendent, and to hear something about the administration's thinking about teaching.

The first day of school is Thursday September 6. Have a wonderful year!
The 2007-08 Calendar is available from the district web site. (NYS School Day regulations)
Bus routes for 2007-08 are now available here.

There is a regular meeting of the Board of Education at the Newburgh Free Library this evening at 7:30pm. The agenda for the meeting has been posted at this page on the Newburgh Schools web site. The meeting is at the library in the second floor auditorium. The library is closed at 5pm so you may need to enter through the glass doors at the northwest corner of the building, near the wonderful Dutch Reformed Church

What are the powers and duties of the Board of Education? Here are some excerpts from New York State Education Law which explain. If you are interested in the change in transportation policy which may affect students who live near schools this year, do note item 12 b.

Noticed a reference to an upcoming Jonathan Kozol talk on another weblog.

Sure enough, according to the Mount Saint Mary College homepage:

World renowned educator, author and advocate for students, Jonathan Kozol to speak at the Mount, August 21 at noon in Aquinas Hall Theatre. Free and open to the public. The Mount also has a flyer for the event.

Should be an interesting talk. For some background on Kozol, here's his wikipedia entry, several book quotes, and Amazon link for his new book. Perhaps he has some suggestions for Newburgh.