Date:
Kind: Public
Workshop Meeting
Hilltop Board Room
Members Present Dr. Don Hammond, President
Bryan Burrell, Vice President
Claudette Clarke, Trustee
``````` Vic Czajkowski, Trustee
(joined
the meeting at
Fletcher Johnson, M.D., Trustee
Michael Mark, Trustee
Constante Andres, Student Representative
Members Absent: Pierre Davis, Secretary
Others Present: Roberta Zampolin, Superintendent of Schools
Carleen Millsaps, Ass’t Supt. for Business
Winsome Gregory, Ass’t Supt. For Pupil Personnel Services
Professional Personnel
Walter Woodhouse, Ass’t Sup’t. For Instruction
Gail Fleur, District Clerk
Community Members
Staff Members
President Hammond called the meeting to order at
Trustee Burrell moved and Trustee Johnson seconded to approve the following:
RESOLVED, that the Nyack Board of Education acknowledges
with deep regret the passing of former Nyack clerical staff member, CAROL DICK.
Mrs. Dick started in the District as a Teachers’ Aide in
1968 at the
Mrs. Dick helped shape a brighter future for Nyack students and she will be missed
Motion Approved (7-0)
President’s Report
President Hammond said Mrs. Dick was a Teacher’s Aide for his mother and she was a great asset to Liberty School. He asked for a moment of silence in her memory.
He commented that the Middle School musical was excellent and he looks forward to the High School show the next week.
Constante Andres reported that:
§ The SOS Midnight Run was that week.
§ There were assemblies for Black History Month, which were entertaining and informative.
§ Midnight bowling was next week.
§ The High School musical is Zombie Prom and it will be performed for the next two weekends (Mar. 12-20.)
Mrs. Zampolin:
§ She agreed that the Middle School musical was excellent.
§ Last Thursday was the Parent Institute on Understanding the Middle School Child. It went very well. Myths about the Middle School still exist and another Middle School session will be held for fifth grade parents to discuss transition into the school. Tours of the school are being held the last Thursday of the month. The next Institute is on March 18 – Students with Special Needs.
§ The Hilltop Art Gallery has been very successful. It is a credit to the energy of Art Chairperson, Joe Fusaro.
§ The Foundation for the Nyack Indian Logo has submitted a yearbook ad that has the logo. At some point it will have to be discussed.
Board Reports
Trustee Mark said it was great to see the artwork and hear the students’ accompanying music.
Trustee Clark reported that there was a meeting that day of Fit Families, Fit Rockland, which she attended. The group is concerned with education about nutrition and physical fitness. Nyack, East Ramapo and North Rockland school districts have been chosen by the Department of Health to have two teachers trained from each elementary school to incorporate movement into the curriculum. After another planning session, letters will be sent home.
Trustee Burrell reported that it is the first time that Rockland School Boards Association will host the annual breakfast for our congressional representatives. It will be at BOCES on May 1. He will attend a leadership meeting in Albany on March 14-16 with local Board representatives from across the State. There will be State legislative meetings and lobbying.
Trustee Johnson regretted not being at the last meeting for the Technology presentation. He is happy to see that we are doing more with family involvement through the Parent Institute. As Board of Health President he said there is a rise in cases of Alymedia in 15 year olds in the County. There are no symptoms for this sexually transmitted disease that can cause infertility.
Citizens’ Comments
Margaret DeLorenzo asked why and when the Foundation for Preservation Of The Indian Logo ad for the yearbook was being discussed and when it would be discussed. President Hammond responded that that District policy says the logo cannot be used in any school sanctioned material. It is the same issue as having the Indian logo on the senior rings. Mrs. DeLorenzo said that she felt that the Board was discriminating against one group and asked that a legal decision be made on the issue. President Hammond said that since the District was being accused of discrimination, the issue would now be discussed in Executive Session. The decision the Board makes will be given to her. He asked that she give her contact numbers to the District Clerk.
Instructional Program
Update: Elementary
Social Studies was
overviewed by Regina Cappiello (Director of Curriculum and Professional
Development, Math by Dr. Anne Roberts (Principal of upper Nyack School) and
Science by Alice Blueglass (Principal of Liberty School). All discussed how assessments were analyzed,
what was being done to help every child improve and be success and to close
achievement gaps.
Trustee Mark asked
how the Waterford computer literacy program was working in kindergarten. He was told it was successful and there was a
math and science component, but need more computers in the classroom for that
to be piloted.
Trustee Clark said she hoped there would be more mentoring for students and she would be personally interested in getting involved with that.
Trustee Burrell asked about information on similar
schools. He also questioned if results
were related to scheduling changes in the elementary schools.
Trustee Johnson, addressing achievement gaps, asked how we could get families more involved. He said a core of the issue is not a black or white problem, but a priority placed on education. We also must look at what percentage of our Black students have a language barrier, and have just moved into the district. He is glad to see the Parent Institute is reaching out to parents.
President Hammond said he would like to hear about strategies that the schools are using to connect with parents about the closing gaps and improving scores. Also, are we analyzing scores teacher-by-teacher, so best practices can be shared and utilized? He has also head about a Block grant from the federal government to the town for mentoring that we might be able to get funds from.
Parent Amy Applebaum commended the presentation. She was happy about the discussion on improving mastery levels, and using diagnostic tools. She would like to see more coordination between grade 5 and the Middle School, and more diagnostics used there.
Parent Philip DeLorenzo appreciated Trustee Johnson’s remarks. The results in general are to be commended. Also, since the results in Valley Cottage School are lower, how does that affect student’s scores in the Middle School? Is there a gap between schools? Principal of Valley Cottage, Brenda Grier, replied that that three years in succession had the highest scores in the ELA. Each class cohort is different. The number of students that sometimes affect drops are just a few and don’t show on the graphs.
Mrs. Gerry Bracken applauded the teachers, who she said have a very difficult job today. She questioned if a child is non-verbal in kindergarten, why do we send them on. We should have contracts with parents about their responsibilities.
The staff was thanked for their presentations.
Instructional Program Update: Physical Education: Director Joseph LaPorte. Some highlights of the report include program initiatives: presentation by the Rockland Family Shelter and planned parenthood on date rape violence and HIV prevention/abstinence, a 10 week grant funded dance program alternative, and horizontal climbing wall piloted at Liberty School. As part of a consortium with SW BOCES staff can attend workshops – the next one at NHS is How Brain Research Supports the Need for Quality Physical Education. Four female students are swimming with Pearl River at Tappan Zee High School. They follow their schedule, but swim independently.
Trustee Clark suggested that Planned Parenthood be brought into the Middle School as well. There is more promiscuity and we need to bring the issue to the forefront.
Review Eligibility Policy #5305: No changes were recommended. Perhaps the policy should be reviewed on an as needed basis. Trustee Burrell said that it may be good to have it in constant review to make sure all on same page. Trustee Czajkowski said the language in the regulations should match the policy. It should have co-curricular activities and another form is needed for them that states the consequences and has consistent language. The policy will be reviewed again in March 2005.
Action Items:
Trustee Czajkowski moved and Trustee Burrell seconded to take the action items 16, 17,18, 19a as one motion.
Motion Approved (6-0)
Trustee Clark moved and Trustee Johnson seconded to approve the following:
RESOLVED, that the resignation of MARGARET COCCARO Consultant Teacher at Liberty Elementary School be accepted effective June 30, 2004.
RESOLVED, that SARAH COHEN, Elementary Art teacher at Liberty Elementary School be granted an Unpaid Childcare Leave of Absence, effective March 8, 2004 through June 30, 2004.
RESOLVED, that FRANK SIMONE, Teaching Assistant at Nyack Middle School, be granted a Continued Unpaid Leave of Absence, effective January 24, 2004 through June 30, 2004.
BE IT RESOLVED, That the Board of Education of the Nyack Union Free School District confirm the award to Tractebel Energy Services for the 11-month supply term from August 2004 through June 2005. The following fixed price shall apply for the term of the agreement:
O & R SC-2 Accounts $.0.06265/kWh
Motion Approved (6-0)
Spring
Coaching Appointments
Trustee Mark moved and Trustee Johnson seconded to table the Spring Coaching appointments until after discussion in Executive Session. Trustee Burrell had remarked that he would abstain because he had some concerns and had not had time to gather more information.
Motion Approved (4-1-1)
Trustee Burrell abstain Trustee Czajkowski No
Trustee Czajkowski voiced objection to two items on the Executive Session agenda. He said the Foundation for the Nyack Indian ad and the discussion of Principal’s presentations at the Board meetings were unlawfully being discussed in Executive session. President Hammond explained that– earlier in the meeting the District was accused of discrimination and then the issue became an Executive Session matter, as was stated earlier in the meeting. The District’s Legal Counsel present said that Attorney advice can be gotten in Executive session, but other matters have to be discussed publicly Trustee Czajkowski questioned why the Indian logo was present in last year’s yearbook, although the Board had already voted not to use it. He was reminded that the Board said it would phase in the effort, allowing it to be used the rest of last year. He also did not believe the Board could censor the Yearbook. It was decided to leave the Principal’s presentation discussion out of the Executive Session and the ad in.
Trustee Clark moved and Trustee Johnson seconded to adjourn to Executive Session for discussion of personnel and legal matters at 10:00 PM.
Motion Approved (6-0)
Trustee Mark moved and Trustee Clark seconded to reconvene to Public Session at 10:20 PM
Motion Approved (6-0)
Trustee Czajkowski moved and Trustee Johnson seconded to remove the tabled motion to appoint Spring Coaching positions from the table.
Motion Approved (6-0)
Trustee Czajkowski moved and Trustee Mark seconded to approve the coaching appointments per attached.
Motion Approved (5-1)
Trustee Burrell abstained
Trustee Burrell moved and Trustee Clark seconded to return to Executive Session at 10:25 PM.
Motion Approved (6-0)
Trustee Czajkowski moved and Trustee Burrell seconded to reconvene to Public Session at 10:55 PM.
Motion Approved (6-0)
Trustee Czajkowski moved and Trustee Burrell seconded to start legal action against the New York State Education Department in regard to the reporting of inaccurate STEP data.
Motion Approved (6-0)
Trustee Johnson moved and Trustee Mark seconded to adjourn at 11:00 PM.
Motion Approved (6-0)
Respectfully submitted,
Gail Fleur, District Clerk