Saturday, November 14, 2009

Check the Comments

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A New Post? Not Til it is Solved- all of it.":

Before you say your post was omitted check the archive. Teachers Do Your Job TEACH has 7 comments under the post - by a mixed audience. Other posts have comments also.

Mr. Rosenfeld, Back Down and Accept

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Next Problem":

Most parents like and respect their children's teachers.

What parents don't respect is a Union President who has dug himself in so deep, stirred up his members, and scared the new members of his union so bad that HE is not willing to accept the fact that the BOE on behalf of the citizens of POB has made the union a more than generous offer.

He needs to admit that to himself,his constituents, the BOE, and all of Plainview-Old Bethpage that the current offer is fair.

Mr Rosenfeld, get off your high horse accept the offer.

Why are Expectations So Low?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Teachers: Do Your Job. TEACH":

I am a teacher in another district. I realize the position the teachers are in right now. As a parent in Plainview, I can understand and relate to much of the frustration voiced by the parents on this blog. This is a tense situation on all sides.

To the teacher who gives advice to parents on how to parent, it is inappropriate and counterproductive to your situation to do this right now. To make a statement that "communication skills are lacking in this town and it is obvious even with the adults" is a sweeping generalization, extremely offensive and inconsistent with NYSUT standards. Your comment about "self selecting" honors classes for our children is also way out of line. I would like to suggest that prior to posting such statements, you review NYSUT standards and the law regarding contract negotiations.

Job actions are illegal. If children are effected by these contract negotiations in any way, then the Plainview Congress of Teachers needs to re-evaluate their tactics at this time. At the same time, it seems that parents are full of complaints right now. If you are so unhappy with the schools in Plainview, I invite you to bring your specific issues to the attention of the district administration. If your concerns are not resolved to your satisfaction, you are completely within your rights to hire legal representation to politely and effectively bring about the change you want. If you are unwilling to legally take whatever action is necessary, then your complaints are of no value.

For whatever it is worth, I am saddened by the low standards I see in my child's school. It is not the teachers who are at fault. They just adhere to the expectations of their administrators.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Next Problem

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "What Does He do?":

Don't worry. That's the next problem to address.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Asst. Super With Real World Experience Will be Able to Take on Our Challanges

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A Question on the Asst. Superintendent":

Would an education degree from any Ivy League school prepare a Curriculum Superintendent for the mess they inherited in coming to this district?

Four elementary schools with their own "patterns" (term used by the superintendent) despite an organization of chair people for each subject area and a district wide curriculum position which is now your new job. Revolving door administrators including several new principals. Parents up at arms over poor results, lack of curriculum and inequitable materials. Add a wonderful back-to-school welcome from the PCT - You Tubes, "contract now" buttons and funereal uniforms, picket signs on back-to-school-night and other antics putting parent/teacher relations to the test and you've got a reason for someone to self-medicate or at least kick themselves for ever leaving their last job. The ideal candidate for this job needed a combat medal and Nobel Peace Prize on their resume.

When teachers backed out of supporting the PTA by not playing in the POB Middle School Wizards basketball game, the curriculum superintendent put on a pair of sweats and sneakers and let herself be chased around a basketball court for the sake of fundraising for the kids. Being a good sport and volunteering when needed tells me more about her than a resume with degrees from the top ed schools would. I'm not saying that playing in a basketball game means that a person is qualified to be a superintendent of curriculum. But given the circumstances, it shows heart. She was willing to get “in the game” literally. It shows common sense of caring enough to make a good impression on parents that are currently disappointed by actions of educators in the district. It gives me the impression that she'll stick around for a while and go the extra mile to make things better here. That's enough of a start for the first quarter.

And as far as track records go, let’s look at some recent curriculum-related accomplishments in her past district – Sachem. She worked with the teacher’s union to implement trimester report cards for elementary students and they thanked her in their June 2009 newsletter. NY State Ed recognized Sachem with a grant in 2009 for using data-based decision making for literacy for students with disabilities. Scores of “4” were raised on 5th grade social studies assessment with targeted instruction, using a 10 week plan with literacy coaches modeling reading strategies to all 5th grade students and teachers in 12 elementary schools.

I'm a self-admitted pain-in-the-@&# parent. I'm the first to question and be skeptical of any and all educational practices and administrators. I doubt candidates were knocking down our doors to work here. There is no litmus test to determine that anyone that applied for this job was indeed "smarter." But selling someone short when they haven't had a chance to make an impact and basing that negative opinion on their personal educational choices without checking any facts is wrong. Recognizing the importance of communication via report cards and working cooperatively with the teacher’s union, using data-based programs for literacy, and getting 12 elementary schools on the same page for a state assessment seem like pretty good credentials to me. The curriculum superintendent got the job based on real qualifications and she has real-world experience that will help her successfully take on the challenges here.

Ed's note: Well Said. Her track record speaks for itself; we can only hope she can untangle this mess we have made too, and bring back the brilliance POB was once known for.

Ms. Gierasch Take 'Em on Lead with an Iron Fist!

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A Question on the Asst. Superintendent":

Last I checked, Bill Gates didn't even graduate and he has turned the world around. We are just a messed up school district that needs to be turned around. That being said. She does have a great track record, and our district can use all the help it can get. I know that she is going forward on plans Linda Bruno put into place, which is excellent. I just hope she can stand up to the Curriculum Heads and Administrators who need a strong REAL leader, and that she is more than just the talking head that her boss is. - Show us what you got, Ms. G.!

Tax Dollars the Same: Kids Deserve Equity

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "School Inequality. How Very Sad":

More parents need to open their eyes about education in this school district. They need to stop being afraid to speak out about problems and realize that when they silently work to solve the problems on a personal basis for their own kid they are perpetuating the situation and actually allowing the problem to continue to grow and become worse.

Some teachers give tests, others don't. Some teachers supplement materials, others don't. Some teachers have materials that others don't. Parents work to fix these gaps so their kids won't fail. It's all wrong and needs a complete overhaul. Our tax dollars are ALL the same - and our kids deserve equity no matter what their home school is.

Another thought......

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "POBTeachers, this is what your employers are sayin...":

The entire school system in the Nassau and Suffolk needs to be overhauled - It's time for restructuring - and maybe privatization is the answer -Most residents feel that a new system will deliver a better product - We have many such examples all over the US and the world -
This is a good time to start the process - may seem like a revolutionary move ? Change is good for all living things !

Our school taxes could be cut into half - Would we all like to take an extra vacation every year !

This will mean a leaner , cleaner and greener system - that will benefit all = Residents, lower taxes and better quality of education -
and . We not need Union Bosses to run the system

We the people - have to bring this ridiculous charade to an end and reform is due.

It's not huge sums of money that is required - Neither a greedy Union or its Administration - People who are committed to helping the Children become good citizens from their Hearts :

A Question on the Asst. Superintendent

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Another Stratford Parent":

We haven’t just lowered the standards for our students. We’ve lowered them for the faculty and administration as well.

I read the bio on our new Assistant Superintendent. Undergraduate degree from Salisbury State (no not Salisbury Steak) and graduate degree from Dowling.

No, I am not an elitist. But I can not ignore the obvious.

Those are two uncompetitive schools. And anyone I know that went to Dowling did for only one reason. Poor grades.

AT BEST, they were average students in high school (avg. of 70-75).

So this leads me to ask. How can she raise standards in this district if she couldn’t raise them for herself?

Look at the US News and world report listing of 100 top education programs. Why didn’t we hire a candidate with experience that also attended an institution on that list. (Then again, how many of our current teachers have?)


And please spare me the boilerplate lingo “she has a proven track record for success…or was an asset to another district.” Or better yet…”she attended a summer program at Harvard”. Let me guess how you get into that program….I know, you merely register for it. Please! Can’t our BOE recognize that it was an attempt to hang her hat on the name of a respectful institution to buttress an otherwise subpar education.

Bottom line….I wouldn’t have hired her.

We need to be honest with ourselves. The market was flooded with smarter candidates who had taken their own education more seriously.

All of which leads me to question….how did she get the job? Did she know someone? Did she grow up in this district?

Ed's note.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A New Post? Not Til it is Solved- all of it.":

this is to the editor of this blog. If you want to foster discussion on the contract issue maybe you should be impartial.


Ed's note: It is MY blog.

School Inequality. How Very Sad

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Why Isn't There Instructional Parity Among the Sch...":

As I read all the posts on this blog I am saddened by what has happened in our community. I do not believe all the teachers want to display their displeasure in our district as they do in front of our kids and in ways that directly affect them in what is a hurtful emotional way. I wish THAT type of teacher who does not agree with Morty's union tactics would take a stand for our kids and their own integrity. However, our district in all from administrators to teachers to parents should all be ashamed of the difference in what one school studies vs the other and what materials they are given vs not. It is by far true the difference between the schools. Reading this blog opened my eyes to that and had me asking questions about teaching materials and the science cirriculum at school. I now am in complete agreement science is just not happening in at least my child's school and prep materials have not been given. Very sad.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Teachers: Do Your Job. TEACH

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Improve the System, The Corvettes and the Kia's Wo...":

I agree. I can afford a nice car and a nice home too. But so long as I am forced to afford Kumon to compensate for the deficiencies in our education system, then the higher teachers salaries prove irrelevant. A higher payroll will not translate into better education.

On that note, my car...my business. Your car...your business. My childs education...is part of your job and in the end...you're not doing your part. Take the button off, put the sign down and teach!

Monday, November 9, 2009

Tenure for the Xerox Machine?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Another Stratford Parent":

It sounds like all learning would cease at Stratford if the xerox machine broke.

M Rosenfeld: Here's a Concession to Consider..

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Another Stratford Parent":

Here’s a concession for Morty to consider:

Why don’t you cut teacher union dues for a year?

Or even better, why don’t you reduce your PCT union salary?

Aren’t you already a retired teacher drawing a pension from this district?

If we increase teachers salaries is Morty going to just increase teacher union dues?

Did you know that for year ending 8/31/08:

-Morty took a salary of over $65,000 from the Plainview teachers union

-That the teachers union is sitting on well over half a million (almost 600k) in cash

-That the union earned over $25,000 last year on interest income alone

-That the union collected nearly $400,000 in dues from the teachers members last year

-That nearly 17% of union dues goes toward Morty’s Salary

And was all this money collected for lawyers to negotiate teacher benefits? Not really. They only paid their lawyers $12,000 last year. So then why does the union need to sit on all of this money?

Anyone can see this information for themselves. The teachers union is required by law to show their financials to any member of the public who request to see them in person or by mail.

We’re in a cash strapped district and the union seems like a cash cow. The union must be broken. Our real estate taxes are creating a monster!

We need a line item on our real estate tax bill for teachers union!

A New Post? Not Til it is Solved- all of it.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Another Stratford Parent":

Can we have a new post?
I am disgusted with the circumstances in our community. So many parents feel hostility to the teachers and our school system. So many teachers feel hostility to our community. Something is very wrong. We count on our School Board and our Superintendent to solve problems in education. I am disappointed that they can't seem to do anytime to make this problem go away.
How can they expect the community to pass a budget this spring when things are such a mess?
Why is the Board sitting by passively? That is not what they were elected to do!
What is going to happen to property values in Plainview? Other communities solve their problems. The School Board needs to solve this.

Ed's note: As long as the Schools continue to under perform, and each school has a drastically different result with different materials, and the teachers continue to ask for more without a change in what they are doing/giving, this thread will probably continue.

90K Buys a Lot of Car

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Rescind, Don't Give In":

Lots of teachers have beautiful cars - Lincoln Navigators, BMWs, Lexuses and Mercedes abound in the staff parking lot. You gotta wonder how they can afford these vehicles on a below-average salary and why they are pleading poverty and carrying on about not accepting a 2% increase.


Ed's note: Perhaps we can all agree now that judging what a person (parent or teacher) drives, does not indicate his/her income. PS: And-Perhaps, they were all bought a year or so ago when we all still had jobs and got raises. Let's move on please.

Improve the System, The Corvettes and the Kia's Would Agree

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Rescind, Don't Give In":

(1) Not all people from Plainview are pleading poverty.
(2) There aren't THAT many Corvettes or Mercedes on the car pool lines.
(3) For some it might be simple economics - they just can't afford a higher school tax bill. For others it's about a growing dissatisfaction with the mediocre staus quo education and wanting something in return for an increase in payment for this service. Again, simple economics.

Let's say Plainview could afford to pay teachers $250,000 a year. Would that actually make our school district better? Would the curriculum improve and our kids end up smarter just by adding money to the teachers' paychecks?

The inevitable raise that's on the table needs to be supported with a plan to improve education. The Board needs to listen and dignify parents' concerns about adding elementary school extra help, eliminating half days that take away valuable class time and come up with other actions that will impact and make a difference in the kids' bottom line education.

Teachers deserve to earn a fair living. But to throw money into an imperfect system without any attempt at fixing known problems is ludicrous. I am sure Corvette, Mercedes (and Honda, Toyota, Kia and Hyundai) owners and iPhone and designer-bag-and-luxury-boot-buying parents would agree.

What Does He do?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Superintendent?":

This superintendent is a double dipper. Retired as a superintendent of another district, worked for us as an interim until he reached 65. Now he's got a full pension plus the 15th highest superintendent's salary in the county. I figure somewhere in the neighborhood of $400,00 in total. MERCENARY!!! Why pick on the peons??? Get rid of these guys, ALL OF THEM!!! Oh yeah, what does he do???