Anyone- Ideas for Indoor Activities for This Winter- Help!

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Wishing Everyone a Happy Holiday.":

New Post

Ok, blog followers, here's a question. Can everyone add their two cents to this one?

Indoor activities for your kids during the winter???????

The movies and bowling are great but what else is there to do this time of year????

Rosenfeld Considerate, What About the Board and Administrators?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "What to Do About a Teacher with Unprofessional Beh...":

How about a new post for this one?

Whatever you want to say about the teachers' union, Mr. Rosenfeld is the only person who regularly reads this blog and posts un-anonymously. He might disagree but at least he is willing to listen to what parents have to say. We might not be happy with every teacher our child has, maybe not even with the union for some things but nobody can deny Mr. Rosenfeld at least has the decency to reach out and consider our feelings. Wouldn't it be nice if board members and administrators did the same?

Wishing Everyone a Happy Holiday.

To All of Plainview Old Bethpage, to the wait staff at the Blue Angel, to the amazing Librarians of our town, to the guy who works at Fairway and found the soy nut butter no one else could, to the guy who let me in to cross over to the far left lane on Old Country Road so I could get on the 135, to all of you, to all the great commentors on the blog,  I wish a merry/happy holiday and hope that you were gifted exactly what you wished for.
suzala.

What to Do About a Teacher with Unprofessional Behavior? What to Tell My Child?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The New Superintendent.....":

Suzala, can you start a new thread for this one?

My child came home from school today upset because upon dissatisfaction with another child's math work, the teacher ripped the page out of the kid's notebook, crumbled it up, threw it in the trash and made him do it over. I knew I was only hearing one side of it so I asked a bunch of questions to get the full story which confirmed for me that this teacher really did this as was reported to me, not inconsistently with her other disciplinary practices but I digress. I told my daughter that unless it directly involves her, there really isn't anything I can do about it but she did right telling me that this frightened her. Can I get some parenting advice on this one? Did I tell her the right thing? These are eight year olds we are talking about. I don't know the other child's track record. I wasn't there. It just disturbs me that my own child, who's usually so easy going, would have gotten so upset over this.

I really don't know what to make of this one. All feeback is welcome.

Police rep at Library This Tuesday, (and more burglaries in plainview?)!

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Plainview Police Precinct to be Shut Down?":

Go to POB LIbrary on Tuesday 12/20 7pm. Rep from NCPD will be there...Demand answers on what's going on. Heard about another Friday night burglary spree. Suzala..can you post this so all know about it? I understand a rep from LIPA will be there. That should be interesting also.

The New Superintendent.....

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Give Your Thoughts to the District on a New Superi...":

We need a trail blazer in the new superintendent, someone looking to put the district back on the map of great school systems, not a retiree returnee or someone at the end of the career ladder.

Publish

Looking for Awesome Christmas Houses on L.I.

Can we get some suggestions for Lit up Houses for the Christmas Season? Breathtaking, or Over the Top Tacky Kitch. Let's hear about your favorite Long Island Yule house. Please list location with minimal directions if necessary.

I will open the gambit....
Take the 135 South and get off at Powell Avenue in Bethpage. At the stop sign make a right turn onto Powell. Sorry I don't know the street number  but it's either the second or third street on your right side (Westerly or Ott Street)  off of Powell. Either street is a dead end and only has about 4 houses on each side so you really can't go too wrong. ( the house is almost visible from the corner before you make the turn.) It is decorated to the MAX! - We go every year but we are looking for some new adventures- Can you guys help?

Give Your Thoughts to the District on a New Superintendent

Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District Requests the Community’s Input on Superintendent Search
The District welcomes your thoughts by responding to the survey link at http://tinyurl.com/POB-Supt-Survey. The survey will be open from December 6th through December 16th, 2011.The Board of Education is very interested in your input as they seek to hire a new superintendent. This survey is designed to gather your perception on the importance of various characteristics commonly found in effective superintendents. The information will be used by the Board to determine the “Desired Characteristics” of our next superintendent.
http://tinyurl.com/POB-Supt-Survey

Plainview Police Precinct to be Shut Down?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Real Issue: The Curriculum":

NEW TOPIC

I just found out from a neighbor that Nassau county executive Edward Mangano is planning on closing the 8th police precinct. This is something that we should be outraged and concerned about . Judy Jacobs needs to be contacted by all of us . The last thing we need is for the police precinct to be closed

Plainview Patch Reports on Missing Teen

Natalia Muoio, the missing Plainview JFK junior, contacted her mother early Thursday and is "OK," but still on the run.
Natalia's mother, Diane Muoio of Plainview, confirmed today she had a brief conversation with her daughter Thursday morning. The 17-year-old's conversation was brief but indicated she is "OK," her mother said.
Nassau Police Detectives said they, too, had learned of the conversation and were continuing to actively pursue the case as a runaway incident. Police and family members continue to be concerned for Natalia's safety and well-being because of previous indications of abuse at the hands of another person.
Natalia disappeared on Nov. 30 and, until Thursday morning's phone call, hadn't been heard from since.
The massive outpouring of support from the Plainview community has had an apparent impact on the case, authorities said. Diane Muoio asked for that support to continue so that Natalia is returned home and she gets the help she needs.
"Now we have more work to do," Diane said.
Patch will continue to update this story as it develops.
Contact Local Editor Joe Dowd with any information at : joe.dowd@patch.com  or continue to add notes of support to the Plainview Patch website's comments section.
Read the previous story on her disappearance here.

Related Topics: Disappeared Teen, Natalia Muoio, and Plainview JFK

Let Natalia understand what she means to her family and Plainview. Tell us in the comments.

Please Pass This On: Plainview Child Missing.

Please Help. 

Natalia has been missing since November 30th. 5'3" 88lbs. 

Any information please contact 

516 578-2981

Natalia is a 17  year old student at JFK POB

Maybe you are a friend or even an enemy of Natalia's that has some idea of where she might  be or who she might be with. Please call, or even email this blog anonymously, we just want to get her home safely.

The Real Issue: The Curriculum

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "English and Textbooks, and Teaching in Middle Scho...":

This particular topic should be renamed ,"The curriculum". That is what is really the issue here. I bet most parents would agree that we as children were never given the amount of school and homework that our children receive. The HW is excessive with some teachers. Maybe one of the teachers on this blog could explain to me why any teacher in their right mind would load a child up with hw on halloween. There are some teachers that do give assignments to children on work that was never introduced .I know this to be a fact because my child has told me this on multiple occasions . I don't think slamming parents on this blog is to smart. I think the employees of our school district should give thanks on this holiday. Thanks for being employed while other districts have layed off teachers.As I have stated before there should be more anger directed at the administration and the BOE for the majority of the problems in our district because they are the ones that set the policies, curriculum, and political agenda. God forbid you say anything controversial at a pta or board meeting and you will be cast as a troublemaker. We need enough residents to complain to the board to a point that they will have to do something for fear of not being re elected again

English and Textbooks, and Teaching in Middle School

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Just the ELA Facts Ma'am...":

New English topic: How come we pay for middle school literature textbooks, but xeroxed short stories are sent home? The texts collect dust at home. How come teacher reads story to class on day 1 and on day 2 gives a test on story? Are kids supposed to teach the story to themselves?? Oh, more work for parents, no thank you. Need to bring back traditional teaching to our classrooms. Do vocab, read story, assign questions, discuss, write about THEN give test. Process should be 1 week to go over story.

Refresh- Where is the Assistant Superintendent Taking Us?

Anonymous has left a new comment o

Just the ELA Facts Ma'am...

read to end please...

 Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "POB District Listed By the State as Needing Improv...":
The statistics For GRADE 3

Stratford.
7.9% level 1.   19.3 % level 2.  
27.2% not meeting standards
That is more than 1 in 4 kids
There are not that many special ed kids at Stratford Road


But compare to Parkway grade 3
1.3% level 1.   25 % level 2
26.3 % not meeting standards at Parkway - not that great either


Old Bethpage Grade 3 
0% level 1.   25.5 % level 2
Still 1 in 4 kids not meeting standards in 3rd grade

Pasadena
Grade 3.   1.2 % level 1.    21.2% level 2
The best scores go to Pasadena

All Stratford parents know the instruction at the school is not up to par with other schools.  Its great that Albany knows also.  Maybe something will finally get done.

Stratford 4th grade
3.8% level 1,   19.2 level 2

 Old Bethpage 4th grade
0% level 1.  11.9 level 2

That's a huge difference!!!!

Parkway grade 4
2.1% level 1.   18.1% level 2

Pasadena grade 4
1.2% level 1.    25.6% level 2

Except for the 4th grade superstars at Old Beth :)
these scores show a problem in ELA instruction districtwide

Not just Stratford Road

Maybe the special ed kids tipped the scale for Stratford but there is no excuse for over 27% of 3rd graders to not meet standards!

And 31% of POB Middle 7th graders didn't meet ELA standards either

Plenty of reason to twitter


Ed's note:
The following post came in today. I need to add that the board addressed this and admitted that the ball had been dropped with regards to ELA. While Strattford was singled out by the state, the board acknowledged that even when compared to most schools on Long Island, POB as a whole produced lower grades than most on the ELA tests. A new ELA program was instituted this fall in order to address the problem. It is a shame in my humble opinion that most parents didn't learn about this by attending the board meetings, or at the least via missive from the school or PTA. At this point, it would make sense as tax payers and parents to attend the board meetings to make sure this new program is working.                      

POB District Listed By the State as Needing Improvement

http://www.newsday.com/number-of-li-schools-on-needs-improvement-list-triples-1.3311270?cmpid=Breaking

The number of Long Island public schools listed by the state as needing academic improvement has more than tripled this year to 106, prompting Long Island educators to call for speedier overhaul of the federal No Child Left Behind law that has governed academic ratings the past nine years.
Only 28 Island schools were identified last year as needing improvement.
The new additions extend to such well-regarded school systems as Elwood, Half Hollow Hills, Massapequa, Oceanside, Plainview-Old Bethpage, Smithtown and West Islip.

POB /JFK Glee Club Rocks out Channel 5 News

New Post please: POB JFK Glee Club

http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/good_day_ny/glee-club-plainview-old-bethpage-john-f-kennedy-high-school-20111108

Teacher Face Book Accounts?

Can you please post as a New Thread for Comments and Opinions:

Teachers and Facebook?

What is the district or Union policy on teacher's Facebook pages?

There is so much discussion these days on potential employers reviewing FB and social network sites for hiring decisions.
Also our students are told to watch what they put on Social Network sites...For college board review.
So what do we do as parents, when we Google our teachers crudentials and find a teacher's Facebook page with pictures of them as adults drinking or other inappropiate postings?$#@*?

Editor responds to GPTA Controversy

As the facilitator of this blog, I rarely post any comments but I could not refrain from commenting on this issue. Firstly let me say that we currently have a PTA that is supposed to be in place to address the needs of all children: (taken from the PTA website)-"(PTA) provides parents and families with a powerful voice to speak on behalf of every child and the best tools to help their children be safe, healthy, and successful—in school and in life." If school districts welcome SEPTA, a parent teacher organization that focuses on the needs of children with learning challenges, then they must welcome all PTAs regardless of their focus. I am not saying that one is more important,or valuable  than another, I am speaking strictly on the fact that once a precedence has been set, you can no longer pick and choose whose issues are more credible and which groups should be recognized.
With regards to "pushing a child to learn about gay and lesbian lifestyles and their  legitimize alternative sexual orientation", I must say that, the constitution of our state acknowledges that gay and lesbian people have equal rights to the privileges as well as the responsibilities afforded the heterosexual populous. While this may not coincide with your personal or religious beliefs, it is part of your state constitution as well as the Declaration of Independence which sites that all men are created equally. You might consider the fact that your child will grow up and will probably work with or for someone who is homosexual or even transgender and if he is exposed to different lifestyles from his/her own now it will not be a problem for him/her later. You might want to consider that teaching your child that because someone is different from them that does not mean that they are bad, or stupid, or less than, and that this kind of thinking will not serve them well in the future, or  help them to get along in society better.
The foundation of this country has been built on the concept that all are created equally. Schools teach that the 13 colonies fought for equal rights of representation and religious freedom, they teach how women who were once thought of as no more than chattel have had to fight for their equal place in society from securing the right to vote to today; when women still don't earn equal pay to men, just because they don't have a penis. They teach how African Americans fought for the right to vote, to sit in a restaurant, to be free and all because they  have a different skin color. I think the fact that a group of people who are denied basic rights based on their sexual orientation and worked to change that is another example of a group of people who were marginalized because they were different. I think this is a perfect lesson to be taught in school. There aren't that many of us that were born in the USA that haven't had to fight to get accepted in this country and their stories are told in schools. One can pretty much pick an ethnic group and the situation repeats itself. One of the commentators talked about comparing Septa to children/adults picking alternative lifestyles. Science has spoken on this one; children and adults do not pick their sexual orientation, just as children do not choose to have trouble reading, so actually they have more in common then you care to admit, and both children are no less deserving of equality than you or I.
 Additionally, I can't understand why treating children's needs regardless of what or who they are equally would be offensive to you. I applaud the High School Principal for acknowledging  a need in his school and supporting his students. While I do agree that drugs and alcohol are major issues in our schools, you might want to consider why children turn to them. Often drugs and alcohol are used to dampen feelings of pain, and to give a sense of well being and self worth. Perhaps if those issues were equally addressed, alcohol and drug use would recede. Mr. Murray is justly acknowledging and supporting a segment of the high school's population.

I think teaching acceptance of other people, in school, particularly when they are not normally accepted by your religion or upbringing, is the whole point of teaching acceptance. Besides if you are going to teach your children that others who are different than you are unacceptable, I would think you would want to at least give him/her the facts that back it up; Learning about Harvey Milk, I am sure will make it easy for them to see that being homosexual is a thing to be shunned. Not. I guess that's what you are afraid of.

As far as teaching good old fashioned morals,I am all for that. I recommend the Golden Rule, (followed as early as ancient Egyptians and Confucius (551–479 B.C.), and can be found in some form in almost every ethical and religious tradition. I believe it goes something like, One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself. Perhaps those of you should consider this before you judge others.
I hope I can persuade you to see the benefits and positive aspects the GPTA may bring both to the school district, and to the populations of both straight as well as alternative lifestyle students.

The New Long Island PTA

I don’t often say “Yay, Long Island,” but, yay Long Island. This is a great step forward.
A new parent-teacher organization is forming on Long Island to support gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students, and push for expansion of curriculum to include information about GLBT leaders and history.
The Long Island Gay Parent Teacher Association, which is to hold its first meeting Wednesday, has its mission already set: Use the backing of parents and teachers to make Nassau and Suffolk public schools more inclusive and safer.
One of the best ways to do that is to talk about GLBT people in mainstream lesson plans, not just in gay-straight alliance clubs or events promoting diversity, said David Kilmnick, chief executive of Long Island GLBT Services Network, an association of five nonprofit organizations.
Just as students learn about Martin Luther King Jr. and his civil rights efforts, they should be taught about Harvey Milk, the assassinated gay rights activist, who was born in Woodmere and graduated from Bay Shore High School, Kilmnick said.
“If kids start to admire gay people … it starts to break down the illogical reasons for homophobia,” Kilmnick said......

http://inthefade.tumblr.com/post/12140502199/the-gay-pta

Football Game Play Superceeds Safety. Really?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Pressured to Perform, Not Pressured to Learn":

A.M. UPDATE: All 18 Players OK after Suffering Hypothermia at Plainview JFK Game

Twelve students hospitalized after playing in frigid, rain-soaked conditions. All players now reported OK; two adults hospitalized with cardiac problems.



The weather report was broadcast way ahead. Who was the brilliant decision maker here? Was this game that important to jeopardize the health of students and supporters? I would appreciate some response on this.

Pressured to Perform, Not Pressured to Learn

Too all who have commented on too much homework, I suggest watching this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCcelMT1vPg This is a trailer for a film well worth seeing if you care about your child's education. I was lucky enough to see it last spring; it was sponsored and shown in a Suffolk county school by it's PTA. If you are unhappy about the amount of homework and how your school district handles it, you need to speak up at Board Meetings. Right now, the district's directive is to raise the test grades at all cost. The community must be part of deciding how that can be done. At this point in time my children do not have too much homework, but they are in the lower grades. I do hear from other families that it is often out of control. I also hear about core subject tests being given on the same day. I cannot see the sense in that. It encourages learning for the test and not mastering the material.

Homework.... When is Too Much Too Much? Review, or Learn it Yourself?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Student Schedule Problems...?": Please list this as a new post. HW- When is there too much HW I have one child in middle school and I find this ridiculous that he spends up to 2hours a day on HW. Some days there is more hw than others. I also have a neice in the high school that also spends up to two hours doing HW. In addition to this, children are encouraged to join clubs, drama, cheerleading, and sports. I look at some of the hw. I wonder sometimes, are the children reviewing what they learned for the day or being given work to learn on their own. I would like to know what other parents opinions are on this .

Teacher's Contracts for 2011?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Needed: 9th Period. Change the Teacher's Contract": Are the teachers still working with an expired contract? I was under the impression that the contract ended in july. . Maybe Mr. Rosenfeld can enlighten us.

Dear BOE. Please Check What's Going On.....

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Nassau County Pesticide Spraying Schedule": Please post separately Has anyone else noticed that there are certain principals who are always behind closed doors? They are also the same principals who are going for advanced degrees. A lot of school work can be done online. Someone should be checking what they are doing. Also why is it OK that some principals and assistant principals are no shows at school events? Again, someone should be checking what is going on. This should not be tolerated.

Nassau County Pesticide Spraying Schedule

FYI for everyone, The county will be doing ground spraying over the next week or so depending on weather conditions. Below is the current list of areas to be sprayed. While this will not be released from a helicopter, the spray from the rear of the truck does carry. If you have lawn furniture that cannot be brought indoors, make sure you wash it down before using, this goes double for children’s toys and swing sets. See all the instructions below. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 19, 2011 Ground Treatment for West Nile Virus to Begin in Nassau County on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday September 20th, 21st and 22nd Uniondale, NY - Based on the current mosquito trap data, Nassau County Departments of Health and Public Works have recommended that localized truck treatment of adulticide occur at targeted areas in the County. This recommendation is based on the persistent presence of West Nile virus activity at these locations. Weather permitting the current schedule for ground treatment by truck is as follows: Tuesday, September 20th, 7 PM through 2 AM –Sections of Farmingdale, South Farmingdale, North Massapequa, Plainedge, Bethpage, Old Bethpage, Plainview, Hicksville and Levittown. Wednesday, September 21st, 7 PM through 2 AM – Sections of Rockville Centre, Lynbrook, Malverne, Lakeview, Franklin Square and West Hempstead. Thursday, September 22nd, 7 PM through 2 AM – Sections of West Hempstead, Valley Stream and North Valley Stream. Alternate Dates: Monday and Tuesday, September 26th and 27th. Maps of the areas to be treated can be found on the Department of Health web site at: http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/Health/index.html When: Weather permitting, the planned schedule for ground treatment will be on Tuesday, September 20th, Wednesday, September 21st and Thursday, September 22nd beginning at 7 P.M. and ending at 2 A.M. What: Scourge is a pesticide containing resmethrin and piperonyl butoxide. Resmethrin is a man-made pyrethroid insecticide that can also be found in other pesticide products used indoors and on pets to control ticks and other insects, such as fleas and ants. Piperonyl butoxide does not directly kill insects on its own, but acts to increase the ability of resmethrin to kill insects. These active ingredients are dissolved in a petroleum solvent. Health Effects: The chance of experiencing any health effects from the use of Scourge to control mosquitoes is quite low. As with any pesticide, individuals may want to reduce or eliminate exposure. To Reduce Exposure: The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) do not require relocating or taking special precautions during mosquito control treatment. Individuals, especially pregnant women and children, should remain inside during the treatment and for about 30 minutes afterwards. In addition, individuals may minimize exposure by: · Keeping windows and doors shut, setting air conditioners to re-circulate if able. Turn window fans off. · Keeping children's toys indoors. · Keeping pets indoors, as well as their food, water dishes and toys. · Covering fishponds during the spray period. Since the effects of the ground treatment dissipate in a few hours, it is not necessary to wash off outdoor furniture or playground equipment before use, although doing so will not diminish the effectiveness of the pesticide applied. For additional information: Please call the West Nile Virus Treatment Hotline at 1-888-844-8657, on the days that treatment is scheduled, between the hours of 9:00 AM through Midnight, or visit the Nassau County Department of Health website at: http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/Health/index.html

Bullying Law Proposed for NY- Contact Officials Now

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Needed: 9th Period. Change the Teacher's Contract": Editor please post this as a new topic. Bullying once again this week we are reminded of the effects of bullying in schools. Earlier this week the parent in Shirley who went over the line when her daughter was bullied . Tonight there is a report of a child in New York who committed suicide because he was being bullied so much. Parents should make sure they talk to their children about the events this week. There is talk of proposed legislation to put an anti bullying law on the books in NY similar to one that was enacted NJ this year. Every parent should contact our elected officials and tell them that you want this to be law.

Student Schedule Problems...?

Please post this as a seperate topic HOW IS YOUR CHILD'S SCHEDULE ? Year after year we are inundated with scheduling problems for our child . It always seems as though the adminstrators ignore most of our concerns or requests for our child in the school. I would like to know what other parents have experienced

Needed: 9th Period. Change the Teacher's Contract

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "New School Year, Same Old Teacher Picketing?- Inqu...": Can you post this comment as new thread Get with it! 9 Period day.. Board of Ed- We voted for you. Now do something to change this. Parents do not realize this until they get to High School and their child can not take electives! There needs to be a 9 period day for High School! Can we ad a referendum to the voting? BOE..Time for change..Get with the times and start negotiating this in the teachers contact! Too many kids are missing out! All other districts provide 9 period days to allow for electives and especially extra help. All students could benefit from this not just the ones that need extra academic support. With the amount of money we pay to live here and how everyone brags how great it is...It's not that great when I have to choose either electives that enrich or academic support. Time for Change!

New School Year, Same Old Teacher Picketing?- Inquires Resident.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Labor Negotiations? What's Going On?":

Please post as new thread..

A few weeks before school starting, the rumors are starting of school "informational picketing" again. Any thoughts? Is the PCT going to do this again? I've had it. I'm moving if this happens.

Sept 6th Lice Check Event. Proceeds to Charity and a Lice Free School for Your Kids

Meredith Radisch has left a new comment on your post "Will City's New Standard for AchievingTenure Be Us...":

Please start a new thread for this post.

The first day of school is just around the corner. On Tuesday, September 6th starting at 10am, I am holding another before school lice checking day with Kathy from Deliceful.

Last year's event detected 20% of lice infestations in the people that attended. Help make this year's check another success and make an even bigger impact in decreasing the number of lice infestations this school year. Don't let your child be the one who brings lice into the schools.

The cost is once again $10 per head. A portion of the proceeds from the head checks will be donated to charity. Come vote for 1 of 3 charities for the money to be donated to. The charity with the most votes will receive the donation. The 3 charities selected are: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Autism Speaks and John Thiessen Children's Foundation.

Date: Tuesday, Sept. 6th
Time: 10 am to 12:00pm
Place: 103 Wilson Place, Plainview

For further information or to RSVP to this event, email liceday2010@optonline.net

Will City's New Standard for AchievingTenure Be Used in Plainview?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A Very Plainvew Blog is All Yours......":

Suzala, Please post this separately.

I wonder if our board will be using these guidelines as well. Perhaps if they did it would raise the low level of teaching that is evident in some classrooms.

" While state law outlines the general procedures for awarding tenure to teachers, the details are left to individual districts. “We’ve turned what had been a joke interpretation of the state law,” Mr. Bloomberg said, “to make it something that you have to work hard, earn, and show that you are better than the average bear” to get.

Under the city’s new standards, teachers are rated on a four-point scale as highly effective, effective, developing or ineffective, based on students’ tests scores, classroom observations, feedback from parents, and other factors. (Previously, they were simply rated satisfactory or not.) Principals, who make recommendations on tenure, and supervisors, who make the decisions, were allowed to give tenure only to teachers who were rated effective or better for two consecutive years.

But as city officials predicted that the new policy would improve the quality of the teaching force, the results raised questions about its current state since so many teachers up for tenure were not rated effective.

The teachers’ union, defending the performance of its workers, objected to the way some of the evaluations by administrators were performed, and said..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/28/nyregion/tenure-granted-to-58-of-eligible-teachers-in-city.html?src=recg

Publish

School Playground Safety, or, Lack Thereof...

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Bullying... Where to Go, and , What's Your Child's...":

It's rare that anyone is totally alone in whatever their issue or issues might be? How about this one?

Has anyone else noticed the lax supervision on the playground at Stratford Road? The gate by the kindergarten center walker entrance isn't locked and there are never any adults around there watching the kids. I know because I live right in that neighborhood. The kids play over there with nobody watching them. What's to stop some nut case from walking into that area and endangering the children?

There's a gym teacher in charge of that whole rec period. If something happens to one of those children, safety, medical, whatever, that teacher is liable. The administration doesn't respond to parent complaints about this. They might listen to the teachers' union though. That gate should always be locked and the support staff should be assigned to specific areas of the playground. Any area that is without an adult should be off limits to the children. The administrators should be making random visits to make sure everyone is where they are supposed to be. All that has to happen is for a child to be seriously hurt, or worse, and the teacher in charge will be held accountable. Mr. Rosenfeld, I hope you're reading this and are willing to take action in the interest of both teacher and child.

Nassau Coliseum Bond Vote

Dear editor please put this as a new topic

NASSAU COLISEUM

Aug 1st there will be a vote on whether the county should take out bonds to support the new revitalization project .
The answer should be an overwhelmingly YES. Why?
The reality is that without this project the Islanders will be moving off the island and this site will just further decay. With this new project tax revenues will be created for the county which would help teaxpayers with our tax bills. Thousands of jobs would be created and this would just be the beginning of what could be a true revitalization of Nassau county, Something that is long over due. If this were not rebuilt you could almost forget about going to any concert or eevent as most people would opt to go to the new arena in brooklyn that will be accessible by the LIRR or MSG which is undergoing a major renovation right now . The last thing we want to see is a chain link fence around hundreds of acres of property that is just rotting away to which we would probably have to pay for cops to patrol to deter any crime being committed there .My interest in this project is only that I am a taxpayer. I do not work for the county or anybody that has any connection to this project

Bullying... Where to Go, and , What's Your Child's Experience?

As there is a running thread on the blog regarding Bullying I am starting a new Post.

In addition to aVeryPlainview, An excellent source for information would be:

http://nopobbullies.org/
where you will find experienced parents who have dealt with the school district on this subject.

A Very Plainvew Blog is All Yours......

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Where is the Assistant Superintendent Taking Us?":

New post please. Entitle it "Hats off to Suzala!!!"

I started following this blog back in Fall 2009 when a friend emailed it to me as part of the big discussion on contract negotiations. Someone in the administration or on the board is reading this. There was a posting last spring about the end of year picnics at Stratford Road - all about how the kids were playing unsupervised right next to where the cars were driving and parking on the field - DANGEROUS! I probably would have heard if somebody complained about it/would have fallen on deaf ears anyway. Suddenly, the picnic's location was changed this year. That last post defending Mr. Dempsey also has all the ear markings of someone up there reading and responding.

Good going Suzala!!!! Your little blog may have more influence than you realize. Thanks for doing it.


Ed's note: Your welcome. I am glad the blog is helping you. It is my pleasure to provide space for an informational resource written by the community for the community.

Where i?

Suzala, can you start a new thread for the posting dated 6/27/11 @8:44PM? It's unlikely anyone will see it otherwise. Thanks.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post

Labor Negotiations? What's Going On?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Tax Cap Support?":

Dear editor . Please post as a separate topic.

What is the status of the labor negotiations in our school district?

Tax Cap Support?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "New Information and Guidance from the US Dept. of ...":

Dear editor
Please post this as a seperate post

The state assembly leader Sheldon Silver has stated that he will support a property tax cap .

If you are disgusted every year the way your school tax bill keeps skyrocketing and the school board that continues to spend our tax dollars like drunken sailors then you should call our Assemblyman , Charles Lavine at 676-0050 and tell him that you support a tax cap to stop the runaway tax bill that continues to rise uncontrollably. Do not let people use scare tactics about our school going down because the fact is that with every tax bill there are more and more of our residents that are finding it harder and harder to pay their tax bill. Now is the time to take back our schools

New Information and Guidance from the US Dept. of Ed. Re: RtI and Students Rights.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "District Wide Budget Presentation Monday May 2nd a...":

Can you please make this a new heading

Below is an important memorandum from NYSED.

A Response to Intervention (RtI) Process Cannot Be Used to Delay or Deny an Evaluation for Eligibility under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
May 2011

A Response to Intervention (RtI) Process Cannot Be Used to Delay or Deny an Evaluation for Eligibility under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) -

From:
James P. DeLorenzo

This is to inform you that the United States Department of Education (USDOE), Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has issued guidance and clarification regarding the relationship between Response to Intervention (RtI) and evaluations pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

RtI is a nationally recognized instructional process that begins with appropriate core instruction; early screening and identification of students who are struggling in academic and behavioral areas; targeted instructional strategies and supports to address learning problems; and continuous monitoring to assess their progress during instruction. New York State regulations define the components for an RtI process and establish parental notification requirements, including notification of a parent’s right to refer a student for an initial evaluation if the parent suspects the student has a disability and needs special education. See 8 NYCRR section 100.2(ii).

New York State regulations also establish procedures for identifying students with learning disabilities (8 NYCRR section 200.4(j)) that recognize and encourage school districts to use the research-based RtI process prior to, or as part of, the individual evaluation to determine whether a student has a learning disability. Effective on and after July 1, 2012, an RtI process is required for all students in grades Kindergarten through grade four suspected of having a learning disability in the area of reading.

State and federal regulations require that if a student has participated in an RtI process, parents must be informed of their right to refer the student for an individual evaluation to determine whether the student has a disability and requires special education. Upon receipt of a referral from a parent, a school district must provide the parent with prior written notice informing the parent of the proposed evaluation and seek consent from the parent to conduct the individual evaluation. Upon receipt of such consent, the initial evaluation must be completed within 60 calendar days and may not be delayed unless the parent and the school district, by mutual written agreement, extend this timeline to another agreed upon date in order for the student to participate in the RtI process as part of the individual evaluation.

If a school district refuses to conduct the initial evaluation of the student upon a parental referral, the district must provide the parent with prior written notice and the parent has the right to request a due process proceeding if it disagrees with the decision. A school district may use the procedures in section 200.4(a)(8) if it does not believe the referral of the student is appropriate. Through these procedures, the school and the parent may reach agreement that the referral be withdrawn and that the student be provided additional general education support services.
If you have general questions regarding implementation of RtI, please see the guidance document, “Response to Intervention: Guidance for New York State School Districts” at http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/RTI/guidance/cover.htm and further information on the RtI Technical Assistance Center website at www.nysrti.org. Questions regarding this memorandum may be directed to the Office of Special Education Policy Unit at 518-473-2878.

Publish
Delete

District Wide Budget Presentation Monday May 2nd at 7:45 ---Spread the Word

There will be ONE and ONLY ONE District-wide Budget Presentation given by the Superintendent at POBMS FOR ALL PARENTS on Monday, May 2, 2011 at 7:45PM in the POBMS auditorium.

AND Remember tomorrow is the President/Superintendent Meeting at 9:30am in the board room!

What are the Proposed or Approved Raises?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "To the BOE: How do you give out raises when we are...":

I would love to hear about the raises that the BOE has approved for the administrators as well. I also heard that Mr. Ruff will be getting a 10% increase? Is this true? A rumor? What about Gierasch? Dempsey? Jonas? Principals? Ass't. Principals? Can someone who was at one of the board meetings where this was discussed (or was it never discussed to the public?)please post. If not, Mr. Rosenberg (or any other PCT member) please post this information for the community to see and know.
Thank you

District Budget Presentation - May 2nd -Show up and Hear About the Bottom Line In Person.

There will be ONE and ONLY ONE
District-wide Budget Presentation
given by the Superintendent
at POBMS FOR ALL PARENTS
on Monday, May 2, 2011
at 7:45PM
in the POBMS auditorium.



This budget presentation will occur prior to the May PTA Council Meeting which will take place in the library at POBMS! The Council Meeting will begin at approximately 8:30pm

This will be your only chance to hear the plan for the coming year and voice any concerns you might have.

Needed: Orthodontist Recommendation

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Not = It's Not Just About the Taxes. It's Ab...":

Suzala, can you post this separately?

Can anyone recommend a good orthodontist in the area?

Not = It's Not Just About the Taxes. It's About the Quality of the Education.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "What does the school district offer that I am gett...":

In response to whether education here is mediocre, let's look at elementary ELA education in our school district.

What fabulous books did your kid read in school and discuss with their teacher this year? Mostly all my kid sees in ELA are unrelated spelling words, vocabulary words and awful reading comprehension xeroxes with multiple choice questions. The class read one simple book together. One. All year. Reading happens at home, motivated by parents and lied about on weekly logs.

Did your kids reading level improve? Supposedly kids are monitored several times a year. Did you get your kids reading level scores from school this year? Has your child improved, stayed the same, regressed? Are they on grade level, above, or below? They used to send home reports with Lexiles in middle school but I never got anything and no one I know did either. I guess its a big secret.

Does your kid answer homework questions in a complete sentence? Does anyone care? Do your kids get any feedback from anyone in school on their written work? Do they really do much written work at all?

Forget about an essay, most kids can barely write a coherent paragraph beyond the simple RAFT format. They cringe whenever they see a group of empty lines to fill in. And rightfully so since our kids have learned to write by answering questions with one or two words to fill in the inch-long line in a Weekly Reader or smudged xerox. This writing instruction progressed into last minute test prep instruction on completing whatever the state assessment long answers require.

Kids do a lot of creative writing in elementary school, drawing maps of their hearts, writing about things familiar, in one big paragraph that extends for as long as they like. Fill up the page!! This of course does not prepare them at all for writing specific answers, essays, research papers or even book reports, all required in middle school.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the over-the-top ELA projects involving drawing and coloring and numerous craft items. These art components overshadow any ELA-related educational purpose the project might have had to begin with. Since when did ELA become an extension of art class?

I find ELA instruction here to be very unusual. Disappointingly lacking in instruction, absolutely necessary to supplement, and less than medicore.

What does the school district offer that I am getting my money's worth? Why should I vote for the budget?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Is Money the Real Issue?":

Suzala, Perhaps you can start a new thread for this comment.

Why should I vote for the budget? My child attends school in the district. He/she does not qualify for any special services, special needs or Project Challenge. All the extra curricular activities come out of my pocket as they are not school sponsored activities. These include sports, music lessons, karate, you name it, we're doing it outside of school. The academic education is mediocre at best so the bulk of instruction comes from homeschooling and basically our academically oriented lifestyle. Homework is completed in less than 15 minutes. I have yet to see any test or assignment with less than one wrong, if that. From what I've seen of friends, Project Challenge is a waste of time to begin with but as my child's OLSAT score falls in the 120-130 range, he/she does not qualify so that's that. We do not take advantage of the district's busing as the bullies on the bus made it too uncomfortable for our child. I've met some wonderful parents and the children are great but that would be the case with or without the school system. It's been my experience that of all the administration's priorities, my child's education is of little or no importance.

Tell me please. What does the school district offer that I am getting my money's worth? Why should I vote for the budget?

New Post- POB School District Contracts Up for Renewal.....

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Is Money the Real Issue?":

should you move the contract discuss to a new thread?

Senate Passed Tax Cap Bill ...Next State Assembly

Dear Editor
Please put this as a separate post.The state senate has already passed a tax cap bill.
The state assembly is taking up the measure right now to pass a tax cap. Please link on to the site below to tell the assembly that we need a tax cap passed

www.nysenate.gov/webform/pass-tax-cap-join-fight-0
we need a tax cap to stop the tax burdern from forcing people out of their homes.

Is Money the Real Issue?

Jeff Spicoli has left a new comment on your post "To the BOE: How do you give out raises when we are...":

Perhaps the real issue is not how much everyone is making, but that many do not feel that they are getting much for their dollar. Yes, there are teachers that are golden, doing amazing things with students; dedicated etc. But, because there don't seem to be any delineated standards, from my vantage too many are phoning it in.
Generous salaries paid to our administrators don't seem to equate to good curriculum, accountability for themselves or for teachers, or excellence and continuity in all of the classrooms.
The Board of Ed, with people we voted in to represent our interests, are also a players in this mess.
When the District as a whole; teachers, administrators, as well as the union and the board can say these situations have been corrected, I think complaints about how much money everyone is making will be a thing of the past.

Missing Girl is Returned Home

The TriBorough Amendment and Why Unions Have Such an Advantage in NYS

http://www.stopthetaxshift.org/employee-relations/25-triborough-amendment

THE TRIBOROUGH AMENDMENT
The Mandate: The 1982 Triborough Amendment to the Taylor Law prohibits a public employer from altering any provision of an expired labor agreement until a new agreement is reached. This amendment, which was originally approved with the strong support of unions, has the effect of requiring automatic pay increases where a salary step schedule or longevity schedule exists, even though the labor agreement has expired. Consequently, a public employer's salary costs continue to rise even when labor negotiations have reached an impasse.

The Triborough Amendment also undermines the collective bargaining process by discouraging unions from offering concessions or givebacks since, as long as no agreement is reached, the terms of the current contract remain in effect. Not only is New York the only state in the nation known to have such a requirement, but in the private sector, where collective bargaining has existed for more than 60 years under the National Labor Relations Act, no similar obligation is imposed upon employers who are parties to a labor contract.

The Cost: The dramatic impact that the Triborough Amendment has on collective bargaining translates into a negotiations process that discourages compromise, putting New York's taxpayers at an extreme disadvantage.

The Solution: The Triborough Amendment should be repealed so that public employers and employees can be encouraged to work together to achieve labor contracts that are both fair and affordable.

To the BOE: How do you give out raises when we are in the hole?

The real problem we have here is with the exception of the board members that were newly elected last year, the incumbent board members who are more likely incompetent board members who granted the raises in the last contract even though the school's attorney got up at a board meeting to which I was there to hear this and state " if we do not give raises to the teachers we are looking at a 5 million dollar deficit in the coming years , if we give them a raise we are looking at a 7 million dollar deficit . This is the height of incompetence. How do you give raises out when we are in a multi million dollar hole. I for one will never vot yes for another budget and I will never vote for the board members who have been in there way too many years . Don't let the falling unemployment rate fool you there are still millions of people out of work and more residents in plainview then you think. I have had the opportunity to work from home and I have seen more guys that I know are residents during the day then I have ever seen before .I hope the 2% cap gets passed because the board needs a wake up call . I blame the board more then the union given the fact that they did not have the nerve to stand up against the PCT and say NO we can not afford to give more right now. Very sad

Plainview Herald Reports on Board Of Ed Budget Meeting

New post please - these summaries of the BOE meetings are usually posted after each meeting:

http://www.antonnews.com/plainviewoldbethpageherald/news/13916-plainview-old-bethpage-board-of-education-discusses-2011-2012-budget.html

Some Program Changes in Consideration While Board Decides Which Cuts Need to Be Made Now

With 10.4 positions proposed for reduction next year, the first budget meeting of the year for the Plainview-Old Bethpage Board of Education on Feb. 28 was a fairly somber affair, as administrators attempted to explain the rationale behind some of their choices. ( click link for more...)

A Teacher's Point of View

I teach in a Long Island district. We reopened our contract for renegotiation at the request of our board of education in light of the bad economy. Something was worked out based on the particulars of our contract. In the end it meant less money for us over the next few years but hopefully minimal, if any lost jobs, a clear message to the community that we appreciate their support and will do whatever we can to reciprocate. We're neither the wealthiest nor the poorest district in the area. Our salaries are, to my knowledge below the average but we care about our community and our community cares about us. I'd never want to work anywhere else.

It's too bad so much bad blood exists in Plainview. It doesn't have to be this way for either side.

Herald Reports: Can Districts Work Together for Lower Salaries?

http://www.antonnews.com/syossetjerichotribune/news/13513-can-school-districts-work-together-for-lower-salaries.html
Also found in Plainview Herald

Can School Districts Work Together for Lower Salaries?

Friday, 11 February 2011 00:00
North Shore Leads Meeting of Boards on
Legal Cooperation

This unforgiving economic climate has dealt hard blows to many people working in the private sector. Those lucky enough to hold on to jobs do so knowing that, in this era, it is unlikely to expect ideal financial compensation. Many employees are paying larger benefit contributions; some, like the Syosset Council of Teachers voted to do on Jan. 20, are forgoing raises. As the pain persists and time goes on, eyes are turning to the public sector, where many say their own, harder-to-earn tax dollars are funding a better situation than what they themselves are experiencing.

Nassau County has been working to negotiate a new deal with its primary union, seeking to remove what many found to be excessive items of compensation. Across local municipalities and at the state level, the microscope has gone down on the books and taxpayers are looking for change.

School districts account for the bulk of property taxes. In this arena, residents seek relief from a tax levy increase while boards of education face the challenge of providing an environment that 1) educates children properly and 2) keeps the value of property somewhere near the high values that brought residents into their communities in the first place. ......click link

"Plainview Patch" Reports Schools Ace State Report

http://plainview.patch.com/articles/plainview-schools-ace-state-report-cards


Plainview Schools Ace State Report Cards
Local schools outperform state average in a big way.
By Joe Dowd

The Plainview-Old Bethpage schools got stellar marks in virtually all categories of academic proficiency, blowing away statewide averages, according to reports issued today by the state Education Department.

The state report contains information that has been released to public throughout the past year but the state bills its Report Card as a single place to find all the information. It is available on the web at http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/reportcard/.

School officials could not be immediately reached for comment.......

Teacher in PA Suspended for Blog

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110216/ap_on_hi_te/us_teacher_suspended_blog
Pa. teacher strikes nerve with 'lazy whiners' blog
AP


Natalie Munroe AP – Central Bucks East High School teacher Natalie Munroe is seen during an interview with the Associated …
Related Quotes Symbol Price Change

By PATRICK WALTERS, Associated Press Patrick Walters, Associated Press –

FEASTERVILLE, Pa. – A high school English teacher in suburban Philadelphia who was suspended for a profanity-laced blog in which she called her young charges "disengaged, lazy whiners" is driving a sensation by daring to ask: Why are today's students unmotivated — and what's wrong with calling them out?

As she fights to keep her job at Central Bucks East High School, 30-year-old Natalie Munroe says she had no interest in becoming any sort of educational icon. The blog has been taken down, but its contents can still be found easily online.......more click link

Teachers Responsible for Students Achievment?

Suzala, can you start a new thread for this posting?

Should teachers be held solely responsible for student achievement? More specifically, should teacher pay be connected to student test scores?

Let's consider a few scenarios with three fictitious students named Pierre, Wilma and Egbert.

Pierre is a little first grade boy. Although his attendance is good, he consistently arrives with something missing. Whether it's his lunch/lunch money, pencils or homework, he never seems to come to school ready to learn. His 15 minute a day at home reading log is seldom returned on time if at all. His teacher has contacted the parent on numerous occasions to discuss the gap in Pierre's home-school connection but to no avail. The mother will agree with the teacher's concerns, promise to make a better effort but for whatever the reason (legitimate or otherwise) will rarely follow through. Despite Pierre's high potential, his progress is severly hindered by that fact that he does not read on a daily basis and has minimal, if any value placed on homework and learning in his home.

Wilma is a seventh grade student. She is a well behaved girl with average grades in all subjects except for math. She is given the opportunity to come for extra help ninth period on a daily basis but rarely shows up. When her teacher contacts her mother about arranging a mutually agreeable time to have extra help (time that goes beyond the teacher's contractual obligations), the response is that extra help will interfere with Wilma's other activities including her social life, shopping responsibilities and cosmetic appointments (manicures, haircuts, etc). Neither Wilma nor her parents have concerns over Wilma's C average in math or her low standardized test scores.

Egbert is a tenth grade student who really doesn't care about doing well in school. As his parents are going through a messy divorce right now, he gets little support from home. His homework is rarely done. He fails some classes, barely passes others. How he does on his regents exams is simply not a priority for his parents.

Now, consider that there are at least one or two Pierres, Wilmas and Egberts in any given class. Who is really responsible for the gaps in their learning?

iPads in Roslyn instead of textbooks. - In Plainview? Not likely

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "HAPPY NEW YEAR!":

ROSLYN HEIGHTS, N.Y. — As students returned to class this week, some were carrying brand-new Apple iPads in their backpacks, given not by their parents but by their schools.
Related

Roslyn High School on Long Island recently started a pilot program using iPads in some classrooms. Michelle Mahepath teaches her students with the device.

A growing number of schools across the nation are embracing the iPad as the latest tool to teach Kafka in multimedia, history through “Jeopardy”-like games and math with step-by-step animation of complex problems.

As part of a pilot program, Roslyn High School on Long Island handed out 47 iPads on Dec. 20 to the students and teachers in two humanities classes. The school district hopes to provide iPads eventually to all 1,100 of its students.

The iPads cost $750 apiece, and they are to be used in class and at home during the school year to replace textbooks, allow students to correspond with teachers and turn in papers and homework assignments, and preserve a record of student work in digital portfolios.

“It allows us to extend the classroom beyond these four walls,” said Larry Reiff, an English teacher at Roslyn who now posts all his course materials online. ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/education/05tablets.html?nl=nyregion&emc=ura1


***Plainview teachers would actually have to embrace the idea of communicating with students outside the parameters of the classroom, and using email. Forget whether our budget could withstand the costs..

Cuomo Plans One-Year Freeze on State Workers’ Pay

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "HAPPY NEW YEAR!":


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/03/nyregion/03cuomo.html?nl=nyregion&emc=ura1

ALBANY — Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo will seek a one-year salary freeze for state workers as part of an emergency financial plan he will lay out in his State of the State address on Wednesday, senior administration officials said.

The move will signal the opening of what is expected to be a grueling fight between the new governor and the public-sector unions that have traditionally dominated the state’s political establishment.

It will also come days after the New Year’s Eve layoffs of more than 900 state workers, an event that union representatives marked with a candlelight vigil on the steps of the Capitol and outside government offices in five other cities.
....“The governor said during his campaign that the difficult financial times call for shared sacrifice,” said a senior administration official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the governor’s address. “A salary freeze is obviously a difficult thing for many government workers, but it’s necessary if the state is going to live within its means.”

Perhaps it's time for the board to mirror the governor in recognizing that the community cannot afford additional school taxes either.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy new year.