Today they Chose Rosendale

Today, the reconfiguration committee decided that Rosendale Elementary should close. Is it because it is the oldest? nope, the newest. Is it because it has the most upcoming costly repairs? not by a long shot, it has the lowest cost. Is it because it would save the most money if closed? nope the least. Why? Because Kerhonksen has to be taken off of the table despite it being in the worst shape with a half a million dollars worth of needed repairs. Marbletown has more kids (because of the way lines are drawn) and 2 extra classrooms.

For the record, I do not want any of our neighborhood schools to close. Closing a neighborhood school is devastating to a community. No one want to move to a town with no school. But if they have to close a school it is amazing and saddening that it is Rosendale. It makes no sense. I say close the Middle School. But who is listening to me?

MES & KES parents out there. If you would join the RES in their fight we could keep all of the community schools opened. RES should not have to stand alone. RES kids should not have to bear the full burden.

Trouble among BOE members

Sorry to not keep up. Life is hectic these days. While I was in Rosendale for campaign craziness things seemed to get crazy at the BOE meeting as well. Do they want to close Rosendale and move it the Middle School? Clearly some BOE members think so but not all. There seems to be some behind the scene conversations that some BOE members are doing "acting" as representative voices for the rest of the board. Why is this published as a BOE decision? Because the Blue Stone Press is capable of doing an extremely poor job of telling a story.

To tell the right story, the Alliance for Quality Education (AQE) is holding a regional press conference regarding educational budget cuts and the impact on our children and students of all ages on Wednesday, November 16th at 5:00pm at the George Washington School auditorium, 67 Wall Street, Kingston, NY.

Tonight's BOE Meeting

There is a BOE meeting tonight at the district office at 7:00.

Last week the reconfiguration group voted to remove the district office and the high school from consideration of potential buildings to close.

There are three significant concerns with this rapid approach that potentially can be presented at the meeting tonight if you are so moved:

1. Until we have a full assessment of the number of students, the number of teaching classrooms and the maximum size for each class that we find acceptable, we have no way of knowing whether we can close an entire building. 


WHY THIS IS A CONCERN: This is a backwards approach that is forcing us into a corner. It is unclear why the true number of classrooms needed is not the first item for consideration.

2. The decision to exclude the district office was based on a cost/savings comparison where we were told that the cost would be too high and the savings too low.

WHY THIS IS A CONCERN: a) As with last year the specifics about these costs and savings were neither provided to the public or necessarily verified. Are they accurate? b) This cost/savings was done in a vacuum - in other words this comparison was not placed against the real cost/savings of every other building to determine that it a least reasonable option. c) While we can't know who might buy or rent a building shouldn't potential saleability/potential rentablity be included as a consideration?

3. The decision to exclude the high school was based on a qualitative understanding that given the extensive and expensive renovations recently done and the individuality of many classroom, it would simply be unacceptable and unfeasible to close this building.

WHY THIS IS A CONCERN: Personally, I think applying this consideration that is less based on a specific cost/savings analysis but more based on the broader impact and the uniqueness of the building is important. However, this same criteria should be applied for every other building as well and if a cost/saving is applied to other buildings it should be applied to the high school.

In other words there needs to be a consistent standardized way to look at each building. It appears that the committee is selecting data to support predetermined decisions rather than using data to guide decisions.

This is not o.k. and you should feel free to let them know.

Next Reconfiguration Meeting

The BOE voted in favor of reducing the capacity utilized by our district from six building to five. The next decision being made QUICKLY is which building should be eliminated.

The BOE will make this decision primarily on fit and costs.

Your job is to reinforce that this decision is about more than fit.


What are the implications if:

1. A neighborhood school closed? How does this impact the neighborhood, the kids, the teachers?
2. The kindergartens were moved out of each building?
3. The 5th graders moved to the elementary buildings?
4. The 8th graders moved to the High School?

We need to hear your wisdom on this now as these decisions will be made with or without you.

Next budget meeting is Tuesday 10/18 at 4:00
Next reconfiguration meeting is Tuesday 10/18 at 5:30

Both back to back in the district office.

Its That Time Again - Consolidation Talks 2011

A new consolidation sub-committee has been formed. I am only aware of two members - Brianna Costello and David O'Halloran. This seems to be a BOE subcommittee which suggests that perhaps only BOE members will serve. It may or may not have public comment.

BUT PEOPLE SHOULD STILL ATTEND!!

Being there shows that we care and are watching.
If no public comment is possible, we can bring the comments to the full BOE

The FIRST meeting is coming up and is especially important to attend.

Meeting will be on opposite on the Tuesdays opposite BOE meetings. I forgot what time they said but one parent informed me that she understood it would be from 5:30-7:00. If this is different I will post ASAP. It is also planned for now at the District Office. I hope enough people come that they realize they need to move it to a bigger venue.

FIRST MEETING: Oct. 4
Tentative next meetings: 10/18, 11/1, 11/15, 11/29

Do not worry about speaking. Being there shows you care. If they decide this in an empty room, they will assume we do not care.

Help Protect Next Years Budget Now

Governor Cuomo and legislative leaders are preparing to pass the most devastating tax cap in the nation, one that would permanently harm schools, SUNY community colleges and public services in New York State. It would let a minority of voters — just one vote over 40 percent — reject school budgets in a breath-taking subversion of democracy.   The bill, A- 7916 Silver, would starve our schools and community colleges, cause massive program closures and layoffs, widen the achievement gap and deprive students of a sound basic education as required under our state constitution. If you thought budget cuts were bad, this bill would cause far more permanent devastation, without doing a thing to provide tax relief to those most in need.

The very future of public education is at stake. Please call the AFL-CIO hotline at 1-877-255-9417 to speak with your Senator, Assembly member and Governor Cuomo's office. Tell them we will hold all officeholders accountable should this measure become law.  For our statement on the tax cap bill:

http://www.nysut.org/cps/rde/xchg/nysut/hs.xsl/mediareleases_16629.htm

Budget Passed!

BUDGET PASSES

Yes Votes – 1425
No  Votes – 1058

James Ayers – 1286
Kent Anderson – 1290
Peri Rainbow – 828
James Blair – 1255
Pamela Longley - 1108

Please VOTE Yes Today

And vote for Ayers, Anderson & Rainbow

We are coming down to the line

Please, please, please, do anything you can to get informed and get others informed and ready to vote on May 17th at the district office (located behind the high school).


Last year 2753 people voted. There were 1246 "Yes" votes and 1507 "No" - NOT GOOD.

Rondout school district has over 2000 kids meaning 2000-4000 potential parents, guardians, grandparents, babysitters. In other words we should have no problem passing this budget if people come out and vote.

Please call your friends and tell them to vote YES to the budget and to NOT vote for Blair. Do it today, tomorrow, Monday & Tuesday.

If you have ANY questions about any of this PLEASE email me at walterme@newpaltz.edu and I will do my best to answer as soon as possible.

Notice there are practically no "VOTE NO" signs?

Rather than posting VOTE NO those who feel like our schools should be operated like a low cost factory rather than sound, potentially innovative educational environment have been posting VOTE BLAIR as the factory, bottom line will be his approach if he gets in.

DO NOT VOTE BLAIR - Please spread the word and vote so that the good guys can get in.

Who to Vote for? BOE Candidates

Many people are asking me who I plan to vote for for the Board of Education. I have thought long and hard about this since I was not sure at first. Now I am and I will do my best to explain. I figured I would provide my answer here.

Also know that there are three slots and five people so clearly I am not voting for two candidates. This is not because I have an issue with them personally but rather I am looking for who will be best for our district going forward.

There are two new people running, Peri Rainbow and Jim Blair. I plan to vote for RAINBOW because she is intelligent, invested in the district and has ideas for innovation. I think she is strong enough to voice these opinions at board meetings even if others disagree.

I feel that Blair is harmful to our district. He is not vested in the school district success is is just a dollar minded candidate. He actually came to a number of budget meetings but he never became engaged. He did not ask the Board questions, he did not make suggestions like the rest of us. Privately, he has said that classes of 30 kids was fine when he was younger so they are fine now. He has good ideas about property tax reform. That said , if he gets in he will not be an advocate for our children, for strengthening our community. He is bad news as a BOE member.

I get two more votes but there are three incumbents to choose for. All three are good and I would be fine seeing them all reelected. However, I feel even better about RAINBOW so I need to select only two. I select ANDERSON and AYERS. This is not to say Longley is not good. However, from spending hours watching the BOE operate, I feel the other members do not respect her making her ideas often unheard. I believe ANDERSON and AYERS will be more successful at doing the right thing.

In Summary:
I will VOTE: RAINBOW, ANDERSON & AYERS
and I will VOTE YES.

More information about BOE candidates

Five candidates seek three seats in Rondout Valley school board

Sunday, May 8, 2011

KYSERIKE — Rondout Valley school district voters on May 17 will choose three of five candidates to serve three-year terms on the Board of Education.

Incumbent Trustees Kent Anderson, James Ayers and Pamela Longley are joined on the ballot by James Blair and Peri Rainbow.

Rainbow, 51, cited more use of “low- or no-cost” community resources to help meet the demands of providing a better education in a tough fiscal environment.

Rainbow cited partnerships with area higher education institutions, the use of volunteer mediators and the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network’s Safe Schools Roundtable as examples of community resources that not only can enrich students’ educational experience, but also help teachers tackle tough topics like bullying.

A SUNY New Paltz adjunct professor who teaches educational studies, women’s studies and psychology classes, Rainbow said she aims to improve the district’s culture to one in which students and teachers feel safe, accepted and included, and which allows everyone to focus on academics and improving student achievement.

During tough economic times, Rainbow said, the district should lean more on parents and volunteers to, for example, supervise students on school buses.

She said she also wants the atmosphere between the school board and public to be more open and inclusive.

Rainbow, who holds a master’s degree in humanistic multicultural education from SUNY New Paltz, lives on Buck Road in Stone Ridge with her spouse, Tamela Sloan, an assistant principal at Grove Street Academy in Kingston, and her 15-year-old daughter, a Rondout Valley High School student.

Longley, 38, cited among her top priorities finding new ways to bring in revenue or cut costs, like sharing services, contracting out in areas where money can be saved and using the district’s reputation for its “strong special education” program to get non-district residents to come to Rondout Valley and pay tuition.

A paralegal assistant at the Ulster County Attorney’s Office, Longley also wants “to improve the climate in the district for all stakeholders” along with district communication overall. She said the district should foster an environment in which everyone feels like they are heard and respected and that nurtures learning at all levels.

Longley, who is seeking her third term on the board, said it also is important to integrate technology with the academic program to give students the skills they need to succeed in 21st century workplaces.

Longley said she wants students to graduate with critical and analytical thinking skills, good judgment, confidence, a love of learning and a general feeling of empowerment that will make them succeed at whatever they do in life.

Longley, who lives on Old Clove Road in High Falls, has a child in the district.

Blair, 70, cited bringing “a more pragmatic” approach to contracts with district employees among his top priorities. He said a big problem facing the district now is the intersection between school officials’ past agreements to “generous” compensation with the current fiscal realities of declining state aid and rising pension and health insurance costs.

A retired Manhattan commercial litigation attorney, Blair said employee costs have become unaffordable, citing the approximately 50 positions being cut in the district’s proposed budget for 2011-12. He said it is important to come up with budgets that not only work for employees, but also are affordable for district residents.

Blair, a member of the Marbletown Property Tax Reform Task Force and the New York State Property Tax Reform Coalition, also is a proponent of consolidating the district’s schools, saying it seems inevitable. He said the district is paying Westchester County-like costs per student and getting only average performance.

Blair was part of the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarine force from 1962 to 1967, reaching the rank of lieutenant. He graduated from Dartmouth with a master’s degree in math and from Harvard Law School.

He lives on Krom Road in Stone Ridge with his wife, Wendy, a retired property administrator for New Zealand’s mission to the United Nations. They have a 29-year-old daughter.

Ayers, 67, cited renegotiating the contract with the Rondout Valley Federation of Teachers among his top priorities. The contract between the union and district calls for 4 percent raises on top of 2 percent step raises for 2011-12 and expires at the end of that school year.

The retired Rondout Valley math teacher also listed “rightsizing” the school district as a need. He said an elementary school probably will have to be closed, given declining enrollment and tough economic times. The matter, however, still needs more study, he said.

Ayers, who is seeking his fourth term on the board, said that with new statewide teacher evaluations coming down the pike next year, developing the part of the process in which there is local discretion also will be important. Issues, he said, include developing assessments, which must include ways to evaluate special education, art and physical education teachers,  and ironing out an appeals process.

The president of the Ulster County School Boards Association, Ayers also expressed disappointment in the district’s progress in addressing English language arts scores. He listed that as another priority.

Ayers holds a master’s degree in math from Florida State University. He lives on Samsonville Road in Kerhonkson and has two children, ages 31 and 23.

Anderson, 58, said improving curriculum and relationships between staff members and the administration are among his priorities. He described those relationships as strained at present.

“Both sides need to emphasize being collegial rather than adversarial,” he said.

Anderson said consolidating the district’s schools is important to him because of the district’s declining enrollment and the difficult fiscal climate.

Anderson, who is seeking his fourth term on the board, is a private-practice attorney in Kingston. He received his law degree from Brooklyn Law School.

He lives on Candlewood Lane in Stone Ridge with his wife, Gail, a retired teacher. They have two children, ages 23 and 26.

(Freeman 5/8/11)

How Does our School Budget Compare in our Region

This was posted in the Daily Freeman. Sorry if it is a bit blurry.

Get to Know the Rondout Board Candidates

I went to the open forum to hear what the people running for Rondout Board of Education. This is an important time because, although we managed to keep a school open this year, this will be pursued for next year and we want thoughtful people doing it. First I will present their introductions and then the answers to two of the questions I had time for (would you vote in favor of closing an elementary school & what do you see as the weaknesses of this year's budget)

Here is the slate and what they said:

Incumbents:
Pam Longley: Single mother with a son in Jr. High at Rondout. Strong appreciation of the importance of public primary education. Feels she worked hard for the last two terms and has work to complete, primary with the technology committee.

Kent Anderson: Been on the board for the past 6 years and prior to that for three years. Lived in our district for 29 years. He feels this has given him a lot of experience and insight into how the board functions, what prorams re essential, and what the community is willing to pay. He is critical of the Race to the Top and its impact on education. He wants to see a more integrated curriculum.

James Ayers: Previous taught here and is now retired and serving as a substitute teacher in Onteora. He went through the education to be a certified administrator but has not been one. He feel he has a strong connection to the senior citizens in our community and understands their concerns. He is also a bee keeper.

New candidates:
Peri Rainbow: Her daughter is in Rondout High School and she has been in the district for 15 years. She has been an active parent, teaches at SUNY New Paltz, and is a psycho-therapist in trauma care. She believes in stong parent involvement, an inclusive not exclusive model. She is not afraid to put new ideas forward.

Jim Blair: A resident since 1983. No ties to the district as a parent etc. Was a commercial litigator handling complex statewide assessment. He is a member of the property tax reform task force whose focus is on finding alternative revenues for schools.

Questions:
Would you vote in favor of closing an elementary school?
Anderson: This needs to be viewed as a k-12 issue, understand how this impacts students and understand parents wishes. I would need more time and information to decide.
Ayers: Agrees with Anderson, adding we are not ready to make this decision; this needs to be studied more.
Longley: Agrees with above, we need more time.
Blair: Given the declining enrollment for years, he questions why the BOE started looking at this so late. They could have started sooner and had the time this year.
Rainbow: She was impressed wiht the involvement of community members in this process. She does not know if a school needs to be closed. There are many creative solutions  that should be looked at as this process effects us all.

What do you see as the weaknesses in this year's budget?
Longley: She is unhappy that the field trips were cut. She feels with more time they could have tightened more. She is concerned about how staff cuts affect us economically and in our inclusion classes.
Anderson: He is concerned about taking so much of the fund balance this year. He feels that class sizes are getting too large and the cutting of field trips. He wishes there was better communication between the budget committee and the rest of the board.
Ayers: Feels we are getting rid of useful employees and does not like the increase in class sizes.
Rainbow: Feels the process lacked creativity, there are ways of keeping program and keeping classes smaller with more partnering and innovation.
Blair: Does not support the 4% increase when the rest of government had to make reductions.

My take you ask? (I will tel you even if you did not). While there are people I think should not be on the BOE anymore, none of them are up for reelection right now. I feel good about the three incumbents. That said, I think Rainbow would also make a great addition and if she doe not get it this year I hope for our sake she tries again next year. I respect Blair's cost cutting attitude but I feel confident that this is already well represented in the existing board. We need more innovation, less bottom line. They both can get a lower budget but the former will also make ours a better school.

Understanding the Budget #2: Getting to Know your Tax Levy

The total budget is based on the school. The impact on you as a household owner depends on the assessed value the town has for your home. I know for my home this went up in years past but actually went down last year due to the economy lower the sale price on homes in our area.

Your school tax rate is impacted by the school budget and by your town’s assessed value on your house. The rate varies across our district  but on average:

If your house is valued at $150,000 you likely paid about $3,000 in school tax last year and your total increase would be about $120/year (about $10.00 per month).

If your house is assessed at $200,000 you likely paid about $4,000 in school tax last year. This proposed tax levy increase would mean for you, an increase of about $160 more per year (just over $13.00 per month).


If your house is assessed at $250,000 you likely paid about $5,000 last year and your total increase would be about $200 (just under $17 per month)

* Note: These are approximate - it varies somewhat by town.


You should know there are property tax relief options out there for eligible people. New York State's School Tax Relief (STAR) Program provides property tax exemptions (also known as homestead exemptions) for New York homeowners. Basic STAR is available to anyone who owns and lives in his or her own home and earns less than $500,000. Enhanced STAR is available to senior homeowners whose incomes do not exceed $79,050.

Understanding the Budget #1: Our High Cost Per Pupil

I am going to try to lay out details about the budget as best as I can with what I know. As always, please remember that if I get anything wrong or inaccurate to let me know. I prefer that we all understand this based on accurate information.

A primary complaint about our budget centers on our high cost per pupil. In its simplest form this takes our budget and divides it by the number of kids. However, many factors make comparing this cost from one district to another far more complicated. Here are some of the challenges including how these impact our rate.

1. Special Education: It costs more to educate children who are poor and children who have special needs. If a district has a greater number of one or both, the overall cost per student will be dramatically influenced. In Rondout, 18% of our student get mandated services due to a certified special need. For comparison, the state average is 13.2% certified population.Our general cost per pupil includes instruction support for students in general education classrooms.  About 87% of our special ed. population get in-school instruction (compared with 67% state average). Our special education cost expenditure per pupil are similarly impacted by the fact that we provide most of our services at our district, more so than most other districts.

2. Poverty & limited English. Our population of poor children is about 24%, higher than last year and the year before. We also increased our number of children who have limited English.It is more expensive to provide the necessary services for these population as well.

3. Our commitment to smaller class sizes. Most of the cost per pupil is instructional costs. Fewer students per class means more teachers. In addition to believing that smaller classes produce better students, we also have a high inclusion rate which further requires smaller classes.

4. Our commitment to music, art and other programming. Again, the cost per student is primarily instruction. Engaging our students in educational experiences beyond reading, writing, English and science means more instructors in the specialized classes.

The Budget Vote is Approaching

First, I would like to thank all of the community members, teachers and staff who have been so engaged in this budget process this year. While the proposed budget may not be exactly what I would have done, I think the board did a commendable job.

I will vote in favor and will share why as we get closer.

Fell free to let me know your thought and questions.

Areas for reduction

I wrote this to the BOE and Rosario based on last night's meeting. I will share it here.

Some areas that seems to be prime for reduction based on my conversations with teachers, administrators, residents and my own perspective:

1. Summer School - A H.S. teacher wrote to me: "I see no need for night school at the high school. This is a big expense ($75,000) that serves very few students. Summer school only costs $35,000, but I believe this could be cut, too. Besides, those students in need of summer school are allowed to take summer school classes in other districts."

2. Technology - There are a few items on the technology budget that those who viewed it from the audience questioned such as a conference increase of over 7,500. Overall, when there are cuts everywhere, the technology budget is about 140k higher for next year than it was and less than half of this is due to salary increases.

3. Home-teaching/ Out of School Suspension: This OSS costs our district about 75k. There is a great deal of research showing that OSS does not deter future problems and can exacerbate them by creating a greater detachment from the school environment. In-school suspension provides an alternative but there are other methods found to be more effective. There are also alternatives to suspensions that are considered far more helpful to the child and the school.

4. Substitutes: Last there was talk last night of substitutes. While the need for substitutes for instructional staff was addressed, the point of whether non-instructional staff substitutes might not be able to be reduced seemed to be missing.

5. Assistant Principal: It was suggested a number of time that the enrollment bubble will be floating away with the graduation of this year's seniors. Even with the current enrollment in the HS it has been questioned by many why 3 administrators are needed when no other district in the county operates this way. If n fact the HS enrollment will be even smaller next year, it seems even more relevant to consider whether the HS needs 2 Assistant Principals.

All together the items above, even if some were reduced rather than fully cut could provide close to 400k in savings which far surpasses the 220k needed to add the TA and AIS Math positions.

Last Night's Meeting

Key items discussed:

1. Class sizes needed to stay low (under 24)
2. Language needs to stay in elementary schools.
3. French should be taught by French teachers.
4. Technology needs to make more cuts

Not discussed:
1. Concessions in the administration

Foreign Language - from Diana Zuckerman

Dear Concerned Parents and Community Members,

I am writing to request that you contact the Rondout Valley Board of Education Members concerning the proposals to reduce and possibly eliminate the *K-4 Elementary Foreign Language Program* which reaches
approximately 800 students and to also reduce the *Middle School French Program*, which could as a result phase out the High School French Program in the future. Please urge the Board (BOE) to continue to support these critical programs for Rondout’s students. Beginning language in 6th grade will be too late for many of our students and not having a language choice is also detrimental. The BOE has been very supportive in the past and community input has made a difference. Go to www.rondout.k12.ny.us and click on Board of Ed and then “Send a comment to the Board.” Even if you have written in the past, please write again. There is also a BOE Budget meeting on *Tuesday, April 5th at 7:00pm* at Marbletown Elementary School in the gym where you can come and make a public comment at the beginning of the meeting.

Please see the attachment and click on the links below for information on the benefits of foreign language learning, which include cognitive and academic benefits, social and communicative benefits, as well as cultural
and global competency necessary in the 21st century.

Fairfax Flags – Virginia Parents Website for Foreign Language Advocacy for Grade Schools (Foreign Language Benefits):
http://www.fairfaxflags.org/2009/11/benefits-of-early-foreign-language_09.html

Asia Society & Speaking in Tongues: Brain Research:
http://asiasociety.org/education-learning/world-languages/-american-schools/your-brain-languages

Asia Society article on language learning:
http://asiasociety.org/education-learning/world-languages/-american-schools/national-imperative-language-learning

University of Oregon *Changing Brains* video on language & second language
learning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMOHtSkSPfA&feature=player_embedded

Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) Board of Trustees Position Statement on Foreign Language Learning:
http://www.cal.org/about/foreign-language-survey.html They state, “Our nation’s capacity to maintain national security, promote international cooperation, compete effectively in a global economy, and enhance our domestic well-being depends on our ability to communicate in other languages and across cultures. It is time to heed the calls for action by countless organizations, business leaders, government agencies, and individuals to acknowledge the well-documented individual and societal benefits of foreign language learning and to  incorporate foreign languages into the core curriculum at every level of education and in every community across the nation.”


Please let me know if you would like any additional information or if you have any comments or questions.  Please encourage other supportive community members to send comments to the BOE as well. Thank you for your vocal support.


Best wishes,

Diana


Diana Zuckerman
dianazuck@yahoo.com
Spanish FLEX K-4 & 9, Rondout Valley CSD, Accord NY NYS Representative, National Network for Early Language Learning www.nnell.org
Board of Directors, NYS Association of Foreign Language Teachers www.nysaflt.org
President, Association of Language Teachers of Orange, Ulster, Dutchess and Surrounding Counties (ALOUD)

One Battle Has Been Won

Rosario announced that he recommended taking the closing of an elementary school off of the table for this year to allow more time to explore school consolidations that include the entire district.

The BOE agreed.

One Battle Won.

Budget Meeting Tonight

Tonight in the High School Gym:

VI. AGENDA ITEMS - SUPERINTENDENT
1. School Consolidation
2. Budget Discussion
- Technology Discussion.
- Athletic Discussion.
- Custodial & Maintenance Overtime Discussion.
- Update on Budget.

V. Public Comment

DO Administration Comparison

I requested to see what documentation Rosario provided the BOE to support the claim that Rondout's administration is not different from similar sized districts. Until then, I did my own research with help from many friends and came up with this. What I noticed:
1) Our overall administration is larger by 3-6 people compared with like sized districts.
2) Our structure which makes District Office admin positions a certified administrative position (meaning a six-figure salaries rather than a five-figure salary) shows us exceeding not only like size districts but also larger districts.

(Note: If you notice any errors let me know, it was not easy to pull this information together. Also, the enrollment is not exact; everywhere I looked the numbers were somewhat different)

Now is a Good Time to Let the BOE Know How You Feel

There is a budget meeting tomorrow. If you can't come to the meeting and feel strongly about something, please take time an send a message to the BOE today or tomorrow. Silence sounds like acceptance. Even if you commented before, please do it again.


http://www.rondout.k12.ny.us/administration/board_of_education/send_a_comment_to_the_board_/

True Concessions

Rosario announced at the last meeting that he and his administrative team have agreed to a salary freeze for next year. For some reason, although he said this was a concession his team was making, it was also still under negotiation so I am not sure what that means.

Anyway, while it nice that Rosario is freezing his 175k salary, and I am sure if he did not the Union would never agree to any discussions about teacher benefits and salaries, personally I think that this is not nearly enough.

Len Berg informed the public in December that salary freezes were not the answer since they are just a temporary fix. On this one point I agree with him. What happens next year? Now, if the administration normalized to really match other districts, moving 2-4 administrative positions back down the ladder and make them non-certified administrative jobs, giving more responsibility to those who stay on the top of the administrative ladder and we reduced the administration in the Middle and High School then this year, next year, and the years after we would feel the reduced financial strain due to this administrative design.

Do not stop insisting on consolidations and real concessions from the administration. Those who make 95k and over can not be insulated ever, let alone during these difficult financial times.

BOE Budget Meeting March 29th

This is posted on the BOE's page:

Special Board of Education Meeting
"Budget"
High School Gym
March 29, 2011
6:30 P.M.

Hopefully the quotes around the word budget means that the BOE plan to talk about the budget issues in detail. Will this be just a presentation or will it be a discussion so that we understand where the board members stand? Come to the meeting to find out.

How Do We Get the BOE to Respond

It is clear that a large part of the frustration so many community members have with this budget process is due to the perpetual silence on the part of both the BOE and administration regarding issues that have been put in front of them for months.One BOE member, in response to a question about the web forum where people can post their comments pointed out that she had over 600 in her mailbox and that they were working on a way to electronically post responses.

In all honesty who wants to wait for this technology and why should we? The forum for responses are the publicly attended BOE meetings. I do not mean that the BOE or Rosario need to respond to each of our points, comments and questions as they come up in public comment. However, it IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY to include their responses to consistently asked questions in their agenda. As examples:

Top Heavy Administration
People have been asking publicly and through the web site for the BOE to take a harder look at administration and ways to consolidate/reduce the budget there. So far, in December, Gail said that the BOE did look at that but provided not further detail and last Tuesday we were only told that Rosario provided evidence that we are no different from the other districts in the County. Besides these responses obfuscating or falsifying the reality of our top-heavy administration, why is it three months after the first public mention (that I am aware of) of this issue has the BOE not presented any of these findings related to this issue in response to the public questioning?

Protection of TA's and Paraprofessionals
There has been numerous public comments about the protection of those in our district who get paid the least but yet are instrumental to the children's educational experience. Is the BOE and the Administration doing all it can to protect as many of these workers as possible? We do not know because they never make mention of this issue publicly.

Line by Line Auditing
Another consistent question is how much of a line by line auditing is the BOE doing. We get a two-faced response where neither face says anything at all. Len Berg says the BOE is doing a zero-based approach (start at nothing and add only needed items) - but there has been no documentation or further discussion of this. On the other side, another BOE member said that this is not their job, that they trust Rosario and his administration to do this. Yet we are shown no evidence that Rosario is working on the budget with this type of detail either.

I do not know how to get the BOE and Rosario to publicly respond, to provide transparency, to address these issue directly and in detail. I do know that until they do, the public will only become angrier and angrier with them.

Capacity if we have Two Elementary Schools

It looks to me like we can't fit into 2 schools without a minimum of 23 kids per class (k,1) and 26 kids per class (2-4). You be the judge. Click on image to enlarge.

Median INDVIDUAL Income

It was suggested that I made up the fact that our median individual income is only 32k and that tax payers who are voting for a budget that protects so many administrators making well over 100k might have a bit of a problem with this. Here is my source. If you can't read the number click on the image and it will enlarge.

Why is the BOE so Defensive?

It is interesting how the BOE has made those of us who speak up (myself at the forefront) their enemy. Tonight the BOE, minus a few members were either bored or defensive in reaction to public comment. BOE members, rather than consider the information in front of them chose to look for flaws so that they can disregard the information. Why is that their reactions? Shouldn't they be pleased that we are working hard to provide them with this information?

Did they hear what we said or were their inner voices talking over us tell them how annoying we were?

Some good point that were made (read up BOE in case you missed it).

1. It IS the BOE's job to make the budgetary decisions and to make Rosario explore all areas for cuts.

2. The Administration does have fat to cut and everyone looking in sees that.
3. Closing a school is bad idea for more reasons than it is a good idea.
4. Cutting those at the bottom (like paraprofessionals) while insulating those at the top is wrong.

Gail accused us (me mostly probably) of being condescending. It is funny how it is o.k. for the BOE members to look at us as we speak and look bored and disinterested while it is not o.k. for me to call them on it. It is like the older sibling taunting the younger sibling until the younger sibling reacts outloud and then the younger sibling is reprimanded.

Interesting Article about Where 6th graders do Best

If you click on this you can enlarge it.

Why You Should Come to the Meeting Tomorrow (3/22)

If you have NO children in the district:  You should come because there has been a tremendous amount of evidence revealing that your money is not being spent wisely. If you want to know if you can support a tax levy increase come May it is paramount that you not only know what the BOE are thinking of doing to save money but it s important for them to know whether you think the BOE is on or off target. For example, the Blue Stone Press has no idea what it is talking about when it publishes that at least 900k can be saved if a school is closed. Do not believe what you read, experience for yourself.

If you have children or grandchildren in the Middle or High School: Many of your children's teachers and teaching assistants are on the chopping block. This will impact their educational experience now and in their futures. Yet, the administration refuses to consider real cost savings among administrators. Come learn about this bottom up approach to cost savings our BOE is engaging in.

If you have children or grandchildren in an Elementary School: It is possible, despite the hard work of the advisory committee finding that there is no clear picture of the real costs, savings and educational impacts of closing a school, the BOE may still rush forward and permanently close a school. If this is not o.k. with you please come and let this be known.

If you are a teacher or staff member in the district: The bottom up approach of the BOE impacts your job whether you are on the chopping block or not. You understand the real educational impact class sizes of 26 will have in the elementary schools. You understand the need for teaching assistants. Please help the BOE, who focuses primarily on the bottom line, understand this.

TUESDAY 3/22 7:30 @ KES

STAND and DELIVER

Tuesday March 22nd will mark a significant moment in this school budget process as the BOE voices their response to the advisory committee's report on closing an elementary school.

7:30 KES

PLEASE COME. PLEASE COME IN DROVES. 

PLEASE BRING 3 FRIENDS. 

PLEASE PACK THE HOUSE. 

There is only a few ways to let the BOE know where you stand. One way is to stand. Another is to take a stand. Please do both.

STAND 

at the 3/22 BOE meeting - bring your friends, bring your neighbors, your parents. You do not have to speak. Just stand there looking disapproving.

TAKE A STAND 

Speak out at the meeting and/or sign the petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/rvs_district_audit/

Do not believe this is a done deal. If the BOE sees the level of disapproval they are more likely to respond. 

If they do not see you they will not believe you care.

If I Could Have Answered the BOE's Questions

1.  JUST REDISTRICT AND THEY WILL FIT??

BOE Member: "If we close a school KES will be nearly at maximum capacity. This would is problematic."
BOE Member: "Why not leave KES and move RES into MES?"
Rosario response: "We can look into that"

The real answer - Because MES can't absorb over 200 more kids. 

BOE Member : "Can we redistrict to make the two schools even?"
Rosario response: "We can look into that"
The real answer - Already in the "North Campus" class sizes are projected to be from 24-27 kids. Moving more kids into this school will make this even worse.

The two larger schools, KES & MES are used to having about 260-290 kids per school. RES for the past four years is about 230. This means 230 kids at the minimum would need to fill into the remaining two schools. If it is done evenly then we would need to place 375-400 kids in the remaining larger schools.

This maxes out both schools when we account for classrooms needed for Special Education and Life Skills (which MES does not currently have but would need to if RES closed).

This means class sizes 25 or more when 18-20 is the recommended size for educational wellbeing.

2. USING THE EMPTY SPACE

BOE Member: "Can we rent or sell the empty building?"

Rosario: "Unlikely"
BOE Member: "What about to a school type group like BOCES"
Rosario: "They only want to rent space in a school with kids"

The real answer-  Use our "extra space" in each of the three schools to rent to BOCES allowing a revenue into the district while still allowing control over overcrowding.

Give the BOE an Alternative to Closing a School

Please sign and forward

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/rvs_district_audit/

Dear BOE Member

Dear BOE Member,

You, the one sitting there quietly wondering. You know who you are. You think to yourself, "Wow 24-26 kids per class and if enrollment increases, even more kids per class, that sounds wrong." You wonder what would happen to special education services, maybe even calculate the cost a single law suit would be if a parent felt that her special need child was not served. You look at the cost savings analysis and think, "Well, how do we know we would fire a library aid or food service assistant if we consolidate? Maybe we would need them in a larger school. We don't seem to really know how much we would save by closing a school." You hear Rosario tell you that an empty building will not rent or sell and think, "That's bad. We can't have a building just sit and rot." You also hear Rosario say that BOCES would only be willing to rent space in a school with kids and wonder, "Why not ask them to rent the extra space in each of our three schools?" You see the principle, teachers, parents, community members all truly distraught at what could be the greatest mistake ever made in our district, and you think, "Can I live with that?"

Go with these thoughts BOE member. Know that we the public will applaud you if you have the courage to stand up to those who see a dollar amount, believe it and ignore the real impact on our district. We need you, BOE member, who knows in your heart that this feels wrong. We need you to speak for us. And when you do, you will be able to be proud of the role you played as our hero.

I look forward to shaking your hand.

Tonight at the BOE

Tonight Breanna will present the BOE the "report" of the advisory committee. Breanna only gave it to the advisory committee to review today after 2:00 and it does not represent all of their views. She promised to give them time to review it and make comments but then failed to do this.

Was all of this hard work of the committee a farce? This is highly disconcerting. Please come tonight to the HS gym if you can and let them know this is WRONG WRONG WRONG.

The History of the Rise in Administration

Below is the history of the rise in administration.

Three significant questions arise:

1. Do we need administrator at high salaries to replace the job of area/department Chairs? (This is what happened in 2002-2003.)

2. What is the explanation for those position that were once Coordinator or Director positions that got converted to administrative leading allowing nearly 2x the salary for the same job? (This is what happened to the MST Standard Chair from 2000-2003 and the Technology position in the past few years)

3. Why are some Director positions administrative and others not? (Director of Transportation is non-administrative @ just over 70k while the Athletics Director is administrative @ over 106k and the Technology Director is administrative @ over  131k).

Prior to 2002	2002-2003	2010-2011
Superintendent of Schools	Superintendent of Schools	Superintendent of Schools
Business Administrator	Assistant Superintendent Business	Business Administrator
Assistant Superintendent Curriculum & Instruction	Assistant Superintendent Curriculum & Instruction	Assistant Superintendent Curriculum & Instruction
Director of PPS	Director of PPS	Deputy Superintendent for PPS and Personnel
Nurse Practitioner	Nurse Practitioner	Nurse Practitioner
MST Standards Area Chair (non-administrative)	MST Standards Area Chair	Standards Area Chair Grades 5-12
Area chairs were all teachers not being paid as administrators.	Arts Standards Area Chair	Standards Area Chair for Health, PE, Home & Careers, Athletic Director
	English Language Arts/Social Studies Standards Area Chair
	CSE Chair/Case Manager 7-12	CSE Chairperson Grades 7-12
	CSE Chair Special Education	CPSE/CSE Chairperson Grades K-6
Superintendent of Buildings & Grounds	Superintendent of Buildings & Grounds	Director of Facilities and Operations
	Director of Technology – non admin civil service	Director of Technology
Admin positions: 6 Note: after 2000 our district starts declining in size.	It was felt for higher accountability an administrator should be hired instead. Pretty quickly the art and English administrator position were ended because of backlash that these were not needed Admin positions: 11 (then 2 shut down – 9 remained)	2 were added – Athletic Director and Technology converted to an admin salary (nearly double) Admin positions: 11

Please Sign and Forward

If we want the BOE to insist that the District Administration to explore consolidation within the district we need to be loud and clear. Please take a moment now to sign and forward to ten people you know in the district.


http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/rvs_district_audit/

Energy Audit Could Save Millions?

Why hasn't our district had this FREE audit done?
******************************************************************

Ameresco Contracts with New Paltz School District to Make Improvements Expected to Yield $250K in Annual Energy Savings

by Andres Bodon New York House

FRAMINGHAM, MA–– Ameresco, Inc., (NYSE:AMRC), a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company, announced that it has entered into an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) with the New Paltz Central School District. Ameresco will provide energy efficiency upgrades to four New Paltz schools: New Paltz High School, New Paltz Middle School, Lenape Elementary School and Duzine Elementary School. The project is expected to save the district $258,461 annually, according to Ameresco.

“Environmental stewardship has always been top of mind in New Paltz so we are thrilled to bring these energy efficiency upgrades to the schools in our district,” said Maria C. Rice, superintendent of New Paltz Central School District. “This long-term partnership will save our district a tremendous amount of money that can be applied to other important items, such as school activities. Additionally, this work will serve as a valuable teaching tool to show our students, parents and staff about the importance of energy efficiency.”

Once approved by the New York State Education Department (SED), the $4 million project will provide energy efficiency upgrades to the four New Paltz schools and will require no upfront capital investment from the school district or taxpayers. Funded in part by the SED, New Paltz is also expected to save $6 million over the course of the 18-year project which will pay for the improvements.

Ameresco completed a thorough energy performance audit for energy consumption in order to better understand the facilities’ baseline energy and other utility consumption. Ameresco will design and install the upgrades, which include:

Lighting System Improvements

Lighting Controls

Building Management System

Premium Efficiency Motors

Computer Load Management

Infiltration Reduction

Boiler Re-piping, Boiler Controls

De-Stratification Fans

High Efficiency Transformers

Solar Hot Water Heater

Exterior Lighting

Classroom Unit Ventilators

Kitchen Upgrades including a new Walk-in Freezer

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the New Paltz Central School District, working with them to make these critical energy efficiency improvements that will help reduce energy use, lower their utility

expenditures and reduce their carbon footprint,” said David J. Anderson, Executive Vice President, Ameresco. “An ESPC, such as this one, is a budget-neutral way to reduce energy use and associated costs while significantly upgrading facility infrastructure. We applaud New Paltz for being a leader in sustainability, and serving as a model for other school districts throughout New York State and the region.”

An ESPC is a budget-neutral way to reduce energy use and associated costs, and renew facilities and building systems without burdening shrinking capital budgets. Under this ESPC, Ameresco will pay all costs involved in identifying and installing the upgraded energy-efficiency equipment. The resulting cost savings will offset the costs of these improvements over 18 years. Ameresco will also provide savings verification.

About New Paltz

New Paltz is located 80 miles north of New York City on the western shore of the Hudson River, bordered to the west by the Catskill Mountains. New Paltz was originally settled in 1678 by a small but brave group of French-speaking Huguenot refugees from what is today southern Belgium and northern France.

About Ameresco, Inc.

Ameresco, Inc. was incorporated in Delaware in April 2000 and is a leading independent provider of comprehensive energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions for facilities throughout North America. Ameresco’s solutions include upgrades to a facility’s energy infrastructure, and the development, construction, and operation of renewable energy plants. With corporate headquarters located in Framingham, MA, Ameresco has 55 offices in 29 states and four Canadian provinces. For more information, visit www.ameresco.com.

Read more: New York House - Ameresco Contracts with New Paltz School District to Make Improvements Expected to Yield 250K in Annual Energy Savings

Time is Running Out!

If you pay taxes in Rondout then please help us push the Board of Education to insist that the district's administration office figure out how it can make cuts to reduce our budget (which it currently refuses to do). More detail is provided in the link below.

We are quickly running out of time so please do not put this off.

Please sign this petition and forward it to EVERYONE you know in the Rondout community. If you are a teacher or administrator of the school district and are concerned that signing this can put you at jeopardy please still forward this to those you know who can sign it. If I sent this to you and you are not in Rondout, give me a hand and forward it to you Rondout friends and family.

Thanks. Eve

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/rvs_district_audit/

Do We REALLY Need ALL of these Administrators?

We asked Rosario on numerous occasions about consolidation in the district office but we were ignored. We asked him for a personnel audit but he said, "To do that would be admitting that cuts can be made" (paraphrased). He said all of our administrators were needed because of the 150 un-funded mandates. So I did the audit myself. I did not focus on the funding just on which jobs needed someone in the administrative office and how much time they would need to give it. Is this completely accurate? I don't know, I am only making educated guesses. I figure if Rosario sees a problem with this he will give me a revision. Otherwise I can only assume he agrees (trust me, he reads or has someone reading this blog).


Here is my summary of how many mandates fall under specific administrators and how much time is needed:
Pupil Services (PPS): 21 mandates: all requiring minimal time, 5 are plans that must be written once and are done.
Business: 12 mandates: 11 requiring minimal time, 1 requiring moderate time, 1 is a one time plan
Curriculum: 13 mandates: all requiring minimal time
Superintendent: 1: requiring minimal time
Facilities: 15 mandate: 9 requiring minimal time, 6 are one time or every 3-5 years
Special Ed: 17 mandates: 4 requiring one time
Technology: 3 mandates: all requiring minimal time, 1 requiring one time plan

Note: transportation is not an administrative position

Given the mandates above and other admin tasks it seems we need:
1. Superintendent (although I am not sure we do need this position at least based on mandates)
2. Deputy Superintendent - who oversees PPS, Curriculum & technology
3. Business Director
4. Special Ed k-6
5. Special Ed 7-12
6. Facilities

Hey, isn't this essentially what we HAD in 2000 before Eileen Camasso with the BOE's permission decided to massively expand the district's administration in her only 4 years as Superintendent?

Rosario, PLEASE correct me where I am wrong. I look forward to knowing the truth.

March 8th BOE Budget Meeting

Rosario presented a power point that explained about the reserve, tax levy and information about a "B" budget. This can all be found on the Rondout Web site. However, do not expect to see a detailed budget so how the revised cuts will impact particular people is difficult to tell.

One glaring omission as pointed out by a few people in the public were that, once again, no further administrative cuts were put on the table beyond the one Nurse Practitioner and one M.S. Assistant Principle.

Once again, the BOE and Rosario are creepily silent about this.

In addition the BOE was questioned about a number of line items where it seemed apparent that they are not spending OUR money wisely.

The take home message? Gail announced to us all at an advisory meeting that we should trust the BOE.

Trust is not a given.Trust is earned and lost. So far you all are losing the trust battle more and more each day.

• Demand an personnel audit of the district administration.
• Demand transparency in spending
• Demand that accurate data is used for decision making (the advisory committee still works off of inaccurate transportation data and an incomplete itemization of real expenditures and savings associated with closing a school)

BOE Budget Meeting Tonight @ 7:30 at H.S.

If you can make it tonight to the BOE budget meeting you should. If you want to talk about something you should.

As a background:
School Closing: The BOE will get the advisory committee's report on 3/15. However, Gail and a few others have been at many meetings. Gail said last night, "She was optimistic about the data showing that we can close a school." This comment which comes a week before she has even been given the report is a cause for concern. BOE members need to understand that the 5 meetings yielded data about savings which are fragile and incomplete. We do not have the information to identify the real savings (if any). The 2 million rhetoric must end but it must not be replaced with the 1.7 million dollar claim either since there are many unknowns.

Consolidation of District Administration:
Before Eileen became the Superintendent we had five administrators now we have ten. Rosario says this is all due to unfunded mandates. While it is true that there are a lot of these mandates I am having trouble, as I go through this list understanding how these support the idea that no administrator can go. Most relate to the school being required to have policies in place which either probably existed or were created for the mandate and now the policy exists. Many other mandates, such a needing four contractors for construction, seat belts and fire inspections are costly but not in the form of administrators. I am sure some mandates need an administrator to comply but which ones? How many? Can one administrator tackle multiple mandates? Rosario should present the mandates that he NEEDS administrators for and show us that every administrator is needed. By the way, there are no technology reporting mandates but there are a bunch of health mandates. Perhaps the BOE should consider this.

What Rosario Said About Closing an Elementary in December!

Published: Tuesday, December 14, 2010

By Kyle Wind
Freeman staff

KYSERIKE - Rondout Valley Superintendent Rosario Agostaro recommended Tuesday that the school board form a subcommittee to examine whether there is a more efficient way to organize the district’s schools.

Agostaro made the suggestion at the board's meeting in response to Trustee James Ayers, who asked Agostaro if he thinks the district’s elementary school program could be delivered in two schools instead of the current three.

The superintendent said he didn’t mean to “skirt around” the question, but the answer is complex. “Multiple models and ideas” are possible, he said.

Following the meeting, Agostaro said he envisioned a subcommittee of the board talking about the configuration of the entire district rather than just elementary schools.


(Was this done??)

School board President Gail Hutchins added the state’s dire financial condition compels the board to consider new ways to save money. She said school officials have had some informal discussions about starting up such a committee.

Agostaro said in addition to cost-saving measures, the committee should also consider other factors like opportunities to improve educational delivery and what the community wants.

Community: Tell Rosario what you want.

Last Advisory Meeting 3/7

There was a transportation update where the computer generated estimates somehow resulted in 6 extra buses (than we now use) in our 3 school current model. It did other weird things. Gloria admitted that she did not use the computer to do this sort of thing. Discussion ensued as to whether transportation information should be added into savings or not. It looks like it will be taken out with a note from Gloria (explaining what? I am not sure.

There was an estimate or the cost of moving. They added $67,376 as a cost but never answered what happens to all of the items that do not get moved to a school. Apparently it will sit in the empty building and rot along with the building.

There was a presentation of cost savings. If you hear that it is a 1.7 million dollar savings to close a school don't take that at face value. PLEASE KNOW this is based on projections that do not necessarily consider the real staffing needs of school that will have over 100 kids more in each. They also exclude unexpected costs in renovations related the move. We do not know the real savings.

The group discussed class sizes next. Based on the lowest enrollment projection we would see classes of 22-27 including inclusion if they closed a school. Most seemed to agree that this was too high - it would hurt teaching, learning, special needs. This is the strongest argument on the table. Two schools simply can't handle current or projected enrollments without having class sizes well over 25.

Yet when asked, Gail, president of the BOE said, "I am feeling encouraged about the consolidation." Huh? Have you been listening Gail or did you decide this before this group met and you  plan to stay encouraged no matter what the advisory group reports?

Tomorrow is a BOE Budget meeting. The BOE will NOT have the advisory report yet. Still feel free to tell them that you will not stand for these excessively large classrooms. Feel free to plug the consolidation of the district administration while you are there as well.. Just over 8 years ago we had 5 people in the district now there are 10? I used to count transportation but I just learned it is not an administration position.

On March 15th at 7:30 the advisory committee's thoughts will be presented to and discussed by the BOE. Definitely come to that if you can.

Gag Order for Today's Meeting?

Rumor has it there will be no public comment allowed tonight. This decision seems to not have come from a democratic consensus of the committee but rather as an authoritarian order. Why would it be decided to shut out the many community people, principles, teachers and parents who have also given their time to this process? 

Are we going to keep letting this process be manipulated leaving us feeling powerless to accept whatever fate the BOE decides?

If you are unhappy with this let Breanna know: breannacostello@hotmail.com