White Plains CitizeNetReporter - <i>Forums Roundup:</i> Hispanics in Force for Superintendent Forum.

Special to WPCNR: Isabel Vilar, Director of El Centro Hispano of White Plains reported at the beginning of this week that Hazard Young & Attia consultant Dr. Deborah Raizes’ visit to Centro Hispano Sunday brought out from between 225 to 250 persons from the Hispanic community to comment on the qualities their community wished to see in a new Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Raizes heard specific requests for a new superintendent who would be as “accessible” to the Hispanic community as Dr. Saul Yanofsky is.

Villar, talking to WPCNR by telephone this week, said that the El Centro Hispano practice of scheduling community meetings after church services, at 346 South Lexington Avenue had long been a way to encourage her community’s participation in city issues, such as police, fire and New York Prebyterian Hospital.

Sunday was no exception, as she reports a crowd of 225 to 250 parents and children appeared to share their superintendent concerns with the consultant conducting the White Plains superintendent search.

Ms. Villar told WPCNR several issues emerged. She said the Hispanic community was concerned about the level of implementation of district programs for Hispanic students, saying they were happy with what the district has done to date in the Yanofsky era but more enhancements were needed.

She reports the community raised the following policy concerns for the district to consider, and for the new superintendent to be able to implement: “We need to keep what we have, and enhance and strengthen (services), with new programs. The parents want instruction to be completely bilingual (for their children) to learn English, because that is the principle language of this country. They want (more) full-day kindergartens. More bilingual staff to talk to parents.”

Asked what is meant by “bilingual,” Ms. Villar said that at the end of their education, Hispanic children would be fluent in speaking and writing both Spanish and English.

Ms. Villar also noted to WPCNR that Dr. Yanofsky often brought his entire District cabinet of Assistant Superintendents to meet with the Hispanic community and said that many present yesterday hoped any new superintendent chosen would continue this accessibility. It was a way of “taking the school to the community,” Villar said.

The Centro Hispano leader said the Parents Choice Program was very successful in achieving balance in the five elementary schools in White Plains and that Hispanic parents indicated yesterday they were very pleased with it. She reports they also like the Newcomers Center.

Friday Education House Forum Attracts Only 5 residents.

In contrast, the previous Friday January 11 meeting at 10 AM was sparsely attended. The District held a forum for Dr. Raizes to meet with parents, and only five persons were there. WPCNR interviewed two who attended, and they said that the conversation centered around the strengths of the district.

The strengths that emerged, they said were that White Plains diversity of population was a strength and should not be regarded as a drawback. They pointed out to Raizes that the community had a strong tax base, and a growing economic base. They said the district had many unique programs in drama, video, and technology not available in smaller, more homogenous districts.

Asked what the five who attended Friday wished for in the character and strengths and style of a new Superintendent of Schools, the two we interviewed said, following the Mission Statement of the District in the School Calendar articulated the kind of personality needed.

That statement, for those of you who are not familiar with it reads: Our mission is to provide a dynamic educational environment which,

• challenges all students to achieve a high degree of economic success.

• reflects and respects individual differences and cultural diversity.

• nurtures talent.

• creates opportunities for the development of responsible and productive citizens, and

in sum, enables all members of the school community to reach their full potential.

The statement continues for a full three columns, and is on the introductory page of the White Plains Public Schools Calendar.

Note: Dr. Deborah Raizes completed the last of her community fact-finding forums Thursday evening with a lively, moving meeting with the PTA Council. She asked that all strengths, issues, and skills surveys circulated to parents that they wish to present, be turned into the School District today or shortly thereafter because she and Dr. John Whritner, her colleague, would begin creating the Superintendent Profile Friday. She said the White Plains Forums were the most heavily attended Superintendent Search Forums she has ever conducted, (speaking to over 600 persons), and promised an outstanding new superintendent to the District. The next step in the process will take place January 29 at 7:30 PM at Education House when Dr. Raizes and Dr. Whritner will present the completed Superintendent Profile. Watch WPCNR for reports on Wednesday and Thursday's final forums.


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