UPCOMING MEETINGS:   

January 8: Regular Meeting, Education House, 7:30 P.M.  Overview of Strategic Planning

January 17        Special Meeting, Education House, 7:30 P.M.

                                                                                    Executive Session -- Collective Bargaining

January 24:      World Café, White Plains High School, 7:30 P.M.

                                                                                    Strategic Planning

January 29:       Special Meeting, Education House, 7:30 P.M.

                                                                                    2007-08 Budget Planning

                               February 12:    Regular Meeting, Education House, 7:30 P.M.

Other noteworthy events:   

As reported first in White Plains last week by The CitizeNetReporter, Dual Language instruction in Spanish and English is coming to White Plains next year at George Washington School. It is an opt-in program on a pilot basis.

NEW PROGRAM:  The Board approved a Dual Language pilot program at George Washington School.  This is a kindergarten program in which two teachers work collaboratively, with half the day’s instruction in English and half in Spanish.  K-5 ESOL Coordinator and Newcomer Center Director Suzanne Lasser gave a presentation on this research-based program, explaining its benefits for all students and noting its success in other districts.  Board Curriculum Committee member Peter Bassano added that the committee supports the program because it is a data-driven plan to address the issue of achievement, a top priority of the Board’s.

SUZANNE LASSER of The Newcomers Center. Photos, WPCNR News

     DONATIONS:The Board accepted the following donations: $10,000 from the White Plains High School Alumni Association for band uniforms;  chairs and desks from Congregation Kol Ami for George Washington School; a Mexican poncho from the Westchester Audubon Society for the Spanish Program at Eastview Middle School; computer equipment, books, artifacts and file cabinets from Barbara Schwarz for George Washington School; and musical equipment from Mort Silver for the Middle School bands.  Mr. Connors thanked these donors for their generosity.

     SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT:  Superintendent Timothy Connors introduced several reports to the Board and community:

            Vicki Hertlein provided an overview of the Margaret’s Place program in which she serves as Counselor.  Funded by the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation, it provides students with a nonthreatening setting in which to discuss issues concerning violence in the home and community. Megan Flynn represented Westchester Jewish Community Services, which partners with the Foundation to implement the program.

             Ms. Hertlein (shown in her office at the high school, she is always open to see students who want to discuss relationship issues) related the story of one student who was referred to her whom Ms. Hertlein said turned out to have been beaten by her boyfriend, and is currently working with her through that issue. She also has determined through a survey of Hispanic children of certain controlling attitudes of boys towards young women  that she is attempting to work through with the Hispanic population.

Regents Scores at High School averaging 80% Passing.

         High School Principal Ivan Toper presented a report he gave before the Rotary Club recently, on initiatives for instructional improvement and results over the past three years.  Trends are positive, in terms of both test scores and in closing the achievement gap.

         Toper reported about 85%of students were passing on the ELA and Math Regents in 2004, 2005 and 2006, with 90% on the sciences  social studies while African-American and Hispanic students lagged about 20% behind performance of white students in scores, though that margin is narrowing. ( On chart above--grade range colors are indicated in small box.)

Math Regents results: Math improving slightly with 84% Passing the 2006 Math Regents.

Blacks and Hispanics Continue to Lag Behind whites by 22% in Passing Scores, But have shown improvement.

Hispanics are Outperforming Blacks on the English Language Regents on passing grades, averaging 84% to Blacks' 70% BUT still lag 10% Behind Whites. However the Hispanic passing students are outperforming Blacks by 14 points.

Where the Seniors Went.

China visits

         Teacher Susan Altman updated the Board on visitors from the Suzhou High School in China. She and Mrs. Kass had been welcomed there and will now reciprocate with five Chinese educators who are expected here on February 4^th.  They will discuss a sister relationship with the school and introduce them to the White Plains community in an effort to further cultural understanding.

Strategic Planning Starts

         Finally, on Strategic Planning, Mr. Connors said the Board will meet on January 8^th with Stephen Barone, who is facilitating this process, and there will be a public forum on January 24th, called a “World Café,” to discuss future directions for the school district. 

Coordinator of Foreign Languages Joan Kass introduced scholarship winners in the Community Ambassador Program, through the Experiment in International Living.  Four students spoke about their meaningful experiences in different countries:  Molly Kellogg (shown speaking)  and Warne Goodman in China, Julia Rose in Ecuador (next to Mr. Goodman) and Naomi Shakerdge in Australia. 

Other scholarship winners were Marcus Brown, Catherine Eichberg, Seth Kreielsheimer, Rose Liu, Ben Pasternack, Alyce Regan, Hannah Reiss, Abigail Rudow and Elsy Santizo-deLeon.  Mrs. Kass thanked Stephen and Nita Lowey who sponsor this program privately.

  TENURE:  Two teachers were awarded tenure:  Patricia Wahl, (Above-- with Principal Joseph Cloherty of Eastview School -- Joan Kass is at the podium) Foreign Language Teacher at the Eastview Middle School, was described by Mrs. Kass as a dedicated, energetic, creative teacher who is bilingual and bicultural. 

Tara Walsh, an Elementary Education Teacher at the Highlands Middle School, was presented by Social Studies Coordinator Lois Gordon, who said Ms. Walsh has a genuine love of children and her classroom is filled with eager and committed students. Diana Hyland, Principal of Highlands is at right.