Welcome!

Welcome to Laurie Goodman's blog. I use this space to share news and opinions about education and schools in Ridgewood, the state of New Jersey and the nation, in addition to other issues I'm personally interested in. I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, questions or opinions, too, by posting comments on any blog entry. Please observe basic courtesy -- keep your comments focused on issues, no personal attacks or bullying, please. Contact me directly at: lauriegood@mac.com

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you a nice, relaxing holiday with family, friends...the important people in your life. Key thought for today: RELAX!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Is the School Calendar Dated?: Summer Learning Loss and the Achievement Gap

I read this interesting article in the Teachers College Record, but the original is really long so I'm summarizing it here. I wonder if the U.S. school calendar will ever change...one thing the author didn't mention is the COST to educate our children longer...seems like that will be the real decider. Any thoughts? -- LG
(And P.S. this is just ME musing on this topic...not an official Board item! I just thought it was interesting in a conceptual way.)

From Teachers College Record, by Harris Cooper — September 15, 2008

In the 19th century, if children lived in agricultural areas, summertime meant helping tend crops or livestock around the farm. If they lived in urban areas, it was not unusual to attend school for at least two of summer’s three months (Richmond, 1977).

According to the Association of California School Administrators (1988) family mobility at the turn of the century led to implementation of the current 9-month calendar. In the early 20th century, many children held jobs during the summer. Passage of the first child labor law in 1916 meant that school-aged children had little to do during their vacation from school. Community leaders organized summer recreational activities, and educators came to see summer as an opportunity to increase students’ interest in lifelong learning.

Today, promoting lifelong learning may not be the only rationale for offering educational experiences during summertime. When school is not in session, students may forget what they have just learned. Many educators argue that children learn best when instruction is continuous. The long summer vacation disrupts the rhythm of instruction and requires time be spent reviewing old material when students return to school.

Research evidence bears out these concerns. A meta-analysis of summer loss studies (Cooper, Nye, Charlton, Lindsay, & Greathouse, 1996) confirmed that, on average, achievement test scores declined between spring and fall.

Calls for change in the school calendar do not stop with concerns about the summer break’s impact on student learning. The American family has undergone dramatic changes in the last half-century, and the living arrangements of children are very different from those that prevailed when the current school calendar was adopted (Farley, 1996). It is much more common today for both parents to work outside the home or for families to be headed by a single parent. These changes bring increasing demands for services for children when school is not in session. Advocates for children living in families that lack the resources to provide educational and recreational activities lead the call for quality summer programs.

Adding Days to the School Year

Research in schools and school districts that have added days to the school year reveals mixed results (Axelrod, 1996, Karweit, 1985). Generally, the research supports the notion that adding just a few days to the school calendar will have little impact on student learning. Some research suggests that as many as 25 to 35 extra days would be needed to produce a noticeable change in student achievement. This change in the number of days would necessitate a corresponding change in curricula and teaching strategies.

Modified Calendars

Another meta-analysis focused on stud­ies of school districts that modified their calendars but did not increase the length of their school year (Cooper, Charlton, Valentine, & Muhlenbruck, 2000). These schools might have students attending for nine weeks followed by three weeks off, and this pattern would be repeated four times a year. Remedial and enrichment programs might be available during intercessions. The evidence revealed ambiguous results. The effect favored modified calendars, but the size of the impact was quite small.

Summer School

Summer school is the most traditional remedy for summer learning loss and for helping students who are behind academically. A study integrating the results of 93 evaluations of summer school (Cooper et al., 2000) revealed that summer programs focusing on remedial, accelerated, or enriched learning had a positive impact on the knowledge and skills of participants.


Summer Homework


Many educators are now resorting to “summer homework” as a means to combat summer learning loss. The impact of teachers’ assigning academic tasks meant to be carried out over the summer break is still a “data-free zone,” but controversy over its use will probably kick start some research efforts. Proponents argue that it helps prevent summer learning loss while opponents contend that children need the “down time” afforded by summer to pursue other interests and just be kids (The Edutopia Poll, 2008).

Based on the research mentioned above and other research on homework during the school year (Cooper, Robinson, & Patall, 2006), it is assumed that summer homework does have some positive effect on achievement by cutting down on review needed when the new school year starts. But, unless it is moderate in amount and handled properly by students and parents (e.g., it is monitored so that small amounts are done throughout the summer rather than crammed into the last days before school starts up) it is also a family stressor.

Looking to the Future

Change in the school calendar is inevitable. However, these changes will not occur because educators and researchers will convince the American public that more or rearranged time in school will improve academic achievement or close the achievement gap. After all, this was not the impetus behind the traditional calendar. Instead, changes in American families will dictate changes in school calendars. For most parents, summer may be hazy but it is not lazy, and finding appropriate activities for children when school is out is a real dilemma. Eventually, the shift in family economics evident in the late 20th and early 21st centuries will overcome the resistance to change in the school calendar, but the process may be long.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Bad sportsmanship

Had a great (and incredibly cold) time at the RHS football game on Saturday...except for the rude and annoying Ridgewood students who shouted at the Livingston band members when they came over to "our"" side to watch the RHS band's halftime show. These kids -- most of them freshman boys but also some juniors I recognized -- were yelling "boo" and various nasty, derogatory comments. It was so disappointing. I love school spirit, but this was pretty disgusting. Not to mention, throughout the game, several of these boys kept up a running commentary of shouting that included expletives just about every other word. Now, honestly, I'm not a "prude" but it sounded like the HBO show "Deadwood" out there! Several Ridgewood moms (many with young children) around me turned around to tell these guys to knock it off, but it didn't make much difference. All in all, it was pretty disappointing.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

The Parent Trap

Really interesting article in the Nov. 17 New Yorker about "overparenting." It's actually a review of several books...covering everything from the scam of Baby Einstein videos to overscheduled summers, competitive tutoring, elite sports camps and college application consultants. Check it out. Sounds like what I call the Merry-Go-Round. No one wants to jump off for fear that their child will miss out. But maybe all that concern means they're missing out on things like learning to think, solve problems, and deal with disappointment. Any thoughts? Click here for article.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Feedback on District Website

If you'd like to answer a couple quick questions about the district website, I'd like to hear it. Feel free to post a comment answering any/all of the following questions:

1) What things do you like and dislike about the current district website?

2) What are the things you like and dislike about your school website?

3) What do you think is missing from the websites?

4) What is the most common reason you visit the district or school website?

5) General website comments?

Thank you.

Tenure for Teacher's Aides?

Just a quick note to let you know about state bill A420 which "Establishes measures to provide employment stability for teaching paraprofessionals employed in school districts that receive federal funding under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act."

In other words, lifetime tenure for teacher's aides.

This is a bad thing. If you pay attention to some of the business at our Board of Ed meetings, we are constantly acquiring and un-acquiring aides. That's because the need for aides is driven by students' IEPs. When a particular student classified as special ed requires an aide, we are are required to provide it. And when that student no longer requires an aide, or if the student leaves the district, then we reassign the aide or the aide leaves the district. It's a fluid and changing environment and the district needs to be able to make decisions based on educational needs.

This bill passed the state Assembly (yesterday, I think) by a vote of 70-7-1. It now goes to the Senate Education Committee.

You can contact members of the Education Committee by clicking here. Tell them this is a bad idea.

(I'm still waiting for someone to propose a bill guaranteeing tenure for copywriters. Or accountants. Or fill-in-the-blank-with-whatever-job-you-have.)

What am I doing?

So, apparently a couple people were concerned by my comment last week, where I said: "I have felt lost in "the maze" many times over the past six months (hey, it was just my six-month anniversary last week, I just realized!). The primary job I've had so far is just trying to figure out just what it is I'm supposed to be doing, what I should be doing, what I legally CAN be doing...quite honestly it's been frustrating." (You can click here to read the quote in its context.

What does that mean? What have I been doing all this time, stumbling around in circles? What in the world did I sign up for with this school board business? Let me clarify:

I thought I knew what I would be doing as a member of the Board of Ed. But I'm here to tell you, the real-life experience is different than what's apparent from the outside. For starters, the Board of Ed does NOT run the schools. We do NOT make decisions about what happens day-to-day in the schools. We can't pick up the phone and tell Dr. Fishbein to cut the overgrown grass at a school, nor can we tell a teacher what to do or tell a janitor what to do. It isn't an issue of what we WANT to do...it's what we're legally allowed to do. Believe me, I want to pick up the phone or send an email...and I still do it, regularly. It's my nature. But it's not the way it's supposed to work. And that's been one of my frustrations.

My other frustration involves school district bureaucracy and the pace of the work that's done. School districts by their nature and structure cannot move quickly. I'm not defending the pace -- which is slow and deliberate -- but as one person, I can hardly change it myself. I am learning how to work within the system, and how to do what I can to make the system better.

Enough whining. What CAN I do? What have I been doing? Ever wonder what a school board member actually does?

(Note: These are things ALL of the board members do, plus many other things, in various combinations.)

I'm on the Facilities Committee and we have been meeting almost weekly since the summer, talking with architects and principals and trying to figure out what projects to include in a bond referendum next year. • I'm on the Communications Committee and we've met several times, making some website improvements and working on a parent survey instrument. • We have Board meetings at least twice per month, with quite a lot of reading to prepare over the weekend. • We take turns reviewing District bills, basically looking at every single check the District writes. • I've given input on the Math Planning Team and process and while I didn't agree with everything, the Board as a whole did, and I support its successful implementation. • I receive calls and/or emails from parents with questions or concerns, and I follow-up. • I've met with several principals. • I've attended HSA meetings at the high school, BF, Willard, Ridge. • I participated in negotiations between the Board and the REA. • I've been to mandatory training from the New Jersey School Boards Association and attended a session on school funding from the League of Municipalities. • I'm on a committee that's reviewing the District website design. • I've attended school functions like library open houses, celebration of the arts, fall festivals, football games. • I update this blog a few times a week. • I've attended Professional Development day for Ridgewood staff. • I'm on the joint village Fields Committee (which meets at 7:00 AM!)

I'm sure I'm forgetting something...but I hope it's helpful for you to see that I have not been sitting back just "trying to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing" for the past 6 months. I estimate that I put in 20 hours a week, in addition to my full-time job.

I'm not being defensive. You deserve to know what we do and I understand I'm accountable to you and the rest of the community. So...consider this my 6-month accounting. Thank you for trusting me with this job. It's frustrating...but I'm loving it!

Monday, November 17, 2008

American Education Week November 16-22

I'm not really sure what the appropriate activities are during American Education Week...it's not as if we want to celebrate education just this week and not every other week of the year! Just thought I would point out the commemoration.

So I googled American Education Week and learned that it's a celebration sponsored by the National Education Association. Their annual tagline (I guess they choose a new one every year) is "Great Public Education: A Basic Right and our Responsibility." Hmmm and I thought this was going to be a boring little post. But this brings up the topic I tried to raise last week...is education a right? I happen to think it is, but I included a link last week to the blog of a teacher who feels it is not a basic right. I was surprised and curious what others think. No one has responded yet. Oh well, if you're reading this, I'll settle for just getting you to think about it for a minute.

Report Card 'Shock'

It's that time of year...not the leaves in the street...not the football playoffs (congrats Ridgewood!)...it's time for Huntington Learning Center's TV ad, the glowing testimony to parent-child non-communication that starts running constantly right about the time that first quarter grades are released. You know the one:

Mom waving the report card, "But we tried everything! What about college?"
Kid with headphones and surly expression, "Face it, I'm not getting into college!"
Mom grabs the phone: "That's it, I should have done this long ago!"

Is she calling her child's teacher? Perhaps the guidance counselor? The principal? Anybody connected with the school?

Nope, she's just been shocked, shocked! by a bad report card and her response is to call Huntington for help.

Even before I was on the Board of Education, that commercial bugged me. How is this woman (or Dad, in an alternate version) so surprised by the report card? Why is waiting for the report card portrayed like waiting for the publisher's clearninghouse drawing? Each quarter is 10 weeks or so...what have you been doing during those 10 weeks? Just sending your kid to his room to do homework, without checking in? No conversations at the dinner table about classes or quizzes or assignment grades? No looking at notebooks or returned papers?

The commercial bugs me for two reasons: 1) because it shows parents who are completely unaware of what's going on at school until that report card arrives; and 2) because it misrepresents the reality of our schools. I'm not saying there are not situations where Huntington or private tutors can help, but too often, parents get word of some trouble and jump right to tutors or "learning centers." We already have "learning centers." They're our schools and they are filled with teachers and staff who can help when a student is struggling. I've heard many stories, and have my own stories, about contacting teachers or counselors with concerns -- and getting offers for help, be it after-school sessions, suggestions for homework help, or conversations with the child study team. There's a lot of help available, and my hope is that parents avail themselves of all the resources and energy and options within their schools (and for which our taxes already pay), before turning to expensive companies with big marketing budgets.

Not thrilled with your child's report card? By all means, reach for that phone...and call the school!

From the Today Show: 'Grade School Lolita'

Interesting report last week on the Today show. In their new book “So Sexy So Soon” authors Diane Levin and Jean Kilbourne write about the trend of children becoming sexualized at a young age due to media images and marketing campaigns that encourage youth to be “sexy,” and they offer advice on how parents can protect their kids.

The most striking message to me was how early kids are being affected. When high schoolers or middle schoolers are dressing sexy or obsessing with their weight, we think those issues just suddenly appeared with teenager-dom. But, according to the authors, the seeds are being sown much earlier than we may think.

Click here to read the Today show story and book excerpt, and see the video report.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

RHS Students' Wish List

At tonight's HSA meeting at the high school, the two student reps gave a little presentation on student attitudes toward RHS. One of the questions they had been asked by the HSA was: in a perfect world, what things do you wish you had at RHS? The list was compiled at their Student Congress meeting.. Here's what they wished for (remember, this is in a "perfect" world):
-- More use of Blackboard by teachers
-- Laptops in the Campus Center for group project work
-- Better recycling practices on campus
-- More use of recycled paper
-- Ability to access their "u-drive" (student computer files) from home, for easier transfer of work between home and school
-- More time between classes
-- More student parking
-- A golf course
-- Student lounge, possibly in the balcony of the campus center
-- Bus from student parking at Vets field
-- Solar panels to generate electricity at the HS
-- Better lockers
-- ID Cards that function like debit cards, so they can swipe to pay for food in cafeteria, student store
-- Email for students, for sending announcements, assignments, etc.

The students listed the following STRENGTHS of RHS:
-- Student-faculty relationships
-- Freedom (open campus, etc.)
-- Easy access to teachers for extra help

They listed the following WEAKNESSES of RHS:
-- Facilities are a little run-down (looks nice from outside)
-- No parking for students
-- Crowded classes (in lower grades)

The two student reps did a great job talking about these things and I thought the lists were quite interesting. It's great to hear directly from the students how they feel, rather than only relying on what the "grown-ups" say the students think.

A great idea at BF.

I've learned that BF is holding a "Snowball Social" in January -- a casual evening of dinner, dancing and fun for the parents of Benjamin Franklin Middle School students. Yay! Middle School is problematic for parents (understatement, huh?). Consider: it's normal that our kids start separating from us in middle school...it's normal that parents who were very involved at the elementary school will find fewer opportunities for involvement when their kids get to BF or GW. That's understandable...they're growing and maturing and they can't always do that if they think they're going to run into Mom or Dad in the hallways. HOWEVER, this natural separation from our kids results in parents becoming separated from each other. We lose our connections to other parents, so that by the time the kids get to high school, we know fewer and fewer other parents. The trouble is, middle school and high school are when we need those parental connections MORE. By the time the kids start driving or going to parties or whatever, even Ridgewood can seem like a mysterious black hole when our children leave the house on Friday or Saturday night. Having a strong (and large) network of parents gives us a chance to compare notes, find out things our children "forgot" to tell us, and alert each other to concerns or issues.

The funny thing is, when your kid gets to high school, there is a renewed effort to get parents involved -- band parents, sports boosters, HSA, Project Graduation -- but it's difficult to pull parents back in when that connection was lost during the middle school years.

So congratulations to BF for adding the Snowball Social -- a purely social event for parents to have fun together. (Too bad I'm not a middle school parent anymore, but oh well.)

P.S. I'm not neglecting GW! I'm just less familiar with the day-to-day over there -- if you are a GW parent and can share some info about parent involvement/socials at GW, please let me know so we can celebrate another great idea! (Something tells me I'm going to hear about some other middle school parent activities that I didn't know about -- bring it on and let's let people know!)

From the Trenches of Public Ed.: Improving education vs. students' rights

Normally I find this blog (From the Trenches of Public Ed.) interesting and usually thought-provoking, but I have to say I disagree with the point of the following post (see link for entire article). Here's the part I take issue with:

"Education should not be considered a right. A "right" is something that government should not be able to take away from you, not something government is obligated to give you. As Philip K. Howard says, education is not a right, but a benefit provided by a democratic society. I believe that our democracy should provide education, but there are going to be a lot of places where we can't do it effectively as long as we look at it as a right."

Hmmm....What do you think of this?
From the Trenches of Public Ed.: Improving education vs. students' rights

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Travell's New Library!

Travell is having an Open House on Wednesday 11/12 at 7:30 p.m. to officially open their new Media Center (aka Library). Everyone is invited to check it out. I can't wait to see it -- word "on the street" is it's quite nice! As you may (or may not) know, Travell's library was damaged last winter by a leaking pipe, so this summer it was completely renovated thanks to a fundraising effort by school leaders, parents, teachers, the Travell HSA and Travell Girl Scout troops. In addition to removing and replacing the damaged floor (and removing asbestos underneath), the entire room underwent an "extreme makeover," with new carpet, paint, shelves, electrical, tables, chairs, computer work stations, a circulation desk, flat screen TV and SMART Board electronic white board. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard coordinating, fundraising and rebuilding. The students of Travell will benefit from your efforts for years to come.

If you have a chance to stop by Wednesday night, check it out!

Saturday, November 8, 2008

LOVE this video (and catchy song!)

Try and let the whole thing load before you start playing...it'll run more smoothly.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Post-Halloween Scare: The 09-10 Budget

One of the main topics of last Monday's Board of Ed meeting was the beginning of the process to develop the 2009-2010 budget. The calendar for creating the budget begins now, with our estimated enrollment officially just over 5,700 students. Throughout November, principals (and other managers for lack of a better word) will work on projections and create preliminary budget requests. Those requests/plans will be reviewed with staff at the Ed Center. In December and January, Dr. Fishbein and staff will create a recommended budget, and then the Board will discuss the proposed budget at meetings in February. Public hearings on the final budget will be in March, but if you want to comment at the public Board meetings in February, I'm always a fan of "the earlier the better."

But let's never mind the schedule for a moment. The real news is this: we are looking at an estimated budget shortfall of $1.9 million. How does that happen? It's painfully simple: On the expense side, take all the costs that we know will be rising and which we cannot change (mainly salaries, benefits, transportation). On the income side, assume money from the state will be flat (no increase), and then assume we increase our revenue from taxes at 4% (the maximum allowed by law). Right there, we're $1.9 million in the negative. Our costs are increasing at a rate higher than we can increase our revenue.

Monday night, Dr. Fishbein said, "As always, we'll try to keep cuts away from students, but this much money is going to come really close to, if not into, cutting programs."

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Report from School Boards Workshop in Atlantic City

So Michele Lenhard, Sheila Brogan and I traveled to Atlantic City last week for the New Jersey School Boards Association annual Workshop. There were training sessions, "Action Labs," and other sessions, plus a general session with Jon Corzine and some other state legislators, and a special small session with Education Commissioner Lucille Davy. We were able to attend our state-mandated training as school board members. There was also a gigantic Exhibit Hall, with vendors offering info on just about any product you could possible sell to a school or district. From construction and building supplies to desks to school buses to computer data systems to playground equipment to auditorium curtains to insurance services to...it was truly amazing.

What sessions did I attend?

Well, I participated in an intensive "Engaging the Public" session that talked about the need to identify and speak to various "publics" and the need for trust. There was quite a bit of discussion on one of my favorite questions, namely, "what is the appropriate level of involvement for various stakeholders?" We talked about public involvement in Board committees -- some committees are more suited for public involvement than others and the key is ensuring that everyone (both the public members and the Board members) understand the expectations as to roles, powers, inputs, etc. This is an issue that I'll be the first to admit is more complicated than I anticipated, but I'm still committed to making something happen in this area. In due time.

I also attended a session on Evaluating the Superintendent...it may seem early (our guy just started!), but anyone who has worked in a company with good human resources policies knows that the best evaluation process actually starts with good preparation and communication up front, so that later when it's time to actually complete a written evaluation, there shouldn't be any surprises. The development of the Board's skills and the superintendent's skills is a process that is ongoing, forever, actually. (OK, maybe not "forever," but let's say many many years. :)

The other session I attended focused on School Board problem solving. It was subtitled "Working your Way Through the Maze" and that's obviously why I attended...I have felt lost in "the maze" many times over the past six months (hey, it was just my six-month anniversary last week, I just realized!). The primary job I've had so far is just trying to figure out just what it is I'm supposed to be doing, what I should be doing, what I legally CAN be doing...quite honestly it's been frustrating. But I'm making progress, I think.

Finally, one of the main benefits of the NJSBA Workshop for me, personally, was the opportunity to meet and speak casually with school board members from all over the state. In some cases it was reassuring to hear that our issues and challenges are shared by many, many boards and members. In other cases it was heartening to realize how lucky we are in Ridgewood...we have a community of very smart, committed people, well-intentioned, enthusiastic (yes, yes, I'm generalizing), but at least we don't have fist fights at the Board table, name-calling and shouting, defamation lawsuits, behind-the-scenes soap operas...KNOCK WOOD!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Friend, can you spare some CHANGE?

Oh thank goodness. There's hope yet. Congratulations, America.

And can I just say, NBC's computer-generated set was pretty cool.

And, boy do I miss Tim Russert.

Congratulations!

Side note from a Mom:
Congratulations to Marya Goodman, elected to the Executive Board of Chi Omega sorority, Mu Alpha chapter, at the University of New Hampshire. Good job!

Candidates' Education Positions and...FREE COFFEE!

So here was my path tonight...I clicked on the "I Support Strong American Schools" box on this blog (look right), feeling a little bummed that the candidates never really did talk much about education (regardless of my "ED in 08" buttons, oh well)...then I saw a link to a Wall Street Journal article comparing the candidates on several education issues. It is a nice clear comparison which you can read here and will probably not sway your vote tomorrow but might make you feel even better about what you're going to do. Here is the link to the article CLICK HERE.

But wait! As I was reading that I got distracted by some truly groundbreaking news: Starbucks is giving away FREE COFFEE on election day! Woohoo! They started out promising a free tall coffee to anyone who votes, but then I guess they got a little worried about breaking election laws, so anyone who shows up at Starbucks on Election Day can have a free tall coffee, regardless of whether they vote or not (but, please oh please, VOTE!).

Have a good one!

Monday, November 3, 2008

Voting at Schools: Update

In response to parent concerns at some schools, Federated HSA has arranged for police presence at the following schools tomorrow:
Glen
Travell
Hawes
Orchard
Dr. Fishbein has said that the district will split the cost with Federated.

The district had already arranged for police presence at Willard, and for the police to walk through all other schools throughout the day.

The remaining schools' administrators, in discussion with their HSAs, feel their set-up is fine and they don't need police.

Remember, all of our schools (except Willard) have direct access to voting places so voters will not be walking through the hallways. Parking restrictions will be lifted to ease possible traffic issues.

A little extra info: when this year's calendar was set (two years ago), Election Day was discussed and it was decided not to close the schools. There are 4-5 elections every year...we can not afford to close schools on all 4-5 days, every year. This summer we began discussing election day again, mostly because some Willard parents were concerned. We attempted to get the polling place moved out of Willard to Ridge, and the election commission said "no." The use of schools as polling places is not up to the district or the town. We do not make that decision, and we cannot decline the use of schools. So, to meet the concerns of the Willard parents, we secured Officer Chris McDowell to keep watch at Willard. All of our schools will be employing regular security measures throughout the day -- locked doors, buzzing to get in with school business. If a voter buzzes at the office to enter for voting, they will not be admitted but will be directed to the polling place entrance.

It is certainly every parent's prerogative to keep their child home if they are concerned, but my personal opinion is that that our schools are and will be safe.

GO VOTE!

Topics at the BOE meeting 11/3

As always, the full agenda is posted here. But if you want to know the highlights, here's a snapshot of some of the items on the agenda for tomorrow night:

We'll be reviewing the calendar for developing the 09-10 budget. This will be of particular interest to me since I've never gone through the process before. The work on budget actually begins this week, in order to have a final budget proposal for the election next April. Tomorrow's agenda also says we'll be discussing "budget what ifs". Hmm...sounds depressing.

We'll have a first reading of the proposed Nepotism policy. This is something mandated by the state, that we must update in our district policy manual. Basically, no relative of a Board member or Superintendent may be employed by the district. Currently, there is no prohibition on the employment of relatives.

We'll get an update on the Math Planning Team and the public input meeting which was held last week. And by the way, there is still time for you to email your input on elementary math. PLEASE email your thoughts to KKiedaisch@ridgewood.k12.nj.us before November 10.

Oh I just remembered...I should give a little report of my time in Atlantic City last week. Some of us were there for the New Jersey School Boards Association annual Workshop. It was definitely interesting. More to come...