The 45% Placeholder

When Dr. Papallo was first selected as Interim Superintendent I thought the appointment was for the entire school year, or at least until a permanent replacement is found. However when I spoke with him last week he told me that according to state law he could only work for about 5 months.

That left me puzzled.

State law allows retired school teachers to work for less than one year and at 45% of the rate of a non-retired teacher. However, Dr. Papallo's contract with Norwalk specifies that his salary is based on 100% of the compensation paid to Sal Corda. The salary is prorated and paid on the basis of a work year of 220 days.

In particular Connecticut General Statute 10-183v provides:

a former teacher receiving retirement benefits from the system may not be employed in a teaching position receiving compensation paid out of public money appropriated for school purposes except that such former teacher may be employed temporarily in such a position and receive no more than forty-five per cent of the maximum salary level for the assigned position.

The presumed intent of the law is to allow former educators to participate in their profession after retirement, but in a reduced capacity -- both in time as well as in compensation. In essence it's a law that's supposed to limit double dipping -- collecting a pension and a full salary.

According to the rules of the State of Connecticut Teachers Retirement Board "temporary employment" means employment for less than a year. For superintendents the "maximum salary," is the highest salary that would be used to advertise the position.

"You hit it on the head," said Dr. Papallo, in an e-mail sent to me this afternoon. "The 45% compensation issue is the controlling factor in the state action that limits the time I can remain in the position. I am only making 45% of the salary for 45% of the school year."

Well not exactly. If Dr. Papallo worked 220 days, the time specified in his contract, that would essentially mean that he would be employed until next June -- the end of the 2009-2010 school year. This would mean however that he could only earn 45% of Dr. Corda's base compensation.

On the other hand if he works 45% of the calendar year, about 5.4 months, he can collect a full salary for that period.

According to Leanne Appleton, Assistant Administrator for the Teachers Retirement Board, this type of arrangement is allowed. It's not known how many teachers are working only part of the year but receiving full salaries. According to Ms. Appleton retired teachers and school districts are required to report post-retirement compensation, but these reports are not independently verified or audited.

Despite the TRB's acquiescence I think compensation packages such as this are an end run against a system that was meant to limit "double dipping". For good reasons, former state employees like teachers and administrators shouldn't be allowed to collect a pension and a full pay check. (The law is flexible enough to allow exceptions for teachers and administrators in areas such Math and Science where there are not enough qualified teachers, but the superintendent position is not one of them.)

Allowing full-time salaries in a compressed amount of time does a disservice to teachers and administrators as well as students.

School districts will always find it cheaper to hire temporary fill-ins without benefits rather than full time staff, thus new staff will find difficulty in getting hired. Students are getting shortchanged because teachers and administrators are only spending half the year instead of a full year.

More importantly regardless of how much Dr. Papallo is making, an important question is what happens after he leaves?

I can appreciate that he was hired by the BOE because of his deep experience and the sudden resignation of Dr. Corda. However the BOE has an obligation to clearly inform the community what happens if we don't find a permanent position by the end of the year?

Does the BOE have a Plan B? Or will we hire another 45% placeholder?

(I've e-mailed BOE Chair Rosa Murray and Vice-Chair Jody Bishop Pullan for their comments. I'm hoping to include their responses in an update).

Interim Sup Has Full Plate and Short Time

The clock is ticking on William Papallo's term as interim superintendent. In an interview with NorwalkNet last week, Dr. Papallo revealed that under Connecticut state law as a retired superintendent he can't work more than 5 months.

"In some ways I think it's unfair because if I worked for a school district outside of Connecticut the limit would not apply," he said.

One of Dr. Papallo's priorities during his short tenure will be to help guide the search for a permanent superintendent.

"The process should be streamlined," he said commenting on Norwalk's search strategy which in the past has dragged out. "People don't want to run a gauntlet. They won't apply here because once it's known they're a candidate they could be wounded in their home district."

Another priority for Dr. Papallo is to resolve issues that came about as a result of last year's budget process which has led to staff reductions. "It will take time to smooth out the wrinkles," he said.

One of the issues Dr. Papallo is grappling with in this area is the reinstatement of assistant principal positions that were cut. As previously reported, the district is exploring whether it can use ARRA stimulus funding or savings from not having to transport students to Wright Tech to reinstate positions.

In addition he is also seeking to reinstate an HR Assistant position.

Beyond the administrative tasks Dr. Papallo said that it was important for the Norwalk school district to advance the education of every child.

"Many of the ideas for education reform are interesting, but I fear there is so much emphasis on process and not enough substance," he said. "It frightens me. I dislike No Child Left Behind because it seeks information we already have. Teachers are under so much pressure today because of the law."

Dr. Papallo said he believed that many of the best teaching moments occurred when educators are not "straight jacketed"

Dr. Papallo said that he is also involved in negotiating the new contract with Norwalk's teachers which is set to expire at the end of the current school year. He said that the contract negotiations should be completed in a couple of meetings.

"By the time the new superintendent is hired, the contract negotiation will be essentially over," Dr. Papallo said.

Norwalk Has No Set Plans on How to Use Stimulus $$

With one week left to go before the start of a new school year, Norwalk schools have not figured out how they are going to use additional funds that have been provided through the federal government's stimulus program.

The Hour reports that Norwalk is scheduled to get $1,121,366 in supplemental Title 1 money, which goes to Norwalk's Title 1 schools -- Brookside, Cranbury, Fox Run, Kendall, Jefferson, Marvin, Silvermine and Wolfpit elementary schools and Side by Side Community School.

However principals at the Title 1 schools must write "budget narratives" to outline how the funds will be used before the money is disbursed.

In contrast the Connecticut Post reported on Sunday that many other school districts in the state have very specific and thought out plans.

In Bridgeport for instance:

The money will help expand Lexia, a computer-based tutoring program used now in just kindergarten. It will be offered through sixth grade. The program allows students to work on weak reading and math skills. In addition to the software,
teachers will be trained in how to use it.

The money will also expand Total Learning, a program runs in conjunction with Action for Bridgeport Community Development, the city's largest Head Start provider. Total Learning infuses art, music and dance into the curriculum, assigns an aide in the classroom, offers a longer school day and gives students and their parents extra help. It is now in more than a dozen kindergarten and first grade classes.

In Milford:

Clifford Bugyi, supervisor of administrative services, said the $377,000 in new Title I money will be used to create before- and after-school math classes at West Shore and Harborside middle schools. A similar program offered in writing a few years back showed impressive results.

And in Stratford:

The Superintendent of Schools Irene Cornish said the district's new $574,000 in Title I money will go toward making both elementary and secondary teachers better at teaching reading. They plan to use a program run by Yale University.

The Hour reports that the Norwalk is also slated to receive 2.5 million in special education funds. This past Thursday the state audited the files of the nearly 200 children in Norwalk's special ed program to make sure that all issues of non-compliance have been addressed.

According to the Connecticut Post, cities in neighboring towns already have a plan on how they plan to use the stimulus funds for special education or Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Bridgeport will use its additional $6 million in IDEA money to provide more psychological services and testing to its kindergarten through second grade population as well as teacher training to all K-2 teachers, said John Di Donato, the city's assistant superintendent for youth development.

The hope, he said, is to do a better job assessing young children who may be in a crisis situation to determine if a special education referral is appropriate or some other short-term intervention

And in Derby:

The district will use its $343,000 in IDEA money to establish a new program at the elementary level for autistic children. The program will be small, for about two to three children. The money will also help offset the cost of raises for the special education staff.

So what's happening in Norwalk? Officials have known for several months that there would be stimulus funding available for certain purposes. Some may argue that the departure of Sal Corda hobbled planning. On the other hand, he was in his position until the end of July, and it is ultimately the BOE's responsibility to ensure that the district's priorities are set and met.

Funding for Assistant Principal in Question

The funding to reinstate one elementary school principal position is still in question said Superintendent William Papallo at last night's Board of Education (8/18/09) meeting.

State officials have not gotten back to Dr. Papallo yet regarding the possibility of obtaining a grant to transport Norwalk students to Abbott Technical School in Danbury, a requirement by law. Dr. Papallo was planning to obtain the bulk of funds ($133K) to reinstate the Assistant Principal and a Human Resource Assistant position from the money the district is saving as a result of not having to transport students to Wright Technical School which was closed down by the State this summer. Wright Tech students now have the option of attending Abbott Tech in Danbury which is 24 miles away.

"I have no answer back (from the state). I'm not optimistic," said Dr. Papallo. "The money is in limbo and I can't make the recommendation to reinstate the position this evening."

However, even if the district does not receive a state grant for transportation, Dr. Papallo said he will find other funds to reinstate the positions, most likely from staff vacancies.

"We should know in the next couple of days whether we can get money from the state or through staff vacancies and turnover" said Dr. Papallo

Dr. Papallo said he hopes to have full time Assistant Principals in place at 10 of the 12 elementary schools by the start of school--no decision about which schools has been made yet. He also stated he would like to reinstate full time Assistant Principals at all the elementary schools if stimulus funds become available later this year.

In addition to the Assistant Prinicipal position, Dr. Papallo suggested reinstating the position of the Human Resources Assistant. He said that it was a "critical" position. The Board, however, was not convinced and wanted more details about the reallocation of the HR assistant's job responsibilities.

Board Member Amy Jimenez said she is more inclined see the Dean of Students positions prioritzed over the HR assistant position. The decision on whether to extend the contract for the current HR assistant will be made at the Sept. 1st BOE meeting.

Tony Ditrio, principal at Kendall Elementary School, made a plea during the public comment section of the meeting for Elementary School Aides. He stated that as a result of the recent budget cuts every elementary school was required to eliminate a 27.5 hour aide position. He said that some schools did not have such an aide and had to eliminate the utility aide leaving only one person in the main office. In his school, he may have to eliminate a kindergarten aide. He suggested that any stimulus money that the district receives be distributed to the schools to possibly reinstate aide positions.

BOE Stresses Confidentiality in Superintendent Search

The search for a new Norwalk School Superintendent was a major topic of discussion at last night's (8/18/09) Board of Education meeting.

"We need to figure out the timeframe, the pros and cons of a search firm and how to get involvement from the community," said Board Chair Rosa Murray who is responsible for appointing a superintendent search committee.

Ms. Murray said that Dr. Papallo would be on the Search Committee and that his experience would be a great asset.

In addition, Board Member Glenn Iannacone recommended that Mayor Richard Moccia, who was present at the meeting, be appointed to the committee as previous mayors have been in the past. Mayor Moccia agreed saying that he thought it important for him to be on the committee, "The Superintendent works closely with the Mayor."

A search committee will be decided upon by the next BOE meeting on Sept. 1, said Chair Murray.

Both Chair Murray and Dr. Papallo stressed the importance of confidentiality in the search for a new superintendent. "It is hard to get quality candidates if we can't guarantee confidentiality. Candidates do not want their home districts to know that they are applying," said Chair Murray.

"While everyone want a piece of the pie, we have to guarantee that there is privacy," said Dr. Papallo, "Otherwise we risk losing good candidates."

In addition, Dr. Papallo said that he would make recommendations to the Board about ways to streamline the search process.

In an interview with NorwalkNet earlier in the day, Dr. Papallo said the search process in Norwalk is too long with too many meetings. "People don't want to run the gauntlet if they think the process is too long. They just won't apply here."

"They could be wounded in their home district if the search drags on. We cut down our chances of getting top quality candidates by having such a long process."

I think that the the need for confidentiality is understandable. Norwalk wants the highest quality candidates and that can only be achieved if candidates are assured their home districts won't find out they are applying elsewhere. However, I also believe that confidentiality must be balanced with engagement with the public. For example, what qualifications and skill sets does the public think are important in their new superintendent?

I found that Ms. Murray was short on specifics about how the Board would engage the community in the search process. I think it's important that stakeholders, especially parents, are a part of the process. Perhaps one way of doing this is to have a PTO member part of the search committee.

A Busy Day and NYT: Do Teachers Need Education Degrees?

Today is a busy day for NorwalkNet. I have an interview with Dr. Papallo in the morning and the BOE meeting this evening. A big thank you to readers who sent in questions for Dr. Papallo. I will do my best to get answers to your questions. Tonight's BOE meeting agenda includes further discussion of the reinstatement of the Assistant Principal and the HR Assistant positions, as well as the creation of a Board Search Committee for the Superintendant.

---

This weekend, I read an interesting opinion piece in the New York Times: Do Teachers Need Education Degrees? Nine education experts address the questions:

Should the public schools reduce the weight they give to education school credentials in pay and promotion decisions? Is this happening already, and, if so, what is replacing the traditional system for compensating teachers?

The Obama administration officials support a shift away from using masters degrees for pay raises, and a shift toward compensating teachers based on student performance. In fact, "Race to the Top" funding favors states that have alternate routes for teacher certification and the ability to link teacher performance to student test scores.

In Connecticut, the legislature passed a bill in special session in June that will broaden some of the state's certification requirements.

According to an editorial in the Hartford Courant, this bill almost didn't make it to Gov. Rell's desk.

The bill will expand the Teach For America program in the state, allow teachers of math and science to take content tests rather than coursework in order to receive state certification, and streamline the process so that qualified teachers from other states can easily come to work in CT.

The nine experts in the Times' "Room for Debate" blog have a range of opinions on programs like Teach for America and the need for higher education for Education.

Papallo Seeks To Reinstate One Assistant Principal

Interim Superintendent William Papallo plans to reinstate two positions that were eliminated because of recent budget cuts.

In a memo distributed to Board of Education members Friday in advance of the BOE meeting to be held tomorrow (8/18), Dr. Papallo said he wanted to re-hire a human resources assistant and restore the position one elementary school assistant principal. However no decision has been made on which schools will get back their full time assistant principals.

As previously reported by NorwalkNet, Dr. Sal Corda decided in July to have part-time assistant principals at four elementary schools: Tracey, Columbus, Naramake, and Wolfpit. At last month's BOE meeting parents and teachers from Tracey protested vociferously.

"This issue was given priority because of the many demands placed on our schools by daily needs, and demands required by the greater involvement of the federal and state government," said Dr. Papallo in his memo to board members.

"The challenge at this time is to determine which two of the four schools should receive full time positions. An examination of the vital statistics shows them to be very close in terms of statistics and a good case can be made for each," he said.

Dr. Papallo said that he wanted to meet with the principals of the effected schools but would not be able to do so until today (8/17) because one of the principals had been on vacation.

Hiring back the assistant principal and the HR assistant would cost the district $221,000 according to supporting documents accompanying the memo. ( $131,646 for the assitant principal and $89,531 for the HR assistant). Some of the funding for the position will come as a result of staff vacancies. However the bulk of funds ($133K) will come through money the district is saving as a result of not having to transport students to Wright Technical School which was closed by the State this summer.

Dr. Papallo's plans are highly dependent on a funding grant being passed by the legislature. In this same memo he advises the board that since Wright has closed, students may elect to attend Abott Tech in Danbury.

"I told the [state] commissioner that transportation funds from the closing of Wright Tech are already committed and he claimed that there would be some money available to assist us."

Dr. Papallo said that he has been told that John Wayne Fox (D-Stamford) is submitting legislation that would provide for grants to transport students to vocational schools. He urged to contact legislators to endorse such a bill.

Dr. Papallo did not address what would happen if no grants were made available.

Is Norwalk Ready for Swine Flu?

My kids had their annual physical Wednesday. During their check up I asked their doctor, Jeanne Marconi of the Center for Advanced Pediatrics in Norwalk, about the H1N1 virus more commonly known as the Swine Flu.

"It's coming," she said. "Be prepared."

Her words echoed what I had been reading.

The United States is about to hit by a second wave of the swine flu according to an article earlier this week in the Washington Post, but the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) discourages schools from being closed if a few students contract the disease. Schools can decide to close if an influenza outbreak becomes severe says the CDC.

""We're potentially looking at a very big mess," William Schaffner, an influenza expert at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine who advises federal health officials told the Post.

Nevertheless the CDC issued an advisory this week saying: "Based on the experience and knowledge gained in jurisdictions that had large outbreaks in spring 2009, the potential benefits of preemptively dismissing students from school [is] outweighed by negative consequences, including students being left home alone, health workers missing shifts when they must stay home with their children, students missing meals, and interruption of students’ education."

Still, the CDC says that the decision to dismiss students should be made locally in conjunction with state health officials.

School officials in Norwalk who I spoke to say they have no set plans on how to deal with an outbreak of swine flu. "Any district plan will be made with input from State and local health officials, said Leah H. Turner, a nurse and co-ordinator of School Health Services. "At this time neither body has provided any additional recommendations."

School districts in other states are taking a more proactive approach. For example the Washington Post (in a different article) reports that in Fairfax County near Washington D.C. the school district held a back-to-school briefing on Tuesday for teachers and principals to discuss plans for swine flu preparedness.

According to the article: "Fairfax principals wrote out questions on blue index cards for health and school officials to answer. There were queries about the vaccine's effects (it should be as safe as a seasonal flu shot); about how to clean rooms in schools (with standard cleaning products, because antibacterial soap isn't any more effective against a virus); and about who will pay for cleaning products (the school system)."

In Texas, school officials are distributing posters in English, Spanish and Vietnamese about the swine flu and preparing for school vaccination programs when the swine flu vaccine, presently undergoing human trials in multiple locations around the country, becomes available.

Ms. Turner said that she had no information on swine flu briefings being held for Norwalk school workers. Similarly she did not have any information on whether there are any plans to have children vaccinated at their schools.

In late July, however, 250 school and health officials from across Connecticut did met at Southern Connecticut State University to compare their experiences and co-ordinate their plans for the coming year. According to a report in the Hartford Courant Dr. Matthew Cartter, the state epidemiologist, said that in a pandemic some parents won't be convinced that a school is safe under any circumstances and will keep their children home. According to Cartter evidence from past pandemics suggests that to have a lasting effect on stopping flu transmission, schools must close for four to six weeks.

Dr. Marconi, my children's doctor, said she is concerned about H1N1 not because it is any more severe than other flus. It is, however, more contagious and the youth population is most at risk for complications. According to the CDC the majority of the more than 37,000 Americans who have been infected have been under 24.

Dr. Marconi told me that there will be another statewide meeting held on September 12, to discuss the swine flu. That's after school starts of course.

In its guidance, the CDC changed its advice on how long sick kids should stay home. Students and teachers can return to school or work 24 hours after their fever is gone. (The old advice was to stay home for a week.)

The CDC also recommends that if a child or teacher develops symptoms while at school that they be separated from other students and staff and sent home. While they are waiting to be picked up both the people who are sick and the school staff who come into contact with them should wear surgical masks.

To prevent infection the CDC advises that students and staff be encouraged to wash their hands often and be taught the etiquette of sneezing into a tissue and throwing the tissue into the trash.

The CDC also suggests that schools thoroughly clean areas that are likely to have frequent hand contact.

Questions for William R. Papallo

Next Tuesday (Aug. 18) I have an interview scheduled with William R. Papallo, Norwalk's interim Superintendent of Schools. Although he will be in charge of day-to-day operations of our schools temporarily Dr. Papallo will still be making decisions that will have longterm impacts. It's important to know where he stands on certain issues.

I've started compiling a list of questions to ask him but I want to make sure that I get answers to questions that are on your mind. If you have a question that you would like me to ask Dr. Papallo please e-mail me at norwalknet@gmail.com or write something in the comments section.

CT Unlikely to Get "Race to the Top Money" from Feds

Connecticut is unlikely to receive any of the $4.35 billion "Race to the Top" funds that are a part of President Obama's economic stimulus plan unless it changes some of its laws says one education expert.

Alex Johnston, President of the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (ConnCAN) an education advocacy organization based in New Haven, said that the state's policies capping charter school funding and its rules on the certification of teachers do not match federal guidelines. In addition Connecticut has not set up a system that allows student test score to be linked to teacher evaluations as federal law requires, he said.

The "Race to the Top" program was announced by President Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in late July. States can apply for money to fund programs that 1) improve teacher effectiveness, 2) create better assessments aligned to rigorous standards, 3) fix failing schools, or 4) use data systems to track student achievement.

"Connecticut must change its policies to become competitive for these funds," said Mr. Johnston. "The federal government is providing states with incentives to adopt its approach to education."

The proposed selection criteria released by the Department of Education have clear requirements of what a state must do to qualify for funding. A threshold requirement is that a state must not have any legal barrier to linking student achievement data to teacher and principal evaluations.

While Connecticut does not have any such prohibitions Johnston said the state Department of Education lacks an adequate data system that can support this implementation. In particular he said that Connecticut does not have a teacher ID system that matches teachers to students and it does not have the capacity to communicate with college data systems to track outcomes back to high school performance.

The guidelines also require that Connecticut allow alternative routes to certification for teachers and principals. This runs counter to legislation that was passed just this year which would require teachers being certified after 2012 to have not only an undergraduate degree but also to complete 30 hours of graduate coursework.

On the question of charter schools, the guidance also indicates that states will be judged on “the extent to which the State has a charter school law that does not prohibit or effectively inhibit increasing the number of charter schools in the State or otherwise restrict student enrollment in charter schools…[and] the extent to which the State’s charter schools receive equitable funding with non-charter schools and a commensurate share of local, State, and Federal program and revenue sources”

Johnston said Connecticut's legislative framework for charter schools fails on all of these counts.

NorwalkNet contacted the State Department of Education for their perspective. Thomas Murphy a spokesperson for the State Department of Education responded in an e-mail, "We are preparing an application for Race to the Top funding." (I will attempt to contact Mr. Murphy again to get a better response).

Given the number of changes that have to be made Connecticut's laws it seems unlikely that state will be successful for "Race to the Top" funds in Phase 1 of the program. The deadline for applications will be in late 2009. The possibility remains however that the state can overhaul its educational policies to apply for Phase 2 which opens in Spring 2010.

Time Magazine Asks "How Many Bake Sales Does It Take To Save a Teacher's Job?"

An article in Time Magazine this week reports that school PTAs are raising money for essential services including teacher's salaries.

..as recession clouds hang ever lower and state budgets tighten, schools and districts are increasingly asking adults to help pay for essentials. Parents are under pressure to bring in big bucks for supplies, technology and even, in some cases, staff salaries. That's a lot of sugar cookies. Parent-teacher associations (PTAs), school foundations, independent community groups - the methods may vary, but the goal remains the same: to prevent public schools from losing more staff and services.

The article points out that public schools have always had to rely on private funds:

"School spending has been augmented by private sources for a long time," says Andy Rotherham, a co-founder of Education Sector, a Washington think tank. "But this money is now being looked at as a way to restore more core services that are being cut, rather than just to provide extra things."

According to the story in some states like California, budget cuts will leave 17,000 teachers out of work this Fall. Obviously the economic crisis hasn't hit Connecticut as hard, but we're seeing that even the BOE's relatively small cuts are having a negative impact on our schools.

Will parents have to take over some the activities normally performed by paid staff? Will Norwalk PTAs have to increase their fund raising efforts to pay for certain positions? Will the BOE start to expect this? What role will non-profits like the Norwalk Education Foundation play?

If you are with a PTA or a local foundation I would like to hear your thoughts.

Parents & Teachers Voice Concerns About Assistant Principal Cuts

Concerned parents and teachers from Tracey and Columbus elementary schools packed Tuesday night's Board of Education meeting. They were upset about staff reductions at their schools.

As previously reported on NorwalkNet due to budget cuts, Tracey and Columbus now have to share assistant principal, Alene LaMendola. Wolfpit and Naramake will also share an assistant principal.

"Did he look at our population?" asked Mary Conlin, a teacher at Tracey during the public comment portion of the meeting. According to Ms. Conlin, Tracey has the largest number of students of all the elementary schools in Norwalk who are receiving free or reduced lunch. Additionally she said that more than half of the incoming kindergarten class are English Language Learners. Both groups are challenging to teach.

Kim Bonaddio another Tracey teacher compared her school to Silvermine, a school that has kept its full-time Assistant Principal. Like Silvermine, Tracey is rated by the standards of the federal No Child Left Behind program as a "needs improvement" school. Also like Silvermine, Tracey has been making annual yearly progress.

"Give Tracey the same consideration as Silvermine, " said Ms. Bonaddio. "We are slowly and steadily making progress, a lot of it is due to our Assistant Principal."

Parents were also distressed. Denise Moses, whose children attend Tracey parent made an apt metaphor describing sharing an assistant principal to coordinating two homes. "An assistant principal is a core member of the school's family," she said "You cannot do both. Which event is she going to attend?"

In addition to weighing in on the assistant principal issue, the contingent of parents and teachers from Columbus were upset that the hours for Terry Lakin, the Parent Coordinator were being reduced from 37 hours to 10 hours. In her job Ms. Lakin is the liaison between the school and parents. She coordinates the parent volunteer hours and facilitates communication btween parents and the school. Ms. Lakin also runs the annual lottery system through which prospective students are chosen to attend Columbus.

Donna Spellman, the PTO co-president, told BOE that almost every parent comes into contact with Ms. Lakin. "Her job cannot be done on a part-time basis," said Ms. Spellman.

According to Ms. Spellman, communication was cited as one of Columbus' strengths by the Cambridge Report which was commissioned by the State Department of Education last year because Norwalk is a district labeled in need of improvement under No Child Left Behind.

Emily Lopez, Columbus' pricincipal also lamented the loss of a full-time assistant principal. She said that the presence of an assistant principal directly impacted the quality of education at a school like Columbus. Ms. Lopez told the BOE that she hoped that money would be obtained from the ARRA funds that would allow Columbus and Tracey to regain their lost staff.

William Papallo, the new Interim Superintendant told the BOE that since it was only his second day on the job he had not yet had time to carefully analyze the situation. "It seems from hearing the comments that there will need to be some backfilling," he said. Dr. Papallo said that he would report back to the BOE by August 18th meeting about the criteria and process that had been used by Dr. Corda for re-assigning assistant principals.

Cuts Announced in Assistant Principal Positions

In one of his final memos as Superintendent, Sal Corda announced assignments for elementary school Assistant Principals for the 2009-2010 school year achieving job cuts demanded by the BOE through attrition rather than firings.

Nevertheless four schools which previously had fulltime Assistant Principals will now have part timers.

Herman Davenport who has been the Assistant Principal for Columbus Magnet School will now be the Assistant Principal for Marvin Elementary. Alene LaMendola the Assistant Principal at Tracey Elementary will assume his position making her divide her time between the two schools. Chris Weiss the Assistant Principal at Wolfpit Elementary will also add Naramake to his duties.

“Marvin School, which needs a full time assistant principal given its size currently has a vacancy,” wrote Dr. Corda explaining is decision. “Marvin will benefit from Mr.. Davenport’s particular skills in working with staff and parents.”

He said that Ms. LaMendola a former literacy specialist makes her the logical choice to share the assistant principalship of Tracey and Columbus as they continue to emphasize student literacy.

The physical proximity of Wolfpit and Naramake made Mr. Weiss the logical choice for combining those two positions, said Dr Corda.

Dr. Corda wrote that he made the staffing decisions in consultation with Assistant Superintendent, Tony Daddona, and Interim Director of Elementary Education, Marilyn Liberatore. They examined the needs of each school and the history of each school’s CMT scores over the past four years.

One of the outcomes of the review process according to Dr. Corda was that there was a logical basis in maintaining a full time assistant principal at the Silvermine school because it is in year 4 of improvement under No Child Left Behind and has made progress in CMT performance. Dr. Corda credited the progress to the work of the school’s administration in providing the necessary leadership. He said that it was necessary to sustain the administration at its current levels in order to ensure that the school continues to move forward.

“Recognizing that no decision is perfect and there may be different points of view, I have, nevertheless, made the decision that I believe is in the best interest of our students,” he said.

Here's a list of the assistant principal appointments from Dr. Corda's memo.

School	Asst. Principal	Assignment
Brookside	Dr. Jenna Masone	1
Columbus	Alene LaMendola	.5
Cranbury	Maureen Jones	1
Foxrun	Dr. Elisa Nelson	1
Jefferson	Kathy May	1
Kendall	Sue Ellen O’Shea	1
Marvin	Herman Davenport	1
Naramake	Chris Weiss	.5
Rowayton	Mary Beth Crupi	1
Silvermine	Ed Wachowski	1
Tracey	Alene LaMendola	.5
Wolfpit	Chris Weiss	.5

Moving and NPR

I'll be posting less frequently this week because I'm in the process of moving.

My husband and I just bought our first house. We looked mainly in Norwalk, but did toy with the possibility of moving to Wilton because of the town's supposed "superior schools." In the end we decided our children could get a good education here. We like diversity of all kinds and wanted our children to grow up in a place like Norwalk.

Did schools factor into your decision about buying a house in Norwalk? Do you know anyone that moved out of the city because of the schools?

In the coming weeks I'll be interviewing families that have stayed in Norwalk because of the schools and those that have left.

***

In the meantime, as I was driving stuff back and forth between houses, I heard a radio program on NPR (National Public Radio) called "At School, Lower Expectations Of Dominican Kids". According to the program parents and teachers often expect less of students who are the children of Dominican immigrants. This causes their grades and ambitions to suffer. It reminded me of the interesting discussion that has been going on NorwalkNet.

You can listen to the program here.