School's out for the summer. My kids are sleeping in and I don't have to make lunch in the morning every day.
Looking back on the year I want to write a post recaping all of the developments. In fact July 6, is the 1 year anniversary of this blog. However I'm going to take a few days off and enjoy the Holiday weekend.
BTW Susan Marks' first official day on the job is tomorrow. Welcome Dr. Marks.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Grads Bound for over 100 colleges.
A version of this appears in The Daily Norwalk.
Come September, Norwalk High School graduates will scatter to 120 university and colleges all over the country. They have been accepted to colleges as nearby as Norwalk Community College and as far away as California Polytechnic State University. A couple of graduates will head abroad to the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and the University of Toronto in Canada. Graduates have been admitted to several elite colleges and universities, including Columbia, John's Hopkins, Cornell, Williams, Haverford, Tufts, Bowdoin and Boston College. Many graduates will be attending state schools, mainly in the northeast and mid-Atlantic states. Below is a partial list of Class of 2010 college acceptances, provided by the NHS Guidance Department. Click here for a complete list.
I'm curious--how do you think NPS prepared you/your children for the admissions process? Any advice for families on how to navigate the college process?
Come September, Norwalk High School graduates will scatter to 120 university and colleges all over the country. They have been accepted to colleges as nearby as Norwalk Community College and as far away as California Polytechnic State University. A couple of graduates will head abroad to the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and the University of Toronto in Canada. Graduates have been admitted to several elite colleges and universities, including Columbia, John's Hopkins, Cornell, Williams, Haverford, Tufts, Bowdoin and Boston College. Many graduates will be attending state schools, mainly in the northeast and mid-Atlantic states. Below is a partial list of Class of 2010 college acceptances, provided by the NHS Guidance Department. Click here for a complete list.
I'm curious--how do you think NPS prepared you/your children for the admissions process? Any advice for families on how to navigate the college process?
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
BOE renews Ruotolo, Daddona contracts
Norwalk's top school officials are guaranteed their jobs and pay raises. Tony Daddona, Assistant Superintendent, and Fay Ruotolo, Director of Human Resources, received new contracts last night after almost two hours of closed door deliberations by the Board of Education. The Board extended Daddona's current contract for one year to 2013 with a salary of $187,464. They extended Ruotolo' s contract, which was scheduled to expire June 30, for one year and gave her an annual salary of $145,266. Board members amended the motion to approve Ruotolo’s contract to include a written evaluation by the incoming superintendent Susan Marks in six months time.
The school board voted six to two to approve Ruotolo’s contract with Sue Haynie and Erin Halsey voting against. They approved Dadonna’s contract seven to one with Sue Haynie opposing. “I believe the process was atypical and flawed,” said Haynie of both contracts. “I also object to the 3.5 percent raise. Norwalk and NPS can't afford it. The raise does as much damage for the message that it sends than the actual cost.” The administrators' pay raises raises will be in the form of furlough days.
Board Chairman Glenn Iannaccone made it clear that incoming Superintendent Susan Marks had reviewed both contracts. “Dr. Marks wants a staff in place when she gets here,” said Iannaccone. This was interim Superintendent Michael Nast's last Norwalk BOE meeting. Dr. Marks will start work on July 1.
Board member Steve Colarossi, who was absent because of a previously scheduled family vacation, has been outspoken about his opposition to Ruotolo’s contract. Prior to the meeting, Colarossi had sent e-mails to the board and the mayor opposing Ruotolo’s contract because her performance had not been formally evaluated despite such a provision in her current contract.
During public comments, Norwalk Federation of Teachers President Bruce Mellion said, "It is totally unacceptable that there is no evaluation plan for the administrators." Teachers in the district have a very rigourous evaluation procedure, said Mellion.
Iannaccone said he expects the current evaluation process to change after Marks arrives. "I expect Dr. Marks to revamp the evaluations." Iannaccone said after the meeting.
Colarossi also objected to fringe benefits within Ruotolo’s contract that he said added to her base salary. Her income would exceed the amount in the recently passed budget and could violate the city's charter. After the meeting, Iannaconne said the board had consulted with officals at the State Department of Education to confirm that her contract was not violating any laws.
The school board voted six to two to approve Ruotolo’s contract with Sue Haynie and Erin Halsey voting against. They approved Dadonna’s contract seven to one with Sue Haynie opposing. “I believe the process was atypical and flawed,” said Haynie of both contracts. “I also object to the 3.5 percent raise. Norwalk and NPS can't afford it. The raise does as much damage for the message that it sends than the actual cost.” The administrators' pay raises raises will be in the form of furlough days.
Board Chairman Glenn Iannaccone made it clear that incoming Superintendent Susan Marks had reviewed both contracts. “Dr. Marks wants a staff in place when she gets here,” said Iannaccone. This was interim Superintendent Michael Nast's last Norwalk BOE meeting. Dr. Marks will start work on July 1.
Board member Steve Colarossi, who was absent because of a previously scheduled family vacation, has been outspoken about his opposition to Ruotolo’s contract. Prior to the meeting, Colarossi had sent e-mails to the board and the mayor opposing Ruotolo’s contract because her performance had not been formally evaluated despite such a provision in her current contract.
During public comments, Norwalk Federation of Teachers President Bruce Mellion said, "It is totally unacceptable that there is no evaluation plan for the administrators." Teachers in the district have a very rigourous evaluation procedure, said Mellion.
Iannaccone said he expects the current evaluation process to change after Marks arrives. "I expect Dr. Marks to revamp the evaluations." Iannaccone said after the meeting.
Colarossi also objected to fringe benefits within Ruotolo’s contract that he said added to her base salary. Her income would exceed the amount in the recently passed budget and could violate the city's charter. After the meeting, Iannaconne said the board had consulted with officals at the State Department of Education to confirm that her contract was not violating any laws.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Updated: Top Central Office Contracts Up for Renewal
Some BOE members are questioning why they are being asked to renew the contract for Fay Ruotolo, the district’s embattled Director of Human Resources, and Assistant Superintendent Tony Daddona, a week before Norwalk’s new Superintendent of Schools, Susan Marks, starts her job. Ruotolo's current contract expires on July 1; Daddona's contract is being extended to 2013.
Ruotolo’s $145,216 contract and Daddona’s $187,464 contract, submitted by interim Superintendent Michael Nast, are on the agenda for a special meeting of the BOE which is being held tonight at City Hall. In recent months, the Human Resources department has borne criticism for a series of arrests that have put the spotlight on her department’s vetting the background of new hires.
Board member Steve Colarossi in particular has been vociferous in his opposition to proceeding with Ruotolo’s contract. In a series of e-mails to interim Superintendent Michael Nast, other Board members and even the Mayor and members of the Common Council, Colarossi asked to see a copy of Rutolo’s performance evaluation. He also questioned why her base pay was above the $143,147 approved in the BOE budget last month for her position.
“Although the contract states that the re-appointment is subject to performance evaluation, I did not see any metrics provided as to how this performance evaluation will occur.” said Colarossi in an e-mail to Nast dated the morning June 18, and obtained by the Daily Norwalk.
The contract was negotiated last week by a subcommittee of the BOE, including Jody Bishop-Pullan and Jack Chiaramonte. Board Chair Glenn Iannaccone said that there will be an opportunity to discuss the contract at tonight’s meeting. A revised BOE agenda was sent out yesterday afternoon that included an executive session to discuss the administrators’ contracts.
Board Member Sue Haynie said that she has problems with the timing of the contract renewals for both Ruotolo and Daddonna. “I think the both should be tabled. It doesn't make sense to discuss these appointments until Susan Marks is here. I’m not comfortable with it,” she said.
Interim Superintendent Michael Nast said he has “most definitely” consulted Marks about this matter. In addition, he says the district has no formal evaluation process for these two particular employees. “However, that is not to say that they haven’t been evaluated. I work with them daily. There is nothing negative in their files. This is the way it's been done for the past 10 years,” said Nast. “One of my recommendations to Dr. Marks is to create a more formal evaluation processes.”
Bruce Mellion, president of the Norwalk Federation of Teachers called Nast's informal evaluation process "suspect and pathetic." "They Board and Superintendent should be embarassed. The highest NPS offcials have no evaluation, nothing. It's an outrage," said Mellion.
Colarossi will not be attending tonight’s special meeting because of a pre-planned family vacation however he urged other board members delay considering Ruotolo’s appointment. “There should not be a rush to re-appoint until questions can be clarified, “ he said.
Ruotolo’s $145,216 contract and Daddona’s $187,464 contract, submitted by interim Superintendent Michael Nast, are on the agenda for a special meeting of the BOE which is being held tonight at City Hall. In recent months, the Human Resources department has borne criticism for a series of arrests that have put the spotlight on her department’s vetting the background of new hires.
Board member Steve Colarossi in particular has been vociferous in his opposition to proceeding with Ruotolo’s contract. In a series of e-mails to interim Superintendent Michael Nast, other Board members and even the Mayor and members of the Common Council, Colarossi asked to see a copy of Rutolo’s performance evaluation. He also questioned why her base pay was above the $143,147 approved in the BOE budget last month for her position.
“Although the contract states that the re-appointment is subject to performance evaluation, I did not see any metrics provided as to how this performance evaluation will occur.” said Colarossi in an e-mail to Nast dated the morning June 18, and obtained by the Daily Norwalk.
The contract was negotiated last week by a subcommittee of the BOE, including Jody Bishop-Pullan and Jack Chiaramonte. Board Chair Glenn Iannaccone said that there will be an opportunity to discuss the contract at tonight’s meeting. A revised BOE agenda was sent out yesterday afternoon that included an executive session to discuss the administrators’ contracts.
Board Member Sue Haynie said that she has problems with the timing of the contract renewals for both Ruotolo and Daddonna. “I think the both should be tabled. It doesn't make sense to discuss these appointments until Susan Marks is here. I’m not comfortable with it,” she said.
Interim Superintendent Michael Nast said he has “most definitely” consulted Marks about this matter. In addition, he says the district has no formal evaluation process for these two particular employees. “However, that is not to say that they haven’t been evaluated. I work with them daily. There is nothing negative in their files. This is the way it's been done for the past 10 years,” said Nast. “One of my recommendations to Dr. Marks is to create a more formal evaluation processes.”
Bruce Mellion, president of the Norwalk Federation of Teachers called Nast's informal evaluation process "suspect and pathetic." "They Board and Superintendent should be embarassed. The highest NPS offcials have no evaluation, nothing. It's an outrage," said Mellion.
Colarossi will not be attending tonight’s special meeting because of a pre-planned family vacation however he urged other board members delay considering Ruotolo’s appointment. “There should not be a rush to re-appoint until questions can be clarified, “ he said.
Social Worker stresses making kids feel safe
A version of this story appears in The Daily Norwalk
Last Monday morning, the police were searching all over Norwalk for a man suspected of shooting his ex-wife and mother-in-law. In response, interim Superintendent Michael Nast ordered a partial lockdown of all the city's schools. The lockdown lasted for a few hours until the suspect was apprehended at 12:15 p.m. After Monday’s incident, parents have been asking themselves how to address the difficult subject of lockdowns and random violence with their children.
“There is a reality of what goes on in the world,” says Nancy Fuzesi, a social worker in the Norwalk Public schools for the past 20 years. “But our goal as adults is to make children feel safe.”
Fuzesi who currently works at Columbus Elementary school, which had another lockdown in April, says that parents and school staff need to keep the message positive and focused on safety. “Instead of presenting everything as scary, we need to tell kids that school is a safe place like home. Just like at home, sometimes we need to lock our doors.”
According to Assistant Superintendent Tony Daddona, during a partial lockdown all the children who are outside for recess and gym are brought inside and the doors are locked. During a full lockdown, all the window coverings are shut and the children must move away entirely from the window. Daddona said that there was a message on the district‘s website about Monday’s partial lockdown. Some schools communicated directly with parents.
Fuzesi says there is a fine line between being prepared for the real world and growing up with a feeling of safety and security. “Kids understand that bad things happen, they practice fire drills and lockdowns in school.”
“Tell them that there are sometimes things that happen in a community that have absolutely nothing to do with them or their family,” says Fuzesi who has also worked at Naramake Elementary and Ponus Ridge Middle School. “This helps to keep it distant.” Fuzesi cautions about saying too much to children. “Answer their questions, be honest, but it is not necessary to go into too much detail." Fuzesi says social workers at all of the city’s schools are able to support parents who need guidance on how to talk to children about difficult issues.
Last Monday morning, the police were searching all over Norwalk for a man suspected of shooting his ex-wife and mother-in-law. In response, interim Superintendent Michael Nast ordered a partial lockdown of all the city's schools. The lockdown lasted for a few hours until the suspect was apprehended at 12:15 p.m. After Monday’s incident, parents have been asking themselves how to address the difficult subject of lockdowns and random violence with their children.
“There is a reality of what goes on in the world,” says Nancy Fuzesi, a social worker in the Norwalk Public schools for the past 20 years. “But our goal as adults is to make children feel safe.”
Fuzesi who currently works at Columbus Elementary school, which had another lockdown in April, says that parents and school staff need to keep the message positive and focused on safety. “Instead of presenting everything as scary, we need to tell kids that school is a safe place like home. Just like at home, sometimes we need to lock our doors.”
According to Assistant Superintendent Tony Daddona, during a partial lockdown all the children who are outside for recess and gym are brought inside and the doors are locked. During a full lockdown, all the window coverings are shut and the children must move away entirely from the window. Daddona said that there was a message on the district‘s website about Monday’s partial lockdown. Some schools communicated directly with parents.
Fuzesi says there is a fine line between being prepared for the real world and growing up with a feeling of safety and security. “Kids understand that bad things happen, they practice fire drills and lockdowns in school.”
“Tell them that there are sometimes things that happen in a community that have absolutely nothing to do with them or their family,” says Fuzesi who has also worked at Naramake Elementary and Ponus Ridge Middle School. “This helps to keep it distant.” Fuzesi cautions about saying too much to children. “Answer their questions, be honest, but it is not necessary to go into too much detail." Fuzesi says social workers at all of the city’s schools are able to support parents who need guidance on how to talk to children about difficult issues.
Abuse Cases Spur Policy Review
A version of this story appears in The Daily Norwalk
The Board of Education has begun a preliminary review of the district’s substitute teacher policy and child abuse policy, as a result of two recent teacher arrests involving inappropriate conduct with students.
At a meeting last Thursday, members of the policy committee, including Policy Chair Steve Colarossi and committee members Jodi Bishop-Pullan and Susan Hamilton, reviewed the current policies and discussed whether changes were called for. “There was a consensus among the committee that we need to look closely at these policies,” says policy committee chair Steve Colarossi. On the substitute policy, Colarossi says, he is not clear how subs are evaluated and the committee discussed raising hiring standards for subs and using on-line courses.
In May, John Tate, an art teacher at Brien McMahon was arrested and accused of having sex with a 17-year-old student. In the second case, Dina McNelis, a substitute teacher at Briggs, was arrested and charged with having "inappropriate" contact with middle school children. Parents have questioned whether the school district has adequate policies to address abuse by teachers and whether they were appropriately followed.
According to Colarossi, the current child abuse policy has some practical limits in its reporting and the chain of command. “As it stands, the current policy states that a person can only be removed after DCF [Department of Children and Family] has made a determination,” says Colarossi. “But that’s not the way it happens in the real world. Also, we need to figure out a stricter chain of command. The superintendent should be notified immediately, not after DCF.”
Colarossi presented the committee with copies of Stamford and Darien public schools' policies that he called “excellent, comprehensive policies” which Norwalk could use as a template going forward.
“The next step is look at areas where we need to collect more information from Human Resources”, says Colarossi. He adds that the comprehensive policy review is a “work in progress” and will take several meeting to finalize any changes.
The Board of Education has begun a preliminary review of the district’s substitute teacher policy and child abuse policy, as a result of two recent teacher arrests involving inappropriate conduct with students.
At a meeting last Thursday, members of the policy committee, including Policy Chair Steve Colarossi and committee members Jodi Bishop-Pullan and Susan Hamilton, reviewed the current policies and discussed whether changes were called for. “There was a consensus among the committee that we need to look closely at these policies,” says policy committee chair Steve Colarossi. On the substitute policy, Colarossi says, he is not clear how subs are evaluated and the committee discussed raising hiring standards for subs and using on-line courses.
In May, John Tate, an art teacher at Brien McMahon was arrested and accused of having sex with a 17-year-old student. In the second case, Dina McNelis, a substitute teacher at Briggs, was arrested and charged with having "inappropriate" contact with middle school children. Parents have questioned whether the school district has adequate policies to address abuse by teachers and whether they were appropriately followed.
According to Colarossi, the current child abuse policy has some practical limits in its reporting and the chain of command. “As it stands, the current policy states that a person can only be removed after DCF [Department of Children and Family] has made a determination,” says Colarossi. “But that’s not the way it happens in the real world. Also, we need to figure out a stricter chain of command. The superintendent should be notified immediately, not after DCF.”
Colarossi presented the committee with copies of Stamford and Darien public schools' policies that he called “excellent, comprehensive policies” which Norwalk could use as a template going forward.
“The next step is look at areas where we need to collect more information from Human Resources”, says Colarossi. He adds that the comprehensive policy review is a “work in progress” and will take several meeting to finalize any changes.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Substitute and Child Abuse Policy Under Review
Tonight's meeting of the Policy Committee meeting will center around the current implementation of NPS's substitute and child abuse policy.
The agenda reads:
The agenda reads:
...whether it [the sub policy] should be modified to provide for evaluation of substitute teachers and use of those evaluations at future placements. Please note: this topic is for general discussion purposes so that the Policy Committee can assess if future meetings regarding specific modifications should be made.View the entire agenda and copies of the policies here.
...whether it [the child abuse policy] should be modified to obligate all staff members to report suspected abuse and neglect along an appropriate chain-of-command even if they are not state mandated reporters. Please note: the Policy Committee will be reviewing the child abuse policies of Darien and Stamford and assessing if further discussion is warranted for modifying the Norwalk policy to more closely comport with those other district's policies.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
One-Track Reading
note: This story has many great comments. For some technical reason they are not showing up in the counter below.
It wasn't until the middle of third grade that my son finally got the reading bug. Now finishing fourth grade, he is a voracious reader. I get vicarious pleasure watching him devour books. (Wish he wouldn't read while walking to the bus stop, though!) I remember that feeling of being completely swept away when I read The Hobbit as a kid. I also feel melancholy--as an adult, there seems to be so little time to lose myself in a novel.
The only problem is that my son just reads one genre--fantasy-- and nothing else. I suggest other types of books--sports novels, biographies, history--that I think he would really like, but all my selections are swiftly rebuffed. "I like fantasy," he says. When we aren't able to get to the library and he can't find the appropriate fantasy series to read, he just rereads his Harry Potter and Lightening Thief series. Enjoying them as much the second, third time around.
As much as I like the fact that he reads, that he reads only one type of book really bothers me. It's like he's eating nothing but cheese sandwiches. Nothing wrong with cheese sandwiches, but well, eating only cheese sandwiches is so unbalanced and not really that good for you. He's missing out on so many other great books. I sometimes wish a teacher would give him a list of books that he had to read. But it seems as it the trend is moving away from "required" reading to "suggested" reading.
I was wondering if any parents or teachers had any insight on this. Is this a phase? Will he grow out of it? How do I encourage him to read other things, especially now, as we move into the summer when there will be more time to read?
It wasn't until the middle of third grade that my son finally got the reading bug. Now finishing fourth grade, he is a voracious reader. I get vicarious pleasure watching him devour books. (Wish he wouldn't read while walking to the bus stop, though!) I remember that feeling of being completely swept away when I read The Hobbit as a kid. I also feel melancholy--as an adult, there seems to be so little time to lose myself in a novel.
The only problem is that my son just reads one genre--fantasy-- and nothing else. I suggest other types of books--sports novels, biographies, history--that I think he would really like, but all my selections are swiftly rebuffed. "I like fantasy," he says. When we aren't able to get to the library and he can't find the appropriate fantasy series to read, he just rereads his Harry Potter and Lightening Thief series. Enjoying them as much the second, third time around.
As much as I like the fact that he reads, that he reads only one type of book really bothers me. It's like he's eating nothing but cheese sandwiches. Nothing wrong with cheese sandwiches, but well, eating only cheese sandwiches is so unbalanced and not really that good for you. He's missing out on so many other great books. I sometimes wish a teacher would give him a list of books that he had to read. But it seems as it the trend is moving away from "required" reading to "suggested" reading.
I was wondering if any parents or teachers had any insight on this. Is this a phase? Will he grow out of it? How do I encourage him to read other things, especially now, as we move into the summer when there will be more time to read?
A Done Deal
A version of this story appears on The Daily Norwalk.
It's a done deal. Last night Susan Marks, Norwalk's new superintendent of schools, signed a three year contract in a public ceremony at City Hall. Accompanied by her husband, Richard, and surrounded by Board of Education members, school staff and adminstrators, Marks signed on the dotted line. The contract was also signed by Board Chair Glenn Iannaccone and witnessed by Vice Chair Jack Chiaramonte and Secretary Susan Hamilton.
"I appreciate the confidence that the Board of Education, staff, community have shown in me," said Marks in a written statement. "I pledge to work in collaboration with all stakeholders to make the Norwalk Public Schools an outstanding school system for all our students. I have met extraordinary people in Norwalk who are committed to working with me to increase student performance and ensuring that our students are prepared for college and the world of work."
Marks' hiring caps a year-long search for a new leader for Norwalk schools. Last year, the BOE decided not to renew the contract of Dr. Salvatore Corda, the previous Superintendent, and he resigned in June. Since then, the district has been under the day-to-day management of two interim Superintendents.
Marks will be paid $200,000 a year plus a $30,000 annuity. She is currently Associate Superintendent of Human Resources in Montgomery County, Maryland. She starts work on July 1 and will be moving to Norwalk at the end of this month.
It's a done deal. Last night Susan Marks, Norwalk's new superintendent of schools, signed a three year contract in a public ceremony at City Hall. Accompanied by her husband, Richard, and surrounded by Board of Education members, school staff and adminstrators, Marks signed on the dotted line. The contract was also signed by Board Chair Glenn Iannaccone and witnessed by Vice Chair Jack Chiaramonte and Secretary Susan Hamilton.
"I appreciate the confidence that the Board of Education, staff, community have shown in me," said Marks in a written statement. "I pledge to work in collaboration with all stakeholders to make the Norwalk Public Schools an outstanding school system for all our students. I have met extraordinary people in Norwalk who are committed to working with me to increase student performance and ensuring that our students are prepared for college and the world of work."
Marks' hiring caps a year-long search for a new leader for Norwalk schools. Last year, the BOE decided not to renew the contract of Dr. Salvatore Corda, the previous Superintendent, and he resigned in June. Since then, the district has been under the day-to-day management of two interim Superintendents.
Marks will be paid $200,000 a year plus a $30,000 annuity. She is currently Associate Superintendent of Human Resources in Montgomery County, Maryland. She starts work on July 1 and will be moving to Norwalk at the end of this month.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Post-Budget Thoughts
I used to think budgets were boring. That is, until I covered the NPS budget process in blow by blow detail. I now consider the NPS budget more of a mystery. Like many readers of this blog I'm confounded by the end result--I'm left wondering if this is a budget of a "thousand cuts" or one that finally got rid of a lot of fat?
In just one week, the district went from months of being able to only find $3.5 of the $5 million needed to reconcile the budget to miraculously finding all $5 million. Why was all this talk of cutting AT, strings, 1/2 day kindergarten (!), and assistant principals necessary? And worse, why have we been talking about these same cuts for the past two years? Why have hundreds of parent hours been spent attending budget meetings? Why have city and school officials been asking our teachers to give back their minimal raises if, indeed, the money was there all along?
I am also concerned about the amount of time the budget process takes Board meeting after board meeting was dominated by budget discussions, and aside from the near doubling of teacher retirements, all the variables have been known since January -- the amount to cut as well as the areas for cutting, changing, and combining. Could we not have wrapped it up weeks ago? While I think the budget is very important, I am concerned that it dominates our leaders' time to the detriment of other issues like curriculum and instruction.
Back in January, the majority of the BOE voted to pass along a largely unreviewed budget to the BET. Even at that time, it was known that the city was asking for all city departments to present budgets with 0% increases. How are we as a school system supposed to advocate for what's really needed to improve our schools when we present budgets that at best do not take into account economic realities, and at worst appear to be padded?
This is not to say that I am not grateful that staff and programs have not been cut. We are not the school system, like so many across the country, that had to layoff hundred of teachers or close down schools. But could we become one? I am worried about next year. My principal will now have less money to spend on our school, and fewer supplies on hand. What happens if something breaks and there's no money to repair it?
I now realize that budgets are about a district's leadership and its ability to plan strategically and communicate its needs and goals. As interims, Papallo and Nast's hands were tied. They were not in a position to make systemic changes. However, I do hope that when Dr. Marks arrives that budgeting is not about simply cutting from line items or threatening programs, but an approach that aligns goals and priorities with dollar amounts. And that it is all presented in a way that is easy for everyone, parent and non-parent taxpayers to understand.
In just one week, the district went from months of being able to only find $3.5 of the $5 million needed to reconcile the budget to miraculously finding all $5 million. Why was all this talk of cutting AT, strings, 1/2 day kindergarten (!), and assistant principals necessary? And worse, why have we been talking about these same cuts for the past two years? Why have hundreds of parent hours been spent attending budget meetings? Why have city and school officials been asking our teachers to give back their minimal raises if, indeed, the money was there all along?
I am also concerned about the amount of time the budget process takes Board meeting after board meeting was dominated by budget discussions, and aside from the near doubling of teacher retirements, all the variables have been known since January -- the amount to cut as well as the areas for cutting, changing, and combining. Could we not have wrapped it up weeks ago? While I think the budget is very important, I am concerned that it dominates our leaders' time to the detriment of other issues like curriculum and instruction.
Back in January, the majority of the BOE voted to pass along a largely unreviewed budget to the BET. Even at that time, it was known that the city was asking for all city departments to present budgets with 0% increases. How are we as a school system supposed to advocate for what's really needed to improve our schools when we present budgets that at best do not take into account economic realities, and at worst appear to be padded?
This is not to say that I am not grateful that staff and programs have not been cut. We are not the school system, like so many across the country, that had to layoff hundred of teachers or close down schools. But could we become one? I am worried about next year. My principal will now have less money to spend on our school, and fewer supplies on hand. What happens if something breaks and there's no money to repair it?
I now realize that budgets are about a district's leadership and its ability to plan strategically and communicate its needs and goals. As interims, Papallo and Nast's hands were tied. They were not in a position to make systemic changes. However, I do hope that when Dr. Marks arrives that budgeting is not about simply cutting from line items or threatening programs, but an approach that aligns goals and priorities with dollar amounts. And that it is all presented in a way that is easy for everyone, parent and non-parent taxpayers to understand.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
BOE Approves Budget and New Sup Contract
A version of this story appears on The Daily Norwalk.
It’s official--the BOE has a new budget and a new superintendent. After more than six months of review, and just weeks before the start of the new fiscal year, the BOE unanimously approved the 2010-11 budget. In addition, the Board unanimously approved incoming Superintendent Susan Marks' contact, which includes a $200,000 salary and $30,000 annuity.
In passing the $150 million budget the BOE capped a process that cut more than $5 million from its original request to the city in order to meet the number approved by the Board of Estimate and Taxation. Only a few members of the public attended last night's meeting that took place in a largely empty concert hall at City Hall. There was little to protest in this budget that cut no programs or staff causing many parents to stay home.
Although this budget had no controversial cuts, Board Member Jodi-Bishop Pullan emphasized there will be fewer supplies and money in the schools. ”The public has to know that this isn’t going to be easy,” Interim Superintendent Nast illustrated this with an example. “We’ll have our teachers, but we may have dirty floors,” he said.
Board member Migdalia Rivas dominated the discussion of the budget prior to approval, asking for clarifications on dozens of line items in the budget. “Next time we this budget needs to clearer,” she said. “I would really like to know the impact of each one of these cuts and which grants will be used to cover the cuts.” Board Member Sue Haynie also said that it would helpful to have a department like Special Education disaggregated since the department’s line items are spread throughout the budget.
The budget did not include the reduction of an Assistant Principal Position from West Rocks that was going to be backfilled with grant funding as was previously recommended.
Board Member Steve Colarossi confirmed with Assistant Superintendent Tony Daddona that the reduction of five high school teaching positions through attrition would not increase the number of student study halls. “We looked carefully at the scheduling and are making sure that the students are getting all their credits,” said Daddona.
Nast said that the Briggs Middle School program that currently employs three full time teachers for approximately a dozen students is going to “restructured and not eliminated” to be more efficient. In order to give Briggs more resources, Rivas suggested eliminating the Director of Elementary Education position and combining it with the Grants position in Central office, a recommendation that has been brought up in previous meetings. After the meeting, Nast said that “this district needs a person that does nothing but write grants.” “I wouldn’t touch that,” he said.
Board Chair Glenn Iannaccone said the budget process was different this year than in past years. “There was so much collaboration, We have a new team,” he said after the meeting referring largely to the interim Superintendent. “The budget was not done in a vacuum, alone up in an office like before. Many groups were involved, especially the unions.”
It’s official--the BOE has a new budget and a new superintendent. After more than six months of review, and just weeks before the start of the new fiscal year, the BOE unanimously approved the 2010-11 budget. In addition, the Board unanimously approved incoming Superintendent Susan Marks' contact, which includes a $200,000 salary and $30,000 annuity.
In a statement, Marks writes: "I appreciate the confidence that the Board of Education, staff, community have shown in me. I pledge to work in collaboration with all stakeholders to make the Norwalk Public Schools an outstanding school system for all our students. I have met extraordinary people in Norwalk who are committed to working with me to increase student performance and ensuring that our students are prepared for college and the world of work."
Although this budget had no controversial cuts, Board Member Jodi-Bishop Pullan emphasized there will be fewer supplies and money in the schools. ”The public has to know that this isn’t going to be easy,” Interim Superintendent Nast illustrated this with an example. “We’ll have our teachers, but we may have dirty floors,” he said.
Board member Migdalia Rivas dominated the discussion of the budget prior to approval, asking for clarifications on dozens of line items in the budget. “Next time we this budget needs to clearer,” she said. “I would really like to know the impact of each one of these cuts and which grants will be used to cover the cuts.” Board Member Sue Haynie also said that it would helpful to have a department like Special Education disaggregated since the department’s line items are spread throughout the budget.
The budget did not include the reduction of an Assistant Principal Position from West Rocks that was going to be backfilled with grant funding as was previously recommended.
Board Member Steve Colarossi confirmed with Assistant Superintendent Tony Daddona that the reduction of five high school teaching positions through attrition would not increase the number of student study halls. “We looked carefully at the scheduling and are making sure that the students are getting all their credits,” said Daddona.
Nast said that the Briggs Middle School program that currently employs three full time teachers for approximately a dozen students is going to “restructured and not eliminated” to be more efficient. In order to give Briggs more resources, Rivas suggested eliminating the Director of Elementary Education position and combining it with the Grants position in Central office, a recommendation that has been brought up in previous meetings. After the meeting, Nast said that “this district needs a person that does nothing but write grants.” “I wouldn’t touch that,” he said.
Board Chair Glenn Iannaccone said the budget process was different this year than in past years. “There was so much collaboration, We have a new team,” he said after the meeting referring largely to the interim Superintendent. “The budget was not done in a vacuum, alone up in an office like before. Many groups were involved, especially the unions.”
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
New Special Ed Dir. Aims to Build Trust
Pauline Smith, Norwalk’s new director of special education, has come full circle. Early in her career, Smith taught special education at Kendall Elementary School. “I had such a positive experience in Norwalk. I’m really excited to be back.” Smith says. She is currently the director of Special Services in Brookfield, Conn.
Smith remembers fondly Norwalk’s diverse community. She says her own experiences give her a unique perspective on people of different backgrounds. “I have taught in many different countries including Pakistan, Ecuador and Egypt. And I have first hand experience with immigrant communities.”
Before Brookfield, she was the Assistant Director for Special Services in Wilton. Smith has a doctorate in education from Teacher’s College, Columbia University and a master’s from Fairfield University. Originally from England, Smith graduated from the University of Leeds.
Good communication, consistent programs and compliance with federal and state laws are key to a strong special education department, says Smith. “I am very hands on and spend a lot of time in the schools. I have no hidden agendas. It is very important to build trust. Parents don’t want to be surprised by things.”
Smith intends to reduce “outplacement” costs in the department. The district has to pay for private school for special education students whose needs are not being met by the Norwalk Public schools. According to Smith’s resume, she reduced the number of outplacements in Brookfield by 40%. “If we have a strong program, we can keep kids in the district. Most parents would prefer to keep their kids as close to home as possible."
On the legal front, Smith says that the department must be compliant with federal and state laws. “We always have to ask ourselves "are we in compliance with regulations?" We don’t need spend money on attorneys if we are doing the right thing.” Smith does, however, acknowledge there are times that a lawyer will be needed. She says that it is her job director to know as director when the district does in fact need a lawyer.
Smith has read the entire CREC (Capital Region Education Council) report --a 2008 study critical of Norwalk’s special education department. Upon arriving in Norwalk, Smith plans to assess what changes have been made since the report was issued. “I’ll need to see what has been done. I want to celebrate what is being done well and build on those things. Of course, we’ll need to develop an action plan for areas where we still need improvement.”
Friday, June 4, 2010
New Contract for Superintendent Marks
A new contract between Norwalk Public Schools and incoming Superintendent Susan F. Marks will make her one of Norwalk’s highest paid public officials.
NPS released a copy of Marks’ contract Friday afternoon. The contract was included in a packet of information that BOE members receive before every meeting.
Marks’ 3-year contract says that she will earn $200,000 in her first year. She will also receive a $30,000 annuity. For subsequent years Marks’ salary will be based on the outcome of an annual evaluation that assesses her personal performance and district goals.
Marks, who currently resides in Rockville, Maryland, will be reimbursed for “reasonable expenses” she incurs for moving to Norwalk. She will also receive $8,000 for moving expenses spread over four months.
Norwalk’s last fulltime Superintendent Sal Corda made a base salary of almost $185,000 in 2008, his last full year here. Unlike Corda or the interim superintendents that filled-in this year, there is no mention in the contract of Marks receiving a car allowance.
The new contract specifies that each year the BOE and Marks will try to meet by August 1, to discuss district goals and objectives for the upcoming school year, and will have these finalized no later than August 31 of each year.
These goals and objectives will include: a) student performance as measured by test scores; b) curriculum development in accordance with state standards; c) teacher and administrator contributions; d) the effective use of non-certified personnel; e) administrative and financial management of the school system; and f) parental and community relations.
To conduct her yearly evaluation the BOE and Marks will jointly develop a system that grades her on how effectively she achieves the above goals. It will also take into account her communication and working relationship with the BOE, district personnel, and the overall community. Marks’ leadership and the quality of educational programs that she initiates during the school year will also be judged.
The agreement between Marks and the BOE is subject to Marks’ credentials being certified by the state Department of Education or her obtaining a waiver by the Commissioner of Education.
The agreement also has to be approved by the BOE, which at this point seems like a formality.
Markes is slated to begin her new job on July 1, 2010.
NPS released a copy of Marks’ contract Friday afternoon. The contract was included in a packet of information that BOE members receive before every meeting.
Marks’ 3-year contract says that she will earn $200,000 in her first year. She will also receive a $30,000 annuity. For subsequent years Marks’ salary will be based on the outcome of an annual evaluation that assesses her personal performance and district goals.
Marks, who currently resides in Rockville, Maryland, will be reimbursed for “reasonable expenses” she incurs for moving to Norwalk. She will also receive $8,000 for moving expenses spread over four months.
Norwalk’s last fulltime Superintendent Sal Corda made a base salary of almost $185,000 in 2008, his last full year here. Unlike Corda or the interim superintendents that filled-in this year, there is no mention in the contract of Marks receiving a car allowance.
The new contract specifies that each year the BOE and Marks will try to meet by August 1, to discuss district goals and objectives for the upcoming school year, and will have these finalized no later than August 31 of each year.
These goals and objectives will include: a) student performance as measured by test scores; b) curriculum development in accordance with state standards; c) teacher and administrator contributions; d) the effective use of non-certified personnel; e) administrative and financial management of the school system; and f) parental and community relations.
To conduct her yearly evaluation the BOE and Marks will jointly develop a system that grades her on how effectively she achieves the above goals. It will also take into account her communication and working relationship with the BOE, district personnel, and the overall community. Marks’ leadership and the quality of educational programs that she initiates during the school year will also be judged.
The agreement between Marks and the BOE is subject to Marks’ credentials being certified by the state Department of Education or her obtaining a waiver by the Commissioner of Education.
The agreement also has to be approved by the BOE, which at this point seems like a formality.
Markes is slated to begin her new job on July 1, 2010.
All $5 Million Found, Finance Committee Reviews Cuts
The BOE has managed to find all $5.089 million dollars in savings for the 2010-2011 budget. And as interim Superintendent Nast promised, no programs or staff have been cut. At Thursday night's budget meeting, the Finance committee, several members of the board, union leaders and members of the public went over the cuts by line by line.
A few big ticket items like staff turnover, benefits recalculations and reductions, reducing reserve teachers drove the reduction of this budget. Newer teachers have significantly lower salaries than older ones. For example, NPS has 43 retiring teachers so far this year and more are expected before the year is through. That is almost twice the amount originally budgeted. The savings amounts to approximately $840,000.
Other staff changes include cutting the Assistant Principal position at West Rocks. Nast made clear that the position would be reinstated through grant funding. Lynn Moore, principal of West Rocks, was present at the meeting said she was surpised to see that West Rocks on the list and she was not informed of the decision. In addition, three teachers from Briggs Middle School program are being eliminated. The program has very few students.
The professional development budget was cut by $130,000, but once again, Assiatant Superintendent Tony Daddona said that this area could be covered by grants.
A request for proposal for a new law firm to handle the district's legal matters is expected to garner $75,000 in savings.
The facilites budget was cut by $500,000. Custodial overtime and supplies were reduced. It was decided early on that portables were not needed at Rowayton and Naramake next year.
The big ticket items are only a part of the story, however. All of the schools have a ten percent reduction in per pupil allocation, meaning that the schools receive less money to spend on things like paper and supplies. Hundreds of other line items and departments have all been chipped away at as well.
Board Member Jody Bishop-Pullan and Superintendent Michael Nast said that although not programs and staff were not cut, next year will not be easy. "There is no doubt about it, some things will be very tight next year," said Nast.
At the end of Thurdsay night's meeting the finance committee asked Nast for information on three items before budget goes for final approval at Tuesday's BOE meeting:
A few big ticket items like staff turnover, benefits recalculations and reductions, reducing reserve teachers drove the reduction of this budget. Newer teachers have significantly lower salaries than older ones. For example, NPS has 43 retiring teachers so far this year and more are expected before the year is through. That is almost twice the amount originally budgeted. The savings amounts to approximately $840,000.
Other staff changes include cutting the Assistant Principal position at West Rocks. Nast made clear that the position would be reinstated through grant funding. Lynn Moore, principal of West Rocks, was present at the meeting said she was surpised to see that West Rocks on the list and she was not informed of the decision. In addition, three teachers from Briggs Middle School program are being eliminated. The program has very few students.
The professional development budget was cut by $130,000, but once again, Assiatant Superintendent Tony Daddona said that this area could be covered by grants.
A request for proposal for a new law firm to handle the district's legal matters is expected to garner $75,000 in savings.
The facilites budget was cut by $500,000. Custodial overtime and supplies were reduced. It was decided early on that portables were not needed at Rowayton and Naramake next year.
The big ticket items are only a part of the story, however. All of the schools have a ten percent reduction in per pupil allocation, meaning that the schools receive less money to spend on things like paper and supplies. Hundreds of other line items and departments have all been chipped away at as well.
Board Member Jody Bishop-Pullan and Superintendent Michael Nast said that although not programs and staff were not cut, next year will not be easy. "There is no doubt about it, some things will be very tight next year," said Nast.
At the end of Thurdsay night's meeting the finance committee asked Nast for information on three items before budget goes for final approval at Tuesday's BOE meeting:
- An explanation of what program would replace the Briggs Middle School program.
- An explanation about the reduction of an Assistant Principal position at West Rocks and the grant funding to reinstate the position.
- Since the reconciled budget reduces custodial time and the amount of money schools are receiving per student, the committee wanted information about the custodial costs for evening events, which ones are covered by the district and which ones the schools/PTOs pay for.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Finance Committee Meeting Tonight
You have one last chance to weigh in on the budget. The Finance Committee will be reviewing the 2010-11 budget tonight at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall A-330. At Tuesday night's Board of Education meeting, interim Superintendent Nast proposed cuts totaling $4.8 million, just shy of the $5 million cut required by the Board of Estimation and Taxation. Nast has said that his goal is to not cut programs or staff in this budget.
"We will review all the line items," says Finance Chair Steve Colarossi. "We will assess the impact of the proposed cuts. The public will be able to ask questions." In addition to Colarossi, Nast and Chief Financial Officer Dan Cook will be on hand to answer questions. Colarossi says that the committee will also discuss where to find the remaining funds to close the gaps and fully reconcile the budget. The Board is planning to vote on its final budget next week at a special meeting on June 8.
Special Ed. Director Hired
After several months of searching and interviewing, Norwalk has a new special education director. At Tuesday night's meeting, the Board of Education voted unanimously to hire Pauline Smith as the Director of Pupil Personnel Services. Janie Friedlander, who resigned in April, previously held the full-time position; interim director, Deborah Farber, currently holds it.
“This is one of the most important positions in our district,” said Board Chair Glenn Iannaccone “We’ve had problems in the past. We need someone to take a fresh look at things. We can’t let kids slip through the cracks. And we have to get our legal costs under control.”
Smith is currently the director of Special Services in Brookfield, CT. Before that, she was the Assistant Director for Special Services in Wilton. Smith has a doctorate in education from Teacher’s College, Columbia University and a master’s from Fairfield University. Originally from England, Smith graduated from the University of Leeds. She is not a stranger to Norwalk. One of her first jobs as a special education teacher was at Kendall School in the early 1980s.
According to Faye Ruotolo, Director of Human Resources, the Central Office interviewed six candidates out of about a dozen applications. An interview committee comprised of four parents of children in special education and four special ed teachers interviewed three of them. The committee then recommended two finalists to Interim Superintendent Michael Nast and soon-to-be Superintendent Susan Marks, for another round of interviews. Marks participated in the interviews by video teleconferencing in on them on the Internet.
“I feel good about the process and result,” said Ruotolo. “We had a rich pool of candidates.”
The entire board interviewed Smith last week. "Smith has a strong resume," says Board Member Sue Haynie. "It is important for our new superintendent to have her team in place going forward."
Smith is expected to start in July after completing her current employment. The board approved Smith’s salary of $152,591.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
New Director of Pupil Personnel Services Hired
More details to come.
Schools Avoid Cutting Programs, Staff
A version of this story is in The Daily Norwalk.
The long budget process for Norwalk Public Schools is starting to come to an end and Superintendent Michael Nast is managing to do what many thought impossible —cut the Board of Education budget by almost $5 million without cutting any programs or staff positions. At last night’s Board of Education meeting Nast presented a list of cuts totaling $4.8 million, just shy of the $5.1 million cut required by the Board of Estimation and Taxation.
“We are close to our goal of not cutting programs or positions,” said Nast who stressed that his proposal was still a “rough draft”. Nast also said he has been working closely with the teachers’ and administrators’ unions on devising this budget. In fact, the BOE met privately in executive session to discuss collective bargaining. The proposed budget, however, does not include concessions or give backs from any of the unions.
At the beginning of the year Nast had identified $3 million in cuts, but the school administration struggled to find the remainder. The bulk of the most recent cuts come from the following areas: $300,00 from health benefits, as advised by NPS’s benefits consultant; $343,000 by eliminating four reserve teachers,; $274,000 in severance reduction; $220,000 from the facilities department; and $160,000 from a middle school assistant principal’s salary that will be backfilled with grant monies.
The school budget will be brought before the board for a possible vote at a BOE meeting next week, June 15. The public can weigh in on the details of the budget at a Finance Committee Meeting slated for this Thursday, 7 p.m. at City Hall.
The long budget process for Norwalk Public Schools is starting to come to an end and Superintendent Michael Nast is managing to do what many thought impossible —cut the Board of Education budget by almost $5 million without cutting any programs or staff positions. At last night’s Board of Education meeting Nast presented a list of cuts totaling $4.8 million, just shy of the $5.1 million cut required by the Board of Estimation and Taxation.
“We are close to our goal of not cutting programs or positions,” said Nast who stressed that his proposal was still a “rough draft”. Nast also said he has been working closely with the teachers’ and administrators’ unions on devising this budget. In fact, the BOE met privately in executive session to discuss collective bargaining. The proposed budget, however, does not include concessions or give backs from any of the unions.
At the beginning of the year Nast had identified $3 million in cuts, but the school administration struggled to find the remainder. The bulk of the most recent cuts come from the following areas: $300,00 from health benefits, as advised by NPS’s benefits consultant; $343,000 by eliminating four reserve teachers,; $274,000 in severance reduction; $220,000 from the facilities department; and $160,000 from a middle school assistant principal’s salary that will be backfilled with grant monies.
The school budget will be brought before the board for a possible vote at a BOE meeting next week, June 15. The public can weigh in on the details of the budget at a Finance Committee Meeting slated for this Thursday, 7 p.m. at City Hall.
Nast Tries to Explain Investigation
Interim Superintendent Michael Nast wrote a letter to BOE members to “clarify” comments reported by The Hour last week.
The Hour had reported that Nast had ordered the district’s Human Relations officer, Bruce Morris, to halt his investigation into the steps administrators took when handling complaints about John Tate and Dina McNelis, two employees now accused of inappropriate contact with students.
According to the Hour:
The notion that providing a public timeline would endanger the criminal investigations of the teacher misses the mark of the explanation parents are seeking from NPS. Parents want to know whether the district has aequate policies to protect children from potentially harmful subs and teachers? Are they being followed? If not, why not? Why was McNelis was shifted from one school to another when she apparently had documented problems?
Nast says in his letter that there is an internal investigation going on. If it doesn't involve putting together a timeline, what does it involve? Will the findings of this investigation be shared with the public?
As chief executive of NPS the buck should stop at Nast’s desk, but Nast is leaving here in less than a month and the mess will be inherited by Susan Marks.
The Hour had reported that Nast had ordered the district’s Human Relations officer, Bruce Morris, to halt his investigation into the steps administrators took when handling complaints about John Tate and Dina McNelis, two employees now accused of inappropriate contact with students.
According to the Hour:
Nast said he brought the investigation to a halt because the district's attorney said a review of policy and procedures could conflict with police investigations into the accused teacher and substitute teacher.Nast obviously believed that more expansive explanation was necessary and sent a letter to the BOE dated May 27:
"There are other investigations going on, and the attorney said we should wait for those to be completed before we pursue anything else," Nast said. "We have time later to pursue (how Central Office responded)."
An internal investigation occurs whenever we have an allegation of misconduct by an employee. . .There is a difference between the internal investigation which is still ongoing, and the request for a chronology of events which I stopped.
Mr. Morris was never asked to halt the internal investigation concerning the recent allegations of misconduct by Board of Education employees. He is actively engaged in the district's internal investigation of those allegation. Our attorney correctly advised that we halt the simultaneous submission of separate requests for factual findings related to the internal investigation such as the request for a timeline of events, while [Morris’] investigation is being conducted. Mr. Morris needs to be given adequate time to be thorough and independently conduct his investigation. The request for a timeline of events is a request for a discreet findings of fact which Mr. Morris is the process of verifying. It is important that information not be released prior to the conclusion of the investigation. Moreover, Mr. Morris may need to coordinate aspects of his investigation with the investigation being conducted by the Norwalk Police Department and/or the Department of Children and Families (DCF). A piecemeal and premature release of select factual findings has the potential to negatively impact those efforts as well.
The notion that providing a public timeline would endanger the criminal investigations of the teacher misses the mark of the explanation parents are seeking from NPS. Parents want to know whether the district has aequate policies to protect children from potentially harmful subs and teachers? Are they being followed? If not, why not? Why was McNelis was shifted from one school to another when she apparently had documented problems?
Nast says in his letter that there is an internal investigation going on. If it doesn't involve putting together a timeline, what does it involve? Will the findings of this investigation be shared with the public?
As chief executive of NPS the buck should stop at Nast’s desk, but Nast is leaving here in less than a month and the mess will be inherited by Susan Marks.
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