>Having recently read about the latest from the BOE, I for one am just amazed by their actions. First they hire a principal from a school that was placed in a warning status for not passing NCLB two years in a row. Then there was the mishandling of the unsafe bus driver. The coaches that resigned due to administration meddling. The addition of Pseudo-academic programs like TERC and the hiring of a Superintendent that was literally run out of the last district he oversaw. To top it off, the year after year budget increases that increase the maximum amount allowed by law giving us an 80 million dollar budget, all the while telling parents that next year is going to be hard and some services might need to be cut. Of course all of these actions have been and are done under the pretext of “we’re looking out for the children and their best interests.”
To think, some considered me radical for wanting to bring back traditional education and reduce spending two years ago when I ran for the school board. With all this mismanagement of our district, I am almost glad that I didn’t win as I would be embarrassed to be a part of failures such as these.
Greg May, former candidate for the Board of Education in 2005
>Who was the principal that Greg refers to?
>Run in 2008 when Bombace and Brogan are up for re-election.
You won’t be considered a radical but a breath of fresh air.
>Greg, please run again in 2008.
Meanwhile, may I have permission to re-publish your post from here on the Eclectic Educator?
>The principal is Dr. Paul Arilotta.
>The principal is Jack Lorenz at the High School. To the Eclectic Educator, sure by all means feel free to republish it.
Greg May
>Okay here it is: The Candid Candidate
> Is this more pap or what?
Subject: Re: educational news superintendent
I had the opportunity to talk to Morgan Earl the President of Ridge HSA today about the issue and she sent me the following response that Sheila Brogan sent to her about the issue…
There is a swirl. I do know that during the fall our consultants met with staff, parents, and community members. From these meetings we established criteria — qualifications for the next superintendent. These qualifications were listed in the newspaper, on
our web site and discussed in public. We advertised and then we interviewed candidates. We used the criteria as our guide post.
Background checks and a criminal check were completed. References called. Michele and I did a site visit to the district and the Board negotiated terms for the contract. We are in the final stages.
The superintendent will be working full time in the district, not from home. We have negotiated a competitive salary in line with other districts and appropriate for the candidate — level of experience. The salary mentioned is not the salary being negotiated.
There have been some parents at Travell voicing concerns with TERC. It is a reform math program aligned with state standards. Our staff has discussed repeatedly the need for a balanced math program, one that teaches students math facts and concepts. The Math Wars are not new and seem to be a hot topic in some districts. The Travell principal has been working with parents and the teachers and adjustments are being made. I believe a real effort is being made to address concerns.
Constructivism is nothing new to Ridgewood. Fred Stokley first taught me about constructivism and it has been part of the instructional philosophy for years in Ridgewood. It can get a bad wrap as people think that children have to learn unguided by their teachers. Of course, we know that doesn’t happen here. However, it is important to make learning relevant and to help kids make connections to material they know. For example, when we talk about air pressure one might use the example of a shower curtain. What happens to the curtain when you turn on shower and hot water starts flowing. What happens to the air pressure in the bathroom and what happens to the curtain? What happens once the steam builds up in the bathroom?
Although I can’t say much about the candidate. My hope is that we will have everything in place so an announcement can be made on Monday. It certainly is not my intention to ignore the taxpayers. It is my job to try and find the best superintendent for Ridgewood, one who has experience and will be a good fit for the district. Every time I make a decision, I think about the needs of the 5640 students in our schools. I think about what is best for students and what the district can do to make certain that every child receives a high quality education — one that prepares him/her for life beyond high school. In choosing this superintendent, I believe I have kept our students in mind.
Hope this helps.