Top Ten Dinner

Unfortunately I was unable to attend the Academic Awards this week due to the 5th grade NYC trip - but I was at the Top 10 Dinner last night - and it was an amazing night as usual. Seeing how much these young adults have accomplished is incredible. For me even more so this year - these are my son's classmates and friends - so I have known many of them since kindergarden (and some even earlier - I've got some great shots and stories of Ryan and Darien as babies!).

Every year that I attend this dinner, I come away learning something - and last night it was a really big lesson. A few years back Roxbury stopped giving letter grades to children through grade 5. At the time, I wasn't quite sure I agreed with it, and I still hear many parents complain about it. Last night - when listening to one of the boys talk about the teacher he chose to bring with him, I realized that this was the right decision.

Many of the students talked about their fear of being a failure - that getting a low grade on one test was enough to send them to tears. One student talked about how making a mistake in a chem class could make her feel worthless. Another talked of taking his summer reading test and bursting into tears when he realized he didn't fill in the back of the sheet - and therefore did very poorly. These are kids that are getting amazing grades in incredily difficult classes, but they are still so concerned with that number on the paper - enough to make them feel good or bad about themselves. One young man talked about the teacher he brought with him - and how her greatest gift to him was teaching him to "look past the grade". To focus on the learning, not on the grade that went with it. And by doing that - focusing on the learning - the grade naturally fell into place - without the stress. Our younger children need to do the same thing - focus on the learning and not on the grade, without the stress, and everything will fall into place.

It is amazing what you can learn from a teenager...

Thank You

I just wanted to publicly thank those on the Board of Ed for their vote of confidence in electing me as Board President last night. I will do everything I can to live up to your expectations and continue to move the board forward in doing the best for our children.

Team Roxbury!

Several years ago my family did a walk to raise money for Alzheimers - we named ourselves Team Angione. I have realized over the years that my family is more than special - we function as an entity. We have stood together through illness and weddings, death and new babies. I don't have a family I can lean on in times of trouble - I have a family that will swoop in and carry me until I am strong enough to walk on my own.

Last night I realized just how special our community is - and how we together are Team Roxbury. We saw a school district in need of support - and we all came through. Many people have worked tirelessly to get the word out on passing the budget and electing the CARE candidates. At Town Hall last night, the room was full with about 50-60 CARE supporters who couldn't wait for that phone call to hear the results. At 9:50 the results were in - the budget passed by over 500 votes! And the CARE candidates - Jim Monaghan, Ron Lucas, and Dave Ramage - were elected to office with a 2-1 landslide! What followed was the epitome of a real community - the crowd went wild - people were hugging and laughing, crying tears of joy. We did it - we came together as a community and did this for our children, and for ourselves. It was a night that should make us all proud to live here.

A new era is upon us - for years we have watched our school system spiral downward. Last night was the first night that we start to rebuild.

Thank you for all of your support.

Friends

Friends-

The time is upon us for the School Budget/Board of Education election. This year is a critical vote for Roxbury - I doubt if there has been one historically that is more important to the future of our schools. I have always felt politics do not belong anywhere near the Board of Education. If you are interested in politics, you should be running for the Town Council or another government office. If you are running for the Board of Education, your first priority should be the education of the children - all of the children - in the district. There are two current board members whose only goal, in my opinion, is to try and do anything they can to dismantle the district. Here are a few examples of their “no” votes recently –
1. before and after school instruction that federal school aid pays for
2. the kindergarten wrap-around program that is totally paid for by the parents using the program through tuition payments (and brought in an additional $48,000 in profit!)
3. approving coaches
4. approving club advisors
5. re-appointing Joe Koch as well as any substitutes for him when he can’t be present at athletic functions
6. two contract settlements just approved – 3 year bus drivers contract 0%, 0%, 2% and the 3 year custodians contract 0%, 0%, 2%
7. donations from booster clubs as well as an anonymous donation

All of this in addition to requesting that the town council cut even more from our budget than they intended to after last year's defeat! They were already cutting 1.4 million - but that apparently wasn't enough for two current BOE members! These two members are supported by TEAM - the group that is now backing 3 more candidates. There are town council members that are also members of TEAM and are supporters of these candidates. Please, do not allow politics to become part of our board of education. Our kids deserve better!

I strongly support #2 Jim Monaghan, #6 Dave Ramage and #7 Ron Lucas. They are concerned about education in Roxbury and will focus on balancing the educational needs of Roxbury with the financial constraints that exist. They will all be the type of board members who start with an open mind, discuss issues, listen to other opinions, give reasonable suggestions, and then accept and support the majority decision regardless of whether or not it was theirs. That’s the way a board should work - it must function as a working body - and people must be willing to listen to the opinions of others without having their own agenda.

Also, don't forget the budget. Providing our kids with a good education is one of the most important things we can do as a community. With all of the defeated budgets in the past and the loss of state aid, we continue to have a tough time providing the same opportunities we have in the past. Personally, I have a senior in High School, a freshman, and a 5th grader. I want my youngest to have the same opportunities as my oldest. Many of them have already been taken away due to cuts - help us preserve what we have and begin to rebuild what has been lost.

Please be aware the proposed total budget for 2011-2012 increased less than 1% which is extraordinary when you look at the increase in gas prices alone. In this proposed budget, all programs are intact including instructional, sports and clubs as well as no instructional staff cuts. As I said before, two contracts have been settled with 0% increase 2011-12, 0% 2012-13 and 2% 2013-14. Dr. Rossi, administrators and staff have done a great job acquiring grants resulting in over $500,000 revenue over the past 3 years and I expect that to continue.

All in all, this year’s budget does include a small tax increase thanks to increases in normal operating costs -- $78/year for an average assessed home of $208,639. And please remember this is your assessed value, not the market price of your home. If the budget fails, there probably will be cuts depending on how much Town Council decides to cut, taxes will likely still increase and our kids will lose more of the educational opportunities we are trying to give them.

Please think about this when you vote on Wednesday, April 27th 7AM-9PM. Vote "YES" for our budget and help elect #2 Jim Monaghan, #6 Dave Ramage and #7 Ron Lucas. Our kids need our support to create their own futures.

Please share this with your friends and let’s get everyone out to vote. You can check www.roxbury.org for further information.

Less than a Value Meal

Our school has done some incredible things over recent years - but so often I think of where we would be if we passed our budgets. The idea of that continuous momentum forward. Each time we vote down a budget the effects snowball - because we not only have lost money in the budget this year, but we have now lowered the amount the budget is able to be for next year. Let's be realistic - no one wants to pay taxes. I have college bills coming, more orthodontics (that seems to never end!), and every bill coming in to my house goes up every year. The thing I think some people forget is that those same types of bills - electric, phone, gas, maintenance of cars and buildings - also go up for the district. I think back to how much I paid to put gas in my car only a few months ago - and today's prices seem incredibly high. Expenses go up - and so revenue has to go up as well. The increase this year is just over $6.50/month. Less than $7. Heck - it costs more to get a Value Meal at McDonalds! It is a good, responsible budget - and we need to get it passed.

Someone did a lot of research - I recently received this email:

As the parent of two small children, it's hard to know what your child is missing when they never had the opportunities in the first place. With the election approaching on April 27th for new Board of Ed members and a school budget, I wanted to know WHAT HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM MY CHILD? The principals from each school have been kind enough to speak with me and answer this question. Look at the facts and know who and what you're voting for.

Also, if you want to know why learning a second language at a younger age is important, check out this article: http://lilt.ilstu.edu/rlbroad/teaching/studentpubs/onewishenglish/smith.pdf

If you want to know why after school activities are important, check out this government article: http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/afterschool/2potential.html

And if you don't think the quality of your schools impact your house value, you're just kidding yourself.


***THE FOLLOWING CLASSES HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED



Roxbury High School- jswanson@roxbury.org

As a result of the cutting of 16.5 regular classroom teachers (12 from the core content areas) since 2005, 2 guidance counselors and a media specialist, the following classes have been eliminated or reduced in capacity:

SAT Prep
Public Speaking
College Prep Writing
Social Studies electives (offerings reduced by 50%)
German
Latin
Japanese
French (reduced 50%)
Dance (reduced 50%)
"C" level English (for students who require a low level)
Alternate School (for students who have difficulty functioning in a typical school setting)
Family and Consumer Science electives (offerings reduced by 20%)
Electrical Technology
Architectural Drafting
Auto Mechanics and Small Engine repair
Wood Technology (reduced by 40 %)

There is no Director of Guidance

Typical Class sizes are 25-30 students

Average class size for college prep and honors classes has increased to more than 25

The athletic budget has been reduced by almost 250,000 in 8 years and there has been no increase in co-curricular resources during that same time.

Services–Class sizes increased; Student to counselor ratio increased from 223:1 to 313:1; one librarian for 1560 students and 130 teachers; Loss of Guidance Director resulted in curtailed guidance services; SRO’s have been cut; I.T. staff overburdened.

Facility–Cannot be cleaned and maintained as it should; Necessary repairs cannot be made (classroom kitchens, locker rooms, gymnasium bleachers, auditorium dividing door, fire doors, HVAC units, fire alarm system, auditorium lighting, stage and sound system, exterior security fencing, some carpeting); Upgrades impossible (adding security cameras, 90 computers in Media center and writing lab, classroom smart boards and LCD’s); Field maintenance insufficient for amount of use.


Eisenhower Middle School- lnittel@roxbury.org



Class sizes used to be 22 students per class. Now nearly 30 students per class
-Last year alone: lost six academic teachers
Eliminated family consumer science classes
Eliminated Technology/Synergistics Lab
Ripped seats in auditorium need to be replaced
Currently general music to 7th grade only
Art (One art teacher for 660 students)
Computers (One teacher for 660 students).
**Most middle schools offer a full year of world language in grades 7 and 8, with some having multiple languages to choose from. EMS only has Spanish which only meets for a half a year as part of our cycle program. For example, Randolph offers full year Spanish or French in Grades 6, 7, and 8 every day for a full year.


Lincoln Roosevelt School- jcurtis@roxbury.org

Class sizes used to be 20-21 students per class. Now 27-30 students per class
-lost 4 Fifth Grade teachers & 2 Sixth Grade teachers
Elimination of Gifted & Talented program
Some textbooks are outdated because the budget hasn't passed
Because the budget hasn't passed, the buildings are in disrepair: needs painting, need to replace broken furniture/desks


Nixon Elementary School- eazar@roxbury.org

Loss of:
Enrichment Teacher
1/2 time Media Specialist
1/2 time Computer Teacher
1/2 time BSI teacher
1/2 time Physical Education Teacher
Full time Resource Room Teacher
1/2 time Guidance Counselor
Needs: additional parking, pavement repair and new steps, Security cameras in the second grade wing and outside the building, a divider for the gymnasium. All were not approved capitol improvements.


Kennedy Elementary School - awallock@roxbury.org

Things eliminated due to budgetary cuts:
Aides in kindergarten and first grade
Full-time Media Specials (Elementary share 2 rather than have 4)
Office aides taken away and reinstated (months later), although their important position is not a secure one


Franklin Elementary School- mboyd@roxbury.org
Lost shared Spanish Teacher for grades 3 and 4
Lost shared Enrichment Teacher – position eliminated
Lost part-time aides in kindergarten and grade 1
Media Specialist cut from full-time to half-time (therefore we cannot have this teacher involved with any enrichment classes)
Computer Technology teacher cut from 5 days to 3 days (therefore this teacher is involved with only 1 grade level for enrichment when it used to be grades 1-4)
School counselor cut from 3 ½ days to 2 ½ days
Part-time Physical education position cut
Office aide taken away and reinstated (months later) : this position is not a secure one
Roof problems in certain sections of the building, sink and cabinets need replacement in several classrooms, parking lot is rife with pot holes, classrooms and hallways need painting,



Jefferson Elementary School- klunardoni@roxbury.org

Lost shared Spanish Teacher
Lost shared Enrichment Teacher
Lost part-time aides in kindergarten and grade 1
Lost 1 full-time secretary position (not recovered). This necessitates the principal being the back-up for the one secretary that is in the office for half of the day.
Media Specialist cut from full-time to part-time
Tightened schedule for “specials” precludes full participation in enrichment program
Had the budget passed last year, we would have had 5 fourth grade sections instead of 4 (each with 25-26 children)

Set the record straight

There were a few inaccuracies mentioned at Meet the Candidates night – I wanted to set the record straight with the correct information for the ones that I caught.

1. The NJEA has NOT endorsed Roxbury C.A.R.E. – Someone sent an email out from her work account – she is not a teacher and not even a member of the njea even though she works there– she is a secretary who has worked in many different businesses, and just happens to be employed by the njea. Saying that this is an endorsement is somewhat akin to saying if someone who works for Verizon and sends out an email from her business email showing support to C.A.R.E. that Verizon is giving them an endorsement. Mr Heard had assured the woman who sent the email on Thursday that he would put out a retraction but has now decided he will not.
2. My son is in a political/legal studies class, and many of them attended the meeting. After their discussion in class about the detailed budget and whether or not it was out for the public to view, they decided to see if they could find it. It had been stated at the meeting multiple times that the version released to the public was 6 pages. It took the kids less than 5 seconds on the district website to locate it. The version they found was a line by line budget that showed expenditures back to 07-08. I know kids are tech savvy – but seriously? 5 seconds?
3. The amount that Roxbury spends per student is NOT $17,000. I have NO idea where Mr Heard found that number, but it is completely inaccurate. The comparative spending guide is on the state website and printed out in the board office as required. There are excerpts also on the district website in the budget presentation from March 28. Roxbury spends $13005 per student for all costs to educate a student. If you look at the March 28 presentation, or come to the meeting tonight, you will see that 5th from the BOTTOM in Morris County for how much we spend per student.

The meeting was taped by a student and will be on the district website soon. If you weren’t able to attend, please be sure to watch it!

Remember to vote on Wednesday, April 27!!

Meetings

There is a "Meet the Candidates" night at Lincoln Roosevelt auditorium. Thursday April 7th, at 7:30pm

There is a budget presentation at the April 11th Board of Ed meeting 7:30pm

Remind your friends to GET OUT AND VOTE!! Wednesday, April 27th, 7am to 9pm

Letter from someone who left...

I received this letter from a Roxbury resident who recently moved out of town - it gives a perspective that I completely agree with - although I'm not moving!

I could go on and on with the things I would like to say about why we left town. No, we didn't leave town, we left the district. Because of the district! What people don't seem to understand is, by voting their budgets down to save a few dollars a month, they're thereby bringing their home values down with the district.

It took us four years to be able to sell our home for a reasonable price, and we just about broke even on the sale. I know the market isn't favorable right now, but homes do hold their value better in districts where education is a priority to the members of the community. Just look down the list of the highest rated high schools in NJ. There's definitely a correlation between the number of passing school budgets and home prices. And a failing district scares off the families of the students who would ordinarily help the district to uphold their superior test scores and success rates. In fact, my son's Rox principle said, on hearing our house was for sale "No! You can't move! We need your son's test scores!" Communities that don't support their education systems drive off quality students, so test scores suffer, and the districts lose aid, further damaging the district. It's just a vicious circle.

We loved living in Roxbury. We had some great experiences with many quality teachers. It would have been wonderful to see the support of our community behind our schools. Every year that we lived in Roxbury, something else was taken away from our kids. Family Education Nights, first grade teacher's aids, late buses, Spanish teachers, field trips, guidance counselors... We came too close to losing our orchestra program. My son's desk was in the coat closet during 5th grade because the class sizes were so unmanageable. And still budget after budget went down. So, we never saw anything come back to us. What are they going to do when there's nothing left to cut? It's not just the budgets that are failing, it's the community that's failing it's children.

I'm a firm believer that if your student is going to do well, he or she will do well wherever he/she goes. But they can only do the best they can with what they've got. A limited district = limited opportunities = limited students. I guess the old adage is true - you get what you pay for.

Alleged Threats

I am more than a little tired of hearing it said that in previous years the BOE has “threatened to cut the football team” in an effort to get people to pass the budget. So – here is a little dose of reality -

1. There was never any threat made in reference to the football team.
2. The reality last year was that some sports would need to be cancelled due to the cuts in aid from the state. The decision was made to institute a pay-to-participate fee and use money from our “savings account” to allow us to keep those sports intact. The sports that were at risk were the newer and/or more expensive sports, while still keeping in line with Title 9.
3. The only risk to football ever being cancelled was when we did not receive enough votes to hire a substitute athletic trainer – so if our current athletic trainer was unavailable on the night of our (homecoming) football game that coming weekend, the game would have to be cancelled due to lack of a trainer on site.
4. The biggest risk to other sports and activities in the district? Years of no votes to approve coaches and advisors. Below is an excerpt from the minutes from the June 14 2010 Board of Ed meeting. I have pulled out one resolution – 569-10 – which was to reappoint all coaches at the High School. I am also showing at the top the way the vote went for the Personnel resolutions at that meeting. The resolution received two NO votes. Note that this is an example - if you take the time to look through the minutes of meetings since then you will see dozens of other coach/advisor appointments receiving no votes as well. Please note that coaches for Freshman and JV levels are referred to as Assistant Coaches. I'll apologize if the resolution list is difficult to read - I didn't want to make a typo so I copied this information directly from the minutes online.

The next time you hear a comment that someone has made a threat to cut a sport or activity – take a long hard look at who is trying to save our programs – and who is voting NO.


Personnel

Mrs. D’Agostino motioned, and Mrs. D’Abbraccio seconded the motion that Personnel Resolutions 556-10 through 578-10 be accepted as presented.

The motion was approved by roll call vote.
Mrs. Brooks: Yes to all; Mrs. Castriotta: Yes to 557-10, 563-10, 564-10, 565-10, 566-10, 568-10, 570-10, 571-10, 572-10, 573-10, 574-10, 577-10, 578-10, No to 558-10, 559-10, 560-10, 561-10, 562-10, 567-10, 569-10, 576-10, and Abstain to 556-10, 575-10; Mrs. D’Abbraccio: Yes to all; Mrs. D’Agostino: Yes to all; Mrs. Marchesi: Yes to all; Mrs. Miller: Yes to all; Mr. Rogers: Yes to 556-10, 557-10, 561-10, 562-10, 563-10, 564-10, 566-10, 568-10, 570-10, 572-10, 573-10, 574-10, No to 558-10, 559-10, 560-10, 565-10, 567-10, 569-10, 571-10, 575-10, 576-10, 577-10, 578-10; Ms. Scheneck: Yes to 556-10, 557-10, 561-10, 562-10, 563-10, 565-10, 566-10, 567-10, 568-10, 569-10, 570-10, 571-10, 572-10, 573-10, 574-10, 575-10, 576-10, 577-10, 578-10, and Abstain to 558-10, 559-10, 560-01, 564-10, however, Recuse to G. Trotter and M. Scheneck only in Resolution 569-10; Mr. Moschella: Yes to all.


RESOLUTION NO. 569-10
Reappointment Coaches – RHS

IT IS RESOLVED, that in accordance with the Superintendent’s recommendation, the following personnel be reappointed as Coaches at Roxbury High School for the 2010/2011 school year at the salary indicated

2010/2011 REAPPOINTMENTS – COACHES - RHS
Name Position Step Salary
Football
Lorusso, Cosmo – 1 Head Coach 3 $10,133
Trotter, Greg – 1 Assistant Coach 3 6,816
Dekmar, Frank – 1 Assistant Coach 3 6,816
Poggi, Kevin – 1 Assistant Coach 3 6,816
Dolan, Jim – 1 Assistant Coach 3 6,666
Spargo, Justin – 1 Assistant Coach 3 6,516
Donnelly, Stephen Assistant Coach 3 6,466
Misurelli, Frank Assistant Coach 3 6,466
Field Hockey
Naugle, Diane – 1 Head Coach 3 7,876
Beyel, Kristina Assistant Coach 3 5,147
Vacancy Assistant Coach 5,147
Cheerleading
D’Olivo, Kelley Head Coach – Fall ½ of 3 2,196.50
Veerman, Tara Head Coach – Fall ½ of 3 2,196.50
D’Olivo, Kelley – 1 Assistant Coach – Fall ½ of 3 2,165.50
Veerman, Tara Assistant Coach – Fall ½ of 3 1,965.50
Gluck, Kaitlyn Assistant Coach – Fall 3 3,931
Reiser, Jeannette – 1 Head Coach - Winter 3 4,593
D’Olivo, Kelley Assistant Coach – Winter 3 3,931
Veerman, Tara Assistant Coach - Winter 3 3,931
Volleyball
Nagy, Amanda Head Coach 3 7,376
Benbow, Jon Assistant Coach 3 5,147
DiPietro, Sebastian Assistant Coach 3 5,147
Tennis – Boys’
Miller, Michael – 1 Head Coach 3 7,331
Tennis – Girls’
Miller, Michael – 1 Head Coach 3 7,331
Soccer – Boys’
Irwin, Gary – 1 Head Coach 3 8,176
Bewalder, Kevin – 1 Assistant Coach 3 5,397
DeBarros, Joel Assistant Coach 3 5,147
Soccer – Girls’
Renna, Justin – 1 Head Coach 3 8,076
George, Michelle – 1 Assistant Coach 3 5,547
Monaco, David – 1 Assistant Coach 3 5,347
Cross Country – Boys’
Donegan, Brendan – 1 Head Coach 3 7,931
Cross Country – Girls’
Collins, Byron Head Coach 3 7,131
Wrestling
Dolan, Jim – 1 Head Coach 3 8,777
Monaco, David – 1 Assistant Coach 3 5,827
Spargo, Justin Assistant Coach 3 5,627
Ice Hockey
Benbow, Jon – 1 Head Coach 3 8,677
Abrusci, Vito – 1 Assistant Coach 3 5,727
Swimming (Boys’ and Girls’)
Earley, Jennifer – 1 Head Coach 3 7,631
Banta, Don Assistant Coach 3 4,929
Vacancy Assistant Coach
Basketball - Boys’
Deeb, Jon – 1 Head Coach 3 8,777
Capra, Bob – 1 Assistant Coach 3 5,877
Vacancy Assistant Coach
Basketball - Girls’
Bewalder, Kevin – 1 Head Coach 3 8,477
Hallet, Jennifer Assistant Coach 3 5,627
Nagy, Amanda Assistant Coach 3 5,627
Indoor Track - Boys’
Donegan, Brendan – 1 Head Coach 3 7,931
Indoor Track - Girls’
Balcerski, Robert Head Coach ½ of 3 3,565.50
Myers, Laura Head Coach ½ of 3 3,565.50
Assistant Indoor Track
Poggi, Kevin – 1 Assistant Coach 3 5,129
Outdoor Track – Boys’
Donegan, Brendan - 1 Head Coach 3 7,931
Damelio, Kellie Assistant Coach 3 4,879
Vacancy Assistant Coach
Outdoor Track – Girls’
Balcerski, Robert Head Coach 3 7,131
Damelio, Kellie Assistant Coach 3 4,879
Myers, Laura Assistant Coach 3 4,879 l
Baseball
Trotter, Greg – 1 Head Coach 3 8,176
Spargo, Justin – 1 Assistant Coach 3 5,247
Scheneck, Matt – 1 Assistant Coach 3 5,447
Softball
Naugle, Diane – 1 Head Coach 3 7,876
DeBarros, Joel Assistant Coach 3 5,147
Hallet, Jennifer Assistant Coach ½ of 3 2,573.50
Popowycz, Becky Assistant Coach ½ of 3 2,573.50
Golf
Heike, Bruce – 1 Head Coach 3 7,731
Lacrosse – Boys’
Donnelly, Stephen – 1 Head Coach 3 7,576
Benbow, Jon – 1 Assistant Coach 3 5,247
Meola, Louis Assistant Coach 3 5,147
Lacrosse – Girls’
Bewalder, Kevin – 1 Head Coach 3 7,576
Beyel, Kristina Assistant Coach 3 5,147
London, Jacqueline Assistant Coach 3 5,147
Athletic Trainer
Koch, Joseph Fall Season 7,083
Koch, Joseph Winter Season 7,083
Koch, Joseph Spring Season 7,083
Weight Room
Lorusso, Cosmo Summer Weight Coach 3 5,557
Deeb, Jon Fall Weight Coach 3 5,557
Lorusso, Cosmo Winter Weight Coach 3 5,557
Lorusso, Cosmo Spring Weight Coach 3 5,557
Equipment Manager
Douglas, Brett Fall Equipment Manager 3 5,557
Douglas, Brett Winter Equipment Manager 3 5,557
Douglas, Brett Spring Equipment Manager 3 5,557

1- Includes longevity

Meet the Candidates

Below is the information on the three candidates supported by Roxbury C.A.R.E. I believe them to be excellent candidates for the future of our school district. I urge you to keep up to date with their website - www.roxburycare.com - and
be sure to vote on April 27!

Ronald Lucas

My wife Mary and I have been residents of Roxbury Township for the last twenty-five years; we lived in Ledgewood for twenty-two of those years and in Succasunna for the last three. We are the parents of two children and grandparents of four – two of whom attended the Roxbury Schools.

I am running for a seat on the Roxbury Board of Education because I feel I can make a positive contribution toward meeting the needs of the students and taxpayers of the community. My experiences, both professional and personal, provide me with a unique and thorough understanding of the workings and organization of a school system.

After graduating from Jersey City State College with a Bachelor of Arts, I obtained my Master’s degree from Seton Hall University. I also conducted post-graduate study at New York University. I spent a successful career of twenty-eight years in the Randolph Public Schools as a teacher and supervisor. I am currently employed as a Supervisor of Academic Instruction at Pope John High School. I believe my knowledge and experience will serve the school district well.

These experiences, coupled with my expertise in school leadership, put me in a unique position to deal with the complex issues facing a member of the Board of Education and to represent the needs and concerns of Roxbury’s taxpayers. Throughout my career, I have developed a reputation as a team player and problem solver – attributes that can serve the schools well as a board member. I understand and will approach the position of a board member as a parent, an educator, and as a taxpayer. I will work to solve issues facing our school district with these experiences and beliefs in mind.

These are tough economic times and they require tough yet prudent decision making. Our challenge is to keep our school strong and educate all of the district’s students. I welcome the chance to work co-operatively with the other board members to address the fiscal needs of our schools and our community for the benefit of the students in Roxbury.

I appreciate all the support shown to me these past few weeks and I look forward to serving the people, the parents, and the students of the Roxbury School district.

Thank you for your support and for your time,

Ron Lucas



Dave Ramage

I am the proud parent of two Roxbury students. My daughters, Katherine and Alison, are enrolled in Eisenhower Middle School and Lincoln Roosevelt Elementary School. Along with my wife Diane, we have called Roxbury our home since 1997.

I am running for a seat on the Roxbury Board of Education because I feel I can make a positive contribution to the district. My experiences, both professional and personal, make me an excellent candidate for the board. If elected, I plan to utilize these experiences to benefit the district, its taxpayers and its students.

Originally from Syracuse, New York, I graduated from the State University of New York and hold degrees in Liberal Arts, Business Administration and Education. After graduation, I employed the knowledge gained from my college education towards my professional life, and later towards my business.

Since 2003, I have operated a project management consulting practice in Roxbury, running initiatives with budgets up to $10 million for corporations such as Lucent, AT&T, Schering-Plough, and Johnson and Johnson. If given the opportunity to be a board member, I will make use of my business experiences to help the district. In these tough economic times, I understand that we as a district need to balance the educational and fiscal interests of the district and its taxpayers, and I will work to do so.

I enjoy sports; most of my recreation time is spent playing and coaching soccer. I also bicycle, cross-country ski, and run. This past November I completed my first marathon. I continue to support and recognize the importance of extracurricular programming, including sports and clubs, in our children’s education. I will strive to preserve these programs, their coaches, and their advisers if elected.

Our challenge is to keep our school strong and educate all of the district’s students. I believe that my experiences both as a parent and as a business owner make me a great candidate for school board. I will approach the position of a board member and the issues we face as a parent, a business owner, and as a taxpayer.

I appreciate all of your support these past few weeks and I look forward to serving the people, the parents, and the students of the Roxbury School district. Together – even during this very stressful economic period – we can accomplish great things, including providing our children with an exceptional education.

Thank you again for all of your support and for your time,

Dave Ramage



James Monaghan

Along with my wife Christine and my children James, Paige, Grace, and Nolan, I have called Roxbury our home for almost 20 years.

I am running for a seat on the Roxbury Board of Education because I feel I can make a positive contribution to the district. My experiences, both professional and personal, make me an excellent candidate for the board. If elected, I will work to benefit the district, its taxpayers, its parents, and its students.

I graduated from William Paterson College with a degree in Communications and from the Morris County Police Academy. I am currently employed by the East Hanover Police Department as a Lieutenant. In the past, I served as Patrol Division Commander, Internal Affairs Officer, and Emergency Services Unit Commander. In addition, I also served as a D.A.R.E. Officer. If given the opportunity to be a board member, I will make use of my professional experience to help the district.

I participate in numerous volunteer athletic programs. I participated in Roxbury’s Recreation program, specifically in the Boys and Girls Basketball and Soccer, Baseball, and Indoor Hockey. I am an active member of St. Therese Roman Catholic Church and am involved in the St. Therese C.Y.O. Boys and Girls Basketball. I am also a member of the Roxbury Wrestling Fans Association and the Roxbury Football Club.

I continue to strongly support and recognize the importance of extracurricular programming, including sports and clubs, in our children’s education. If elected, I will strive to preserve these programs, their coaches, and their advisers, while also balancing the monetary needs of the district.

I will approach the position of a board member and the issues we face together as a parent, a police officer and local volunteer, and as a taxpayer.

I appreciate all of your support these past weeks and I look forward to serving the needs of the people, parents, and students of the Roxbury School district. Together, we will accomplish great things and provide a strong education for our children to be the leaders of tomorrow.

Thank you again for all of your support and for your time,

Lt. James Monaghan

Great Letter

I received this letter a few days ago - very well written from a very concerned resident.

Hi Everyone,



Last week I attended an open discussion session on this year’s school budget organized by Roxbury CARE, an organization formed over the summer to support our school budget efforts. It was very educational (no pun intended) with some misunderstandings of my own clarified. It was a great group of people and I encourage you to attend these meetings. Superintendent Rossi and board member/VP Pat Miller were there and I was pleased with what they had to say. A lot more can be discussed in an informal session such as this compared to other meetings I’ve attended.



Ron and Mary Lucas started Roxbury CARE along with other concerned residents. Ron will be running for Board of Ed and it is clear that our kids and our town are both priorities with them. They are happy to answer any questions, and will find the correct, accurate info for you – roxcare1@gmail.com. They also have a website: roxburycare.com and will be posting the candidates statements as soon as they’re released. Ron will be running with Jim Monaghan and Dave Ramage. All three are HIGHLY qualified individuals that will truly make a difference!



IMPORTANT THINGS WE NEED TO DO:



1. Don’t take everything you read or hear at face value. Much of the information disseminated is inaccurate. Educate yourself.


2. Attend a Board of Ed meeting or 2… or more….. I think you’d be surprised by what you see as I have been. It’s clear to me that there are people on OUR board whose priorities are not necessarily our kids and education. While checks and balances certainly need to be in place, the overall objective must be to improve and strengthen the quality and safety of our educational programs. Meeting minutes and agendas can be found at Roxbury.org on the board page.


3. Know the candidates who are running this year – is education their priority? After all, it is a Board of EDUCATION. ‘Meet the candidates’ night is
Thurs, Apr 7th, 7:30 L/R auditorium. GO, LISTEN & LEARN.

4. Understand what passing vs. failing a budget does. No one wants to pay more taxes, but don’t be pennywise and pound foolish. Last year, the difference in taxes if the budget had passed would have been less than $10 per month for most of us. Because it didn’t pass, however, much more was lost - 51 positions were cut, and many programs and resources were lost, which will be hard to get back now. And… we end up paying for it somewhere else anyway - the “pay to play” fees as 1 direct example. There are many indirect: At RHS - 30+ students in some classes, fewer technology classes, more kids in study halls due to elimination of many elective classes, etc. Property values also suffer in towns that do not support their school budgets. A defeated budget does not mean you will save money.


5. Take time to write a quick letter to the editor or get stories in the papers about the good things going on. There are many positive things happening in our schools in all areas – academics, athletics, fine arts programs….


6. State aid is a little better this year, which is great news, but the budget still needs to pass to keep things intact. Our schools lost a great deal because of last year’s vote.


7. GO, LISTEN & LEARN at the Board meeting March 28th, 7:30pm at L/R where they will vote on the final budget to be presented to voters.


And most importantly…



8. VOTE YES FOR THE BUDGET on Wed, Apr 27th and for 3 new board members that support education. Also -Call 5 friends that day to remind them to vote and ask them to call 5 friends…

Please take time to learn what’s going on and support our kids and our town. If we don’t make the decisions, somebody else will for us. Be an informed parent and voter.

Budget Meetings

Now that the tentative budget has been approved, we will be having the first public budget hearing on Monday, March 28 at 7:30pm in the Lincoln/Roosevelt Auditorium. There will be a full copy of the budget available there to review, and there will also be copies placed at Town Hall and the Library. Our budget has increased .8% - We are within the 2% cap, and are not planning on cutting any programs or instructional staff.

Please come to the meetings and support our schools!

Daily Record

For anyone viewing the Daily Record article on the budget - once again they seem to not do well with numbers. The budget is not an 8% increase over last year's budget - it is a .8% increase. .8 - as in less than 1%! Had a similar problem last year with the same writer - I called him on it and was told he would check the numbers - but I never saw any correction. Let's hope this is corrected before it goes to print.

Our loss, their win

Dr Rossi is leaving for Madison. It is a shame - a loss for us - but a gain for Madison, and also a gain for Harding who appears to be so excited about him coming that they are looking into sharing services that they never considered before. We've had a lot of positive changes in the schools over recent years - despite what has gone on financially. We're going to miss him.

My Goodbye?

I came home from last night's meeting giving thought to what I would say if this were my last year on the board - and what would be my parting statements. Here goes...

I decided to run for the board 3 years ago when a friend suggested I might be good at it. The more I thought about it - and the more meetings I attended - the more I realized I HAD to do it. I have a 10 year old - and I need there to still be a high school when she gets there! So - although it was put off for a year due to a family crisis, here I am.

I would first like to address Dr Rossi. My, my, how wrong first impressions can be. We didn't get off to the best start - you were making so many changes and I am not one who is big on change. The problem is - it didn't take me long to figure out how positive the changes were. After the initial dust settled, things actually were improving. Test scores were going up. The atmosphere in the schools changed for the better. Children were becoming more successful. All in all - the rest of us started seeing what the group that hired you realized much earlier - that you do have a great vision for the future of our schools, and most of all that you want each child in this district to receive no less of an education than you want for your own children. As a Board member - I respect you for that. As a parent - I truly thank you.

Now I'll address my fellow board members. The majority of you are hard working people who are volunteering for no reason other than to try to do some good for the town. You give tirelessly. I am proud to work along side of you. There are those though that concern me - and this is where Roxbury needs to wake up. We had two separate votes last night that should be a red light for every person in this district. The first was a vote to provide a substitute after school instructional teacher. We are providing this instruction in order to help our students who are struggling - and it worked well last year, so it has now been expanded to 3rd and 4th grades. After school instruction is being paid through ARRA funds not our local tax dollars since it meets the criteria for using this federal money. This substitute was almost voted down - it was 6-2 (we were missing two members). Why? Because she would be paid in the event she was called to work. She wouldn't be working all of the time - she was a SUBSTITUTE. Similar to the substitute athletic trainer that was almost voted down a few meetings ago. Similar to what will happen at every meeting if people are not careful who they vote for come April.

The second vote is the one that really perplexes me - and that is a no vote to a donation (again - it was 6-2). Are we crazy?? People want to donate money to purchase coaching time or equipment to donate to us and we say no?? Our High School athletic programs have booster clubs. The clubs provide for the team what the school cannot due to financial constraints. The new competition cheerleading uniforms a while back - thank the booster club. The various extra training that teams get on top of their coaches - thank the booster clubs. Some of the equipment in the Athletic Trainer's office - thank the booster clubs. Booster clubs provide equipment, training, practice clothes, etc - all as a give back from the people who are involved in that particular program. But each time a donation comes up from a booster club, there are some votes to not accept it. A few months ago, there was even an anonymous donation made to the school that was directed to a particular educational program - that received an "abstain" for no reason. A resident asked last night how we could do more with less - how about for starters we accept donations when people want to give them to us?

So - Roxbury - open your eyes. Pay attention to what goes on. I joined the board so there would still be a high school when my youngest got there. If people don't start paying attention - there may be so many things stripped from our schools that the only thing left of the high school is the building.

Price of a child's life

I don't think I have ever been this upset in all of my time dealing with the BOE in any capacity. Last night a vote was taken to approve substitute athletic trainers at $35/hour. These are not guaranteed employees - they are substitutes - so if our current Athletic Trainer was unavailable, we would still have coverage for our student athletes. The vote failed 5-2. Three of our board members were at board training so there were only 7 people at the meeting, and 6 yes votes were needed for it to pass. So - the life of my child and every child in this district came down to $35/hour on an as needed basis - and the child lost.

Games would be cancelled. Athletes would not receive clearance to play their sport. Some athletes could be hurt, ie with a concussion, and not get the necessary treatment.

I don't know how many of you have seen the recent articles on concussions. One study believes Lou Gehrig may not have had ALS, the "Lou Gehrig's disease". His symptoms may have been a result of continuing to play while having concussions. My daughter recently had a concussion - she actually isn't even back on the field yet. I would have never known she had one - I knew she bunked heads but didn't realize how serious it was until Joe said her pupils were not reacting properly and she needed to get to the ER.

Thank God for Joe and his (volunteer) assistants. They keep our children safe.

I am thankful that two board members came to the meeting after their training and a motion was made to take another vote. This second time there were enough people really concerned about the students - and the vote passed.

Think about this when election time rolls around. Think about who really has the best interests of your child in the forefront of their mind.

Seriously?!

Seriously - we get more commotion over a change that has been around for years than towns that have real changes going on!

Last year the decision was made to change up to grades 4 to have assessment type grading instead of letter grades (previously it was through grade 2). We were told then that this would expand out to grade 6 at some point. Now that we have made the decision, everyone has a comment.

I digress - let me start from the beginning. A decision was made to go to assessment type grading. Some people were concerned, some weren't. I had my doubts about it, but as in my usual style, I have confidence in our administrative team and will always give them the benefit of the doubt that they are the experts when it comes to education. I talked to teachers - and to parents. Basically, teachers explained the hard position they were in with younger children. They were learning difficult concepts - but at that age each child is learning at a different pace. One child reading in 1st grade is excellent, but it doesn't mean that the child who hasn't caught on yet is not making progress and giving every effort to learn to read - and it absolutely doesn't mean they aren't on the cusp of figuring it out! So - for this child that is having some difficulty but giving it every effort - does the teacher really give them a C?? or worse yet - fail them because they haven't caught on quick enough? What does that do to the child - they are trying hard and will learn it - it is just taking them a bit longer to do it. Getting a failing grade in 1st grade certainly isn't going to do anyone any good in the long run. This isn't high school people- it is elementary school!

So - the current grading is more explanatory. Instead of getting an F in reading, that same child might be told he is making progress. He isn't there yet - but he will get there if he continues to try. In this case, the teacher has told the truth, the parent has heard the truth, and the child doesn't give up trying. You also can get a child like mine - who is an extremely fluid reader and can read books well above her grade level and appear to be reading them well - but does she understand them?? Now I see her on her report card that her fluidity in reading is exceeding the expectations of a child in her grade, but her comprehension is on target with her peers. It gave me a little more insight into the fact that although she can read the book, she might not necessarily understand it (how many people really think that all of those 8 year olds really understood the Twilight series?).

This is not a grading system that is carrying through to higher grades - it is for the elementary levels. It is a way for teachers to be honest about grading without demotivating a child to learn. If a third grader has received a C grade every year, is he ever going to strive for that A - or is he going to assume he is a C student and never try harder? Even though he has the will and ability - but the basics are taking a little longer to catch on. Once he has the basics he could soar - let's give him that opportunity. As an educational community - that is what we should be trying to do - get every child to want to reach their potential.

Final Budget Cuts

Our meeting last night brought about a vote on the final budget cuts for the 2010-11 school year. The cuts recommended by the Town Council of $1,300,500 were taken from the following areas:

Energy (Natural Gas) $ 39,000
Energy (Electricity) $100,000
Legal Services $ 20,000
Communications/Telephone $ 30,000
Health Benefits $200,000
Copier Related Lines $ 35,000
Board Secretary $ 42,000
Improv Inter Serv $ 100 (Supplies)
Speech, OT, PT $ 250 (Supplies)
Guidance $ 300 (Supplies)
General Admin $ 300 (Supplies)
Health Services $ 600 (Supplies)
Child Study Teams $ 650 (Supplies)
Central Office $ 700 (Supplies)
Co-Curricular $ 1,000 (Supplies)
School Admin $ 1,000 (Supplies)
Athletics $ 3,000 (Supplies)
Library $ 7,000 (Supplies)
Maintenance $ 8,500 (Supplies)
Custodial $ 8,600 (Supplies)
Transportation $175,000 (Supplies)
Fund Balance $500,000
HS Vice Principal $112,137
Secretary Wage Freeze $ 15,363

These line items were taken directly from the Town Council's recommendations, with the exception of the substitution of a HS Vice Principal in place of the Director of Personnel.

Behavior- even worse!

People never cease to amaze me. A month or so ago I wrote about the inexcusable behavior of someone who attended a Board of Education meeting and shouted out while someone else was speaking. The meeting following that, the same woman who was so upset because someone had done it to her, repeatedly shouted out while other people were speaking.

Last night seems to have taken the cake. We had a 17 year old high school student speaking about his thoughts on the budget crisis - and an adult shouted out while he was trying to speak. This was a young man who had spent time putting together his thoughts, and is passionate enough about those thoughts that he was willing to miss his own soccer practice to attend a Board of Education meeting and speak (I know this because I have known him for many years). Regardless of whether you agreed with him or not - he deserved the time to be able to speak without interruption.

And there are those who think that teenagers need to be taught manners?! Looks like some adults need to be taught that too.

Walk out

I know many people disagree with the walk out that occurred around the state yesterday. These are my thoughts...

I know many of the kids had no idea about the facts of the crisis we are in - but there were many that are very informed. I think as adults we sometimes under estimate how much kids stay informed about current events. These are young adults - they are on their way out into the world - and they do stay somewhat informed. I think most of us also forget that we weren't so different when we were that age - you come up with a cause and fight for it.

The one way that kids today are different is that they have the ability to have their thoughts touch so many more people than we ever did due to the internet. We only had access to those we saw or could call - they have access to the world.

In reference to the students protesting during the school day - this was a protest that was organized by someone on Facebook and the kids wanted to do it. I truly believe that threatening to hold back and/or punish the entire High School could have lead to disastrous results. Someone could have tried to force their way out - and been hurt or hurt someone else. They could have turned around and planned something worse where things could not be controlled. They would have been angry - and angry teenagers make irrational decisions. Has no one heard of an instance where you told a teenager not to do something - and for spite they went off and did worse??

Allowing them to speak their peace and get back into school within one period was, in my personal opinion, a way of ensuring their safety.

Budget

Tuesday, we will all head to the polls to cast our vote in this year's school elections. This is, without a doubt, the most controversial year to vote on a school budget. Everyone has their opinion, everyone has their own thoughts, here are mine.

Roxbury Township has lost almost $4 million in state aid. The first half-truth that I believe all should understand - a school district is a service based organization. Let me state emphatically - NO ONE is trying to "scare" parents and students into believing programs will be cut. There is no way to cut $4 million from a service organization budget without effecting services. To think that we could cut that much from our budget without losing a single program or teacher is wishful thinking.

Three of our four unions, in addition to our non-union Administrators, have agreed to a wage freeze to help in closing the budget gap. We have had multiple meetings to hear from those in the community as to their concerns about the budget. What I heard the most was that people did not want to lose services. They were concerned with electives being cut, with extra curricular activities being cut, with class sizes growing. At many times in the meetings we heard from students speaking out for their programs. This past week we had some HS students out on Hillside Avenue campaigning for people to pass the budget. I applaud all of the younger members of our community that have gotten involved - no one can explain the damage of cuts better than those feeling their effects.

I find it amazing that people are not outraged at the cuts to public school funding. Continuing the millionaires tax would have allowed funding to continue. Remember - the same person who has claimed schools and municipalities are overspending is the same individual who hired an employee to handle his facebook and twitter accounts. TWITTER??? And also realize that this Twitter employee is making $60,000 - about $20,000 more than a starting teacher's salary!

The one sentiment that seems to scare me the most is the voice saying that the budget should be voted down if the REA does not accept a wage freeze. I'm not sure where the reasoning is for this thinking. How does a failed budget hurt the union? They are adults and have already completed their education. Those being hurt by a failed budget are the students in the district. The students who are dealing with larger class sizes, less choices for electives, less after school activities, and an overall sub-standard academic experience. School is more than just reading, writing and arithmetic. Electives allow children to get a well rounded education - and allow them to try different classes to work towards finding a career that will provide a good "fit". After school activities provide socialization - and as one parent told me, allows their child who struggles academically a chance to shine. In the same way that my father worked 70 hours a week to provide me with a better education than he was able to get, I want my children to continue that push forward to a better education. I want doors opened for whatever college they choose to go to (92% of Roxbury students continue on to higher education). Whether that choice be CCM or Princeton - I want them to reach for THEIR stars.

Let's talk about all of the positive things that are going on in the schools:
District wide our Administrators have brought in over $50,000 in grants
Genesis and Honeywell Alert have been implemented to improve communication between parents and school
92% of our AP scores at the High School are at 3 or above - the highest in the region
RHS has brought in Alive at 25 as well as Rachel's Challenge - two amazing programs designed to help our children grow into adults with a positive impact on society
EMS has raised their proficiency and advanced proficiency rates dramatically
EMS has fostered a whole new climate of respect and socialization - and the result is a significant decrease in disciplinary issues
Our administrative costs, much to the dismay of those who argue that we have too many administrators, continue to be $1174/pupil as opposed to the $1875 regional average

A new administrative mentoring program is being worked on right now to allow for all seniors to take a senior option/independent study. Not only does this give our seniors an amazing advantage over their peers from other schools, but it also will open up electives for underclassmen. Just an example of what our strong administrative team is doing!

As a Board of Education, the option was there to go higher than a 4% cap. Randolph is asking for a 10% increase while still cutting 25 positions. The Roxbury Board of Education has done their best to minimize cuts while still staying within the 4% cap.

Our district has lost $4 million in funding this year - losing any more could be disastrous. We need to provide our children with an education to compete with their peers for college spots, to compete with others for jobs, and to succeed in life. This is our job as a community. I take it very seriously - and will be voting YES to pass the budget. I hope you will do the same.

Behavior

As a board member, I have taken a lot of abuse over the past year. I have been called a liar, unethical, accused of hiding things, and accused of only doing things that benefit my children. All of this because I am doing what I believe to be right and trying to volunteer in my community. And no - I don't get paid to do this.

At tonight's meeting a member of the public was the target of a comment made by another member of the public. Whether that person agreed with the speaker or not, she deserved the respect to be able to speak. The behavior was inexcusable - and he should be ashamed of himself.

Proposed Calendar

The proposed calendar is up on the district website. I was amazed at how difficult it was this year - it seems everything was working against the calendar being an easy situation. Labor Day is late, Rosh Hashanah is only a few days after Labor Day, Easter is VERY late so it is right on top of state testing, and our Project Graduation date, which is set extremely far in advance, is early. Trying to get 180 days into the calendar with the appropriate snow days was difficult. The effort was made to have the students come back after Labor Day. The effort was also made to make sure that there was one full week break - unlike this year where we are losing a day of spring break due to the snow days. So - at the end of the day the group of 25 or so people in the room came up with a plan. It is a pretty radical idea of a schedule (to use the words of one of the attendees) - a change, but maybe a positive one. I know some people are adverse to change - but look at the calendar with an open mind - and you might find out that it just might work out well.

Budget Meetings

We are in full swing with the budget, and given the cuts being made by the state, things are not looking good. Cuts that have been made in the past few years due to failed budgets means there is no extra to start with - so every one is going to hurt.

First let me explain the largest cut that was advertised as best as I understand it. When I looked at the article in the paper that day, I had a hard time understanding why someone who was listed just a few lines away from us had a similar surplus amount, but was only cut state aid by $400,000 where we were cut by over one million. I have since learned that the amount that could be withheld for this year could not be more than one month's payment - since we get a bigger payment each month, they could take away a larger amount.

Also - please understand the reason for the surplus. The surplus is there because our administrators spent that year trying their best to keep costs down. Think of it as your family budget - you create one, but if you try real hard you might get a little more in your savings than you had originally expected to. Our administrators tried real hard - and it paid off with an amount that would have rolled into the 2010-2011 budget as tax relief - but since the state came in and took it away - that tax relief is gone.

These are the times as of now, please check www.roxbury.org in the event the start time of the meetings change

Monday, March 8, 2010 7:00 pm Regular Meeting
Discussion of the Tentative Budget for 2010/2011

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 6:00 pm Special Meeting
Discussion of the Tentative Budget for 2010/2011

Monday, March 22, 2010 6:00 pm Special Meeting
Approval of the Tentative Budget for 2010/2011

Wednesday, March 31, 2010* 7:00 pm Regular Meeting
Public Hearing on the 2010/2011 Budget

*This meeting has been rescheduled from Monday, March 29, 2010.

Administrative Hire

As many of you may or may not know, Eva Gale, the Supervisor of Curriculum of the Humanities, is retiring next month. At Monday's meeting, we voted to hire someone to fill the position.

Let's not kid ourselves. We all know there are drastic cuts that will need to be made in the budget due to the lack of state aid. But - let's also be realistic - there are some positions that are needed if we intend to educate our children, and this is one of them.

Here is a side story-
A few years ago my employer was based in Australia. We were a very small group here compared to Australia, but we had some incredible people in the US working for us. For years we knew that Australia would love nothing more than to sell us off - but what was holding them back were a few good people. So - their solution came almost four years ago - they would let everyone go with the exception of a core group of people in the US, and would give us a product of our own to work on. Basically - both the people and office would either fly or crash and burn - but they would have those few people around without the cost of a larger office.

What they did in the planning stages though was amazing. They picked out a few key managers - and went to them with the statement that if they were not on board with doing this, then the whole office would just close. Those managers then went to a few of the people they deemed as key to success and said the same thing. We were left with a group of 10 people who managed to provide more services than 35 had in previous years.

The moral of the story was the selection process. There are certain positions that, if eliminated, would be the demise of the organization. Many could have looked at it and said they could have kept more "workers" by letting the higher paid people go and not keeping the managers. The reality is that those managers and higher paid employees were the ones that were needed for success - and as a group I will tell you we were extremely successful.

Back to the school - and the administrator. Our Humanities and success in this area is crucial to us releasing educated children into the world. In the past year we have started seeing some breakthrough ideas which will help our children excel. Isn't that what we are here for?? Not to see if we can give education on the cheap - but to provide the children of the district with the best education we are able to?

My Integrity

Last night I had the unpleasant experience of a disagreement with another member of the Board. I was accused of only volunteering for things that benefit my children. I will not degrade myself by telling this person exactly what they can do with themselves, but I will explain to anyone who heard my opinion on that statement.

I work hard in life – a lesson learned from my parents. I am blessed to say I have never been unemployed since I began working when I was in college. I work hard at my job, I work hard at my family life, and I work hard for the causes I volunteer for. One of the areas I chose to volunteer for is the Board of Education. I did not do it to benefit my children – I did it because I believe I can make a positive impact on the lives of the children in our township.

The area that I most recently volunteered for is the calendar committee. I jumped at the chance to volunteer for this committee – there have been things on the calendar that have been little pet peeves of mine for years. Do any of these things really affect my children anymore – absolutely not. I am lucky to be working for an employer that not only allows me to flex my hours but also to work from home when needed. I do remember the hardship of working full time for a company that was not flexible and having two young children in school. I remember the panic that would set in around teacher’s conferences when I could have 2 weeks of half days back to back to worry about. I remember the sick feeling when the phone would ring with a snow day. I remember worrying about losing my job because I had to care for my children – not something any parent should have to worry about.

So – I volunteered for the calendar committee. For the little changes that could be made to the calendar that might make life just a little easier on a working parent. It might not affect me anymore – but it does many in the township – and it is an area where I think my opinion could help out.

Being on the Board of Education is an unpaid job that calls for countless hours each month. Unfortunately it also subjects some of us to have our integrity called in to question – which is appalling. There are some who want nothing more than to make accusations and insinuations of a group of honest, hard working people who are trying to help their community. The next time you hear an accusation – think hard about what the motive behind it might be.

Reflections

I recently lost my father, and the weeks since he was first hospitalized I've spent a lot of time reflecting about what I was taught as a child, and what I've taught my own children.

My father was a pretty amazing man. He quit school in the 5th grade to help support his family because his parents were separated by the war, and his father could no longer get money home to the family. Yet, on a 5th grade education, he managed to be one of the most successful men you could meet. He lived a full life - he owned his own homes, even a vacation home, was able to send five children to college, buy them all new cars, etc. Many today would wonder how he did it - but he did it with plain hard work. He never asked anyone for a handout - he was able to get a job 2 days after coming to this country, and never stopped working after that. As I was growing up he worked 6 days a week, 12 hours a day so that my mother could stay home and take care of their children. He never complained about it. Yet to us - it looked so easy. He would come home and still spend time with us, work on house projects, and take us to visit with family. He made sure that even though he worked a lot, that he was always there to advise us, comfort us, and enjoy us. His biggest lesson to us was to always take care of your reputation - that when people hear your name you want them to know you as a trustworthy, honest person.

I take these lessons my father taught me very seriously. I work hard at home, at my place of employment, and at the many volunteer jobs that I have. I get angry when people question my integrity - my father always said that your name was everything and I believe that. My motives are always to make decisions in the best interests of my own children, and when I am on Board of Ed I am making decisions on what I feel is in the best interests of all of the children in the district.

Now that elections are coming up, I am sure there will be many that will question the motives of others. I truly hope that people refrain from making accusations and that they don't make insinuations. Each time an insinuation is made that someone is trying to "cover something up" I want to scream. The Board is made of of honest, hardworking people who are making decisions in the best interests of the children. Let's not tarnish people's reputations with unfounded accusations.

Budget Meetings begin!

Mr. Schroeder, the district auditor from Nisivoccia and Company will present the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and the Auditor's Management Report on Administrative Findings, Financial Compliance and Performance Year Ended June 30, 2009 at 7:30pm on October 19, 2009 at the Board of Education Meeting scheduled at the Lincoln Roosevelt Auditorium. In addition Mr. Mistretta, the Interim School Business Administrator, will give an explanation of the final 2008 2009 budget and its impact on future budgets. Doctor Rossi will also comment on our current educational initiatives and what he seeks to accomplish for our students moving forward. It is the first in a series of board meetings in which we will map out our budget preparation and construction. We hope to see you there.

Turf Field Discussion

Much to my surprise, there was not a large crowd at the meeting last night to discuss the plans for a Turf Field. Of the small group there an even smaller group requested to speak. I also have to say I was surprised at the speakers - I expected a 50/50 turnout for people for or against the field - instead every person who spoke understood the need, and only one was not whole heartedly behind it. The most interesting thing was that of the few who spoke, some didn't even have children who would benefit from this field - but they still see the benefit to the township and the children.

The two concerns-

1. financial
2. The impact on the spring track team, that uses the track for practices. This is the only track in the town, so they really need to practice, but cannot be practicing with lacrosse and soccer balls flying around their heads.

After the discussions among board members and listening to the speakers, these are my thoughts.

1. Financial - We currently pay $20,000/year to maintain a field that is used by 1 team - the football team - for approximately 5 home games. That money is much better spent paying towards a turf field and having it able to be used by thousands of children in the district. The turf would be a 50/50 split between the HS sports and recreation. How could you possibly imagine a better way to spend money?? We used to use the field for around 60 athletes - now we can use it for a few thousand (going on the theory there are approximately 1000 children in the soccer program alone). We also have commitments from both the Band Patrons Assoc and the Football Booster club for amounts of $5000 and $2000 per year respectively.

2. Health concerns - Synthetic turf isn't artificial turf. There have been many advances in the fibers used - and according to the consultants hired by the township the fibers now being used are fibers found in everyday household items. You can argue that we may find down the line that something could cause cancer - but do you really live your life that way?? Wondering when something is going to come and get you?? The kids are not EATING turf - they are playing on it - for a limited amount of time.

3. Track team - while I completely understand the concern of the resident who spoke on behalf of the track team, I think we have to put trust in our recreation director to continue to nourish that team and give them the time they need to practice. She is correct - that is their only place to practice - and the turf would be much safer for the children to run on than a worn down track - but thought needs to be given when scheduling teams. Just because the track runs on the outside of the field itself, does not mean that they should not get their time to practice without having to worry about flying balls hitting someone.

One resident made a comment that we shouldn't let the turf field go the same way as the pool. I thought to myself - WHAT POOL?? That was her point. We apparently had an opportunity many years ago to build a pool - and didn't. She didn't want us to pass by another opportunity. I agree.

Moving forward-

BOE meeting on Monday, Sept 21. We will discuss this further and vote. I had thought we couldn't vote until after the Town Council voted but that is not the case.

Town Council meeting on Tuesday, Sept 22. They will discuss this further and vote.

Voting Wisely

Although there is so much work in the background when being a member of the Bd of Ed - I am finding the only thing that seems to matter to people is the vote. How did you vote - yes or no? What people need to realize is a yes vote isn't always good or bad - just like a no vote isn't always good or bad. Some seem to praise those members who vote no thinking a no vote always saves money. Unfortunately, you are not looking at all of the facts. At a recent meetingwe were voting to send the current Business Administrator, Ruthann Quinn, to ARRA Program for NJ Schools training. Some may say that "no" was a good vote - why are we sending her to a class when she is retiring in just a few months? For those interested, I did question this myself - and the fact is that in order to apply for the stimulus money and get the most benefit from that application, we need Ms Quinn to attend this class. It is to the benefit of the district to send her to this class. For the cost of her travel expenses for a one day class we could benefit to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

So - don't always be fooled into thinking a No vote is a wise one. And always know that there are many of us who question all of our decisions - we just may be doing it quietly.