Following an Executive Session scheduled for 6:30pm, the Haldane School Board will meet for its monthly workshop meeting on February 28, 2012 at 7:00 pm in the Board Meeting Room to hear special presentations about Math Acceleration, Foreign Language and a Science Research Program, as well as building administrator, student, PTA, HSF, and Booster Club reports.
The Draft Agenda and presentation materials are available now on the Haldane School website.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
From Special Meeting 2/15/12: New APPR, Fields Update
Still a work in progress, the draft version of the new Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) was presented to the Haldane School Board in a special meeting on February 15, 2012. The APPR Committee met over the past year or so to rewrite the existing document to conform to new evaluation and reporting requirements according to New York State education law. By most accounts, the prior APPR document was too broad and not sufficient for constructive evaluations.
It cannot be ignored that the new requirements constitute another unfunded mandate, as Board Vice President Mike Junjulas observed. The benefit, however, will be to refocus the purpose of teacher and principal evaluations to reflect dialogue about teaching, learning, and continued growth.
The APPR Committee was unanimous in its enthusiasm for the process of drafting the new document and in its belief in the integrity of the goals and procedures of the new performance evaluation framework. Some parts of the APPR have not yet been determined, and some New York State requirements are, as yet, unclear to the Committee. The APPR Committee decided to move ahead in developing a plan for Haldane that made sense for the District, despite the unknowns from the the New York State Education Department. Furthermore, a portion of the APPR is not yet finalized, pending contract negotiations. In its first year, and as a work in progress, the evaluations will take place only for teachers in grades 4 through 8 teaching ELA and Math, and the Elementary Principal.
The Working Draft of the new APPR is available on the Haldane School website.
Following up on the recent public meeting on the Philipstown Fields, the Board reviewed an Updated Fields Study report and an animation showing proposed upgrades to the football field and 9D fields. Discussion focused on the 9D field and tennis courts, whose fencing and surfaces have been described as safety hazards. The New York State grant for $150K has an expiration date, and the Board deliberated and will soon decide about how to apply the grant to Haldane fields, keeping in mind the larger potential Town Fields project.
The updated Field Study is available at the Haldane School website.
It cannot be ignored that the new requirements constitute another unfunded mandate, as Board Vice President Mike Junjulas observed. The benefit, however, will be to refocus the purpose of teacher and principal evaluations to reflect dialogue about teaching, learning, and continued growth.
The APPR Committee was unanimous in its enthusiasm for the process of drafting the new document and in its belief in the integrity of the goals and procedures of the new performance evaluation framework. Some parts of the APPR have not yet been determined, and some New York State requirements are, as yet, unclear to the Committee. The APPR Committee decided to move ahead in developing a plan for Haldane that made sense for the District, despite the unknowns from the the New York State Education Department. Furthermore, a portion of the APPR is not yet finalized, pending contract negotiations. In its first year, and as a work in progress, the evaluations will take place only for teachers in grades 4 through 8 teaching ELA and Math, and the Elementary Principal.
The Working Draft of the new APPR is available on the Haldane School website.
Following up on the recent public meeting on the Philipstown Fields, the Board reviewed an Updated Fields Study report and an animation showing proposed upgrades to the football field and 9D fields. Discussion focused on the 9D field and tennis courts, whose fencing and surfaces have been described as safety hazards. The New York State grant for $150K has an expiration date, and the Board deliberated and will soon decide about how to apply the grant to Haldane fields, keeping in mind the larger potential Town Fields project.
The updated Field Study is available at the Haldane School website.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
How Does this Tax Cap Work?
After introductory remarks by new Trustee Pete Henderson, the 2/7/12 Haldane School Board meeting's focus was about the new tax cap legislation and what it means for the District. The meeting agenda and supplemental materials, including the Business Manager's calculation of the maximum allowable levy with a simple majority voter approval, are on Haldane's website under the Board of Education section.
A useful explanation of the tax cap is offered by the New York State School Boards Association.
A useful explanation of the tax cap is offered by the New York State School Boards Association.
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