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Post by Chris_Wendt on Mar 19, 2012 6:54:45 GMT -5
Someone asked about the A, B, C, D, E Programs I had outlined as Program Blocks. This bears some further explanation. However, please consider the following strictly as broadly conceptual, and not as predetermined curriculum. Above all, these should be considered ultimately flexible after they are implemented.
There would be a primary differentiation, A-B. Each child would be either in an A Group or a B Group for one half of their full day, either morning or afternoon. The differentiation may not be 50-50, but it would be along full sections, and could be 4-0, 3-1, 2-2, 1-3 or 0-4 or any permutation of the number of full-day K sections.
A/B distinction could initially be whether a child is entering kindergarten from a preschool, or if kindergarten is their first experience with in an organized educational setting.
The C, D, E program options would complete the 'other' half day opposite each child's A or B teaching block. The content options of these blocks I would prefer to leave to parent and teacher innovators, with my initial thinking being that some content would be challenging for children who show earlier mastery of kindergarten outcomes, another option would be paced differently and more traditionally focused, and another option would be more supportive for children who would benefit from more concentrated work on developing specific skills and shoring-up individual abilities in a more personalized environment.
There certainly could be F, G or H program options added, as well.
Thinking out loud, on-screen. But always, thinking....
Chris Wendt
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Post by bnjasper on Mar 19, 2012 14:25:06 GMT -5
I see on the blog that the first pass budget is coming in at 2.2%. Until I see the details I obviously will not be able to give specific comments. However, from a general perspective I would like to expand on my previous blogs re: long term planning.
„« The BOE had at its disposal the report from the enrollment committee. I assume the general public has still not been privy to the content.
„« The BOE has settled all of their major contractual obligations for several years.
„« The rules for the tax cap are now known
These elements should provide the basis for a 3 to 4 year plan that could incorporate people needs, maintenance needs, project needs, technology needs and give taxpayers advance information.
Once a plan is in place then the obstructionists can plead their cases for self serving and NIMBY reasons. Speaking of NIMBY¡K.
I have witnessed two recent occasions from Wantagh El parents that I perceive to be additional NIMBY incidents. The first was a parent speaking on behalf of class size at the school. He, as a teacher, wanted class size reductions so his child would receive better educational opportunity.
The second is a petition asking the BOE to bring back the assistant principal because of the number of children in the school vis a vis the other elementary schools in the district.
It would seem to me both should support the entire Wantagh community by moving their child(ren) or supporting the movement of boundaries. Smaller class size is there for the asking and better utilization of the entire district resources at no additional cost is right there.
On the issue of full day kindergarten, there are probably so many variables that a committee of genius¡¦ would probably still not cover them all. The obvious one within my NIMBY point would be too many kids in one school and smaller classes in another. Then we¡¦d need more classes and unfilled classes. A long range plan could cover these issues to insure we get it right and not solely at the taxpayers expense.
Hopefully the BOE will produce this long promised plan.
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Post by Chris_Wendt on Mar 20, 2012 7:03:22 GMT -5
Yes, the only way to develop a list, you know, as in "its on THE LIST", list, is long range planning.
Doing the financial planning, which is as easy or as difficult as anyone wants to make it, is key to knowing what you can afford, and when you can expect to do it. It is also key to knowing what you cannot afford right now.
Having a list, and having procedures for prioritizing and aging the list, and especially for vetting anything that anyone wants to add to the list would prevent situations like a petition coming out of left field for an assistant principal to be acted upon ahead of completing SMART Board installation in classrooms, and ahead of having a scientific research program for our high school students, and ahead of implementing full-day kindergarten for our youngest children. (Asking for an assistant principal should NOT be like my three year-old granddaughter asking her mommy for a kitten).
There are several recommendations pending before the BAC concerning full-day kindergarten. There is also a pending recommendation concerning long-term planning and other studies which are essentially long range planning exercises. I think this situation is ripe for the board to take action.
This thread has now pierced the 1,500 level (views).
And the hits just keep on coming!
Chris Wendt
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Post by Chris_Wendt on Mar 28, 2012 6:27:58 GMT -5
To bnjasper's point, the BAC has formally recommended to the Board of Education a formal long-range planning activity using community resources. 13.) Future Planning The Board of Education should initiate a formal ongoing future planning activity which involves community resources and input. Yes = 14 No = 5 There will hopefully be a new Superintendent soon, and interested and qualified "community resources" should plan to reinforce this recommendation with the Board when the new Super takes office. Reading the full slate of BAC recommendations which includes three separate, passed recommendations favoring full-day kindergarten, is indeed encouraging. However, more careful reading of all the recommendations and the draft budget, itself, reveals how desperate is the need for long-range planning. Major cost items or significant cost increases pop-up in this (and every prior year's) budget, and seemingly "jump over" other priorities. Some of this popping-up and jumping-over seems to be based on popularity and the influence of interests who are more concerned about administrative matters (and pay) than they are about more educational issues. How do less-educational budget items pop-up and jump-over more pressing and longer-standing educational issues? Simple: THERE IS NO LIST! Meaning, there is no long-range planning list to abide by, or even to nod at. Now, I want it understood that, in the vein of long-range planning, the present situation distills down to these points: - The district's #1 priority is attracting and hiring a Superintendent, our next educational leader
- All other priorities are subordinate to that priority
- Developing a responsible budget and passing it, within the two-percent tax cap, is a very important ingredient for the Wantagh Board of Education to successfully attract and hire a really good Superintendent, our next educational leader. I firmly believe we will have a responsible budget, within the two-percent tax cap, to vote upon and pass comfortably in May.
- I want to believe that with the coming of the new Superintendent, concepts including long-range planning using community resources, and feasibility studies of other important developments will be instituted with alacrity.
- I have faith and hope that, once having hired a new educational leader, that the Board of Ed will engage issues including full-day kindergarten, advanced scientific research, a more relevant foreign language program, and more robust arts programming, and that they will engage them within a construct of long-range planning, and that other word, "rigor".
- I primarily hope that I am not being too hopeful!
Bottom line is really the top three lines (above): Present a budget under two percent and pass it; hire a really good educational leader as our new superintendent. These go hand-in-glove. Right now, the other issues are insignificant by comparison. Right now, as in, for the moment. Their time will come. Best regards Chris Wendt
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Post by lilly on Mar 28, 2012 10:38:52 GMT -5
Right now, the other issues are insignificant by comparison. Right now, as in, for the moment. Their time will come. This doesn't sit right with me at all. It's as if you are saying continued inaction is ok. Or, the new superintendent will be a savior of sorts. It's not like any of this is new information or a new discovery. These are long-standing community problems, which ideally should be solved by the community, new super or not. The BAC has done their work, it's up to the BOE and admins to step up to the plate. I just don't see the merit of saying it is ok to wait longer. I never worry about action, but only inaction. Winston Churchill
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Post by Chris_Wendt on Mar 28, 2012 12:48:30 GMT -5
It would not be reasonable for either of us to assume that, just because this year's BAC has once again made some promising recommendations to the Board of Education, that the Board and the interim-interim Superintendent will all of a sudden decide to implement this season's harvest of suggestions.
In fairness to the Board members and Dr. Bonuso and the senior administrative team, the promise of a two percent or lower tax increase will be no small accomplishment, and the importance of that achievement cannot be overstated.
My hope, and your hope, the hope of all of us for the Wantagh School District should be that the new Superintendent will provide the professional leadership necessary to renew Wantagh's legacy of trailblazing academic and fiscal accomplishments. This person should not be viewed as a savior, even if wildly successful, but rather as the spark and, more appropriately as the keeper of the vision, which is the real job of the Superintendent.
Any success following her/his appointment must be a shared success, shared with many people, but especially with the members of the Board of Education who are charged with the responsibility to hire that person, the same Board of Education who must ultimately allow themselves to be guided by that person's vision, and to be led by her/his leadership of the District.
That is a tall order, the Wantagh School Board willingly being guided by a visionary with true vision; that board allowing themselves to be led by a professional educational leader. A former Superintendent once noted that what Wantagh needs most is to get back to having one Superintendent at the helm, instead of six.
We can wait a little while longer. I mean, what choice do we have?
Follow the leader! "Oh wee oh..."
Chris Wendt
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Post by Chris_Wendt on Mar 30, 2012 14:31:43 GMT -5
Reading Newsday.com, looking at the 2012-13 State Aid figures for Wantagh, it appear the State really, really wants Wantagh to step-up and claim that $640,000 in Full-day Kindergarten Aid. District.......2012-13 Aid....2011-12 Aid...Aid Increase...% Increase Wantagh.....$12,985,736...$11,601,777...$1,383,959......11.93% I doubt that the school board is going to take this free money, however. "Dear State, Thanks for the money, but no thanks just the same! With love, The Wantagh Board of Education" Let's wait and see. Chris Wendt
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Post by Chris_Wendt on Apr 2, 2012 14:30:09 GMT -5
For those interested in advocacy, there is a proposed amendment to the Full-day Kindergarten Conversion Aid law which would extend the Conversion Aid beyond one year, until Foundation Aid catches up. This amendment was referred to the Senate Education Committee on January 4, 2012. Read about it here: NY Senate Website; Full-day Kindergarten Conversion. Problem is, with so few districts (including Wantagh) not presently offering Full-day K, it is difficult for the bill's sponsors to garner legislative support for this sweetener amendment. But, probably worth the cost of a postage stamp or a phone call, or an email to Senators Fuschillo and Skelos. Think about it.... Chris Wendt
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cathy
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Post by cathy on Apr 17, 2012 19:37:48 GMT -5
I heard that South Huntington's BOE recommended going back to half day K next year as a way to reduce their budget. Will be interesting to see if it gets voted down. Also wondering if other districts are going to jump on that bandwagon since K isn't mandated and therefore an easy place to make cuts.
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Post by Chris_Wendt on Apr 18, 2012 10:44:18 GMT -5
Cathy, you have not indicated whether you are personally in favor of Wantagh converting to full-day kindergarten, or not. I don't believe cutting Full-day K to be all that "easy", given that Seaford seems to be holding on to Full-day K even down to their last (financial) breath. I see Huntington (not South Huntington) reverted to half-day K this school year, and they are not restoring it next year. They also increased their class size guidelines to 30 in Grades 1-6, and 25 in Kindergarten. See Huntington Sells-out Kindergartners (hyperlink to Patch)Win some, lose some, back-peddle on some. Chris Wendt
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cathy
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Post by cathy on Apr 18, 2012 13:18:56 GMT -5
Chris - I don't think it matters one way or the other how I feel when it's well known within the community that one of the elementary school principals is dead set against full day K and it seems pretty obvious that the board feels the same way.
For what it's worth, I think we should have full day K, especially considering that NYS continues to add to the curriculum for K (although they haven't made K mandatory, which is a head-scratcher to me) and that the district is implementing Writer's Workshop in K next year. As it is, on the days that the K children have specials the teachers get about an hour of instructional time with the students, which I find absolutely ludicrous. I don't know how they are going to be able to fit in more next year, but I'm not an educator so maybe there's something I'm missing.
I also think that the elementary programs will always get the short end of the stick, since our children can't be left home alone and if you have a spouse that works long or non-traditional hours it's not easy to get to board meetings in order to speak up. But I suppose that's a discussion for a different day, or at least a different thread.
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Post by Chris_Wendt on Apr 21, 2012 5:46:58 GMT -5
I have heard the comment about one of the elementary principals apparently speaking against full-day K. For what it is worth, I believe that person was reflecting their interpretation of Central Administration's or possibly the BoE's viewpoint concerning full-day K, rather than stating their own, personal feeling about it.
Noteworthy that this thread has surpassed 2,000 views, and this topic is currently garnering attention on Wantagh-Seaford Patch.
The Board of Education is considering the several recommendations passed to them by the BAC.
Regards,
Chris Wendt
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Post by mommymomo on May 7, 2012 19:38:49 GMT -5
So I'd like to know what happened to this? Why wasn't the money accepted for full day K and why wasn't it in the budget?
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Andy
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Post by Andy on May 7, 2012 22:23:29 GMT -5
Allow me to recap ....At kindergarten orientation this year one of the principals (the one that is "well known in the community" for "being dead set against kindergarten") stated "Full day kindergarten is a waste of time and money". "Children at this age don't really need full day k". "Sign your kids up for karate and soccer instead". According to ChrisW this may not have been the principals personal feelings but just their "interpretation of the Central Administration or possibly the BOE viewpoint". So with that said the money may have been turned down because their are some people on the BOE or heading up our schools that feel the children of Wantagh are better off taking karate and soccer than getting an education. Maybe we can ask the state if we can use the money to set of a new soccer club and karate studio in the elementary schools we already know there is plenty of room.
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Post by Chris_Wendt on May 8, 2012 5:39:54 GMT -5
Andy wrote: "At kindergarten orientation this year one of the principals (the one that is "well known in the community" for "being dead set against kindergarten") stated 'Full day kindergarten is a waste of time and money'. 'Children at this age don't really need full day k'." This is outrageous. It is also painful for me to hear of one of my contemporaries and a long time partner in our district to have become so calcified in their thinking as the years have advanced, apparently exacting a sad, sad a toll on their mind. Dumbfounded, Chris Wendt
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