WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. September 2, 2010:

White Plains will will receive $902,528 in Federal Education Jobs Fund Restoration money to restore jobs this year, according to the New York State Education Department figures.

Fred Seiler, Assistant Superintendent for Business for the School District told WPCNR Thursday that Governor David Paterson has sent the request for the aid to Washington, and if the New York State Legislature approves the amount, the district will be able to add $451,264 to the 2010-11 school budget for potential job restoration, and an additional $451,264 in 2011-2012.

Seiler told WPCNR that district does not yet have the federal government rules defining what types of jobs the job restoration funds can restore yet.

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From the New York State Department of Education. (Edited) July 29, 2010 UPDATED WITH COMMENTS FROM WHITE PLAINS SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS DR. CHRISTOPHER CLOUET:

Regents Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch and Education Commissioner David Steiner  released results from the state’s 2010 Grade 3-8 assessments in Math and English Wednesdays. Cut scores (passing scores) for these tests and the 2010-2011 school year assessments to be administered this year have been raised to new Proficiency standards redefined to align them with college-ready performance.

As a result of raising the bar for what it means to be proficient, analysis of the 2009-2010 test results showed many fewer students met or exceeded the new Mathematics and English Proficiency standards in 2010 than in previous years. Across Grades 3-8 statewide, the majority of students, 53% in English and 61% in Math, met or exceeded the new Proficiency standards this year.  By contrast, in 2009, 77% of students met or exceeded standards in English and 86% of students did so in Math.

The new Proficiency standards students in White Plains and across the state have to meet this year will be higher, according to White Plains Superintendent of Schools Dr. Christopher Clouet.

Clouet said White Plains scores have improved steadily the last two years because the district curriculum approach has addressed the achievement gap and has "raised all boats."

"We will have our work cut out for us with the raising of the passing levels," he told WPCNR this afternoon. Asked the percentage of White Plains students who wouould have passed the Grade 3 through 8 assessments this year if the new passing levels were in effect, Clouet said the district is in the process of figuring that out because the new passing levels vary per grade level. He promised a more detailed analysis and statement would be forthcoming. Clouet said there would be a report showing the effects of the new standards within the next two months.

According to the Department of Education news release, cut scores "are based on a review of research that analyzed how the grade 3-8 state tests relate to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam; how the state’s eighth grade Math and English tests relate to the Regents exams; how performance on the Regents exams relates to SAT scores; and how performance on the Regents exams relates to first-year performance in college. 

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. July 3, 2010:

The White Plains Board of Education will hold its annual Reorganization Meeting Tuesday where re-elected Board Members Sheryl Brady and Charles Norris will be sworn in, and new officers of the Board will be elected, followed by its regularly scheduled first meeting of the year.

New Assistant Principals at Post Road School and George Washington School will be officially appointed. Carmen Soto will be installed at Post Road School, as assistant to Principal Theresa Niss. Brendan McCarthy will assist Principal Terri Klem at George Washington School.

Still to be hired for the new school year are an Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction (replacing Margaret Dwyer) and a new Principal for White Plains High School (replacing Ivan Toper.

Representatives to the School Board Finance Committee, Steven Rabinowitz and Timothy Donohoe are expected to be reappointed to the committee which aids in making advisories on the budget to the Board.

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. May 28, 2010: At the Board of Education last Monday night, the Board appointed three new Elementary School Principals. Theresa Niss (long arts coordinator for the School District, and Assistant Principal at Post Road School was appointed Principal of Post Road School replacing Laura Havens.. Tashia Brown was chosen Principal of Ridgeway School, and Darrell Stinchcomb was installed as Principal of Church Street School  for Michael DeChance who was reassigned.

Still to come on filling out the School District roster for next year is a new Assistant Suprintendent for Curriculum and Instruction to replace Margaret Dwyer, and a new Principal for White Plains High School to take over the reins for Ivan Toper who is retiring. A month ago, Suprintendent of Schools Dr. Christopher Clouet advised WPCNR that a national search is on for both positions.

Each Elementary Principal in this year's School Budget is being paid $172,433.

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. May 18, 2010: White Plains voters gave the Board of Education and the School District and new Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Christopher Clouet a resounding vote of confidence tonight.

The 2,273 voters casting ballots passed the school budget by a 66% to 34% margin, 1,525 in favor  of the $183.5 Million budget (incidentally $27 million more than the proposed city budget proposed by the White Plains Common Council Monday night) and 748 opposed. Sheryl Brady and Charles Norris were elected to second terms on the school board.

Dr. Clouet told WPCNR he thanked the voters for their support of the budget in a very difficult year, and appreciate their turning out to support public education in White Plains.

The Unofficial Results Tabulated Tonight at the Board of Education Headquarters on Homeside Lane

Clouet speaking on White Plains Week two weeks told viewers of the local news program that the $183.5 level of spending was the absolute bottom level the district could entertain without impacting the quality of education in White Plains. The budget reduces teacher staffing significantly, eliminating 41 full-time teachers, 39 support staff (teaching assistants), 4 administrators  for a grand total of 83.1 Full-time employees

Here are the details on what the budget means for White Plains.

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. April 16, 2010: The 2009-2009, White Plains City School District School Report Card shows the district Elementary and Middle School populations improved substantially on English and Math performance on the new 08-09 achievements last year. The April 15 release of the previous year Report Cards was a first for the New York State Education Department, which traditionally have issued those reports in June, substantially after all school budgets are presented to voters in May.

Early analysis of the test results by WPCNR, show stunning improvement at the elementary levels. In 5th Grade English Language Testing, results were even with 2007-08 80%  402) of 499 students passing, and 14% scoring in the highest level as opposed to 7% in the highest achievement level.

In 5th Grade Mathematics, 87% of the Elementaries (443 of 501 students taking the test) passed compaged to 76% in 2007-2008.

The Middle School results were even more impressive. In 8th Grade English Language, 75% (389 of 502) passed compared to 58% in 2007-08, a 17%  improvement.

On the Mathematics Side, 90% (474 of 520 students) passed, compared to 80% in 07-08.

The High School Results on Regents exams were comparable for the most part with previous years.

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. April 9, 2010: White Plains High School will be seeking a new Principal over the summer, as Ivan Toper, Principal for six years, after replacing Christine Robbins in 2004 has announced his retirement. Also retiring is Asssitant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Margaret Dwyer, who has in the last three years been responsible for overseeing a sharp upgrade in middle school test scores. Dwyer has been with the district since 2002.

Also retiring are 6 Office and Custodial workers; 5 Teaching Assistants, and 23 full-time teachers and leaving are 2 Teaching Assistants.

The flurry of retirements are apparently the result of a retirement incentive program approved by the White Plains Teachers Association as part of the newly negotiated and approved extension of their contract through 2012. The contract extension and negotiation of it was not revealed to the public until it was approved by the Board of Education.

The retiring teachers are:

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. April 7, 2010: Two seats on the White Plains Board of Education will be up for election during the School District Budget vote May 18.

Petitions are available to residents at the School District Headquarters, 5 Homeside Lane. One hundred signatures are needed to obtain a slot on the ballot.

Presently, two incumbents have taken out petitions, Charles Norris and Sheryl Brady, to run for reelection.

Petitions are due April 28. For further information, contact the Clerk to the School Board, Michele Schoenfeld.

To run for the school board, you must be a resident of White Plains and over the age of 18, and a resident of the city for one year.

WPCNR MR. AND MRS. AND MS. WHITE PLAINS OP ED. By Larry Giordano. March 24, 2010: The following is the text of an "open letter" to the White Plains City School Board  from White Plains' Larry Giordano who examines the recently submitted Superintendent of Schools School Budget in light of current budget trends:

Pete, (Bassano, Member, White Plains Board of Education)

It was nice seeing you again. You look very professional up there which leads me to the conclusion that you and the rest of the board members must love PAIN! I want you to know I respect all of you for the fine work and effort you have done over the past years.

 I was in total amazement listening to folks stand up there and air their personal concerns with a total disregard for the rest of the residential city tax payer. For one mother to complain about her son not having a period for BAND class or another about their son NEEDING a study period is totally nuts. Now, concerning the young lady who had issues at a younger age (I do have a heart though some in WP may not think so) my question is, since the same folks that pay taxes to the WP school district also pay taxes to county government why not use their services for social and health services and even other areas where an overlap may exist?

 After looking at the breakdown of the budget it’s very easy to see the real savings has to come from the ~80% area that includes Instruction, Special Ed and Benefits. Let’s face it; going forward NYS revenue is going to continue to be a smaller piece of the revenue pie. This will unfortunately mean all NYS resident tax payers will be responsible for a greater portion of the revenue stream for their community.

To this end for the board to believe they can continue to pass on that additional cost moving forward is both naive and irresponsible. We have a saying on Wall Street, “trees don’t grow to the sky and neither do stocks”. At some point a “pullback” occurs and the price of a company is reset to better reflect current fair value.

The same should hold true with our school budget. It’s very disturbing to see total revenue being reduced by an estimate of $5.8mm yet the WP budget was ONLY reduced by $2.3mm. That is a huge difference… $3.5mm or 60%!  I know all on the board have worked hard and long to even get to this point but unfortunately more needs to be done.

I strongly feel a more aggressive position needs to be taken with the teachers union. The time has come for all of us including the teachers to pay their fair share to both health and retirement benefits. Most folks today pay ~25% for their health care insurance. The folks of WP have been very generous to our teachers and staff members over the years. The time has come for us to reset our school budget to better reflect the current fair value otherwise the bubble we continue to feed with higher taxes will be devastating when it pops! Trust me, bubbles always POP!!

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. March 23, 2010: The new Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Christopher Clouet presented his “Superintendent’s Budget” Monday evening before a vocal public hearing of 50 to 60 persons, offering a school budget that decreases White Plains school spending budget-to-budget for the first time in the district history.

The First Public Hearing on the School Budget.

 WPCNR notes that White Plains, with one of the largest school budgets in the county, has turned in a budget below last year’s, one of the few districts, if any, to turn in a lowered school budget.

Clouet’s budget calls for a 1.21% budget reduction to $183.5 Million, an additional reduction in the budget was achieved by $800,000 in net savings from retirements among the teaching staff, achieved due to retirement concessions granted by the teachers union in a new contract, allowing higher retirement incentives. By anticipating hiring replacement teachers (at entry level salaries, $52,269 in July, 2010) to replace retiring full-time teachers, $800,000 more money was saved.

The effect raises the school tax 3.78% even though the budget goes down 1.21%, and raises taxes $600 for the median-priced home in White Plains, ($650,000)

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. March 19,2010: White Plains Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Christopher Clouet told WPCNR moments ago that "At this point we are not considering raising our budget. We are sincere in seeking to lower our costs and serving the needs of kids."

Clouet was aware of the new proposed legislation allowing districts to go with a 3% increase (allowed by Assembly Bill 10130 which in Section 7, changes the contingency budget formula in 2010-11 only to generate an allowed budget increase of 3%), but said the district is not considering the advantage that bill, should it be enacted and signed, would give to the district.

The public has the opportunity to comment on the preliminary school budget Monday evening at Education House at 7:30 P.M.

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. March 9, 2010: The School District has officially cut the school budget year-to-year for the first time in district history. Last night, the district  matched up revenues with their final round of expenses Monday evening and projected the 2010-11 School Budget would raise school taxes 4.72%.

All together, possible city tax increases, county tax increases combined with the School District budget presented Monday night could increase property taxes $1,500 or more in 2010 for the White Plains homeowner with a $650,000 home.

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. March 5, 2010: At a public forum on the 2010-11 School Budget Wednesday, the school district announced it was planning at this time a budget of $184.7 Million, about $1 Million less than this year's budget.

WPCNR predicted in January, that based on present revenue projections on the new city assessment roll coming in at $3.7 Million less, and the 5.5% salary increases next year for teaching staff,  that the district would either have to cut 100 teaching assistants or a combination of fulltime teachers and teaching assistants (between 40 teachers and 40 teaching assistants, which would total $6,000,000 in salary) to avoid about a 9 to 10% tax increase. WPCNR was told that "we are not firing 100 teaching assistants."  "Support staff" apparent is going.

WPCNR's prediction was right on the money. Last night, the district said at this time they were cutting 41 fulltime teachers and 39 "support" staff to bring the budget in at $184.7 Million. The cuts come to $6.5 Million.

WPCNR also reported last Saturday that  the District had unbeknownst to the public negotiated a one year contract extension with the teachers for the 2011-2012 year adding up to a 2-1/4% merit raise in salary in additon to the standard 2% step raise, meaning the teaching staff will receive a 4-1/4% increase in February 2012. This raise was negotiated without the district knowing what their 2012-12 revenue projects could possibly be (considering the very shaky state of the White Plains Assessment Roll.

Last night the district announced this extension, as reported by WPCNR last weekend.

Monday, the district is supposed to discuss their revenue projection for this year. Some 41 teachers are expected to retire, taking advantage of incentives approved by the Teachers union as part of the new contract extension.

WPCNR expects to hear more on Monday.

The district has also set up a similar situation to last when they presented a budget to the public lower or close to what a contingency budget would be if the district voters rejected the 2009-10 budget. WPCNR attempted to get the inflation rate the State Department of Education will use to figure contingency budgets but the press office has not delivered it yet. It has been a week and a half since WPCNR asked.