NYS EDUCATION DEPARTMENT RELEASES DRAFT EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT PLAN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

Posted on May 11, 2017 by John Bailey

Draft Plan Emphasizes Fostering Equity in Education for All Students

Expands Measures for School Accountability & Student Success

Requires School-Level Improvement Plans for Lowest-Performing Schools Overall and Among Certain Student Populations

Public Comment Accepted Through June 16

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From the New York Stated Education Department, May 10, 2017:

The New York State Education Department Monday presented to the Board of Regents and released for public review and comment the draft Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan (summary available here), Commissioner MaryEllen Elia announced.

The draft plan emphasizes fostering equity in education for New York’s students; expands measures for school support and accountability, and student success; and requires school-level improvement plans for the lowest performing schools overall as well as schools with the lowest performance for certain student populations.

The plan also includes strategies for supporting the professional growth of educators and ensuring that all students, including English language learners/Multilingual learners, immigrant students, migratory youth, homeless youth, and neglected and delinquent youth have access to a well-rounded education that supports their academic and social-emotional development.

“We must seize this opportunity to reimagine the role accountability plays in improving teaching and learning in our schools,” Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa said. “ESSA gives us the chance to shift to a more holistic approach to accountability – an approach that looks at multiple measures of school and student success that will evolve over time. It allows us to look at critical, but often overlooked, indicators of success, like children’s social and emotional growth and development. This is about educating the whole child.”

“Over the past year and half, we have taken a deliberative, transparent and inclusive approach to develop New York’s ESSA plan,” Commissioner Elia said. “Our goal is straightforward – we will submit to the U.S. Department of Education a plan that supports the development of highly effective schools, so our children will be equipped to lead successful lives. I cannot emphasize enough that this plan is a draft – that means it’s not yet done and we want feedback on it. We will make changes to strengthen it based on those comments.”

NYSED held more than 120 stakeholder and public meetings to gather input to help inform the development of the draft plan. The Department is also hosting 13 public hearings on the plan from May 11 through June 16 and is accepting public comment on the plan through June 16.

The full draft plan and a summary are posted on the Department’s ESSA webpage. The summary document outlines the Department’s stakeholder engagement process and highlights key proposals from the full plan.

Highlights of the Draft Plan

Fostering Equity in Education

In addition to meeting ESSA requirements, New York’s draft ESSA plan supports the Board of Regents’ goal of increasing equity in educational opportunities for all students across the state. To that end, New York explicitly designed the State accountability system to require schools and districts to:

reduce gaps in performance among certain populations for students;
incentivize districts to provide opportunities for advanced coursework to all high school students;
continue to support students who need more than four years to meet graduation requirements; and
work with students who have left school so that they can earn a high school equivalency diploma.

Further, under the draft plan, the state will:

publish annual reports on per-pupil spending and equitable access to effective teachers per district;
identify inequities in resources available to schools and require districts to address these inequities in their improvement plans;
use Title I School Improvement Funds to increase diversity and reduce socio-economic and racial/ethnic isolation in schools;
develop state and local policies and procedures to ensure homeless youth are provided equal access to appropriate educational supports, services and opportunities;
create uniform transition plans for students exiting juvenile justice facilities; and
leverage the creation of P-20 partnerships to improve the quality and diversity of the educator workforce.

School Accountability Methodologies and Measurements

New York strives for an accountability system that supports all students, is transparent, prioritizes the measures that New York’s educators and families value, recognizes the good work that schools are doing, and accurately identifies schools that need the most help. The proposed revisions to New York’s school accountability and support system will improve teaching and learning and increase educational equity.

The Board of Regents is committed to evolving the state’s accountability and support system over time to add additional measures of school quality and student success. To achieve this, the Regents will form a workgroup to make recommendations on further measures to be added in the future.

School accountability strategies New York will implement in the draft ESSA plan include to:

expand accountability measures beyond English language arts and mathematics to also include science, social studies, acquisition of English proficiency by English language learners/Multilingual learners, and chronic absenteeism.
- expand access to advanced coursework, particularly for students in less-affluent school districts, through the creation of a College, Career and Civic Readiness index;
- add additional measures of school quality and student success over time. These could include such measures as students access to specific learning opportunities such as in the arts, science or technology courses; high school readiness for middle level students; postsecondary success of high school graduates; school climate and supports for students’ social, emotional and academic learning, as measured by student surveys and suspension rates; student access to highly qualified teachers; student access to diverse learning environments; and measure of student civic engagement;
establish five-year, long-term goals for closing achievement gaps; and
- ensure a continued focus on students who need extra time to meet graduation requirements by including five- and six -year graduation rates in the accountability system.

Supports and Improvement for Schools and Districts

Under the draft ESSA plan, every three years the State will identify Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) schools based on the performance of all students and Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) schools based on the performance of subgroups of students. CSI and TSI schools will be required to develop school-level improvement plans in partnership with stakeholders. The State will also annually recognize schools that are high performing or rapidly improving. In addition, the State will identify school districts for targeted support that have one or more CSI or TSI school or, as a district, has certain populations of students who performs at a CSI or TSI level.

The draft plan outlines the supportive role that the State will take in working with identified schools and districts and establishes a system that promotes best practices while also allowing schools to identify the most appropriate solutions to the barriers they face, rather than prescribing an abundance of one-size-fits-all requirements. The State will approach school improvement as a set of stages to be in done in partnership with identified schools and districts, as opposed to approaching school improvement as a set of stages to be imposed on schools and districts. As part of this partnership, the State will provide multiple supports and opportunities for technical assistance to help schools identify and implement the specific solutions they need to address their specific challenges.

Requirements for identified TSI and CSI schools include to:

undergo a Comprehensive Diagnostic Needs Assessment that examines school quality, school data and resource allocation;
develop an annual improvement plan based on the Needs Assessment;
provide professional development connected to the improvement plan; and
determine the effectiveness of their improvement efforts through an annual review and parent, teacher and student surveys.

The State will provide a robust system of supports to identified schools and districts to assist them throughout each of these stages. Additionally, after the initial year of identification, the State will prioritize its support each year to any CSI school not making gains. While this differentiated approach is intended to provide the most support to the schools that need the most assistance, should a CSI school be re-identified as a CSI school, the school will be placed in receivership whereby the district superintendent or an independent receiver will have enhanced authority to manage the school. Schools that are currently “Priority Schools” will immediately be placed under receivership if they are identified as CSI.

Supporting Excellent Educators

The Department’s efforts to improve all students’ access to effective educators includes work with preparation programs, higher education providers, districts, BOCES and educators. To support educators and improve the quality of teaching and learning, the Department will:

leverage partnerships among institutions of higher education, other preparatory programs and public schools to create additional opportunities for candidates in teacher and school building leader preparation programs to have robust, field-based experiences that allow them to apply what they learn in the classroom and demonstrate that they have acquired the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to provide effective instruction and effective leadership earlier in their careers.
examine existing pathways to certification for both teachers and school leaders to ensure that existing structures are not creating unintended barriers for promising candidates to enter the profession.
assist school districts in creating comprehensive systems of professional learning, support and advancement for all educators – including those who are new to the field – along the entire continuum of their careers.

Supporting English Language Learners/Multilingual Learners

Of New York’s 2.6 million public school students, 8.8 percent are English language learners/Multilingual learners. New York will seek to improve teaching and learning as well as educator effectiveness by setting challenging, but attainable, goals for the state’s ELLs/MLLs. The draft ESSA Plan will enable ELLs/MLLs to develop English language proficiency, as well as access the state’s Next Generation Learning Standards, through the provision of high-quality instruction and support. The Department proposes to:

exempt recently arrived ELLs/MLLs in their first year of enrollment from the ELA exam. In addition, New York will propose to use such students’ ELA scores in the second year of enrollment only to set a baseline for future growth and achievement in the third year. In past practice, ELLs/MLLs’ ELA scores in the second year were used to measure achievement, rather than to set a baseline;
use a Transition Matrix Table for incorporating ELLs/MLLs’ growth toward attainment of English language proficiency into state accountability determinations; and
determine each district’s effectiveness in providing ELLs/MLLs with academic instruction that meets their needs through a self-evaluation tool.

Supporting All Students

New York believes that the highest levels of learning can occur when students and educators learn and teach in environments that are safe, supportive, and welcoming to all. To support this belief, New York will:

support districts to reduce bullying, harassment and the overuse of punitive and exclusionary responses to student misbehavior while promoting positive disciplinary practices, improving school climate and providing students with social-emotional supports;
work with districts to build positive school climates based on inclusive, equitable school cultures that recognize student diversity;
promote strategies to effectively engage parents and family members in their child’s education at the state, district and school levels; and
require schools and districts to collaborate with relevant community partners when conducting a comprehensive needs assessment and creating improvement plans based on such assessments.

Challenging Academic Standards and Assessments

New York is completing a two-year collaborative process with educators to revise the Next Generation English Language Arts and Mathematics Learning Standards to ensure that they continue to be rigorous and challenge New York’s students. In December 2016 New York adopted new science standards that have a focus on experiential learning; those standards become effective in 2017-18.

Once the application is released by the U.S. Department of Education, New York will apply to participate in the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority that will provide states the opportunity to work with selected school districts to pilot new approaches to assessment. During the pilot period these assessments can be used to meet federal participation and accountability requirements.

Stakeholder Engagement

For the past year, NYSED has coordinated and engaged diverse groups of stakeholders to solicit recommendations on how to craft an ESSA plan that best meets the needs of the state’s students, schools and communities. In these efforts NYSED established an ESSA Think Tank with representatives from more than 100 organizations, including district leaders, teachers, parents, community members and students and consulted with national education experts regarding ESSA, including Linda Darling-Hammond (Learning Policy Institute), Scott F. Marion (National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment), and Michael Cohen (Achieve).

In addition, NYSED held more than 120 fall and winter regional in-person meetings across the state in coordination with the state’s 37 Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) and the superintendents of the state’s five largest City School Districts, which were attended by more than 4,000 students, parents, teachers, school and district leaders, school board members, and other stakeholders.

Next Steps & Process for Submitting Public Comment

NYSED is accepting public comment on the draft plan through June 16 in writing and at 13 public hearings. Department staff will provide a summary and response to the comments received to the Board of Regents at the July meeting. It is expected the Board will vote on adopting a final version of the ESSA State plan in September.

Once the Board approves the ESSA plan, the State Education Department will submit the plan to the USDE for review and approval on September 18, 2017. After the plan is approved by the USDE, the Department will work with BOCES District superintendents, superintendents, the ESSA Think Tank and other stakeholder groups to develop and provide guidance on implementing the ESSA plan.

Comments can be submitted via email to ESSAComments@nysed.gov(link sends e-mail) with “ESSA Comments from (sender/organization name)” in the subject line. Comments submitted via mail should be sent to the attention of Dr. Lisa Long, New York State Education Department, Office of Accountability, 4th Floor, 55 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, New York 11217. Comments will be accepted through June 16.

White Plains Library Director Says Only One Drug Suspect Arrested in D.A.’s Alleged Drug Dealer Roundup involved in only one alleged drug deal in White Plains Library.

Posted on May 10, 2017 by John Bailey

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. May 10, 2017:

The Director of the City of White Plains Library issued a statement Monday afternoon to the public on the White Plains Library website, saying that only one arrest of the arrests of 18 individuals (15 of whom are residents of White Plains), involved the library as a location.

This one incident allegedly involving drugs in the library, prompted mention of the Library in the Westchester County District Attorney Joseph Scarpino, Jr. news conference on the drug arrests last Thursday. At that news conference, the D.A. mentioned the White Plains Public Library and 159 Lexington Avenue as places that were sites of alleged drug deals done by the 18 persons arrested on felony drug charges last week.

Mr. Scarpino never mentioned to the press that there was only one incident at the Library. The headlines and newscasts around the county publicized the one incident in the library, focusing on the fact that drugs were sold in the Library, the White Plains Library.

Mr. Kenney’s statement Monday indicates the notoriety of the Library was not what the media portrayed.

Brian Kenney, Director of the Library issued this statement Monday afternoon on the White Plains Public Library website:

Statement from the Library Director

“A recent police investigation revealed that an incident of criminal conduct took place in the White Plains Public Library.

We work hard to make the Library a safe environment, especially for children and teens. As a community, we have invested millions in our Library to create a welcoming, community-oriented, and productive space for our residents.

The incident occurred in an area frequented by adults. At no time were any patrons of the library in danger. There was no exposure to young people and the individual involved has been arrested.

We are extra vigilant of adults in the Trove, our children’s library, and the Edge, our teen library. When staff members see suspicious behavior they are quick to call law enforcement.

The White Plains Public Library is one of the safest public places in the City of White Plains. Our Public Safety Department and the staff of the Library will continue to work together to keep it that way.

May 8, 2017 1:06 pm | by Brian Kenney

Categories: Director’s Corner and Homepage.

Mr. Kenney’s is the first statement on the drug arrests matter by officials of the City of White Plains.

532 of 3,256 White Plains Students Opt Out of NYS Math Assessment Tests

Posted on May 10, 2017 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. May 10, 2017:

The White Plains City School District reported today that 16% of students taking the New York State 3 to 8 Grade Math Assessment Tests did not take the test, 532 of 3,256.

The majority of so-called “Opt-Outs” were in the

6^th 7^th and 8^th grades where 367 of 1,606 – 23% were held out of the Math tests.

In the 3^rd to 5^th grades (elementary level), 165 of 1,650 children – 10%–were kept of the exam.

The pattern of heavy opting-out in the 6, 7^th and 8^th grades echoed the trend in the ELA Assessments two weeks ago.

A total of 520 of 3,256 Students in Grades 3 to 8 in the White Plains City Schools “opted-out” of the New York State English Language Assessment Tests—also 16%.

Michele Schoenfeld, Clerk to the Board of Education said two weeks ago, commenting on the ELA opt-out increase, said the increase was attributed to a large group of 8th grade students deciding among themselves “to convince their parents to let them opt-out of the test.”

A total of 205 Eighth graders of 542 in the 8th grade at the Highlands Middle School (38% considerably more than the 168 who skipped the Math Assessments) opted out of ELA testomg according to district statistics.

In 7th Grade, 91 of 575 students in Highlands “opted out” of the ELA (16%) (7 more—98 avoided the Math Test). (Highlands teaches all 7th and 8th graders in White Plains, while Eastview School instructs all 6th graders.

In the 6th Grade at Eastview School, known as the “Prepartory Academy,” that transitions 6th graders to the Middle School routine in 7th grade, 79 of 489 6th graders opted out of the ELA ASSESSMENT (16%), while 22 more (101) stayed out of the Math Assessment last week.

Between the 7th and 8th grades, the critical preparation time for getting into the academic rigor of high school, 296 of 1,117 8th graders taking the ELA TEST opted out–a total of 26.5%.

In the elementary schools ELA tests two weeks ago, 3rd to fifth, the opt out rate was 9% in grades 3 to 5.

PHOTOGRAPH OF THE DAY: DEATH OF A MALL

Posted on May 10, 2017 by John Bailey

Astorino Personally Sues State, Riverkeeper Over Indian Point Closing Without an Environmental Review. Alleges leaving Nuclear Waste Behind Doesn’t Make Indian Point Safe After Closure

Posted on May 10, 2017 by John Bailey

Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino announcing his personal lawsuits against the state, Entergy and Riverkeeper to force an environmental review of the effects of the planned Indian Point closure by 2021. Photo, Courtesy Westchester County Dept of Communications

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. (Edited) May 10, 2017:

Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino filed two personal lawsuits Tuesday to ensure that any actions to close the Indian Point nuclear power plant alongside the Hudson River in the Village of Buchanan fully comply with the state’s environmental laws and protect taxpayers, ratepayers and jobs.

“When the Democrats on the Board of Legislators decided to abandon their responsibility of protecting our local communities, I decided to act on my own. The stakes are too high not to ensure every possible step is taken to make sure our county and local communities are not left defenseless against the power of the state and wealthy special interest groups. The second lawsuit will give others time to join our effort to hold the state accountable for enforcing our environmental laws for the benefit of the public.” Mr. Astorino said in a News Conference.

To View the Video of Mr. Astorino’s News Conference Tuesday go to this link:

https://youtu.be/YeJ71WKev2s

Citing clear and numerous breaches in the state’s environmental laws, the lawsuits detail how a deal to close Indian Point by Governor Andrew Cuomo, Entergy and Riverkeeper, failed to comply with New York’s State Environmental Quality Review Act, known as SEQRA.

“Our lawsuit has nothing to do with the debate over nuclear energy,” said Astorino at a press conference at his office in White Plains. “It has to do with safety and the rule of law. Ultimately, the issue isn’t whether Indian Point stays open. It’s that any plan to close the plant must fully comply with the law. If our environmental laws are to mean anything, then surely they must apply to the closing of a nuclear power plant that affects the lives and livelihoods of nine million New Yorkers. If ever there was a case for the State Environmental Quality Review Act to be enforced, this is it.”

The case is simple, Astorino outlined: The state failed, as the record clearly shows, to meet its obligations under SEQRA to conduct environmental reviews before it announced its decision in January to close Indian Point. By moving forward on the closure without the required environmental reviews, the state put the public at risk by failing to examine:

whether sufficient energy sources will be available to replace the loss of 2,000 megawatts of electricity (roughly 25 percent of the current supply to nine million Westchester and New York City residents) so that rolling blackouts can be avoided;
whether the anticipated increases in electric bills will cause economic hardships for individuals, families, and businesses, particularly among minorities, low-income residents, seniors and others on fixed incomes;
whether the loss of thousands of jobs and a billion dollars of economic activity will devastate local communities and the county at large. (Payment in Lieu of Taxes losses alone are estimated at $72 million for Westchester County, the Town of Cortlandt, the Village of Buchanan and the 2,500-student Hendrick Hudson School District);
whether replacing zero-emission nuclear power with fossil fuels will contribute to climate change;
whether the decommissioning of the plant will require a taxpayer bailout since current funds are estimated to be more than $1 billion short of what will be needed;
whether the public will be exposed to health and safety dangers from leaving spent, radioactive fuel rods on site for a period estimated to range from 60 years to forever.

“Even those who applaud the closing of Indian Point should be deeply concerned about how it is being done and the environmental and economic aftershocks to come,” said Astorino.

SEQRA is triggered for almost every basic public project, such as building pools, roads, playgrounds, purchasing computers and even renaming county facilities. Astorino said the state is ignoring the law when it comes to one of the biggest environmental decisions in New York’s history – the closing of a nuclear plant.

“Asking us to trust them defies common sense and basic logic,” said Astorino. “To say closing the plant has no significant impact would be laughable if the consequences weren’t so critical.”

Astorino commented on the Task Forces the Governor assembled to look at the consequences of closing Indian Point, after the decision was made.

“First of all, the questions now being looked at by the Task Forces all should have been asked and answered before the state decided to close Indian Point,” Astorino said.

“And what confidence can the public have in these Task Forces since they are accountable only to the Governor, have no weight of law behind them and their recommendations can be ignored. This is not how open and transparent government is supposed to work.”

The reason for Astorino’s two-lawsuit approach is to deal with the statute of limitations.

His challenge aimed at the Closure Agreement by the state, Entergy and Riverkeeper had to be filed Tuesday.

The second suit, faulting the state’s actions in issuing a water quality permit, was also filed today but does not have to be finalized until Aug. 24, 2017, which will allow others to join it.

The Democratic candidates for the nomination to run against Mr. Astorino wasted no time in criticizing the Astorino double suit:

Ken Jenkins, the County Legislator released this statement:

“We need to work with all stakeholders to unite the community, and work on a plan for the future. Now is the time to lead instead of grandstanding to part of the solution. We need to bring the community together and work on a plan for the safety of residents in the surrounding areas. Now is the time to work together to mitigate the economic loss of the closing, and do what we can to create jobs.”

State Senator George Latimer weighed in with this comment:

“Filing a lawsuit that will not add one cent of needed revenue to the Village of Buchanan, the Town of Cortlandt or the Hendrick Hudson School District, is the height of playing politics. It’s ‘good politics’ if you’re running for the Republican nomination for Governor, but if you intend to be County Executive for the next four years, you should be meeting with New York State officials to hammer out a plan to deal with the real world problems these communities are facing. It’s one more example of how Rob has made making headlines more important than making headway on solving this problem.”

Astorino’s lawsuit will be litigated by Philip Halpern, one of New York’s preeminent trial attorneys with more than three decades of experience and the managing partner of the firm Collier, Halpern, Newberg & Nolletti, LLP. There will be no costs to the county unless approved by the Board of Legislators.

The lawsuit seeks to invalidate the agreement to close Indian Point until a full environmental review is conducted; ensure the environmental impact statement includes a comprehensive assessment of the socio-economic, energy-replacement and environmental consequences of closing the plant; and guarantee any recommendations made by the state to mitigate the consequences of closing the plant will be subject to public review and debate prior to any final deal to close the plant.

GEORGE LATIMER INTERVIEWED ON PEOPLE TO BE HEARD ON THE INTERNET NOW

Posted on May 7, 2017 by John Bailey

STATE SENATOR GEORGE LATIMER

TALKS TO JOHN BAILEY, PETER KATZ AND JIM BENEROFE

ON WHY HE’S

RUNNING FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE

WHITE PLAINS TV’S

PEOPLE TO BE HEARD

THE METROPOLITAN AREA MOST RELEVANT INTERVIEW PROGRAM

NOW

The Latimer INTERVIEW by has been posted to YOUTUBE…the link is

https://youtu.be/kDiTwak6w1k

PHOTOGRAPH OF THE DAY: EXPLICIT NEWS

Posted on May 6, 2017 by John Bailey

AOL INITIATED A NEW EXPLICITNEWS PRECEDENT TODAY IN REPORTING WHO WON THE KENTUCKY DERBY. WERE THERE CATS ALSO ENTERED IN THE RACE? FORMER NETWORK NEWS COMMENTATORS? I THOUGHT THE KENTUCKY DERBY WAS A HORSE RACE. KUDOS FOR TAKING NEWS REPORTING TO A NEW LEVEL

Standard Amusements Is All In For Playland BUT Contingent on Rye Litigation Being Finally Settled. Playland-Go-Round Finally Stops Maybe. No Money Yet.

Posted on May 5, 2017 by John Bailey

Westchester County has begun its “share” of infrastructure repairs to Playland about a month ago by repairing the Hurricane Sandy 2013 Damage to the North Broadwalk…expected to be complete by November and paid for by FEMA funds. WPCNR PHOTO APRIL 27

WPCNR PLAYLAND-GO-ROUND. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. (Edited for Organization and Content). May 5, 2017

Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino and Nicholas Singer of Standard Amusements announced today that they have finalized the construction timetable for making $60 million of improvements to Playland that will revitalize the iconic 100-acre amusement park in Rye and place its future on a firm financial foundation.

Specifics related to the payment schedule of Standard Amusements include:

Standard Amusements will pay the county $750,000, 60-days after a final determination is made with regards to litigation with the City of Rye.

A spokesperson for the County said that the City of Rye has filed a Notice of Appeal after a judge dismissed the city suit for final right of approval to Playland changes last month. The spokesperson said they did not know whether Rye was organizing an appeal.

Standard Amusements will make another $750,000 payment – to be placed in a special reserve account – to be paid when the Board of Legislators adopts legislation to replace, renovate or remove the pool for future use as a concessions area.

The spokesperson for the County told WPCNR the Board of Legislators has to make that determination whether to romove the pool, that the Astorino administration has not and will not determine whether to remove the pool in order that Standard Amusements can transform the pool area into an upscale catering concession as it wants.

Such legislation must be enacted by Dec. 31, 2017.

Standard Amusements will take over operations after 50 percent of the infrastructure work is complete, which is expected by November 2018. Standard Amusement’s $30 million investment will go toward revitalizing Playland with new rides and attractions, as well as upgrading food & beverage choices, picnic areas, and restaurants and renovating grounds and buildings.

“Our efforts to save Playland and protect taxpayers through our public-private partnership with Standard Amusements are moving forward,” said Astorino. “Tangible proof is that construction is now set to get under way, and once completed, Playland will be infused with new excitement and experiences to be enjoyed alongside all the traditions, like the Dragon Coaster, that are part of growing up in Westchester.”

As part of the public-private partnership agreement reached between the county and Standard Amusements last May, design work on park improvements has already begun and will now transition into the construction phase, which will take place while the park remains fully operational.

The arrival of new rides and attractions, notably Windstarz, Revolution 32, and Unicoaster, are scheduled for 2019 with more to follow in subsequent seasons. Under the public-private partnership with Standard Amusements, Playland will remain a public, county-owned park.

“We are excited to be part of Playland’s future,” said Singer, a Harrison native. “Our goal is to focus on family fun that will create lasting memories while bringing new vitality into the park. I would like to especially thank County Executive Astorino for his perseverance and partnership.”

Playland is scheduled to open for its 89^th season on May 13, 2017.

County Executive Astorino, Standard Amusements and the Board of Legislators reached agreement last May on a plan to invest more than $60 million into Playland: $30 million from Standard Amusements, which carries with it the right to operate the park for 30 years, and $30 million from the county to pay for 11 capital projects on the property, including refurbishing historic rides, improving structures for games and concessions, as well as shoreline rehabilitation.

Standard Amusements will take over operations after 50 percent of the infrastructure work is complete, which is expected by November 2018.

(Editor’s Note: Westchester County will pay for that infrastructure work, including the renovation of the North Boardwalk and the collonades. Standard will invest in the park improvements.)

Standard Amusement’s $30 million investment will go toward revitalizing Playland with new rides and attractions, as well as upgrading food & beverage choices, picnic areas, and restaurants and renovating grounds and buildings.

The management agreement provides that Standard Amusements will pay the county $2,250,000; invest $27,750,000 million of its money within five years into refurbishing the park; and make annual payments to the county starting at $300,000 and escalating 2% a year. Once Standard Amusements has recouped its initial investment, the county will participate in a sliding-scale profit sharing agreement.

D.A. Announces Arrests of 18 Major Drug Dealers in White Plains and Greenburgh–8 Residents of White Plains

Posted on May 4, 2017 by John Bailey

Contraband and $100,000 in cash recovered from a Bronx apartment where heroin was “cut” and prepared for distribution to the local major drug dealers in central Westchester. Indivual glassene packets of Heroin were sold for $10 each. alleged distributors and sellers, charged below sold as many 25 customers the $10 bags a day., the District Attorney said.

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. MAY 5, 2017:

The Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino,Jr. in a news conference this morning at the Richard Daronco Courthouse in White Plains announced 18 persons were arraigned on Felony Complaints, after having been arrested in connection with street level heroin sales in the Town of Greenburgh and White Plains.

Westchester District Attorney, Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. (left) announcing the arrests this morning at the Daronco Courthouse.

The District Attorney said, “The defendants arrested included long-time drug dealers with lengthy felony records. This coordinated, multi-agency effort targeted the right people to take off our streets. I want to thank the White Plains, Greenburgh, Yonkers and Port Chester Police Departments, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety and the F.B.I. Safe Street Task Force for the unstinting efforts to make these neighborhoods safter. I also want to thank our Narcotics Bureau and Investigations Division who made these cases and coordinated the take down of these dealers.”

The investigation began at the beginning of 2016 and accelerated at the start of this year.

These were “major drug dealers” the D.A. said. Many of the defendants were selling heroin to “upwards of 25 customers, some of whom purchased heroin on a daily basis.

Large Packets of heroin found at 1208 Clay in The Bronx where heroin was allegedly prepared for sale to the Central Westchester Market.

Grinders used for preparing and blending heroin found in the Bronx apartment

Two loaded handguns, 2.5 kilos of heroin with a street value of $1.5 Million and over $100,000 cash were seized in the apartment of Luis Castro, of 1208 Clay in The Bronx.

Sales of the drugs to heroin users were made at various locations on the street in White Plains, at 159 South Lexington Avenue, and in the White Plains Public Library, the District Attorney said.

District Attorney Scarpino said that the war on drugs continues and that today’s arrests were the winning of just one battle. He said the key to defeating drugs is to “reduce demand,” by helping to “wean” the persons afflicted by this “disease.”

He praised the White Plains Police Department for their policy of not charging heroin users who sought help which he said was a way to helping them gain treatment for their addiction.

CLEAR is a program begun in April by the White Plains Department of Public Safety committed to functioning as a gateway for individuals who have made the decision to obtain help in the form of detox and rehabilitation as appropriate.

The White Plains Police Department will facilitate the assessment and placement process utilizing SOBA College Recovery 24 hour hotline and placement staff.

The White Plains Police will allow a person with a drug problem to relinquish your personal use drug contraband with amnesty of arrest. Contact the White Plains Police department, 422-6111 and ask about the CLEAR progam.

The persons arrested and arraigned in the last day were supplied their drugs from the Bronx, where a major heroin “cutting facility” was located and drugs seized, 1208 Clay Avenue in The Bronx.

The persons arrested from White Plains were

Willie James Edwards 51, of 159 South Lexington Avenue

Otto Armstrong, Sr.,60 of 85 South Road

The defendants Edwards and Armstrong were alleged to be the two major suppliers to dealers in the Greenburgh and White Plains area

The following White Plains residents were also arrested:

Byron Gaynor,51, of 24 Kensico Avenue

George Jamison,48 of 110 Park Avenue

Leon Richardson, 63 of 33 Fisher Avenue

Daryl Kyle, 64 of 1 Oak Street

Clifton Monk, 55 of 24 Kensico Avenue

Bernard Pease, 59 of 129 Kensico Avenue

Also arrested were

Alonzo Thompson, 55, 186 Grace Church, Port Chester, NY

Francis Brooks, 58 of 78 Evarts Avenue, Elmsford, NY

Dwane Stennett, 57 of 12 Cottage Gardens, Yonkers, NY

The District Attorney reported charges against the above named defendants include

Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, Class “B” Felonie

Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, class “B” Felonies

Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, class “E” Felonies.

Area Meetings Scheduled for Public Comment on the new Common Core Revisions

Posted on May 3, 2017 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From the NY State Department of Education. May 3, 2017:

The New York State Education Department is seeking continuing stakeholder and public input as it develops the state Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan, Commissioner MaryEllen Elia announced today. To facilitate this, 13 public hearings will be held across the state to gather feedback on the state’s draft ESSA plan and written comments will be accepted May 9 – June 16.

“The Board of Regents and I have made it our guiding mission throughout this process to ensure that every child has equitable access to the highest quality educational opportunities, services and supports,” Chancellor Betty A. Rosa said. “By asking parents, teachers, students and community organizations for feedback during every step of the plan development, we are working to make sure New York schools provide highly effective instruction aligned to the state’s standards, as well as positive learning environments so that each child is prepared for success in college, career and citizenship.”

“We have to help schools improve performance without reducing them to a number or a letter,” Commissioner Elia said. “We reviewed more than 2,000 survey responses and feedback from more than 120 public meetings in developing our state accountability plan. We have also engaged extensively with national experts in developing this draft. After we present our draft plan to the Board of Regents, we want feedback from educators and parents across the state so we can submit a proposal to the U.S. Department of Education that best addresses the needs of New York’s children. These public hearings and the public comment period are the next step to help us do that.”

The draft plan will be presented to the Board of Regents at its May meeting and the first public hearing will be held on May 11.

To allow for as many speakers as possible, each person will have a maximum of three minutes to speak and will be asked to make their presentations in the order in which the person signed up to speak. In the event that there are more speakers at a hearing than available speaking slots, persons may submit written comments. The public also will be able to submit written comments on the draft application during a public comment period from May 10 to June 16. The Department will review all comments as it finalizes New York’s ESSA plan.

The public hearings and comment period are the latest in the Department’s efforts to collect feedback on the draft ESSA plan. Input has also come from:

More than 100 ESSA Think Tank members, representing 108 stakeholder organizations, who have worked together since last July;
A Survey of Possible School Quality and Student Success Indicators that received more than 2,000 responses; and
A series of more than 120 regional meetings held statewide last fall and this winter.

For more information about the State’s work in developing the required ESSA state plan, please visit theDepartment’s ESSA website.

The complete list of public hearings is below.

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Schedule of ESSA Public Hearings

Date	Location	Time	Meeting Site
Thursday May 11, 2017	Long Island	6:00-8:30 PM	Half Hollow Hills HS East 50 Vanderbilt Pkwy Dix Hills, NY 11746
MondayMay 15, 2017	NYC – Staten Island	6:00-8:30 PM	The Michael J. Petrides Campus 715 Ocean Terrace Building H, Conference Room 1 Staten Island, NY
TuesdayMay 16, 2017	NYC – Bronx	6:00-8:30 PM	Bronx Borough Hall Third Ave & Tremont Ave Bronx, NY 10457
Saturday May 20, 2017	NYC – Manhattan	9:00-11:30 AM	Borough of Manhattan Community College Richard Harris Terrace 199 Chambers Street New York, NY 10007
Wednesday May 24, 2017	Syracuse	6:00-8:30 PM	Henninger High School 600 Robinson Street Syracuse, NY 13206
Tuesday May 30, 2017	Rochester	6:00-8:30 PM	Rush-Henrietta Sr. High School Sperry Building 1799 Lehigh Station Road Henrietta, NY 14467
Thursday June 1, 2017	Plattsburgh	6:00-8:30 PM	SUNY Plattsburgh Yokem Lecture Hall, Room 202 101 Broad Street Plattsburgh, NY 12901
Monday June 5, 2017	Yonkers	6:00-8:30 PM	Lincoln High School 375 Kneeland AveYonkers, NY 10704
Tuesday June 6, 2017	NYC – Brooklyn	6:00-8:30 PM	Prospects Heights Educational Campus 883 Classon Avenue Auditorium Brooklyn, NY 11225
Thursday June 8, 2017	Buffalo	6:00-8:30 PM	Erie 1 BOCES Building B 355 Harlem Road West Seneca, NY 14224
Saturday June 10, 2017	NYC – Queens	9:00-11:30 AM	Queens Borough Hall 120-55 Queens Blvd. Hellen Marshall Atrium Kew Gardens, NY 11424
Wednesday June 14, 2017	Binghamton	6:00-8:30 PM	Johnson City CSD High School Auditorium 666 Reynolds Road Johnson City, NY 13790
Thursday June 15, 2017	Capital District/Albany	6:00-8:30 PM	Questar III BOCES Administrative Building Conference Center 10 Empire State Boulevard Castleton, NY 12033

Statement from the Library Director

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. May 10, 2017:

The White Plains City School District reported today that 16% of students taking the New York State 3 to 8 Grade Math Assessment Tests did not take the test, 532 of 3,256.

The majority of so-called “Opt-Outs” were in the

6th 7th and 8th grades where 367 of 1,606 – 23% were held out of the Math tests.

In the 3rd to 5th grades (elementary level), 165 of 1,650 children – 10%–were kept of the exam.

The pattern of heavy opting-out in the 6, 7th and 8th grades echoed the trend in the ELA Assessments two weeks ago.

6^th 7^th and 8^th grades where 367 of 1,606 – 23% were held out of the Math tests.

In the 3^rd to 5^th grades (elementary level), 165 of 1,650 children – 10%–were kept of the exam.

The pattern of heavy opting-out in the 6, 7^th and 8^th grades echoed the trend in the ELA Assessments two weeks ago.