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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. March 1, 2004: The White Plains City School District elementary schools have improved  4^th Grade student scores on the New York State English Language Arts Test 15%  and  students passing the 4^th  Grade State Math Assessments by 8%  in the last four years. Each new fourth grade has scored higher each year since assessment began in 1999, according to data released to WPCNR by Larry Killian, Director of Research, Testing and Evaluation, Friday.

 

GW Comes Through.

Killian said George Washington School was singled out on the New York State Education Department list of most improved schools in the ELA test in 2003, based on the school 22% increase in students passing the ELA assessment since 1999, followed by Church Street School with a 16% gain in students passing the ELA 4^th grade “checkpoint.” 

 George Washington School  raised 4^th graders scores in the Math Assessment 18%, moving from a low of 66% of the 4^th graders passing in Spring 1999 to a District high of 84% passing the Math Test in 2003.

Starting Strong in Math, Continuing the March

Killian said that the White Plains district 4^th graders have scored very high in Math from the beginning of the assessments, starting with 72% passing in all  5 schools in 1999 and improving that standard to 80% in Spring 2003. White Plains elementaries scoring so high at the outset, Killian said, is why the improvement rate in math is slower at 8%. The number of 4^th graders passing Math each year nevertheless is moving up.

 

On the ELA test, George Washington was followed by Church Street School which improved 22% since 1999, Post Road which improved 14%, Ridgeway, 12%, and Mamaroneck Avenue School, 9%. Killian explained that all five schools are now passing the same number of students on the 4^th grade assessments.

 

Tests Identify Children Who Need Help

 

A typical fourth grade universe at a White Plains Elementary school is about 110 children spread over 5 classes. If 68% of students pass the 4^th Grade ELA test district wide in 2003, this would mean that approximately 375 of 550 children pass the state assessment, leaving some 75 children performing below Grade level, or approximately 15 children per school.

 

In the Spring, 2003 ELA tests, 68% of the five elementary school 4^th graders passed their ELA Assessments scoring high enough to place in Levels 3 or 4. In Math 80% passed.

 

Every elementary school in White Plains has responded and improved scores significantly over the last four years on both the ELA and Math Assessment Tests, reflecting the districtwide overhaul of curriculum.

 

School By School, It’s working 

 

The efforts of the school district to upgrade elementary skills  the last four years is most noticeable on the English Language Arts Assessments.

 

Church Street has gone from 56% of its 4^th graders passing in 1999 to 72% in 2003. (A 16% gain.)

George Washington from 50% passing in ’99 to 72%. (A 22% gain).

Mamaroneck Avenue from 55% to 64% (9% gain).

Post Road 4^th grades moved from 51% passing to 65%, a 14% improvement.

Ridgeway improved from 55% passing in 1999 to 67% in 2003, a 12% gain

 

Number Crunchers.

 

On the Math side of the Report Card, the march toward excellence has been slower, because the District started at a much higher score,  but has reached 80% passing districtwide.

 

In 1999 on the Math Assessment, 72% of Church Street 4^th graders passed, and in Spring, 2003 last year’s fourth grade improved that to 81%, a 7% improvement.

 

George Washington moved from 66% passing the Math in ’99 to 84%, highest passing percentage in the District last year.

 

Mamaroneck Avenue School passed 69% of their 4^th Graders in Math in ’99 and has improved that to 77% in 2003, an 8% gain.

 

At Post Road, 70% of their 1999 4^th grade passed the Math, and the 2003 4^th grade, 79% passed, a 9% improvement.

 

Ridgeway was very consistent in Math over the 4 years, 80% passing in 1999, and 81% passing in 2003, a 1% gain.

 

The District as a whole improved the number of 4^th Graders passing Math, 8% with 80% of District 4^th Graders passing in 2003, compared to 72% in 2003.

 

ELA GRADE 4 PERCENT MEETING STANDARD

(Scoring In Achievement Levels 3 and 4)

 

School                   1999       2003    Gain

 

Church Street           56        72          16%

George Wash           50        72          22%

Mam. Ave. Sch         55        64            9%

Post Road                51         65          14%

Ridgeway                 55         67           12%

 

DISTRICT WIDE      53%      68%         15%

 

MATH GRADE 4 PERCENT MEETING STANDARD

(Scoring In Achievement Levels 3 and 4)

      

School                   1999      2003          Gain

 

Church Street          74          81             7%

George Wash           66          84             18%

Mam. Ave.  Sch.       69          77               8%

Post Road                 70          79              9%

Ridgeway                  80          81              1%

 

DISTRICT WIDE        72%      80%            8%

Source: Larry Killian, Director, Research, Testing, Evaluation, White Plains City School District

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WPCNR VOICE OF THE CITY. February 29, 2004: With Budget Director Ann Reasoner noting early this month that the city is running $400,000 ahead of sales tax projections for 2003-2004, yet facing an $8 Million deficit made up of increased projected expenditures, and a $4 Million shortfall in revenue (expected to be made up in parking fees), the city has a budget gap. How do you think the city should deal with it? WPCNR has listed some options in the new survey at the right. Commentors are welcome to write in their suggestions.

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WPCNR COMMUNITY CALENDAR. February 29, 2004:  Esther Fortunoff , Executive Vice President at Fortunoff Fine Jewelry, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s annual Girl Scout Luncheon to be held on Wednesday, March 10 at 11:30 a.m. at Abigail Kirsch’s Tappan Hill in Tarrytown, New York.  Tickets for the event are $125 per person and must be purchased by March 5 by contacting Arlene Vrabel, at 914-747-3080,ext. 219 or via e-mail at avrabel@girlscoutswp.org. 

 

Ms. Fortunoff, who oversees jewelry buying as well as manufacturing and quality control for the company, serves on the executive council of the Jewelry Information Center as well as the board of the Jewelry Vigilance Committee.  In 1998, she received the Retailer Hall of Fame Award from National Jeweler Magazine. 

 

As an active member of the Long Island community, Ms. Fortunoff serves on the board of the Long Island Association and the advisory board of the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence.  In addition, she recently joined the board of trustees of the Nature Conservancy of Long Island. 

 

In 1997, she received the Juliette Gordon Low Award of Distinction from the Girl Scouts of Nassau County.  She is also active in avant-garde theatre and is a past chair of the Mabou Mines Theatre Company.

 

Ms. Fortunoff received a Bachelor of Arts in History in 1976 from Colorado College, and studied Archeology on the graduate level at the University of Arizona.  She and her husband, Joshua Greene, live on Long Island with their children. 

 

Girl Scouts is the world’s preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls everywhere, in an accepting and nurturing environment, helping girls build character and skills for success in the real world.  In partnership with committed adults, girls develop qualities that will serve them all of their lives such as strong values, a social conscience, and conviction about their own potential and self-worth.

 

In Girl Scouts, girls discover the fun, friendship, and power of girls together.  Through the many enriching experiences provided by Girl Scouts, they can grow courageous and strong.  The Girl Scouts of Westchester Putnam Inc. has more than 17,000 girls and 5,000 adults.

Fortunoff, with a new 185,000 square foot store in White Plains, has been a New York legend for over 80 years and is considered one of the premier specialty retailers in the Northeast. With six retail stores specializing in fine jewelry and home furnishings in New York and New Jersey, Fortunoff has earned a reputation for its unparalleled selection, remarkable prices and legendary integrity.

 

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WPCNR PIPLELINE TIMES From Westchester County Department of Communications. February 29, 2004: Pipelines to Westchester County’s wastewater treatment plants have undergone an overhaul – no small feat considering the major construction project required the coordination of 31 local governments, five years to design and construct and at a cost of $29.5 million.  In fact, Westchester and Putnam engineers deemed it worthy of their 2003 Project of the Year Award.      

The New York State Society of Professional Engineers (NYSSPE), Westchester/Putnam Chapter will presented Westchester County with the award yesterday at their chapter meeting at Lake Isle Country Club in Eastchester.  The award recognizes Westchester County government for taking a leadership role and proactive management approach to improve water quality by rehabilitating the local sewer collection systems throughout the county.

 

            “The rehabilitation project was a unique collaboration with 31 municipalities throughout the county,” County Executive Andy Spano commented.  “This has resulted in a more efficient operation of the wastewater treatment plants, which ultimately improves water quality in our streams, lakes, the Long Island Sound and the Hudson River. We were pleased to work with these local governments to share resources and knowledge and, most importantly, save tax payers’ money by not duplicating efforts.”

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) had determined that the drainage systems that flowed into County-owned wastewater treatment plants in New Rochelle, Mamaroneck, Yonkers and Blind Brook needed rehabilitation.  After the construction, there has been a significant reduction in both inflow and infiltration into the local sewer system, thus improving the operations of these wastewater treatment plants. 

                                                           

At the completion of the project, 356,000 feet of pipe were lined, 6,000 sewer laterals grouted, 2,500 manholes waterproofed, 150 manhole frames and covers replaced, 300 feet of sewer pipe replaced or excavated and 39 catch basins disconnected. 

The consulting firm Savin Engineers, P.C. of Pleasantville was retained by the county to provide engineering design, program and construction management services in this project. 

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