Priorities

I started writing a blog entry about a chandelier. The word chandelier spelled just this way.  Microsoft Word underlined the word in red. I puzzled over the red line a little, but kept on writing.

A suggestion was made at a school board meeting on March 3, 2011 that an elaborate lighting fixture was needed in the impressive lobby (atrium) of Grieco Elementary School. How many computers do you think you can buy with the cost of a fancy lightning fixture of the magnitude that would grace the area? I’ve just finished remodeling my home. 10 would be my guess, if not more. The golden tassel that hangs there now should grace the ceiling above to stand as a symbol and reminder that we understand where priorities lie.

I was thinking about the big fancy light, but I really couldn’t write because I was preoccupied with that red line under the word chandelier. Microsoft Word kept telling me that I was spelling the word incorrectly. The new Superintendent of the Englewood School District was talking about buying a fancy light that Microsoft Word told me I couldn’t spell.

Well sir, The Oxford Illustrated Dictionary and Miriam Webster agrees with me. Chandelier –  an  ornamental branched hanging support for several candles or electric light bulbs. I took both situations as prime examples of when to question authority.  There are times when one accepts without question and times when one makes noise with objections.

So again, how many computers do you think we can buy with the cost of the big electric light that the editors of Microsoft Word cannot spell? Should we even consider the purchase of such a luxury item at this time? In the neighborhood we would call that type of frivolous purchase showboating or fronting.

The answer is an easy one.  Purchase the chandelier when libraries have computers and up to date books and reference materials in print. Purchase a fancy chandelier after classes have up to date Math, Science, History and English textbooks. And the list goes on and on. When we think of all the things we need that gaudy little tassel hanging there looks better and better.

One Small Step Together

On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated in Memphis as he labored to bring economic justice and respect for 1,300 city sanitation workers.

 On Monday -- the anniversary of Dr. King's death – the National Education Association and other labor unions, civil rights organizations, and religious leaders will stand together across this country for the same human rights and human dignity for working men and women.

On Monday, April 4 let us in Englewood at least come together with the League of Women Voters to meet and question the candidates for the Englewood Board of Education. Let us make this one small step together.

Time: 7:30 pm
Place: Public Safety Complex - 73 S. Van Brunt Street
Sponsored by the League of Women Voters

Does the Englewood School District have a Chief School Administrator or not?

Tuesday March 29, 2011 at a Board of Education Budget meeting we noticed that there was an item in the upper right hand column of the handout that even Superman would need a magnifying glass to read. We could not read it. Once I returned home. I dug out my magnifying glass and read it. This is what it said:

Dear Mr. Garrison and Mr. Olibardi:

The review of your district’s revised proposed budget for FY12 has been completed. The district is required to submit a budget with supporting documentation. This documentation prescribed by the Commissioner at N.J.A.C 6A23A-8.1(b) includes a School District Budget Statement with a signature line for the Chief School Administer (CSA). By signing, the CSA verifies that the proposed budget includes sufficient funds to meet the Core Curriculum Content Standards (CCCS).

As you are aware, the Chief School Administrator did not sign the School District Budget Statement. However, as a result of the budget review by this office and notwithstanding the improper CSA signature, a determination has been made that proposed budget for FY12 complies with N.J.A.C 6A23A-9.2(b).  Therefore, I am approving the proposed budget as compliant for advertising and public hearing purposes. 

Further, I am requesting that the School District Budget Statements be properly signed and resubmitted to this office. If you have any questions regarding the above notification please contact us.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Gilmartin

Executive County Superintendent

The question is why. Why was the proposed budget not signed? It was not signed because we do NOT have a Chief School Administrator. Dr. Carlisle does not have a contract. Mr. Richard Seagall has been demoted to Assistant Superintendent. That means that neither man may legally sign the budget proposal.  What does this mean for the taxpaying voting public? Will we be able to vote on a budget that has not been legitimized by the County Superintendent? Note that the County Superintendent has given a provisional approval for “advertising and public hearing purposes” only. Perhaps this board will find a solution to this  problem before we (the taxpaying public) is required to vote on the Budget April 27, 2011.

It is time for taxpayers to speak up. The “Bottom Line” also part of this same handout from the Board of Education states that there will be “0 layoffs – 0% Tax Levy Increase”. Well, if you are a homeowner you know that there is a little slipping and sliding going on with the tax situation. This is probably coming down from the state where the Governor is also claiming no tax increase. For instance, homestead rebates were not mailed to home owners this year.  Homestead Rebates were applied to 2^nd quarter or May property taxes. Rebates were also decreased over 75%. Homeowners who formerly got rebates of close to 1 thousand dollars only got about $250 applied to their property taxes. Regardless of what the label is, adjustments have been made. (so we are not calling it a levy) Everyone knows that we must pay taxes in order for the country to function. We must however, begin to hold our political leaders accountable to how the money is used. Too little of it finds its way back into our schools.

Our board is quite frankly a disappointment. When I decided to become involved I did not expect to find such blatant disregard for the public and our students. After a long search, they decided on Dr. Carlisle, who seems to have been a good choice. Now it seems that they are not impressed because he is not their wind up toy. We don’t want a wind up toy. We want a real living breathing person knowledgeable in the art of educating our youth.  The board obviously made the man promises in order to get him here.

Now it is time for everyone to compromise. We need a Chief School Administer right now.

One Parent's Statement to the Board of Education

All of our children are important including the latch key kids and the neglected. None should be forgotten. The talented tenth setup in the Englewood School System is not conducive to the student body in the Englewood School District as a whole. The talented tenth will always be talented. It is the mainstream, the majority of the population that needs to be brought up to the talented tenth. We must all open our eyes and ears. Many of our children are behind. Some are drowning. No child should be left behind. Segregation in the Englewood Public School system has to end. The Board researched and chose our current superintendent, Dr. Carlisle. If he fails, we must look to the board members and should hold them responsible. We cannot not accept another upheaval for our children. This needs to be our last superintendent for a long while. Teachers must be expected to work with their superintendent, the parents and our children. The public should expect our ELECTED board to work with the superintendent they chose for us. His failure is their failure.

Speak up parents.

Make them all Academy Prep.

Make them all AVID.

There is free tutoring available every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at the Liberty School, 3rd Floor. The teachers there are excellent. Take advantage of it. Don't accept anything less than the best for EVERY child in Englewood, not just a select few.

 

Submitted by: Donna Sumler, concerned parent and taxpayer.

Meet the Candidates: Board of Education Candidates Forum

Events for 4/4/2011
Start Time 7:30 PM
End Time 10:00 PM
Title
Candidates Forum for Englewood Board of Education
Location
Municipal Courtroom
Extra Details
The public is invited to listen and ask questions of the five candidates who are running for election to the Board of Education. The candidates are incumbents George Garrison III and Jerry Lamb as well as Ronda Drakeford, Harley Ungar, and Mark deMontagnac. A Candidates Forum will be held on Monday, April 4, 2011 at 7:30 PM in the Public Safety Complex, 73 S. Van Brunt Street, in Englewood. This event is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Northern Valley.

The Board of Education election will be held on April 27, 2011.

The League is a membership organization dedicated to the informed and active participation of citizens in government. It provides nonpartisan election information and candidates' forums, but does not support or oppose political parties or candidates. The Northern Valley chapter represents 27 towns in northern Bergen County.

For further information, contact Betty Frank at (201) 567-3018.