1) Fees for the towns pool memberships have tripled. That increase was decided at the city council meetings. (From NJ.com)
- Individual swim club memberships in Englewood are increasing from $15 to $55.
- Family memberships are jumping from $60 to $220, more than a 250 percent hike.
2) Many of our young people are not working this summer and are walking the streets. At least 80% of our kids should be working, attending summer courses or camps. There's a 9th grade enrichment program going on right now but what happened to classes/workshops for grades 10-12?
2) At the last school board meeting, Donald Carlisle (Superintendent - with no signed contract) threatened that he was going to outsource the school districts nursing staff. Carlisle was angry that the school nurses spoke out of turn at a prior board meeting asking for summer jobs in front of the general public. Basically, he was trying to scare them for speaking out in public. So what was the district saying about bullying? It starts at the top and trickles down.
3) Peter Elbert, former middle school principal who was removed from Janis E. Dismus Middle School for failing test scores for 5 consecutive years has been chosen by the new superintendent of schools, Donald Carlisle, to become the principal for the same children he failed now at Dwight Morrow High School. He seems like a nice man and the kids like him but what does that have to do with their education? They're failing on the statewide tests. Which means that they can not compete successfully for jobs, college scholarships, internships, etc. Does anyone even care that this means their children will have been screwed over twice? Militeer is being kicked to the curb to make room for Elbert. The same way that Joe Bell was almost kicked to the curb to make room for Elbert when NJ state mandated that he be moved out of the middle school. Joe was saved because the parents came out and spoke against it. Why does our superintendent and board think Elbert is more impressive than Militeer or Bell?
4) Our district has a Mandarin language program (yes, spoken in China). We received a grant for the program. Three members of the board, Shirley Smith, Glenn Garrison and Stephen Brown are going to China. Only a small portion of the cost will come from Englewood's budget, about $1K per person. That's not much money really, except that it should be spent to send three children in the Mandarin program and one parent per child to China. Isn't that what immersion is about? Why aren't the children in the program going on the trip instead of the Board Members getting a free trip on our dollar. Seriously? Who does that?
5) The Eagle Academy, the alternative school in Englewood is where kids that disrupt learning in some way, shape or form are sent indefinitely. It seems that it's also where our teachers and principals are sent when they anger someone on the Board of Education or Administration. But that's not such a bad thing, because that means that there is good leadership and educators like Joe Bell, Jamila Scott, Malva Wise-White. They're a blessing to our kids at the Alternative School. I've heard that one of our best and brightest, Wayne Stackhouse (excellent math teacher from Dismus), has been exiled to the Alternative program for this coming fall. What do all of those people have in common. Brains, backbone, balanced? What else? And by the way, the ages for inductees of the Alternative School have been lowered to allow 7th and 8th graders to be placed there. Low self esteem can land your child there. That's one of the criteria for admittance. Wow.
Keep an eye on the hiring that's going on in your town and school district. Have your say and make your suggestions. Attend the city council and school board meetings. We can make sure that our schools do better, that our town does better. Go to www.espd.org, www.cityofenglewood.org and http://plumwalk2-justsaywhen.blogspot.com, for more information on Englewood, meeting schedules and what's going on in town.
Read - Learn about Englewood and what's going on in your town
'Worst economic recession' says Englewood mayor about city's financial situation
Englewood finance report make dire prediction
Passow: Hall of fame basketball coach, Gerald Akridge, deserves better
Englewood Schools May Expand Chinese Language Studies
Englewood To Hike Swim Membership Fees
To have your say, email me your suggestions, comments, questions and news. Please feel free to forward this email to all of your neighbors and friends in Englewood. We can make Englewood a better place to live.
Donna Sumler
