When Old Problems Persist

A friend of mine read this article in northjersey.com today. She wanted to know what I thought...

In a perfect world, Englewood Cliffs will build their own little high school for a small number of students. There are tiny high schools all over the country. So what is the problem? Folks seem to forget that Englewood Cliffs is totally free to set up their own small high school. They might even set up a Charter School. Remember, Charter Schools are public schools. That means that the people of Englewood Cliffs need to make some very important, history changing decisions. It would be a bold and admirable move. That would take care of Englewood Cliffs. (One wonders why this was never done. Gives one pause.)

The State and Federal Government or whomever makes the important decisions on these things should officially redefine the term "integration".

The Academy should be forced to eliminate the TEST with the stringent MATH performance requirements that all applicants must take to enter the School Choice Program. It is contrary to School Choice Guidelines to base admission into this "funded program" on a test. School Choice is based on Space. We see from this article that School Choice Admission is also based on Funding and this Funding is running out. The Program is costing the entire School District money. Poor planning, poor work organization and poor fiscal management may also be factors to consider.

It costs more to educate a child in the Englewood Public School District than it does to educate a child in a good quality Private School. This would be fine if test scores demonstrated that we are providing a good quality competitive education to every child. That, is not the case. School Choice is a privilege and should only be available to school districts that demonstrate they are already successful at teaching their own children. School Choice Students come here and they can be number 1 or number 10. What number were they in their home districts?

Exactly what does Englewood get out of that arrangement? Enrollment of Englewood students in A@E dropped long ago. There is no longer even an attempt to keep the enrollment to half and half as was mandated by the state. School  Choice is based on Space. 

Why should the State even consider giving this funding to Englewood Cliffs and Englewood? Both places need to accept that the world is changing. Some old deals need renegotiation and some just need to be discarded altogether, because of the backroom nature of the bargains. When I came here in 1967, there were quite a few students from the Cliffs. It was said that the additions to Martin Luther King, Jr. Hall were made to accommodate Englewood Cliffs students. I don't know about that, but I do know that the taxpayers of Englewood paid for the construction of the South Building. That information was easy to find.

Englewood Cliffs must take on the full responsibility of educating their own children. 

It is time for Englewood to do the same thing. EPSD must stop making excuses for failure. Englewood children must be "priority ONE" if we are to achieve the Reward School Designation. We must endeavor to raise the Academic Performance of every single student.  There are Regulations and we have policy regarding Equal Educational Opportunity. This policy is in direct conflict with the concept of "academic segregation" and this should be stressed to the public. It is unfair and gives children the wrong idea when adults do not practice what they preach. They make laws that apply to OTHER people and not to themselves. The children are watching, learning,  judging...and...

The very concept of Integration means that you need a certain percentage of white people. This A@E Entrance Test probably eliminates some very brilliant white children who excel in many other subject areas and who will fit more harmoniously with the children of Englewood Residents. Do you follow? It will do wonders on helping to repair the Toxic Climate and Culture that has been pervading our high school. Then perhaps children, teachers and administrators will get down to some learning. 

Everybody is looking to register white children. This very paper did an article a few months ago about Teaneck Public Schools. It seems that Teaneck still thinks that they need white people in order to survive and educate all children. The perception that education must stop because of a person's address and skin color is old and played. White flight is at its highest. Population growth among Caucasian people is said to be about 0-1%. It is time to stop chasing Anglo Saxons. Some people don't like being in the minority, so they fly. Englewood must buckle down and teach the diverse population of children enrolled.

There are just not enough white people to go around.

What does Englewood get out of any deal with Englewood Cliffs? There is no real gain from even the School Choice Program since we lose money on every single student. Add that to the cost of the extended day and there lies that deficit that was defined in 2012. This same deficit was predicted in 2008 - 2009 when the last check came from the Equity and Excellence millions that were given to the EPSD for the purpose of integrating DMHS. How did that work out for us?  School Choice does not earn money for the Englewood Public School District. Those False Rumors have been dispelled.

A Focus School Designation has a negative impact on our HS and our district. 

The burning question on the lips of taxpayers.....

Would DMHS have been designated a Focus School if there was no School Choice Program in our district?   

In the words of one of our Board Members, "We are who we Are!" 
And that includes Englewood Cliffs. 
Solve your problems and we will solve ours.

So that is what I think...

http://www.northjersey.com/.../diversity-elusive-in...

...And how are the children?

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Maquette Finds A Permanent Home

Gearing  up for the Campaign

These 3 Englewood School Board Candidates

attended the Celebration and Presentation of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Maquette to the 

Englewood Public Library by the Mayor and Assemblywoman Valerie V. Huttle.

George Garrison III, Betty Griffin, Kevin Lake pose in front of the
Maquette of Martin Luther King, Jr. created by the Artist Richard Blake
and commissioned by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument Committee.
The Commissioned work of Art will be unveiled on Sunday, October 12, 2014
at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

November 19, 2013
The Artist, Richard Blake poses with
his work at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

November 19, 2013

May 20, 2014
The Maquette arrived in Englewood.

May 20, 2014

4th Ward Council Wayne Hamer delivers the
Maquette to the Mayor to be presented to the
Library at a later date.

May 20, 2014

He won the bidding war. His opponent wanted the
Maquette for Teaneck High School. They have a
Multicultural Studies Center that contains an
African & African American Studies Center.
Englewood does not have anything
that remotely resembles that, yet.

May 20, 2014

The Maquette was informally presented to the Director of the
Englewood Public Library.

September 28, 2014
The Marquette is formally presented to the Englewood Public Library.
Theodora Lacey, Assemblywoman Valerie Huttle, Mayor Frank Huttle III and Arnold Brown

At the risk of getting stoned later, this writer sincerely hopes that this is not the last we hear of this Maquette and what it means to the people of Englewood. It is hoped that the Armistad Curriculum will be dusted off and actually used in the classrooms in the District. We embrace the idea that this will infuse renewed interest in making sure that African & African American History is not ignored or changed to suit the teacher who happens to occupy the seat at the time. 

Some of us happen to believe that Martin would have been more interested in how his life's sacrifice translates into the classrooms of America. I believe, that the man embodied in the monument would be most happy to know that our schools have become places where all little children will live, play, laugh, study and learn in educational environments where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, zip code or parent's bank account, but by the content of their character.

- Vote November 4, 2014 - Make the Dream A Reality -

...And How are the Children?

The Louie Bacoat Historic Community Garden Is A Community STEAM Education Project

How are the children?

Public School Parents Must be Involved in the High Stakes Testing Hearings!

Reblogged from Save Our Schools NJ.... 

Please click here to let Governor Christie and NJ Education Commissioner Hespe know that the commission they are creating to review testing in New Jersey must include public school parents concerned about high-stakes testing, and that the commission must hold public hearings across the state.  

The commission will be appointed soon and we want the Governor and Commissioner to know that the people of New Jersey are watching!
BACKGROUND

Thanks to your calls, emails, letters and testimony, A3081/S2154 (the anti high-stakes standardized testing legislation), received overwhelming, bipartisan support in the New Jersey Assembly (74 yes; 4 no; 2 abstentions), and was poised for an equally strong, bipartisan vote in the New Jersey Senate (the legislation has 5 Republican and 8 Democratic Senate sponsors).
The A3081/S2154 legislation would create an independent, expert task force that includes public school parents, to hold statewide public hearings and thoroughly examine alternatives to high-stakes standardized testing; student data privacy concerns; implementation and cost of the new PARCC test and Common Core; and teacher evaluation.  The legislation also freezes for at least two years all the punishments associated with the PARCC test, for students, teachers and public schools.

Instead of agreeing to sign A3081/S2154, Governor Christie issued an executive order.  Unlike the legislation, the executive order is very limited in its scope.  It calls for a quick review of "the quality and effectiveness of student assessments administered to K-12 students" and "recommendations on the volume, frequency, and impact of those assessments" and of the Core Curriculum Content Standards.
The executive order also gives Governor Christie complete control over who serves on the commission and does not require that public school parents be involved, or that the process include any public input. 

Please click here to let Governor Christie and Education Commissioner Hespe know that the people of New Jersey are watching and expect the commission to hold statewide public hearings to enable commission members to hear from New Jersey residents; and that the commission must include public school parents who are concerned about high-stakes standardized testing.

Your energy and passion are why the A3081/S2154 legislation moved so quickly and with so much bipartisan support.  This is only the first step in a broader campaign against high-stakes standardized testing.  Please stay tuned for information regarding additional legislation and other actions.
Thank you!

                                              How are the Children?

The Academy Way: Is There a Super Hero In Your Mirror?

The Parent Partnership Association (Academy Parents mostly from out of town) are still calling for the removal of the high school Principal and Administration. They have some nerve to complain that the Assistant Principal does not exist online. They complained that he is not prominent on the Englewood Public School District website. It seems they want someone famous. Wow.

Now that is really reaching. Mr. Armental does not maintain the website. These people have been endowed with too much power. They are making demands that should be ignored. They are costing us an awful lot of money. No one has been able to show where Englewood Cliffs pays to educate their children at all. That needs to end. We are paying to educate their children and they are demonizing ours.

Did you know that teachers in the North building (the main building with the tower) are not allowed to teach honors courses?

Did you know that if a child from Englewood does not wish to declare a major in the 8th grade that they set themselves up to be chastised, demonized and looked down upon for the rest of their high school careers. Academy students must choose a major and stick with it through graduation. They have no choice. It takes more courage to just say "No" than to backstab any and everyone in order to be accepted.

Any Englewood Resident students who excel in subjects must be subjected to the Academy Way. Only Academy teachers are allowed to teach honors. How many of you think they are better teachers than DMHS teachers? If all of you raised your hands, you are right. They are not. It is a known fact that the Academy way discriminates against Englewood students.

Academy teachers have been allowed to reject STEM Education Programs when the entire world is embracing STEM Education.

Academy teachers are resistant to change. The program is 12 years old and has undergone very little change except that they have squandered over 30 million dollars and lost funding. Now the entire district suffers because of the Academy Way. They are stagnate, old fashioned and some are plain old lazy. There it is...

Academy teachers and out of town Parents have been allowed to have too much power. They are above the law. In any other School district their actions would be deemed insubordination. Increments (raises) would be withheld and teachers would be brought up on tenure charges. In Englewood, they are heroes, because the people you elected indulge them. You are paying them to dis you and your children every single day. That is the Academy Way.

Why do 5 members of our Board of Education allow teachers to run the entire district into the ground. The Academy Way is ruining the education of Englewood students all the way down to Pre-Kindergarten. Your tax dollars is funding this indulgence. Howard Haughton and his supporters must be called upon to justify this obvious slight of Englewood voters.

Out of town Academy Parents stand up for their "Academic Segregation". They have been indulged by

people that you elected. They have been funded by your tax dollars and based on their actions, they despise you and your children.

When are Englewood Academy Parents going to stand up for Equal Opportunity in Education for their own children?  

You may begin by demanding the dismissal of the teacher sleeping on the table during the school day that has gone viral among students, teachers, administrators, parents, community members and school board members. Who knows, it may have been during her preparation period and she is allowed to catch a nap during that time. What is good for one is good for another. It is time you started to collect information and to fight for yourselves and your children. There is no Superman or Batman waiting in the wings to lead you. You must find the heroes in your own mirrors. You have more reason to protest than they do. You also have more power. It is time you started to use it.  Stop the vicious cycle. Protest with the full force of your being. It is a Civil Rights Violation of every single child in the district. It is illegal. It is damaging your children. It is against Englewood's own school policy that must be enforced by the Superintendent of Schools.

We need a leader. We need a good Superintendent who can shut these people down. They are running our school district and damaging our children.

Hang in there, Mr. Armental and DMHS Administration. There are more of us who think these folks are crazy than anyone hopes. The program is not sustainable in its present state. It has never been evaluated to determine whether it is doing anything positive for Englewood Residents. It is certainly NOT integrating DMHS. It is only helping the Special interest groups. The Haves and the Have Nots. What does that even mean in this town? The Academy Way is killing our school district. We see it.
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&es_th=1&ie=UTF-8#q=Joseph%20Armental

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&es_th=1&ie=UTF-8#q=Joseph%20Armental