Updated 11/17/2013: Concussion Law, Anti-Bullying & Harassment Law, Heat Acclimation and Wellness, CPR Certifications, Sports First Aid: Is Your Child Athlete Safe?

NJSIAA - 2013 - 2014 Handbook for Officials
Did the recent NJ  NCLB waivers give school districts the go ahead to break with laws that protect the children (18A and 6A)? Why are some school districts proceeding as if there is no law? Do the power brokers and politicians understand the Pandora's Box that has been thrown open? Who may safely ignore the laws? May we have a list of those allowed? Are the poor protected? Do special needs parents realize the danger? Do mothers all over the country understand the dangers that loom in the future if there are no checks and balances? More, proper and precise oversight is needed, not less. Our sons and our daughters are in danger when the law is sucked down wormholes into the sand of indifference. Parents must stand up for the law as if the very lives of their children depend on it, because they do.

It is our hope that the following information may help parents learn to protect their children as they push them to participate in Athletics. Do not continue to allow others to gain notoriety and profit on the energy, well being and life of your children. It is time to take responsibility for what happens once your children have been entrusted to the coaches in this country. Know what you are sending your children into before signing them over to persons who may not care to train themselves to protect the children of others.

Englewood's
Head Volunteer Paraprofessional Football Coach (page 14 of 17) We are watching this situation and are wondering why northjersey.com does not seem to be aware of whom the Head Football Coach is in Englewood, NJ.

NATIONAL FEDERATION BY LAWS: NJSIAA - 2013 - 2014

http://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/document/13-14%20NJSIAA%20Constitution,%20Bylaws,%20Rules%20and%20Regulations%20minus%20index%20pages_0.pdf

Page 80 PROCEDURE – “COACHES” APPOINTED TO ACCOMPANY TEAMS OR INDIVIDUALS TO NJSIAA CHAMPIONSHIPS 
Member schools are reminded that a team or an individual is not permitted to compete in NJSIAA Championship events unless a properly appointed “coach” is present, and was present at six (6) practices prior to the event. When making these assignments, a public school must be aware of the provisions of the New Jersey Administrative Code, Section 6A:9-5.19, entitled “Athletics Personnel,” which mandates the requirements which a board of education must follow when appointing individuals in a coaching capacity. The practice of having a parent, a private instructor, or other adults accompany a student-athlete as the coach is a violation of this provision. Your county superintendent will be able to confirm the certification or lack thereof of the individual you are assigning. A properly appointed coach will thereafter be subject to the Rules and Regulations, Rule 2, Section 11 - Out-of-Season Practice. 

IF A PROPERLY QUALIFIED AND CERTIFIED APPOINTMENT CANNOT BE MADE, THE SCHOOL SHOULD NOT ENTER THE TEAM OR INDIVIDUAL IN AN NJSIAA EVENT. 
Such appointments must be approved by the Board of Education; neither the NJSIAA nor the meet director has the authority or the responsibility for enforcement of this statute, sole jurisdiction rests with the Department of Education, and, therefore, a Principal’s signature on the entry form certifies that the coach/certified faculty member has been appointed by the Board of Education within the provisions of Title 6 Education.

STATE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE REQUIREMENTS FOR QUALIFICATION OF COACHES 
The New Jersey Administrative Code sets forth qualifications for the coaching of public school pupils. These qualifications are found at NJ.A.C. 6A:9-5.19, (pages 72-73) as follows:

 (a) Any teaching staff member in the employ of a district board of education shall be permitted to organize public school pupils for purposes of coaching or for conducting games, events or contests in physical education or athletics. 
(b) School districts shall be permitted to employ any holder of a New Jersey teaching certificate to work in the interscholastic athletic program provided that the position has been advertised. 
(c) In the event there is no qualified and certified applicant, the holder of a county substitute credential pursuant to NJ.A.C. 6A:9-6.5 (page 79) is authorized to serve as an athletic coach in the district in which he or she is employed for a designated sports season, provided that 
1. The district chief school administrator demonstrates to the county superintendent that 
i. The vacant coaching position had been advertised; and 
ii. There was no qualified applicant based on the written standards of the district board of education 
2. The district chief school administrator provides a letter to the county superintendent attesting to the prospective employee’s knowledge and experience in the sport in which he or she will coach; and

3. The district board of education obtains the county superintendent’s approval prior to employment. The 20-day limitation noted in NJ.A.C. 6A:9-6.5(b) (page 79) shall not apply to such coaching situations.

NJSIAA COACHING CERTIFICATION AND REGULATIONS

A person shall be eligible to coach in any interscholastic contest, provided the person satisfies all of the conditions listed below (For the purposes of this section, “coach” shall mean all persons who coach an interscholastic high school athletic team in any way, whether for pay or as a volunteer at the varsity, junior varsity and/or freshman level – ninth grade through twelve grade).  
In addition to State Department of Education Regulations, the following regulations must be adhered to:

1. The person’s appointment as coach must be approved by the local educational agency responsible for the member school at which the person coaches. 2. All new coaches will have 120 days after being hired to register for the NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching  (Blended Version) course. Upon completion of the classroom components, coaches will have sixty (60)  days to complete the remaining four (4) components. A certificate of course completion must be submitted to respective athletic supervisors by June 30th to be eligible to coach at an NJSIAA member school for the subsequent school year.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MAY A COACH TAKE THE NFHS FUNDMENTALS of COACHING COURSE COMPLETELY ON-LINE (the on-line version does NOT contain the specific NJSIAA component).

3. Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year, all new coaches will have one year after being hired to successfully complete a course in “Sports First Aid.”

4. All coaches must be CPR certified and [AED] certified

5. All coaches must obtain a “Concussion  Awareness” certificate.

6. All coaches must obtain a “Heat Acclimatiation Awareness and Wellness” certificate.

7. Coaches currently in place, and/or who have experience coaching in an NJSIAA high school prior to the

    2006-2007 school year, will be exempt from provisions 2 and 3 above. (While experienced coaches will not be required to adhere to all of the provisions listed above, it is recommended that all coaches complete the NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching and Sports First Aid Courses in addition to having CPR certification.)

Note:  The above regulations do not apply to the coaches appointed by the school to accompany student athletes to individual events.

Paraprofessional Aide Positions   (page 14 of 17)

Nothing in the rules governing coaching positions would preclude a board of education from creating, pursuant to  N.J.A.C. 6A:32-4.7, Paraprofessional Aide Positions to assist in the supervision of athletic activities under the direction of a certified coach. However, all such positions must be created and maintained in full compliance with the provisions of  N.J.A.C. 6A:32-4.7, including requirements for written job descriptions and qualification standards, and approvals by, and annual reporting to, the county superintendent. As with classroom aides employed to assist certified teachers, athletic paraprofessionals may only function under the direct supervision of a certified coach, or if not assisting with coaching duties, under the direct supervision of designated certified staff; they may not independently undertake coaching duties or any other duties requiring educational certification. Additionally, all persons employed by a district in a paraprofessional capacity (i.e., not serving on a volunteer basis) are subject to the criminal history record check law.

PROCEDURE – DISQUALIFICATION OF COACHES/PLAYERS

If a board contemplates the use of an aide (paid or unpaid), the policies of the local board must be adopted and in place regarding this type of position, and the rules of the league or conference to which the district belongs must be followed. Please contact your county superintendent of schools should you have any questions.

National Federation of State High School Associations: 

National Coach Certification Program Courses
How to get Certified as a Coach

Core & Free Courses for H.S. Coaches

New Jersey State Requirements and Pricing: Click the drop down menu, find your state

NHS Fundamentals of Coaching

Learning Pro: Homework Helper

Learning Pro: Research Skills

Engaging Effectively with Parents

The Role of the Parent in Sports

Teaching and Modeling Behavior

Supplement for Fundamentals of Coaching

A Guide to Heat Acclimatization & Heat Illness Prevention

The Case for High School Activities

Sexual Harassment and Hazing Brochure
Hazing Prevention

N.J.A.C. 6A:32, School District Operations (Proposed revisions- 2nd Discussion)

http://www.nj.gov/education/code/proposed/title6a/chap32.pdf

                                   How are the children?

Test Scores Increased in Turnaround Schools....

New today out of Trenton...

New Jersey High School Graduation Rate Increases to 86% in 2011-12 School Year, While
Turnaround Schools Make Significant Gains Across the State
Department of Education Releases Graduation Rates, NJ ASK, and HSPA Results Months Earlier Than Ever Before to Support District Improvement Efforts http://www.state.nj.us/education/news/2012/1205grad.htm

Trenton, NJ - The Department of Education today released results on the

• New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK), 
• the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA) 
• and state-wide graduation rates for the 2011-2012 school year, drastically improving reporting timelines from previous years. 

The state's graduation rate increased from 83% in 2011 to 86% in 2012, the second year the state is using the new federal methodology for calculating the graduation rate. On the NJ ASK, the average proficiency rates across all grades and subjects remained steady, while proficiency rates on the HSPA increased in both LAL and math.

Meanwhile, School Improvement Grant (SIG) schools undergoing intensive turnarounds with the support of the NJDOE on the whole made significant gains over the past two years.

"Once again, our data shows us that New Jersey students perform quite well overall while continuing to make steady improvement, and we applaud our educators for their work every day with our students," said Commissioner Chris Cerf. The results for schools undergoing intensive turnarounds this year are particularly very encouraging, showing that while our achievement gaps across the state are persistent and unacceptably high, we can close them with dedicated support interventions."  

A summary of the test results and graduation rates, as well as individual school and district results, are available at the following links:

NJ ASK and HSPA: http://www.nj.gov/education/schools/achievement/2013/
Graduation Rates: http://www.nj.gov/education/data/grate/2012/

Suggestion Box EPSD: Positives

To current Board Members: If, while you are sitting at that long table the urge to interrogate personnel on issues germaine to the education and social welfare of your children overwhelms you, please get up and walk around the table to the microphone. Advise the Board and the public that you are now speaking as a parent and community member, then proceed. 

Children should not see stop signs
everywhere they look. I believe one
of your volunteers made a speech
on this very topic at a board
meeting last spring.

To the Administration & Teachers in the High School: Please find something positive to say when addressing the entire student body. A little positive encouragement goes a long way. Condemnation of fashion statements and threats of suspension do little to encourage an already maligned student body that is constantly reminded that they can do nothing right. The constant pointing out of the negative does little, if anything, to change the climate or culture of failure to one of success. Are you treating the student body the way you want to be treated?

A Community member was asked to say nothing, if he could not find anything good to say, after the presentation of the principals on Standardized Test Scores. Please take your own advice. It is not enough to invite a few students to a Board meeting to be praised while 996 go home feeling like failures.

                                          How are the children?

Are there enough Computers in the District to Participate in High stakes Testing Online?

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Everyone in the District should read this article entitled, Common Core vs. Common Sense, recently published in Education Week. There is much preparation to be done. There is no time to waste.

The Federal, State and Local Educational big wigs are very adamant about this standardized testing initiative. No one seems to be concerned that these tests are always slanted in favor of the persons creating the assessment tool. Many Educators have been complaining about the bias of standardized tests for years. Is no one even curious as to why the entire Nation has been maneuvered into a place of acquiescence in relation to standardized tests?  

There is one other very important factor that supporters of this educational reform initiative are intent on ignoring.  TECHNOLOGY.

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There are districts that tend towards allowing the general public to believe that their students are more technologically prepared than they really are. The real deal is that there are many teachers who are not up to par technically. For real. Some districts are in such deep denial that they go along willy nilly thinking or fronting that the majority of students in the district have access to home computers. They naively suggest that the homework assignments that are only available on the Internet do not leave a large part of the student population behind. Some Title I districts have actually gone paperless. Well, Gee. These powerful people do not frequent the Public Library, that has also experienced recent cuts, where they will realize that the number of computers available for student use is not sufficient.

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Will EPSD be ready to satisfy this initiative by 2013 - 2014 when the online testing is scheduled to begin. There were questions regarding the ability of teachers to raise test scores. There were no questions about whether or not the teachers have all of the materials needed in order to prepare students to take these tests online. Did anyone even think about the fact that preparation on the computer must also be part of the process to ready students for this? The unbelievable part of this is that there are districts that cannot possibly prepare themselves for this initiative in time. (Unless, of course, they stop wasting time on issues that do not advance student achievement.)

Why then, is no one complaining? Is this a recipe for failure?
1. Where is the technology?
     For example, the entire 4th grade is to be given the renamed NJASK online. How?

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• Are students in 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade already being trained diligently on the computer?
• Do keyboarding lessons exist in these grades? 
• Do keyboarding lessons exist in any grades?
• Are any students being trained on Word,  Excel or Office?
• Students are often required to type essays and reports. Is this fair? When did they learn to use the keyboard? Is it safe or fair to assume that every student is prepared to use the computer.
• How many of you who are reading this article are capable of typing without looking at the keys? Let us all chant Mavis Beacon or some other typing program together in unison.
• Are parents being held responsible to teach students how to use the keyboard? Did anyone think to survey the number of students who live in homes where the Internet is not available.
• Has anyone estimated how many computers will be needed in the 4th, 8th or 11th grade in 2013 -2014?
• Does every school have a computer lab with sufficient computers to be used for this purpose? 

2. Are funds being put aside to repair, recondition, and or purchase enough new computers for each benchmark grade level where testing is mandated? 

My 15 year old granddaughter learned to point, click and play games on the computer when she was 2 years old. The first grader doesn't like it as much, but she has learned to use the laptop without a mouse and is able to play educational games for a while. She prefers her coloring books and crayons. My 3 year old grandson has forsaken television for the computer and the stimulation from the games available. What about the children who do not have this exposure at home? How is the school system preparing them to take an online standardized test?

There is much to be done in order to plan for this "online testing". Were there enough number two pencils available during the last test? When will we begin?

                                        How are the children?

A New Assistant Superintendent for EPSD

November 29, 2012
Regular Board Meeting: Highlights

Carlisle introduced Dr. Michele James as our new Assistant Superintendent. Regardless of the northjersey.com headlines, we have been requesting an Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction for a long time. Dr. Carlisle also announced the abolishing of the position of Program Director of Mandarin for reasons of improved economy. 

Barry Harris, volunteer paraprofessional football coach was given the 2nd mile Award.

Adrian Lynette Bickham was honored. She just completed her final season as Cheer leading Coach for Dwight Morrow High School. Adrian is a DMHS graduate and has lead the team for many years. We must thank her for years of service.

3 students and their Media Arts Teacher were honored for their work with the Center for Food Action. They organized students and prepared food baskets for the needy in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Dr. Carlisle announced a freeze on spending. He also announced that there is an outside audit being conducted.

B. Ruffle distributed 6A Chapter 14 Special Education manuals to all members of the Board of Education. She carried a large sheet of construction paper on which she had crafted a clever lesson detailing the makeup of the 3 different types of classrooms available to Special Needs Students. It was very effective and informative. Stephen Brown interrupted her before it was over and told her that she was out of order and that the decision had already been made concerning 2 employees needed. Mr. Brown was rude. The public clearly wanted to hear the rest of the presentation. I wanted one of those little blue books.  He assured her that the Board is fully aware of the contents of 6A Chapter 14 and Special Education Law. I seriously doubt that based on the actions of the Board in regard to paraprofessionals in the past year. Has the Child Study Team been disbanded or abolished also? Will the Special needs students be abolished next? We gave B. Ruffle a standing ovation. We understand her frustration. This Board has gutted her department. Where do these actions leave the most vulnerable students in the district? 

Citizens for Public Education are Advocates of Special Education. - Join a group of concerned graduate students at the event below if you would like more of the type of information that Ms. Ruffle was attempting to give on Thursday night.

PARENTS, EDUCATORS, & INTERESTED PARTIES ALIKE,
My fellow graduate school colleagues and I will be hosting a Parent Training on "Navigating the Special Education System." Our purpose is to help you understand the steps involved in getting services for a child with needs, whether you suspect delay or disability, through both Early Intervention and the public school system. We will discuss the basic procedures and available services under the laws and regulations of New Jersey. Our guest speaker, Director of Public Policy at the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN) will be providing information about parent rights throughout the process.
Please join us:
On Saturday, December 8, 2012 @9:30 am
Montclair State University
1 Normal Avenue
Montclair, New Jersey 07043

Back to the meeting

One student made a heart wrenching, tearful and sincere plea for another look to be taken at the firing of middle school guidance counselors. 

Dave Matthews wanted to know where the Mandarin Program was going. He was also concerned that EPSD is recruiting people from districts at the bottom in terms of achievement and test scores. He suggested that we should recruit from places like Ridgewood. There it is again. That same identity crisis often demonstrated by the Board. We want people to work in our town who want to be here. Dr. James addressed his concerns. Her answers were satisfactory to me. She deserves a chance, because she wants to be here. There are teachers here who have not demonstrated that desire.  I also watched her during the tearful students speech. She was empathetic. That is important. You may learn a little about her as she testifies before the Joint Committee on Public Schools: Abbott Districts in 2001.  I even like the idea that her office is based at Quarles. This is the beginning. More students must learn to read before leaving Quarles.

There was some banter back and forth about Athletes getting special tutoring in order to make sure they are eligible to play sports. It baffles me why this tutoring must be separated out for the athlete. Have all students deemed in need of academic help been identified? It really does not matter if the student  is playing a sport. Or does it?

Glenn Garrison introduced a controversial resolution at the final hour. He suggested that they hire the same architect that worked on the football stadium, Bennett, as the architect of record. He suggested they hire him at the rate of $125 an hour. He claimed that it was an emergent situation, because they cannot continue to park the buses where they are currently parked. He has asserted before that the City Council has complained about where the buses are parked. No one on the City Council has been able to confirm this. On the way home, I noticed that the buses were parked in the lot at Liberty School. Where is the emergency? Seems the emergent situation would be in making St. Cecilia ADA accessible. It should be noted that Mr. Garrison always manages to shift the focus from student achievement onto buildings and facilities.

Fillerbustering -  I must take this opportunity now to inform our esteemed Board President that we do know what he is doing when someone from the public that is well known to him approaches the microphone and poses a question. We have watched these same "high profile parents" ask questions and get 1/2 hour answers during the public privilege of the floor on several occasions. Mr. Brown then proceeds to answer these  questions in a long drawn out speech that rivals the ones on the Senate floor presently called fillerbusters. We have videotaped footage of Mr. Brown being very cordial and respectful of certain parents and speaking to them for upwards of 20 to 30 minutes making sure that they are comfortable with the answers. The point here is that taken together Mr. Brown's speeches put end to end are sometimes more than an hour per meeting. We have the videotape. It seems very planned and scripted.

This does not stop Mr. Brown from accusing the public of making the meetings run over long. We do not make the Board conduct 3 hour closed sessions. It is not our fault that they meet from 6:30 to 7:30 or 8:00 and then for another 3 hours after some meetings. We are not the ones in control of this. We are hardly ever given more than 40 minutes altogether. During Wednesday's meeting, he reminded us that other boards meet for only 1 hour a month. Well, name that town. Perhaps there are lessons to be learned from them.

There are just too many excuses and far too much eagerness to cast the blame for everything on teachers and principals. It is way past time to call in a New Jersey School Boards Field Representative. It is time to sit down as a team and develop some solid goals for the district. It is very irresponsible to blame administrators, teachers, parents and students when they have not completed the minimum basic requirements expected of a school board. This will give us all a road map. Perhaps we will all stop wasting each other's time once this is done.

By the way, we all know that Glenn Garrison does not take the appointment of Delegate to the New Jersey School Boards Association seriously. Perhaps if any other member of the Board had been selected, we would have accepted it on face value. I look forward to hearing his report on the latest Delegate Assembly. The days are over that we simply take the word of elected officials regarding actions required and responsibilities accepted without confirmation.

Please avoid having winter meetings in this building. We  realize that the show should go on the road,
but more planning would be appreciated. Parking is limited. In the winter months it is very scary to park in the rear of the building above. The lot in the back is not lit at all. It is very scary as the moonlight is reflected off that sludge on the pond. Please think well on that.

"We know that business is booming and facilities are beautiful, 

but how are the children?"