Saturday, September 8, 2012

A Poster Child For C.18A:27-10.1 to 18A:27-10.4

Meet A Poster Child for AN ACT concerning certain teaching paraprofessionals C.18A:27-10.1 to  18A:27-10.4

My name is Sharon Vanterpool. I have been a paraprofessional for over 25 years.
I can still remember the first day I walked into Roosevelt School as a substitute paraprofessional. The class was a sixth grade self contained class. Kathy Rimmer was the teacher. I worked in Roosevelt School and eventually was offered the job as fulltime paraprofessional. I stayed at Roosevelt School until it closed. I was transferred to Lincoln School. At this time, I only had a high school diploma. I worked in a first grade classroom with Maria Meeks. I thoroughly enjoyed working with children. I decided to attend Bergen Community College to further my education. I went to school at night and graduated with an Associate’s Degree. My thirst for education was still unfulfilled,
I was assigned to work at Dwight Morrow High School in 1992, because I was the only paraprofessional in the district who had an Associate’s Degree. While working at Dwight Morrow, I decided to go back to college. I enrolled in New Jersey City University. I had to take three buses to get to NJCU, but I knew I wanted to become a teacher. I graduated from New Jersey City University with a BA and the honor of Cum Laude. I really worked hard for this achievement.
While working at the High School with students with disabilities I decided to go back to New Jersey City University to obtain a Masters of Art in Teaching with certifications in Early Childhood Education Pre K through 3rd grade and teacher of Students with disabilities.  MAT ECE/SPEC. On May 16, 2012, I graduated with my Masters and dual certification. 

Sharon Vanterpool is now a full fledged teacher with a Master's Degree. She has a standard NJ state certification. She is far more qualified and experienced than the novice teachers that have been hired since the position of paraprofessional was abolished in the Englewood Public School District.

It is not clear why the paraprofessionals were dismissed. 31 of these former employees were actually given promises of employment by the school district. Yes, they had written promises of employment when the position was abolished on July 31, 2012. Law mandates that teachers, paraprofessionals and other employees be given written notification that promises them a job or that dismisses them. They were not dismissed prior to May 15. They were hired in writing. Then they were fired by way of jobs being abolished on July 31, 2012. It appears to me that these 31 employees were still employed and should have reported to work on September 6. There were orders left to escort any of them off school grounds if they showed up for work.

During over 4 months of marching and speeches, the NJEA never mentioned the fact that these employees had been promised employment, in writing. This fact was also not important to the writers employed by the monopolized press. Why? Is it because the truth reveals the true nature of the Board and Dr. Carlisle? Does it also demonstrate that union leaders are lacking compassion,  wisdom, and the overwhelming need to know the truth or stand for what is right?

A great deal of lip service has been given to this ever widening "achievement gap" that exists in education. Part of this gap is created by the increasing number of special needs children returning to school districts. Many are now being mainstreamed.
As the law states, the need for paraprofessionals in the classroom is greater than ever before. The New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards have been dumbed down to Common Core State Standards. More than ever, teachers are expected to teach to the test. In a time when teacher performance will be tied to student achievement, one would think that teachers would understand that paraprofessionals are a large part of their support system. Most importantly, without the paraprofessional the lowest performers and most vulnerable students have no consistent support.

While the state and federal governments play their games and get school districts all caught up in their "race to the top" so they may claim millions, the achievement gap is fast becoming a grand canyon. Teachers, principals, superintendentsguidance counselors and students have already been caught cheating and fixing test scores. Did the originators of this "race to the top fund" actually consider all of the variables. 

It seems quite contrary that on one hand the race is to the top and on the other hand the complaint is about an achievement GAP. Isn't the race to the top creating a grand canyon of a GAP? In a perfect world, where everyone is honest, it will be a great idea. 

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Christie Administration Expands Educational Choice

Christie Administration Expands Educational Choice by Offering Over 6,000 Interdistrict Choice Seats in 107 School Districts
Deadline for Parents to Submit a Letter of Intent to Apply for 2013-14 School Year is November 2 http://www.state.nj.us/education/news/2012/0822choice.htm


Trenton, NJ - Furthering the Christie Administration's commitment to increasing and improving educational opportunities for children and families, the New Jersey Department of Education announced that more than 6,000 families will be able to select the public school option that best fits their children's needs in the 2013-2014 school year. This fall, with the addition of 40 newly participating districts, 2,787 additional seats are projected to be available through the Interdistrict Choice program


In total, the program, which allows students the option of attending a public school outside their district of residence at no cost to their parents, will offer 6,144 seats across 107 school districts. There are currently 3,357 students in the program in the 2012-2013 school year. The Interdistrict School Choice Program was first signed into law by Governor Christie on September 10, 2010. "The Interdistrict Public School Choice program empowers parents to make the best educational choices for their children allowing them the opportunity to attend a school that best fits their needs and providing them with the best chance for a successful future," Education Commissioner Chris Cerf said. "Additionally, this program also allows districts to maximize enrollment and more efficiently use space in their schools."

 Any student in the state is eligible to enroll in the Interdistrict Choice program, regardless of whether or not their home district is participating.

Transportation of up to 20 miles, or funds to pay for transportation, will be provided by the district of residence to a student going to a choice school. If the school is outside of the 20-mile radius, transportation will be the responsibility of the student, parents or guardians. Parents interested in applying for the Choice program can find more information on the NJDOE's Choice website at http://nj.gov/education/choice/studapp/

Application forms must be returned to their home district by the November 2, 2012 deadline. Applications may also be obtained by contacting the choice school districts directly. District participation in the program is optional. The decision to apply to participate is made by the local board of education. The district then sends an application to the Department of Education for processing and review.

A list of schools and districts participating in the program can be found here: http://www.state.nj.us/education/choice/districts/ The choice school sets the number of openings per grade level. If there are more students requesting admission to the school than there are available openings, a lottery is held. Any school-age student who is a resident of New Jersey is eligible to take advantage of this program. Details on the program can be found here: http://nj.gov/education/choice/

Monday, August 20, 2012

ARBITRARY & CAPRICIOUS: Capricious & Arbitrary



Was Arbitrary & Capricious Behavior Involved in Abolishing Paraprofessional Positions in the Englewood Public School District? 


This Act Establishes measures to provide employment stability for 
teaching paraprofessionals employed in school districts that receive federal funding under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. 

How are the children? How are the children? How are the.....

Friday, August 17, 2012

2nd Public Hearing In Blackwood, NJ


The Governor’s Education Funding Task Force will hold a second public hearing Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. in Civic Hall on the Camden Community College Blackwood Campus in Blackwood, NJ.  

All members of the public are welcome to attend.
The Education Funding Task Force was established by Executive Order of the Governor in March 2012 to examine those parts of the state’s School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) funding formula that may be susceptible to fraud or subject to outside manipulation in regard to participation in the federal Free and Reduced Price Lunch Program as a proxy for “at-risk” status and the municipal tax abatement programs.  The Executive Order may be found at http://nj.gov/infobank/circular/eocc89.pdf.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Hello, From The Petri Dish!

Do you tire of being the subject of an experiment?

What can we do other than continue to grow and multiply?

Go to the Doctor!

Take your children to the Doctor.

Fill your prescriptions as far ahead as the plan allows.

Get a physical for yourself and all covered children.

Make sure everyone gets a renewal prescription on glasses.

Make that trip to the Dentist that we all put off to the last minute.

Check those braces and retainers!

You have a limited amount of time to use your medical benefits.

Use them now so that you will have more of a safety net for, "What IF."

Update all things medical.


Make sure that you and your children are okay for the long haul, before you leave the plantation.

Attention Everyone:
Unemployment cannot force you to open your own business.
"Independent Contractors" own their own businesses.
How many of you got help from Delta T in filling out your 1099.

Another thing, worker's compensation is paid by your employer.
You are one or the other. You are either an employee or you are an "independent contractor"
This re-classification is something that is in dispute all the way up
to the federal level as something that may very well be a violation
of your civil rights as a worker.

Read this report and keep the contents in mind when you
search for another job and collect unemployment.

Petri dish (or Petri plate or cell culture dish) is a shallow glass or plastic cylindrical lidded dish that biologists use to culture cells or small moss plants.