AsburyParkEA.net » Important Information

NJ Legislators Email Addresses

John Napolitani — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 21:23:57 +0000

Last night at the Local President’s meeting a member asked that we send a list to all local presidents of legislators who have been helpful by speaking up in caucus to raise concerns about the pension and benefits bills. The list is below.

Pleas contact thse legislators immediately.

Thank you.

Assemblywoman Linda Stender – thanks! (lone vote against pension bills in the committee): AswStendernjlegorg AswStendernjlegorg
Assemblyman Nelson Albano: AsmAlbanonjlegorg AsmAlbanonjlegorg
Assemblyman Herb Conaway: AsmConawaynjlegorg AsmConawaynjlegorg
Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein: AswGreensteinnjlegorg AswGreensteinnjlegorg
Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo: AswGreensteinnjlegorg AswGreensteinnjlegorg
Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman: AswWatsonColemannjlegorg AswWatsonColemannjlegorg
Assemblyman Pat Diegnan: AsmDiegnannjlegorg AsmDiegnannjlegorg
Assemblyman Joe Cryan: AsmCryannjlegorg AsmCryannjlegorg
Assemblyman John McKeon: AsmMcKeonnjlegorg AsmMcKeonnjlegorg
Assemblyman Al Coutinho: AsmCoutinhonjlegorg AsmCoutinhonjlegorg
Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone: AsmChiapponenjlegorg AsmChiapponenjlegorg
Assemblyman Vincent Prieto: AsmPrietonjlegorg AsmPrietonjlegorg
Assemblyman Tom Giblin: AsmGiblinnjlegorg AsmGiblinnjlegorg
Assemblywoman Elease Evans: AswEvansnjlegorg AswEvansnjlegorg
Assemblyman Gary Schaer: AsmSchaernjlegorg AsmSchaernjlegorg
Assemblywoman Joan Voss: AswVossnjlegorg AswVossnjlegorg
Assemblywoman Connie Wagner: AswWagnernjlegorg AswWagnernjlegorg

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS

John Napolitani — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:04:47 +0000

The APEA Executive Committee is holding two (2) General Membership Meetings on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at the Asbury Park High School Auditorium at 2:45pm and 4:00pm, to accommodate ALL staff members. We are requiring EVERY APEA MEMBER to attend one of these extremely important meetings. NJEA Representatives will be in attendance to assist OUR local and answer additional questions.

The purpose of these meetings is to discuss Contract Negotiations, Professional Development, and any other pertinent items. We will also hold an election for the District Wide Professional Development Committee during this meeting. It is IMPERATIVE that you make very effort to attend. Neither the Executive Committee, nor the Building Reps. will be able to give you “private” meetings to discuss the direction of this school district or negotiations. We have moved our negotiations to FACT FINDING, which is EXTREMELY SERIOUS. This is a time to show our SOLIDARITY.

We are also asking that you begin to attend the Board of Education meetings beginning Wednesday, January 27, 2010. All Board meeting dates are listed on the district wide website. Our presence in this district is NECESSARY if you have any desire to receive a fair and equitable contract.

We look forward to seeing you at these meetings.

NO CONTRACT!!!!

John Napolitani — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:01:54 +0000

TO: APEA Membership

FROM: John Napolitani, President
Sean Hamilton, Vice President

DATE: January 19, 2010

The APEA Negotiations Team has attempted to bargain with the Board of Education in good faith, while remaining focused on the issues to settle this contract, we have clearly hit a stone wall. The Board has turned its back on the dedicated staff members of the Asbury Park School District. They used the excuse of the current economic situation, as well as our refusal to sign off on the RTTT grant application NOT to handle their moral and legal obligations to this school district.

With the Board’s posturing in mind, our mediator advised us he recommending to PERC that we move to the next step in negotiations: FACTFINDING.

We need to be VERY clear that this process WILL be very long and drawn out. We may NOT have an initial meeting for at least three months. The process may take more than one year. The comfortable bubble that our profession has been in for decades has finally burst. This is an official call to action by EVERY staff member in this district. Jobs are on the line. There’s no sitting on the side waiting to get a handout from the Board. Tenure WILL NOT protect from the onslaught of the Board. Watch your “P’s and Q’s” because the nitpicking of the dedicated staff is about to begin.

Had we agreed to sign off on the RTTT, our UNION would begin to be dismantled by the State of New Jersey based upon the serious implications this grant will have on our collective bargaining. The grant requires a 20% increase in our contact time with students; which equates to OVER 36 INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS. The Board can’t negotiate OUR expired contract, yet they moved forward with a grant application that requires MANDATORY NEGOTIABLE ITEMS which have serious financial ramifications on this school district that CAN”T be funded.

In closing, we are headed for extremely tumultuous territory. We have a Board majority that DOES NOT respect us. The State DOES NOT respect this profession. It is extremely IMPERATIVE that EVERY APEA member read our memos, newsletters, professional journals and website, asburyparkea.net. Again, as always, we will keep the membership informed of our progress step by step. Remember, Ben Franklin stated, “We must hang together, gentlemen…else, we shall most assuredly hang separately.” This is truly a time for EVERYONE to stand together.

URGENT ALERT ON FEDERAL HEALTH LEGISLATION

John Napolitani — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:50:48 +0000

Strong Opposition to Federal Excise Tax Needed

Current conference discussions aimed at a compromise between the House and Senate versions of federal health legislation continue to include a 40 percent federal excise tax on health benefits costs that exceed $8,500 for single coverage and $23,000 for family.

Your immediate action is needed to oppose this additional new tax.

The House version contains a reasonable alternative that would fund health care reform through a tax on millionaires – defined as individuals making over $500,000 and families with incomes over $1 million.

As proposed, the federal excise tax will amount to a tax increase that will fall mainly on middle class workers and their families and is not fair.

Here’s what you need to do:

· Call your senators and tell them to oppose any measure that contains an excise tax:

Senator Frank Lautenberg, (973) 639-8700

Senator Robert Menendez, (973) 645-3030

· Call your congressman and tell him to oppose any measure that contains an excise tax. If you need help identifying your congressman, go to njea.org to find that information.

Attached is a Congressional district locator and roster as well as a sample phone script y ou may want to use to make your calls.

Additional information is available – and will be updated – at www.njea.org.

Act now to oppose this added tax – this bill could be finalized within days!

RACE TO THE TOP INFORMATION

John Napolitani — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:48:59 +0000

BACKGROUND
On December 31, we sent an update to each NJEA local association president providing the latest news on Phase 1 of the federal “Race to the Top” (RTTT) grant program.

ANALYSIS OF RTTT PROPOSAL
Based upon the discussion at that meeting, NJEA leadership’s discussions with NJ DOE staff, and review of New Jersey’s grant application, NJEA believes the grant application is severely flawed and that it contains numerous objectionable provisions as it now stands.

Among the provisions causing the greatest concern are those which would tie teacher evaluation, compensation, and tenure to student test scores.

In addition, it appears that the application would commit New Jersey to a massive expansion of its standardized testing program and a significant increase in the educational bureaucracy.

Finally, the provisions dealing with merit pay, evaluation, and length of school day/year have significant collective bargaining implications for local associations.

Based on our assessment of the proposal as it now stands, we are advising our local associations NOT to sign the memorandum of understanding because it includes merit pay, pay for performance, and/or the utilization of student test scores for teacher evaluation.

NEXT STEPS
The Department of Education has created a Memorandum of Understanding and is asking each district to obtain signatures from the superintendent, the president of the board of education, and the local association president.

On the form, it reads that the signatures are required. Please be advised you are not required to sign this form and be aware that your signature on the form would commit your local association to support all of the items included in the state’s RTTT application.

TO DO
If your district is applying for a Phase 1 RTTT grant, we strongly urge you to contact your UniServ representative for more information and for an in-depth discussion of the potential negative impact on your members and your district.

Spring Recess Note

John Napolitani — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:58:05 +0000

On behalf of the APEA, I would like to wish all our brothers and sisters that celebrate Passover and Easter, as well as anyone who tunes into our website to have a very blessed and happy holiday. I would also like to say to each and everyone to have a safe and happy spring break. This is a much needed rest for everyone.

With that being said, there will be no updates to our site for approximately 1 week, as we will be on vacation. We will keep everyone abreast of all the issues that affect our Union once we return from Spring Break. I ask that every member stay tuned as we need to stay mobilized for the job cuts that are going to affect our school district. We are having a very important meeting with the Ministerial Alliance and the Parent Listening Project over the break. Together, we are going to combat the Board with these cuts.

Students nationwide participate in International Walk to School Day activities

John Napolitani — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 02:07:29 +0000

California’s Orange County Register (10/8, Leal) reported, “Hundreds of students, parents, teachers, and principals ditched cars and school buses [Wednesday] morning and slid into their sneakers and other comfortable shoes to pound the pavement” for the third annual International Walk to School Day. The nationwide event was meant to “promote children’s health, environmental awareness, and a sense of community.” The Register noted that for the walk, “local businesses donated bottled water for the kids and coffee for the grown-ups, while police officers joined in the walks to encourage safety and awareness along the roads.” More than 10 local elementary schools participated, including the Pacific Drive School in Fullerton, which “was chosen by the Orange County Department of Education and Federal Express as the featured campus in the county.” Maryland’s Gazette (10/8, Arias), Florida’s Daily News (10/9, Lewis), and Iowa ABC affiliate WQAD-TV (10/9) reported on local International Walk To School Day events.

Some California students express concerns about walking to school. The Los Angeles Times (10/9, Barboza) reports, “Students at thousands of schools nationwide walked en masse to school Wednesday in events timed for International Walk to School Day, meant to encourage physical fitness and to reduce carbon emissions.” Meanwhile, students “in poor, urban communities…where most students are not driven or bused to school but go by foot, the annual event served as a forum for long-held concerns that the journey can be a treacherous one.” At Garfield Elementary School in Santa Ana, Calif., “fifth-graders accompanied by teachers, and public health officials traced their steps to and from school” for 45 minutes on Wednesday to complete “surveys about their walk to school. Their responses were compiled by the county healthcare agency. … Among the students’ top worries were broken sidewalks, traffic, lack of crosswalks, speeding drivers, trash, and graffiti.” The fifth-graders also suggested solutions. “The city, they said, could install more stoplights and stop signs and remove trash and graffiti.”

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In the Classroom

Schools in metro Detroit finding ways to help teachers boost literacy.

The Detroit Free Press (10/8, Higgins) reported that even though “math and science grab the big headlines about high school achievement, there is growing realization that just as much focus should be paid to the literacy skills.” This year, “nearly 40 percent of the high school juniors who took the Michigan Merit Exam…failed the reading portion of it,” while about 60 percent “failed the writing portion.” But, “schools across metro Detroit work to find ways to help all teachers learn new ways to boost literacy.” Macomb Independent School District, for instance, “created a reading apprenticeship program four years ago that now has trained more than 2,300 teachers.” During the training, teachers learn strategies “that they can use every day in the classroom,” and across the curriculum. Meanwhile, intermediate schools in Oakland County have begun a program in which educators “teach reading skills in an elective class for small groups of students who are struggling readers.”

Microsoft teams with several universities to fund research on use of videogames in education.

The AFP (10/9) reports, “Microsoft’s research arm and a set of U.S. universities are creating a first-of-its-kind institute devoted to using videogames to teach math, science, and engineering to school children.” The Games For Learning Institute (G4LI) “is being established at New York University (NYU) in Manhattan and [is] guaranteed funding for at least three years.” Microsoft, “Columbia University, Dartmouth College, Parsons, Polytechnic Institute of NYU, and other colleges are each contributing $1.5 million to fund G4LI.” According to Microsoft, researchers “will focus on the potential of videogame as tools to teach sciences and other technology-related subjects to middle school children, particularly girls and minorities.” The institute plans to “evaluate game prototypes and test them in New York City schools. Results will be shared with researchers, game developers and educators, Microsoft said.”

The research team’s “biggest goal for the three years of grant support is to provide rigorous, peer-reviewed research showing how gaming works in the classroom,” Popular Mechanics (10/8, Moseman) added. And Ken Perlin, “a professor of computer science at” New York University and one of the researchers for the institute, said that “the hardest part [of the study will] be analyzing the data to determine not just how kids fared at a particular game, but what their learning curve looked like.”

Eighty-one percent of 2004 freshman in Virginia public schools graduated in 2008.

The Washington Post (10/9, B4, Glod) reports, “About 81 percent of Virginia students who entered public high school four years ago earned diplomas with the Class of 2008, state officials said yesterday.” When broken down by subgroup, state data show that “more than 84 percent of girls earned diplomas in four years, compared with 78 percent of boys.” Also, “about 70 percent of Hispanic students and [students] from low-income homes who started ninth grade in fall 2004 graduated this spring.” That figure was 73 percent for black students. Meanwhile, “Several Northern Virginia school systems beat the statewide rate. In Fairfax County, 91 percent of 2004 freshmen graduated. The rates were about 83 percent in Prince William County, nearly 93 percent in Loudoun County, and nearly 98 percent in Falls Church.” The Post points out that the data represent the first time Virginia “has tracked each student’s progress instead of relying on an estimate.”

Twenty Arizona schools considered “failing.”

The Arizona Republic (10/8, Gersema, Wynn) reported, “Twenty Arizona schools that mainly serve low-income children face possible state takeover because they failed to meet state standards for improvement for at least three years running,” according to the Arizona Learns report, released this week by the state Education Department. “Schools ranked ‘underperforming’ for three years in a row are considered ‘failing,’” the Arizona Republic noted. The number of schools ranked underperforming was 158, plus the 20 deemed failing.” Last year, in comparison, “at least 55 schools had two years of underperformance or were already failing, but 35 schools…are [now] meeting state standards.” Meanwhile, the Arizona Department of Education “this year changed how it measures school improvement. … The department now gauges improvement by examining a school’s average growth since 2005, or since it opened, whichever is latest.”

According to Arizona’s Yuma Sun (10/9, Roller), “Under the state’s assessment system, there are six different ranks. Starting with the top measurement they are excelling, highly performing, performing plus, performing, or failing to meet academic standards.” State Superintendent Tom Horne said that “the Arizona accountability system is far superior to the federal” No Child Left Behind (NCLB) system. … NCLB has 253 categories and if a school performs spectacularly on 252 and fails one, the whole school fails. By contrast, the state system is a comprehensive and accurate assessment tool, Horne added.”

Law & Policy

Some Texas school officials oppose proposed academic record changes.

The Dallas Morning News (10/8, Chavez) reported that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board plans to “consider approval of a new regulation designed to help Texas colleges and universities better assess the academic records of high school students.” But, some school officials say the proposal “will ‘dumb down’ public education and discourage students from taking rigorous courses.” At issue are aspects of the regulation that involve eliminating “extra credit for students who take Pre-Advanced Placement courses or Pre-International Baccalaureate courses in ninth and tenth grades” and eliminating “grades in career and technical education classes…from the high school” grade point average (GPA) calculation. Texas Higher Education Commissioner Raymund Paredes defended the changes, saying, “There’s no uniformity in the way GPA is calculated. … It’s very difficult for universities to know what grade points mean.” But, he added that the recommendations are still being tweaked, and “could change before” they are presented to the coordinating board on Oct. 23.

Arizona voters consider forming technology education district.

Arizona’s Daily Courier (10/8) reported, “A wide range of community, business and industry leaders are putting their money where their mouths are and supporting the formation of a Joint Technology Education District (JTED) in Western Yavapai County.” If the project is approved by voters, “the new technology district would offer high school students the training they need to enter today’s diverse technological workplace.” The program “provides area high school students the resources to engage in work readiness training” in areas including “allied health/nursing; architecture and design/drafting; auto body repair and drafting; construction trades; fire science; law enforcement; machining; motorcycle repair/manufacturing; and welding.” The Daily Courier noted that “JTED will not diminish Career and Technology Education programs participating high schools currently offer,” but will instead “expand current programs, providing area businesses and industries with trained, qualified employees.”

Safety & Security

Ninety percent of Michigan school buses pass safety inspections.

The AP (10/8) reported, “Ninety percent of school buses in Michigan passed safety inspections last school year, the Michigan State Police (MSP) reported Wednesday.” Of the 10 percent that failed the checks, “eight percent, or 1,373 of the 17,220 buses…were put out of service until defects were fixed.”

According to the Detroit Free Press (10/8, Tanner, Pratt), MSP data also indicates that “50 districts failed at a rate of 100 percent. Yet all of these districts” only had between one and five buses inspected. The Free Press explained that “school buses that receive a yellow tag are considered safe for operation but in need of repairs.” Districts have “60 days to complete [the] repairs. … Red tag violations place the school bus effectively out of service until the defect is repaired.” Buses that receive a red tag have “at least one violation that has either the potential to cause a break down or posed a passenger safety hazard,” according to the MSP.

School bus service elimination impacts NCLB school choice provision. The Wall Street Journal (10/9, Tomsho) reports, that school “buses…still crucial to many magnet schools, open-enrollment programs, and other school-choice strategies” that “provide options for students in low-performing schools, as is required under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law.” Yet, “more and more school districts are curtailing bus service for such programs as a result of higher fuel costs and other financial pressures.” In DeKalb County, Ga., for instance, the “school district has stopped providing bus service for NCLB transfers, and is instead offering to reimburse parents to transport students on their own.” But some parents, like Willie McKennedy, whose daughter was “accepted at a well-regarded high school in an affluent part of” the county, cannot drive their children to school without being late for work. Mr. McKennedy told the Journal, “If you’re going to [promise school choice], you need buses.”

Also in the News

Massachusetts district to distribute contraceptives to students with parental consent.

The AP (10/9) reports that schools in Gloucester, Massachusetts, “where girls reportedly made a ‘pregnancy pact,’ will allow contraceptives to be distributed — with parental consent.” The unanimous decision by the Gloucester school board will allow the “contraceptives to be distributed at the high school’s health clinic.” The school “committee still has to finalize the language of the consent form and set a date for the program to begin,” according to Massachusetts CBS affiliate WBZ-TV (10/9). WBZ-TV adds that, in a recent survey taken by students at Gloucester High School, “65 percent of seniors said they are sexually active, while 85 percent of students said they support distributing contraceptives.”

NEA in the News

Maryland school incorporates solar panels into curriculum.

Maryland’s Times-News (10/9, Moses) reports, “Though it’s not enough yet to power an entire wing of the school, the solar project at Northern Garrett High School is a start. … The solar project involved hooking up eight solar panels to the school, with the possibility of installing up to 24 more when funding is available.” The school received a grant totaling $5,000 for the project from the National Education Association (NEA), as well as grants totaling $15,000 “from the Maryland Energy Administration and the Solar Schools Foundation,” according to Mark Kirschner, an electronics and technical education teacher at Garrett High. The school allowed students to “participate in the planning process,” he added. And, although “the installation is complete for [the] eight panels,” business teacher Donetta Sisler notes that “the work with students is not done. She said that Kirschner is working on a lesson plan that would incorporate the solar panels for various classes.” There is also “monitoring equipment attached to it that students will use to record how much energy is coming in, peak days and times of day,” Sisler said.

U.S. failing to develop math skills equally for boys, girls, report indicates.

The New York Times (10/10, A15, Rimer) reports, “The United States is failing to develop the math skills of both girls and boys, especially among those who could excel at the highest levels,” according to a study “published Friday in Notices of the American Mathematical Society.” The report also indicates that “girls who do succeed in [math] are almost all immigrants or the daughters of immigrants from countries where mathematics is more highly valued.” Lead author Janet E. Mertz, an oncology professor at the University of Wisconsin, and colleagues, examined “data from the most difficult math competitions for young people, including the USA and International Mathematical Olympiads for high school students, and the Putnam Mathematical Competition for college undergraduates” for the study. Among other findings, the researchers noted that all members of the U.S. team at the International Olympiad, “considered to be the world’s toughest math competition for high school students,” were boys from 1974 to 1998.

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Schools in inner suburbs of Washington, D.C. see increase in enrollment.

The Washington Post (10/10, B1, Chandler, de Vise) reports on the front page of its Metro section, “Schools in Washington’s inner suburbs have put more seats in classrooms this fall as economic and demographic shifts bring a windfall of new students.” In Virginia’s Fairfax County, “officials drew a connection between declining home sales and the decreasing number of students who leave the county,” while officials in Maryland’s Montgomery County “cited an unusually large influx of students from private schools and said fewer students are moving out of the county.” Officials from Arlington County and Alexandria “suggested that fewer families are trading in townhouses or condominiums for single-family homes in outer suburbs.” Fairfax saw its school system expand “more than two percent, reaching about 169,000 students in a preliminary count of fall enrollment. Montgomery’s enrollment climbed more than one percent, to 139,400, the first significant increase in six years for the region’s second-largest school system. In Alexandria, enrollment grew six percent to about 11,200; in Arlington, it grew 4.5 percent, to about 19,500.” And, “Prince George’s County schools held comparatively steady, with about 129,500 students after several years of notable decline.”

Wisconsin district grades kindergarten through second-graders on character.

The AP (10/9) reports, “Besides math, science and other basics, young students in” Wisconsin’s Kaukauna Public Schools “are being graded on their character.” Teachers of kindergarten through second grade students “are looking at multiple character features such as whether students use good manners, talk at appropriate times, work independently and are trustworthy,” according to Wisconsin’s Post-Crescent (10/9, Espino). Assistant Superintendent Deb Hunt said that “Kaukauna is following a growing number of school districts to put focus on the pillars of character.” She added, “I want the students to feel good about themselves…[and] have trust in their peers so that they are comfortable learning.” A second-grade teacher, Jessica Ullmer, added that the new system, which is intended “to resolve or prevent bullying incidents by reviewing character traits,” also “gives parents a detailed look at what is expected” of their children. Although the “system for now is being used at three grade levels…the intent is to have it in place from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade by next year.”

Expert lists benefits, drawbacks of having teachers administer standardized tests to their students.

In an opinion piece for Missouri’s Columbia Daily Tribune (10/9), Joycelin Brown Hulett, an educational consultant, responded to the question, “Is it a conflict of interest for classroom teachers to administer standardized tests to their own students?” Hulett pointed out that it may be beneficial for “someone other than the teacher to give the test” because then, “no one would accuse teachers of giving answers; teachers could not be accused of lengthening the time the students are tested; [and] teachers could attend in-service training while someone else was doing the testing.” Hulett also noted that if teachers gave the test, “young children would likely test better…because they would be more comfortable,” and “the school district would not have to pay other people to administer the tests.” But, she concluded, “no matter who gives the test, way too much emphasis is placed on them. A portfolio for each child will tell us so much more about the child’s progress.”

Pennsylvania district implements team leader concept in elementary, high schools.

Pennsylvania’s Tribune-Review (10/10, Basinger) reports, “Southmoreland School District administration is hoping to implement a ‘team leader concept’ at the elementary and high school levels in order to improve” Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) scores. “The team leader concept is implemented through a Professional Learning Committee (PLC) format,” according to Dr. Tim Scott, the district’s curriculum coordinator, and a primary school principal. “Team leaders meet with their teams nearly every day and discuss with other teachers how they’re teaching and what seems to be working. They encourage teachers who aren’t involved in the math or language arts, which are a part of the PSSA testing, to implement some aspect from the subjects into their teaching,” the Tribune-Review explains. Dr. Scott said that “team meetings are being held at the elementary school and high school to begin to implement the PLC format.”

South Carolina schools compete for title of “Inside-Out Center for Learning.”

South Carolina’s Independent-Mail News (10/9, Staed) reported, “An Anderson School District 5 school is among three competing to be the state’s first Inside-Out Center for Learning.” The winning school “will develop initiatives that transform teaching and learning for the future, according to a statement.” According to Joanne Avery, deputy superintendent for Anderson School District 4 and co-chair of the South Carolina National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future Coalition, “The goal of South Carolina’s Inside-Out Center is to be a model for the state and nation on cost-effective educational services.”

NCLB assessment scores improve in Kansas school district.

Kansas’s Independent/Reporter (10/9, McCoy) reported that, according to a report presented Oct. 6 by school counselors and educators to “school board members at their monthly meeting,” assessment scores mandated by the state under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) “have improved for students of Lorraine-based USD 328.” While “the district’s target score is 73 percent in both subjects,” the team “reported that the district had achieved 97 percent in reading, and 100 percent in math.” Specifically, a “breakdown in scores for every grade” revealed that, “in the majority of the scores, the district far surpassed the targets set for the individual course of study.” The school board next discussed “what was being done to help students that are not meeting the standards.” Even though educators have linked the curriculum “to the achievement tests” this year for the first time, and “also use study time to assist at-risk students,” any student who does not meet “the requirements will be required by the state to attend summer school.”

On the Job

First- through third-year teachers in New Jersey district receive induction training.

New Jersey’s Brick Township Bulletin (10/9, Medina) reported, “Now in its third year, the Induction and Recruitment Committee is a group of 35 staff members who help Brick’s first-, second- and third-year teachers adjust to life in the profession and in the district.” First-year teachers “participate in a five-day workshop over the summer,” which is focused on “forming collegial relationships,” teachers “understanding [the] town as a community, and” teachers understanding what is expected of them. “Throughout the year, first-year teachers also participate in four training workshops in developing time management skills, planning back to school nights, preparing report cards or dealing, with cultural diversity issues.” In their second and third years, teachers “participate in four workshops that are geared to their needs,” as well. The Brick Township Bulletin noted, “Without such programs, teacher retention rates are staggering: 25 percent of teachers leave the profession after the first three years…according to a study by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices.”

Massachusetts district’s teacher contract includes creativity, achievement clauses.

Massachusetts’s Inquirer & Mirror (10/10, Baker) reports, “The Nantucket Teachers’ Association and School Committee ratified a new three-year teachers’ contract Tuesday night that includes annual raises of 3.5 and four percent, and incentive clauses for creativity and achievement.” The starting salary for first-year teachers “is just over $50,000 a year” under the new contract, “and on average, the 145 staff members in the teachers’ bargaining unit…make $71,000 per year, the second highest average teacher’s salary in Massachusetts behind Boston.” For the first two years of the contract, teachers will receive “pay increases of four percent” each year; they will receive a 3.5 percent pay increase the third year of the contract. “One notable addition to the contract is the…professional incentive program,” under which staff members will be financially compensated for designing and implementing community-outreach programs or sharing their own specific expertise with other school” employees. In addition, the new contract “provides for up to 12 weeks of paid” maternity or paternity leave.

Column debates pros, cons of Oregon measure to establish merit pay for teachers.

In an opinion column in the Oregonian (10/9), Randall Pozdena, a Portland consultant in economics and finance for EcoNorthwest, and Jim Buck, the executive director of the Oregon School Personnel Association, debated Measure 60, “the measure on the November ballot that would establish merit pay for teachers.” Pozdena argued in favor of financial incentives, saying that “public education is fundamentally a service business.” Pozdena asserted that “financial motivations work the same way in schools as they do in other service settings. The challenge is one of implementation.” While “educators long have been relatively insulated from the discipline of true accountability sanctions or incentives,” Pozdena’s own “research suggests” that such sanctions “may be not only warranted, but necessary to improve student achievement.” Arguing against the measure, Jim Buck wrote that merit pay would fail to address the “major challenges confronting our schools, such as teachers’ willingness to teach in our most challenging schools” or “teach more difficult subjects.” Buck concluded that “Measure 60 is intended more as a reprisal against the Oregon Education Association than as a constructive measure for Oregon education,” and “would reward spite, not effective teachers.”

School Finance

Hawaii BOE considers cutting $46 million from 2009-2011 budget.

The AP (10/9) reported, “The state Board of Education (BOE) on Thursday night was set to consider lopping $46 million from the 2009-2011 public school budget in the face of opposition from community and education activists.” Gov. Linda Lingle requested for “all state agencies to prepare spending reductions of between 10 and 20 percent. The board’s budget committee voted Tuesday to approve the cuts to the Department of Education’s $2.4 billion overall budget.” The cuts include the elimination of $1.9 million in “funding for student service coordinators at charter schools,” and “$932,000 in state funding for the Peer Education Program, in which students at 25 middle and high school campuses assist other pupils on substance abuse, absenteeism, teen pregnancy, and other issues. Another proposal would slash funding for science books by $2 million a year.”

Also in the News

Doctors’ group petitions USDA not to distribute processed meat to schools.

New York’s Newsday (10/10, Kelleher) reports, “Hot dogs, cold cuts, and other similar processed meats would disappear from school cafeterias on Long Island and across the country if a ban proposed today by a group of doctors takes effect.” This week, the “Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and its subsidiary group, The Cancer Project, filed a petition…asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to stop allowing schools to serve processed meats.” Specifically, the group’s petition calls for “the USDA to eliminate any processed meat products from the commodities they distribute to schools monthly. For schools that purchase the products elsewhere, the petition wants the USDA to withhold the reimbursements that food service programs get for meals served to students.” According to the petitioners, processed meats “are full of added chemical preservatives such as nitrates that are linked to increased cancer risks.” A spokesperson for the USDA said that the petition “would be given serious consideration.”

In the Classroom

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING NOTES

John Napolitani — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:57:35 +0000

General Membership Remarks: Sept 11, 2008

Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to the Asbury Park School District for the start of another hectic year! Can we have a moment of silence in observance of this very sacred day in our history

APEA General Membership Meeting

John Napolitani — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 00:39:32 +0000

APEA GENERAL MEMBERSHIP

MEETING

THURSDAY, SEPT. 11, 2008

APHS AUDITORIUM

2:45PM

AGENDA:

1. President

URGENT: PARAPROFESSIONAL RIF

John Napolitani — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:28:08 +0000

Please be advised that there will be another reduction in force (RIF) of the paraprofessional unit. Both Regina Jagoo and John Napolitani have been working feverishly to see to it that as many paraprofessionals are brought back in their capacity as positions open. This second RIF orginally started out with 14 people. It was subsequently reduced to 12 people. 4 of those paraprofessionals have been brought back as bilingual paraprofessionals. 2 have been brought back as regular paraprofessionals. This leaves the final list at 6 people. We have been informed that the Special Education Department is in the process of working through their numbers of students who have been recommended to the Child Study Team. It is our hope that some of these positions will be restored as soon as they finalize their numbers.

Under no circumstances does the APEA feel that this is warranted at such a late date. We feel as though these positions should remain as they are and the paraprofessionals should be placed in other positions within the district. We find this extremely unfair and unprofessional to do this to our staff members that are also community members at such a late date in time. We will continue to work to get everyone back that has been RIF’d.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact the APEA Headquarters and we will return your call as soon as possible.

URGENT UPDATE

John Napolitani — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:37:58 +0000

UPDATE

June 20th

Monmouth County Picketing

Local Leaders:

1) Please call the UniServ Office (732-403-8000) with the name of your local and the approximate number of people that will be attending.

2) The attached materials should be forwarded to all of your members:

1. Communications Tips/Picket Line Issues

2. Talking Points

URGENT PENSIONS AND BENEFITS INFORMATION

John Napolitani — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 02:00:54 +0000

The MCEA asks all locals to participate in lobby efforts Friday, June 20th at 3:15 p.m. at one of the four NJ Sate Senator Offices. Bills are in the State Senate that do not reform the pension but rather reduce pensions. We need members and friends to speak out to these elected legislators NOW!

Senate Office locations are available at your UniServ Office or the MCEA Office.

**A Talking Points documents is attached.

Senate Office Locations:

11th District

Manasquan, Asbury Park, Atlantic Highlands, Avon, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Brielle, Deal, Eatontown,

Highlands, Long Branch, Monmouth Beach, Neptune City, Neptune Township, Ocean Township, Rumson,

Wall, Spring Lake Borough, Spring Lake Heights, West Long Branch

Senator Kean – Wall Township

1955 Highway 34 Bldg 2A

Wall Township, NJ 07719

732-974-0400

732-974-2564 FAX

SenSKeannjlegorg

12th District

Colts Neck Township, Manalapan-Englishtown, Fair Haven, All Freeholds… Borough, Township etc., Little Silver, Marlboro, Millstone, Oceanport, Red Bank Shrewsbury, Tinton Falls

Senator Beck – Red Bank

32 Monmouth Street

Red Bank NJ 07701

732-933-1591

732-933-1598 FAX

SenBecknjlegorg

13th District

Aberdeen, Hazlet, Holmdel, Keansburg, Keyport, Matawan, Middletown, Union Beach, Rumson Fair Haven, Monmouth-Ocean Ed Serv Commission, Monmouth County Voc.

Senator Kyrillos – Middletown

One Arin Park Building

1715 Highway 35

Middletown NJ 07748

732-671-3206

732-706-9140 FAX

SenKyrillosnjlegorg

30th District

Howell Township, Upper Freehold Township

Senator Singer

VERY IMPORTANT PENSIONS AND BENEFITS INFORMATION!!!

John Napolitani — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:39:05 +0000

PLEASE RESERVE: June 17th East Brunswick Hilton, statewide organizing meeting 7:00pm. June 20th , Monmouth County picketing, times to be determined.

From your NJEA Region 9 Field Reps:

The NJEA has declared War on all New Jersey legislators that are sponsoring or even thinking of voting yes on bills that will undermine the pension and benefits that our current members have and who are promoting bills that undermine and reduce the pension benefits of our new members and part time employees. Apparently our new members and new part-time employees would be on the sacrificial altar as various legislators are using financial gimmickry on the backs of our members and are breaking promises made to us in the past.

Attached above is Part of Joyce Powell

Full Text of President Napolitani’s Statement at the May 12, 2008 BOE Meeting

John Napolitani — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:31:06 +0000

Thank Madam President for allowing me the opportunity to address the Board. Tonight I stand before the Asbury Park Board of Education to state my complete dissatisfaction with the way that the State of New Jersey is now supposedly

IMPORTANT BOE MEETING

John Napolitani — Mon, 12 May 2008 01:08:50 +0000

To: APEA Membership

From: John Napolitani. President

Re: RIFs/APBOE Meeting

Date: May 8, 2008

There have been numerous rumors surfacing in regard to the RIF situation that is happening within the Asbury Park School District. Please be advised that as of yesterday I have been informed of the following:

Reduction In Force (R.I.F.) Documents

Pat Errico — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:55:24 +0000

We have scanned and uploaded relevant documents that will govern the procedures should the potential Reduction In Force become a reailty. The official announcement is expected at the April 30th Board Meeting. We need as many members to show up for this meeting as possible to make a statement. A packed room full of APEA members out in support of each other will be hard to dismiss. Make plans to attend!!

All of the files listed below are Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) files and should be readable by most browsers. Don’t have it? Download Adobe Reader here.

If you have any problems viewing these documents, please let us know and we will do what we can to help you: P.Errico@AsburyParkEA.net.

Please Read

John Napolitani — Fri, 18 May 2007 13:15:44 +0000

The Department of Education is adding a new job description/job title to the Professional Licensing Code, School Orientation Mobility Specialist. It would create a new educational services endorsement.

Please respond to Francine Pfeffer (NJEA

“While You Were Sleeping News”

John Napolitani — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 00:09:25 +0000

Well, “Brother Joseph” is at it again. His racist, biggot news has hit the streets once again. This time, he is “advertising” his wonderful website, www.wywsnews.com. While still under construction, he does have a piece in there about Asbury Park, which blasts our Union President, as well as the BOE President. Keep an eye out to see what is said in this newly created “under construction” website.

Unfortunately, this person does not realize that the APEA along with the assistance of NJEA, have put their money into this district. We have advocated for the children and parents of this district. We will continue to push for reform to move this district forward. We will not be bullied by a carpet bagger that thinks he is a fixture of this community.