Vol. 2, No. 3
THE ADVANCE
MARCH 2011
T he A dvance:
th e vo i c e o f N ew M i lfo rd p u bli c s ch o o ls a publication of the New Milford Public School District Administrative Offices, 145 Madison Avenue, New Milford, New Jersey 07646 1.1 Curriculum Corner
What the best and wisest parents want for their children, so must the community want for all its children. Danielle Shanley, Director of Curriculum & Instruction
IN THIS ISSUE 1.1 HOW NEW MILFORD IS MEETING NEEDS OF 21ST C. LEARNERS ✦ 1.2 THE 2011-2012 BUDGET SEASON—IT BEGINS WITH A VISION ✦
1.3 PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE: A GLIMPSE INTO SPECIAL SERVICES ✦
1.4 BY THE NUMBERS: BY COMPARISON, NEW MILFORD SCHOOLS DO MORE WITH LESS ✦
21st Century Students I f yo u h ave n ’ t a l re a d y n o 1 c e d , technology is changing faster than we can learn how to use it. Just when we start ge:ng used to all of the features of our cell phone, the newest 4G version hits the market. Even young parents feel a bit like dinosaurs as we watch our elementary school children set up the Wii, without ever looking at the direc1ons. You might have asked yourself, as I did, “How does a 10 year old know how to play Brick Breaker on the Blackberry, when I haven’t figured how to set the ring tone yet?” If you’ve ever had to ask a teenager to show you how to “sync” your iPod, you certainly aren’t alone.
1.5 A MESSAGE FROM THE BOE ✦
1.6 FAST FACTS: A STUDENT’S EARNING POTENTIAL ✦
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION Michael A. Polizzi Superintendent Michael Sawicz Business Administrator/Board Secretary Ray Dorso Director of Special Services Danielle Shanley Director of Curriculum & Instruction NEW MILFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION Daniel Conner, President Darren Drake, Vice President Lori Barton John Bigger David Foo Judith Rabinowitz-McSweeney Geraldine Mechler Peggy Saslow Joseph Steele
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“In a 21st –century world where jobs can be shipped wherever there’s an Internet connec;on, where a child born in Dallas is now compe;ng with a child in New Delhi, where your best job qualifica;on is not what you do, but what you know-‐ educa;on is no longer just a pathway to opportunity and success, it is a prerequisite for success.” —President Obama
“Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers." Not much has changed, really, since Socrates wrote that some 1me ago… the year? Oh, some1me B.C. We hear conflic1ng opinions about kids today; they know so much more, know so much less, are smarter, more naïve, less respecXul, more socially aware, less academically focused, or more stressed-‐out about grades. The comments about today’s kids fly around with thoughXul, or thoughtless, abundance. We don’t really
want to hear what kids say about us, right? So let’s be fair to these liZle technological geniuses for a moment. They are quite impressive in many ways. They demonstrate persistence for mastery when they are passionate and engaged. Just watch a teen or “tween” play the hoZest new game on the Nintendo DS, create and manage a web page, breeze through a Power Point presenta1on, Skype with an older sibling s t u d y i n g a b r o a d , o r m a n a g e a conversa1on with 7 out of 356 iden1fied friends, simultaneously. Wow! (more on p.2)
NEW MILFORD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT MISSION The New Milford Public School District provides relevant, innovative and rigorous educational opportunities to students at all grade levels. The District is resolute in its attention to the development of the whole child by providing a comprehensive range of experiences essential to building capacity for independent and responsible living. The program is designed to prepare all students to meet or exceed NJCCCS, think critically, master the challenges of life-long academic, cultural, social, economic, emotional and professional advancement, as well as constructive participation as citizens in an interdependent global society. The District embraces family and community as active partners in a unified effort to develop students into self-directed, self-confident adults on their journeys to becoming the next generations of entrepreneurs, builders, artists, designers, inventors, scientists, educators, caregivers, protectors, workers and leaders.
THE ADVANCE: THE VOICE OF NEW MILFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS
1.2 District Finances:
The 2010-2011 budget season
Michael Sawicz, CPA Business Administrator/ Board Secretary
We’ve all heard the expression “What a difference a year makes.” Normally, people are referring to a situa1on that has improved drama1cally from the same 1me a year ago. Unfortunately, when it comes to public educa1on and t h e a n n u a l b u d g e t p ro c e s s t h e expression is more apt to be “just when you think the surprises are over, think again.” In 2010 the state of New Jersey came to the realiza1on that it was technically, if not legally, bankrupt. With the highest property taxes in the na1on and in the midst of an economic downturn, the state was faced with needing dras1c measures to start ge:ng its financial house in order. And so the annual assault on public school finances that began several years ago was taken to a new
It starts with a vision… level. Every school district in the state suffered a significant (in many cases a total) loss of state aid and thousands of people in educa1on became the vic1ms of district layoffs. Here in New Milford we lost over 64% of our state aid in addi1on to monies taken from our reserves and surplus for a total of nearly $1.9 mm. As a result, the final opera1ng budget for the current 2010-‐2011 school year, rather than being able to have been increased by the 4% legal cap, instead is over $450,000 less in total than the year before. It required major staffing and program cuts and the budget was s1ll defeated by the taxpayers. For the 2011-‐2012 school year, there is a new 2% cap on the amount that the tax levy can increase versus the 4% cap a year ago. The 2% cap is on the tax levy, not the total budget. If the state does not increase state aid by 2%, either freezing the current amount or reducing it further, then the effect is that the total o p e ra 1 n g b u d get m u st i n c re a s e p r o p o r 1 o n a l l y l e s s t h a n 2 % . Furthermore, one assumes that all expenses will increase 2%. While a cap 2
MARCH 2011
waiver is allowed for health insurance premiums that alone had increased 25% last year, no other expenses qualify. Even more straining on a budget are the costs of special educa1on that can be greatly affected by an increased number of students requiring services. Open building maintenance, technology, textbook purchases, supplies or staffing must be sacrificed to meet the mandated cap. In spite of these challenges, the New Milford School District con1nues to transform itself into a leading center of 21st century educa1on. Having already implemented many Shared Services ini1a1ves and explored numerous cost saving op1ons, the district con1nues to implement forward thinking models to deliver op1mal educa1onal value at the lowest cost. Next summer the district will replace the roof on the Middle School as well as install solar panels on that building and the two elementary schools at zero cost to the taxpayers. Children will be able to monitor and learn about the power of solar energy on a daily basis, the district will reduce its carbon footprint, there will be no financial burden on the taxpayers, next year’s budget will reflect reduced electricity costs and the district will be years ahead of our fellow school districts in the county and state. Teachers, students and parents are excited and eagerly looking forward to new and cu:ng edge academic programs and improvements in the district. Again, the district is u1lizing intelligent redeployment of our “human” resources to implement those changes. (more on p.5)
CURRICULUM CORNER 1.1
(… from p.1)
Students might spend more 1me interac1ng with a computer screen, a tablet, or a cell phone, and it may seem like they are disconnected from the human world. But, in actuality, they are connected and communica1ng, just differently. Knowing this, how do we engage them in the, arguably, an1quated classroom? How does their behavior and their reality, necessitate changes in what school districts do and offer? How do
the adults in their lives model the life-‐ long learning we preach? Current Best Prac3ces Mee3ng Needs We live in a technologically-‐driven, globally-‐influenced, interdependent world, which relies on the quality of high speed communica1on. The most recent e d i 1 o n o f Ed u ca ; o n L e a d e r s h i p published by the Associa1on for S u p e r v i s i o n a n d C u r r i c u l u m Development suggests a variety of content areas to cul1vate, so we may beZer prepare our graduates for college and career readiness in the 21st Century. Areas in need of cul1va1on include solid content knowledge, key cogni1ve skills, literacy in all forms (tradi1onal, fiscal, technological and civic), modernizing the educa1onal experience, making STEM real, and a revival of the humani1es. True, the global market place is looking for an inven1ve, innova1ve, and technologically skilled workforce. Within this high tech world of twee1ng, pos1ng, sync-‐ing, tex1ng, gaming, programming, coding, and surfing, we open forget that the work force is comprised of living, breathing human beings whose brains are, arguably, different. Nicholas Carr, author of The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains, cites brain-‐based research on how the use of technology is changing our brain func1on, and asserts we should remain steadfast in our aZempts to educate students to think deeply, cri1cally and analy1cally. Many teachers would agree that we need to strike a balance between enriching classroom prac1ces w i t h t r a d i 1 o n a l l i t e r a c y a n d technological literacy. There are shiping reali1es to our work as we begin to understand how our students are literate and the types of literacy prac1ces they need to engage meaningfully and purposefully across disciplines and in global se:ngs outside of our classrooms. Under the Principals in Prac1ce series, The Na1onal Council of Teachers of English recently published Adolescent and Digital Literacies: Learning Alongside our Students, a resource for 21st Century Teachers who desire research-‐based sugges1ons for improving classroom p ra c 1 c e s , s p e c i fi c a l l y i n c r i 1 c a l e va l u a 1 o n , re a d i n g a n d w r i 1 n g mul1modal texts, using par1cipatory media, and collabora1on. (more on p.3)
RENAISSANCE: THE ADVANCE:THE THEVOICE VOICEOF OFNEW NEWMILFORD MILFORDSCHOOLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
DECEMBER MARCH 2011 2010 NMEF FOUNDERS & BOARD: Alison Fischer, CEO Joseph LoPorto, CFO Jose Camacho Marlenis Camacho Megan Farricker Stacey Sidorsky Joanne Spurlin Colleen Tambuscio
Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity, the New Milford Education Foundation (NMEF) is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching, enhancing and supporting New Milford’s public education system. The NMEF supports New Milford Public Schools in providing a challenging and enriching educational experience that maximizes the learning potential of every student and prepares them to succeed in the 21st century. The Foundation provides incentives to stimulate excellence in the New Milford Public Schools by awarding grants for projects, programs and purchases that support the curriculum and facilities, by funding scholarships for students and professional development for educators, and by raising the profile of public education in New Milford. 1.1 Curriculum Corner (…from p.2)
WHAT OUR LEADERSHIP ASSERTS
In President Obama’s State of the Union Address in January 2011, he mirrored the sen1ments of the aforemen1oned research and sugges1ons for best prac1ces, emphasizing America’s impressive track record for out-‐building, out-‐innova1ng, and out-‐educa1ng other na1ons in the world. He prefaced these sen1ments in 2009, when he was quoted as saying, “In a 21st –century world where jobs can be shipped wherever there’s an Internet connec1on, where a child born in Dallas is now compe1ng with a child in New Delhi, where your best job qualifica1on is not what you do, but what you know-‐educa1on is no longer just a pathway to opportunity and success, it is a prerequisite for success.” Today, that educa1on takes on a new perspec1ve and a new form as health a n d s e c u r i t y m a Z e r s h a v e a n interna1onal dimension which requires interna1onal coopera1on and greater knowledge of people of the world, world cultures, world economy and world affairs. Obama challenged school districts to meet the needs of America’s
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children through advanced literacy, s c i e n c e , m at h , e n g i n e e r i n g a n d technology ini1a1ves. Yong Zhao, author of Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Educa;on in the Age of Globaliza;on, suggests we are in the midst of revolu1on that rivals if not supersedes the Industrial Revolu1on (similar to Obama’s asser1on that this is our Sputnik moment). This current technological revolu1on has significantly changed our society and thus the value of knowledge and talents. In order to create meaning and effec1vely reform educa1on, he suggests schools must ask the same ques1ons Bri1sh Philosopher Herbert Spencer asked more than 100 years ago: “What knowledge is of most worth? What is the great thing which educa1on has to teach?” Today, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) earn the place at the front of the line, yet, programming to promote communica1ons, ethics, ci1zenship, and literacy, arguably deserve their share of the spotlight. Our industrial economy based on manufacturing has shiped to a service economy driven by informa1on, knowledge, inven1on and innova1on.
To make your donation, please send your check payable to: “New Milford Education Foundation” and mail to: NMEF 145 Madison Avenue New Milford, NJ 07646 p: 201.639.6633 f: 201.639.6634 For information on how to give, please email: info@newmilfordfoundation.org Website coming soon: www.newmilfordfoundation.org
G l o b a l i z a 1 o n h a s a c c e l e r a t e d interna1onal migra1on and generated diversity in U.S. communi1es and classrooms. Employers have a global wo r k fo rc e f ro m w h i c h to d raw, compe11on for U.S. jobs comes from around the world. Cliff Adelman, formerly of the US Dept of Educa1on and author of The Toolbox Revisited, suggested “The single biggest predictor of post-‐high school success is the quality and intensity of the high school curriculum.” New Milford Responds to the Needs of Students Today In 2005, Thomas Friedman, author of The World is Flat, wrote, “When I was growing up, my parents used to say to me, ‘Finish your dinner – people in China and India are starving.’ My advice to you today is, finish your homework – people in China and India are starving for your jobs.” In 2011, we might be able to reasonably argue that we could change “starving for” your jobs to actually “taking” them. This is just one of the many reasons the district must embark on a philosophical and educa1onal ship, one that addresses the technological (more on p.4)
INVESTOR NEW RENAISSANCE: THE ADVANCE: MILFORD NEWSLETTER THE KNIGHTLY THEVOICE VOICE ISSUE OF NEWS OFNEW NEW N°3 MILFORD MILFORDSCHOOLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
CURRICULUM CORNER
(… from p.3)
expecta1ons of this new breed of students as well as offers high-‐impact programming that prepares all students for college and careers in the global workplace. This renaissance of ours i n c l u d e s r e -‐ d e fi n i n g d y n a m i c classrooms, effec1ve teaching strategies, student engagement, quality curriculum, content mastery and academic rigor. These defini1ons are not easy to come by and require tremendous discussion, collabora1on and buy-‐in from all stakeholders. Already, parents, teachers and students have graciously donated their 1me to contribute to important programma1c discussions. The discussions have included many parts of a complete program review from Pre-‐ school through Grade 12 to ensure that we are offering quality curricula and innova1ve courses, demanding grade appropriate rigor, employing high-‐yield classroom strategies, and engaging s t u d e n t s t h ro u g h t e c h n o l o g i c a l advances. Some changes will occur in larger, sweeping fashions, while others will happen more slowly, with state standards, na1onal/global demands, district vision statement, and best prac1ces as the collec;ve compass of our travels. Some of the innova1ons in programming such as the Academies at New Milford High School (with 12 new courses and many redefined courses in the program) are bold and exci1ng, and offer the intensity and purpose of quality programming. The Junior Academies at DEOMS will call to our students in grades 6-‐8 when new course offerings are revealed. The programs at the middle school will serve as academic and content area precursors for the three Academies at the High School. We haven’t lost sight of the fact that Berkley and Gibbs Elementary Schools serve as the founda1on for all of these higher-‐level, content rich experiences we are promo1ng in grades 6-‐12. That necessitates more K-‐5 focus on the value of literacy in all forms; we will con1nue to teach it, assess it, and remediate it. Ini1a1ves in the elementary schools in S e pte m b e r o f 2 0 1 1 i n c l u d e t h e 4
SEPTEMBER DECEMBER MARCH 2011 2010
1.3 DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL SERVICES PONDERS THE PAST, THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE OF NEW MILFORD SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Ray Dorso,, Director of Special Services
Confucius, the famous Chinese philosopher, recognizing the importance of understanding one’s history, is quoted as saying if you “study the past, you will define the future.” As the birthplace of Bergen County, New Milford has a history truly worthy of study. To celebrate this history, our students are currently working in collabora1on with the New Milford Historic Preserva1on Commission on an innova1ve project using Geocaching. The geocaching project brings New Milford's rich history into the world of technology and 21st Century learning. New Milford Knight School students are in the process of selec1ng ten historical sites to use as geocaching sites. At each site, students will hide a special container in a secret loca1on. Hints will be given on-‐line at the geocaching web site. Anyone interested in having some fun and learning about New Milford’s history can try to find the hidden containers. We will unveil more informa1on about this project on April 14, at the District Open House (NM High School, 6:30 PM).
That was then; this is now… The crea1on of innova1ve programs, like the Knight School, is one way the Department of Special Services is defining the future. Before we explore other department ini1a1ves, let's explore the recent past that led us to where we are today. Prior to my arrival in the district, the New Milford School District had five different Directors of Special Services in a five-‐year period. Thanks to many dynamic special educa1on teachers in the district, we were able to provide our students with quality services during that 1me. However, as a result of the administra1ve inconsistency, our focus had been on ge:ng through each year and not on developing a long-‐range plan that prepares students for 21st Century learning objec1ves.
(more on p.5)
alignment of the NEW Na1onal Common Core Standards in mathema1cs in grades K-‐2, training and implementa1on of Writer ’s Workshop, extending our standards based math program to grade 5, redesigning the science programming K-‐5, and focusing on more common facilita1on of the curriculum, scope and sequence and expecta1ons for student performance between the two buildings. Slowly, benchmark assessments will become common measures of student performance. Many of these academic ini1a1ves, PreK-‐12, require in-‐depth teacher training. Our commitment to mul1ple opportuni1es throughout the school y e a r f o r q u a l i t y p r o f e s s i o n a l development is unwavering. We will con1nue to prepare the faculty to employ a variety of instruc1onal strategies: incorpora1ng educa1onal technologies in the classroom, engaging the learner in more collabora1ve ac1vi1es, emphasizing cri1cal thinking, promo1ng the ability to communicate well and in many forms, and making
connec1ons between what is being learned in the classroom and the world outside. We value the quality educators we have in our district and remain dedicated to suppor1ng their life-‐long learning as well as their efforts to facilitate newer programming and to increase student achievement in New Milford. Ar1cula1on mee1ngs in English language arts (ELA) have included a close look at the new Na1onal Common Core Standards. These new standards have replaced the former New Jersey Common Core Standards in Language Arts.
INVESTOR NEW RENAISSANCE: THE ADVANCE: MILFORD NEWSLETTER THE KNIGHTLY THEVOICE VOICE ISSUE OF NEWS OFNEW NEW N°3 MILFORD MILFORDSCHOOLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
DECEMBER MARCH FALL 2011 2010 2009
1.2 Budget (…from p. 2)
budget season Special educa1on programs have been established in district, savings hundreds of thousands of dollars in out-‐of-‐district tui1ons to private schools for the handicapped. Opera1onal efficiency has become the mantra in all areas of the district including academic disciplines, special educa1on and building opera1ons as well as grounds and maintenance, transporta1on and business prac1ces. It begins with a vision. The vision for the New Milford School District is long term and every ac1on taken is predicated on that vision, from new and expanded educa1onal programs to professional development to facility improvements. The result will be increased academic achievement. Student successes will reach new heights and have no limits. The taxpayers of New Milford will con1nue to receive a maximum return on the dollars invested in public educa1on and will always be certain of the integrity of district finances. The New Milford Board of Educa1on will seZle for no less. “What a difference a year makes.” The New Milford School District is a far beZer district today than a year ago. But the state of New Jersey will con1nue to surprise the people in public educa1on, for beZer and for worse. The administra1on, teachers and staff of the New Milford School District will also con1nue to surprise — definitely for the beZer. We will be the innova1ve leaders in the county and state.
1.3 “Past, present, future…”
more about special services (…from p.4) That was then; this is now. As highlighted in the previous edi1on of 5
this newsleZer, we have opened two new programs this school year. Inner Bridge Crossing and the New Milford Knight School both offer in-‐district opportuni1es for students to receive their educa1on where they should. These programs are fiscally responsible; in fact, they result in substan1al savings while s1ll providing priceless services to our students. We have also increased the quality of related services and a variety of special programs. For example, hiring our own occupa1onal therapist and other personnel previously hired through outside agencies has saved the district more than $200,000.00. This increases the quality of services being provided and ensures we have the same staff members working with our students. The money saved from these decisions and others has enabled us to increase the quality and amount of services offered in other areas. For instance, over the past year, all of our special educa1on classes have received new computers, and just last week, five of our special educa1on classes received Smart Boards! Understanding that systemic change takes 1me, we are happy with our progress. To be clear, however, the changes indicated above, as well as others not detailed here, merely represent the 1p of the iceberg. At the core of future development is a philosophy that values the importance of educa1ng students in the least restric1ve environment. Con1nued movement in this direc1on will increase the opportuni1es for students with significant disabili1es to return to our district to be educated with his/her peers. Addi1onally, we will focus our efforts to keep students in general educa1on se:ngs by ensuring that team teaching pairs are dynamic and
provide the best opportunity for students to succeed.
We are commiZed to helping every student find their voice and to be inspired to reach for lopy goals. For when a student finds his or her passion, a future that is bright is inevitable.
1.6 Earning potential
Fast Facts: Schooling affects earning potential Bachelor’s degree: earns nearly $1 million more over life1me than a high school grad. High school grad: can expect to make $1.2 million working full-‐ 1me between ages 25-‐64. College grad: can expect to earn $2.1 million over life1me. Master’s degree: can earn $2.5 million over life1me. Professional degree (e.g. doctor, lawyer): earning poten1al $4.4 million or more.
NEWADVANCE: RENAISSANCE: THE MILFORDTHE KNIGHTLY THEVOICE VOICEOF NEWS OFNEW NEWMILFORD MILFORDSCHOOLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
1.4 Comparative Spending: A Message from the Superintendent
BY THE NUMBERS: New Milford Schools do more with less While the average cost to educate a New J e rs e y s t u d e n t w a s $ 1 3 , 8 3 5 i n 2009-‐2010, according to the 2010 Compara;ve Spending Guide.
Average per pupil spending in New Milford = $11,443. The annual report issued by the New Jersey Department of Educa1on (DOE) provides sta1s1cs detailing local school spending in 14 categories. The guide allows people to see and understand a districts’ efficiency in terms of spending paZerns. It is important to note that the guide does not aZempt to m a ke a n y c o r r e l a 1 o n b e t w e e n expenditures and student achievement. The Compara;ve Spending Guide can be found online on the DOE website. The Department of Educa1on noted some of the trends:
•
The average cost of classroom instruc1on was $8,113 per s t u d e n t , a n i n c r e a s e o f 3.6%. Instruc1onal costs make up about 59% of school districts’ average per pupil costs.
• The greatest increase since last year was in support services like nurses and guidance counselors. Those costs, which account for about 15.5% of an average district’s cost per pupil, came in at $2,169 per student. • The slowest rate of increase was in administra1ve costs, which grew by 2.4%. Administra1ve costs averaged $1,453 per pupil, making up about 2.5% of school districts’ total costs per pupil. 6
DECEMBER MARCH 2011 2010
The annual guide, which groups school districts of similar size and grade structure, reflects spending common to all school districts, such as special educa1on, early childhood educa1on, and bilingual educa1on. However, certain types of spending can differ significantly from one district to the next – such as transporta1on, tui1on and ca p i ta l ex p e n d i t u re s – a n d t h e Department of Educa1on does not include that data in the guide.
CONTRIBUTORS AND STAFF
Out of the 69 districts against which New Milford Schools were measured, the New Milford schools fell below average in its spending paZerns in the majority of indicators. This underscores the District’s success at maintaining quality of services at frugal spending levels.
Danielle Shanley Director of Curriculum & Instruction
To be in a consistently strong posi1on to successfully guard against excessive spending at the same 1me the District orchestrates systemic change directed at improved student achievement and l i n ke d to s u sta i n a b l e l o n g -‐ te r m development illustrates the District’s growth-‐oriented commitment to fiscally r e s p o n s i b l e l e a d e r s h i p a n d management.
Walt Pevny District Webmaster
1.5 A Message from the Board
Future bright for New Milford students Despite the loss of $1.4 million in state aid for the 2010-‐11 school year, your Board of Educa1on, Superintendent, and our en1re staff have worked diligently to maintain the high level of educa1on you expect. We are constantly searching for cost effec1ve ways to prepare your children for a bright future. For example, the new Academies@New Milford High School (no we are not changing the name of the high school) will allow ALL students a chance to challenge themselves at a higher level. This is being accomplished at no cost increase as exis1ng resources will be allocated differently to accommodate the new programs. An exci1ng project in the future is the
Michael Polizzi Superintendent Michael Sawicz Business Administrator/Board Secretary Raymond Dorso Director of Special Services
John Bigger Member, Board of Education
replacement of the roof at the DEOMS and the installa1on of solar panels. This will drama1cally decrease energy costs and, eventually, the panels will pay for themselves. On another note, the Board of Educa1on has formed a new public rela1ons commiZee (David Foo, Judy Rabinowitz-‐ McSweeney and John Bigger) whose mission is to provide more transparency and to beZer inform the public of issues in a 1mely fashion. To this end, we are scheduling mee1ngs with the PTO’s, the Mayor and Council, and other community groups to fully explain the 2011-‐12 school budget, as well as new curriculum changes and projects. We will also be offering mee1ngs for parents prior to the start of the school day. These will occur before the April 27th budget vote and will be properly no1ced. We urge all residents to aZend one or more of these mee1ngs to ask ques1ons and offer opinions, and to aZend our bi-‐monthly mee1ngs. Finally, it is important to circle April 27 on your calendars. We urge all residents to come out and vote to determine the future of our children’s educa1on. —John Bigger