F.U.S.E. members voted on June 1, 2009 to approve the tentative contract between the City School District of New Rochelle and the employees union. Tonight members of the Board of Education will meet at City Hall to vote on the tentative contract.
The contract was approved overwhelmingly by the rank and file with 743 members voting in favor, 204 voting against and 12 “invalid” votes. Exceptions to the widespread support were union members at Albert Leonard Middle School, Davis Elementary and New Rochelle High School which combined accounted for three-quarters of the “no” votes; Davis narrowly missed voting against the contract.
At the conclusion of the Regular Meeting, the Board will go into Executive Session to discuss the employment history of particular persons and matters which may lead to the appointment of a particular person. Hmmm. That “employment history of particular persons” sounds alot like they might be talking about sexting security guard Donna Henry again.
Here is the official agenda (Note to Jeff Hastie: still no board resolutions being published on the web prior to the board meeting)
7:30 P.M. COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE SESSION (Carew Room, 2nd Floor)
I. Board of Education Announcements
II. Superintendent’s Report
A. H1N1 Virus Update
B. BMI Survey Results
C. 2008-2009 ELA & Math Results
III. Review of Additional Draft Resolutions
8:30 P.M. REGULAR MEETING
Although the agenda omitted having a public comment period, typically there is one available at the end of the Committee of the Whole Session and another after the Regular Meeting. As resolutions will be voted on in the Regular Meeting those wishing to express their concerns of the way the board members lied to residents about the status of the union contract (it was completed BEFORE the budget vote but not disclosed to voters) should plan on being present at the “COW” meeting at 7:30 PM.
Principal at Trinity
I wonder if they will announce who will be principal at Trinity next year. I hope it is someone who is experienced and has been a principal before at a big school, not a newbie principal.
trinity school
I know a little about Briceno and what I have seen was favorable. It is a sensible appointment from the viewpoint of the special mission of Trinity as well (a TESOL school). He should do well.
Today (June 4) I read the blogs about the sexting, discriminatory remarks and rewarding of same, the continuing misrepresentation of district results, etc. and it reinforces the simple arguments put forth by a number of us that the district is unsound, unsafe, and unconscious from the head, not the body. What I mean by this is that the actions taken reinforce the incompetence of the board, some of the senior management and administrative staff and the noxious relationship with the district and union — the sweetheart contract/don’t rock the boat mentality. Yes there are racial and irrational tones on decisions; and given the so called probationary period dismissal, punishments are unequal and do not fit offenses.
But, as Bob Cox says, I am an optimist. I re-read Regina Simoes points in a late 2008 blog and I remember her fondly as a dedicated, committed teacher and the system is full of people of this professional and moral quality. I think the voting patterns in the district re: the union contract are a cause for optimism as well and it would be interesting to get some viewpoints why some schools overwhelmingly supported the contract while others apparently were more divided in their views.
Maybe our President’s speech at Cairo impressed upon me more than anything else of the power of transparency, accountability, courage, and conviction. Our district doesn’t get it: neither do many of our citizens in the district. that will change.
I think perhaps it would not be a bad idea to bundle a package of all of the views concerning some key topic — maybe a composite of the sexting and reinstatement op and blog pieces — and send them to the council members and simply ask them — it this what you want for your district? do you have any questions about what you are reading? do you know of the impact that a district like this is having on your constituents — financially, educationally, morally, ethically…. and are you comfortable with a union/management relationship that is not collective bargaining but a free pass for some at the expense of many others and which is running contraindicative to trends in society today?
Sounds idle or useless on the surface, but remind them that people who hit this webstie are many and they vote. Also invite them to comment publically by name regarding the material and the fight for a sound and fiscally responsible district. Go RSVP and tell us who responds, who dosn’t and this is another benchmark come voting time.
Obama is right — it is the collective responsibility of us all to resist tyranny and frankly, the board’s very opaqueness, irrratonality, favoritism, and cowardice in the face of union opposition, is precisely opposite to the values our president spoke about in Cairo and many other places.
I am optimistic enough to believe what he says and support him. This transcends politics; the actions of this district and board become more reprehnesible as time goes on.
warren gross
trinity school
I know a little about Briceno and what I have seen was favorable. It is a sensible appointment from the viewpoint of the special mission of Trinity as well (a TESOL school). He should do well.
Today (June 4) I read the blogs about the sexting, discriminatory remarks and rewarding of same, the continuing misrepresentation of district results, etc. and it reinforces the simple arguments put forth by a number of us that the district is unsound, unsafe, and unconscious from the head, not the body. What I mean by this is that the actions taken reinforce the incompetence of the board, some of the senior management and administrative staff and the noxious relationship with the district and union — the sweetheart contract/don’t rock the boat mentality. Yes there are racial and irrational tones on decisions; and given the so called probationary period dismissal, punishments are unequal and do not fit offenses.
But, as Bob Cox says, I am an optimist. I re-read Regina Simoes points in a late 2008 blog and I remember her fondly as a dedicated, committed teacher and the system is full of people of this professional and moral quality. I think the voting patterns in the district re: the union contract are a cause for optimism as well and it would be interesting to get some viewpoints why some schools overwhelmingly supported the contract while others apparently were more divided in their views.
Maybe our President’s speech at Cairo impressed upon me more than anything else of the power of transparency, accountability, courage, and conviction. Our district doesn’t get it: neither do many of our citizens in the district. that will change.
I think perhaps it would not be a bad idea to bundle a package of all of the views concerning some key topic — maybe a composite of the sexting and reinstatement op and blog pieces — and send them to the council members and simply ask them — it this what you want for your district? do you have any questions about what you are reading? do you know of the impact that a district like this is having on your constituents — financially, educationally, morally, ethically…. and are you comfortable with a union/management relationship that is not collective bargaining but a free pass for some at the expense of many others and which is running contraindicative to trends in society today?
Sounds idle or useless on the surface, but remind them that people who hit this webstie are many and they vote. Also invite them to comment publically by name regarding the material and the fight for a sound and fiscally responsible district. Go RSVP and tell us who responds, who dosn’t and this is another benchmark come voting time.
Obama is right — it is the collective responsibility of us all to resist tyranny and frankly, the board’s very opaqueness, irrratonality, favoritism, and cowardice in the face of union opposition, is precisely opposite to the values our president spoke about in Cairo and many other places.
I am optimistic enough to believe what he says and support him. This transcends politics; the actions of this district and board become more reprehnesible as time goes on.
warren gross