NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The following are some highlights from the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, October 2:
Fleur de Lis: The City of New Rochelle announced that it was giving the District several fleur-de-lis sculptures that, until recently, ornamented key corners in the city’s downtown. The sculptures, which had been painted by various artists, were recently decommissioned and replaced by sculptures formed of stacked block letters NRNY. The fleur-de-lis sculptures will become new art projects for students to paint. Board of Education President Jeffrey Hastie thanked the City for the gift.
Complaint Tracking: Members of the Health and Safety Committee told the Board that they are reviewing the complaint tracking system and exploring ways to enhance and upgrade it. The system allows teachers, staff members and residents to report any issues with the conditions of school buildings and grounds. Users who register with the system are notified when the issue they reported is resolved.
World Languages: The Board directed the Administration to conduct a financial, scheduling, and academic impact analysis of the World Language Committee’s option three proposal for offering language instruction. That option demonstrates how the District can offer the Spanish FLES (Foreign Language in the Elementary Schools) program to students in all elementary schools. This analysis does not affect middle or high school language programs. In addition, the board asked for an equally robust study of phasing out CILA, a language immersion program. The community will have an opportunity to ask questions and provide input to help inform the Board’s final decision. The district is expected to report back in two months.