By Anthony Rifilato
Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Jeffrey Hollman gave an extensive presentation for what he called a "changing landscape" for the Regents diploma.
As of this year, the Regents diploma will completely replace school district's local diplomas. The changes signify the state's demand that academic standards be raised. By 2005, students will have to score a 65 in five subject areas in order to receive a diploma.
The changes have been coming in phases.
The requirements for last year's class of 2002 dictated a minimum score of 55 in four Regents classes (English Language Arts, Global History, U.S. History and Math) as well as one non-Regents science course. But for the class of 2003, the non-Regents science has been done away with, and the state Regents diploma now requires a minimum score of 55 in five areas of instruction. Beginning in 2004, students will have to score a 65 in all subjects except math and science, which will remain 55 until 2005.
"This represents the biggest change in public education," Hollman said.
The Regents diploma is not based solely on exams; it also entails earned credits and various sequences taken. The minimum amount of credits needed in Baldwin are 22, but Hollman said that most students graduate with far more credits. There is also a "safety net" in place for students with disabilities, who can fall back on non-Regents courses after attempting the Regents.
Hollman believes that, overall, that the new standards are positive and hold students to a higher accountability.
"Now, all students have to attempt to take the [Regents] tests and work harder," Hollman said, though he expressed some concern that the drop-out rate might rise slightly with more stringent requirements.
Hiring practices
The board also discussed district hiring practices and proposed involving parents and teachers in the interview process.
"I would like to see a teacher and parent brought in for in-depth interviews," said Mary Clark.
An advertisement for the Brookside Elementary School principal will be placed in the late winter or early spring, according to board President James Scannell. Brookside now has an interim principal, Jan Wilson, who replaced former Brookside principal Sheryl McBeth, who was fired last summer.
"By December we want to bring closure to this," Scannell said.
Parents who had taken issue with McBeth's termination questioned the board's proposal to make parents more involved in the hiring process, when many parents said they felt as if they were in the dark and left out when McBeth was fired.
"Is it possible to develop a consistency in terms of hiring as well as dismissal? If parents have a hand in hiring, why is there no info on a dismissal," Bernard Woodside asked the board.
Scannell noted that if parents were to be involved in the hiring process, it would be a drastically different situation because a prospective employee wouldn't yet be part of the school district. He said that any public discussion of an employee can lead to future litigation.
"Once a person is an employee, the rules change significantly," Scannell said. "It becomes confidential and we can't get around the legal requirements."
Questions about Middle School
In the public comment portion of the meeting, a number of parents voiced concern about the Middle School.
Maryann Gochman said that over the last year, the kids at the Middle School have been "treated like criminals," noting the video cameras in the cafeteria and a sign-in sheet for the bathrooms.
"It seems everyday there is a new rule or a change," Gochman said.
Deputy Superintendent for Instruction Dr. Lee Chapman said there were some benefits to the use of cameras in the cafeteria and that parents can be shown if an item was stolen or missing.
Scannell acknowledged Gochman's concerns and said, "We want to be proactive about security."
Another parent, Evelyn Selesky, said that bathrooms at the Middle School are locked at times because of problems in the boys' bathroom, notably messiness. Selesky said she was shocked when her daughter told her that Principal James C. Brown had recently angrily addressed students at an assembly about the messy bathrooms. He allegedly said he was ashamed to be in the same species as students who urinated all over the boys' bathroom, according to Selesky.
"The principal had time to plan what he was going to say," Selesky said. "My daughter said he sounded like an angry Army sergeant."
Brown could not be reached for comment at press time.
Scannell cautioned parents that since no one at the board meeting was at the assembly, it would be better to check out exactly what Brown's comments were. "We should check before we speculate," Scannell said.
Middle School PTA President Mary Clark said she has not received any complaints or phone calls from parents about the matter.
"Usually parents would call me first about it," said Clark. "Since I've worked with him [Brown] he's been extremely professional and we never had a problem."
Parents also revisited questions about the honors program, which had been discussed at last month's meeting and left many parents confused.
Again, parents asked for clarification about entrance into honors courses and grade requirements.
Two parents said they received letters stating that students needed to maintain a B average and were under the impression that students would not be allowed to continue or enter an honors course without those grades.
"I'm pleased about a more inclusive program, but it needs guidelines," said Barbara Cohen, whose child is in sixth grade.
The letter sent to Middle School parents, obtained by the Herald, reads: "We expect students to maintain at least a "B" average." But the letter also goes on to state that students receiving less than a B, "should attend extra help and set up a conference with his/her teacher....Parents of students who fail to meet expectations after the first marking period will be contacted by the student's guidance counselor. If adequate progress toward the honors course expectations are not met, a parent meeting...will be held to discuss a possible change of placement."
Scannell said that some of the language in the literature may be deceiving.
"We have to clean up the language out there. We have work to do in these areas," Scannell said.
