WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. October 6, 2008: The Board of Education meets this evening at Education House at 7:30 P.M. Highlights of the agenda include a report from Hazard, Young and Attea, the Superintendent of Schools search firm, on the qualifications they will be looking for in any candidates; there will be a report from the White Plains Foundation for Public Education to the Board, and recent certiorari refunds will be approved.
The agenda:
Education House
7:30 P.M.
AGENDA
I. Opening of Meeting:
Pledge of Allegiance
National Merit Recognition
Presentation by Foundation for Public Education in White Plains
Oral Announcements by the Board President and Board Members
II. Communications:
Report of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, Superintendent Search Consultants
III. Public Participation: (The Board will entertain comments from the public on any issue, with a time limit of three minutes per person, and a maximum total of 25 minutes.)
IV. Superintendent’s Report:
Preliminary enrollment figures
Fees for use of fields
VADIR Report
Advanced Placement
Middle School Anti-Bullying Program - ROAR
No Child Left Behind Activities
V. Summary Action Items:
1. Recommended approval of minutes of the Regular Meeting of September 8, 2008.
2. Recommended acceptance of the following donations:
$15,000 from the Foundation for Public Education in White Plains, Inc. to be used for
the Artist-in-Residence program
A Dell computer monitor from James Duffy for George Washington School
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3. Recommended approval to arrange for the appropriate program and services for students with
disabilities, as recommended by the Committee on Special Education: 102 cases, as per
attachment.
4. Recommended approval to arrange for the appropriate program and services for students with
disabilities, as recommended by the Committee on Preschool Special Education: 27 cases, as
per attachment.
5. Recommended approval of consultant agreements as follows:
Blythedale Children’s Hospital for Speech Services, Speech Evaluations and Central
Auditory Processing evaluations, as mandated on students’ IEPs
Holistic Learning Center, HTA Inc, and Bilinguals Inc. to extend the period of service
from 9/4/08 through 6/26/09, to 7/1/08 through 6/26/09.
6. Recommended approval of an increase in compensation for Dr. Anthony Marano, Medical Consultant.
7. Recommended approval of Foreign Exchange Trips.
8. Recommended approval that all employees previously granted a conditional appointment and
who have not received conditional clearance from the State Education Department be granted another conditional appointment for 20 days.
Civil Service Staffing:
9. Recommended acceptance of the resignation of Joseph Paulo, Senior Custodian, George Washington School, effective 10/18/08.
10. Recommended approval of the permanent appointment of Anna Provenzano, Claims Auditor,
Education House, effective 8/4/08.
11. Recommended approval of the provisional appointment of Nick Maratos,* Database Manager, Education House, effective 10/20/08.
12. Recommended approval of a temporary salary adjustment as per attachment.
13. Recommended approval of an increase in hours for Gloria Redlener, Professional Registered Nurse, Solomon Schechter School, from 24.5 to 35 hours per week, effective 9/1/08.
14. Recommended approval of a resolution to create an Attendance Liaison position, High School, effective 10/7/08.
15. Recommended approval of substitute appointments as per Board approved “Substitute, Summer School and Supplemental Rates”:
Clerk P/T Substitute Maria Basile*, Lynbeth Wiggs*
Registered Professional Nurse P/T Deborah Finley*
Teacher Aide Frederick Harper*
Custodial Worker Joseph Paulo*
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16. Recommended approval of the temporary part-time appointment (2 hours per day) of
Jennifer Bellantoni, Senior Typist, Adult Education, effective 10/6/08-12/3/08.
Teacher Staffing
17. Recommended approval of the extension of the probationary period for June Davis, Teaching
Assistant, High School, from 11/27/08 to 3/2/09.
18. Recommended approval of a revision of probationary dates for Margie Soto, Teaching
Assistant, George Washington School, from 9/9/08-9/8/11 to 9/9/08-9/8/10.
19. Recommended approval to rescind the appointment of Sherica Wisdom, Teaching Assistant, Church Street School, effective 9/9/08.
20. Recommended approval of the probationary appointment of the following Teaching Assistants:
Phyllis Arcuni* (Replacing Tonya Knight)
BA - Pace University (Childhood Education, Concentration Literacy)
Current Assignment: Church Street School (6.5 hours)
Probationary Period: 9/29/08-9/28/11
Nubia Y. Gonzalez (New Position)
Current Assignment: Middle School-Highlands (6.0 hours)
Probationary Period: 10/7/08-10/6/11
Elisa Groglio (Replacing M. Reillo)
BFA - Pratt Institute (Communications Design)
Current Assignment: Church Street School (6.0 hours)
Probationary Period: 9/24/08-9/23/11
Sandra MacGregor (Replacing S. Wisdom)
BS-SUNY Albany (Business Administration)
Current Assignment: Church Street School (6.0 hours)
Probationary Period: 10/7/08-10/6/11
21. Recommended approval of the regular substitute appointment of the following Teaching
Assistants:
Matthew Courtien (Replacing H. Hillard)
BA - Fordham University (Communications)
Current Assignment: High School (6.5 hours)
Dates of Service: 8/31/08-1/11/09
Jocelyn Mattutini
MA - Manhattanville College (Secondary English)
Current Assignment: New York Presbyterian Hospital (6.5 hours)
Dates of Service: 10/7/08-6/26/09
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Jacklyn Snavely
BA - Stony Brook University (History/Sociology)
Current Assignment: New York Presbyterian Hospital (6.5 hours)
Dates of Service: 10/7/08-6/26/09
22. Recommended approval of the appointment* of district-wide substitute Teaching Assistants, as per Board approved “Substitute, Summer School and Supplemental Rates”: Charles Newcomb,* Sefora Mejia.*
23. Recommended approval of the appointment* of district-wide per diem substitute teachers and building substitute teachers, as per attachment.
24. Recommended acceptance of the resignations for the purpose of retirement of:
Madhy Oya, Adult Education Teacher, Rochambeau School, effective 12/31/08
Margo Devenney, Special Education Teacher, High School, effective 3/1/09
25. Recommended approval of a request for childcare leave for Shari Kaplan, Speech Teacher, George Washington and Mamaroneck Avenue Schools, effective 10/18/08-2/1/09.
26. Recommended approval of compensation for the following, as per attachments:
a. 2008-09 Interscholastic and Co-curricular appointments
b. 2008-09 Department/Program Resource Teachers, Curriculum Writing, Professional
Development, Technology Institute Activities, and miscellaneous stipends
c. 2008-09 Extended Day Program
27. Recommended approval of increases in time for:
Robin Ascher (Replacing .4 J. Brindley), from .6 to 1.0, Art Teacher, High School,
Effective 10/4/08-11/5/08
Rita Sanchez (Replacing .4 J. Farenholc), from .6 to 1.0, ESOL Teacher, High School,
effective 11/8/08-1/31/09
28. Recommended approval of a stipend payment to Edward Potoma, Science Teacher,
Community School, for the 2008-09 school year.
29. Recommended approval of a revision of probationary dates for Cynthia Otero-Soriano, School
Psychologist, High School from 10/2/08-10/1/11 to 9/15/08-9/14/11.
30. Recommended approval of the Part-time appointment of:
Bahiyyah Jones* (Replacing .6 J. Farenholc)
BA - University of Maryland/College Park (Spanish)
Certification: Initial (pending), Spanish 7-12
Assignment: Foreign Language Teacher, High School, 60% of full time
Dates of Service: 9/15/08-1/31/09
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Jennifer Bien-Montgomery* (Replacing M. Buckley-Hoffman)
BA - Tufts University (Child Development and Drama)
MA/EdM - Columbia University/Teachers College (Deaf Education and Early Childhood
Special Education)
Certification: Initial, Deaf & Hard of Hearing; Early Childhood Education B-2, Students w/
Disabilities B-6
Assignment: Teacher of the Hearing Impaired, District-wide, 80% of full time
Dates of Service: 10/6/08-11/3/08
31. Recommended approval of the Regular Substitute appointments of:
Leah Robinson* (Replacing D. Grimm)
BA - Texas A&M University-Commerce (Music)
Certification: Conditional (pending), Music
Assignment: Music Teacher, Ridgeway School
Dates of Service: 9/22/08-6/30/09
Justine Steenblok* (Replacing J. Hommez)
BA - Ithaca College (Music Education)
Certification: Initial, Music
Assignment: Music Teacher, Post Road School
Dates of Service: 10/7/08-6/30/09
32. Recommended approval of the Probationary appointment of:
Jennifer Bien-Montgomery* (Replacing M. Buckley-Hoffman)
BA - Tufts University (Child Development and Drama)
MA/EdM - Columbia University/Teachers College (Deaf Education and Early Childhood
Special Education)
Certification: Initial, Deaf & Hard of Hearing; Early Childhood Education B-2, Students w/
Disabilities B-6
Assignment: Teacher of the Hearing Impaired, Districtwide
Probationary Period: 11/4/08-11/3/11
*All of these appointments are conditional appointments, subject to and contingent upon, the satisfactory completion
finger printing process and investigatory background check required by the New York State Education Law. The Board of Education reserves the right to rescind these appointments without notice, upon receipt of any unsatisfactory report resulting from the aforementioned background check.
VI. Other Action:
1. Recommended approval of up to 15 days of service for Steven Shell as Interim Coordinator,
Technology, High School, effective 8/1/08.
2. Recommended approval of the appointment to tenure of Victoria Kolndreu, ESOL Teacher,
Mamaroneck Avenue School, effective 11/7/08.
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3. Recommended approval of the
