WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. October 6, 2008: Donna McLaughlin, Board of Education President, called for the board to “get involved in early with the way we do the budget” this year, saying a good way to start would on the finance committee working with the Superintendent of Schools and Assistant Superintendent for Business, Fred  Seiler, and finding what components go into making up the budget. Paying close attention to “line item involvement” and “what makes up the budget.”

The Superintendent appreciated her concern, but  said that the district first had to watch and interpret what the state was doing first and be aware of what it means for the district, and what “may reoccur so we do things that make sense.”

The Superintendent made no statement on the status of negotiations with the White Plains Teachers Association. Kelly Broderick, the President of the union told WPCNR after the meeting was over, there was no progress in her meeting with the district today: “It (negotiating) is going to be a long process,” she said. The union is seeking a two-year contract and is seeking a wage increase to offset a 17% increase in the health premiums the teachers pay, which the union feels has taken away much of last year’s 3.5% wage increase. Teacher salary and health benefits currently take up 75% of the $184.4 Million budget.

In other action...

Bonding for Certs Approved in Teeth of Interest Rate Uncertainty

The district approved going out for bonds for more certioraris which were approved, the amount of which were not disclosed in the public meeting. Fred Seiler the Assistant Superintendent for Business said the district would probably go out to bond after December, but would consult with their legal advisory on the best time considering the now unstable condition of the credit markets. Both and the school district and the city will be putting out bonds in next year’s as yet unknown financial climate.

Ms. McLaughlin asked if the district was considering a way not to bond for certioraris going forward. Seiler said an alternative to financing certiorari refunds had not been explored yet.

A Superintendent Profile: Everything But Financial Magic

In other action, the district heard the report of Hazard, Young and Attea Associates outlining what the district was looking for in a superintendent whom some 379 persons and 100 questionaires felt should be very much like Mr. Connors, who is visible and active and available throughout the district. The search firm is already recruiting and will be looking for a Superintendent who will support the district Strategic Plan, is accessible and approachable, able to communicate the vision of the White Plains Schools, is a good manager, with a proven track record of success with a diverse student population. He or she should be able to change policies, bring factions of the district together, decisive and able to motivate staff; and finally able to see all areas of the district. There was nothing in the makeup of qualifications for a Superintendent that required them to show a prior expertise in slowing budget growth.

Energy Reduction Contract Approved -- Seeking Technological Changes to save $700G a Year

The district approved a contract  with ECG Engineering to develop a survey from which a Request for Proposals would be formulated to have large Energy Service Companies submit proposals to supply energy to the district with a guaranteed savings, based on technology improvements across the district that would result in the savings. Seiler told WPCNR after the meeting that the district would fund such technology improvements by financing of some sort, but would realize a predicted $600,000 to $700,000 in energy savings annually once the improvements had been installed across the district.

The district  would have to buy its energy from the Services Company. No financial model was shown. ECG Engineering would not charge the district for the initial survey to develop the Request for Proposals, but would be paid by the Energy Services Company which offered the best RFP proposal.

Loucks & Parker Stadium Fees approved

The district approved rental fees to community, school, and outside groups who wished to use the new Loucks and Parker Stadiums, outfitted with artificial turf. The fees are $60 for the first two hours of rental and $30 for each additional hour. For Loucks Field rental at night, using the lights it is $60 for two hours plus $50 an hour for lights ($220 for two hours at night). Persons or groups interested in renting the new fields, should if you are a community group contact the White Plains Department of  Recreation and Parks, 914- 422-1336 School groups, should contact the School District at 914-422-2050.

Advanced Placement  Course Students Grow

Lesley Tompkins Director of Guidance announced that the number of White Plains students in advanced placement courses and taking advanced placement exams had increased 259% since 1993. Her report was not immediately available to the media, but it will be furnished tomorrow. She was asked for a breakdown of results in how many advanced placement students had passed the placement exams by Board Member Cheryl Brady, and Board Member Rosemarie Eller asked how different racial groups had done. Tompkins said  the passing percentages were often misleading due to the small number of students taking some exams. She did not have those figures based on ethnic performances, but would supply it.

After School Programs Approved but Must Prove Themselves by Spring Budget.

In a related matter, the Board voted to approve funding for academic After School Programs, over President Donna McLaughlin’s objections that the district has never been able to quantify how successful students have been in those programs.

Superintendent Connors said they were holding a meeting Friday morning at 10 to begin a study that would at last determine with Larry Killian, Director of Research and Testing,  promising to provide data tracking how students have fared after participating in these programs. 

This is a breakthrough for the school district, because for the eight years WPCNR has covered the district individual breakout data on student groups, ethnic or otherwise related to their progress after taking programs has always been reported by Dr. Killian as being inaccessible using the White Plains data systems in place.

Board Member Peter Bassano suggested they could run the After School programs for half a year then suspend them in January if found to be cost ineffective. Connors suggested instead that the evaluation would not be done until  the spring—at which time the district would have the results and could make cuts in the after school programs that were ineffective.

Incidents, violent and not so violent, down 63% in 07-08 Year.

The Superintendent said the 2007-2008 violent incident reports prepared by the School District “reporting everything” showed only 117 incidents, compared to 323 in the previous year which the state had criticized the School District for. He complimented the principals for cutting down on the incidents. Connors said the 117 included fights, and some possession of weapons but, downplayed the incidents as mostly being violations of the code of conduct such as cutting classes, attire problems and the like. He did not provide a breakdown of the 117 incidents for the media, which WPCNR will request.

The Superintendent said total enrollment in White Plains schools as of October 1 was 7,085 students.