We’ll be covering the Paterson School Board meetings from now on. Last night, September 1, the board held its regular workshop meeting at 6:17. Present for roll call were Commissioners Best, Guzman, Irving, Simmons and Taylor. Commissioners Hodges and Kerr entered at 6:28 and Commissioner Mendez at 6:48. Commissioner Rodriguez was not present.
Dr. Evans reported on Destiny Alternative School’s first 6 months. In addition, he told the board that the contract for Destiny would not be renewed for the 2011-12 school year as the district would build its own program.
The board received the review for the EW Kilpatrick School, which is available on the NJ Department of Education website. Look for a public meeting at the school to discuss the findings with parents and community members.
That presentation sparked off a discussion that surfaced over and over again during the night. What are the powers of the board, what can the board do? We’ll talk more about that in upcoming posts since we will be talking about on local control.
Let me observe here that ALL boards of education operate under very strict rules. Years of political wrangling- not just in Paterson!- and mis-spent money -also not just in Paterson- have caused a very strict set of rules under which ALL school districts must now operate. It’s no longer the wild west where the board gets to bully superintendents into doing things that aren’t educationally sound. The rules demand mutual accountability between the elected board members and the appointed superintendent. It’s a good thing.
Dr. Evans also introduced his new Deputy, Dr. Marguerite Van Den Wyngaard.
The resolutions being presented for the September 15 meeting contained nothing of particular concern.
Here’s hoping that the opening of school goes smoothly for everyone.
Irene