|
Haldane Holds Strategic Planning Meeting
Public input examines District's course
by Mike Turton
Haldane is a small school. Therein lies its greatest asset - and also perhaps its biggest challenge. That was one of the conclusions reached by a group of about a dozen parents who gathered on Saturday, March 15, 2008 to discuss the Haldane School District's strengths, weaknesses and challenges as part of a strategic planning initiative that will help chart the District's course for the next five years. It is a plan that will affect not only students but also parents, teachers, tax payers and the community at large.
When the discussion began by considering "strengths" there was widespread agreement that the school's small size is a major asset. Kristin Andersen, a Haldane parent, who also teaches in Somers put it this way. "As a parent, Haldane's smallness has worked. There is an understanding here that family is important" she said. Andersen went on to say that "academically Haldane has come a long way." She also felt that Haldane's slowness in adopting new educational trends which tend to come and go "is a good thing." Nancy Montgomery's children attend Haldane and she also serves as a council member on the Philipstown Town Board. "Having K-12 on one campus is a plus. Kids of all ages interact. Older kids help out the younger ones" she said. Peter Henderson, who has lived in Cold Spring for three years, said his sons have benefited from the individual attention that a small school can offer - and that they have had some outstanding teachers. John Teagle, a trustee on the Cold Spring Village Board, pointed out that the region itself offers many educational resources outside the school itself - including the Hudson River, Constitution Marsh and the area's rich history.
While being small is seen by many as Haldane's strength it can also be a drawback. Parents pointed out that unlike in some larger schools, high school students here have no choice when it comes to selecting teachers. It was also pointed out that small schools can't offer the variety of courses and enrichment programs that larger schools can. Still, others argued that Haldane's smallness is not being fully exploited as an asset pointing to mentoring, and community service as areas that could be expanded in the smaller setting. Alison Rooney, a parent from Cold Spring, summed up the feeling by stating, "What we lack in bells and whistles we can make up for with a human touch."
Participants were asked what would prevent Haldane from achieving greatness. At least part of the answer was clear to everyone in attendance: money. Julia Famularo identified taxes and the cost of living as significant issues. "The school board worries every year just to pass a base budget. There have been times when it has passed by one or two votes" she said. Parents alluded to extensive capital improvements which voters will either approve or strike down in a vote next fall. Rooney expressed the concern that "money needed to maintain the physical resource will drain dollars that could be used for education programs." John Teagle agreed that the District is in a difficult financial position. "It's hard to just go with inflation. Costs go up incrementally - union teachers and union employees, insurance rates, fuel costs all increase." Hans Mueller, a resident of the North Highlands, also recognized the quandary. "How can any one be against the capital improvements?" he asked before adding "But there's a limit to what tax payers will pay regardless of how worthy the project is." Superintendent Mark Villanti pointed out that state grant rates add to Haldane's challenge. The District receives aid in the 12 to 14 percent range whereas districts upstate receive grants as high as eighty percent. Mueller thinks he has part of the answer to that. "Haldane needs to send busloads of people to Albany. The state has to pay more. Unfunded mandates are not right" he said
Mr. Teagle pointed out that in the past many people did not want to see new businesses come in to the area - preferring to see it remain a bedroom community. He and Nancy Montgomery indicated that new comprehensive plans for both the Town of Philipstown and the Village of Cold Spring recognize the need for adding new businesses as a means of improving the tax base - and that such a strategy is also recognized at the county level. Montgomery pointed out that part of the problem has been a lack of coordination between municipalities and the school district. "We really haven't worked together in the past" she said.
All challenges facing Haldane are not financial. Math came up numerous times as an example of curriculum gone terribly wrong. Parents repeated over and over again how constant changes in math curriculum and teaching methods have changed too many times over the years - leaving students, parents and even teachers confused. Kristen Andersen said that teachers now refer to some students as being "curriculum disabled" as a result of so much change. She went on to say that she even had a call from an accountant - asking for help with teaching his child basic math skills. Peter Henderson echoed that complaint. "Ten different approaches to problem solving are taught in the hope that one sticks with the result being students who are bored and confused" he said. Ethan Gallagher summed up the discontent. "There are too many gimmicks in how things are taught. Can we ever get back to basics? We want as low a budget as possible…for highest education possible. We need models that work" he concluded.
Andersen has gone in and out of teaching as she has raised her family in Cold Spring. "It's a whole new world every time I come back to teaching. Teachers are drowning in what is to be covered. We used to do basics and had time to do enrichment. Now teachers are constantly catching up - or in meetings. We lose touch with kids. We should have some things that are consistent such as language and math. We need to foster good intellectual habits" she said.
Parents also underlined the need to serve all students well - not just those with special needs or advanced skills. As one parent put it, "Sometimes the average kids fall through the cracks."
The role parents should play in their children's education was less clear cut in the mind of participants. Some felt that parents must be even more involved but in a more integrated, and systematic way. Others felt that students put in a full day at school and that parents should not have to help students with hours of homework each night.
The discussion was facilitated by Ed McCormick, past president of the New York State School Board Association, trustee for the Arlington School District and a long-time IBM employee who specialized in financial and strategic planning. When McCormick asked the group if Haldane should strive not just to be good but to be great, reactions were mixed. Nancy Montgomery was skeptical about what she called "statistical greatness" "Greatness is very basic. Are there smiles in the school yard? Are kids happy? Are they too stressed? Are standards too high?" she asked. Peter Henderson said that one could disagree that Haldane should strive to be a great school - but wondered if there was a formula for achieving it. "There is no cookie cutter solution," McCormick responded. "Every community is unique."
Superintendent Mark Villanti indicated that unlike strategic planning initiatives in the past, genuine efforts are being made to engage the community in order to produce measurable goals and greater accountability. This was the second strategic planning meeting that the district held to solicit public comments. Villanti hopes to have the plan completed by early May, 2008. Comments, ideas and questions can be emailed directly to Dr. Villanti at mvillanti@haldane.lhric.org.
Providing local news, information and opinions from
Philipstown and Putnam Valley, NY
Encompassing the Villages of Cold Spring and Nelsonville,
and the hamlet of Garrison, Putnam County, NY.
This site is a publication of The Putnam County News and Recorder, the source for news and information of the Philipstown
and Putnam Valley area. The PCN&R is 139
years old, published in hard copy every Wednesday, and circulated throughout Putnam
County, NY.
The PCN&R prints LEGAL NOTICES
for: Putnam County, The Town of Philipstown, The Town of Putnam Valley, Village of Cold Spring, Village of
Nelsonville, the Haldane Union Free School District and the Garrison Union Free School
District.
Deadline for printed press releases, advertisements and classifieds is Monday at noon for
Wednesday publication. This site is updated on an as-needed basis with a minimum update
weekly on Thursdays. For further information or to request a subscription to the paper, please
contact us with your name and mailing address at:
(845) 265-2468 PO Box 185, Cold Spring, NY 10516, or e-mail us at editor@pcnr.com
If you see an advertiser on line, tell them! | Click ads below
for larger version
System and Method for Display
Ads have a Patent Pending.
Click Here for More Information
|
