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Haldane Moves Closer to Adopting New Strategic Plan
Debate continues over hiring additional math teacher
by Mike Turton
There seems to be no shortage of problems to solve either locally or globally and if recent events are any indication, students from Haldane School may be at the forefront of solving them before too long. At the District's meeting on May 6, 2008, trustees paid tribute to the almost forty students on six teams that participated in this year's Destination Imagination (DI) competition, a program that Elementary School Principal Maggie Davis described as "the largest problem-solving group in the world." DI embraces participants from around the world - from elementary school through adulthood. Two Haldane teams, the "Tie-die Devils," made up of elementary school students and the "Seven DI'ers in Search of a Challenge" comprised of both middle school and elementary school students, will go on to the global DI competition in Knoxville Tennessee later this month after winning their respective state and regional championships. District president Dave Merandy congratulated the teams and summed up by saying, "We're on a roll" - a reference to the recent state championship brought home by the girls basketball team. Superintendent Mark Villanti said that the school board "felt strongly that this activity deserved to be recognized on par with our football, volleyball and basketball teams." The "Seven DI'ers" were also selected as an Ambassador Team and will help host a team from Poland while in Tennessee. Also honored at the meeting were the Blue and Red Teams as well as two "Rising Star" teams made up of students from Kindergarten through second grade.
Trustee Bruce Campbell presented the draft Strategic Plan which includes goals which will guide the District's approach to education over the next five years. The plan's stated mission is to "prepare all students to succeed in an ever changing society." The planning process took several months and was led by a diverse steering committee that included teachers, administration, support staff, trustees, parents and community representatives. Campbell, who served on the steering committee, said that the plan can take Haldane "from good to great" and that everything contained in the document is "achievable." One of the plan's key goals is to have every student exceed the learning standards set by state and federal regulations. Responding to that goal, Trustee Evan Schwartz asked if the plan includes "a clear record of where we're at now." Superintendent Villanti indicated that improvements in scores would be achieved "on a progressive basis" and that bench marks will be established, in part by looking back at students' past performance. The District hopes to hear feedback from the public at its June 3 meeting. The Strategic Plan could be adopted as early as June 17. It will be posted on the Haldane website and will also be available at the District office.
Director of Facilities, Wayne Robinson reported that the District expects to hear from the New York State Energy and Resource Development Agency (NYSERDA) very soon regarding the proposed scope of the feasibility study that will examine alternative heating systems for the elementary and middle schools. The company that will carry out the study will be named as soon as state approval of the study scope is received
The hiring of an additional math teacher just isn't adding up in the minds of District trustees - at least not yet. High School Principal Brian Alm has been lobbying to hire the additional teacher in order to provide more help for students who need it and to broaden the math curriculum offered. The issue has been discussed a number of times at past meetings but no consensus has been reached. "We need hard data to make a decision" stated President Dave Mernandy who went on to ask "What will the schedule look like with and without the additional teacher - and who exactly will be helped?" Trustee Evan Schwartz echoed Merandy's need for solid numbers to back up any decision to hire. "How many kids are we talking about? How many kids are not ready for college math, that is the most telling statistic," Schwartz asserted. Alm was not present at last week's meeting however Villanti indicated that related scheduling and other information is already available and that a more detailed, statistical report will be presented at the next District meeting.
If trustees have misgivings over the hiring of an additional math teacher, no such doubts were apparent as the District approved hiring Jennifer Harriton-Wilson as the Director of Special, Remedial and Assessment Services. In approving the hiring, each trustee in turn spoke very highly of Harriton-Wilson's credentials which include a Certificate of Advanced Study in School Administration from Columbia University and a Master of Science degree in Educational Technology from Lehigh University. For the past three years she has served as Director of Technology for the Lower Hudson Regional Information Center in North Salem, NY. Ms. Harriton-Wilson, a resident of Garrison, will begin her duties on July 1 and will earn an annual salary of $115,000.
The Haldane Central School District will meet next on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 6:45pm in the Music Room. Discussions will include the proposed Reorganization Plan and the possible hiring of an additional math teacher.
Voters are reminded that polls will be open from 7am-9pm on that day for the vote on the proposed school budget and one seat on the School Board.
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