Preparing NJ Schools for Hurrican Sandy

Preparation for any major storm event is key in preventing injuries, fatalaties and protection against property damage.  This step is critical in mitigation process as the steps minimize overall damage and allow better management in dealing with the event.

 

Brayton ES sandbagging prep. 

Custodial/Maintenance personnel are key in protecting district assets both in preparation as well as managing the crisis and equally important, dealing with the recovery.

 

Following the storm:

Assess ALL damage and report it to your Risk Management Consultant AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
STORM ALERT: How to Prepare for Hurricane Sandy & Report Power Outages

How to Report Power Outages and Downed Power Lines
In preparation for Hurricane Sandy, expected to hit New Jersey early next week, local utility companies have provided information on how customers can stay safe and report power disruptions and downed power lines.

PSE&G Customers:
To report downed wires or power outages, customers should call PSE&G’s Customer Service line at 1-800-436-PSEG. PSE&G uses an automated system to handle customer calls as efficiently as possible. Customers who get an automated response when calling PSE&G are encouraged to use it, as it is designed to route their calls to the right destination quickly. The system also provides the option to speak directly to a customer service representative. If you have specific information regarding damage to wires, transformers or poles, we ask that you speak with a representative to provide that information.
Customers with a handheld device, or who are at an alternate location with power, can also report power outages and view the status of their outage by logging in to My Account at pseg.com. General outage activity throughout our service territory is available online at www.pseg.com/outagecenter and updates are posted on pseg.com during severe weather.
In addition, if outages are widespread, the utility will activate its Twitter page to keep the public informed about our restoration progress. Sign up as a follower at http://twitter.com/psegdelivers to monitor restoration progress.

JCP&L Customers:
To report an outage, please dial: 1-888 LIGHTSS (544-4877).
For updated information on the company’s storm preparation efforts, current outages, storm restoration process and tips for staying safe, visit the 24/7PowerCenter at www.firstenergycorp.com/outages_help.
Updates from JCP&L will also be available on Twitter at http://twitter.com/JCP_L.

A Return to Atlantic City for Major Ed. Confrences

NJEA Convention returns to A.C.

A focus on student equality and teacher quality

Published on Thursday, October 25, 2012

Equal educational opportunity and high quality teacher evaluation will be front and center at the 158th annual NJEA Convention November  8-9 in Atlantic City

This is the latest in a line of effective major educational conferences in New Jersey education to return to AC.  This is big for Education and even bigger for New Jersey as the conferences generate substantial revenue at the local and regional level; however, much of Atlantic City revenue is redistributed throughout the state in the form of state revenues that are counted on for balancing the annual budget.

Many state associations affiliated with education conduct annual workshops and meetings over a three day conference in the city that was equipped for such events such as the Association of School Business Administrators (NJASBO) and the Association of School Administrators (NJASA) along with other groups bringing major dollars into the economy.  New Jersey School Boards Association for example generates over $7 million dollars of revenue for the city and region each year during their October conference; however, revenue is not the driving force behind the meetings which are designed to provide enhanced learning opportunities through a plethora of action labs, communication forums, small group discussions and a floor show featuring a wide array of services and products specifically designed for schools and school leaders to better assist in the deliver of instruction in a cost effective manner that addresses student performance and fiscal responsibility to the tax payer.

Chapter 78 better known as the Accountability Regulation or Travel Regs severely dampened this time honored tradition of summoning or convening of an assembly for a common purpose of improving education in the State of New Jersey. 

At the heart of the over restrictive regulations is the fact that educational conferences were capped at two night stays as opposed to the customary three nights that allowed for travel prior to the first full day of workshop.  Additionally, the law restricted overnight stays to greater than 50 miles from the conference; therefore, effectively diminishing the participation of many districts due to the inability to fully enjoy the conference as travel each day is not realistic and often places the member with choices of specific selection in the participation of a major learning opportunity.

Let's face it, we always need to ensure there is integrity, financial oversight and clear accountability in all public activities; however, is it any less important in other branches of industry or the public sector such as the League of Municipalities which I am also a member and participate in the learning and networking opportunities each year in Atlantic City without such burdensome regulations.

A full scale return to Atlantic City for all major conferences not only makes sense from the perspective of learning, sharing and networking; it allows delegates and members of all associations formulate platforms, goals and professional development opportunities while at the same time providing much revenue that creates and sustains jobs!    

 

Charter Schools Continue to Pull Dollars from Regular Education

New N.H. law may cost Seacoast school districts hundreds of thousands | SeacoastOnline.com

NEWMARKET — Director of Pupil Services Jean Parsons warned the School Board on Thursday night that a new state law could cost the district hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.

The law, SB 300, changes the state's charter school statute and requires a student's resident district to pay to transport special education students when their parents send them to charter schools outside their home district, Parsons said Thursday night.

 

This is already the law in NJ!  SUBCHAPTER 3. CHARTER SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION

6A:27-3.1 General provisions

 

(a) Transportation or aid in lieu of transportation shall be provided to charter school students pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:39-1 et seq. A charter school shall be considered a public school offering a specialized program.

(b) The transportation of students to and from a charter school shall be the responsibility of the district board of education of the school district in which each student resides. Students who reside less than remote from their charter school are eligible for transportation in accordance with the policies of the district board of education in which they reside.Before the law went into effect Aug. 10 in New Hampshire, the district in which the charter school was located had to pay to transport students, as long as they were subjects of individual education plans, Parsons said.

 

After attending a workshop yesterday sponsored by New Jersey Association of School Business Officials (NJASBO), representatives from the NJDOE Office of Transportation made it clear that the finacial burden to transport any student attending a Charter School resides with the Public School of Residence, i.e. the taxpayer.  Furthermore, it remains the districts reponsibility to attempt to bid the route or pay aid in lieu (AIL) at the established rate of $884.00 for the 2012-13 school year.

 

The transport must be in accordance with the Charter's school calendar and carrys with it all the rights granted to public education students:

 

6A:27-3.2 Eligibility requirements

(a) Students in kindergarten through grade eight and preschool students who meet the eligibility requirements defined in N.J.A.C. 6A:27-1.2(a) who reside more than two miles and students in grades nine through 12 who reside more than two and one-half miles from the charter school that they attend are eligible for transportation services.

(b) Special education students attending a charter school shall be eligible for transportation services if they meet the distance requirements of (a) above, or transportation is required in the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).

(c) The charter school shall be located within the State.

Many of the same requirements and provisions are in code for tranportation of students attending School Choice programs as well:

SUBCHAPTER 4. SCHOOL CHOICE TRANSPORTATION
6A:27-4.1 General provisions(a) Transportation or aid in lieu of transportation shall be provided pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:39-1 et seq. A choice school shall be considered a public school offering a specialized program.

(b) The transportation of students to and from a choice school shall be the responsibility of the district board of education of the school district in which each student resides. 

Parsippany Hills HS Students Boycott School Lunch Meals

Should the State Pay the Costs of Special Education?

On February 16, 2012 a bill was introduced in the assembly by Herb Conaway, Jr. from the 7^th District (Burlington) advancing the notion that the burden of Special Education costs should be shifted to the State in order to provide property tax relief for residents.

As reported by the bill’s sponsor, “The increasing number of students and the increasing costs of special education for those students have created a serious shortfall in many school district budgets, which in turn leads to a necessary increase in local property taxes.”

“In addition, some small districts are now required to pay nearly $200,000 per pupil for out-of-State special education placements.”

Under federal and State mandates, all classification and program decisions made by the special education staff must be fully funded regardless of other budget priorities or the availability of resources in the school district.  Special Education continues to claim a larger percentage of the overall school budget each year.

This proposed amendment to the Constitution provides that in order to provide property tax relief, the State would pay all costs of special education for children who are eligible for programs and services which are mandated by State or federal statutes or regulations and further provides that the eligibility of a child for a special education program or service would be determined by the State.

At the present time, State and federal aid is provided for part of the costs of special education for children who are classified by a school district as eligible for a program or service, and the district is responsible for the balance of the costs.

The solution however; is obfuscated by the amendment’s shifting of the burden from property tax to income tax or in other words from local expense to state expense.  The underlying issue remains unchecked:  Special education costs continue to spiral out of control with no cap in sight.

 

strategies for cost containment employed by school district officials including Special Ed. Directors, Superintendents and Business Administrators, are often attenuated by the due process appeals

While the bill claims authority in determining eligibility, I contend the real problem at present is acceptance of program and continuous push by parents and advocacy groups for increased services beyond the IEP’s (individual education plan) prepared by teams of highly qualified child study specialists. 

 

Furthermore, strategies for cost containment employed by school district officials including Special Ed. Directors, Superintendents and Business Administrators, are often attenuated by the due process appeals and more often than not rendered ineffective by ALJ’s (Administrative Law Judge) in rulings favoring the petitioner.

 

The real issue behind the high costs associated with Special Education remains private school increases absent any cap structure compared to public schools along with the inability to enforce IEP’s at the district level.  While every IEP is constructed to adhere to the tenants of providing a ‘Free and Appropriate Education’ or FAPE in the ‘Least Restrictive Environment’ or LRE, the only way costs will be contained or “Rolled Back” is to provide real authority through legislation shifting the burden of proof back to the petitioner or in most cases the parent.

In conclusion, while the amendment attempts to provide relief in the form of reduced property taxes, it does little combat or address the actual cause.

NJSBA Workshop 2012 in Atlantic City, NJ

 

Louis J. Pepe                  

School Business Administrator, Summit Public Schools
Greater New York City Area

LinkedIn

         
We are in the "Business of Education," as School Business Administrators we have the opportunity to serve as leaders who positively impact student performance through a myriad of disciplines directly affecting the quality and delivery of instruction. Inspirational Leadership is my passion as it allows us to inspire those around us to do more when nothing less will do!

Join us on the following dates to discuss one way return dollars to the classroom through effective cash management that starts with the right banking relationship.
 

Tuesday, October 23 - 10:00 am         

 

How to Get the Most Our of Your Bank (Speakers: Louis J. Pepe)

 Wednesday, October 24 - 11:00 am 

 

How to Get the Most Our of Your Bank (Speakers: Louis J. Pepe)

Raising Test Scores by Lowering Temperatures in the Classroom

The Following post was forwarded to me by one of my former students in the Graduate Program at MSU.  The major takeaway from the article, "A number of studies have borne out the link between the quality of school facilities and student achievement," is a point that I continually stress as the "Value Add" custodial maintenance brings to the district by providing classrooms that are conducive to learning.  Addressing facility needs is the next step in taking a holistic approach to maintaining positive facilities that are clean, safe, efficient and conducive to learning.

Providing airconditiong through renovation upgrades or design build not only improves the indoor air quality, it allows for a quality atmosphere to delivery quality instruction!  This commitment to our district in the City of Summit has provided such a setting in our five elementary schools where temperatures reached over 90 degrees in many classrooms during the months of May, June and September each year.  Better yet, taking advantage of state facility grants (RODS) the board of education was able to manage these needed upgrades at .60 cents on the dollar, with 40% of the total covered by the state, as part of a comprehensive mechanical upgrade project at each school involving new boilers, univents, exhaust fans and air conditioning.  In addition we focused on gaining energy efficiency through a comprehensive district wide window and door project also funded in large part through state facilities grants.  The obvious pay off will be in lower energy bills meaning more dollars for the classroom; however, given the fact we are in the business of education... the ultimate return on investment will be enhance student performance.

Posted at 04:00 AM ET, 09/12/2012TheWashingtonPost

Why shouldn’t Chicago teachers ask for air- conditioned schools?

By Valerie Strauss

One of the seemingly smaller issues that striking Chicago teachers are asking for is air-conditioning in schools where there isn’t any.  One can almost hear folks in St. Louis or Birmingham or Miami, Chicago parents drop their children off to spend the morning — without teachers — at Benjamin E. Mays Academy during the strike. ((M. Spencer Green/AP)) saying: “It’s hotter here. What’s their problem in Chicago?”

Indeed, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who is battling the Chicago Teachers Union, said the other day: “It’s 71 degrees outside. We don’t go on strike for air conditioning.” (He apparently forgot that some classes had to be cancelled because of a deadly heat wave this past summer, but never mind.)
The real issue here, of course, isn’t the temperature in Chicago. It is this: Why shouldn’t the climate in American public school buildings be conducive to teaching and learning? This isn’t just a perk for greedy teachers; environment affects students.

If you have ever tried to concentrate when it is stifling hot, you can imagine what happens in many schoolrooms. A number of studies have borne out the link between the quality of school facilities and student achievement.

That means most schools (except in places with consistently moderate weather) should have working air conditioning and/or heating systems, windows that open, air that doesn’t reek from pesticides or old carpets or anything else, and doors so that one class doesn’t have to hear another. No lead paint. No asbestos.

In Chicago, many of the schools are crumbling, quite literally, and wouldn’t you know it — they are among the lowest performing. A 2011 study of the facilities found that 92 Chicago Public School buildings, with a total of 44,100 students, need an average of $137 per square foot — a total of $750 million — to bring them into good repair. All but 15 percent of students in those schools come from low-income families.
There are those, of course, who will say this: “Kids learn in difficult conditions in other countries. Why can’t American kids?”
Setting aside the issue of how other students really learn, the answer is: Why should they have to?

2012 Summer Projects.wmv