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September, 2012

Vol. 2, Issue 1

 

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Across the Board

A Publication of WPSBA

Strength in Numbers

" Each one of us can make a difference. Together we can make a change." ~ Barbara Mikulski

 
    Summer has once again flown by. We hope you were able to fit in some R&R and are ready to hit the ground running as the new school year gets into full swing.
    We want to thank all of the boards that passed a resolution and/or wrote a letter to the Governor urging the veto of the Special Education Special Considerations bill. It's nice, for a change, to know that our voices were heard and that the facts on how this ill-conceived legislation would affect our districts made a difference.
 ~ Lisa Davis, WPSBA Executive Director

WPSBA Board of Directors

     We are pleased to welcome Louis Conte (Pleasantville UFSD), Abby Mendelsohn (Harrison CSD), and Jennifer Rosen (Briarcliff Manor UFSD) to the WPSBA Board of Directors, and we congratulate Karen Zevin (Croton-Harmon UFSD), on her new role as VP of the WPSBA board.  

    We also extend sincere thanks to those retiring from the WPSBA Board of Directors.  They are: Linnet Tse (Mamaroneck UFSD), Lynn McBride (Mount Vernon City SD), Richard Rugani (Bronxville UFSD), and Anna Sterne (Dobbs Ferry UFSD).  Thank you all for your service!

  

To view full WPSBA 2012-13 Bd of Directors, CLICK HERE

In This Issue
- WPSBA Bd of Directors
- A Day of Governance
- Survey Results
- On the Calendar
- We've Got You Listed
 Carpool, Anyone?
If you're headed to the NYSSBA Convention in Rochester (Oct 25-27), and would like to carpool with another school board member from our area, please CLICK HERE, enter your contact info, and we'll do what we can to put you in touch with each other.
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Governance Seminar Well Attended
mandated 1 cropped 2012  Thirty-five newly elected and veteran board members gathered on Saturday for an informative 6-hour Governance Seminar sponsored by WPSBA.  The training, which is mandated by NYS for any newly elected board members, covered topics such as: the "Powers, Functions & Duties of the BOE and Superintendent," "Public Education Advocacy," "School Law from A to Z," and "Accountability: Instruction, Learning, Student Achievement & Assessment."    
     Seminar presenters were: former superintendent John Chambers,  Ron Longo and Stephanie Roebuck of Keane & Beane; Sandy Simpson, Jackie O'Donnell and Kathy Conley of SW BOCES; Bedford BOE President Susan Wollin; and Lisa Davis.
And the Survey Says....

     This summer, we send out a survey asking for your input on the programs and resources we provide and priority issues for the upcoming school year.  Here's what you had to say... 

  • 88% of the respondents have a very positive/positive impression of WPSBA.
  • Current Issues, Negotiations Roundtable, Legislative Forum programs rate highest.
  • WPSBA sends out the "right amount" of emails, and WPSBA emasurveyils are read.
  • Prefer weekday programs in early morning or evening.
  • Your five hot Current Issues topics are: 1) Legislative Advocacy, 2) Negotiations Under the New Normal, 3) Ensuring the Future of Public Education, 4) APPR, and 5) High Stakes Standardized Testing (in that order).
  • The WPSBA services you find very valuable/valuable are our legislative advocacy work, collaborations with regional groups, weekly school district proposed budget data survey (February-April), regional data analysis, and the expertise of the WPSBA staff.  

     We appreciate your survey input, as well as the kind comments and constructive suggestions. Please continue to share your ideas throughout the year, as we strive to be flexible and responsive to the needs of our districts and the issues of the times.

On the Calendar

The WPSBA 2012-13 calendar was crafted in response to your survey input. So mark your calendars, and come out and learn with your neighboring board colleagues and join forces as regional advocates for public education.   

    

WPSBA Negotiations Roundtable

Thursday, September 13th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

2 Westchester Plaza, Elmsford, NY 10523

To Register, CLICK HERE

 

Join board members, superintendents, and attorneys for a conversation on contracts and negotiations.  You'll hear about recently negotiated contracts from Bedford, Briarcliff Manor, Croton-Harmon, and Hendrick Hudson.  We hope you'll join us for this opportunity to discuss the critical issues and explore current and developing trends. 

  

WPSBA Board of Directors Meeting / Legislative Advocacy Committee (LAC) Meeting

Thursday, September 27th 

Board of Directors Meeting: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

LAC Meeting: 8:00 pm to 9:30 pm

Bedford Admin Bldg, Fox Lane HS Campus, 632 S. Bedford Rd, Bedford, NY 10506

To Register, CLICK HERE

   

WPSBA Board of Directors and LAC Meetings are open to all of our members.  This month's LAC meeting will be a discussion of the NYSSBA resolutions and bylaws amendments which will be presented at the October convention.  We will determine a WPSBA consensus position on each resolution and amendment.

 

APPR: What Every Board Member Needs to Know...and Doesn't Need to Know.

Thursday, October 11th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Seven Bridges Middle School, 222 Seven Bridges Road, Chappaqua, NY 10514

To Register, CLICK HERE

 

Our panel for this timely issue includes superintendents Jere Hochman (Bedford), Lyn McKay (Chappaqua), Brenda Myers (Valhalla), and Jim Langlois (P/NW BOCES).

 

SAVE THE DATE: NOVEMBER 8th

Joint BOE - Superintendent Dinner with Keynote Speaker Monty Neill, Deputy Director of FairTest.  Details to follow.

We've Got You Listed....
website      
Did you know that the WPSBA website has links to ALL of our member school district websites.  So the next time you'd like to perform a search, start with us.  Just go to www.wpsba.orgClick on the "School District Data" drop down, and then click on "District List and Website Links." To check out the page, CLICK HERE