2007-08-28

Community Education Council 24 P.S. 91 Room 119 68-10 Central Avenue Glendale, New York 11385 Phone: 718.418.8160 / Fax: 718.418.8168/ [email protected]

New York City Department of Education Nick Comaianni President

Dmytro Fedkowskyj 1St Vice President

Council Members Maria D’Amico Bill Kregler Brian Rafferty Evelyn Sanchez German Sarmiento Peter Vercessi

Debbie Tscherne 2nd Vice President

Ernest Cury Treasurer

Secretary Shwe Zin OO

Department of Education Officials Catherine M. Powis Community Superintendent District 24

FINAL BOARD APPROVED MINUTES Minutes of Calendar Meeting August 28, 2007 PS 58, School of Heroes, 72-24 Grand Avenue, Maspeth, NY 1) Call to order and Roll Call -- The Calendar meeting convened at PS 58 at 7:00 PM Roll Call – Present • • • • • •

Nick Comaianni Ernest Cury Maria D’Amico Dmytro Fedkowskyj Bill Kregler Debbie Tscherne

Roll Call Absent • • • • •

Evelyn Sanchez German Sarmiento Winnie OO Brian Rafferty Peter Vercessi

Also in attendance Ms. Catherine Powis, Community Superintendent and Mr. Sandy Brawer, Deputy Executive Director of Business Services, Queens Integrated Service Center

2) Approval of Minutes Nick Comaianni motioned to approve the minutes of July 10, 2007. Debbie Tscherne seconded; roll was called and minutes were unanimously approved. 3) Report of the President Mr. Nick Comaianni stated that since it is August it has been generally quiet but stated that he is concerned over busing and hopes to have a representative from the Office of Pupil Transportation address the council in the fall. Mr. Comaianni also reported on legislation that was passed regarding special needs children. Before legislation was passed one had to prove that the special needs child was not getting services but now the burden is on the District to show the parent that their special needs child is getting the proper services. This legislation will help the parents who were previously getting no where with the Department of Education. Mr. Comaianni then discussed the budget and monies as related to the budget of the Community Education Council District 24. Mr. Sandy Brawer stated that all budget support comes through his office. 4) Report of the Community Superintendent Ms. Powis stated that the closing week of summer school in District 24 went very smoothly. Scores on the summer 2007 citywide ELA and/or Math tests, and a careful review of each portfolio of student’s work served as promotion criteria for review by the principal. She further stated that parents should have received notification letters by mail regarding promotional status of their child. Promotion appeals are being reviewed at the District 24 office this week. Parents will be notified of decisions by August 31, 2007. Ms. Powis gave the following dates as important dates to remember in the high school admission process: • • •

Citywide High School Fair, Saturday, September 29, and Sunday, September 30th Borough High School Fair, Saturday, October 20th and Sunday, October 21st Specialized High School Admissions Test, Saturday, October 27th, Sunday October 28th, Saturday November 3rd and Sunday, November 4th.

Registration for new students or students seeking placement at a school other than their zoned school began on August 27th at Student Registration Centers located throughout the 5 boroughs. Elementary and Middle Schools can register at their zoned school starting September 4th. Ms. Powis asked that parents call the District office if they are unclear as to where their zoned schools are located. She further stated that school administrators are scheduled to report to school on Monday, August 27th. Teachers and other school staff are scheduled to report to school on Thursday, August 30th. The first day of school for students is Tuesday, September 4th.

Ms. Powis also stated that Schools Chancellor Klein announced plans to use a $2.4 million federal grant to help parents and students use the City’s new accountability tools in making school choice decisions, including transfers from low-performing to highperforming schools under the No Child Left Behind Voluntary Public School Choice Program. The grant will be used to track programs that provide high performing schools with incentives to accept transfer students and serve those students more efficiently. The Department of Education can renew the grant for up to five years for a total of $12 million. She further stated that under the NCLB choice program eligible students at Title I Schools in Need of Improvement can request a transfer to a school in ‘good standing’ under NCLB. Last year, only 10,832 of the 185015 eligible students (6%) applied for the transfer, 2,982 accepted the offer and remained enrolled at their receiving schools. Ms. Powis also stated that the following principals have retired: IS 93 Principal George Foley; PS 28 Principal Patricia Goeller; and PS 81 Principal Frank Candela. Genevieve Ventura was appointed Principal at PS 81. Edward Santos (IS 93) and Elizabeth Lutkowski (PS 28) are serving as Interim Acting Principals. 5) Resolutions Resolution #32 titled CEC D24 Budget 2007/8 was read by Mr. Cury: Re: Resolution #32 Whereas the Community Education Council District 24 hereby approves their fiscal year operating budget 2007-2008 in the following manner: CEC Member reimbursement projected to be $10,000.00 Supplies projected to be $1,185.00 Postage projected to be $750.00 Equipment and Furniture projected to be $1,250.00 Food and Catering for School Ceremony / Meeting functions projected to be $3,500.00 School Ceremony expenses projected to be $1,000.00 Lease payments for the office copier project to be $2,165.00 Miscellaneous Reimbursements to PTA/PA for hosting meetings projected to be $150.00 Be it further resolved that the Community Education Council District 24 hereby reserves the right to move funds from one category to another as necessary upon majority approval by the council. Ernest Cury made a motion to approve the budget; Mr. Bill Kregler called the roll; resolution #32 was passed unanimously. Resolution #31 titled CEC Presidents to Join a Citywide Organization read by Ms. Debbie Tscherne:

WHEREAS New York State law divides New York City into 32 community school districts, and establishes a Community Education Council for each one; and WHEREAS the city has also established two Citywide Education Councils, one for high schools and one for special-education schools, to complement the Community Education Councils; and WHEREAS, notwithstanding these districts and councils, state law has given control of education citywide to the mayor through June 30, 2009, with an option for renewal; and WHEREAS many education policies are now set at the city level; and WHEREAS many schools and districts citywide face similar educational challenges and share similar policy concerns; and WHEREAS numerous Education Council members expressed an opinion that their influence would be stronger if they worked together on issues of common concern; and WHEREAS a number of Education Council Presidents and members have decided to band together to form a citywide CEC Presidents' Alliance; now therefore, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the District 24 Community Education Council does authorize, empower, and encourage its President or Vice-President to serve as a member of the newly formed CEC Presidents' Alliance. Mr. Comaianni motioned to approve the resolution to which Mr. Fedkowskyj seconded; Mr. Kregler called the roll; resolution was passed unanimously. 6) Guest Speaker, Mr. Sandy Brawer, Deputy Executive Director of Business Services, Queens Integrated Service Center Mr. Brawer stated that on July 9, 2007 the NYC Department of Education reorganized in an effort to improve instruction for all students. One of the pieces of the reorganization is the development of the Integrated Service Centers (ISC); with the advent of the ISC’s all prior services are now under one roof serving each school in NYC. The important thing according to Mr. Brawer is the mission statement of the ISC which states: The ISC is a professional customer service organization dedicated to delivering targeted services to schools with in the NYC Department of Education. We utilize a solution based approach centered on school needs grounded in commitment to integrity, high professional standards, and effectiveness. In partnership with the school support organizations we enable school communities to provide the highest quality education resulting in academic excellence for all students. Mr. Brawer stated that they key things in the mission statement is that the ISC’s use a solution based approach. We will not take questions from schools will remain unanswered. We have a commitment to high professional standards and we are partners with school support organizations and the biggest focus is getting students the best education possible. The ISC is one organization with 5

locations, one in each borough. All ISC’s provide basic support to each school in NYC. We provide support as well to the community superintendents in assisting them in carrying out their responsibilities. The most important part of the reorganization is that the NYC Department of Education’s main focus in on the schools and student achievement. Mr. Brawer pointed out that all special education services remain intact and in the same locations as prior to the reorganization. Mr. Brawer then went through a power point presentation listing all contacts with in the Department of Education. Mr. Fedkowskyj asked if any parents who had a question from last year can still call the ISC and get an answer and asked as well if all records are still in the same place to which Mr. Brawer stated that all records are intact and that now parents can go to or call one place, that being the ISC for answers. Through the ISC office the schools have an initial point of contact. There will be no more calling here or there to find out answers. Whoever doesn’t know a particular answer will farm it out to someone that does and that person will get back to the parent or the principals or whomever makes the inquiry. Mr. Brawer stated that the ISC’s are very service orientated. We are committed to serving our schools and principals. Parents were urged to call the Parent Support Office first as new District Family Advocates were put in place by the NYC Department of Education and who should be the first initial contact for parents and guardians Mr. Brawer took questions from the audience. Mr. Fedkowskyj asked who had training regarding what the ISC’s are about to which Mr. Brawer stated that thus far principals have had training. Mr. Comaianni thanked Mr. Brawer for his presentation. 7) Report of the Committees Mr. Fedkowskyj, Chair of the Building, Zoning and Maintenance Committee stated that he would have a full report in September. Mr. Cury, Chair of the ELL Committee had nothing to report. Ms. Tscherne, Chair of the Curriculum Committee had nothing to report. Ms. Powis introduced Esperanza Cancel as the President of Presidents Panel. 8) Old Business – None 9) New Business – Mr. Fedkowskyj asked what was happening with the members that were not showing up to meetings to which Mr. Comaianni stated that member Evelyn Sanchez will be resigning because she has taken a position as a teacher. Mr. Comaianni

stated that members must be interested in sitting on the council, that all members must be active in assisting their schools. Mr. Comaianni also announced the committees and chairs of those committees as well. Mr. Fedkowskyj stated that on August 15th he and Ms. Tscherne attended a meeting in which Chancellor Klein along with other CEC board members and the chancellor has made a commitment to work closer with the CEC’s and he has realized that it is better to work with us than against us. He plans to meet bi-monthly with CEC officers as well as monthly meetings with Martine Guerrier. There will be a lot of change going on with in the DOE as it relates to CEC’s. These changes will be positive, and Mr. Fedkowskyj stated that he felt that things are moving in the right direction. 10) Nick Comaianni motioned to adjourn, Dmytro Fedkowskyj seconded the motion. Meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM. .