[Originally transmitted 6/28 on Elwood Community Network]
In [the June 28th edition of] Newsday, on page A5, there is an article titled "Battle Over Regents," which discusses the reaction, by high school principals across Long Island, to the State's decision to eliminate January Regents exams as one of it's cost-cutting measures.
For those of you who are Newsday subscribers away from home, or who are Optonline customers, you can read the story on Newsday's website at:
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/education/70-hs-principals-slam-regents-over-tests-1.2989598
This article does a good job of pointing out the negative spillover effects of the State's action on the January Regents, as well as some others which are also mentioned.
After this action was announced by the State about a month ago, we had a practical example in Elwood of what can happen when some individual teachers care more about students than they care about inflating their paychecks or their pension or other benefits.
At our June 15th Board of Education meeting, one interesting agenda item dealt with one of the most encouraging local human relations topics, combined with professional responsibility and fiscal responsibility, that I have witnessed in Elwood during the past ten years. It apparently all began with internal discussions pertaining to the State’s elimination of the January Regents examinations.
Now, just to be clear, that State action is not a positive element either in terms of human relations or professional or fiscal responsibility; the State, in recent years, hasn’t seemed to care very much for either of these aspects, and they seem to like laying down a smoke screen (think of movies showing Naval convoys during the Second World War) and trying to cast blame on local officials for failures (and worse) that were actually generated by the Governor, and Legislature, and their SED creation.
No, the positive aspect which demonstrates encouraging steps toward human caring, and combining that with professional and fiscal responsibility, came as a result of that negative action by the State Board of Regents.
Several Math teachers at Glenn recognized that the elimination of the January Math Regents exam would place some students, who failed the June exam (and the quick turnaround August make-up Regents exam), at risk of not being able to graduate on time.
Therefore, it was announced at the BOE meeting that three of the Math teachers in the Elwood School District volunteered to provide tutoring, and other support during the school day, to at-risk Math students; this would be done at no cost to the District (and naturally at no cost to those students or their parents) so that the students have a better chance of passing the Math Regents, which is one of the requirements for graduation.
These three noble teachers, Christina Kerensky-DeSimone, Eileen Kelly-Gorman, and Michael Prykuta, were recognized at the Board Meeting for their actions, and it demonstrates to me that there are indeed some very special -- and deeply caring --teachers in our District.
Whatever differences that we parents and residents might perceive, between the Elwood District Administration/BOE and the teachers union as a group, we have to keep in mind that there are still a number of teachers, and not just these three, who do indeed care enough to put the children first.
I have learned, over the past few days, that all of the students at risk did pass the June math Regents exam, which suggests that the generous and responsible offer by those three teachers will not be necessary; but the positive unselfish action by these teachers should be kept in mind by all of us, and hopefully by other staff members as well.
In [the June 28th edition of] Newsday, on page A5, there is an article titled "Battle Over Regents," which discusses the reaction, by high school principals across Long Island, to the State's decision to eliminate January Regents exams as one of it's cost-cutting measures.
For those of you who are Newsday subscribers away from home, or who are Optonline customers, you can read the story on Newsday's website at:
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/education/70-hs-principals-slam-regents-over-tests-1.2989598
This article does a good job of pointing out the negative spillover effects of the State's action on the January Regents, as well as some others which are also mentioned.
After this action was announced by the State about a month ago, we had a practical example in Elwood of what can happen when some individual teachers care more about students than they care about inflating their paychecks or their pension or other benefits.
At our June 15th Board of Education meeting, one interesting agenda item dealt with one of the most encouraging local human relations topics, combined with professional responsibility and fiscal responsibility, that I have witnessed in Elwood during the past ten years. It apparently all began with internal discussions pertaining to the State’s elimination of the January Regents examinations.
Now, just to be clear, that State action is not a positive element either in terms of human relations or professional or fiscal responsibility; the State, in recent years, hasn’t seemed to care very much for either of these aspects, and they seem to like laying down a smoke screen (think of movies showing Naval convoys during the Second World War) and trying to cast blame on local officials for failures (and worse) that were actually generated by the Governor, and Legislature, and their SED creation.
No, the positive aspect which demonstrates encouraging steps toward human caring, and combining that with professional and fiscal responsibility, came as a result of that negative action by the State Board of Regents.
Several Math teachers at Glenn recognized that the elimination of the January Math Regents exam would place some students, who failed the June exam (and the quick turnaround August make-up Regents exam), at risk of not being able to graduate on time.
Therefore, it was announced at the BOE meeting that three of the Math teachers in the Elwood School District volunteered to provide tutoring, and other support during the school day, to at-risk Math students; this would be done at no cost to the District (and naturally at no cost to those students or their parents) so that the students have a better chance of passing the Math Regents, which is one of the requirements for graduation.
These three noble teachers, Christina Kerensky-DeSimone, Eileen Kelly-Gorman, and Michael Prykuta, were recognized at the Board Meeting for their actions, and it demonstrates to me that there are indeed some very special -- and deeply caring --teachers in our District.
Whatever differences that we parents and residents might perceive, between the Elwood District Administration/BOE and the teachers union as a group, we have to keep in mind that there are still a number of teachers, and not just these three, who do indeed care enough to put the children first.
I have learned, over the past few days, that all of the students at risk did pass the June math Regents exam, which suggests that the generous and responsible offer by those three teachers will not be necessary; but the positive unselfish action by these teachers should be kept in mind by all of us, and hopefully by other staff members as well.
