A reader asks why I did not attend the forum Saturday for superintendent candidates.
Number one, I was participating at another event across town until after the forum began. Number two, I had a backlog of garden chores that needed to be addressed that afternoon.
Given the secrecy of the forum - no names announced ahead of time - it also seemed that a person might as well just wait for the news to come out however it might. The newspapers apparently did not send any reporters to the forum. Eventually the board will have to name the winner, as there is a stated July 1 starting date for the new superintendent.
My impatient reader submitted a comment about the forum on a totally unrelated post about the FOSH garage sale. Sorry to disappoint, but I am not going to write anything about a forum I did not attend.
Those who are displeased with the board can run for one of the four seats coming up in November or can make sure they vote for the candidates of their choice. The filing date to run for the school board is June 5 and petitions must be filed at the County Clerk's office in Elizabeth. The school board election will take place on Nov. 6 and the winners will take office on Jan. 1, 2013.
--Bernice
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Ms. Paglia I would like for you to post my comment. The forum was a set-up to make the acting Superintendent look good. NEWS FLASH she didn't. Ithink the BOE needs to go back out to the drawing board. Board member keisha Edwards stated in the beginning of the forum that the contract had not already been prepared, I don't know who they are trying to fool. Mrs. Belin-Plyes did horrible. The candidate from Trenton made her look bad. The candidate from Trenton was just a person that was used by the BOE to make it look like they did their job. It was a complete mess
ReplyDeleteWhat was the other candidate's name?
ReplyDeleteCarolyn Gibson from Trenton...Look her up..tsk tsk tsk.
ReplyDeleteDr. Carolynn Gibson from Trenton, NJ. Get this Ms. Paglia she was bought up on charges in Trenton. This is what the SLAM Team accused the previous Administrator of doing. She was the head of Personnel when bought up on charges. The SLAM have to go, they don't care about our children at all.
ReplyDeleteI was also there on Saturday. My personal opinion the Board of Education need to go out for another search. Our CHILDREN deserve the best.
ReplyDeleteI will say this, if what the majority of the community is saying is TRUE about Mrs. Belin-Pyles already being selected as the new Superintendent,the BOE have done a disservice to our CHILDREN.
Renee
This is indeed an important election for 3rd ward council seat and council at large seat, which Tracey Brown is running for. I hope all 3rd ward residents take note that a VOTE FOR TRACEY BROWN MAY BE A VOTE FOR APPROVAL OF JFK’S PROPOSAL OF 660 UNIT APARTMENT COMPLEX IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. When asked at the NAACP forum on Sunday about JFK’s proposal for the Muhlenberg site, part of what she said was “the city needed affordable housing” she also said she didn’t do her due diligence in reference to JFK‘s proposal nor does she read blogs. I understand that she is a Reverend of a church but she is running for a secular political seat in city government and reading the blogs might shed some insight on what the community wants and needs. I also know JFK had a meeting with the Clergy of Plainfield so there was opportunity for her to hear their plan.
ReplyDeleteI question how she would know about the state of the art medical facility JFK is promoting but not the 660 units? With respect that is due, Reverend or not, that just does not sit right with me. Furthermore, JFK and/or the CAG committee which the Mayor chairs, has hosted at least 9 meeting in the city and If I was running for such a key position I would have made it my business to find out all that is to be known about a multi-million dollar proposal on the largest tract of available space in the city. Alone Tracey’s unwillingness to do her due diligence and lack of involvement with the community on this matter would disqualify her from getting my vote.
I am left with the impression that when asked questions on the JFK proposal this Wednesday at the LWV Forum her response may be a little different from the one she gave at the NAACP forum. Let’s hope it’s not a case of different audience different response? The stability of our 3rd ward community is far too important to leave in the hands of someone that by her own admission, do not know much about JFK’s proposal, yet feels the city is in need of affordable housing (aka, PROJECTS, just in a nicer neighborhood, maybe ours). 3rd and 2nd ward voters better wake up and get out to vote on June 5th and DO NOT vote blindly by voting the line.
SAY NO TO TRACEY BROWN and SEND those who do not have our best interest in mind A STRONG MESSAGE – YOUR TIME IS UP AND NO 660 UNIT APARTMENT COMPLEX IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!
Robin
10:55 a.m.: Is this the article you are referring to?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nje3.org/?p=26
According to other published accounts, Gibson was employed by the district from 1992 through 2010, when her job fell to budget cuts. It does not appear that she was ever brought up on charges. Anyway, she may not be the winner, so why don't we wait and see?
The Plainfield Board of Education and the Myrtle Ave Administrators (and Actings) NEED TO BE REPLACED!
ReplyDeleteHave you ever seen a more uppity and unresponsive "who-we-are" gang? Please!, who are you if you are not representing your neighbors and ALL the neighbors can't reach you!
I hope some Down-to-Earth, competent and TRANSPARENT folks are going to run for the Board!
I was sitting a table of a few employees and at least two administrators and several suggested that their questions were either not answered or not asked at all. The questions from the cards were hand picked and provided little actual information about either candidate would improve our district.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, 7:07 PM!
ReplyDeleteSo, are we going to demand information, the written selection criteria and resultant "score cards" for the candidates?
Or,are we going to allow these dodging weasels to manipulate the process and push their agenda through? We CAN speak up...why don't we? We aren't afraid of these folks--are we?
Via this blog and meeting appearances, let's jointly make some demands on OUR board & administrators. If we had phone numbers, we could call our board members, but...
10:55 a.m Maybe that's what they are looking for ;)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.goleader.com/09jan08/06.pdf
State Report: Ex-School Officials ‘Misused Petty Cash Funds’
A State Department of Education
audit report has determined that
former Wayne Superintendent of
Schools Maria Nuccetelli and her
business administrator Gary Ottman
misused petty cash funds, according
to The Record. The school district is
seeking reimbursements of over
$2,000. Ms. Nuccetelli is currently
Clifton’s acting superintendent of
schools.
The story said Ms. Nuccetelli was
reimbursed from the petty cash for
newspapers and yearly appointment
calendars delivered to her home,
Rotarian lunches, as well as expenses
for retirement dinners and gifts she
gave. Mr. Ottmann attended a convention in Toronto, Canada, an allowed expense, but also filed for reimbursement for a train ticket from
Toronto to Montreal that was “unrelated to the convention.” He is now
bu s i n e s s a dmi n i s t r a t o r f o r t h e
Plainfield school district.
The pension contributions Mr.
Ottmann made were tax-deductible,
and the report said Mr. Ottmann “not
only received the [district] reimbursements without proper tax reporting or
tax withheld, but his federal wages
were decreased by the amount of pension originally withheld.”
OK 7:07: How's this for Demands (now What?):
ReplyDelete1. FREE live board meeting coverage & public interaction via : http://www.ustream.tv (Hello!: 21st Century media & TRANSPARENCY!)
2. Parent Log-ins to Streaming Video of Classrooms (Like in MANY Pre-Schools)
3. Every PPS document and e-mail filed on a public-accessible website...If the doc is OPRAable, put it on the website!!!! Don't make us beg, pay & wait for OUR documents!
4. Ongoing rounds of admin, staff and parent status-questionnaires (Anonymous responses are fine, but make all responses public)
5. Monthly reports (albeit redacted) regarding legal settlements
6. Monthly reports (albeit redacted) regarding violence
7. Immediate Website posting of "Draft" Board Meeting Minutes
8. Website posting of "Final" Board Meeting Minutes at the close of the next board meeting
9. Regular Phone or Skype "Office Hours" for Board Members
10. Monthly class-size and teacher:child Ratio Reports
(I hope more people contribute to this list. Our NEW Superintendent and board candidates SHOULD be interested in our growing list!)
Ummmmm??? 7:57 so what happened and why did Plainfield hire the guy??? He still is the BA, right?
ReplyDeleteDoes everyone except me know about this? Was this matter "clarified" or somehow "justified"?
Whaaat?~~~~This doesn't even seem smart or right. We've got Acting everything and this guy running the schools~~Right!!!!!!
Bernice, not sure how to get this information to the right people again, as nothing ever seems to be followed through with the arts charter school.
ReplyDeleteAll of a sudden a teacher who has been there all year is no longer there. one day there the next day gone and no one says anything. Parents and kids asking why and nobody tells anything. Did this person do something wrong? Someone ask the school to find out and let parents know.
Charter schools are taxpayer-funded PUBLIC SCHOOLS which MUST respond to OPRA requests. Parents and teachers, by and large, have no clue (by design, IMO) about OPRA or how to make OPRA Requests. Bernice, maybe you can give a quick "Intro to OPRA" and our RIGHT TO school (and ALL government documents.
ReplyDeleteThere must be some paper-trail regarding the teacher's disappearance. Creative OPRAing is key!
It would be nice if all OPER Requests and responsive documents were shared with this blog. It will "encourage" transparency, honesty and more OPRAing.
**Oh, and emailed OPRAed documents are FREE. Only paper copies are charged per sheet.
Yes, 9:02, he IS still RUNNIN' the joint!
ReplyDeleteChecks&Balances, Oversight, Documentation, Vetted Rationales, Team Player: Not so Much.
Stealth Stony-Eyed Puppeteer: Oh Yeah!
BTW: Puppets don't dare ask for written rationales.
Bernice if the BOE care anything about the CHILDREN they would go out and do a REAL SUPERINTENDENT.
ReplyDeleteI knw one thing is for sure PLAINFIELD have finally awaken. Let's get them out of there. NOVEMBER election is very critical to the CHILDREN of PLAINFIELD. All of the CHILDREN of PLAINFIELD.
Good morning, Bernice & 9:02!
ReplyDeleteLogically, diabolically & of course hypothetically;), an all-powerful Puppeteer does NOT facilitate real searches for thinking candidates for School Superintendent or Human Resources Director!
Optimally, the puppeteer's candidates would either have (ready to be deployed) skeletons in their closets or are useful and willing puffed-up idiots.
Just sayin!
FIRE THEM ALL! This blog has revealed a horror-scene!
ReplyDeleteClean-sweep the Board of Education and the District Administrators!
In fact, try something new: Let the school administrators each take a month as Superintendent and ROTATE the rest through all the the schools (1month/school).
There should be uniform guidelines that ensure excellence regardless of the person in the administrators' chairs. That would also shed SUNLIGHT on the inner workings of Myrtle Ave. and each building. Gettin' comfy in a position; NO real Oversight; and backroom whispers are HUGE PROBLEMS for OUR CHILDREN! Our building administrators would do an outstanding job, if given the chance!
Just think of the money Plainfield will save and the PROGRESS this Rotation will bring!
Hey, does this count as a "Demand"?
What are the negatives of this cost-effective , transparent and INNOVATIVE rotation system?
We might even get grant money to do this! If charter schools are allowed to try new things, why not Plainfield Public????
I think that the people of Plainfield should forget about the children - no one really cares about their education - just that they can be seasonal workers and get paid through recreation.
ReplyDeleteWe need to reinvent ourselves, sans education. I'm all for increasing our taxes 100%. This will make people who are taking education for granted move out of the town and go somewhere where they can get free education, and again, not care about the quality. What will be left are people who care about the kids and the education and a better school system will emerge.
Good Morning or should I say almost good afternoon Bernice. Get rid of all of them on the BOE. I have a child in Cedarbrook Elem. School. I did have the chance to attend the forum and I will say if any of the canidates are hired I will have no other choice but to put my baby in Private School.
ReplyDeleteI pay a heck of alot of taxes here but I will not SACRIFICE my BABY education. This is a real disgrace. I am a single PARENT whom have been living in Plainfield for over 3 years now.
I choose to move here not my child so she will not suffer for a lack of not having a good education. I really hope the BOE do their duty for the residents and go out and get a Superintendent that will best fit the needs of our children.
Thanks
Bernice, we need your input regarding all these ideas, revelations and hopeful scenarios. What are the best next steps for the community to take in order to act on the info and suggestions presented by way of your enlightening & appreciated blog?
ReplyDeleteAs always, please help us make sense of this, Bernice!
(I hope the BOE members are paying attention. It would be nice for them to weigh in...)
Yes, please comment, Bernice.
ReplyDeleteWe need to draw upon your gifts, experiences, wisdom and vision!
Neighbor to neighbor!
Oh wise and mighty Bernice, give us Answers !! How about this to start: 1. All students arrive ON TIME to school. Maybe then they can get jobs other than in the Recreation Division.
ReplyDeleteClearly, GB, arriving on time is required.
ReplyDeleteWhy the sass????
We are trying to be practical. Do you have a problem with Bernice? If so, please don't let it interfere with the sincere work and community organizing that we are pursuing with Bernice's help and blog.
I have the answer get RID of the BOE bring some fresh new people in the district. I'm sorry let's get a young caucasin superintendent in his late 30's early 40's I would put my life on the fact that he would bring new IDEALS and new CONNECTIONS and our CHILDREN (All of them) would excel.
ReplyDeletewow, what a brilliant idea, are you so sure that a "young caucasian" would care about our little black and yellow children or would they just care about the dollars?
DeleteHi Ms. Paglia,
ReplyDeleteI wish you could have gone to the forum to see what this Board of Education have brought to the community. Why do they think the community is made up of people whom can not see the forest from the trees. Please I am begging them to go out and do another search. Mrs. Campbell never sent her children to the district, but Why is she trying to HURT OUR CHILDREN. Our children deserve a better education also. PLEASE HELP OUR CHILDREN.
@2:21 p.m.: What community organizing do you think you are doing with my blog? Maybe you didn't read the post on which you are commenting. I urge people who want to run for the board to make sure they file by 4 p.m. on June 5. That's about it. So far I am letting these comments appear just so people can see them, but please do not try to attribute any larger motives to me.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting statistic. Go onto the NJ education web site and look at the Plainfield teacher's attendance vs. the kids. You will find that Plainfield teachers are absent more than the kids. That's the way to teach them!!!
ReplyDeleteBernice: Many of us work in Plainfield and care for and about Plainfield's children, however we cannot run or vote in Plainfield because we don't live here. We have gratefully used your blog to brain storm solutions, help organize and hopefully motivate effective action. It seems that you are angry in your 4:26 post. We don't mean to upset or impose...we are just trying to help. And, if you believe things at the PBOE should change, we would love to hear your ideas. That's why we loyally read your blog.
ReplyDeleteSincerely!
@9:24 p.m.: If you loyally read my blog, maybe you have noticed that I stopped trying to cover the school board quite a while ago, when the meetings moved to Myrtle Avenue. More recently, I just can't find the time to cover the school board in addition to City Council meetings and various land use boards to keep track of development. Surely out of 16,000 households there is some citizen journalist here who could cover the school board.
ReplyDeleteMay I suggest that the Star-Ledger forum is a better place to share ideas and organize. I have no fully informed perspective on the school board at this point. There were several education-related blogs a few years ago. Maybe some of those will revive and become the catalyst you are seeking.
Bernice, Okay GB tries to be clear. 1. No one has all the answers,[sorry all you community organizer majors] although we would like to have a Great and Powerful Oz. 2. If we for one second think a new Bd of Ed staff, teacher shift, building program, busing service can accomplish what only family members can do by assuring students are not tardy/cut classes then we are looking to Oz for answers. Ask any teacher who has to bite their tongue when it is told to them "they are not a problem for me at home, why are they late, disruptive, rude etc in your school?"
ReplyDeleteGB,
ReplyDeleteBecause they are bored with the lack of stimulating, challenging, rewarding, inclusive learning materials? Or could it be because expectations are so low for our students and they sense them so they act accordingly? maybe we should try an experiment: send a group of of the most disruptive students to a good school for a month and see how they respond.
Because they are bored with the lack of stimulating, challenging, rewarding, inclusive ... Sounds like most jobs, so that will give them the idea "late, disruptive, rude" is okay there. Good luck in life.
Delete"Wow" in response to several comments here. I think the real problem is we need to find ways to improve the parenting skills of some of our parents (not all, we have great families too -but we need higher numbers of committed families). I do believe a quality school and district can provide programs or referrals for support to help the families who are struggling or need to learn ways to help their kids. I think the concern about the BOE has been a lack of transparency. The candidates were not announced before - why? These two were the only choices? Those on here that also discuss the need for challenging curricula and educators who WANT to teach have great points too. To the one person who suggested a white superintendent ... why is race being brought into this? Seriously, it is 2012. The BOE should vet more candidates and find the BEST for the community.
ReplyDeleteWe,the community, should hold our own transparent E-Superintendent Search. Resume's could be submitted to and posted on a public blog (sadly, not this blog). Then we could hold & webcast public Q&A sessions... I would be kind of like "Dancing with the Stars." It would definitely generate interest and could even generate revenue, if done right.
ReplyDelete