Eid Mubarak
to all
who are celebrating
Eid al-Fitr
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Hotter Than The Hinges of Hell
Yes, we are in for a heatwave.
Three days with temperatures over 90 degrees is a regular heat wave, so I hope you have put some strategies in place. I don't have air conditioning, so I try to do things early, because by mid-afternoon, it feels like time for a siesta.
When I worked in a newsroom kept at 60 degrees, I used to go out and sit in my car to warm up. But I happened to have an old round wall thermometer in the car once, and it went up to 113 degrees inside the closed car. Don't leave children, pets or sensitive devices like cameras in a vehicle when it's over 90 degrees.
So far I have not heard or seen any advisories on cooling centers, but if you are on the Nixle network, you may get a phone call about where to go to stay cool for a while.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have suggestions on a "SciJinks" page for young people titled, "What is a Heat Wave?"
July in New Jersey gets that way, so look out for the very young, very old, and anyone with asthma. Click here for air quality alerts from the NJDEP.
--Bernice
Three days with temperatures over 90 degrees is a regular heat wave, so I hope you have put some strategies in place. I don't have air conditioning, so I try to do things early, because by mid-afternoon, it feels like time for a siesta.
When I worked in a newsroom kept at 60 degrees, I used to go out and sit in my car to warm up. But I happened to have an old round wall thermometer in the car once, and it went up to 113 degrees inside the closed car. Don't leave children, pets or sensitive devices like cameras in a vehicle when it's over 90 degrees.
So far I have not heard or seen any advisories on cooling centers, but if you are on the Nixle network, you may get a phone call about where to go to stay cool for a while.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have suggestions on a "SciJinks" page for young people titled, "What is a Heat Wave?"
July in New Jersey gets that way, so look out for the very young, very old, and anyone with asthma. Click here for air quality alerts from the NJDEP.
--Bernice
Is the "Fairness Formula" Fair?
My Saturday post on Gov. Chris Christie's proposed "Fairness Formula" attracted some attention, but now that the holiday is over, I'm hoping more people will read it.
Christie made a similar bid for changing school funding in 2011, but nothing came of it. Plainfield contributed the same local tax levy amount to school costs, $17,683,906, from 1992 until the 2008-09 school year, when the state mandated a 4 percent increase.
From then on out, annual local tax levy increases were meant to move toward a $33 million "fair share," although state aid subsequently increased. The budget question on the April 19 ballot was for a local tax levy of $24,295,492, toward a total budget of $189,131,039. Funding includes federal and grant revenues in addition to state and local contributions.
Christie is proposing state funding of $6,599 per-pupil, in contrast to Plainfield's projected per-pupil cost of $15,566 for the 2016-17 school year.
Please take a look at Saturday's post (click on link above), which also contains a statement from the New Jersey School Boards Association on Christie's proposal.
--Bernice
Monday, July 4, 2016
Sunday, July 3, 2016
July 2 Parade Photos
Children put on their own show while waiting for the parade
Click to enlarge
Bubbles!
The reviewing stand
Flag Lady makes her annual appearance
Flag Lady
It's starting!
Veterans, with Omega Psi Phi in background
Grand Marshal Dr. Inez Durham
Grand Marshal Robert Wilson
"Our Seniors, Our Foundation"
Plainfield Democratic Committee
Plainfield Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs
Human Relations Commission
National Pan-Hellenic Council of Central Jersey
Lifeguards with mascot Finn
Sun shines on lifeguards
Plainfield High School Marching Band
Playing to the crowd
Oompah!
Cardinals represent!
Cheerleaders
Star-spangled balloon
Department of Public Works
Award-winning PAAAS
Lion King Jr.
D,A,R,E,
Sparky the Fire Division mascot
Radio-controlled Sparky car
Panda
Angels for Action
Mariachis
Lady Cardinals
Plainfield Rescue Squad
Stone Square Lodge
Stone Square Lodge Rebecca Chapter
Titans
Equestrians
Tall on the saddle
...and that's when my battery ran out!
--Bernice
Note: Jackie Schnoop and David Rutherford took much better photos than mine! I could have stayed home. See their work on Facebook.
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Plainfield and Christie's "Fairness Formula"
When I was just starting to write about Plainfield, much was made of the city's designation as an Abbott district, meaning as a poorer urban district, it would receive greater school aid. Over the past 30 years, the 31 Abbott districts have received about 80 percent of their funding from the state and about 20 percent from local taxes and other sources, while in suburban school districts the ratio is flipped. Gov. Chris Christie has been talking about changing that ratio for several years and has now launched what he calls "The Fairness Formula."
Here is an excerpt:
Between 1985 and the upcoming school year, state taxpayers will have sent $97 billion to the 31 Abbott school districts, compared to $88.2 billion to the remaining 546 districts for PreK-12 education. That’s 52% of total state education dollars going to 5% of districts.
Yet Abbott districts, receiving five times more per pupil than non-Abbott districts, have graduation rates that have been consistently 10 percentage points below the state average, according to the available New Jersey Department of Education data.
Here is an excerpt:
Between 1985 and the upcoming school year, state taxpayers will have sent $97 billion to the 31 Abbott school districts, compared to $88.2 billion to the remaining 546 districts for PreK-12 education. That’s 52% of total state education dollars going to 5% of districts.
Yet Abbott districts, receiving five times more per pupil than non-Abbott districts, have graduation rates that have been consistently 10 percentage points below the state average, according to the available New Jersey Department of Education data.
Click to see Christie's press release on The Fairness Formula, with links to the website.
At Thursday's school board meeting, board member Richard Wyatt said, "We need to find a way to have a discussion on that."
As a starting point, here is a statement from the New Jersey School Boards Association
There are several factors at play in any future change to the state funding formula, but I am among those who have wondered what would happen if the city's "poorer" status changed. The late Mayor Richard L. Taylor, who took credit for getting Plainfield added to the list of Abbott districts, also served as director of two community centers in the city. He used to speak of "the misery index" and made sure to paint a picture of need when benefactors came to visit the centers.
The city still has plenty of challenges, but is seeing much more interest from developers who hope to entice so-called "walking wallet" types to move here. At the same time, the school district has new situations such as hundreds of children who need to become proficient in English to complete their studies. There is a lot to discuss here, including demographics unforeseen in 1985.
Maybe the holiday weekend is not the right time to start a discussion, but it affords time at least to get some background on what Christie proposes and what Plainfield needs going forward.
--Bernice
Friday, July 1, 2016
PHS Principal Praised, Board Retains Him
Teachers, administrators and even an assistant superintendent spoke out Thursday in support of Plainfield High School Principal Willie Worley, asking the school board to retain him as principal.
Speakers praised Worley's intense attention to student needs and his ability to calm even the angriest parent who came to his door. One praised him for having "great character," while another called him "a great leader." They asked to board to bring him back for the next school year.
Shirley Johnson Tucker, the district's assistant superintendent for Educational Services, said she has seen people come and seen people go, but she said, "Mr. Worley is a jewel."
Late in the meeting, applause rang out as the board approved a "walk-on" resolution for Worley's appointment as an administrative staff member in Educational Services.
Other walk-on items not on the printed agenda included a resolution for Daniel Cone to manage the Plainfield Public Schools Athletic Department from July 1 until the appointment of a director. The board approved it, with Cone's compensation was not to exceed $2,500. Another one was for a $400,000 capital project to create a digital media production center in the vacant property at 1700-1800 West Front Street. That is the part of the property acquired earlier this year for $1 from the Schools Development Authority.
Items on the published agenda passed, including one to pay Dan Williamson $78.80 per hour as a Human Resources consultant from July 1 until Oct. 30, not to exceed $35,000. Williamson, formerly the city's corporation counsel and later executive director of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority, had been serving the district in the same role previously.
Note: The vote was 7-2, with Emily Morgan, Terrence Bellamy, Lynn Anderson, John Campbell, Carletta Jeffers, David Rutherford and Richard Wyatt voting "yes" and Carmencita Pile and Dorien Hurtt voting "no."
In remarks at the beginning of the meeting, Schools Superintendent Anna Belin-Pyles said meetings will soon be televised on Comcast Channel 97 and district officials are in talks with Verizon about airing meetings on cable. Board President Emily Morgan announced the state Department of Education rejection of another proposed charter school in Plainfield, partly due to district letters to the DOE saying the city does not need another charter school. There are four charter schools in Union County, according to the DOE website, all of which are in Plainfield.
--Bernice
Speakers praised Worley's intense attention to student needs and his ability to calm even the angriest parent who came to his door. One praised him for having "great character," while another called him "a great leader." They asked to board to bring him back for the next school year.
Shirley Johnson Tucker, the district's assistant superintendent for Educational Services, said she has seen people come and seen people go, but she said, "Mr. Worley is a jewel."
Late in the meeting, applause rang out as the board approved a "walk-on" resolution for Worley's appointment as an administrative staff member in Educational Services.
Other walk-on items not on the printed agenda included a resolution for Daniel Cone to manage the Plainfield Public Schools Athletic Department from July 1 until the appointment of a director. The board approved it, with Cone's compensation was not to exceed $2,500. Another one was for a $400,000 capital project to create a digital media production center in the vacant property at 1700-1800 West Front Street. That is the part of the property acquired earlier this year for $1 from the Schools Development Authority.
Items on the published agenda passed, including one to pay Dan Williamson $78.80 per hour as a Human Resources consultant from July 1 until Oct. 30, not to exceed $35,000. Williamson, formerly the city's corporation counsel and later executive director of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority, had been serving the district in the same role previously.
Note: The vote was 7-2, with Emily Morgan, Terrence Bellamy, Lynn Anderson, John Campbell, Carletta Jeffers, David Rutherford and Richard Wyatt voting "yes" and Carmencita Pile and Dorien Hurtt voting "no."
In remarks at the beginning of the meeting, Schools Superintendent Anna Belin-Pyles said meetings will soon be televised on Comcast Channel 97 and district officials are in talks with Verizon about airing meetings on cable. Board President Emily Morgan announced the state Department of Education rejection of another proposed charter school in Plainfield, partly due to district letters to the DOE saying the city does not need another charter school. There are four charter schools in Union County, according to the DOE website, all of which are in Plainfield.
--Bernice
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