What's New in Fifth Grade?

This year's fifth graders are experiencing some exciting innovations in their academic program, including a partnership with a school in Ecuador, student-led parent conferences, a monthly spirit day, and an opportunity to make guided choices during part of the school day.

At the January Board of Education meeting, the fifth grade team explained how these new approaches strengthen their students sense of community, self-reliance, and social responsibility. Curriculum Leader Adrienne Laitman and Erin Cramer, representing their colleagues, made the presentation. In addition to Laitman and Cramer, the fifth grade team includes Lisa Britvan, Stephanie Kennedy, and Bruce Meyers. Micki Kennedy and Karen Albers provide special education support.

The teachers highlighted the most significant aspects of their work together. The students developed five guiding principles ("Try your best.") as a fifth grade community, not by individual classes. This approach has led to a positive identity and fewer behavior problems. The organization of the daily schedule reflects a planned transition between the self-contained classroom at grade four and the secondary model in which the students change teachers every period. During a portion of the day the students have an opportunity to select activities that best meet their needs, ranging from extra help, to technology enrichment, or time to work on long-range projects. The student-led conferences have given parents, teachers, and the students themselves a new perspective on student's assuming responsibility for their own learning. These programs - and others - reflect the benefits of team planning and collegial support among the teachers.

Students and Faculty Plan World Hunger Event

Throughout the fall a group of interested high school students and faculty have been planning "World Hunger Awareness and Education Day", patterned after the 2007 Environmental Awareness Day (sponsored by the Student Faculty Legislature) and the 2008 Human Rights Awareness Day (sponsored by the Human Rights Coalition). Principal Terry Barton commended the planners, saying "I applaud the students' initiative and leadership, especially their efforts to connect new information to constructive action."

Scheduled for Monday, February 2, the day will feature a keynote speaker and an opportunity for students to participate in a variety of action activities. The keynote speaker, Joel Berg is the executive director of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger and a former Clinton administration official. He is also author of a new book, All You Can Eat: How Hungry is America? The afternoon activities will encompass such activities as letter writing, further study, fund-raising, and a food drive.

This event is also direct outgrowth of the global education initiative that began with seven teachers' trip to China in 2007 and has since become a major theme for professional and curriculum development in the district. The Middle School faculty is planning a related event in April.

Carlin Outlines Budget Options

At the January Board of Education meeting, Assistant Superintendent Dan Carlin gave an overview of the upcoming budget process. He began with a reminder that the district has already begun cost-cutting measures this year, reducing $200,000 from equipment and supplies. He also announced further freezes of non-essential items, expecting to generate another $100,000 in cost savings.

With that backdrop, Carlin described the "rollover budget" projecting what it would cost to operate this year's programs in 2009-10. This projection incorporates contractual obligations, utility increases, and the known cost of benefits. The projected figure, $45,257,442, represents a budget-to-budget increase of 3.73%. This figure - with no additional funds for new programs - is the lowest in ten years except for last year's increase of 3.63%.

However, Carlin added, we also anticipate shortfalls on the revenue side, including reductions in state aid, investment income, and sales tax proceeds. This gap in revenue places more pressure on the need to raise tax monies, and would result in a tax levy increase of 4.99%.

Finance Committee chair Tibi Guzman made a distinction between the tax levy (the net amount needed to operate the schools) and the tax rate, which varies with property appraisals and certioraris. Carlin went on to describe the amounts that would be needed to further reduce the budget. In order to reduce the tax levy to 3%, about $759,442 would need to be cut from the rollover budget. In order to reduce the tax levy to 0%, an additional reduction of $1,145,268 would be required. As a point of reference, Carlin estimated that $1 million would be the equivalent of ten or more teachers.

The detailed budget will be presented to the Board of Education on Saturday, February 7, at 9:00 Am in the Yeager Room.

District Conducts Second Satisfaction Survey

Superintendent David Quattrone announced that the Bronxville School will conduct its second total quality measurement survey to judge the district's performance in a number of areas, including its global initiative, technology applications in the classrooms, and the extent to which the district engages all learners.

The survey, to be conducted by Harris Interactive of Rochester, NY., will be distributed to district stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers, and staff. Using the company's School Poll program, the district will collect data using a set of standardized survey instruments. Students in grades 3-12, along with teachers and staff will be surveyed during the week of Jan. 18. The survey, together with a business reply envelope, will also be mailed separately to district parents. All responses will be confidential and anonymous.

The district first conducted such a survey in 2006 with the support of the Bronxville School Foundation. This year's results will track changes in stakeholder satisfaction over the past three years and provide benchmark comparisons with other survey participants. Quattrone said the survey approach was an important part of a comprehensive, balanced system of measuring excellence. Establishing a system of measurement is one of this year's Board/District goals.

The survey will focus on three key areas important to district performance. They include:

• Levels of satisfaction with regard to the atmosphere of the district, its equipment and facilities, its communications, administration, and its principals and/or superintendent.

• The frequency of specific events within the district, such as availability of extra help during the school year, parent involvement, etc.

• The effect specific events have on stakeholder satisfaction, and a prioritized list of issues that should be addressed to improve satisfaction.

"This comprehensive survey will give the entire school community a detailed, reliable, and valid picture of stakeholder satisfaction," Quattrone said.