Ms. Harrington indicated that she would discuss member suggestions and concerns with other senior staff members at a meeting later the same day.

Transcription

1 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REVIEW September 17, 2014 PRESENTATIONS: A. Presentation of 2015 Regional Superintendents of the Year Executive Director Bozza provided an overview of the Superintendent of the Year selection process, thanked the Superintendent of the Year Regional Selection Committee members, and explained the final step in selecting the 2015 Superintendent of the Year. Superintendent of the Year Selection Committee Chairperson, Dr. Gary McCartney, introduced and commended the 2015 New Jersey Superintendent of Year Regional winners: Dr. C. Lauren Schoen, Mahwah Township, Region 1; Dr. Timothy Purnell, Somerville, Region 2; and Dr. Scott McCartney, Egg Harbor Township, Region 3. All three regional winners will formally receive the award at our Annual Spring Conference in May B. Common Core State Standards Committee members listened to Kimberley Harrington, NJDOE Acting Chief Education Officer, discuss the State s efforts to implement the Common Core State Standards and to educate school personnel and the public about them. This work has been implemented over the past five years. A discussion ensued informing Ms. Harrington of issues experienced in school districts with regard to both implementation issues and staff and community concerns focusing on the PARCC assessments. Other topics included questions about the change in high school graduation requirements as well as comments about activities taken by district leaders to inform both staff and community members about the new standards and assessments. Ms. Harrington indicated that she would discuss member suggestions and concerns with other senior staff members at a meeting later the same day.

2 INFORMATION ITEMS: A. President Zychowski s Appointments President Zychowski has made the following appointments for the school year: NJASA Committees Chairperson Curriculum & Instruction Kathleen Taylor Legislative Michael Jordan Membership Services Vincent Caputo Professional Development/Seminar Virginia Grossman Shared Services/Small School District/ Choice Schools Christopher Albrizio Spring Conference Lauren Schoen/Scott Rocco Technology David Gentile Special Education Michael Kuchar Great Schools Joseph Jones Women s Leadership Monica Browne Ad Hoc Vision 2020 Judith Rattner Members at Large Executive Committee Region 1 Gerard Crisonino, Deborah Harvest Region 2 Denise Ricciardi, James Baker Region 3 Pete Bretones, Carolyn Gibson Higher Education Rep. Chris Campisano, Princeton University NJSIAA Rep. James Sarruda Retired Member Rep. Kenneth D. King Exec. County Superintendent Rep. Laura Morana B. Officer Liaisons to NJASA Committees The NJASA Officers will serve as liaisons to NJASA committees to assure direct communication between the committees and the Officer Corp. The committee assignments for are: NJASA Committees Small Schools/Shared Services/ Choice Schools Curriculum & Instruction Legislative Membership Services Professional Development/Seminar Spring Conference Special Education Officer Liaison Brian Zychowski Gary McCartney Gary McCartney Brian Zychowski Patrick Fletcher Scott McCartney Antoinette Rath

3 NJASA Committees Technology Great Schools Women s Leadership Officer Liaison (continued) Patrick Fletcher Scott McCartney Antoinette Rath C. School Security Task Force Law Enforcement Memorandum of Agreement An Education and Law Enforcement Working Group is being convened by the Department of Education to consider and recommend important revisions to the Uniform State Memorandum of Agreement between Education and Law Enforcement Officials (MOA) concerning the opiate and prescription pill crisis and other timely matters determined by the Attorney General and the Commissioner of Education. Executive Director Richard Bozza will represent NJASA in the discussions at the two scheduled meetings: October 16 and November 24. Please provide input to Dr. Bozza. D. Lee Meeting Discussion The Leadership for Education Excellence (LEE) organization meets periodically with the Commissioner and senior Department of Education staff members. The members of the group are: NJASA, NJEA, NJASBO, NJPSA, NJSBA and NJPTA. The next meeting of the year is scheduled for October 11. Acting Commissioner Hespe was present at the September meeting and addressed salary caps as well as the information campaign joined by the LEE group to inform the public about the Common Core State Standards. In addition, Rich Bozza discussed his meeting with Mark Biedron, NJ State Board of Education President, and members Joseph Fisicaro, Jack Fornaro and Dorothy Strickland. A focus was placed on QSAC, salary caps, high school graduation requirements, CCSS and PARCC. A follow up meeting will be scheduled with Mr. Biedron and representative NJASA members. E. Commissioner s Regional Convocations NJASA, the host of the Commissioner's Annual Convocation, has announced a new regional venue for Attendees will be able to select the location most convenient for their schedule. It is critically important that members attend a session and discuss issues of importance with the Commissioner and his staff. Acting Commissioner Hespe has requested the regional formats as a means to promote greater interaction with NJASA members. Mark your calendar for: Sept. 30th Parsippany Troy Hills Oct. 17th Middlesex County Vocational and/or Nov. 10th Hammonton

4 If you have any questions, please NJASA Director of Communications Anne H. Gallagher F. Roundtable Attendance Executive Director Bozza has scheduled discussion at County Affiliate meetings in the following counties: Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, and Union. County Affiliate presidents should contact Executive Assistant Ginger Thompson at or at extension 112 to schedule a discussion with Dr. Bozza at a County Affiliate meeting. G. NJSBA/NJASA/NJASBO Fall Workshop The NJSBA/NJASBO/NJASA 2014 Workshop & Exhibition will take place on October at the Atlantic City Convention Center is entitled Partners in Student Achievement NJASA Events: Tuesday, October 28, 2014 NJASA Executive Committee (Open to NJASA Executive Committee Members) 10:00am 11:45am Room 411 NJASA Legislative Committee (Open to NJASA Legislative Committee Members) 2:00pm 3:30pm Room 411 Wednesday, October 29, 2014 NJASA School Leadership Summit (Open to All Conference Attendees) Keynote Presentation by Bill Daggett, Ed.D., Founder and Chairman of the International Center for Leadership in Education Vision 2020 Committee Update 9:00am 11:00am Room 404 NJASA Women s Leadership Initiative (Open to All Conference Attendees) 1:00pm 2:30pm Room 404 We invite you to join us for this afternoon s session which is designed to help women in or aspiring to positions in educational leadership. With networking, support and professional development, NJASA wants to create a clear pathway for women to engage, encourage, and inspire one another. Keynote Speaker TBA.

5 ADVANCING EQUITY IN 2014: PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES (Open to All Conference Attendees) Presented by: Great Schools New Jersey: An Association of High Needs School Districts and Education Law Center. 2:30pm 4:00pm Room 303 Speaker: David Sciarra, Executive Director, Education Law Center Response Panel: Superintendents of High Needs Districts New Jersey is recognized as a "high equity" state, a leader on fair school funding, access to high quality preschool, and improved outcomes for at risk students, English language learners and students with special needs. In this session, David Sciarra, ELC Executive Director and noted civil rights attorney and education advocate, will address current, critical challenges facing New Jersey's public schools in serving growing enrollments of at risk and disadvantaged students. David will provide an update and analysis of efforts to ensure equity in school funding, early education, school construction, charter schools, common core standards, and other issues. David's remarks will be followed by a panel of Superintendents from Great Schools of NJ districts and a Q&A with session participants. H. Legal Update Maria Lepore, Chief Association Counsel, alerted the membership to the August 22, 2014 letter sent from the Division of Pensions to Certifying Officers of public employers, including public school districts. That letter requires, among other things, that the certifying officer from every school district report to the pension fund all retirees who are working in interim or temporary positions in public school districts after retirement. That means it is essential that all retired members, and members contemplating retirement, scrupulously adhere to the deadlines set forth in that letter. Maria urged members to read the Financial Corner by Mort Reinhart, as well as the Legal Corner she authored, in the September 2014 edition of the NJASA On Target for further details. I. Legislative Update Government Relations Director, Melanie Schulz, recapped the Joint Committee on the Public Schools (JCPS) meeting that had taken place on September 16 th on the topic of Superintendent Salary Caps. Ms. Schulz testified before the JCPS along with the lobbyists from NJPSA and NJSBA. 5

6 All 3 groups provided information to the legislators on why it was time to end the salary cap, along with the assurances that have been established since the caps were instituted, such as the 2% tax levy cap and the administrative growth restrictions, as well as the Accountability Regulations. Assemblywoman Mila Jasey (Co Chair of the JCPS) and Assemblyman David Wolfe have agreed to sponsor a Legislative Concurrent Resolution which will urge the Commissioner of Education to amend the Regulations to end the salary caps, commencing July 1, 2015 for new contracts or renewals contracts. For all other contracts, the salary cap would end in November, Those contracts in effect at the time would be open to renegotiation. Ms. Schulz expects the legislators to introduce this measure within the next 2 3 weeks. The Concurrent Resolution is expected to have bipartisan support. J. Membership Update A membership update was provided at the meeting. As of September 9, 2014 our membership stands at 733 members. L. Techspo 2015 January 29 30, 2015 Travel Regulations Waiver Approved Techspo is scheduled for January 29 30, 2015, at Bally s in Atlantic City, and a waiver of the travel regulations has been approved. NJASA has secured a waiver of the travel regulations to approve district reimbursement for overnight stay for those traveling in excess of 50 miles for January 29, M. NJASA Spring Conference Caesars Atlantic City May 13 15, 2015 The Annual Spring Conference will be held on Wednesday, May 13 through Friday, May 15, 2015, at Caesars in Atlantic City. A waiver of the travel regulations has been approved by the Commissioner of Education. The New Jersey Association of Pupil Services Administrators will again co sponsor the conference. N. AASA National Conference on Education The National Conference on Education entitled Celebrating Public Education in America will be held February 26 28, 2015, in San Diego, CA. Housing and registration information can be accessed on the AASA website 6

7 O. D.A.R.E. NJ Members received a letter from Executive Director Bozza outlining his view and the NJASA Position that DARE NJ only use programs that are evidence based. He outlined the status of litigation between DARE NJ and DARE America, the latter of which insists that DARE NJ implement a curriculum that is not evidence based for 5th and 6th grade students. The required curriculum, Kir, does not include any mention of marijuana, inhalants, steroids or other drugs, an omission that violates the New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards for substance abuse education. Members also received copies of two legislators published opinions supporting NJASA s position that DARE NJ maintain a program for that has been tested and determined to be effective. Executive Director Bozza noted that that the Mendez Foundation, publisher of the Too Good for Drugs Elementary Curriculum, is offering New Jersey law enforcement organizations and school districts free student workbooks for the students in NJ districts. Over 900 New Jersey officers have already been trained in this curriculum and implemented it last year with great success. P. NJSIAA Update Tom Coleman has been appointed president of the NJSIAA board for the school year. Basketball will have an early start date this year. Practice can begin the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Teams cannot practice over Thanksgiving. Follow Up: Dr. Sarruda, NJSIAA liaison, notes the following: I wanted to follow up on the conversation generated during my NJSIAA report today. I advised the NJASA executive committee today that the NJSIAA Executive Committee passed a resolution that girls and boys basketball teams could start their tryouts on the Monday before Thanksgiving. However, they were not allowed to practice during the Thanksgiving Break. This is accurate information. I also advised the NJASA Executive Committee that the Girls and Boys basketball teams are not allowed to practice during Thanksgiving Break. That too is accurate. I then reminded the members that NO Winter Teams are allowed to practice during Thanksgiving Break. Some questioned this. I told them I would check with Steve Timko to make sure. I did check with Steve and he confirmed that NO Winter Teams area allowed to practice during Thanksgiving Break. I told the NJASA executive committee that I would get the answer to the Thanksgiving break practices ASAP. That s the answer NO Winter Teams can practice during 7

8 Thanksgiving break. I am asking you to pass it on in a manner that works for the group. Steroid testing took place in 78 schools. Three out of 495 tested positive for steroid use. 8

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