|
|
 |
|
|
Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions
of students and parents.
- When does the PTO Council hold it's meetings?
- Where can I go if I have a question?
- How do I obtain insurance for my PTO-sponsored school event?
- School Playgrounds-Questions & Answers
- School Calendar-Questions & Answers
- Pointers for a Strong PTO Board
- Cambridge Report -Community Questions & Answers
- Cambridge Review-Summary Presentation
- NPS School Growth Plans & District Improvement Plan
- Norwalk Public Schools Employment Plan and Interview Process for Staff Hiring
When does the PTO Council hold it's meetings? All PTO Council meetings are held on the 4th Monday of the month
at 7pm, unless otherwise noted.
Where can I go if I have a question? Please see the "PTOC Board" page and locate the
representative assigned to
your school district. Both phone and email contact options are
available.
You are also encouraged to attend the PTOC meetings, held as
noted above.
How do I obtain insurance for my PTO-sponsored school event? Any PTO-sponsored event held on school property during non-school
hours must
have an application and a certificate of insurance filed with the
BOE
Finance Office. Each PTO representative must fill out an
application from
the school and submit this to the BOE along with the Certificate
of
Insurance. To obtain a Certificate of Insurance, contact the
PTOC Treasurer
with the name of the event, date, time, and number of people
expected and if
babysitting is offered. The Treasurer, upon confirmation that
the event is
covered, will fax the Certificate of Insurance to the BOE Finance
Office.
Please allow a minimum of 48 hours upon notification of your
event for this
to occur. For more detailed information on PTO events
notification and
insurance, please see PTO Event Insurance Guidelines on the menue
to the
left.
School Playgrounds-Questions & Answers School Playgrounds-General Information
� All school grounds are also City Parks;
� Playground equipment must be installed by a licensed
contractor--Parks & Rec
uses �Landscape Structures' for most of their work;
� Parks & Rec sometimes uses other vendors (example, in
Devon's Place, a
couple of pieces were from different vendors);
� �Landscape Structures' is on the State of Connecticut
bid list;
� �Landscape Structures' representatives will visit a
school and talk about
their products and playgrounds;
� Using a contractor raises the costs since about 35% to
40% of the cost is
labor but, the playgrounds have to be put in by a licensed
Contractor-it is an
insurance liability issue;
� Because of insurance liability issues, there are no
�volunteer made
playgrounds' anymore;
� Each playground costs approximately $90,000;
� The Parks & Rec Department hires a private contractor to
do a �safety check'
for every playground throughout the City, once a year, for a
total cost of
about $17,000;
� The BoE also inspects the playgrounds;
� If a current piece of playground equipment doesn't meet
code anymore due to
a code change, it has to be immediately removed (examples, spring
animals and
tether balls);
� The Common Council gives Parks & Rec approximately
$90,000 to $120,000 each
year for new playground equipment, that is enough money to do
approximately 1
� playgrounds each year;
� The life of a playground is approximately 20 years and a
school is put in
line for playground renewal, prioritized by the age of their
playground
equipment and City finances;
� The school playgrounds are replaced by the Parks & Rec in
a rotating schedule;
� Sometimes the BoE pays for a new playground if the
playground equipment is
included in the funding for a new school building project (but
it's usually
the Parks & Rec);
� A school in line for new playground equipment can provide
input to Parks &
Rec on: age appropriateness of the equipment; types of
activities; theme
(there are musical, farm, etc. many options);
� Parents can raise funds for their schools playgrounds for
new equipment-all
equipment & installation must meet Park & Rec approval;
� This years playgrounds budgeted by Parks & Rec: Naramake
and two wood play
pieces at Rowayton need to be replaced (wood is no longer
allowed);
� Parks & Rec also has to budget for vandalism and breakage;
� A school's custodial staff is responsible for the 25 feet
of property
immediately around the school-the Parks and Rec is responsible
for the balance
of the school property beyond the 25 feet;
� It is up to the school Principal to make sure their
playgrounds are checked
on a regular basis and they should report any broken or breaking
equipment as
soon as possible;
� It's important that the school Principal has a process in
place for
reporting broken or breaking playground equipment as soon as
possible since it
takes 12 to 16 weeks for delivery on some parts---kids can't use
the equipment
until it's fixed (some items, like cargo netting, are on hand);
� There is a protocol that the school Principals need to
follow for reporting
broken or breaking equipment and a Work Order must be provided to
the Parks &
Rec Department;
� Someone at the school should also walk the grounds on a
regular basis and
check for broken glass and trash;
� Call Mike Mocciae, Director, Norwalk Parks & Rec at 854-
7806; email
mmocciae@norwalkct.org or visit the office, Norwalk City Hall,
Room 129.
� Information for this Playgrounds/General Information
collected January 2009
School Calendar-Questions & Answers PTO COUNCIL
SCHOOL CALENDAR/QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
When is the final determination date for an upcoming year�s
school Calendar
and, is that date determined by Contract or State of Connecticut
requirements?
Answer: Must be determined no later than June 30th. For Norwalk
Public
Schools (NPS), it is usually voted on sometime in early Spring of
the
proceeding year.
When do Norwalk�s Surrounding Communities determine their School
Calendars? :
Darien-2009/2010 Calendar approved on 6/10/08;
NewCanaan-2009/2010 Calendar approved on 12/17/07;
Norwalk-2009/2010, to be voted upon;
Stamford-2009/2010, to be determined;
Westport-2009/2010 Calendar approved 12/10/07;
Wilton-2009/2010 Calendar approved 7/14/08.
Are School Calendars, once approved, ever revised or amended?
Darien-Yes
NewCanaan-Yes
Norwalk-Not in memory
Stamford-Yes
Westport-Yes
Wilton-Yes
Who takes part in the Calendar development process, which
stakeholders add input?
Answer: Central Office, Presidents of bargaining groups, Board of
Education
and, recently, parent groups.
How many �days of instruction� per year are legally required by
the State of
Connecticut?
Answer: 180 days
How many �days of instruction� do Norwalk and its Surrounding
Communities have?:
Darien-180 days;
NewCanaan-182 days;
Norwalk-181 days;
Stamford-181 days;
Westport-182 days;
Wilton-181 days.
How many �hours of instruction� per year are legally required by
the State of
Connecticut?
Answer: 900 �hours of instruction�.
How many �hours of instruction� do Norwalk and its Surrounding
Communities
have? :
Darien-999/hrs elementary; 982/hrs middle school; 1,008/hrs
high school
New Canaan-1,001/hrs elementary; 1,012/hrs middle school; 990/hrs
high school
Norwalk-953/hrs elementary; 1,001/hrs middle school; 998/hrs high
school.
Stamford-995/hrs elementary; 1,010/hrs middle school; 1,004/hrs
high school
Wesport-1,032/hrs elementary; 1,019/hrs middle school; 972/hrs
high school
Wilton-992/hrs elementary; 974/hrs middle school; 1,007/hrs high
school
How is an �hour of instruction� defined, i.e., what activities
are not counted
as an �hour of instruction�?:
Answer : The total �hours of instruction per year�,
as determined
by the State of CT, does not include: lunch/snack; recess;
homeroom; passing
time; opening/closing exercises.
How many �hours of instruction� defines a full 'school day'?:
Answer: The State of CT has no definition of what
constitutes a
�full school day� so no minimum number of attendance hours is
required. All
early dismissals, late arrivals, partial days, etc. are counted
into the 180
required school days. However, each district is responsible for
meeting the
State minimum of 900 hours of instruction per year.
Which �Holiday Days' are defined by Union Contract and which
�Holiday Days'
are not defined and are negotiable?:
Answer: Contracts include Federal Legal Holidays: New Years Day,
MLK Day,
Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans
Day,
Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. The Custodians Contract language
provides
specifically for days off on Good Friday, Yom Kippur and all of
Rosh Hashanah
when they fall on a school day. Since the custodians are off on
these
religious holidays, all other staff must take those days off too.
What �Holiday Days� did Norwalk and Norwalk�s Surrounding
Communities not have
off for the 2008/2009 & 2009/2010 School Year?:
Darien: Did not take Veteran�s Day; only 1 day for Rosh Hashanah
(�08/09);
NewCanaan: Did not take Veteran�s Day; only 1 day for Rosh
Hashanah (�08/09);
Norwalk: Took all Federal Legal Holidays, Good Friday, Yom
Kippur and Rosh
Hashanah�(2 days for Rosh Hashanah �08/09)
Stamford: �08/09-Same as Norwalk; �09/10 not available;
Westport: Did not take Veteran�s Day or Columbus Day; only 1 day
for Rosh
Hashanah (�08/09);
Wilton: Did not take Veteran�s Day; only 1 day for Rosh Hashanah
(�08/09)
Which 'Holiday Recesses' are defined by Union Contract and which
Holiday
Recesses are not defined and are negotiable?:
Answer: The three main �Holiday Recesses' (Christmas, Winter and
Spring
Breaks) are decided based on common past practices by interested
stakeholders--when and how long the breaks are is negotiable.
Are there any significant differences between the �Holiday
Recess� weeks taken
by Norwalk and those taken by its Surrounding Communities?
Wilton-will take only 2 days for February Break instead of 5
(�09/10)
Darien, NewCanaan, Westport, Stamford are comparable with Norwalk;
A �Staggered Entry Day� does not count as part of the State
required 180 days.
What is the purpose of a �staggered entry day�?:
Answer: The staggered entry, which really impacts the
middle schools and the
high schools, is to allow the entering class to have some time to
acclimate
themselves. This is especially useful for Grade 6 students who
will now be
experiencing having to change periods every day and a new way of
experiencing
school. Grade 12 students alternate from high school to high
school each year
depending on who is graduating first in June.
Which of Norwalk�s Surrounding Communities has a
�staggered entry day� and if
�No�, why?:
Darien: No-it has never been a practice for the district;
NewCanaan: No- it has not been a practice for the
district;
Norwalk: Yes; kindergarten, 6th grade & 9th grade, see
above
Stamford: Yes; kindergarten, 6th grade & 9th grade
Westport: No; they used to for 9th grade but they rec�d
grant money for
teachers & do small group tours for incoming 9th graders at end
of summer.
Wilton: Yes, staggered for 9th grade only
For the 2009/2010 School Year, what is the �first day of school�
for all
students and what is the �last day of school� for students in
Norwalk and its
Surrounding Communities? (not including potential snow days):
Darien: First day of school-Monday, Aug.
31st
Last day of school-Tuesday, June
15th
NewCanaan: First day of school-Monday, Aug. 31st
Last day of school-Thursday, June
17th
Norwalk: First day of school-Thursday,
Sept 3rd (9/2 staggered entry)
Last day of school-Tuesday, June
22nd
Stamford: Not available
Westport: First day of school-Tuesday,
Sept. 1st
Last day of school-Wednesday,
June 23rd
Wilton: First day of school-Monday, Aug. 31st
Last day of school-Monday, June
14th
Regarding Professional Development Days (PPD)--
How many Professional Development Days are required
during the
school year?:
Answer: Three
How many Professional Development Days does Norwalk and it�s
Surrounding
Communities provide?:
Darien: 5 days;
NewCanaan: 5 days;
Norwalk: 3 days;
Stamford: 3 days (does not include 9 days �early release for
PPD���08/09 data
only);
Westport: 6 days;
Wilton; 4 days.
Many Professional Development Days require a 'no school for
students'. What
governs this and is this avoidable?:
Answer: The district has to provide a certain number
of hours of
Professional Development during the year, and the district can't
make staff
come after school or on their days off to do this or the district
would have
to pay for staff time. However, Professional Development could be
scheduled
during holiday breaks.
The Parent Conferences at the elementary level cause '90 minute
Early
Dismissal' at the Middle and High School levels. What governs
this and is this
avoidable?:
Answer: The 90 minute conference night early dismissals
provide time for
teachers to meet with parents who are not available during the
school day
since this is sometimes more convenient for parents. This
creates the need to
change the bus schedule at all levels. It is logistical rather
than contractual.
How are elementary level conferences handled by our
Surrounding Communities?:
Darien-Elementary schools only dismissed early
NewCanaan-Elementary schools only dismissed early
Norwalk-Elementary, middle school & high schools are
dismissed early
Stamford-Elementary schools only dismissed early
Westport-Elementary schools only dismissed early
Wilton-Grades 1-8 early dismissal
Regarding the CAPT testing at the High School level--
During CAPT, there is early dismissal and/or late arrival for
9th, 11th and
12th graders, even though only 10th grade is tested. Added bus
trips are
required. What governs this and is this avoidable?
Answer: This appears to be a tradition at Norwalk
Public Schools.
How is CAPT testing scheduling handled by our
Surrounding Communities?:
Darien-10th grade regular day (CAPT in a.m.)-
delayed morning entry for
9th,11th,12th, but standard dismissal time for all students.
(Note: AP
students regular day, come in for review during CAPT time)
NewCanaan-10th grade regular day (CAPT in a.m.)-
delayed morning entry for
9th, 11th, 12th, but standard dismissal time for all students
Norwalk-10th grade/test takers report to school
at 10:30 a.m. for 4 days &
7:25 a.m. for 2 days; 9th, 11th and 12th grade report to school
regular time
(7:25 am) for 4 days but are dismissed at 10:50am all 4 days;
also, 9th, 11th
and 12th grade report to school at 10:10 a.m. for 2 days with
regular
dismissal time
Stamford-delayed entry for 9th, 11th, 12th,
regular day
Westport-10th grade regular day (CAPT in a.m.)-90
minute delayed entry for
9th, 11th, 12th, but standard dismissal time for all students.
Wilton-10th grade regular school day (CAPT in
a.m.)-delayed entry for 9th,
11th, 12th, but standard dismissal time for all students
Are these 'Early Dismissal' days by High School students during
CAPT counted
as part of the required 180 days of instruction?
Answer:Yes.
What is a �Carnegie hour' and what does it mean for high school?
Answer: Carnegie unit hour means 122 hours of classroom
instruction
is needed to earn 1 high school credit. It really has no impact
on the 900
minimum hours required. It is figured into the length of a
period/day and the
number of times the class meets.
Regarding Labor Day and whether to start before or after that
date, how much
flexibility is there?:
Answer: This is determined by input from various
stakeholders and
is driven by when school will get out at year end.
Why does Norwalk have 5 �half-days� at the end of the 2009/2010
School Calendar?:
Answer: The five half days listed on the calendar are
indicated to advise
parents early on that there are half days. The high schools and
middle
schools have five � days for 2009/2010. The elementary schools
usually just
have three � days. NPS sends a notice home towards the end of
April advising
parents of the schedule for the last week of school. This is done
after the
expectation of snow ends.
What do our Surrounding Communities do in regard to
�full� or �half days� for
the final school days of the year?
Darien: � day final day of school only;
New Canaan: � day final day of school only;
Stamford: � day last three days of school (�08-09)
Westport: � day final day of school only;
Wilton: 4- ��� days for grades 9-12; 3- ��� days for
grade K-8
Is there a defined 'no later than date' for the last day of
school and, if so,
what date is it?:
Answer: June 30th, no later than.
Which of the 19 district schools have air conditioning available
when school
is still in session in late June?
Answer: The five schools with total A/C are: Brien
McMahon High, Norwalk
High, Brookside Elementary, Jefferson Elementary and Marvin
Elementary. The
remaining fourteen schools have A/C in selected areas.
Pointers for a Strong PTO Board Keep in Mind When Creating
A Consistently Strong PTO Board
Recruiting happens all year round � start early in
developing connections /
relationships. By the time elections comes round you will have an
idea on who
to ask to join the board.
In March, review current board and identify parents who
are "graduating".
Carefully consider the board as you would any portfolio, in terms
of
strengths, weaknesses and longevity.
Recruit active PTO parents that are transitioning from
the lower level
schools (5 to 6 grade, etc)
Retain you own � contact other board members to
determine who wishes to move
on or change position. Speak to parents that attend your meetings
and speak to
them about joining the board
Announce the need for Nominating Committee. At a middle
school, having a
represent from each feeder school aids in reaching out to a
diverse group of
parents so that the board reflects all the neighborhoods. At an
elementary
school, seek members from different grade levels (reps from k-2,
3-5) plus a
current board member.
The Nominating Committee's function is to identify
candidates interested in
the open positions. This requires extensive calling and emailing
of people to
convince them that they're the right person for the job and why.
It is rare to
have more than one person interested, but if you do, you can
either have them
run against each other, persuade one to take another position
or... create a
new position. You can't have too many committed people on the
board.
The Nominating Committee should present the proposed
slate at the April
meeting. At this point, the general PTO can see which positions
are still
open. The point is to fill any openings before the May meeting
and then to vote.
Encourage diversity by allowing 2 people to co-chair.
This allows one person
to train the other or to share skill sets. One may better with
computer skills
and the other with reaching out through phone calls.
It really helps to find the next PTO co-chair through the
current board. A
current board member can hit the ground running.
The co-chairs work closely with the Principal. Choose
people who will gain
the respect of the administration and seek the advice from the
Principal in
filling in positions. It's a big deal to be able to tell a
potential candidate
that the Principal suggested calling them.
Seek the help of teachers � teachers can make
recommendations and assist
with getting parents involved.
Good Luck � PTO Council
Special thanks to Gloria Falcone
Cambridge Report -Community Questions & Answers Cambridge Questions
The questions were responded to by Dr. Corda and Ms. Deb
Richards. Please
note that Dr. Corda responded to #12,13,17, 23, 24, 27 and 28 and
Deb Richards
responded to #29.
1. Once a plan is in place, how will the state ensure that
there is
accountability for those responsible for taking the steps as
outlined in that
plan?
Answer:
Taken from an excerpt of the PTOC Minutes of the March 31st
Cambridge Forum
�Dr. Corda gave a brief description of the District
Improvement Plan
(DIP) and the School Improvement Plan with State strategies for
improvement
and how to assess objectives and the State role. He introduced
Deborah
Richards, Chief of State Dept of Education (SDE) Bureau of
Accountability,
Compliance & Monitoring, contact at:
Deborah.Richards@po.state.ct.us,. Ms.
Richards introduced Judy Carson, from the School & Family
Community
Partnerships and the Parent Information Resource Center, contact
at:
Judy.Carson@po.state.ct.us or PIRC at www.ctpirc.org, liaison
for community
involvement; Warren Logee, lead team member for the
School/district team for
Norwalk, contact at: Warren.Logee@ct.gov ; Mike Wasta, external
consultant for
the State Department of Education (SDE) for Norwalk, contact at:
"Michael
Wasta" , .
Ms. Richards noted that this same team had met with the
Norwalk Board of
Education (BoE) in February and that this time she had been asked
to talk more
about community and family involvement. The SDE was concerned
about the
achievement gap, that a new State commissioner of Education had
been hired and
he was proactive and he had done some reorganization at the State
level. The
first 12 districts the State chose to look into, and Norwalk
Public Schools
(NPS) was one of them, were identified by criteria that they had
to have been
in at least year 3 of �in need of improvement� per No Child Left
Behind
(NCLB). She noted that the SDE was in a partnership with these 12
districts
and that it was �reciprocal accountability��the State
legislators ask how is
the SDE working with the districts and the SDE asks the districts
how are you
working with the schools. She noted that the Cambridge Report
was only the
beginning of the process and that the SDE would be here for a
couple of years.
She noted that Norwalk�s District Improvement Plan (DIP) needed
to have
focused and aligned strategies of how to implement the plan,
monitor the plan
and then assure the targets are met.�
2. Once a plan is in place, what checkpoints will be put in
place to make
sure that the plan is working?
Answer:
Taken from an excerpt of the PTOC Minutes of the March 31st
Cambridge Forum
�Ms. Richards-- There�s a BoE piece once they get the
revisions of the
District Improvement Plan done. There�s a place for the BoE to
be working and
monitoring progress. Frequently there are sub-committees on
BoE�s in other
communities that look at different components of the DIP, for
example, a
sub-committee for parent and student involvement. BoE�s ask, are
the
strategies being implemented? Is there progress? They relate
information that
they are hearing in the community. It�s not about micro
managing but creating
a structure that ensures that progress is being made from an
accountability
perspective.�
3. How long can we expect a plan to take to see any marked
improvement
(want to avoid making changes too often to be able to judge the
results).
Answer:
Taken from an excerpt of the PTOC Minutes of the March 31st
Cambridge Forum
�Ms. Richards said she knew that the district had the
District-Level
Data Teams, that was the first step. Per the DIP, training has
begun for NPS
with Connecticut Accountability for Learning Initiative (CALI)
www.sde.ct.gov
. What hasn�t happened is there isn�t a clear, systemic
expectation that
people put that information into how to do their work. They are
in
conversations on a timeline and how it will all roll out. Dr.
Corda says that
they have had 8 to 10 days of training at Connecticut Education
Services CES
www.ct-ed.com about the model that NPS is putting into place.
NPS must make a
presentation to the State of CT in the next few weeks. The model
is not
complicated�where do we need to concentrate our efforts and
identify which
items of the curriculum are essential; sift through data relating
to the three
elements of the DIP. That work has been going on. There is a
Parent
Engagement Committee and it has had about 6 meetings and is clear
in how it�s
going to approach it�s work; the same has happened for the DIP
items of
Literacy and Numeracy expectations. Ms. Richards explains some
terms: CES
stands for CT Educational Services, RESC stands for Regional
Educational
Service Center. The CALI model is lead by Doug Reeves, the CALI
model works
with school districts to implement this model, it�s research
based, they know
it works, it�s been implemented before. It�s been designated by
the State of
CT as the model to use and provides training and certification
for district
personnel in how to implement the model in collaboration with the
State of
CT.� AND � Ms. Richards said that in 18 to 24 months the
Cambridge group would
come back but that it was not a long-term systemic involvement;
that the DIP
was there to hold the district accountable if it was not making
progress and
that this was all about progress and what additional information
was needed to
achieve that.�
4. Public relations in Norwalk schools seems more about
putting on a pretty
face then dealing with issues, is this going to change?
Answer:
Taken from an excerpt of the PTOC Minutes of the March 31st
Cambridge Forum
�Ms. Richards noted that the Cambridge Reports
recommendations for
improvements were: closing the achievement gap by increasing
differentiated
instruction; implementation of instruction & curriculum to meet
needs of all
students with fidelity at every level, every school, every grade;
the need for
an in-depth audit of the special ed department; improved
accountability
between BoE and Central Office with clear benchmarks to monitor
progress;
improved parent/community communication; a realignment of NPS
public relations
department and Human Resources in their role in community
outreach. Dr. Corda
noted that a parent advisory committee was already in place. Ms.
Richards
noted a need to improve the district culture and climate
customized to
multiple audiences, need to involve students more, and a needs
assessment at
the school level that Dr. Corda noted was in the works.�
5. Why do we have shorter elementary school hours than our
neighboring
districts?
Dear PTO Council,
I do not believe the BOE has a unified or official
position on the
questions you mention. Thus, they are hard to answer in a
collective fashion.
I have my own views on some of them, which I will gladly share
below - Bruce
Kimmel:
Question 5: the length of our school day -- I believe
Norwalk
students are not in school long enough each day, plus the school
year is too
short -- too many half days in June. Bear in mind that this is an
issue that
is usually negotiated with our bargaining units and is thus not
easy to
change. I would like to see a committee established of interested
parties to
examine our school calendar and see what changes might be made. I
think there
is some agreement among Board members on this idea.
6. Dr. Corda mentioned a Parent Community Communication Group
on Monday
night that had been set up. I�m an involved parent and I never
heard of it,
what is it and what are they doing?
Answer:
Taken from an excerpt of the PTOC Minutes of the March 31st
Cambridge Forum
�Dr. Corda says that there is a Parent Communication
Committee, a
committee of parents, school staff, and community members meeting
about this.
What does parent/community involvement mean? Are we as parent
friendly as we
can be? The committee took on projects important to success and
build on it.
He mentioned the student/parent handbook and looking at revising
it and
bringing it to a variety of parent groups�is it helpful,
understandable, etc.
There is a �walk-thru� going on in two elementary schools
asking�is the school
user-friendly? Intent is to find how the schools can be made more
user-friendly. There are layers of issues, how do we reach out
to parents?
What skills do those parents need to help engage with their
children? Some of
this has nothing to do with the PTO but is Sensitivity to
differences. Need
to look into performance of African American, Hispanic,
Economically
disadvantaged, ELL, students with disabilities. That�s where we
have to
concentrate our efforts. The challenge to the PTO�s�ask
questions what should
their role be in fostering parental engagement? The committee is
working on
the third element of the DIP and plan to bring in more people
into the
process. Can each PTO look into their membership and see what
they can do.�
For more information contact either: Carol Marinaccio or Mary
Peniston at
854-4107 or marinaccioc@norwalkps.org .
7. When are you going to do a parent or community survey?
Answer:
The Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) is conducting a
review of
Special Education programs and services available to students with
disabilities in Norwalk. All parents of students with
disabilities will be
receiving a survey by mail which they will be asked to complete.
Surveys will
be in Spanish and English. Included in this mailing to parents
will be
information regarding a series of "focus interviews"
for parents to attend.
These �focus interviews� will occur on September 10, 2008 from 3-
4 pm and
6:30-7:30 pm; and September 11, 2008, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Spanish
translation
will be provided. Please let them know if you will attend an
interview session
by sending back the form included in the survey letter or after
you receive
the survey, call Special Education (PPS) office at 854-4126.
Please respond by
September 2, 2008 in order for us to be able to accommodate
everyone.
For more information, contact Janie Friedlander, Director
of Special
Education, at 854-4126 or friedlanderj@norwalkps.org. Or cantact
Margaret
MacDonald, Director of Special Services Support Team, CREC, at
(860) 524-4037.
8. To the Board of Ed: Are you planning to do exit surveys to
find out why
so many parents leave the district and to see if that can be
reduced? If no,
explain why not please.
Dear PTO Council,
I do not believe the BOE has a unified or official
position on the
questions you mention. Thus, they are hard to answer in a
collective fashion.
I have my own views on some of them, which I will gladly share
below - Bruce
Kimmel:
Question 8: exit surveys -- First we need to examine
the premise of
the question: that a disproportionate number of parents leave the
Norwalk
school system. If the data indicates that is indeed the case,
then exit
surveys would be a good idea (though it might be difficult to
implement).
Perhaps another type of survey would do the job. On a more
specific issue: For
a number of years I have argued for an examination of ways to
make Silvermine
School more attractive to families in the Silvermine community.
The idea of
making it an arts magnet, to go along with its dual language
program, has been
discussed (the Silvermine Guild is nearby and already has a
relationship with
the school). Whatever we decide regarding a survey, etc., I
believe we will
still need to focus on that neighborhood and see how we can get
more district
residents into Silvermine.
9. In Norwalk, there is a significantly abbreviated schedule
in place at
the high schools during CAPT testing. But, in Fairfield, for
example, which
also has two high schools, during CAPT, School hours remain the
same for all
students in every grade. To adjust for testing, one class in each
day is
extended 1 1/2 hours and the remaining classes are reduced
accordingly. Those
students who are taking the CAPT test go to a designated
location; all other
students remain in their normal classes. The districts
neighboring us, Wilton,
New Canaan, Darien only have a delayed start. The concerns are:
1. The
schedule as it is requires much shuffling for parents; 2. It is
costly in that
it requires busses to make two extra trips each day; 3. it�s
counted as a full
school day but it�s not. Also, for Elementary Conference Days,
all our
neighboring districts & Fairfield have full days; NPS does not.
Can you
clarify why the testing days and conference days are adjusted so
and provide a
Board policy that addresses this issue? Are you considering
changing it to
align NPS with our neighbors?
Dear PTO Council,
I do not believe the BOE has a unified or official
position on the
questions you mention. Thus, they are hard to answer in a
collective fashion.
I have my own views on some of them, which I will gladly share
below - Bruce
Kimmel:
Question 9: CAPT scheduling -- This is related to
question 5: We
need to examine ways to increase the time students spend in
school each day. I
did a back-of-the-envelope calculation (based on my knowledge of
the NYC
public school system) when we adopted the coming year's calendar
and here's
what I found: After comparing the length of the school day, the
number of half
days, the number of snow days, and the length of the school year,
a fifth
grader in NYC, after six years of elementary school, is in school
roughly 135
days longer than a Norwalk fifth grader. That's pushing an
entire school
year. I believe we also need to address some of the perks that
our high school
seniors have vis-a-vis skipping first period and leaving earlier.
I know of
high schools where there are no study halls (we have students
with multiple
study halls), and where the school day and year are longer than
ours.
10. What can be done to provide the teachers in the classroom
that have to
work with children (with different learning needs) the support
they need to
(a) learn what strategies should be used and (b) be able to
employ these
strategies. Can we make sure that the training that the teachers
receive is
both practical and topical and provides them with the tools
necessary to work
with these children?
Answer:
Taken from an excerpt of the PTOC Minutes of the March 31st
Cambridge Forum
�Dr. Corda said that there is not a clear understanding of
what the term
differentiated instruction means. The teacher performs around a
range of
levels and tailors instruction. It�s an expansion of repertoire
of teaching
strategies from, for example, lecture mode, to looking for more
active
engagement for students, more rigorous tasks, assessments,
benchmarks. Ms.
Richards asks Mike Wasta if he has some benchmarks that other
districts had
used beyond just CMT and CAPT scores. Mike Wasta said that most
districts use
the same approach as NPS by using snapshots throughout the year;
these are not
real lengthy tests, not real sophisticated, but snapshot
assessments of skills
so that the teacher can make adjustments in instruction; it�s
collecting data.
It�s hard work. It�s about teachers getting together in a
collegial atmosphere
to discuss achievement. Teachers working together to find out why
this group
of students is not making progress. He noted there are logistical
problems in
creating quality time for teachers to do this work.� AND
�Ms. Richards suggested that a look into the individual
school reports
would be an indication as to where differentiated instruction is
stronger.
She noted that special ed would have an overall audit conducted
around special
ed and student achievement. Ms. Richards noted that the data
indicates
problems or they would have expected more progress for some
groups of
students.� AND �Ms. Richards says that districts look at key
structures to be
implemented and that smaller class sizes are heavy on the cost
side, she has
seen it implemented before but she didn�t see the results
reflected in
increased student achievement. She asks-- if teaching doesn�t
change and you
have fewer students, are you going to have different outcomes for
those
students? There�s a balance between what are we doing
differently and would
we do it better with smaller classes. The process of the DIP is
to find
strategies that work. She noted that they have had many
conversations at the
State level of length of school year and length of school day,
which are also
�resource rich�. There are often 3 to 4 strategies that a
district will put
resources and efforts behind; the management part of this is to
identify the
key strategies. She notes that smaller class sizes are a great
thing but
without change of instruction there won�t be better outcomes.�
11. Can we make sure that there is a resource center that might
be accessed
by the teachers (books, magazines, websites and in-person
assistance) to
assist them in developing teaching strategies that will work with
children
(with different learning styles)? For example, if a child has
exhibited some
behavioral difficulties based on his inability to concentrate or
stay focused,
or based on an impulsive disposition, what sort of strategies are
available
for the teacher to use to work with this child (and his
parents). Is there a
�behaviorist� on the staff that can be contacted to review and
assist the
teacher in this particular case? Are there resources that can be
reviewed by
the teacher and other staff members that would allow them to work
together
with the parent to develop effective techniques?
At this time there is no provision for a Resource
Center within
the school system. We disseminate information to teachers and
staff during
regular staff meetings and via the supervisors assigned to each
building.
Janie Friedlander
12. How can we make the website better so that it will be
inviting to the
user and user friendly. It should invite comments and
suggestions from the
users and be responsive to them so that the site is not static
but is, rather,
dynamic and ever changing and becoming better based on the needs
and wants of
the users.
Dr. Corda Response: We have received many positive comments
about our
website but beauty is always in the eyes of the beholder. Someone
apparently
considers our website as not being user-friendly and unresponsive
so I am
asking that the committee on enhancing parental involvement
review it to see
if there are suggestions that can be made as part of their work.
Meantime, on
the page, I note that there are several places where contact
information is
both solicited and encouraged. It is also our practice to respond
to the
inquiries we receive as quickly as we can. I have done so myself
on many
occasions. I would respectfully point out that this is not a blog
but a
website and, like most informational websites, provides important
contact
information. We also upgraded our website last year by placing
all important
documents on the site as well as highlighting what is available
in red.
13. How can I volunteer to participate in the Cambridge Study
in order to
contribute my experiences and ideas?
Dr. Corda Answer: The Cambridge study is now finished and
there are no
ways to participate in the study. That said, certainly any
individual is
welcome to offer whatever suggestions he or she might have at
public meetings
of the Board of Education. Additionally, the meetings of the
Board�s
curriculum, policy, and budget committees are open to the public.
Beyond that,
the administration is open and receptive to any comments or
suggestions of the
public
14. I attended the BOE meeting at which the state dept. people
spoke about
their involvement in light of the Cambridge Report. They
provided a handout
that outlined the areas that needed improvement, the systems that
were already
in place and what was going to happen next. On the issue of
developing a way
for administrators to be held more accountable, the chart
indicated that there
is a rubric used by the board to evaluate Dr. Corda and that he
used the
rubric to evaluate administrators. under the section for what
was going to
happen next, there was no reference to modifying this rubric or
evaluation
system. The Cambridge Report indicated that this needed
improvement so why is
there no plan to make any changes?
Answer:
Taken from an excerpt of the PTOC Minutes of the March 31st
Cambridge Forum
�Ms. Richards noted that the Cambridge Report (CR) was
only the
beginning of the process and that the State Department of Ed
would be here for
a couple of years. She noted that Norwalk�s District Improvement
Plan (DIP)
needed to have focused and aligned strategies of how to implement
the plan,
monitor the plan and then assure the targets are met.� AND �CR
recommendations
for improvements were: closing the achievement gap by increasing
differentiated instruction; implementation of instruction &
curriculum to meet
needs of all students with fidelity at every level, every school,
every grade;
the need for an in-depth audit of the special ed department;
improved
accountability between BoE and Central Office with clear
benchmarks to monitor
progress; improved parent/community communication; a realignment
of NPS public
relations department and Human Resources in their role in
community outreach.
Dr. Corda noted that a parent advisory committee was already in
place. Ms.
Richards noted a need to improve the district culture and climate
customized
to multiple audiences, need to involve students more, and a needs
assessment
at the school level that Dr. Corda noted was in the works.�
15. I recently became aware of the district�s Parent-Community
Committee,
created as part of the district improvement plan. How were
committee members
chosen? What plans are there to broaden membership? It appears
the agenda was
set before broader representation and input was sought (if this
is incorrect,
please elaborate). How can you be sure that the focus of the
committee
reflects the needs of the community and addresses the issues
raised in the
Cambridge report?
Mary Peniston's Answer:
Parents were involved from the beginning in having input to
set the
initial priorities of the district improvement plan � they were
invited
because they had participated in Parent SEE, a state training to
help parents
become more involved in school systems, and/or some other kind of
parent
leadership training. Despite the short time frame we had to
develop the plan,
their input was invaluable in shaping the recommendations for
action.
The Parent-Community Partnership Committee started in the
fall of 2007
and participation by parents and community members was expanded.
By March
2008, all the committee members agreed: �if anyone expressed
interest in
working with the Committee, they are welcome to join the group.
� All
meetings have been open since that time.
While the agenda was set early on, state experts on parent
involvement
have indicated that we have selected important areas to begin our
work �
specifically, creating a more welcoming atmosphere in our
schools. In line
with this, they provided initial training in the Spring 2008 to
several
school-parent teams so that they can begin doing �Welcoming
School Atmosphere
Walk-throughs� which are then followed by action steps to
improve each school.
Parents are to make up the majority of members of each school�s
team.
Schools have been asked to create a team that represents the
diversity of each
school.
As regards the issues raised in the Cambridge report, the
committee did
systematically review all the comments in the report on parent-
community
relations � and they were overwhelming positive. Nonetheless,
we felt that
despite that positive feedback that there is room for improvement
and that we
should continue with the work we had started to define.
-----
If you need any additional information, please do not
hesitate to
contact me.
From Carol Marinaccio - I am very grateful to Mary Peniston
for her
responses to inquiries and questions. She has done a wonderful
job at
capturing the work the Community Team has been working on. It is
a work in
progress, and an on-going initiative that will be part of our
District Goals
in the years to come. I will reiterate as Mary has expressed:
our meetings
are open. We will forward you the dates of the meetings. As we
move forward
into the new school year, we will be addressing the strategies of
the
Community Goal; with the focus on �welcoming environments� in
our schools. As
Mary indicated, each school will form a team and parents will
comprise the
majority of the team that will participate in walkthrough
activities.
If there is any other information the committee can provide
you with,
please let us know. - Carol Marinaccio
16. What do you see as the role of the individual PTO�s and
the PTO Council
when it comes to addressing achievement issues in Norwalk? Could
you provide
specific examples of what you�d like to see, what you believe
would be helpful?
Answer:
Taken from an excerpt of the PTOC Minutes of the March 31st
Cambridge Forum
�Judy Carson from PIRC says that there�s a National
Network of
Partnership Schools. Parent engagement needs to be related to
student
achievement and it�s critical that schools have a plan to do
that. How and
when, it�s a team approach between teaching staff and families
and community
members; it�s been tested and developed so we don�t have to
reinvent the
wheel. There is a good plan and good data that can show progress.
The progress
development is a very important part of the work. She mentioned
�welcoming
schools��how welcoming is our school? They have tools to help
with this.
Outcomes are better with more and better parent engagement; there
are models,
training, personalized for each school. Also, how to get supports
in place so
that they �stay over time� even if key school personnel leave.�
Answer: I believe that continuing to share information as
it becomes
available about what is taking place in the schools and across
the district is
enormously helpful. The distribution of the Friday Report, the
meetings of the
PTO council where speakers from central office share information
about our
programs, and a presence at Board meetings is also helpful.
Additionally,
disseminating budget information and encouraging attendance at
Board of Ed
meetings and special presentations help to spread accurate
information.
I think one of the biggest problems we face is the
repetition of rumors
and perceptions that people believe are factual, without
bothering to check
into the source or going to someone who should be the source of
accurate
information. I think if the PTO could serve as a conduit for
parents to
identify the latest rumor they heard to see what is accurate
about it, we
would be much better served. Examples of rumors: There are large
numbers of
students who are not residents of Norwalk; There are lots of
people moving out
of Norwalk, etc. Not only are these statements not true, they
hurt our image.
Perhaps a campaign centered around the notion of �Check it Out�
where folks
make a pledge to checkout the truth of a rumor before they repeat
it and then
provide a PTO Rumor Hotline as a means of getting accurate
information within
48 hours would help.
17. Are there any plans to solicit parent and community
feedback to District
Goal 3 (improved partnerships with parents and community
stakeholders) as part
of the revision process for the district improvement plan?
Dr. Corda Answer: A committee is currently meeting
centered around goal
3. The committee is chaired by Carol Marinaccio. She can be
reached at
854-4107. Work has already begun in several areas which include a
revision of
the District handbook so it is more user-friendly. This is now at
the printer
and has been vetted by a number of parents for feedback. With the
opening of
school, each of our schools will be participating in a user
friendly school
assessment supported by work done through the State Education
Department. This
data will be used to create a more parent friendly school
environment. Other
outreach efforts will be taking place over the school year.
18. How will the State of CT help parents and the community
stay informed on
issues and how things are going? Do you have a liaison for
parents?
Answer:
Taken from an excerpt of the PTOC Minutes of the March 31st
Cambridge Forum
�Ms. Richards introduced Judy Carson, from the School &
Family Community
Partnerships and the Parent Information Resource Center (PIRC at
www.ctpirc.org ) liaison for community involvement� AND �Judy
Carson, the PIRC
liaison mentions that a school/district can tell parents--What is
in the
curriculum this month, this year? What should we reinforce at
home? Parents
would like more information on what their children should learn
and what are
key topics that the child is expected to learn; and to do this is
a way that
parents can understand.� AND �Dr. Corda says that there is a
Parent
Communication Committee, a committee of parents, school staff,
and community
members meeting about this. What does parent/community
involvement mean? Are
we as parent friendly as we can be? The committee took on
projects important
to success and build on it. He mentioned the student/parent
handbook and
looking at revising it and bringing it to a variety of parent
groups�is it
helpful, understandable, etc.�
19. Communication at many schools is really bad, how is that
being addressed?
Answer:
Taken from an excerpt of the PTOC Minutes of the March 31st
Cambridge Forum
�Ms. Richards introduced Judy Carson, from the School &
Family Community
Partnerships and the Parent Information Resource Center (PIRC at
www.ctpirc.org ) liaison for community involvement� AND �Dr.
Corda mentined
that there is a �walk-thru� going on in two elementary schools
asking�is the
school user-friendly? Intent is to find how the schools can be
made more
user-friendly. There are layers of issues, how do we reach out
to parents?�
AND �Judy Carson from PIRC says that there�s a Nat�l Network of
Partnership
Schools. Parent engagement needs to be related to student
achievement and it�s
critical that schools have a plan to do that. How and when, it�s
a team
approach between teaching staff and families and community
members; it�s been
tested and developed so we don�t have to reinvent the wheel.
There is a good
plan and good data that can show progress. The progress
development is a very
important part of the work. She mentioned �welcoming
schools��how welcoming is
our school? They have tools to help with this. Outcomes are
better with more
and better parent engagement; there are models, training,
personalized for
each school. Also, how to get supports in place so that they
�stay over time�
even if key school personnel leave.�
20. The BoE was asked if they were considering making Norwalk
High School a
magnet school along the lines of Brien McMahon and their response
was that
magnet schools are used to address racial isolation. However,
under the recent
Supreme Court case, race can no longer be a factor. Norwalk High
is losing
students, why would a magnet component not be considered? And, if
not a magnet
component, what else to you suggest to act as a draw?
Dear PTO Council,
I do not believe the BOE has a unified or official
position on the
questions you mention. Thus, they are hard to answer in a
collective fashion.
I have my own views on some of them, which I will gladly share
below - Bruce
Kimmel:
Question 20: a magnet at Norwalk High -- Interesting
idea, but first
we need to carefully watch enrollment at both of our high schools
for a few
more years (at least) before looking at this question.
I believe that's it. These, of course, are the ideas of
only one
board member. Perhaps they will lead to further discussion. Thank
you for the
questions.
Bruce
Kimmel
21. The Cambridge Report talks about how the district tells us
�what
strategies will be implemented� but then doesn�t tell us all
�how� they will
be implemented, and then doesn�t track them at all. What are you
doing to fix
this?
Answer:
Taken from an excerpt of the PTOC Minutes of the March 31st
Cambridge Forum
�Ms. Richards said that there was a District Data Team,
School Level
Data Teams and Instructional Level Data teams that will use
benchmarks,
formative assessments, etc. to adjust instruction. They will use
agreed upon
points of time throughout the year to determine which kids �get
it�, which
kids didn�t �get it� or who excelled. It will be about
reflecting on teaching
practice and how that relates to student performance. Then the
teams can go
into a deeper review into individualized data points.� AND �Ms.
Richards said
that in 18 to 24 months the Cambridge group would come back but
that it was
not a long-term systemic involvement; that the DIP was there to
hold the
district accountable if it was not making progress and that this
was all about
progress and what additional information was needed to achieve
that.�
22. How will this report be used to implement change in the
Norwalk Public
School System? And will it be consistent change whereas All
school Levels
(elementary to elementary) will be on same page?
Answer:
Taken from an excerpt of the PTOC Minutes of the March 31st
Cambridge Forum
�Ms. Richards noted that the State chose to look at 12
districts, and
Norwalk Public Schools (NPS) was one of them. They had been
identified by
criteria that they had to have been in at least year 3 of �in
need of
improvement� per No Child Left Behind (NCLB). She noted that the
SDE was in a
partnership with these 12 districts and that it was �reciprocal
accountability��the State legislators ask how is the SDE working
with the
districts and the SDE asks the districts how are you working with
the schools.
She noted that the Cambridge Report was only the beginning of
the process and
that the SDE would be here for a couple of years. She noted that
Norwalk�s
District Improvement Plan (DIP) needed to have focused and
aligned strategies
of how to implement the plan, monitor the plan and then assure
the targets are
met.� AND �Ms. Richards noted that there will be a District Data
Team, School
Level Data Teams and Instructional Level Data teams that will use
benchmarks,
formative assessments, etc. to adjust instruction. They will use
agreed upon
points of time throughout the year to determine which kids �get
it�, which
kids didn�t �get it� or who excelled. It will be about
reflecting on teaching
practice and how that relates to student performance. Then the
teams can go
into a deeper review into individualized data points� AND �Ms.
Richards says
that the Cambridge Group (CG) Cambridge Report (CR) was chosen
for it�s long
term history of conducting this type of review. The question is
asked �what
did the student walk away with� and did all the students walk
away with that
information? How did the teacher adjust the presentation? The
CR is based on
observation and test scores; there is a gap between those who
�get it� and
those who don�t. It�s about good instruction for a very diverse
student body.
A way to do that is by reflecting on strategies, adjusting
strategies, coming
up with new strategies; it�s not easy, it�s a complex task and
putting the
system in place is hard. But, once the system is in place and
when people see
success�success breeds success. Infrastructure must be in place
as well as
the absolute belief that those children will learn this with the
appropriate
instruction. You have to have high expectations regardless of
what language
they speak, what they bring to the table, things you can�t
control. It will
be hard but the belief has to be that, �I, as the instructor,
can and will
figure out how that�s going to happen�. High expectations are as
important as
good instruction. It won�t happen if you have one and don�t have
the other.�
23. Why wasn�t there more of a consistency on how the report
was rolled out
to the individual schools? Some schools received written reports,
others
received written and follow up meetings.
Dr. Corda Response: We met as an administrative team and,
acknowledging
that principals felt they knew their own school community best,
gave them the
discretion as to how to share their individual school reports.
24. The focus of last Thursday evening�s meeting with Dr.
Ronald Ferguson
was on sharing the research on how different trends and
approaches in
parenting impact the racial achievement gap of students. Dr.
Ferguson also
spent the day with various educators and administrators on
Friday, presumably
sharing research and strategies for in-school educational
practices. Clearly,
the district has reached out to this leading researcher in the
field to help
address the issues facing Norwalk. What sort of specific
initiatives and
partnerships would you like to see formed that could address some
of the stats
Dr. Ferguson shared (e.g., the link between increased leisure
reading at home
and the level of achievement in school)?
Dr. Corda Response: We distributed Dr. Ferguson�s
suggestions to parents
last Spring and will include them in the first newsletter of the
year as well
in both English and Spanish. We also engage in a number of
efforts and
activities to encourage reading. For example, Norwalk Reads,
which is now in
its fifth year of operation is the result of a collaboration
between the
Housing Authority, Norwalk Public Schools, Kiwanis, and the NEF.
Every year
thousands of books are given to children to promote reading.
Every elementary
and middle school has some kind of an event, usually over the
course of a
month, that encourages reading. Parent Workshops and the Parent
Leadership
Training Institute are designed to help parents become more
effective parents.
Suggestion: What if the PTO sponsored on a monthly or bi-
monthly basis a
different kind of �reading� event for parents and students in
every elementary
school� milk, cookies, and books� what could be better?
25. What steps do you recommend the Norwalk Public School
System and the
individual building principals take to increase communication
with parents?
Answer:
Taken from an excerpt of the PTOC Minutes of the March 31st
Cambridge Forum
�Ms. Richards introduced Judy Carson, from the School &
Family Community
Partnerships and the Parent Information Resource Center (PIRC at
www.ctpirc.org ) liaison for community involvement� AND �Ms.
Richards noted
that the Cambridge Reoprt suggested improved parent/community
communication; a
realignment of NPS public relations department and Human
Resources in their
role in community outreach. Dr. Corda noted that a parent
advisory committee
was already in place. Ms. Richards noted a need to improve the
district
culture and climate customized to multiple audiences, need to
involve students
more, and a needs assessment at the school level that Dr. Corda
noted was in
the works. Ms Richards asked what the role of the PTO�s were
and how to get
them to reach out to diverse groups.�
26. The �Proposal for Review of Pupil Personnel Services
Department
Programs� does not have detailed parent/teacher/community
communication
directives. Are you going to ask the question (as one of our
neighboring
districts who just completed their review did) �do parents
understand what to
expect and are they satisfied that their child�s needs are being
met?� If
not, why not.
Answer: The Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) is
conducting a
review of Special Education programs and services available to
students with
disabilities in Norwalk. All parents of students with
disabilities will be
receiving a survey by mail which they will be asked to complete.
Surveys will
be in Spanish and English. Included in this mailing to parents
will be
information regarding a series of "focus interviews"
for parents to attend.
These �focus interviews� will occur on September 10, 2008 from 3-
4 pm and
6:30-7:30 pm; and September 11, 2008, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Spanish
translation
will be provided. Please let them know if you will attend an
interview session
by sending back the form included in the survey letter or after
you receive
the survey, call Special Education (PPS) office at 854-4126.
Please respond by
September 2, 2008 in order for us to be able to accommodate
everyone.
For more information, contact Janie Friedlander, Director
of Special
Education, at 854-4126 or friedlanderj@norwalkps.org. Or cantact
Margaret
MacDonald, Director of Special Services Support Team, CREC, at
(860) 524-4037
27. What steps can parents, school PTOs and the PTO Council of
Norwalk take
to help increase the communication flow between administrators
and parents?
Dr. Corda Answer: I believe that continuing to share
information as it
becomes available about what is taking place in the schools and
across the
district is enormously helpful. The distribution of the Friday
Report, the
meetings of the PTO council where speakers from central office
share
information about our programs, and a presence at Board meetings
is also
helpful. Additionally, disseminating budget information and
encouraging
attendance at Board of Ed meetings and special presentations help
to spread
accurate information.
I think one of the biggest problems we face is the
repetition of rumors
and perceptions that people believe are factual, without
bothering to check
into the source or going to someone who should be the source of
accurate
information. I think if the PTO could serve as a conduit for
parents to
identify the latest rumor they heard to see what is accurate
about it, we
would be much better served. Examples of rumors: There are large
numbers of
students who are not residents of Norwalk; There are lots of
people moving out
of Norwalk, etc. Not only are these statements not true, they
hurt our image.
Perhaps a campaign centered around the notion of �Check it Out�
where folks
make a pledge to checkout the truth of a rumor before they repeat
it and then
provide a PTO Rumor Hotline as a means of getting accurate
information within
48 hours would help.
28. Are there effective ways to ensure that there is equity
across the
district so that all schools have the same resources available to
them?
Dr. Corda Response: What evidence suggests that there is
not? This is a
concern that is heard about elementary schools, particularly
those that are
not Title I schools. The fact of the matter is that Title I is a
program that
is designed to put additional resources in those schools that
have a larger
number of poor children and that the services provided to these
children is
supposed to be greater than the services received by children who
are not
Title I eligible. The problem is that there are children who
would be eligible
to receive services in a school if the school qualified for Title
I service
but do not receive the services because the school is not
eligible. We cannot
control that except in the amount of Title I money we reserve for
parent
education and professional development.
29. What steps will the state take if they do not feel that NPS
is making
adequate progress in correcting issues outlined in the Cambridge
report?
Ms. Deb Richards Answer:
The Department has consultants assigned to work with the
district
leadership team to address the findings of the Cambridge report
and as a
result to revise the District Improvement Plan (DIP). This work
has been
underway since the report was issued. The Superintendent and
Chair of the
Norwalk Board of Education have met with the State Board of
Education Ad Hoc
Committee on Accountability to review their direction for the
revision of the
DIP and plans to address the findings of the Cambridge report.
The DIP is
expected to be finalized by the end of September and will be
reviewed by the
Department and approved by the Commissioner. The DIP will be the
foundation
of the work for the Department�s future monitoring and support.
The District
will be establishing a data team that will meet on a regular
basis, with staff
from the Department in attendance. As part of these meetings,
staff from the
Bureau of Accountability, Compliance and Monitoring will be
formally reviewing
progress on implementation of the plan 2-3 times a year. In
addition, each
school will be revising their school improvement plan to make
sure it supports
the priorities in the DIP. Schools will be monitoring
implementation of the
school improvement plans via school and district level data
teams.
The Department will work with the district team to analyze
data and
progress on the DIP. In the event that progress is not made, the
team will
need to determine the cause of the lack of progress such as
insufficient
resources, poor implementation of the strategy, insufficient
strategies to
address the problem etc. The accountability legislation does
allow for the
Commissioner and the State Board of Education to enact sanctions
outlined in
the legislation if necessary, though our preference is to
continue to work
with districts in a partnership as long as progress is being
made.
The staff assigned to work in Norwalk are Warren Logee,
Bureau of School
and District Improvement; Adrian Wood, Bureau of Accountability,
Compliance
and Monitoring and Mike Wasta, external consultant. In addition,
Judy Carson
from School Family Community Partnerships is assisting with work
at the school
level with parent involvement. Deb Richards
30. To the Board of Education: There are quotes being sent out
to outside
consultants for Assessments to done for various departments in
Norwalk Public
Schools that it has been determined have an �urgent need of
review�. Will
these �Requests for Quotations� for these assessments be posted
on the NPS
website so that parents/community members may review them since
the
information contained within them is available under the Freedom
of
Information Act and there is a compelling interest in the
community to know
about them? And if not, why not?
Answer:
bullet Norwalk Special Education Review Time line and
Work Plan;
bullet Norwalk Special Education Evaluation Proposal
from CREC
31. Given that the New Canaan special ed scores are as
impressive as their
website, is consideration being made to use it as a template for
our own to
save on time and money? And if not, why not?
Answer:
bullet Norwalk Special Education Review Time line and
Work Plan;
bullet Norwalk Special Education Evaluation Proposal
from CREC
32. What can be done to allow parents to communicate with one
another in
order to share their hard earned knowledge and trade experiences
(both good
and bad).
Answer:
Taken from an excerpt of the PTOC Minutes of the March 31st
Cambridge Forum
�Ms. Richards says that she hears all the time about
parents with unique
needs and whether that communication is in a support group, a
meeting for
parents who have similar needs whether that be because of
different languages
or special ed, has been discussed. She noted that often special
ed directors
have community talks about their general services and where the
department is
headed, and asks how can we support each other. Special ed
directors can�t
give out personal names but they can offer open invitations that
provide
opportunities for communication among parents with like needs.
She noted that
Judy at the PIRC could provide support for districts for parents
of kids with
special ed needs to get more organized information and
opportunities to
network. She noted there is a lot we can have conversations
about.�
These two questions were asked of the Board of Ed during
the forum on
March 31st but could not be answered at that time:
Pre-submitted Question: The State said that this BoE has
not been
rigorous in calling the district to account for its decisions and
actions.
What have you done recently that is an example of the BoE doing
that and what
do you have plans for?
Answer - Bruce Kimmel - Again, these are only the views of
a single
board members and, at most, should only be considered for
discussion purposes.
On the question of accountability of board members: It is
important to
remember that when the Cambridge Quality Review was done, the
Board was very
different than it is today. At the time of the review, committees
rarely met
and there was not nearly enough discussion on issues that came
before the full
Board, especially the operating budget. Since then, fortunately,
the Board has
implemented a vibrant committee system that affords Board members
and the
public opportunities to seriously examine all types of issues. It
is fair to
say that every Board member made serious contributions to the
most recent
budget discussion. Also, Board members now play a much more
active role in the
hiring process. But most importantly, in my opinion, Board
members seem to
have a different mindset -- they've clearly taken the
constructive criticism
from the community and in the Cambridge report to heart.
Pre-submitted Question: The BoE listens while
parents/community members
ask them questions during the public comments section of the BoE
meetings but
then those speakers don�t get any answers back. Is there a way
we can look at
that and have parents feel as if they are part of the BoE
meetings?
Answer - Bruce Kimmel - Again, these are only the views of
a single
board members and, at most, should only be considered for
discussion purposes.
- On the question of responding to concerns expressed by the
public prior to
Board meetings: I believe, in general, that the Board cannot
respond to most
of the points brought up prior to its meetings, some of which
have no bearing
on the agenda for the particular meeting. I have been under the
impression
that the Board, through Central Office, contacts those members of
the public
who express concerns. If that is not happening, the Board needs
to find out
why. However, I will add that I believe the Board is sometimes
too rigid when
it comes to this policy. I recall one of my first Board meetings
when a number
of parents expressed their concerns about a facilities issue at
Norwalk High
School. At the time those parents were speaking, Board members
and the
Superintendent were aware that, at that very moment, the issue
was being
addressed and would be resolved by the time school opened the
following
morning. By not responding immediately, parents from the school
in question,
as well as from around the district, as well as reporters from
three local
newspapers, left the meeting not knowing if or when the issue was
going to be
addressed. I expressed my displeasure but was told the Board
never responds
immediately. That type of rigidity can create or reinforce
negative
perceptions among the public (and the press). After the meeting,
a reporter
said to me in comic disbelief, "You mean they knew it was
being fixed and
didn't say anything?" A little flexibility is in order.
Cambridge Review-Summary Presentation Connecticut State Department of Education
Norwalk Cambridge Review
Presented to the Norwalk Board of Education
February 26, 2008
Review Process:
Bill No. 8003, Sec. 32. Section 10-223e & Sec. 33 passed
in July 2007 gives
the State Board of Education (SBE) authority to require schools
and districts
in need of improvement, under Connecticut Law and require
corrective action
under No Child Left Behind, to participate in an operations and
instructional
audit to identify strengths and weaknesses in the schools and
districts. In
September 2007, the district and school reviews were conducted by
the review
team which included Connecticut State Department of Education
(CSDE)
consultants and Cambridge Education associates. Both the
district review and
each school review was lead by the Cambridge Education
associates. The
district review was four days and each school review was two
days. The
following four schools: Silvermine Elementary School, Nathan Hale
Middle
School and Richard C. Briggs High School were required to
participate in the
review process. In addition to above the listed schools, the
superintendent
decided to have the remaining schools in the district participate
in the
review process. (The findings for those reviews are not included
in the
reports that CSDE sent to the district). School and district
team members had
daily debriefing session to discuss the review findings and the
evidence to
support those findings were collected and triangulated to ensure
that claims
were only made when there were several sources of information
that could
substantiate judgments. The draft report was shared with the
review team
members, superintendent and participating principals for a fact
check to
ensure that information and figures were accurate prior to the
report being
published.
The purpose of the district assessment is to answer the following
questions:
� How well is the District doing now?
� What is the evidence that all components of the
District�s improvement plan and,
where relevant, the District�s restructuring plan, have been
implemented?
� What is the impact of the restructuring and improvement
plans, and what
evidence is there that the actions have resulted in improved
student learning?
� What does the District need to do in order to continue to
improve?
The district review focused on five domains and they are as
follows:
� Attainment, Learning, Teaching, Curriculum and Assessment
� Leadership, Culture and Accountability
� Management of Human and Fiscal Resources
� Operational Systems
� Stakeholder Engagement and Satisfaction
The following scale is used to rate a districts performance in
each of the
domains, the rating includes the district�s achievement level
and (overall
judgments):
� Below Basic Level (in need of substantial improvement)
� Basic (in need of improvement)
� Proficient (meets requirements or seen as meeting the
basic or minimum level)
� Goal (exceeds minimum requirements)
� Advanced (excellent)
Norwalk Domain Ratings:
� Attainment, Learning, Teaching, Curriculum, and
Assessment: Below basic and
needs substantial improvement
� Leadership, Culture and Accountability: Below basic and
needs substantial
improvement
� Management of Human and Fiscal Resources: Below basic
and needs substantial
improvement
� Operational Systems: Basic and needs improvement
� Stakeholder Engagement and Satisfaction: Below basic and
needs substantial
improvement
What the district does well:
� Instructional specialists provide good support to
kindergarten through grade
12 school programs, particularly in mathematics, language arts
and science.
Instructional specialists are highly regarded by schools, and are
frequently
mentioned as the strength of the district.
� There has been some progress in raising levels of
achievement in recent
years, although not for all students in all grades. In order to
meet the
requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), improvement needs to
be faster,
particularly for socio-economically disadvantaged students.
� The district has a good department of Information and
Instructional
Technology with a positive culture, instructional focus and well-
constructed,
phased program to schools. This department is doing its best,
with limited
resources, to improve the level of technology to support student
learning in
schools.
� There is a well-managed and efficient school
transportation system, focused
on student achievement and welfare, which makes effective use of
its resources.
� In recent years, there has been a high level of
investment in school
buildings, facilities and resources, resulting in an attractive
physical
learning environment in most schools.
� The district has recently started to provide high quality
student assessment
data to schools to enable them to evaluate issues and identify
priorities more
effectively.
� There is a high quality teacher evaluation process which
is rigorous and
focused on student achievement.
What the district needs to improve:
� Improve communication with schools, parents and the wider
community. This
should include more opportunities for: listening to the views of
stakeholders,
encouraging participation in decision making, and ensuring the
district�s
values and policies are clearly and consistently communicated to,
and embraced
by, all stakeholders.
� Improve the district culture and climate which is
regarded by many people in
schools, central office, and the community (including parents) as
lacking in
openness and authenticity. Many staff and parents feel
undervalued,
disempowered, and isolated. District senior leaders need to take
action to
improve the district�s culture, in part by improving
communication as noted
above.
� Focus greater attention on closing the achievement gaps
between socially and
economically disadvantaged students, including African-American,
Hispanic and
ELL students, and more advantaged students. This focus should
include more
differentiated programs to meet the specific needs of those
students.
� Ensure that the pace, range and implementation of
curriculum and
instructional change meets the requirements of all students and
schools.
� Commission a full program and fiscal audit of the pupil
services department
conducted by an appropriate external agency to determine key
priorities for
improvement. This will assist the newly appointed director of
pupil personnel
services in operating more effectively and equitably in
supporting pupils with
special educational needs. It will also bring benefits to schools
and improve
the quality of advice available to the district�s senior leaders.
� The board of education and the superintendent should
develop more effective
and transparent processes for evaluating and making senior
district staff more
accountable for district performance. This relates both to
student performance
and the annual budget process.
Areas in Need of Improvement Current Strategies Questions
to Consider for Plan
Revision
Improve communication with schools, parents and the wider
community. This
should include more opportunities for: listening to the views of
stakeholders,
encouraging participation in decision making, and ensuring the
district�s
values and policies are clearly and consistently communicated to,
and embraced
by, all stakeholders.
The District�s improvement plan has established as a
goal, �Improve
partnerships with parents and community stakeholders to increase
the academic
performance of all students.
1. District�s close alliance with the Norwalk Early Childhood
Council
2. School-Community Early Childhood Action Plan (recognized as
model by State)
3. AfterSchool Alliance
4. Norwalk ACTS
5. School-to-Career with Chamber of Commerce
6. Partnerships with Maritime Aquarium; Norwalk Community College
7. Norwalk Children�s Foundation
8. Norwalk Reads
9. Norwalk Education Foundation
How can the district establish a protocol for formalizing the
input of these
various groups? Does the protocol insure representation to
reflect the
demographics of the district�s student/family population?
Has the district considered a comprehensive effort to reach out
to all
stakeholders in a formal way to elicit feedback and input
relative to priority
goals and values held by the community relative to the product of
the school
district?
Is there a process in place for receiving input from these
various groups
relative to budget decision making?
Improve the district culture and climate which is regarded by
many people in
schools, central office, and the community (including parents) as
lacking in
openness and authenticity. Many staff and parents feel
undervalued,
disempowered, and isolated. District senior leaders need to take
action to
improve the district�s culture, in part by improving
communication as noted
above.
1. Senior Central Office administrators have increased
their presence in
buildings
2. District Improvement Goal focuses on improving parental
involvement and
communication � in process
3. Public Relations Advisory Committee established
4. Structures that are in place, i.e., regularly scheduled
meetings with
Central office administration and building principals will be
used to enhance
communication and create a greater sense of involvement?
5. Newly developed protocol to ensure involvement of
stakeholders in all
District initiatives
6. Senior operations administrators conducting needs assessments
in all
schools through observations and interviews with principals
7. Staff and administrative committees regularly review teacher
and
administrator evaluations, elementary progress reports
When Central Office staff visit buildings, is there a
defined purpose for
these visits? Is there a log of visits to be used in measuring
levels of contact?
Are building level administrators and teachers regularly involved
in district
policy and operations meetings? How is this input gathered?
Is there a plan to gather baseline data relative to perceptions
within the
district as to issues raised in this section? This and a later
repeat
gathering of the data could serve as a pre and post measure of
efforts for
improvement in this area.
Ensure that the pace, range and implementation of curriculum and
instructional
change meets the requirements of all students and schools.
1. Central Office and building level data teams being
formed to identify
indicators of progress and determine cycle of data collection
2. Pacing guides and district assessments are developed or in
process of
development in all major subject areas
3. Common final exams in most high school major subjects
4. Clearly articulated common curriculum based on state
frameworks and
standards exist in all areas
5. Training scheduled in February and March for Central Office
Data Team on
�Unwrapping Curriculum Standards� � will provide greater focus
for schools
6. Implementation of a standards-based math program in K-5
7. Secondary math professional development focuses on hands-on
activities and
writing in the math classroom.
How is differentiated instruction supported throughout
the district?
When are the building level data teams to be formed and
operational? What
training is planned to insure the effective and efficient
operation of these
teams?
How does the curriculum address the needs of all learners within
the school
district?
Focus greater attention on closing the achievement gaps between
socially and
economically disadvantaged students, including African-American,
Hispanic and
ELL students, and more advantaged students. This focus should
include more
differentiated programs to meet the specific needs of those
students.
1. District Improvement Plan and School Growth Plans
address specific
objectives and strategies for all subgroups
2. District initiated ELL Program Review resulted in K-12
recommendations,
many already implemented
3. The District has accessed the expertise of noted researchers
to address
issues related to closing the achievement gap, For example, Dr.
Ann Levett
from the Yale university Child Study Center relative to reducing
student
suspensions. Dr. Ron Ferguson, specialist on Black-White
inequities and author
of Toward Excellence with Equity: An Emerging Vision for Closing
the
Achievement Group, to address middle and high school
administrators and
teachers in March.
4. K-5 literacy coaches and specialists work with teachers and
students in
need of additional help
5. K-8 numeracy coaches work with teachers and students in need
of additional
help
6. ELL Saturday Academy for parents of ELL students
7. ELL administrator provides professional development with
Language Arts and
Science specialists for all teachers
8. Science specialist and ELL administrator met with secondary
teachers to
explore enhancing greater opportunities for minority
participation in AP class
9. Emerging Scholars recruits and supports minorities for
participation in
upper level high school classes
Is there a protocol in place to determine what teachers
are in need of
additional help?
What is the purpose of Dr. Ferguson presentation? What type of
follow-up will
the district do after Dr. Ferguson presentation?
What is the purpose of the ELL Saturday Academy? When does the
academy start?
Has a location for the academy been identified? Have you
consider possible
transportation issue?
Have any other content specialists meet with the ELL
administrator to identify
strategies to increase minority participation in AP courses?
What types of initiatives have the Emerging Scholars developed to
increase
minority participation in upper level high school classes? Also,
what types
of conversations are being had if any at all at the elementary
and middle
school level to prepare students to take upper level high school
classes?
Commission a full program and fiscal audit of the pupil services
department
conducted by an appropriate external agency to determine key
priorities for
improvement. This will assist the newly appointed director of
pupil personnel
services in operating more effectively and equitably in
supporting pupils with
special educational needs. It will also bring benefits to schools
and improve
the quality of advice available to the district�s senior leaders.
1. The District has prepared a Request for Proposals to
conduct an in-depth
and comprehensive review of our Pupil Personnel Department. This
will be
reviewed by the State Education Department to determine if they
can conduct
this assessment. Alternatively, proposals will be sought from
qualified assessors.
What steps is the district willing to take prior to the
completion of the
audit to building capacity for an effective delivery of
instruction for all
students utilizing differentiated instruction?
The board of education and the superintendent should develop more
effective
and transparent processes for evaluating and making senior
district staff more
accountable for district performance. This relates both to
student performance
and the annual budget process.
1. The superintendent is evaluated annually by the Board
of Education which
uses a comprehensive set of rubrics. The superintendent uses the
same as a
guide in his evaluation of senior staff.
2. The district�s annual budget is reviewed internally with all
groups and
with the Board and public over a series of evening meetings
3. Annual Board-Superintendent goal-setting for district and
instructional
plan provides a context for senior administrative accountability
How often
does senior district staff meet with curriculum leaders and
building level
administrators to review progress of curriculum implementation,
related PD,
and the impact of these on student achievement?
What data is used to measure progress?
Are there bench marks predetermined for measuring progress?
NPS School Growth Plans & District Improvement Plan Go to this Link:
http://www.norwalkpublicschools.org/dist_improv.html
Norwalk Public Schools Employment Plan and Interview Process for Staff Hiring NORWALK PUBLIC SCHOOLS
EMPLOYMENT PLAN AND INTERVIEW PROCESS FOR STAFF HIRING
DIVERSITY EMPLOYMENT PLAN
COMMITMENT TO AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
� Background
� Task Force Members
� Work of the Committee
� Committee�s Mission
� The Hiring Process
Process for Identification of Candidates
Screenings, Interviews, and Recommendations
Teaching Positions
Non-Certified Positions
Administrative and Supervisory Positions
Training of Interview Committees
The Recommendation Process
� Retention and Support
� Plan Assessment and Review
� Complaint Procedure
� Summary
� Norwalk Public Schools Board of Education (as of 2/3/04)
� Connecticut General Statutes
Sec. 10-4a.Educational interests of state identified
Sec. 10-220. Duties of boards of education
� Norwalk Board of Education Policies
Appendix B, Policy 0521-Equal Opportunity
Appendix C, Policy 4111.2-Affirmative Action Plan
Appendix D, Invitation to self-identify
Appendix E, Policy 0521.3-Discrimination
Complaint Procedure
Appendix F, Interview Process Guide
Assemble the interview committee
Plan the interview
Conduct the interview
Obstacles to Effective Interviewing
Appendix G, Recommendation Form-Teacher
Appendix H, Recommendation Form-Non-Certified
Staff
Appendix I, Recommendation Form-Administrator
� Questions an Interviewer MAY ask
� Questions an Interviewer MAY NOT ask
Go to this link for a copy of the full Employment Plan
http://teacherweb.com/Blog/CT/PTOC/PTOC/1/blog.aspx?Post=266f8ca5-
ccea-4086-9e9e-fd92ddab73a5
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Norwalk PTO Council