The analysis, which examined 456 school buildings in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties, found that one in three received unsatisfactory ratings through state inspections. The cost of repairs to all 456 buildings could exceed $1 billion over the next five years.
Experts will join the conversation and readers are welcome to submit their questions and comments via our CoverItLive blogging feature.
The Editorial Board discussed the impact of prescription medication misuse in the Lower Hudson Valley in a Wednesday Editorial Spotlight. Panelists included:
» Ellen Morehouse, executive director, Student Assistance Services Corp., a substance-abuse prevention agency based in Tarrytown.
» Walter Schneider, administrator of Rockland’s PRIDE Survey of drug and alcohol use among youths, and retired vice president/dean of students, St. Thomas Aquinas College, Sparkill.
» Christopher Goldrick, director of the Rockland County Narcotics Task Force.
To view the discussion in its entirety, visit www.LoHud.com/editorialspotlight, click “videos” and choose from the video library.
Good afternoon. Here’s a glance at opinion content published today in The Journal News:
Obama at Ground Zero: Editorial
We comment on President Obama’s Thursday visit to Ground Zero, where he honored the victims of the Sept. 11 in the wake of Osama bin Laden’s killing. We write:
… The quiet scene in Lower Manhattan — there were no speeches, little euphoria, no “spiking the football,” as Obama put it — was much different from late Sunday, when spontaneous celebrations erupted in New York, outside the White House and elsewhere following news that Osama bin Laden was dead, killed in an assault by Navy SEALs on a compound in Pakistan. It was wholly proper for the president to come here, accompanied by political foe and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, to honor the victims and acknowledge all that has passed. An aide told reporters it was “a moment of unity for Americans and a moment to recall the unity that existed in this country in the wake of the attacks on 9/11.” …
Good Tuesday morning. Here’s a glance at opinion content published today in The Journal News:
Osama bin Laden: Editorial
We comment on Sunday evening’s news that a strike team of U.S. Navy SEALS had raided an Abbottabad, Pakistan compound and had killed Osama bin Laden, leader of al Qaida. We write:
The raucous celebrations outside the White House and at Ground Zero brought to mind the scenes following college bowl-game victories and World Series wins — unbridled joy, some alcohol-addled exuberance, loud and heartfelt declarations of affection for the “home” team. As the euphoria stretched into early Monday, following the out-of-the-blue announcement that Osama bin Laden had finally been cornered and killed, it seemed that the elusive mastermind behind 9/11 had come out of hiding for one last brush with relevancy.
More →
If you are running for school board in Westchester, Rockland or Putnam, we want to hear from you. Please send your full name, home address, a daytime phone number and email address to elections@lohud.com. In both the subject line and body of the email, be sure to indicate your school district. The information will be used by our news and editorial staffs to contact and correspond with candidates. The email address will be used to send candidates a username and password for a detailed questionnaire about school issues; responses will form the basis of our online election guide for voters.
Katonah-Lewisboro’s Interim Superintendent of Schools Michael Jumper will recommend Jessica Godin, now a principal in Colorado but with roots in New York, be appointed principal of Katonah Elementary. Below is the announcement from the district:
Katonah Elementary School Principal Recommended
(South Salem, N.Y.)Interim Superintendent of Schools, Michael Jumper, announced today that he plans to recommend that the Board of Education appoint Ms. Jessica Godin to the position of Principal of Katonah Elementary School when it meets on Thursday, April 7, 2011. Mr. Jumper noted that Ms. Godin was one of 132 candidates who applied for the position. Ms. Godin completed a rigorous selection process including an interview with the Advisory Search Committee comprised of teachers, parents, support staff and administrators.
Join us at the 2011 Celebration of Teaching & Learning, hosted by WNET – parent company of New York’s flagship public television stations, THIRTEEN & WLIW21 – on March 18-19, 2011, in New York City! The sixth annual Celebration will once again bring together global experts, advocates, practitioners, and academics with PreK-12 educators to create a unique professional development experience where knowledge meets inspiration. Speakers this year include Brian Williams, Soledad O’Brien, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Mayor Cory Booker, Oliver Sacks, Cynthia McFadden, Leymah Gbowee, James Comer, Walter Dean Myers, Diane Ravitch and many more, who will address the Arts, English Language Arts, Global Awareness, Health & Wellness, Instructional Technology, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), Social Studies, Special Education and Whole School Issues. Register now, sign-up for e-mail updates, access resources and find the latest information and speaker lineup at thirteencelebration.org.
Read below on how to pick up your packet and the steps to take to run for the board:
Prospective School Board Candidate Packets Available
Prospective School Board Candidate Packets are available for community members interested in running for a vacant seat on the Katonah-Lewisboro School Board of Education. Candidate packets can be obtained from Ms. Kimberly Monzon, District Clerk, at the District Office located at 1 Shady Lane, South Salem, New York, Monday – Friday during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Katonah-Lewisboro School District Board of Education will have two (2) trustee vacancies to be voted upon in the May 17, 2011 Annual School Election and Vote. A trustee’s full term on the school board runs for three years.
Each candidate must timely and properly file a nominating petition with the District Clerk in order for his or her name to appear on the ballot for the Annual School Election and Vote. The deadline to submit the nominating petition is Monday, April 18, 2011 at 5:00 p.m.
Westchester-Putnam School Boards Association will host a workshop for Prospective School Board Members on Saturday, April 9, 2011. Details on the workshop will be provided in the Prospective School Board Candidate Packets.
The Katonah-Lewisboro Union Free School District, a nationally recognized high performing school district, serves approximately 4,000 pupils in six schools: Increase Miller Elementary School Grades K-5, Katonah Elementary School Grades K-5, Lewisboro Elementary School Grades K-5, Meadow Pond Elementary School Grades K-5, John Jay Middle School Grades 6-8 and John Jay High School Grades 9-12.
The Chappaqua PTA and League of Women Voters of New Castle are holding an informational meeting for people interested in running for the Board of Education. Read their announcement below:
Have you ever considered running for the Chappaqua Board of Education?
This year, the terms of two members of the elected five-member Board of Education expire in June 2011. Two seats will be up for election on Tuesday, May 17, 2011.
The Chappaqua PTA and the League of Women Voters of New Castle have joined together to host an informational meeting on Wednesday, March 9th at the Horace Greeley Faculty Lounge (off the cafeteria) at 7:30 pm. You will find out about how to become a Board of Education candidate, and current or past Board of Education members will be making a presentation on the responsibilities and requirements of the position.
The co-sponsors seek both to encourage able and interested citizens to run for the Board of Education and to help educate potential candidates on the responsibilities and requirements of a Board position. If you would like more information about this meeting, please contact either Vicky Tipp at vbtipp@aol.com or 238-2310, or Lea Barth at barthpetrillo@optonline.net or 238-5153.
Anyone interested in running for the Board of Education should contact Theresa Markley, District Clerk at 238-7225 to obtain a petition. The deadline for filing the petition is 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 18th. The election will be Tuesday, May 17th at the Horace Greeley High School Gymnasium.
At a meeting on Tuesday, the Chappaqua School District administration released estimated tax rate changes with varying amounts taken from the fund balance, the district’s savings.
With no money taken from fund balance to support the 2011-12 budget, and a spending increase at $1.95 million or 1.78 percent, the tax rate increase would be 5.93 percent for New Castle residents of the district. For Mount Pleasant residents, taxes would go down 3.36 percent.
With $2 million taken from the fund balance, leaving a $3 million increase in the tax levy, taxes would go up 3.88 percent in New Castle and down 5.24 percent in Mount Pleasant. Using $3 million from fund balance would result in a 2.85 percent increase for New Castle and a 6.18 percent decrease for Mount Pleasant.
The district also calculated all the numbers if the school board decided to add another $1 million in spending. The calculations are available here on pages 16 and 17.
(South Salem, NY) – On Monday, February 7, 2011, Sue Kelly, Katonah resident and the former Congresswoman representing New York Congressional District #19 from 1995 to 2007 visited the John Jay Middle School social studies classes of students on the seventh grade Imagine Team.
Mrs. Kelly spoke with the students about her decision to run for Congress, the campaign and legislative process, her experiences in Washington, and the complexity of situations with which the Congress must deal. She also answered questions from students, who have been studying the Constitution and the federal government. “Sue Kelly was very important to our understanding of the government and the differences between the Senate and the House. This was very important to learning in Mr. Ley’s class. Thank you, Mrs. Kelly!” Isabella Pectol, grade 7. More →
The first annual Think Fit For Kids fundraiser is set for Sunday, March 13 at Club Fit in Briarcliff. The “family fitness and fun festival” will benefit A Children’s Brain Tumor Cure Foundation.
The Think Fit For Kids benefit is an opportunity for local families to enjoy an afternoon of fitness, fun, food and entertainment at Club Fit, while at the same time raising money and awareness for a very important cause – finding a cure for children’s brain tumors.
The event is sponsored by national and local businesses, such as Honest Tea, Ben&Jerry’s, Quaker Hill Tavern in Chappaqua, Mt. Kisco Seafood, Rocky’s Deli, and more.
Good Thursday morning. Here’s a look at opinion content published in The Journal News today, Feb. 3:
Women’s rights: Editorial
We comment on House Resolution 3, the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,” a Congressional measure that aims to permanently restrict the use of Medicaid and other federal money for abortions. The bill, seemingly a priority for the Republican majority, would be a step backward, we conclude. We write:
… It goes further than previous measures, however, by only authorizing funding for victims who were subject to “forcible rape.” In other words, it would not simply do to be the victim of a heinous crime, the woman would have to have the bruises to prove it. …
… Adding the adjective “forcible” would further limit abortion access — the stated goal of its supporters — by disallowing abortions for minors in consensual sexual relationships that are legally considered “statutory rape.” The “forcible rape” exclusion, presumptively, would also bar victims who, while not subjected to physical force or coercion, are nonetheless rape victims — for example, a woman incapacitated by a “date rape” drug, a nursing home patient under sedation, or an inebriated college student. The criminal law does not require these victims to present cuts and bruises to convict their assailants; it is still understood that they are crime victims. As these same victims seek medical treatment, backers of the proposed new restrictions would heighten their proof — at once turning back the clock on how society defines sexual assault.
On the 35th Anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
WASHINGTON — Our nation has made great strides in educating students with disabilities in the 35 years since enactment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, but we’re not at the finish line yet.
Students who were traditionally segregated in residential or self-contained settings are now included in a variety of classrooms and educational settings. The number of students with disabilities progressing through high school programs has increased more than 35 percent. Colleges and universities are creating post-secondary opportunities for students with a range of disabilities, including intellectual disabilities. More →
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