Coalition for Glen Cove

Glen Cove public schools “Cracker Barrel” meeting

Coalition for Glen Cove president, Helen Kotzky; vice-president, Larry Fischer; and Glen Cove High School PTSA president, Gail Nedbor-Gross, at the Cracker Barrel meeting

Thirty Glen Cove School District administrators, school board members, teachers, and community members met in the Finley Middle School library for an open “Cracker Barrel” discussion of the recent successes and problems facing the District. Coalition for Glen Cove president and vice-president Helen Kotzky and Larry Fischer read questions submitted before and during the meeting.

The first question was when and how Glen Cove will switch from the current high-school sequence of Math A and Math B to the Algebra and Geometry sequence mandated by the New York State Department of Education. Assistant Superintendent Shari Camhi replied that while the State works on improving the new curriculum Glen Cove will continue with the Math A and Math B sequence and then will have a transition year in which both the old and new courses will be taught. The new Algebra, Geometry, and Solid Geometry courses will be taught in time for a State test in those subjects in June of 2009.

In response to a question about how teaching has changed in the past year, middle school social studies teacher Tamara Young responded that English and social studies teachers have been working together to use the ideas presented by Dr. Camhi and by consultant Dr. Nancy Doda to combine topics in social studies and English, for example tying poetry to the study of history. The combined courses meet in two-period blocks. Parent Betty Cammisa remarked that her seventh-grade son is doing a lot more writing since his teachers have benefited from the Columbia Writers’ Workshop.

Deasy School Principal, Julio Delgado, said that there are now a total of 32 students in the two morning pre-kindergarten sessions and 32 in the two afternoon sessions. There has been a waiting list for pre-K admission. Buses pick up students and bring them home. As well as learning to learn, to share, and to socialize with other children, pre-K students are introduced to reading, math, science, and social studies. Each grade level in Glen Cove has about 200 students, so there are about 200 students who could benefit from pre-kindergarten. Discussing the possibility of full-day pre-kindergarten classes instead of the current half-day classes that require parents to find day care for the rest of the day, Superintendent Lawrence Aronstein said that Governor Spitzer had just announced his education agenda which includes free State-supported full-day pre-kindergarten classes for all children. The Governor also spoke about providing more aid to districts like Glen Cove that have increasing numbers of children living in poverty and children learning English as a second language.

Cheryl Halliburton-Beatty asked whether additional State aid could be used to hire more teachers and reduce class sizes. The reply was that State aid could be turned on and off. If turned off, the number of teachers might have to be reduced again. A more prudent use of State aid would be to make up for years of deferred maintenance by repairing the physical plant, improving the grounds and playing fields, repairing the track and bleachers, renewing the seats and sound system in the high school auditorium, replacing classroom desks and chairs, and renewing window blinds and carpets. Board President Richard Tortorici added that after two failed budgets and last year’s budget that was below the austerity level, maintenance has been deferred for too many years and the physical plant has been deteriorating. School Board member Frank Bouza said that never, while he was director of facilities for 34 years, was there enough money for maintenance and conditions have gotten even worse in the past ten years.

A few classes in the high school are very large, especially classes in which there is only one section. If a section with 32 students is broken into two 16-student sections, each section would be too small and the cost would double. There are also a few cases in which music or drama groups meet during one period of the day so that other courses during that period are small, but courses outside of that period become larger. In response to a question to building principals, Francine Santoro reported that in her building kindergarten classes averaged 19 students, first grade averaged 24, and second grade, 22. Julio Delgado reported that at Deasy School pre-kindergarten has 16 students per section, kindergarten has 19, and first and second grades have 21. In the middle school, social studies classes have between 22 and 27 students. High school principal, Keith Schenker, said that class sizes in ninth grade English range from 15 to 27, in tenth grade, 11 to 28, in eleventh grade, 14 to 28, and in twelfth grade, 19 to 26. In high school science courses maximum class sizes are determined by the size of the room and the number of lab benches.

Gail Nedbor-Gross asked how we can improve the dialog between teachers and administration so that teachers feel that they are respected and contract negotiations are smoother and less drawn out. Claudia Delgrosso questioned why the board did not respond to concerns that were brought up by the teachers union president at a recent school board meeting.. Superintendent Aronstein and Board President Tortorici replied that the board and administration admire and appreciate the teachers and realize that they are at the center of the work the schools do. Glen Cove teachers are skilled, responsible, effective, and cooperative and have responded appropriately to new ideas and teaching methods. Grades on standardized tests are continuing to rise and Glen Cove students continue to be accepted into competitive colleges. Sometimes the board and administration need time to gather the information necessary for an appropriate response to concerns expressed at school board meetings. Dr. Camhi said that she talks with teachers and visits their classrooms every day and they do not let contract negotiations interfere with their teaching or their cooperation with the administration.

Ted Holmes asked how English as a second language is taught and how effective ESL courses are. Deasy School principal Delgado answered that there is research on all sides of how to teach ESL and many different methods are used in New York State. By law, every student who is not a native English speaker has to be tested and placed in the appropriate ESL 1, 2, or 3 class. The number of non-native speakers in Glen Cove gets greater every year at an accelerating rate. One problem is that students learn to speak and understand English relatively quickly but take much longer to learn the vocabulary, nuance, and figurative language that will let them understand middle-school and high-school courses, especially in math and science. When they leave ESL classes, their work has just begun.