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Schools

Steps In The Super Search and Advanced Learning

"This is an important step in restoring the ALP Program," said the School's Chief

Super Update

"The  is in the final stages of the Superintendent Search process," revealed Board Chairman Leslie Moriarty late last week. "We have narrowed the highly qualified pool of candidates down and expect to conclude the process soon," she commented.

The highly anticipated announcement of a permanent superintendent will come after the superintendent search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA) was hired last fall.

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Board member Nancy Kail has said HYA had reported a high level of interest in the position. The plan was to interview semi-finalists by March/April. Once the field is narrowed down, Kail indicated that "it is hoped that we will be able to make a visit to the home site of the finalist later in the spring and then announce an appointment shortly thereafter."

Kail added, "We are on track to hire a new super July 1."

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Advancing The  Advanced

The Board of Education is expected to vote at the its April 26 meeting on the recommendations regarding the Step II ALP review presented earlier this month.

Among the items to be voted on are:

  • A definition of gifted and talented
  • The identification criteria for ALP students
  • A change to the timing of the OLSAT testing
  • Expansion and changes to Grade 2 ALP

Superintendent Roger Lulow said that the recommendations are responsive to the community and the needs of the students.

Explaining that when he met with the parents in the fall, there was a "healthy discussion" about their concerns. Lulow said that he made a commitment to follow-up on the issues. "This is evidence that the organization has done that," Lulow said.  

ALP Facilitator Bonnie O’Regan said that there were small changes made to the original recommendations made at the April 4 work session.

Among them, a small tweak to the district's definition of gifted and talented. The more significant change is a shift from the originally proposed 10-15% of students in every elementary building for the ALP program to a guideline that there will be no class or strand with fewer than 5 students.

O’Regan said that there seemed to be a misconception that the administration was trying to cap the elementary classes at the top 15%. "There is no cap," she stated. Instead, O'Regan took 15 % of the smallest elementary class size in the district to identify the minimum of 5.

Communicating that the changes being recommended will not be difficult to implement for the start of the 2012-13 school year, O'Regan said that she and other district administrators "have our heads together." However, when it comes to GHS, the implementation will meet a "learning curve" that O'Regan is prepared to deal with by working with Bridget Barry, Sheldon House Administrator and English Department Head, as well as other GHS and district staff.

Probably the biggest success of the Step II ALP Report is validating the concerns which had been vocalized by parents who advocated for changes for years.

One of the parents who frequently spoke at board meetings is Dr. Gaetane Francis, who is the incoming PTA Council ALP Committee Co-Chair as well as the current ALP building rep for both Glenville and Western Middle schools.

Francis said that the ALP placements have been "variable" with inconsistencies from year to year, building to building and principal to principal.

"It is important for us to be fiscally responsible," said Francis in reference to the proposed top 10-15%. "It is a better way to use the dollars."

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