Seeking Input on the 2009 - 2010 Contract for Excellence

The Schenectady City School District is seeking your input
on the 2009-2010 C4E Proposal

Public Hearing
A public hearing will be held on the SCSD Contract for Excellence
on Monday, July 20 at 6 p.m. at Mont Pleasant Middle School, Room 128.

Below is the Schenectady City School District's Contract for Excellence Plan for 2009 - 2010

The Contract for Excellence provides funding for programs in five categories:

• class size reduction

• programs that increase student time on task

• teacher and principal quality initiatives

• middle-level and high school restructuring

• full day kindergarten or pre-k

The Schenectady City School District submitted a contract to the state in 2007 - 2008 which included the following major initiatives which be maintained in 2009-2010:

• The Fulton Early Childhood Education Center
  (opened in 2007-2008)

• Reduced class sizes in grade six

• Increased staff in the three middle schools

• Additional remedial ELA and math teachers to all three middle schools

• Instructional coaches and mentors in each elementary school

• Extended day programs in all schools

• Technology-based alternative learning program

Overall District Strategy Narrative
http://www.schenectady.k12.ny.us/ContractForExcellence/2009-2010/Narrative_Needs_and_Strategies_Report.pdf

Maintenance of Effort Report
http://www.schenectady.k12.ny.us/ContractForExcellence/2009-2010/Maintenance_of_Effort_Report.pdf

Options, Expenditures & Metrics
http://www.schenectady.k12.ny.us/ContractForExcellence/2009-2010/Options_Expenditures_Metrics.pdf

Performance Targets (Matrix)
http://www.schenectady.k12.ny.us/ContractForExcellence/2009-2010/Performance_Targets_Matrix.pdf

Performance Targets (Narrative)
http://www.schenectady.k12.ny.us/ContractForExcellence/2009-2010/Performance_Targets_Narrative.pdf

Integrated Planning Report
http://www.schenectady.k12.ny.us/ContractForExcellence/2009-2010/Integrated_Planning_Report.pdf

Fiscal Summary Report
http://www.schenectady.k12.ny.us/ContractForExcellence/2009-2010/Fiscal_Summary_Report.pdf

Fiscal Overview Report
http://www.schenectady.k12.ny.us/ContractForExcellence/2009-2010/Fiscal_Overview_Report.pdf

Please share your comments.

Complaints
If you have any concerns or would like to file a complaint regarding the Contract for Excellence, please contact Superintendent Eric Ely by phone, e-mail or in writing.

E-mail - elye@schenectady.k12.ny.us

Phone - 518.370.8100 X-107

Write - Schenectady City School District
Attention: Superintendent Eric Ely
108 Education Drive Schenectady, NY 12303

maybe mr. administrator the first step towards excellence would be to have a real discussion board with various topics again instead of locking up everything u do not like. Maybe we could achieve excellence when someday (probably not in my lifetime though) there is true communication between your office and parents. Maybe we can achieve excellence when kids can go to schools in their areas instead of getting shipped across town to accomodate the very special charter school kids. Where is the anti suicide and anti bullying plan for the contract of excellence? Or don't the kids who get bullied and threatened matter? Maybe excellence will be achieved when there is some administration turnover and new ideas. Right now, way too many kids are getting left behind, kicked to the curb and too far behind.

What are the extended day programs that will be maintained? I was not aware of one last year at Yates. There was one the year before run by Mr. Roe, but not last year. I asked about it and the school told me it had been cut.

Mom2myKids wrote:

What are the extended day programs that will be maintained? I was not aware of one last year at Yates. There was one the year before run by Mr. Roe, but not last year. I asked about it and the school told me it had been cut.

A:

The Extended Day Program is scheduled to run four days per week (between Monday and Friday) immediately after school for one hour at the elementary school level and one and a half hours per day at the secondary level. This program targets students who have not performed well on the state tests in English Language Arts or Mathematics. It is also available to help children with their homework if necessary. The program varies from school to school. Please contact your building principal for specifics about the program at your school.

To Mom to my kids,
I can understand your frustration with not being able to find out what schools have extended day programs and find it horrifying that the district as a whole does not have that information readily available for parents. How can their be equality between schools if no one has a master list of the extras provided? Maybe the COE money could be used to train upper level administration how to track data in schools and how to communicate with parents. On a positive note, when I asked about field trip money and college visits last year at the high school level and was shut out by upper level administration, Mr. Comley took the time to personally gather all of the data from the house principals and shared it. Too bad all administrators did not have his communication skills.

Why not go through and delete some of the postings on the discussion board, including some of mine to try to increase the odds of success for Superintendent Ely's job search? With this board being open to anyone to view, including school board members in other communities, it should be cleaned up to eliminate the old controversial postings.

I wish the superintendent the best and hope he is successful soon with his relocation attempts.