To the Admin and Board

Have you read the RECENT comments in regards to the proposed Howe (plus everyone that is affected by it) move?

There is no way, in good consciousness, that this proposal should be recommended on Feb. 25th, because contrary to what has been told, there are parents that are finding out about this for the first time. Almost every person I have talked to (that doesn't belong to Howe) have said this is the first time they have heard about the move. The superintendents claim that there has been adequate coverage in the newspapers (prior to 2009) are limited to say the least. The forum here has also been mentioned as an avenue for information and I'm unable to find comments prior to this year.

Secondly, did I read in the Schenectady Gazette correctly about the school
district doing background checks on personnel and Mr. Ely's quote,
" Superintendent Eric Ely said that when people apply for a jobs the district asks if they have been convicted of a crime. If they say yes, they ask the person to bring in the court paperwork.

If they say "yes', it sends up a red flag!!!! Thanks for being on top of this one!
Are you kidding me?!

Second Gazette quote:
Ely said waiting for clearance could take several months, so people are hired on a probational basis. If the state determines that the person is denied clearance to work in schools, they are called into the main office and sent home immediately. They are either fired or given the chance to resign.

Thanks for protecting our children. Clearance takes several months? Really? In the interim do they get a letter in their file for bad behavior?

That is a long time to conduct a background check. My husband is a popwarner coach and I am the commissioner, they complete our checks within a couple of weeks. I'm sure it is not as much of a check but the school district is a much bigger organizion you would think they would move quicker.

I am a Woodlawn parent and I have been asking people to sign a petition that opposes the proposal. Today I spoke with a Howe parent and as I spoke with him I heard in his voice that he could careless about my child that has to go to Mont Pleasant next year. Of course, Howe parents want this proposal to go through. What parent wouldn't want ALL THE PERKS!!!!!!!!!! THE NASA PROGRAM, YOUR MAGNET SCHOOL IS ALREADY TAGGED AS ONE OF THE BEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN SCHENECTADY. K-8 at CP will be overwhelmed with over 500 children all different ages. The B.O.E. mentions that they want a "community style school" well if you haven't noticed your students don't come from one community, they are bussed all over Sch'dy . Most of them only see each other in school. Why doesn't Eric start at a non-magnet school and make them "community" schools. What ever happen to the good old days. I don't care if the playground they are going to build at CP for the Howe magnet school is in the budget or not. TEACHER'S are still going to getting FIRED!!!!!! NO QUESTION!! They didn’t budget for them. I believe they will move FDR over to the Howe, I wouldn't put it past them. There's no room for a playground for the FDR children, what about them. FDR children don't even have a stinking playground and the District wants to spend money at CP for 5 year olds to attend there. Here‘s a thought, since the District took out the 6th graders out of the middle schools and they want to fill the empty seats at CP, MP and Oneida, place the 9th graders there. It's harder for a 9th grader to enter a high school then a 6th grade to enter middle school.

Admin wrote:

A: The district does not conduct background checks. We submit fingerprints to the mandated agency and wait for the clearance to be issued by the state.

Hiring someone even on a probationary basis could be a problem awaiting a background check. I'm sure the pedophiles feel better now that they know they can check no on an application and nobody will find out about it for "several months."

How about a reply to the initial question!
You failed to comment on the first post or the third post.

You seem to have a way of avoiding or silencing anyone opposing your plan.

Show me all the stuff that was put out there about the proposal prior to January.
Mr. Ely threw that broad statement that there has been bunches of stuff out there and the information I have researched are rare and far between.

There seems to be more opposition as more people are finding out and you act like it doesn't even matter because you have already made up your mind.