Updates from Marcia Asdal, a Chester Representative to the West Morris Regional Board of Education

marcia.asdal@gmail.com

Note: This document is not an official record of any meeting; it is an informal dissemination of information by a private citizen. This information is a matter of public record and any views herein are mine alone and not necessarily those of

any other Board member.

June 25 & July 16, 2012 meetings

Appointed District Supervisors—salary $120,000 Technology Integration– Erica Hartman English– Kim Helsel History– Rosanne Lichatin Mathematics—Barbara Pagnotta Science –Margaret Sheldon

Guidance Restructuring The current Central HS Director of Guidance submitted his letter of resignation.

Superintendent Pendergrast used this opportunity to present options for restructuring the guidance departments at each school.

The two Directors of Guidance cost $346,000 (approx. $158,000 each + benefits.) There are currently about 1400 students at each school. Each guidance

counselor serves approximately 230 students. The options were: Option 1. Hire a replacement Director of Guidance for Central HS—could result in some cost savings depending upon the hire. Option 2. Establish a District Director of Guidance—savings of about $120,000. Option 3. Abolish the Director of Guidance positions and create a Lead Counselor position in each school The savings from Option 3 would potentially allow for additional hires: District supervisor of world language—$140,000 (salary + benefits) Additional guidance counselors— $75,000 (salary + benefits) Lead teacher of electives —$14,000

Mr. Pendergrast recommended option 3 as the “guidance platform that would result in the greatest impact for students.”

The Board voted 6-0 to abolish the Director of Guidance positions at both high schools and create a Lead Counselor position at each school. This is an 11-month position with a $15,000 stipend. The principal at each school will now supervise and evaluate the guidance department.

Cristen Forrester, Washington Twp. rep, resigned as Board president as of 7/25/12. An election was

immediately held to elect new leadership. President: James Johnston, Chester Twp. Vice-President: Jacke Schram, Mendham Boro

In this issue… → Read about the guidance office restructuring—page 1. → View the Long Range Facilities planning chart—page 2. → Look at national & local trends of costs vs. achievement—pages 3 & 4. → Check out our schools’ relative HSPA scores—page 5.

Long Range Facilities Plan Summary 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Central High School Mendham High School

Building Systems

$289k $245k

$435k $393.5k

$290k $317.5k

$362.4k $450.3k

$330k $451.6k

$250.8k $117.6k

0 0

0 0

Athletic Fields

$104k $0

$95k $250k

$300k $0

$60k $150k

0 0

$0 $1,000k

0 0

0 0

Energy Conservation Measures

$125k $125k

$1 $1

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

Parking $72k $23k

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

Room Renovation

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

Total $590k $393k

$530k $643.5k

$590k $317.5k

$422.4k $600.3k

$330k $451.6k

$250.8k $1,117.6k

0 0

0 0

The Board of Ed. accepted the Department of Education’s approved Long Range Facilities Plan Final Determination. The needs of the district will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and further revisions can be anticipated.

Totals: WMC $2,713,306 WMM $3,523,601

Some examples of the projects that have been approved by the DOE and may be completed 2013– 2014:

School Project Estimated Start

Estimated Cost

Central Varsity soccer fields 2013 $ 80,000 Project adventure fields 2013 $ 24,000 Resurface tennis court 2014 $ 50,000 Bleachers, auxiliary gym 2014 $ 45,000 Security cameras, upgrade 2014 $ 55,000 Well/storage 2013 $150,000 Electrical work 2013 $100,000 HVAC control system 2013 $125,000 Mendham Athletic fields fencing 2014 $250,000 Emergency generator 2013 $ 90,000 New lockers, lobby 2013 $ 30,000 HVAC control system 2013 $125,000 Art/CAD/Tech lab 2013 $ 70,000 Parking, students 2013 $ 23,000

Enrollment is only up 8.5% since 1970, whereas employment is up 96.2%. The public school work force has

grown 11 times faster than enrollment over the past 40 years.

Despite hiring nearly 3 million more people and spending

$210 billion more every year, achievement near the end of high school has stagnated in

math and science and actually declined slightly in science

since 1970. The chart also shows the cost on a per-pupil basis of a K-12

education has gone from about $55,000 to about

$150,000 in real, inflation-adjusted terms.

Percent Change in Public School Employment & Enrollment, since 1970

Inflation-Adjusted Cost of a K-12 Public Education, & Percent Change in Achievement of 17-year-olds, 1970-2010

Excerpted from a Cato @ Liberty article: http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/obama-vs-romney-on-public-school-jobs/

Flat-Lining Achievement— Soaring Public School Employment and Costs

A 40-Year Trend

Per Pupil Costs & SAT Verbal Scores, 2001-2011

$11,500

$12,000

$12,500

$13,000

$13,500

$14,000

$14,500

400

450

500

550

600

650

700

750

800 Total costper pupil

Mendham -Verbal

Central -Verbal

Per Pupil Costs & SAT Math Scores, 2001-2011

$11,500

$12,000

$12,500

$13,000

$13,500

$14,000

$14,500

400

450

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

Total costper pupilMendham -MathCentral -Math

Central & Mendham statistics mirror the national trends of increasing costs and flat, stagnant achievement.

Setting of measurable, timely academic achievement goals

Total curriculum evaluation Development of Strategic Improvement Plan Longitudinal studies of the IB program In-depth, timely analysis of standardized test

scores Targeted professional development to coordinate

with academic goals Administrative structure in place to better coordinate curriculum and

achievement of academic goals Development of robust principal evaluation system

Future Board of Education Roadmap to Excellence at W. Morris Regional High School

District Factor Groups, developed in 1975, are used to compare students’ performance on statewide assessments across demographically similar school districts.

The regional school district as a whole is classified as an “I” district, while individually, Central is an “I” school, as are its sending schools, while Mendham is a “J” school, as are its sending schools.

The groups are calculated using the following variables: ▪ % of adults with no high school diploma ▪ Occupational status ▪ % of adults with some college education ▪ Unemployment rate ▪ % of individuals living in poverty ▪ Median family income

There are a total of 12 “J” high schools in NJ and 41 “I” high schools. District Factor Group “J”—includes: Millburn, Chatham, Mountain Lakes, W. Windsor So. & No., Ridge, Montgomery Twp., Northern Highlands Regional. District Factor Group “I”—includes: Madison, Livingston, Bridgewater/Raritan, Summit, Randolph, Somerset Hills Regional, Bernardsville.

HSPA, High School Proficiency Exam, is a standardized 3-day test administered by the Dept. of Education to all NJ public high school students in March of their junior year.

Advanced Proficient is the highest a student can achieve.

Central HS HSPA Advanced Proficient, Language

1520253035404550

20042005

20062007

20082009

20102011

Scor

es CHS

DFG "I"

Mendham HS HSPA Advanced Proficient, Language

15

25

35

45

55

65

20042005

20062007

20082009

20102011

Scor

es MHS

DFG "J"

Central HS HSPA Advanced Proficient, Math

35

40

45

50

55

60

20042005

20062007

20082009

20102011

Scor

es CHS

DFG "I"

Mendham HS HSPA Advanced Proficient, Math

40

4550

55

6065

20042006

20082010

Scor

es

MHSDFG "J"

These tests are planned to be phased out over the next several years and replaced with up to twelve end-of-year tests. They will be given to 9th, 10th and 11th graders in language arts, math, science and social studies. This new system may be able to

identify students who need remedial help earlier in their high school career.

Excerpted from an article in Education Next, published by Public Impact, Chapel Hill, NC. http://opportunityculture.org/infographic/