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