Superintendent's Scoop
Dr. Manno's E-Brief, Sept., Edition #3, 2017-18 School Year
September 2017, Edition #3
A Message from the Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools
Dear BCSD Families and Residents,
We hope your children launched into a positive and productive year of learning. We begin our school year with high expectations for the success of all our students.
Much planning occurred during the summer months to ensure our students have a smooth and exciting first day of school, and school year. Our teachers and building leaders prepared opening school community meetings and lessons to engage students with energy and enthusiasm and to welcome them as members of a school family.
We are pleased to share that this year we opened schools with a permanent leadership team intact and were nearly fully staffed in all areas.
New Team Members
It is an exciting time in BCSD's history! We have filled all of our key leadership positions. Over the past month or so, I have announced the following new/permanent members of our team:
Mrs. Amy Beth Fishkin, PRES Principal
Dr. Brett Miller, FLHS Principal
Mrs. Inas Morsi-Hogans, MKES Principal
Mrs. Gina Smith, BVES Principal
Ms. Deb Dormady, K-12 Supervisor of Special Education
Mr. Rob Gimigliano, Director of Facilities
Mr. Orville Ingram, Director of Special Education
Our Hillside Coordinators, Mr. Greg Fedorczak and Ms. Margarita Ramos, were Interim Coordinators last year, and are now permanent to these positions this year
Dr. Angelique Johnson, who was Interim Assistant Principal at MKES last year, and is now permanent Assistant Principal at MKES this year
Mrs. Mary Harrison, Acting FLMS Assistant Principal
Ms. Donna Swift, who is moving from Math Elementary Consulting Teacher (ECT) to BVES ECT
We have restructured our Elementary Consulting Teacher model so that ECT's will each act as curriculum specialists, like Coordinators, to provide elementary curriculum and instructional leadership across the District in their respective areas. This is intended to promote consistency of practice and coherence of program across our elementary schools.
A number of new Coordinators and Elementary Consulting Teachers have joined our team:
Mr. Paul Cullagh, Secondary English Coordinator
Ms. Samantha Hirsh, Secondary Math Coordinator
Ms. Jenny Olson, Secondary Social Studies and Business Coordinator
Mr. Paul Frisch, Secondary Science & Technology Coordinator
Mr. Peter Griffin, K-12 Music Coordinator
Ms. Erika Volpe, PRES Elementary Consulting Teacher
Improving Fiscal Health
We are also pleased to share that the hard work of past and present Boards of Education and Central Administrators appears to be paying off in terms of righting our fiscal ship. In one year, a number of factors have contributed to the District restoring dangerously low levels of reserves to the levels recommended by our monitoring agencies. We will again manage our budget closely and tightly as we start the year, with the goal of ending another year in a strong fiscal position. A strong fiscal foundation equates to the ability to provide outstanding programs and services for children.
Reducing Class Sizes
Unlike this time last year, currently all of our elementary sections are within Board of Education Policy guidelines. We are also beginning the process of restoring some of the previous budget cuts which had the most impact. In addition, we optimistically look forward to continuing to grow and improve programs for students. Two examples of this include restoring library time for students (although, not to previous levels) and retaining the fourth-grade band program by restoring band lessons to once per week.
Strategic Planning: Important Work
We begin our year with a new Strategic Plan - The BCSD Success Plan 2017. This plan will drive our goals and objectives across the entire School District for the coming years. This was the focus of my address to the entire staff on the morning of August 30th.
Continuing Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Growth Work
While many believe educators are “off” or "on vacation” in the summertime, many of our teachers diligently prepare over the summer for the upcoming school year - reviewing, refining and improving curriculum, updating lessons, continuing to hone their craft by reading, attending workshops, taking coursework, and engaging in other professional learning activities.
The Curriculum and Instruction office was very busy during the summer months, as teachers participated in professional and curriculum development, and planned for the 2017-2018 school year.
Our Elementary Consultant Teachers have been engaged in sustained leadership work in elementary literacy. They worked throughout the summer aligning our elementary writing program to consistent and established district rubrics for all elementary grade levels. In September, our middle school will be introducing a new universal screener for all students and a RTI support program for reading, writing and math interventions for those identified through the screener.
Our curriculum leaders have been busy this summer examining data from local and state assessments to identify areas of focus for the coming year in all disciplines and at all grade levels.
Special Education
The Special Education Department was busy planning for the coming year as well. The Extended School Year program served many students at Bedford Village Elementary School. The Administrative team worked with the Principals in each building on the placement of students and teacher assignments.
ESOL
The ESOL Department took advantage of summer months for instruction, curricular planning, professional development, and preparation for the upcoming academic year. In July, more than 60 students in grades 7-11 participated in the ESOL Summer Academy, housed at Mount Kisco Elementary School. Students from the middle and high schools spent three hours daily for three weeks in English, math, and health classes.
At the elementary level, DLBE Spanish Zone teachers provided four Summer Family Workshops at the Mount Kisco Public Library for students to interact in Spanish with friends and family. Families of all backgrounds practiced new vocabulary and language structures through dialogue and games. In addition to teaching and learning, the ESOL Department continued to engage in curricular planning and professional development.
Technology
The IT staff of the BCSD Technology Department implemented a number of system upgrades and hardware refreshes. The Technology Department planned for the launch of our new District website.
Athletics
As we look forward to the upcoming athletic season many of our twenty-three fall teams prepared for the beginning of what we hope to be a great experience for our athletes. As the athletic season gets underway, our grounds department worked hard getting our facilities ready for the fall. The grass fields have been rested and cared for all summer to make our facilities some of the best in our area.
Negotiations
Over the summer, the Board of Education, Administration, the Bedford Teachers Association, and Civil Service Education Association of Bedford have continued to work hard to craft contractual agreements that are mutually beneficial to all parties.
To keep informed, check out our District Facebook Page, Twitter Feed, and our school and parent association web pages/newsletters. Also, subscribe to our events calendar and athletics calendar. You may find Board meeting materials and subcommittee minutes in Board Docs.
Please accept our appreciation for your support for BCSD. We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable remainder of the summer.
Sincerely,
Brian Sheerin, President
Michelle Brooks, Vice President
Bill Canavan
Colette Dow
Pam Harney
Edward Reder
Beth Staropoli
Dr. Christopher M. Manno, Superintendent of Schools
Board Meeting Presentations
We have planned some important presentations and topics for our Board meetings throughout the coming year and we will likely add additional presentations as the need arises.
Here is our tentative schedule of presentations:
September 13th - Opening of School Video Presentation
September 27th - New District Website Demonstration
October 18th - 2017-18 District Goals and Objectives Presentation
October 25th - Annual Audit Presentation; Student Achievement Briefing
November 15th - Report on MKES ESOL Program and Recommendations
November 29th - Director of Special Education's Entry Report
December 13th - New Course Proposals Overview for Fox Lane High School
December 20th - District Goals Fiscal Impacts Report for 2018-19 Budget
January 17th - Budget Advisory Committee Report
February 28th - Presentation of the Superintendent's Budget; Space and Enrollment Advisory Committee Report
March 14th - Mid-Year District Goals Progress Report
March 21st - Student Achievement Advisory Committee Report
April 11th - Student Musical Performance Highlight
April 18th - Curriculum Presentation
May 2nd - District 2018-19 Budget Hearing; Tenure Awards and Celebration
May 30th and June 13th - Student and Staff Recognition
Annual Student Achievement Information for Families
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As we do annually, the summer allows us to step back to review and reflect on our curriculum and the progress of each individual student in order to plan for what comes next. One of many aspects of that planning includes a review of student performance on State standardized tests (required by the Every Student Succeeds Act, formally the No Child Left Behind Act) as well as on report card grades and other assessments of student growth and achievement. This message announces the release of your student's results on the State testing that took place this past spring.
Our principals, teachers, and curriculum specialists have already been busy analyzing the data so we can fully understand the implications of this year's results, and use them to help plan best for your child’s instruction, part of the process of planning our year for all students at each grade level and in each subject area. We understand that these test scores are valuable to you as they are one of many indicators of your child’s progress and learning in school. This information is as valuable to us to ensure we are covering all necessary content and skills to the degree to which we should without compromising our rich and relevant Bedford Central curriculum.
Your child’s principal has been meeting with teachers and specialists to map out the best plan for your child, in every grade, and in each subject area. You will be notified as soon as possible about any individualized or small group work that will benefit your child’s improvement.
We encourage you to refer to this report when talking with your child's teacher(s), and inquire as to how these test results compare with your child’s classroom performance on similar tasks, how these results compare to last year’s results, and any available academic supports, if appropriate. If you have questions or would like more information about your child's performance on last year's test, please contact your principal.
Sincerely,
Dr. Christopher Manno, Superintendent
Dr. Joel Adelberg, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction
Important Information from the Transportation Department
BEDFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
BCSD TRANSPORTATION (914) 241-6001
Hours of Operation: 6:00am to 6:00pm
Due to the large number of phone inquiries, responding to calls are shared between the Bus Company Dispatch and the BCSD Transportation Department.
Our Mission is to provide safe, reliable, and timely transportation to our students both to and from school and activities. We seek to provide students with a positive start and finish to their school day.
Transportation Department Hours 7:00am to 4:00pm
Contacts: Concetta Tripepi-Pulice (914) 241-6174 Letizia DeDona (914) 241-6008
Towne Bus Company Hours 6:00am to 6:00pm
(914) 218-3660 (914) 234-8668
SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION
District Policy provides transportation for all resident pupils living more than one-half mile from their school. It is a privilege to ride the school bus. Please discuss the following safety rules with your children.
1. The bus driver is in charge of the bus. Follow the driver’s instructions.
2. Arrive at your bus stop 5 minutes early.
3. Wait for your bus in a safe place away from the road. Respect the property around your stop.
4. Always cross 10 feet in front of the bus. Look both ways before crossing the street. Walk while crossing the road. Do not run.
5. Do not push on or near the bus. Do not run to or from the bus.
6. Always remain seated while riding the school bus. Don’t yell or make loud noises. It may be distracting to the driver and cause a hazard.
7. Students are encouraged to wear seat belts.
8. Do not eat, drink, or litter on the bus.
9. Do not put any part of your body, arms, etc. out the window. This is dangerous.
10. Never throw anything out of the bus windows.
11. Participate in the emergency bus drills throughout the year. Follow these procedures when necessary.
Please instruct your children to be very alert to traffic as they get on and off the bus. Even though your child may follow all the safety rules, a motorist may pass a stopped school bus. Your children’s awareness of traffic may prevent a serious situation.
Behavior Problems on the Bus
Conduct reports are filed by the bus drivers for students that violate safety procedures while riding the bus. Conduct reports are referred to the school principal. Because misconduct on the school bus creates a serious safety hazard by distracting the driver, students who misbehave on the bus may lose their transportation privileges. To maximize safety for all passengers, please encourage your children to behave on the bus as they would in school. Cameras are provided on each bus as a way to help enforce bus safety rules.
Established Bus Routes and Stops
Students are expected to use the stops and routes assigned to them. Students will be picked up and dropped off at their assigned stops only. A written request to use a different stop or route must be submitted to the school, signed by a parent/guardian and approved by the principal. Students are not permitted to walk or ride a different bus without written permission. Telephone changes and requests are not acceptable.
For Our Kindergarten Riders and Parents
Our bus drivers have been instructed that it is our practice NOT to let kindergarten students off of the school bus unless there is an adult to meet them. If your kindergarten student is permitted to be met by an older sibling or neighbor, we will need written permission stating this, and the sibling or neighbor must be in 6th grade or older. Please indicate to us individuals permitted to pick up your kindergarten student at the bus stop. Drivers shall not release students to persons not recognized by the driver or not listed as emergency contacts with your school. Kindergarten students that are not met at the stop as required will be returned to their elementary school office at the end of the run, and the parent/guardian will be contacted.
For our Elementary Parents Grade 1-5
If you would like to request that a student in grades 1-5 NOT be permitted to get off the school bus unless there is an adult to meet them, this request must be sent to the district transportation office in writing. Please indicate who is permitted to receive your student and include phone numbers to reach them. Students that do not have an adult to meet them at their stop as specified will be returned to their elementary school office at the end of the bus run.
If a parent is not at a bus stop, the bus dispatcher makes one call to parent. If a parent can’t be reached, dispatcher contacts school to give notice they might need to return the student to school. Driver continues on the route. After the route is completed the driver will go past the bus stop again, if no parent is there, the driver will return the student to school.
When buses are running late or breakdown, the bus company will let the Transportation Department know ASAP. For large buses, it is not possible to call every parent. We will provide information to any parents that call the office.
Thank you for your cooperation with these important transportation procedures, which will help us transport your children to and from school and activities safely,
FOX NIGHT
A community celebration for the Bedford Central School District to start the school year with enthusiasm, energy, and community spirit.
There will be music, food trucks, fan t-shirts, fireworks and an introduction to our fall teams.
We hope all of our families from our elementary schools, middle school, and high school, as well as community members, come out and join the fun on September 15th.
Cultivating curiosity and passion for learning.
Providing challenging educational opportunities.
All students achieving their full potential.