06-21-17 Regular
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MINUTES OF THE PATERSON BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING June 21, 2017 – 7:18 p.m. John F. Kennedy High School Presiding: Comm. Christopher Irving, President Present: Dr. Donnie Evans, State District Superintendent Ms. Eileen Shafer, Deputy Superintendent Robert Murray, Esq., General Counsel Comm. Emanuel Capers Comm. Manuel Martinez Comm. Oshin Castillo Comm. Lilisa Mimms Comm. Chrystal Cleaves, Vice President Comm. Nakima Redmon Comm. Jonathan Hodges Comm. Flavio Rivera The Salute to the Flag and Posting of the Colors was led by the John F. Kennedy High School JROTC. Comm. Martinez read the Open Public Meetings Act: The New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act was enacted to insure the right of the public to have advance notice of, and to attend the meetings of the Paterson Public School District, as well as other public bodies at which any business affecting the interest of the public is discussed or acted upon. In accordance with the provisions of this law, the Paterson Public School District has caused notice of this meeting: Regular Meeting June 21, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. John F. Kennedy High School 61-127 Preakness Avenue Paterson, New Jersey to be published by having the date, time and place posted in the office of the City Clerk of the City of Paterson, at the entrance of the Paterson Public School offices, on the district’s website, and by sending notice of the meeting to the Arab Voice, El Diario, the Italian Voice, the North Jersey Herald & News, and The Record. Comm. Irving: I want to welcome everyone this evening to what is scheduled to be our final regular meeting of the academic school year. I will say every single year we get to this point and I'm just amazed at just how fast we start another school year and finish it. There were a lot of recognitions this evening relative to our students and faculty. I'm actually going to go in and out of order for a second. Dr. Evans, do you have any presentations or communications? Page 1 06/21/17 REPORT OF STATE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT Dr. Evans: Yes, I do. I have two statements I'd like to read. The first one is a follow-up to the recognitions that were part of the earlier program. Ms. Shafer would like to make a comment and then I have some additional comments I'd like to make. Tonight, we spent the preceding hour and a half engaged in a pair of special recognitions events, our Teacher of the Year celebration followed by a number of student academic and athletic recognitions. With my retirement as State District Superintendent on the horizon, I'm extremely proud that my final Board meeting with you and the audience was preceded by such a highly successful group of teachers and students. I can’t say enough about our teachers. As I said to the group earlier, I am a product of quality teachers caring and who looked out for me and made sure that I was prepared for college and prepared to ultimately realize my dreams of becoming a teacher and an administrator and moving on up the ladder. I would like to thank everyone involved in the preparation for these recognitions, starting with Mr. Luis Rojas and his HR team who did an outstanding job organizing our Teacher of the Year program, and Ms. Terry Corallo and the Communications Department for the district athletics and other recognitions that followed. Tonight, we have seen and honored many highly accomplished student scholars, athletes, and teachers. Thank you for making us and your families very proud. You have worked very hard along with many dedicated people backing you and insuring that you are on a path to success. Principals, teachers, coaches, advisors, counselors, your parents, your friends, and peers have all contributed and sacrificed for you along the way. Thank you all very much and keep up the good work. Ms. Shafer: Thank you, Dr. Evans. Good evening. As most of you know, tonight’s meeting is our last regular Board meeting with our Superintendent Dr. Donnie Evans. Before I begin my own thoughts and reflections of the past eight years under Dr. Evans’ leadership, I want to share two quotes with you that I believe perfectly summarize his tenure as our leader of Paterson Public Schools. The first is a quote from the poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. “Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we can be.” The second is from a former First Lady, Rosalynn Carter. “A leader takes people where they want you go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go but ought to be.” When Dr. Evans came to Paterson in 2009 we had no idea of the significant transformation he would lead for this district. It began with his Bright Futures strategic plan that touted a lofty vision to be the leader in education in New Jersey for urban youth, and a critical mission to prepare all children for success in the college or career of their choosing. Despite what you may see or hear in the media over the past eight years, Paterson Public Schools has been successful in this vision and mission. Let’s remember that eight year ago this district did not have a distinguished Gifted & Talented academy. We did not have a Newcomers School, a rewards high school, or an international Baccalaureate diploma program. Eight years ago, our students were not wearing school uniforms. We did not have five full-service community schools that now help to address a whole range of social, health, and academic needs using a school building as the hub. We did not have a PBSIS initial, mandatory summer school to end social promotion, extensive professional development at all levels of the organization, or high school and elementary school choice. We did not have a new School No. 16, the new Dr. Hani Awadallah Elementary School, or a plan for a new Don Bosco Middle School in a few short years. Finally, eight year ago our high school graduation rate was at 45%. Yet, it's at over 78% today with many more of our students going to four-year colleges. These are just a few examples of the many accomplishments under Dr. Evans’ leadership. I have a handout that’s on the table, if you wish to have one. It's three pages long and it highlights the significant achievements for each of the strategic plans four priorities, including much improved Page 2 06/21/17 test scores. I know Dr. Evans would be the first to tell you that he did not do this alone, but we were able to accomplish all of this because he, like Ralph Waldo Emerson said, inspired us to be what we know we can be. Personally, Dr. Evans, you have been a role model and a mentor to me. I am very appreciative for the opportunity you gave me five years ago to be your Deputy. I will be forever grateful for all you have taught me and all the experiences that I have had. I have learned so much from you. As you leave, Dr. Evans, just know you have left this school district much better than when you came eight years ago. In closing, on behalf of the cabinet I want to wish Dr. Evans the very best during the next phase of his life. I know you're looking forward to spending time with your wife and family and to give back in meaningful ways to programs that are near and dear to your heart, maybe write a book or two about what you have learned, and hope to continue to educate others who can benefit from your leadership experience. Dr. Evans, you will be missed by all of us, especially your cabinet members and this Board of Education. I promise as this district’s Acting Superintendent I too will lead with the same vision and mission for this district. I ask the audience to now please stand and join me in giving Dr. Evans a much-deserved round of applause on behalf of the 28,000 students in this great City of Paterson. Thank you. Dr. Evans: Thank you, Ms. Shafer. Mr. President, this may take slightly longer than three minutes, I warn you in advance, but not much longer. Comm. Irving: Can I say my words next and you can have the final word? Dr. Evans: Sure. Comm. Irving: Ms. Shafer and I wanted to take the opportunity to say collectively on behalf of our body, the administration and also the Board of Education, at the workshop meeting we had the opportunity to express our sincere gratitude and thanks to you for your vision and work in this district. To lead a district of this size for the time period that Dr. Evans has definitely requires a level of skill, patience, integrity and fortitude. For the folks who served on this Board before and were elected into office, we did not have this consistently. Dr. Evans is the first Superintendent to serve in this tenure in almost a decade and a half. We are so proud of the work that he's done. We are so proud of the fact that upon his arrival to Paterson he decided to double down about his commitment and become a taxpaying citizen of the City of Paterson and buy a house in this city which he was serving. We are so grateful for his vision of restructuring Eastside and Kennedy into thematic academies thus improving the graduation rate of not just those schools but also for the district as a whole.