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UPDATE: School Board to Discuss Elem. Class Sizes

The Clarkstown School Board will review a policy governing elementary class sizes and review an agreement with CANDLE for the current school year.

 

A policy governing class sizes in its elementary schools will be introduced at tonight’s Clarkstown Board of Education meeting. The longstanding policy’s purpose is to establish consistency in class sizes in the district’s 10 elementary schools and the only revision is the addition of a date.

It specifies that when enrollment reaches a certain number of students in a class by Oct. 1 either an aide will be assigned or an additional teacher will be assigned and a new section created. The number of students per class varies according to the grade level. The levels are primary for kindergarten through second grade and intermediate for third through fifth grade.  

Additionally, the board will review an agreement between the school district and CANDLE (Community Awareness Network For Drug Free Life). The agreement provides for a $41,075 financial contribution to the non-profit organization. CANDLE promotes conflict resolution, good decision-making, bullying prevention, awareness of drug abuse, drug abuse dangers, drug abuse prevention and avoiding underage drinking.

The programs proposed for the 2012-2013 school year include: “Peacemakers” for second graders, “Cool C.A.T.S.” for fourth graders, Tobacco-free School Policy, VAASA for high schools students, “Too Good” for the Birchwood School, Bullying Initiatives and “Only Two Will Do.”  CANDLE’s overall estimated cost for the programs provided to the district is $67,615.

The board meeting begins at 8 p.m. 

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Sigmund Freud October 25, 2012 at 02:09 pm
Now that the district is paying for the CANDLE services it's time to officially sever the relationship with the Clarkstown Community Task Force. This group has not been awarded any grants recently and quite frankly has done nothing constructive to help the kids in our district.
Town Board Observer October 25, 2012 at 02:45 pm
Dr. Freud, what is the task force? I've never heard of it. Is it a town group?
ADK October 25, 2012 at 03:41 pm
the article is somewhat misleading...there has always been a policy governing class size for the elementary schools...it would appear that the Board will be entertaining changes to the current policy...do we know if they are advocating reductions in current class size maximums?
RockCountyNews October 25, 2012 at 03:52 pm
The Clarkstown Community Task Force is made up of the true stakeholders in the school. It includes not only Administrators but faculty, students, and parents as part of the team. Since the Federal Grant was won by South Orangetown the members have had to find creative ways to continue to offer alternative programs to mainly Middle and High School Students. It's time for members of the Community to stop feuding and work together for the betterment of our Youth. C.A.N.D.L.E. is a great organization and their services are welcome. However, they can not replace the school staff and parents that have the closest relationship to our students - and no I am not a school staff member but I am thankful for their work.
Debra Goldstein October 25, 2012 at 04:46 pm
RockCountyNews.......What are these programs that the Clarkstown Community Task Force offer?
Robin Traum (Editor) October 25, 2012 at 09:05 pm
ADK - You are right there has always been a policy governing class size. More information has been added to the article, recommended class sizes are not changing. The board is updating the policy to add the date of Oct. 1. Robin
RockCountyNews October 26, 2012 at 04:19 pm
Glad you asked, best to check the website on CCSD.EDU since there is so much information.
http://www.ccsd.edu/community.cfm?subpage=154
Sigmund Freud January 5, 2013 at 05:15 pm
The Task Force has been led by one person since its inception. If you want anyone to take this group seriously then replace Lorette Adams NOW. By the way, how on earth was she Board of Ed President while also Chair of the Task Force? This is important because she voted on and accepted local, state and federal grants as Board President for HER Task Force.
Note Article
Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Jimmy R June 14, 2013 at 05:10 pm
The first thing little Frankie wanted to know was that since he was mayor of Suffern for the day,Read More could he get his bicycle fixed at the village Department of Public Works.
Paul Williams June 16, 2013 at 08:33 am
He also wanted to know the most effective method of spying on the other kids so he could get electedRead More Class President.
Green Farmer June 13, 2013 at 01:39 pm
Why not cut out the middle man and just send the money directly to the religious schools.
Paul Williams June 16, 2013 at 08:27 am
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Green Farmer June 13, 2013 at 01:42 pm
It will never happen.
M. Leybra June 16, 2013 at 07:25 pm
Shouldn't be happening in the first place & "requiring" another law to stop rippingRead More off Joe Blow taxpayer for county government elite, disgusting.
Champs pose for a picture (photo by Craig Fetterman)
Kevin Zawacki (Editor) June 12, 2013 at 11:03 am
Congratulations to the Cubs!
Scott F. June 12, 2013 at 11:35 am
The boys were awesome last night and all season long, a well deserved Championship for a great groupRead More of boys
Lisa Buchman (Editor) June 13, 2013 at 11:20 am
Fantastic! Just posted the photo on New City Facebook too!
Aerial of United Water's proposed water treatment plant
Tom Nimick June 11, 2013 at 09:23 pm
Mr. Pointing says that an issues conference is unusual. The unusual step is called for because thisRead More project is highly unusual; it is unprecedented. This French-owned water company wants to implement its pet technology at our expense - it makes sense for the company because the project makes lots of money. There is information available that calls into question the "definitive" studies carried out by the water company. Of course they found that their technology was the best option - what a surprise! They have not made the case that they carried out a disinterested examination of the issues in the public interest. Yes there are still issues. Also, stop threatening us with increased costs from delay. First, it does not make sense and second, you are trying to bully us into accepting your proposal. That is one more sign that something is wrong in your proposal.
John Taggart June 13, 2013 at 08:08 am
An issues conference will be a wast of time and money. So many ' issues ' have been pulled out ofRead More thin air. The people who organized against the plant will just keep saying the same thing. No amount of info will be enough, no answer will be accepted. The issues conference will be a circus of endless questions, ideas, and demands. Haverstraw bay reclassified as drinking water will better protect it, provide an endless supply of water and finally help end the stereotype of the Hudson being polluted Recommend
mike sullivan June 11, 2013 at 08:14 pm
get a life
Tom Nimick June 11, 2013 at 09:12 pm
There were no open meetings. I attended the April meeting and Mr. Lettre was directed by the TownRead More Board to return with more precise estimates and to include options for other upgrades. I have attended every meeting of the Town Board since that time and Mr. Lettre never returned in an open meeting. Mr. Borelli indicated that Mr. Lettre had addressed his concerns directly and privately. According to the Open Meetings Law, the deliberations of the Town Board are to be open and visible to the public. Private individual meetings or communications with members of the Town Board so as to avoid open deliberations flouts the intent of the Open Meetings Law. Mr. Gromack's statement of other meetings is inaccurate and, since it was specifically in response to a question about open meetings, dishonest. Mr. Borelli, shame on you for accepting a private communication and not standing by your guidance to Mr. Lettre that he was to come back to an open meeting of the Town Board.
Watchdog June 17, 2013 at 04:27 pm
Borelli and Ho -Man are in the bag for Lettre. They are not Republicans...just political hacks forRead More Lettre. RINOS.
galledeb June 10, 2013 at 10:45 am
How can I get more information? When and where are auditions?
Maddie June 10, 2013 at 04:25 pm
You can contact Pastor Robin at rdemaggio@ramapocentral.org
Tracy Urvater June 13, 2013 at 09:25 am
What are the dates of this camp?
Cicadas emerging from their 17 year slumber.
Kevin Zawacki (Editor) June 9, 2013 at 09:32 pm
Thanks for sharing, Grace! Your thoughts on their noise?
Grace Anthony Zemsky June 10, 2013 at 09:00 am
The traffic from the nearby Palisades Parkway is more of a noise nuisance than the cicada chorus.Read More (We have triple-paned windows because of it.) There is something almost musical about the hum of the cicadas. Of course, it may bother me more if I lived in the "affected area" and heard it constantly. Upon entering this nearby neighborhood, the sound crescendos. And yet, it can't be heard a couple of streets away. The drone of locusts is more bothersome than these 17 year cicadas.
Coleen Crowe June 10, 2013 at 01:30 pm
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Linda June 8, 2013 at 10:39 am
I missed this! Is there still a way to get a signed copy? Maybe he will do another signing?
John Murphy June 11, 2013 at 08:20 am
This is the most accurate word picture of one of the tragic corollary side effects of one ofRead More humanities ' gruesome failings , which is war. Thank you Pam Sitomer for putting your writing genius to work for a noble cause.