Reorg meeting on Monday

Will the Neshaminy school board stay the course or chart a new direction in 2009? That question will be answered in part on Monday night at the annual reorganization meeting which takes place in the Board Room at Maple Point beginning at 7pm. The meeting doesn't usually last very long, but the repercussions of who is elected president and vice president will set the tone for the upcoming year. Public attendance is welcome and encouraged.

If you have strong feelings about who should (or should not) be elected to a board leadership role, now would be a good time to contact your elected officials and make your feelings known.

Kadri era officially over

With board approval, Lou Muenker took over as acting superintendent this past Tuesday evening. Muenker replaces Paul Kadri, who left Neshaminy to become superintendent of a school district in Groton, CT.

Click here to read the Courier Times article.

Board Policies Meeting Change

Tonight's meeting of the Board Policies Committee has been moved up to 5:15pm to accommodate an executive session of the board. The public meeting is still scheduled for 7pm.

The Alt Ed program – it’s a brainer

What to do with the Alternative Education program at Tawanka? That is perhaps the most challenging question among many that we have to deal with, and there is no easy answer. Consider the pro’s and con’s of the matter . . .

The program is educationally successful, saving an estimated 12 students or more each year from dropping out of high school, and helping dozens of others to succeed. At the same time, the program is expensive and costs more than if we sent the students to facilities outside of the district.

While there are other successful programs outside of the district that we could send our students to, we run the risk that they could be lumped in with students having more serious disciplinary and/or emotional issues. Unquestionably our ability to manage which students are enrolled in Neshaminy’s Alt Ed program is a significant factor in its success.

So here is the challenge: Can we move the Alt Ed program currently residing at Tawanka to another facility within the district that can operate the program more efficiently? That very topic was discussed this past Monday evening at a Strategic Planning Committee meeting, and district administration had an out-of-the-box alternative they presented – renovate and utilize space up at the BELC area of the high school to house the program.

I was very hesitant about this idea when I first heard of it, but a compelling case was made for its consideration (there are a few ugly aspects to this idea that administration has to work out before I could fully support it). I also believe the renovate Eisenhower idea is a viable option for the Alt Ed program that warrants further consideration; I am not a fan of sticking this program at other school facilities like Maple Point or Sandburg/Schweitzer.

You can learn more about the BELC option by reading this Courier Times article.

Courier Times: Teachers should pay for benefits, open up negotiations

Today’s Courier Times editorial touches upon a couple of old favorites – teacher benefits and open contract negotiations. While the editorial may not be breaking any new ground, it’s worth a look.

Here today, gone tomorrow

As reported by the Courier Times, Neshaminy superintendent Paul Kadri’s last day on the job is today, Monday November 17th. He will soon be joining his new school district in Groton, CT.

Assistant Superintendent Lou Muenker will serve as acting superintendent until a search can be conducted to identify Kadri’s replacement.

Saying goodbye to Paul Kadri

It’s been a tumultuous couple of years for Mr. Kadri, but despite the challenges he can say that he left Neshaminy better off than when he arrived. Our PSSA test scores are up, spending is down, and not since Gary Bowman have we seen a superintendent so involved in the day-to-day lives of our children.

This post is devoted to saying goodbye to Paul Kadri, and I invite you to add any kind, parting thoughts you would like to share with him.