Katz Out At Montclair High

Please, please, please....

Let Alvarez-- the bearded wonder (although after Asbestosgate he should be the gutless wonder) be next.....

Pretty please!!!!

More likely Dana Sullivan will go.

They're calling it the Ninth Grade Academy now? Man, those freshman are totally getting brooked!

Ugh.... And what the heck is the "Office of School and Community Relations" gonna do?

Isn't this like, what they do?

What's next? "The Office of Educating the Pupils"?

aka "The Office to Create Another Layer Between Residents and the BOE Superintendent". Dana has to be a goner.

Prof,

You may be onto something.

But these people are such abject failures when it comes to communicating with the taxpayers of Montclair, they needed a fix. And why not add to the bureaucracy at the same time? Wonder what the good Dr. Harrison will be earning?

Plus, Alvarez can now send her out to take the heat for all the bone-headed decisions he makes.

Does anybody know why Katz is leaving MHS? My impression was that he is a clever and capable guy.

Because he's been reading Baristanet posts?

Mel Katz was the principal at glenfield before he came to MHS (actually, he hasn't been the principal for ten years, more like 4 or 5) and i think he is one of the most valuable educators we have in the district. i am heartbroken that he is leaving - although i wish him and his family a happy and healthy retirement. still, it will be a challenge to replace a man of his integrity, perceptiveness and ability. he's just an extremely smart man and we were lucky to have him at the high school.

Dr. Katz (who was always just "Mel" to lots of parents) is simply terrific -- smart, clever, knew how to cut through the baloney, accessible, caring, funny and so much more. My son, about to be a senior at MHS, had him as Principal at Glenfield before Mel moved on to MHS. I continued to be impressed with everything about Mel at MHS. I think this is a terrible loss for the high school.

Hmmm...not my take on him. He always promised, but then didn't deliver. One of the reasons we have left the Montclair system.

Does the Board of School Estimate approve the BOE Organization Chart, of which Dr. Alverez fills, or is he free to create the Chart and the BSE simply have budget approval? In these times of soaring utility costs, and soaring commdity prices, it is hard to comprehend that the BOE can deliver on Budget, and the New School, without coming back for more. I say, De-Layer the organization; eliminate "Assistants" to anbody, either you have the job and the capabilities or not; and Insist on a 6% Rebate to the Taxpayers from the BOE. UAL pilot had a "contract", but they got laid off anyway, etc, etc. Real Estate values are sinking, pushing Montclair further into the abyss, where the Tax Percentage vs RE Value causes the pricing to tumble more. Do it now, before these positions and the school year officially starts. Where have you people been since last August in the sub-prime, etc? We've gone through these problems before, and they take 3-5 years to sort out. Oh yes, I forgot, the State is loosing money in the Investment Accounts for Pensions of Employees. No surprise.
I hope the NEW BSE members, call an emergency meeting with the BOE and lay it out now. I would have expected, that the new Administration, post July 1 Ceremony (Dr. Frank was there), would have said, "Dr. Alverez, I'd like to se your timeline for the Renassiance clean-up/inspections to be read into the July Council Meeting, so the residents know we are mutually on top of this". "You've got a week or so, and by the way, fnd a way to get your Expenditures down, or time to update your Resume. We are the Change Team, what about you?"
Guess that didn't happen.
I suppose labor/payroll is 80% of the costs, so impact has to come from there.
Now, not later what are you going to do, 6% this year and another 6% next year? Oh, forgot the new school, mostly funded by us. Maybe we should have designed one of theos $100 million plus high schools the state is paying for (oop, guess that's me paying, as a taxpayer).
You/we are bankrupt. We should just "file" and get it over with. Then the Gov and the Treasury head will really have something to talk about.

I wonder? Mel Katz has a contract with the board, but they, for reasons of their own, wanted him out, so we get a new acting principal at maybe $750 per day. But do we still have to pay Mel Katz until his contract is over. If so, we got the short end of the straw. Why not let Katz remain until his contract expires, at lease then we would not have to pay for two principals. Just wondering?

If he is retiring, why is his contract still in effect? I heard that he had submitted his resignation; different concept from retirement, I believe. Don't know which is true--the press release above doesn't say. I do know a lot of people wanted him gone.

If I read the press release correctly, Mt. Hebron loses Guy Whitlock to the morass of Central Office. That will be a true loss for Mt. Hebron.

I don't know anyone who wanted Dr. Katz "gone." But having been in the Montclair school system for 20 years (as a parent only), I can say that there are always different degrees of dissatisfaction with various schools/principals/teachers. That's Montclair (part of our charm, I guess). I was thrilled when the principal before Dr. Katz left MHS -- I was not a fan at all.
Let me add that I wish Dr. Joan Moriarty all the best. She taught my eldest son (now almost 25, a graduate of MHS, and in his 3rd year of med. school in NYC) for two years at Watchung. She was a terrific teacher and a lovely woman.

Great educators such as this deserve more pay and better contracts, with 90% of all pay for retirement. Hey prof. williams, whats with the jealousy of MEN with beards and educated people?.. me thinks I have the answer

Wasn't there a CAPA report done recently for MHS?

http://www.state.nj.us/education/capa/

If so, what were the results? Maybe that had something to do with so many on their way out the door at MHS?

Also, if they knew Katz was leaving, and it seems they did, why did they let both vice principals go? Wouldn't they have wanted one to fill the head spot?

now, when, oh when can we dump the current BOE?

It is just so infuriating to me that all of this ballooning of the central office staff is allowed without any accountability. Teacher on Special Assignment?! Office of School Community Relations?! When will it end?! Meanwhile, you have excellent educators leaving the Montclair school system because they are so fed up.

padre,

Jealously of the local bearded wonder (Alvarez) and the Nanny bearded wonder?

If only.

Unfortunately, neither has anything to be jealous of.

Dumb political decision (leaving the Senate when the Dems were in he minority because he thought they would never win again).

Or perhaps how much to "cares" for his lady Ms. Katz?

Locally, where to begin. Jealous of his lack of leadership?

Nah. I'm a man who takes responsibility for his actions- good or bad.

Clean shaven. Nothing to hide.

Still don't understand what a beard has to do with it prof. I thought it was a joke, but the way you harp on it... seems like a phobia. (The most crooked, out for them, well dressed, moral less SOB?s that I ever met were clean shaven, but that's my problem.) I think this is a deep seated neurosis involving a teacher you once had that did something...well something, and had a beard.

Of course if everyone with a beard was somehow evil, we could sure save a lot of time. (Lincoln rolls his eyes.)

And there is much rejoicing. That sucker didn't know his rear end from two bits worth of dry ice. Not at MHS or at Glenfield. Now. Maybe now. Especially with the election of a new town council and (if the Gods are on our side) we dump those turkeys at the BOE we can turn this town and school district around.
He always has been far more about style than substance.

OK Prof,

WHAT in the world are you talking about?

I haven't seen this many
words hinting at who knows what since before the election!

Translate,
please!

BOE Insider,

Clearly you're not in the IN crowd if you don't understand.

But to those that do:

THE BROWN MONKEY SINGS AT MIDNIGHT!!!!!

Prof, it maybe that this is not a crowd that I particularly want to be IN.

You're going to have to give me a better hin than the one above.

Are you the brown monkey???

This why people are moving to Morris, Warren and Somereset counties. Montclair taxpayers have never gotten the chance to vote on THEIR school budget. $116,000,000 and we don't elect school board members either. Montclair is one of only 13 towns in NJ that does it like that. You have a "Blue Ribbon" school system in Verona, a high school that is consistantly ranked in the top 50. Where does MHS rank? How about the failing schools under NCLB? Cedar Grove, Verona, Bloomfield, Glen Ridge don't have failing schools......When I was growing up in this area, we all wanted to go to MHS. Now, I would put my kid in a private situation.

The Town Council has limited "control" over the BOE, and other than some appointments it is all "financial."

We get to appoint the BOE members, and the next two vacancies don't come up until May 2009. We also get to appoint the Board of School Estimate which reviews and approves the school budget, in the March time frame.

Other than that, the Town issues the debt for the school.

The operation of the school, personnel decisions, etc are the Board of Education, and the Administrators sole responsibility. By law.

BOE: To quote Da Mayor (not Fried), "Those who'll tell don't know. Those who know won't tell."

joeyhairnet: Once again, to look at the "top list" misses the point about our schools and community.

You cannot compare an mostly white affluent town with a diverse- racially and economically- town.

We are blessed with diversity. However, with it comes students who historically have not performed to the level of their white peers. Therefore our "town" schools are less.

No biggie.

The best bet is to look at our top students and compare them.

And looking over where our students go to college, tell me again how bad our schools are?

profwilliams,
I was hoping that someone (other than me) would write exactly what you wrote.
You are 100% correct in my book. My younger son's
best friend got into every college he applied to for the 2008/2009 school year-- and they were all good schools (my son graduates in 2009). In fact the class of 2008 did quite well getting into fine colleges. Plus the diversity at MHS truly is a blessing. I could get on a soapbox about this but I won't. Suffice to say, I'd pick Montclair again in a second.

"The Town Council has limited "control" over the BOE, and other than some appointments it is all "financial."

I disagree, the mayor appoints all members (eventually) on the BOE (so 2 of the BOSE members indirectly) and he directly picks the remaining 3 members of the BOSE (himself included). I'd say he has a great amount of control over the BOE.

So he controls who sits on the BOE that makes many decisions on how the schools operate and (if he picks wisely) he basically controls the BOSE vote on the budget.

Cary, was there a CAPA assessment recently for the HS? What were the results?

I'm pretty sure Katz took over for Elaine Davis in 2004, making his decade-long tenure nothing close to a decade. That said, I always admired his work and thought he had a good head on his shoulder.

mv,

We have the "first two" in May 2009. So by the time we've placed a "majority" of the BOE it's time for new elections! It's like each team gets to chose the team for the NEXT Council.

The Board of School Estimate approves the BUDGET.

But if the Board wants to reorganize, create new departments, introduce new languages, hire/fire anyone, renegotiate administrator salaries, it is their call.

Strange system.

Perhaps that is why some speak of desiring an elected board.

What's your thoughts, mv?

An elected board will only add to the list of problems. Just ask your neighbors in some they surrounding towns.

mv,

A CAPA assessment was recently done, and I was one of the parents who were interviewed by the State's CAPA team.

As you probably know, CAPA was not required for the school:

CAPA is a four-day process that targets Title I schools in improvement status as defined under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). During a CAPA visit, a team of six to seven experienced educators, district and school staff, representatives from higher education and Department of Education staff conduct a review of the school using CAPA Indicators and essential questions.

During the visit, the team analyzes data, reviews the school's NCLB Unified Plan, conducts interviews, makes classroom visitations, and gathers and analyzes data. A draft of the school report of findings and recommendations is discussed with district and school leadership staff. Based on this collaborative effort, an action plan is developed.

Central Office thought it a good idea, though, to do the CAPA.

Judging from the article in today's Montclair Times, I don't know if the report will ever be released in its entirety to the public, or whether a "synopis" will be offered at a Board meeting or school review.

I've seen what a CAPA report looks like and it is very complex with a "language" of it's own.

But all that means is that there would have to be a translator for us to be able to understand it.

I should also quickly add that many of the questions in the CAPA reflect as much on the school district as they do on the school, i.e. action at the school level may depend upon action at the district level.

Thanks for your thoughtful comments! Keep 'em coming!

It seems to me that people turn to an elected board when they get
frustrated with an appointed board.

When the appointed board acts
arrogant and goes off doing things many don't want.

With an elected board, with staggered terms, the "offenders" can be
tossed out.

They answer to and are responsible to the PUBLIC, not the
politicians.

The big problem with the school system, I think, is not the BOE but tenure--teachers and administrators are not accountable for their performance. What would it take (and I ask the question is all naivete) to double teachers' salaries in return for an end to tenure and the establishment of promotion based on a quantifiable performance measures? (I know I'm dreaming here, Cary, but please indulge me.)

"What's your thoughts, mv?"

That I agree while an elected board might not be the answer, the calls for it are increasing due to the "arrogance" and mismanagement by the appointed BOE.

Also, while the new mayor may only have two appointments in the next term, the point is still that the mayor/council controls who sits on the BOE and on the BOSE and thus has great control over the school operations and more so, the budget. But every council still seems quick to lay everything at the feet of the BOE....start using the power of the mayor/council to make some changes and to control spending! Do a good job, get re-elected and then add to your two appointments!

The CAPA web site does have info on the two middle schools in town, but nothing yet on the high school.

When that is posted, are you saying the report online is not the full report and that the full report is not available to the public? My understanding is there is a 1-5 ranking system in different areas and that MHS was at the low end of most.

Thanks once again Cary.

Dear Walleroo,

The concept of bonuses for teachers is lively, and controversial. I believe NYC has just implemented such a program.

Coming from a background that includes sales and sales management I can personally testify to the "motivating" power of bonuses!

Are there others here with relevant experience who can comment?

Also, thanks mv for the link. The CAPA report for Glenfield was very interesting! Very in-depth. I believe it is a "summary" and no such "summary" has been written for the High School.

I believe what's been done so far is "raw" scores. Again, I've seen examples of CAPA reports at this level and it's difficult for a "layman" like me to make sense of.

Nice tribute to Katz from Cary Africk on the Watercooler today.