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Taylor M
Citizen
Username: Anotherusername
Post Number: 305
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 20, 2005 - 8:28 pm: | 
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Well it looks like our school distrcit made it in the papers again!
7th-grade French cut as cost-saving move
District says enrollment has been declining
Sunday, February 20, 2005
BY KATIE WANG
Star-Ledger Staff
Next school year, seventh-graders in South Orange and Maplewood schools can say au revoir to French class.
The district, citing budget constraints and declining enrollments, is eliminating the Romance language from its seventh-grade curriculum. Students can resume their French studies in eighth grade.
"French is certainly well thought of in this school district and it should continue on," said Superintendent Peter Horoschak. "But we have to find new ways of cutting expenditures."
The number of middle school students taking Spanish this year is more than double that of taking French. According to the district, there are 201 students enrolled in French, compared with 494 students studying Spanish.
State education officials could not think of any other districts in New Jersey that have cut a French class because of money or enrollment.
"It's certainly something that concerns us," said Janis Jensen, world languages coordinator for the state Department of Education. "We are a diverse state and we would like to see a variety of languages taught."
In South Orange, by getting rid of French in seventh grade, the district plans to cut one full-time teaching staff position. The students who would have taken French will then be absorbed into the Spanish classes.
But that leaves them ill-prepared for advanced high school French classes say some teachers and students in the district.
"I'm very disappointed," said Catherine Politi, a French teacher at Columbia High School. "I think this will seriously affect our scholars. Students have received scholarships because of French."
Rina Cohen, a ninth-grader at Columbia High School, agreed. Cohen took three years of French before coming to high school.
"I think that the teachers and the administration think that Spanish is more important than French," said Cohen. "A lot of the French students and teachers don't agree with that and they're fighting it."
Teachers and students have pleaded with the district to keep French in the curriculum for seventh-graders. For now, the class has been axed, but the budget will not be voted upon until March.
"We're being caused to do this," said Horoschak, who blames recent legislation that puts tighter restrictions on school spending. "That is distressing."
Katie Wang covers South Orange and Maplewood. She can be reached at kwang@starledger.com or (973) 392-1504.
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Southorangemom
Citizen
Username: Southorangemom
Post Number: 168
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, February 20, 2005 - 9:26 pm: |
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"Oh dear, oh bother," as Winnie the Pooh would say. More bad press for our district.
The superintendent is blaming the slashing of the French program on budgetary problems. Other school districts don't cut content from the World Language department, but here in South Orange-Maplewood we are forced to do so.
SouthOrangeMom
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CageyD
Citizen
Username: Cageyd
Post Number: 231
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 8:37 am: |
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Me thinks that eliminating bonuses and raises for administrators (who have done little to improve our schools performance and/or reputation) would cover the cost of a French teacher position.
Super H and Mde. Davenport, how about making your own personal budget cuts for the benefit of the students. |
mem
Citizen
Username: Mem
Post Number: 4642
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 8:45 am: |
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"We're being caused to do this," said Horoschak, who blames recent legislation that puts tighter restrictions on school spending. "That is distressing."
This guy won't step up to the plate and do his job - he blames tighter budget - what about all those raises for admin?
This is disgraceful. |
Bobkat
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 7669
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 9:04 am: |
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Usually when the budget war heats up Super H goes for the music program as a bargaining chip. Last year that didn't work as it was getting very old. This year it appears he is trying a new tactic.
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sbenois
Citizen
Username: Sbenois
Post Number: 13224
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 9:21 am: |
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Bobbestk,
In the interest of trying to save you from yourself, please take the time to read up on the nuances of this year's budget cycle, the impact of much higher energy costs and other factors that are variable in nature (and beyond our control) and then come back with something that makes sense.
Thankey. |
mem
Citizen
Username: Mem
Post Number: 4643
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 9:45 am: |
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Sben,
Are you OK with the way this guy is running the school system? |
lumpyhead
Citizen
Username: Lumpyhead
Post Number: 1120
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 9:50 am: |
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Me thinks it's pure sarcasm Mem! |
mem
Citizen
Username: Mem
Post Number: 4644
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 9:54 am: |
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Thanks lumpy. But sometimes sben can surprise you. Either way, I always respect his opinion.
"We're being caused to do this." (this sentence is just too much.) What if a CEO said this, on top of a 25% failure rate? Bye Bye CEO. Let's do the same in this situation. |
Bobkat
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 7671
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 9:54 am: |
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Sbenois - Since this has been going on year after year throughout the time Dr. H has been here, I am very cynical on statements he makes about cuts as the budget cycle moves into high gear.
Ever hear the story about the boy who cried wolf?
With that said this is going to be a tougher than normal year. Decisions are going to have to be made, some of which are going to not please various sub sets of our community. Seventh grade French may or may not be one of them.
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mem
Citizen
Username: Mem
Post Number: 4645
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 9:56 am: |
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How about cut exhorbitant admin raises? |
LibraryLady(ncjanow)
Supporter
Username: Librarylady
Post Number: 2218
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 10:46 am: |
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Now Mem, we have to keep giving them big raises so that they don't leave and go somewhere else. Wouldn't want to lose them, would we??? |
Cynicalgirl
Citizen
Username: Cynicalgirl
Post Number: 1141
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 12:26 pm: |
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I often wonder the job description for the various administrator roles. I keep reading here that if we don't increase the compensation package, we will lose them to more competitive districts. I wonder.
You see the same thing in for-profit sectors, justifying sr exec pay. This kind of self justifying story that keeps the top dogs getting really high compensation packages.
So. I find myself wondering what credentials and experience are required for principal and up, and whether there mightn't be talent from within the ranks (teachers, school level supervisors) who would have the necessary credentials and perhaps more investment in the admin roles. Probably wouldn't be looking for the big packages, either.
I could be way off base ... On the other hand, I'd rather see a really top notch teacher, who's been at it for awhile, with a master's in an administrative role.
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mem
Citizen
Username: Mem
Post Number: 4646
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 12:59 pm: |
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Cynical,
Nice post.
Does anyone know why we have such an expensive, top heavy admin system?
I don't seem to remember this when I was at CHS...but then, we had shop classes, french, more arts and a lot of incredible, dedicated teachers. This was before H by the way, and taxes were less than 1/4 of what they are now. |
Montagnard
Citizen
Username: Montagnard
Post Number: 1431
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 3:06 pm: |
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It's nice not to have the music program and the enrichment program used as pawns this year, so I suppose the Academy Street gang is slowly learning. It's also less embarassing to be faced with a straight cut as opposed to some idiotic scheme to teach language by video.
I would be prepared to pay directly for language instruction for my children, especially if the District provides the space and some administrative support. Language is best learned in small groups with motivated students and family support, so if enough families were interested in maintaining a District-affiliated but independent program, we could guarantee its continuation so long as our children were in school. |
Albatross
Citizen
Username: Albatross
Post Number: 518
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 3:13 pm: |
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The music program isn't a pawn this year because it's already been hit; fourth grade instrumental music is already gone. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 5604
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 10:42 pm: |
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Do I infer correctly, Albatross, that you believe that once they cut fourth grade instrumental music, they can't possibly cut music any further? |
Dave
Moderator
Username: Dave
Post Number: 5343
Registered: 4-1998
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 22, 2005 - 12:44 am: |
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Can someone post hard data that shows the administration is either top-heavy or over-paid compared to neighboring districts? (I'm not challenging any statements here; I'm asking because I'm curious.) |
sbenois
Citizen
Username: Sbenois
Post Number: 13230
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 22, 2005 - 12:50 am: |
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http://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/finance/AnalysisOfAdministrativeStaffing.pdf
(prepared by Super H about a year ago...there are also links to Comparative Guides prepared by the state if you poke around. Some are buried in this doc but are dated) |
doublea
Supporter
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 906
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 22, 2005 - 7:14 am: |
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Addendum #4 of the memo from Dr. H. to the BOE is a comparison of SOM administrative salaries to other districts. In this memo, the merit pay increases are not included. Yet, the merit pay increases were included in the argument that the raises given were not that large. Is that correct? I think that was the point of the letter to the editor in last weeks News-Record. |
malone
Citizen
Username: Malone
Post Number: 270
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 11:36 am: |
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I wouldn't shed too many tears. The district's 7th grade French program was already so watered down that it was nearly useless. When my daughter was in 7th grade, she had French only 1/2 of the time (3 days per week) for half of the year (as per standard policy at the time). We moved to another district prior to her 8th grade year and she was so behind in comparison to other kids who had been given full time french since grade 5, that she really really struggled to catch up. |
Chris Prenovost
Citizen
Username: Chris_prenovost
Post Number: 348
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 12:29 pm: |
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$86,000,000.00
How much is enough? Eighty six million dollars for the school system, and nothing for french class?
I am 100% with those who say cut the administrative bonuses. Less for admin, more for teaching.
And by the way, how much will this save? Does anyone know? Or is Horoshack playing games? |
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