Community Education Council 24

P.S. 91 Room 119 68-10 Central Avenue

Glendale, New York 11385
Phone: 718.418.8160 / Fax: 718.418.8168/ Cec24@nycboe.net

New York City Department of Education

Visit our website at www.myschoolonline.com/ny/cec24
Nick Comaianni Dmytro Fedkowskyj Dominic Coticchio Ernest Cury Nancy Carbone
President 1St Vice President 2nd Vice President Treasurer Secretary

Council Members Department of Education Region 4 Officials

Lelani Bomani Reyes Irizarry
Cecilia Chavez Regional Superintendent
Dan Creighton Charles Amundsen
Marge Kolb Deputy Superintendent
JoAnne Scichilone Catherine M. Powis
Community Superintendent

FINAL BOARD APPROVED MINUTES

Minutes of Calendar Meeting
April 25, 2006
At PS 58, School of Heroes, Maspeth, New York

1) Call to order and Roll Call -- The Calendar meeting convened at PS 58 at 7:00
PM

Roll Call – Present

• Nick Comaianni
• Dominic Coticchio
• Ernest Cury
• Dmytro Fedkowskyj
• Marge Kolb
• JoAnne Scichilone

Roll Call Absent

• Nancy Carbone
• Cecilia Chavez
• Juan Hernandez

Roll Call Late

• Lelani Bomani
• Daniel Creighton
Also in attendance

Catherine Powis, Community Superintendent; Robert Jackson, New York City Council
Member and Education Committee Chair; Esther Morell, Chair, NYCDOE Committee on
Special Education; Sandy Brawer, NYCDOE Director of Operations, Region 4

2) Approval of Minutes

On motion duly made and seconded the minutes of the March 28, 2006 meeting were
unanimously approved.

3) Report of the President

Nick Comaianni stated that special education awards will be given to nominees who go
above and beyond their duties as educators and community members. He also stated that
Councilman Robert Jackson, Chair of the NYC Council’s Education Committee will be
in attendance to discuss the CFE law suit. He further stated that Sandy Brawer, Director
of Region 4 will be in attendance to discuss the Fiscal Year 2007 budge. He closed his
report by stating that Ester Morrell, Chair of the Committee on Special Education,
Region 4 will also speak about issues regarding our District and Region. Mr.
Comaianni also announced the date of District 24’s Cancer Buster Revlon Run/Walk.

4) Joanne Scichilone announced the recipients of the Special Education Plaques

honoring outstanding work done by members of the District 24 School community. The
recipients were as follows: Ms. Dawn Bordo, PS 49, Ms. Linda China, Principal, PS 88,
Ms. Verinder Kahlon, PS 143, Ms. Laurie Grimaldi, R.N. PS 12, Ms. Rosabla Maistoru,
Parent Advocate, Ms. Caryn Michaeli, Principal, PS/IS 87 Ms. Rosemary Ochoa, IS 9
Ms. Mindy Petersol, PS 88, Ms. Dana Schutt, PS 28, the Parent Association of PS 12 and
Ms. Sherry Ortega.

Out of Order

6) Guest Speaker Councilman Robert Jackson, Education Committee Chair

Mr. Jackson updated the public on the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, hereafter known as
CFE. He stated that Governor Pataki signed into law the budget containing $11.2 billion
in capital funding. This means $1.8 billion for New York City for next fiscal year which
ends June 30, 2007. This means that 21 schools to the tune of 21,000 seats will go
forward. Specifically in D24 the schools and the extensions and rehabilitation projects
will move forward in accordance with the Five Year Capital Plan of the City of New
York that was adopted 2 years ago by the City Council. This is a great day for New York
City. The CFE court order calls for $24 billion for the children of the City of New York.
Justice Degrasse in a court order said $5.63 billion in operating money over 4 years
should be give by the state to New York City every year thereafter $5.63 billion. If you
add that up together with the capital money which is used to make major repairs and
build schools, operating money is used to retain educators and fund other programs. Mr.
Jackson gave a short time-line regarding the CFE court case. Mr. Jackson stated that this
money would help District 24 in that it is the most over-crowded district in the City of
New York. Mr. Jackson then took questions from the council.

Mr. Comaianni stated that there are so many sites in District 24 and residential buildings
are going up even though we pointed these sites to the School Construction Authority.
Mr. Jackson stated that he feels that in certain cases eminent domain should be
implemented if needed.

Nick Comaianni asked Mr. Jackson what he intends to do to help give power to the
parents to which Mr. Jackson replied that the Education Committee has oversight of the
DOE but cannot mandate the chancellor or the mayor to do anything. Mr. Jackson stated
that he is not in favor of mayoral control.

Marge Kolb reminded Mr. Jackson of the glacial pace at which the Department of
Education moves by stating that she is constantly hearing of new initiatives yet never sees
them implemented in a timely fashion.

Dmytro Fedkowskyj reflected on Councilman Jackson's CFE fight of more than a decade
ago and thanked him for the vision and standing up for every child in public school.
"It's because of you, that our capital funding is in place and we must continue the CFE
fight".

Mr. Fedkowskyj further stated that parent involvement is key to improving the school
system. He then stated that Title 1 funds could be used for promoting parental
involvement. Mr. Jackson replied that schools that do not receive Title 1 funding must
use other funds and decide what priority is for them, if it is in fact promoting parent
involvement.

Mr. Comaianni thanked Councilman Jackson.

5) Report of the Community Superintendent

Ms. Powis stated that the Department of Education is committed to supplying a safe and
secure learning environment and thus has begun the implementation of the city-wide
unannounced scanning at middle and high schools. The New York City Police
Department will be assisting in its implementation. This is part of the safety initiative for
New York City Public Schools. During the scanning students will be asked to go through
a metal scanning machine for the purpose of detecting any of the items that students are
prohibited from bringing to school. Ms. Powis also reminded the audience about the
Parent Fair on May 6, 2006. Mr. Fedkowskyj pointed out as Marge Kolb had the month
before that the first Saturday of May is a big day for first Communions and perhaps in the
future an alternate date could be chosen.
Marge Kolb asked Ms. Powis if the scanning will definitely happen in middle schools in
District 24 to which she replied that the school will be notified 24 hours in advance if
there will be scanning the next day. Ms. Kolb stated that scanning in such a matter would
hold up the students from entering the building and getting settled. Ms. Powis stated that
the DOE will cross this path when and if the situation arises. Ms. Kolb then stated that
she would be interested to know the results of a random scanning.

Joanne Scichilone asked if students would be subjected to disciplinary actions regarding

their cell phones to which Ms. Powis replied that the cell phones are listed in the
Chancellor’s Regulations as prohibited, and thus they will be confiscated however she is
sure that provisions will be made to release cell phones to the parents of the students.
Ms. Scichilone asked again if their will be disciplinary actions against students who have
cell phones and Ms. Powis stated that she cannot guarantee there will not be actions
taken.

6) Guest Speakers

Mr. Comaianni then introduced Sandy Brawer, Director, Region 4.

Mr. Brawer gave a presentation regarding school allocations for Fiscal Year 2006/007.
Mr. Brawer stated that D24 now has a lot of money in the budget to move forward with
the proposed construction as well as repair work. We are going into a new year and the
DOE is putting a lot of control in the Principal’s hands regarding staff, that is to say, who
they hire. He stated that that helps a lot in terms of dictating what kind of programs will
be implemented in what particular schools. No longer will we have the few staff across
the city that gets passed on from school to school that know one really wants teaching
their children. The DOE now has a situation where schools can hire their own staff, and
no one will get excessed. Mr. Brawer also spoke about the Chancellor’s new
accountability program as well the expansion of the ‘autonomous zone’ which will try to
make schools autonomous. The goal of what the DOE is trying to do is to put money
directly into the hands of the schools and let the actual schools make the decisions. The
Mayor and the Chancellor want to put money into the schools and let them decide how to
spend it in the best way. Mr. Brawer then presented the above information and other
information in a Microsoft Power Point presentation.

Dmytro Fedkowskyj inquired about funding to reduce class size to which Mr. Brawer
stated that in D24 there are classes which have reduced size in certain grades but not
throughout all the grades.

Mr. Comaianni stated that if there are less than 20 students in a class you would get extra
money from the state to which Mr. Brawer stated that the DOE receives an allocation
from the state, we get a flat rate. The New York City is required to fund 25 students per
class based on tax levy dollars. The state gives a certain amount of dollars to the city and
from that the city is expected to reduce class size but it is not enough money to reduce
every class size throughout NYC to 20 students.
After the presentation Mr. Brawer took questions from the audience.

Mr. Comaianni introduced Ester Morell, Chair, Committee on Special Education

Ms. Morell stated that she is in charge of placing special education students in schools
throughout the District. Ms. Morell encouraged the audience to become parent members
to assist in the process of learning the special education process. She gave out her
business card as well as parent member application. She then took numerous questions
from the audience.

Joanne Scichilone stated that a parent whose child is in a CTT class had to pay for Sylvan
courses because her child was not eligible for summer school. Ms. Scichilone asked if
there was a way, because this is a CTT student that she can enter summer school instead
of having the parent pay for Sylvan to which Ms. Morell stated that the DOE would have
to look at the child’s academic record. Ms. Scichilone stated that she knew of more
impartial hearings this year than last and she asked if there is any kind of effort by the
region to try to mediate these impartial hearing before they are contracted out and how
much do these hearings cost. Morell replied that she didn’t know how much it costs but
she added that Region 4 has the lowest rate of impartial hearing so every effort is made
before parents have an impartial hearing. Within 10 or 15 school days the DOE must
make an effort to meet with the parents and settle the issues. Ms. Scichilone then stated
that parents have told her that they have been told that they are not allowed to record CSE
meetings. She then asked if CSE meetings are allowed to be recorded to which Ms.
Morell stated that not being allowed to record CSE meetings is not accurate information.
She further stated that parents are allowed to tape record the meetings. Ms. Scichilone
then asked if there was any specific thing that parents must do to let the CSE know ahead
of time that they plan on recording the meeting to which Ms. Morell stated that out of
common courtesy the parents should inform the people present that are recording the
meeting. Ms. Scichilone reiterated that parents are allowed to record CSE meeting to
which Ms. Morell replied in the affirmative. Ms. Scichilone then asked what the DOE
plans to do regarding Turning 5 placements as last year it did not run smoothly; Ms.
Morell stated that she fully understands it did not run well last year and this year and that
the CSE will make every effort to do it better. There are many children to review and she
expects to be finished much earlier than last year and is also making every effort to keep
the children close to home. Ms. Scichilone inquired as to who decides what schools will
have CTT classes to which Ms. Morell stated that there are a number of factors, clearly
where the children live is the most important factor but there are space limitations to take
into consideration. It is a collaborative effort and Ms. Morell feels that principals want
CTT classes. The council thanked Ms. Morell.

7) Meeting with President’s Panel – No issues were raised

8) Resolutions -- None

9) Committee Reports
Ernest Cury, Chair of the English Language Learners Committee stated that Victor
Lopez is the newest member of the committee and welcomed him aboard (pending DOE
approval). He further announced that the Office of Parent Engagement is sponsoring a
city-wide conference and proceeded to give the date and location. Mr. Cury stated that
he will attend and report back to the council.

Dmytro Fedkowskyj, Chair of the Building, Zoning and Maintenance Committee

stated that the money is in the budget to build additional seats but we do not know the
plan as to how it will be used. This committee hopes to have meetings to see what will
actually be carried out in the 5 Year Capital Plan. Mr. Fedkowskyj went over a report
filed with Ms. Grimm’s office last year regarding changes in the 5 Year Capital Plan.

Joanne Scichilone, Chair of the Special Education Committee stated that everything
was covered by Ms. Morell.

Marge Kolb, Chair of the Curriculum Committee stated that Chancellor Klein rolled
out his new program regarding evaluations of schools carried out by an independent
agency. She then stated that last month the Community Education Council District 24
passed a resolution regarding the Gifted and Talented program at PS 153 and PS 16. This
program has been traditionally started in Kindergarten and now without any reason the
Department of Education has decided to start the program in 1st grade and so we passed a
resolution regarding this matter preferring a K start. She has since written to Deputy
Chancellor Carmen Farina to follow up on this issue.

10) Old Business – Issue of bussing from Middle Village to I.S. 119

Ms. Powis stated that she is working on the issue together with Mr. Scarpa, Director of
Pupil Transportation.

11) New Business – DCEP

Mr. Comaianni stated that a meeting will take place at PS 91 regarding the DCEP on May
1st 2006 at 4pm.

12) Public Agenda – none

13) Adjournment

Mr. Comaianni motioned to adjourn. Mr. Fedkowskyj seconded. Meeting was adjourned
at 10 PM.