By Dr. Larry Feinsod

Depending on whom you listen to, and when you listen to them, the economy is improving…or not.  The employment picture is getting better…or not.  State government revenues are improving…but certainly not enough.

Without question, the economic climate is uncertain. School boards need flexibility, not restrictions, under such financial circumstances.  Unfortunately, Read the rest of this entry »

By Dr. Larry Feinsod

This past weekend was a milestone for the New Jersey School Boards Association.  After a five-year hiatus, our Association resumed one of the nation’s most effective training programs for school leaders: the weekend New Board Member Orientation. Read the rest of this entry »

By Dr. Larry Feinsod

The 2002 study, School Boards at the Dawn of the 21st Century, conducted by the University of Virginia and sponsored by the National School Boards Association, cited “funding” and “student achievement” as the leading concerns among board of education members nationwide.  “Special education,” “improving educational technology” and “teacher quality” followed closely.

In the second decade of the new century, these very same subjects, along with school security and facilities, are still Read the rest of this entry »

By Dr. Larry Feinsod

Readers of Doris Kearns Goodwin’s 2005 work, A Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, no doubt appreciated Daniel Day-Lewis’ award-winning performance as our 16th President in the movie “Lincoln,” which I thought was outstanding.

Through a combination of principle and political pragmatism, Lincoln saved the Union at the most critical point of its pre-adolescence.  I use the term “pre-adolescence” because, looking back at Lincoln’s time, one finds that many of the institutions that are now part of our daily lives—including public education— Read the rest of this entry »

 By Ray Pinney

When the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights legislation was passed, I wrote a blog entry,  A Student Solution to Bullying, that described a situation when my son stood up to a bully and I was very proud of him. I worried he’d be one of those kids who got picked on.

I’m sure that the fear that my son would be bullied was something that all parents can sympathize with. But there is another fear that never crossed my mind. It’s one that some parents are now dealing with – that your child is labeled as a bully. Two recent events have indicated to me that a there is a new concern with labeling a young person a bully.

The first concerned the Commissioner of Education ruling on two appeals of district action taken under the anti-bullying law. Interestingly, in both cases, the appeal was brought by the parents of the student accused of being the bully.

Second, the New Jersey Anti-Bullying Task Force, which was established by the law to study the law’s impact, released its preliminary report on January 26, 2013.  We are eighteen months into the implementation of this law, so it is a good time to take a look at it and see how it is working and maybe how it should be amended.

As I stated earlier, Read the rest of this entry »

By Dr. Larry Feinsod

Since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, I have been hearing the same question from educators and parents across the state:  “Can anything be done to prevent the kind of violence that occurred in Newtown?”   My answer—the only answer possible—is, “We have to try.”

Yes, we all are engaged in an ongoing and permanent effort to make our schools safe for our children. NJSBA, for example, has presented statewide and county programs to educate school districts on the topic and has developed a special webpage with school security resources and information at www.njsba.org/schoolsecurity. Certainly, we have to do more.

To establish direction for our schools, NJSBA President John Bulina Read the rest of this entry »

By Dr. Larry Feinsod

I’ve just returned from a week of meetings with educational leaders and key congressional staff members in the nation’s capital.  Washington, DC, is an amazing city, rich with historic and cultural sites and full of federal decision-makers, who have far more impact on our schools than we often realize.

To confirm this, one need only recognize that many of New Jersey’s educational initiatives are closely aligned with Read the rest of this entry »

By

Ray Pinney

Karen, a Morris County board member came up to me after a recent Morris County meeting and with great passion, stated her objection to superintendent salary caps.  Her reasoning came down to this “I am not looking for a good educational leader to lead my district. I want the best because our kids deserve the best. I want them to excel!”

You can quibble with Karen on her objection to the salary caps but there’s no denying Karen’s motives for her beliefs. She is dedicated public servant who is focused like a laser beam on improving the education her community’s students receive. She has a passion for public education.

This blog is not about superintendent salary caps, nor is it about Karen being a special board member, which she is. While Karen is special, she is not unique. In fact, most board members have that same passion for public education.

One of the benefits of my job is that for almost fifteen years I have had the opportunity to work closely with thousands of board members who, like Karen, are dedicated to the children of their community. Yet I would dare say that the perception that I have of board members is not the one the general public has.

While I should be accustomed to the passion that many board members display, for some reason I am always a bit surprised by it. While January is School Board Recognition month and Read the rest of this entry »

 By Dr. Larry Feinsod

This past Friday concluded an especially active and satisfying period for the New Jersey School Boards Association. The highlight, and by no means the only activity, was our school security forum at The College of New Jersey. By all measures, the program was a real success.

A good organization takes satisfaction from a job well done; a great one focuses on the next steps.  So Friday’s forum marked just the beginning of NJSBA’s efforts on the issue of safe and secure schools.  We are planning Read the rest of this entry »