Even when you know something is coming, reading it in black and white  somehow makes it more real. It wasn’t until I read an email to all staff recently that I realized it was actually happening: one of my mentors, colleagues and friends was retiring from NJSBA.  I didn’t expect to feel emotional over her retirement, but I did.

Sometimes in life you are blessed to work with someone who is not only intelligent, talented, and hard-working, but someone who is such a positive personality that they are always a joy to work with. They are the kind of person who, if you have a problem with them, you better take a good hard look at yourself because everyone knows that they are not the problem. You are blessed to have worked with them because during that time they helped you make you a better professional.

I have been privileged over the past 14 years to work with Joanne Borin. I would like to take the time out from discussing the educational issues of the day (the world won’t end if we wait a week to talk about tenure reform, teacher evaluations or school funding ) to talk about someone who has been one of the most positive influences for me at NJSBA. (more…)

After I graduated from college, I took the summer off and back- packed through Europe because I figured that it might be the last time I could travel without time constraints (Of course, I was right about this).  Not being able to speak the native languages provided some funny and not-so- funny incidents. In any case, I am sure most of you have been in a situation where the discussion is hampered by the two people not speaking the same language. It can be frustrating at times and shows how simple things can become so complicated.

Last week I described an education reform program I attended,  Rethinking Education Governance for the Twenty-First Century, which was sponsored by the Fordham Institute.  The presenters were for the most part academics with impressive credentials. For those who have been part of public education for a while, some of these concepts may just turn your world upside down. That is because they are seriously considering “rethinking” education, not just tweaking it.

Most of you know that the commissioner and governor both want to change teacher tenure and teacher evaluations, as well as provide more charter school opportunities for parents. What was fascinating about the program at the Fordham Institute was the thrust of the discussion: that the next reform we need to consider involves changing how school districts are governed. (more…)