by Ira J. Schildkraut
Dr. Eric L. Eversley’s last superintendent’s report prior to his retirement, presented at the June 24 meeting of the Freeport Board of Education, highlighted the positive academic movement that has been the hallmark of his tenure.
District Mathematics/Computer Science Coordinator Nance Schempp used State Education Department-released grades 3-8 math assessment results from March tests to show the progress Freeport’s students have made.
In 2005-06 test results showed that 95% of all grade 3 students had achieved proficiency on the state math test. This year it was 99%. In the same time period grade 4 students went from 96% proficiency to 97%.
Perfection was the result for third graders at Archer Street and Leo F. Giblyn Schools, with 100% of the students at those schools achieving proficiency. Among fourth graders, 98% at Archer Street and 96% at Giblyn reached that level.
Bayview Avenue School’s proficiency results were 98% for grade 3 and 95% for grade 4. At New Visions School, 99% of third graders and 98% of fourth graders achieved that performance level.
The greatest improvements were shown at Caroline G. Atkinson Intermediate and John W. Dodd Middle Schools. In 2005-06 59% of Atkinson grade 5 students achieved proficiency; this year it was 90%. Among sixth graders, 60% achieved proficiency in 2005-06; this year, it was 84%.
Only 45% of Dodd seventh graders reached proficiency in 2005-06; in 2008-09 the results had more than doubled to 98%. Eighth graders went from a 52% proficiency rate in in 2005-06 to 89% this year.
Ms. Schempp attributed the improvement to five strategies: evaluating students in earlier grades to address academic problems, continuing professional development to meet individual students’ needs, using test data to determine the level and type of support needed by students, using technology such as Smart Boards and classroom computers to enhance instruction, and continuing to review and revise curriculum maps to keep current with state curricular changes.
After Ms. Schempp praised administrators, teachers, parents, and students for working hard to improve achievement, Dr. Eversley praised her for her efforts since 2002 to improve student scores.
Turning to another aspect of student achievement, Dr. Eversley congratulated Freeport High School Principal Ernest J. Kight Jr. on a successful closing of school, noting that the problems last year that had led to community meetings on school security did not reoccur this June.
The superintendent noted that the closing was orderly, and represented “a great job by Mr. Kight and the high school staff.” He also credited the students with wanting and working to avoid what had occurred last year.
Addressing Mr. Kight, Board Vice-President Deborah Mulé echoed Dr. Eversley, saying, “Your leadership has really given us what we needed.” Board members Ronald Ellerbe, Michael Pomerico and Carmen Pineyro likewise congratulated the new FHS principal.
Ms. Pineyro declared, “The culture of the high school has changed so much. For that to happen takes real leadership. Civility has been restored and a sense of trust in you exists among students, staff, and parents at the high school. You have brought back to the high school a sense of pride.”
The meeting had opened with three musical numbers by the districtwide chorus, which was introduced by District Arts Coordinator Anne-Marie Hudley-Simmons. Among the selections were “If I Could Give the World the Gift of Song” and the spiritual “Shine On Me.”
In the action portion of this last public meeting of the 2008-2009 school year, the board accepted leaves of absence from Nadjari Prophete, Joanne Coons, and Ann Isaac; resignations from Lauren Fisher, Jessica Ryan, Bryan Cochol, Lori Cook, Eugene Chapman, and Barbara Shelley; appointed elementary and secondary summer school administrative and teaching staff; and appointed Community Evening High School administrative and teaching staff.
The board made six probationary instructional appointments: Lori Cook (reading, Bayview), Christopher Farrell (special education, New Visions), Matthew Fliegel (English, Dodd). Christine Bishop (library media specialist, Bayview), Rebecca Karp (special education, Giblyn), and Barbara Shelley (physical education, Atkinson).
Four temporary instructional appointments were also approved: Timothy McShan (JROTC, FHS), Donald Moore Jr. (JROTC, FHS), Kathryn Wagner (math, Dodd), and Lisa Ann Zabala (Bayview).
The board accepted resignations from Sharon Grauer, Jacqueline Stanich, and Cynthia Marcellus.
Over the objections of resident Alan Jay, the board granted tenure to 34 professional employees, including two administrators, Jane Albert (district-wide administrator) and Amanda Villalba (Giblyn principal).
Among the teachers receiving tenure were those from Archer Street School: Elizabeth Biscotti, Justina Rocca, and Donna Rusinek; and Bayview Avenue School teachers Tanisha Mason, Mysti Williams-Vakkas, Kara Urquhart-Green, and Andrea Parisi.
Also: Leo F. Giblyn teachers Meghan McCormack-Carney, Jacqueline Margaroli, Gina Rocker, and Stephanie Huggard; New Visions teachers Diana Sandoval and German Banegas; and Caroline G. Atkinson Intermediate School teachers Emily Hertzberg and Jennifer Ferrarelli.
Tenure was also granted to John W. Dodd Middle School teachers Nicholas Alberti, Lauren Artuso, Mauren Bonano, Rosette Jean-Baptiste, and Nital Doshi.
In addition, the board approved tenure for Jordana Sass, Melissa Rosen, Joshua Levitt, Jessica Littlefield, Natalie Ashby, Deniele Byrnes, Dawn Ruia, Shanequa Thompson, Kevin LaBarr, Gigi Mardigras, Cheryl Bencivenga, and Kristin Fagan at Freeport High School.
After the tenure appointments were approved, many in the audience got up to leave. Trustee Michael Pomerico criticized their departure: “I know everyone has things to do, but I consider it disrespectful that people can’t remain until the meeting is over.”
In other actions, the board approved transferring up to $1 million from the district’s existing fund balance to the capital reserve fund for building renovations and also transferred money from the fund balance to make contributions to the retirement system.
The board accepted a cooperative bid for paint and painting supplies.
In other proceedings, four New Visions students thanked board President Deborah McQuillan for arranging 12 summer camp scholarships for them and eight other at the school. New Visions Principal Renee Crump presented outgoing Superintendent Eversley and incoming Superintendent Kishore Kuncham with school T-shirts in recognition of their efforts to construct New Visions and enable it to achieve the status of a nationally recognized School of Excellence.
Dr. Eversley announced three grants the district had won. He thanked county Legislator David Denenberg for assisting Freeport in receiving $13,000 for the “Wednesday Program” at Archer Street School to bridge communications between home and school in order to enhance student performance,
The superintendent thanked Michael Singleton, interim executive director for operations, for his perseverance in obtaining a $7,500 county grant for an electronic information board for Freeport High School.
The district has also been awarded a three-year $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to expand guidance services at the elementary schools and Atkinson.
The board and incoming superintendent Dr. Kishore Kuncham set July 21 for an all-day work and planning session to prepare for the 2009-2010 school year.
As the meeting came to a close, it was time to thank retiring Dr, Eversley for his eight years of service to the children of Freeport. PTA Council President Ellen Frey and school board members all wished him well. Trustee Pineyro also thanked him for taking the time to learn Spanish so he could better communicate with parents.
Dr. Eversley declared “Working in Freeport has been a great experience for me. I felt very much at home here. Even when there was controversy, everyone just wanted to do what was best for the students.”
Noting that he had not missed a school board meeting in his eight years here, he ended his remarks with a problem he now faces: “I am still trying to figure out what to do with my Wednesday nights every other week.’
The next public meeting will be the annual reorganization meeting at 7:30 pm on Friday, July 10, at New Visions School.