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@schools.nyc.gov
New York City Department of Education
Nick Comaianni Dmytro Fedkowskyj Debbie Tscherne Ernest Cury Secretary
President 1St Vice President 2nd Vice President Treasurer Shwe Zin OO

Council Members Department of Education Officials

Maria D’Amico Catherine M. Powis
Bill Kregler Community Superintendent District 24
Brian Rafferty
Evelyn Sanchez
German Sarmiento
Peter Vercessi

FINAL BOARD APPROVED MINUTES

Minutes of Calendar Meeting
August 28, 2007
PS 58, School of Heroes, 72-24 Grand Avenue, Maspeth, NY

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

Roll Call – Present

• Nick Comaianni
• Ernest Cury
• Maria D’Amico
• Dmytro Fedkowskyj
• Bill Kregler
• Debbie Tscherne

Roll Call Absent

• Evelyn Sanchez
• German Sarmiento
• Winnie OO
• Brian Rafferty
• Peter Vercessi

Also in attendance

Ms. Catherine Powis, Community Superintendent and Mr. Sandy Brawer, Deputy
Executive Director of Business Services, Queens Integrated Service Center
2) Approval of Minutes

Nick Comaianni motioned to approve the minutes of July 10, 2007. Debbie Tscherne
seconded; roll was called and minutes were unanimously approved.

3) Report of the President

Mr. Nick Comaianni stated that since it is August it has been generally quiet but stated
that he is concerned over busing and hopes to have a representative from the Office of
Pupil Transportation address the council in the fall. Mr. Comaianni also reported on
legislation that was passed regarding special needs children. Before legislation was
passed one had to prove that the special needs child was not getting services but now the
burden is on the District to show the parent that their special needs child is getting the
proper services. This legislation will help the parents who were previously getting no
where with the Department of Education. Mr. Comaianni then discussed the budget and
monies as related to the budget of the Community Education Council District 24.

Mr. Sandy Brawer stated that all budget support comes through his office.

4) Report of the Community Superintendent

Ms. Powis stated that the closing week of summer school in District 24 went very
smoothly. Scores on the summer 2007 citywide ELA and/or Math tests, and a careful
review of each portfolio of student’s work served as promotion criteria for review by the
principal. She further stated that parents should have received notification letters by mail
regarding promotional status of their child. Promotion appeals are being reviewed at the
District 24 office this week. Parents will be notified of decisions by August 31, 2007.

Ms. Powis gave the following dates as important dates to remember in the high school
admission process:

• Citywide High School Fair, Saturday, September 29, and Sunday, September 30th
• Borough High School Fair, Saturday, October 20th and Sunday, October 21st
• Specialized High School Admissions Test, Saturday, October 27th, Sunday
October 28th, Saturday November 3rd and Sunday, November 4th.

Registration for new students or students seeking placement at a school other than their
zoned school began on August 27th at Student Registration Centers located throughout
the 5 boroughs. Elementary and Middle Schools can register at their zoned school
starting September 4th. Ms. Powis asked that parents call the District office if they are
unclear as to where their zoned schools are located. She further stated that school
administrators are scheduled to report to school on Monday, August 27th. Teachers and
other school staff are scheduled to report to school on Thursday, August 30th. The first
day of school for students is Tuesday, September 4th.
Ms. Powis also stated that Schools Chancellor Klein announced plans to use a $2.4
million federal grant to help parents and students use the City’s new accountability tools
in making school choice decisions, including transfers from low-performing to high-
performing schools under the No Child Left Behind Voluntary Public School Choice
Program. The grant will be used to track programs that provide high performing schools
with incentives to accept transfer students and serve those students more efficiently. The
Department of Education can renew the grant for up to five years for a total of $12
million. She further stated that under the NCLB choice program eligible students at Title
I Schools in Need of Improvement can request a transfer to a school in ‘good standing’
under NCLB. Last year, only 10,832 of the 185015 eligible students (6%) applied for the
transfer, 2,982 accepted the offer and remained enrolled at their receiving schools.

Ms. Powis also stated that the following principals have retired: IS 93 Principal George
Foley; PS 28 Principal Patricia Goeller; and PS 81 Principal Frank Candela. Genevieve
Ventura was appointed Principal at PS 81. Edward Santos (IS 93) and Elizabeth
Lutkowski (PS 28) are serving as Interim Acting Principals.

5) Resolutions

Resolution #32 titled CEC D24 Budget 2007/8 was read by Mr. Cury:

Re: Resolution #32

Whereas the Community Education Council District 24 hereby approves their fiscal year
operating budget 2007-2008 in the following manner:

CEC Member reimbursement projected to be $10,000.00

Supplies projected to be $1,185.00
Postage projected to be $750.00
Equipment and Furniture projected to be $1,250.00
Food and Catering for School Ceremony / Meeting functions projected to be $3,500.00
School Ceremony expenses projected to be $1,000.00
Lease payments for the office copier project to be $2,165.00
Miscellaneous Reimbursements to PTA/PA for hosting meetings projected to be $150.00

Be it further resolved that the Community Education Council District 24 hereby reserves
the right to move funds from one category to another as necessary upon majority
approval by the council.

Ernest Cury made a motion to approve the budget; Mr. Bill Kregler called the roll;
resolution #32 was passed unanimously.

Resolution #31 titled CEC Presidents to Join a Citywide Organization read by Ms.
Debbie Tscherne:
WHEREAS New York State law divides New York City into 32 community school
districts, and establishes a Community Education Council for each one; and

WHEREAS the city has also established two Citywide Education Councils, one for high
schools and one for special-education schools, to complement the Community Education
Councils; and

WHEREAS, notwithstanding these districts and councils, state law has given control of
education citywide to the mayor through June 30, 2009, with an option for renewal; and

WHEREAS many education policies are now set at the city level; and

WHEREAS many schools and districts citywide face similar educational challenges and
share similar policy concerns; and

WHEREAS numerous Education Council members expressed an opinion that their

influence would be stronger if they worked together on issues of common concern; and

WHEREAS a number of Education Council Presidents and members have decided to

band together to form a citywide CEC Presidents' Alliance; now therefore,

IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the District 24 Community Education Council does

authorize, empower, and encourage its President or Vice-President to serve as a member
of the newly formed CEC Presidents' Alliance.

Mr. Comaianni motioned to approve the resolution to which Mr. Fedkowskyj seconded;
Mr. Kregler called the roll; resolution was passed unanimously.

6) Guest Speaker, Mr. Sandy Brawer, Deputy Executive Director of Business

Services, Queens Integrated Service Center

Mr. Brawer stated that on July 9, 2007 the NYC Department of Education reorganized in
an effort to improve instruction for all students. One of the pieces of the reorganization is
the development of the Integrated Service Centers (ISC); with the advent of the ISC’s all
prior services are now under one roof serving each school in NYC. The important thing
according to Mr. Brawer is the mission statement of the ISC which states: The ISC is a
professional customer service organization dedicated to delivering targeted services to
schools with in the NYC Department of Education. We utilize a solution based approach
centered on school needs grounded in commitment to integrity, high professional
standards, and effectiveness. In partnership with the school support organizations we
enable school communities to provide the highest quality education resulting in academic
excellence for all students. Mr. Brawer stated that they key things in the mission
statement is that the ISC’s use a solution based approach. We will not take questions
from schools will remain unanswered. We have a commitment to high professional
standards and we are partners with school support organizations and the biggest focus is
getting students the best education possible. The ISC is one organization with 5
locations, one in each borough. All ISC’s provide basic support to each school in NYC.
We provide support as well to the community superintendents in assisting them in
carrying out their responsibilities. The most important part of the reorganization is that
the NYC Department of Education’s main focus in on the schools and student
achievement. Mr. Brawer pointed out that all special education services remain intact and
in the same locations as prior to the reorganization. Mr. Brawer then went through a
power point presentation listing all contacts with in the Department of Education.

Mr. Fedkowskyj asked if any parents who had a question from last year can still call the
ISC and get an answer and asked as well if all records are still in the same place to which
Mr. Brawer stated that all records are intact and that now parents can go to or call one
place, that being the ISC for answers.

Through the ISC office the schools have an initial point of contact. There will be no
more calling here or there to find out answers. Whoever doesn’t know a particular
answer will farm it out to someone that does and that person will get back to the parent or
the principals or whomever makes the inquiry. Mr. Brawer stated that the ISC’s are very
service orientated. We are committed to serving our schools and principals.

Parents were urged to call the Parent Support Office first as new District Family
Advocates were put in place by the NYC Department of Education and who should be
the first initial contact for parents and guardians

Mr. Brawer took questions from the audience.

Mr. Fedkowskyj asked who had training regarding what the ISC’s are about to which Mr.
Brawer stated that thus far principals have had training.

Mr. Comaianni thanked Mr. Brawer for his presentation.

7) Report of the Committees

Mr. Fedkowskyj, Chair of the Building, Zoning and Maintenance Committee stated
that he would have a full report in September.

Mr. Cury, Chair of the ELL Committee had nothing to report.

Ms. Tscherne, Chair of the Curriculum Committee had nothing to report.

Ms. Powis introduced Esperanza Cancel as the President of Presidents Panel.

8) Old Business – None

9) New Business – Mr. Fedkowskyj asked what was happening with the members that
were not showing up to meetings to which Mr. Comaianni stated that member Evelyn
Sanchez will be resigning because she has taken a position as a teacher. Mr. Comaianni
stated that members must be interested in sitting on the council, that all members must be
active in assisting their schools. Mr. Comaianni also announced the committees and
chairs of those committees as well.

Mr. Fedkowskyj stated that on August 15th he and Ms. Tscherne attended a meeting in
which Chancellor Klein along with other CEC board members and the chancellor has
made a commitment to work closer with the CEC’s and he has realized that it is better to
work with us than against us. He plans to meet bi-monthly with CEC officers as well as
monthly meetings with Martine Guerrier. There will be a lot of change going on with in
the DOE as it relates to CEC’s. These changes will be positive, and Mr. Fedkowskyj
stated that he felt that things are moving in the right direction.

10) Nick Comaianni motioned to adjourn, Dmytro Fedkowskyj seconded the motion.
Meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM.