Port Jefferson Community Board

Why Cant Port Jefferson Government Comply? What are they hiding?

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Sat, 21 May 2016 12:00:00 +0000

http://tbrnewsmedia.com/mayor-village-did-everything-right-on-public-records-request/

PJCC Golf Pro being forced out by new Trustee! Sound familiar?

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 02:59:00 +0000

The rumors are true. Pro Macedon being forced out by newly elected Trustee.

Lets all show our support for a great Pro and confront the new Trustee and ask why!

Also the entire staff is in jeapardy!

Support Pro and Staff. Public hearing to hear WHY!

Our Many Superintendents

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 18:22:00 +0000

Over the last ten years, we have had many superintendents.

Some were good, but overpayed.
Some were good, but interim.
Some were just bad.

With all the people who have held that role, you would think we would eventually get it right, someone who is well liked by many and stays around for a long time- an administrator like Earl L. Vandermeulen.

With the way things are now, it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

100 Best HS in NY

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 01:10:00 +0000

https://k12.niche.com/rankings/public-high-schools/best-overall/s/new-york/

Not PJ

TWO coaches for 11 girls????

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 18:00:00 +0000

My son is on the MS basketball team with one coach and about 18 boys! My neighbor's daughter who is in 7th grade is on the girls varsity basketball team with 11 girls and TWO coaches!

What on earth is the ATHLETIC department doing?

One coach for 18 12-13 year olds and TWO coaches for 11 high school girls.

What could possible be the rationale for this?

What is this crazy administration doing now?

Cactus on the roof

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 02:16:00 +0000

AnonymousNovember 6, 2014 at 4:59 PM
$70K to spend on cactus for the roof?? Are they serious?
Reply

Spell and grammar check

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 01:17:00 +0000

Someone must double check all flyers coming home from the school.

The spelling and grammar are artrocious.

Late to the Game

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 01:31:00 +0000

Good Evening,

On Thursday, October 9th, the Guidance Department will be holding a presentation for seniors and their parents about the college application process. We hope that you will join us in the library at 7 p.m. for this informational program. If you have any questions, please contact the guidance department at 791-4457.

Thank you,

The Survey

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Sat, 20 Sep 2014 12:15:00 +0000

1. A guidance counselor creates a welcoming atmosphere in the Guidance Office.

A guidance counselor creates a welcoming atmosphere in the Guidance Office. 1. Most Important – I believe this is one of the most important attributes of an effective guidance counselor.

2. Important – I believe this characteristic enhances the work of an effective guidance counselor.

3. Helpful – I believe this attribute is helpful but not critical to the work of an effective guidance counselor
2. A guidance counselor treats students and parents with kindness, respect, and dignity.

A guidance counselor treats students and parents with kindness, respect, and dignity. 1. Most Important – I believe this is one of the most important attributes of an effective guidance counselor.

2. Important – I believe this characteristic enhances the work of an effective guidance counselor.

3. Helpful – I believe this attribute is helpful but not critical to the work of an effective guidance counselor
3. A guidance counselor is available and responsive to student needs.

A guidance counselor is available and responsive to student needs. 1. Most Important – I believe this is one of the most important attributes of an effective guidance counselor.

2. Important – I believe this characteristic enhances the work of an effective guidance counselor.

3. Helpful – I believe this attribute is helpful but not critical to the work of an effective guidance counselor
4. A guidance counselor is available and responsive to parent needs and concerns.

A guidance counselor is available and responsive to parent needs and concerns. 1. Most Important – I believe this is one of the most important attributes of an effective guidance counselor.

2. Important – I believe this characteristic enhances the work of an effective guidance counselor.

3. Helpful – I believe this attribute is helpful but not critical to the work of an effective guidance counselor
5. A guidance counselor should provide information and conduct meetings about standardized testing like the PSAT, ACT, SAT, and SAT II.

A guidance counselor should provide information and conduct meetings about standardized testing like the PSAT, ACT, SAT, and SAT II. 1. Most Important – I believe this is one of the most important attributes of an effective guidance counselor.

2. Important – I believe this characteristic enhances the work of an effective guidance counselor.

3. Helpful – I believe this attribute is helpful but not critical to the work of an effective guidance counselor
6. A guidance counselor provides ample resources to explore college opportunities.

A guidance counselor provides ample resources to explore college opportunities. 1. Most Important – I believe this is one of the most important attributes of an effective guidance counselor.

2. Important – I believe this characteristic enhances the work of an effective guidance counselor.

3. Helpful – I believe this attribute is helpful but not critical to the work of an effective guidance counselor
7. A guidance counselor is knowledgeable about colleges and the college application process.

A guidance counselor is knowledgeable about colleges and the college application process. 1. Most Important – I believe this is one of the most important attributes of an effective guidance counselor.

2. Important – I believe this characteristic enhances the work of an effective guidance counselor.

3. Helpful – I believe this attribute is helpful but not critical to the work of an effective guidance counselor
8. A guidance counselor provides ample resources to examine possible career interests.

A guidance counselor provides ample resources to examine possible career interests. 1. Most Important – I believe this is one of the most important attributes of an effective guidance counselor.

2. Important – I believe this characteristic enhances the work of an effective guidance counselor.

3. Helpful – I believe this attribute is helpful but not critical to the work of an effective guidance counselor
9. A guidance counselor provides help and assistance in choosing appropriate high school courses.

A guidance counselor provides help and assistance in choosing appropriate high school courses. 1. Most Important – I believe this is one of the most important attributes of an effective guidance counselor.

2. Important – I believe this characteristic enhances the work of an effective guidance counselor.

3. Helpful – I believe this attribute is helpful but not critical to the work of an effective guidance counselor
10. A guidance counselor provides information and advisement regarding the AP program.

A guidance counselor provides information and advisement regarding the AP program. 1. Most Important – I believe this is one of the most important attributes of an effective guidance counselor.

2. Important – I believe this characteristic enhances the work of an effective guidance counselor.

3. Helpful – I believe this attribute is helpful but not critical to the work of an effective guidance counselor
11. A guidance counselor explains resources and information available to students and parents on Naviance.

A guidance counselor explains resources and information available to students and parents on Naviance. 1. Most Important – I believe this is one of the most important attributes of an effective guidance counselor.

2. Important – I believe this characteristic enhances the work of an effective guidance counselor.

3. Helpful – I believe this attribute is helpful but not critical to the work of an effective guidance counselor
12. A guidance counselor conducts evening programs to discus post-secondary planning the college admission process.

A guidance counselor conducts evening programs to discus post-secondary planning the college admission process. 1. Most Important – I believe this is one of the most important attributes of an effective guidance counselor.

2. Important – I believe this characteristic enhances the work of an effective guidance counselor.

3. Helpful – I believe this attribute is helpful but not critical to the work of an effective guidance counselor
13. A guidance counselor provides information regarding financial aid for college.

A guidance counselor provides information regarding financial aid for college. 1. Most Important – I believe this is one of the most important attributes of an effective guidance counselor.

2. Important – I believe this characteristic enhances the work of an effective guidance counselor.

3. Helpful – I believe this attribute is helpful but not critical to the work of an effective guidance counselor
14. A guidance counselor should provide the opportunity for students to meet with college admission officers.

A guidance counselor should provide the opportunity for students to meet with college admission officers. 1. Most Important – I believe this is one of the most important attributes of an effective guidance counselor.

2. Important – I believe this characteristic enhances the work of an effective guidance counselor.

3. Helpful – I believe this attribute is helpful but not critical to the work of an effective guidance counselor
15. A guidance counselor should provide resources and information on a Guidance Website.

A guidance counselor should provide resources and information on a Guidance Website. 1. Most Important – I believe this is one of the most important attributes of an effective guidance counselor.

2. Important – I believe this characteristic enhances the work of an effective guidance counselor.

3. Helpful – I believe this attribute is helpful but not critical to the work of an effective guidance counselor

Guidance Survey

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Fri, 19 Sep 2014 22:46:00 +0000

Guidance

Asked and NOT Answered

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 14:16:00 +0000

Well? What IS the Answer

Bossert

Whooping Cough

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 01:08:00 +0000

Pertussis

Data Breach/Loss Letter

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 23:11:00 +0000

SUPER LETTER DATA LOSS

Oops

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 20:16:00 +0000

Good Afternoon,
This is important information regarding your child’s New York State Assessment Results.

As you may be aware, we have been waiting for several weeks for individual student reports to be generated by our local BOCES to be distributed to parents. BOCES receives the testing data directly from the State Education Department, attaches a cover letter from my office, and mails score reports directly to parents.

It has been brought to my attention by several parents that some of you are receiving score reports for children that do not live in your home. In these cases, it seems that some of our 4^ththrough 9^th graders names appear with an incorrect address resulting in the report being mailed to the wrong home.

We are working with BOCES to investigate how such an error could have occurred and how many districts may have been affected. All student data is correct within our electronic databases that BOCES uses to develop mailings on our behalf.

In order to maintain confidentiality and receive correct information for your child, please follow these steps:

If you have received an envelope in error and you would be kind enough to either drop it off at the main office of your child’s school or to district office that would be very helpful in getting correct reports to each parent. If you do not wish to drive to the school, please call the office of curriculum and instruction at 791-4291. One of my assistants will take the information and make certain that the correct report is mailed to your home. We have copies of each students report available in the curriculum office.

This potential breach of confidentiality is regrettable. I will be working directly with BOCES officials to determine how it happened and insist upon corrective action. Thank you in advance for working with us to maintain student privacy and get all of the correct information to parents.

Have a good day.

Dr. Kenneth Bossert

ROBO CALL

Breach of confidentiality with student test scores

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 18:59:00 +0000

Another big FAIL!

We do not believe you!

This is another Dr Bossert screw up!

Look at the return address window:

Port Jefferson School District

Office of the Superintendent of Schools

550 Scraggy Hill Road

Port Jefferson, New York 11777

Where's the BOCES address?

What is it the public should trust you with?

Guidance

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 12:20:00 +0000

Is it asking too much for the guidance department to accommodate students the first three days of school by being available and helpful past the last bell at 2:25PM? Kid goes to guidance after last class to make a change in their schedule, Guidance says too late you'll have to come back tomorrow.

With all the complaints with guidance, what has changed?

PJ Should Do This.

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 13:39:00 +0000

----------------------------------------------------

CHAPEL HILL — Tar Heels in search of the easy A, beware. Starting this fall, UNC-Chapel Hill transcripts will provide a little truth in grading.

From now on, transcripts for university graduates will contain a healthy dose of context.

Next to a student’s grade, the record will include the median grade of classmates, the percentile range and the number of students in the class section. Another new measure, alongside the grade point average, is the schedule point average. A snapshot average grade for a student’s mix of courses, the SPA is akin to a sports team’s strength of schedule.

The nuanced transcripts will provide more information for graduate schools and employers, who should be better able to judge the difference between good and excellent performance. An A- in psychology might not look so swell when the average grade in the class is an A. On the other hand, an A- in physics looks downright impressive if the class average is a C+.

The new contextual transcript is the university’s response to grade inflation – the long-term trend of rising grades that began in the 1960s and accelerated in the 1980s.

Grade inflation has been well documented nationally, most recently in a 2012 study published in Teachers College Record, an academic journal at Columbia University. Researchers collected grade data for 135 U.S. colleges and universities, representing 1.5 million students. They found that A’s are now the most commonly awarded grade – 43 percent of all grades. Failure is almost unheard of, with D’s and F’s making up less than 10 percent of all college grades.

The study found that grade inflation has been most pronounced at elite private universities, trailed by public flagship campuses and then less selective schools. Grading tends to be higher in humanities courses, followed by social sciences. The lowest grades tend to occur in the science, math and engineering disciplines.

Andrew Perrin, a sociology professor at UNC-CH, said the system provides a perverse incentive for students to seek courses not because of intellectual interests or career aspirations, but to pad their GPAs. Popular sites such as Rate My Professors include a measure of “easiness” for each faculty member.

Anything less than an A is unacceptable for some students.

“Elite universities, both elite state universities like ours or elite private universities, face a particular challenge, which is that everybody here is used to being the best,” Perrin said. “And in many cases, they’re used to complaining if they’re not the best.”

Challenge the students

Perrin has long been involved in UNC-CH’s debate about grade inflation and helped push for the transcript policy.

While some argue that students today are smarter than they used to be, national surveys show that college students spend fewer hours studying and pursuing academics.

“I think our responsibility is to push them as far as they can be pushed,” Perrin said. “If they’re that much better, then we ought to be raising the bar, not saying, ‘Well, they’re so much better than they were in 1970, so let’s give them all A’s.’ ”

Student views are mixed on the new transcripts. In interviews last week, most were unaware of the change.

“If you graduate from here and aren’t going to graduate school, who’s going to see your transcript?” asked Sean Peterson, a sophomore from Hebron, CT.

Alex Kacvinsky, a sophomore pre-med student from Cary, approves of the new transcripts. Last semester, he made a B+ in a biology class, which would look even better next to the class average, which was a C-.

“I personally would like it if my transcript had more context,” Kacvinsky said.

But Will Weidman, a senior from Charlotte, sees a downside. He said the new system could add to the competitive climate on campus.

“It’s going to add more stress to people’s lives,” he said. “People here are already stressed out.”

Few schools try

There has been no organized student opposition to the new transcripts. In the past, though, students have fought efforts to shift grading policies.

In 2007, the Faculty Council narrowly defeated a proposal for an “Achievement Index,” a statistical measure that would have taken into account course difficulty and grading variations. Student government opposed the plan, and 800 students signed a petition against it.

Still, there was a growing consensus that something needed to be done. A 2009 study showed that the average grade at UNC-CH had climbed to a 3.2 in 2008, and 82 percent of all grades were A’s and B’s. Researchers also noted that there was systematic grade inequality among different departments and instructors.

By 2010, the Faculty Council agreed that a contextual transcript was a reasonable approach. The details of the policy were approved in 2011, but implementation was delayed while university administrators made sure they had the right measures and software to carry out the project.

As part of the plan, professors are given access to internal reports that reveal their own grading history compared to others in their department and across the university.

That alone could change grading habits, said Perrin, whose average grade given is a B-.

However, he added, “My biggest worry about this policy is that it doesn’t go far enough, that it’s not going to be good enough to actually make a dent in the problem that we face.”

UNC-CH will be among a small group of U.S. universities that offer context to students’ grades.

Indiana University used to do it, but stopped because of a software change. Dartmouth College and Cornell University include median grades on transcripts. Cornell used to publish the information online, but quit in 2011 after a study revealed that enrollment spiked in classes with a median grade of A.

But there is a larger move to transcripts with broader information about students’ learning outcomes, said Brad Myers, Ohio State University registrar and president of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.

“We’re really trying to say, ‘Here’s what the student has mastered, and isn’t that what you’re after, more than whether the student got a B or a C or a D in this class?’ ”

Princeton University made headlines for a 2004 policy that sought to limit A’s to 35 percent in undergraduate courses – seen as a radical approach to regulate grades. Earlier this month, a faculty committee there recommended dropping the policy, saying it was too stressful for students and was misinterpreted as a quota system.

The Princeton policy worked, said Stuart Rojstaczer, a former Duke University professor who for years has analyzed grade inflation nationally. It was rare in an era when students are treated as customers – high-paying customers.

Rojstaczer, who remembers a student sobbing in his office over a B-, said UNC-CH’s new transcript probably won’t stem the upward creep of grades.

“It’s a soft response to a problem,” Rojstaczer said, “but it’s probably as good as you can expect in the current academic environment.”

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/08/30/4106626_at-unc-chapel-hill-the-truth-about.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

GUIDANCE the latest news of the day!

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 16:35:00 +0000

Once again, a future is destroyed, hopes are smashed and long held dreams are dead. It is disgusting how this school lets this guidance department get away with this time and time again.

A kid works hard, does everything right and to the best of her ability and it all ends because PJHS guidance department screwed up (AGAIN!)

It is nothing short of sabotage (deliberately destroy, damage, or obstruct something). My heart breaks for this kid (and ALL the others).

Presentation of school report card

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 13:51:00 +0000

Anyone catch Ms Hull's presentation on the school report card? The entire presentation was 10 pages and she used only 4 pages to show the district's numbers.

She spent only 4 pages on a summary of the results. Just results.

No conclusions.

No rational for success or failure.

No identification of problems.

No explanation of improvements being made.

No lessons learned.

No recommendations for professional development.

No identification of areas where the district is strong.

NO nothing!

Just a pat on her own back that Port Jefferson scored a little better when compared to JUST the Suffolk county average.

SUNY campuses use 85% on regents exams as a mark of solid competence and below 75% as a mark of inadequately prepared. Where is that data? No information on the % of our students who obtained mastery (85% or above). Just the number who passed 65%.

Why not aspire to be a top school in New York state?

Remember this Beaut?!

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 23:49:00 +0000

SCHEDULES!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 23:41:00 +0000

Dear Parent or Guardian,

We hope you have been enjoying the summer recess. We are contacting you to let you know schedules for the upcoming school year have been made prematurely accessible in the PowerSchool mobile application. The administration is currently engaged in reviewing schedules to ensure good class balance and that all students are enrolled in the appropriate courses and support services. The viewable schedules should be disregarded as they are in draft form.

Parents/Students will receive hard copy, final schedules for the High School via U.S. mail by August 8^th. Middle School schedules will be sent home the week of August 11^th. The mailing will include days/times our guidance counselors will be available to address any questions or concerns that may arise. In addition, parents will also be able to access the correct finalized schedule via the PowerSchool portal at that time.

We are sorry for any inconvenience that may have been caused by the PowerSchool application. We look forward to seeing all of our students back to school in September, eager to learn and engage in positive learning experiences. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the main office at your convenience.

Sincerely,

Dr. Murphy, Mr. Santana, and Mrs. Austen

Port Jeff High School Graduation Program

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 14:36:00 +0000

What the heck is going on in the MS?

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 12:14:00 +0000

News flash for you Mr Santana! One of your many jobs is to get into classroom and find out if our teachers are teaching. Do you know that? How are you making teachers more accountable?

NEWS 12

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 17:38:00 +0000

Long Island Party Stories Twitter Account

Colleges are increasingly searching for applicants' names on the Internet

noreply@blogger.com (PORT) — Sun, 23 Mar 2014 15:48:00 +0000

Could all those selfies sink your Harvard dreams? The college application process is stressful enough; now parents also have to worry about managing their teenagers' online reputation.

Colleges are increasingly searching for applicants' names on the Internet as part of their review, according to new research from Kaplan Test Prep in which 30 percent of admissions officers say that they had Googled an applicant or visited their social networking profiles. It’s a significant increase from previous years, according to Seppy Basili, a college admissions expert at Kaplan.

However, nearly 50 percent of high school respondents said they were “not at all concerned” about online searches hurting their chances of admissions.

“There may be a generation gap here,” said Basili. “Students already expect that everything they are posting is public, while adults are still playing catch up with social media.”

With college looming on the horizon, 16-year-old Amanda Mauriello of Branford, Conn., describes her own social media presence as being “in the right state of mind” and said she never posts anything on sites like Facebook, Instagram or Vine that she wouldn’t want anyone to see down the road.

Since most applications are now submitted online, it’s easy for a reader to open a new tab while reviewing a student’s essay and do a background check simultaneously, said Debbie Kanter, an independent college consultant at North Shore College Consulting in Chicago.

The problem is, nobody really knows what happens behind closed doors, and colleges are tightlipped about how heavily they weigh online information. Often, school admissions offices don't have uniform policies for how to do so, leading to the potential for inconsistent treatment among applicants, the New York Times reports.

For 15 years, Lacy Crawford, author of Early Decision, helped teenagers hone their personal statements. And while she appreciates an admissions officer’s desire to add some online research, she cautions schools to do their due diligence and call a student’s guidance counselor if they find something particularly egregious — especially in a world where students can create fake social media accounts for their peers.

Mark Sklarow, CEO of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, a national organization of private college admissions advisers, tells teens to review their postings and profiles with a critical eye. For example, Sklarow would ask student: “Do comments make you sound like a misogynist? A bully? Do hundreds and hundreds of ‘selfies’ convey narcissism?”

Some parents have been warning kids that colleges might be researching online long before schools and college counselors started talking more openly about it.

Moll Levine, a Washington, D.C., college senior, said her parents warned her in high school to be careful about what she posted online, “because once it’s there, it’s permanent.” It's a sentiment she’s taken to heart years later as she searches for a post-graduation internship or job.

Some parents even hire an expert to assess their child’s exposure before they submit any applications.

“First, we do a deep dive audit for parents,” said Michael Fertik, founder and CEO of Reputation.com, an online reputation management firm in Redwood City, Calif., “so we can show you all the data that tends to be findable on your child — pictures, threads, things that they’ve liked on Facebook.”

But technology isn’t a substitute for engaged parenting online, he said.

“Adults need to be connected to their kids on social media so they know if there is any outside-of-the-envelope conduct,” Fertik said. “But they also shouldn’t be over-interacting with their child on Snapchat and scaring their teen away into making a fake account, either.”

The Kaplan data on colleges' online research of teens may have a positive side. As Basili points out, applicants these days have incredibly rich resumes.

“They’ve built schools in Ecuador and created environmental programs in their own home towns,” he said. “If you’ve started a new club or you are a member of a board, it feels very human and natural for an admissions officer to want to read more about those experiences online or to Google something in a student’s essay.”

Jacoba Urist is a health and lifestyle reporter in NYC. Follow her on Twitter @JacobaUrist