Deflect and Misdirect but by ALL Cost Don't answer the Question..

Jerry anybody who lives in, works in or plays in Plainfield knows where you've been and what you've done. 

No need to waste my ink here!

Good Day -- Assemblyman!

P.S.: "Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Since I was There!

Wow –AmaZING!

Do you honestly think the Board holds back agenda’s as if the truth can be hidden? We did not get the walk-on agenda until about 9:30 and we spent from that time until we HAD TO open for public session asking questions. ALL OF US!

How many of you came out last night? 12 maybe 15 and 2 spoke?

You can’t fight a war sitting on your ASSES!  And guess what else -- I can’t fight WHAT YOU ALL DON’T STAND UP For!

I for one count on you sharing your concerns and pointing out discrepancies. YOU ARE MORE INTIMATELY AWARE of  what is going on than I will ever  be able to be, or have TIMELY access to information on, as a Board Member or a Community member – BUT I need to know BEFORE the VOTE is cast!  My vote is not for sale but I certainly want it to be based on all the information and facts available!

There I sat witnessing no public outcry with what had been presented and having not seen any obvious unfair action on the part of the salary treatments presented and question those I did. YOUR SILENCE said to me personally that you too were OK with what was presented.

There was ONE person who got up and brought to OUR attention a fact that I was not aware of and YOU CAN BEST BELIEVE – I won’t rest until HER QUESTION is ANSWERED! But had she not come to the mic how would I have known? I am not presented with a nice spreadsheet that shows previous salaries and then the new proposed salaries… PERHAPS that is a consideration we should require, but the fact remains I was presented with the same agenda you were about an hour prior to you receiving it.

I have been present at EVERY SINGLE Donaldson hearing -- over 16 HOURS! So know this – I didn’t and don’t take the decisions I made last night lightly. I prayed and I voted my conscience - -but I’m one of nine and if you remember nothing else -- remember that!

There were 60 minutes worth of opportunity for THIS COMMUNITY to GET UP and SPEAK UP about this agenda and you all did NOT do it.

As a Board member I am presented with information and I ask the relevant questions, but I DON’T HAVE YOUR QUESTIONS in MY HEAD. If you don’t come up to the mic and ask it/them – HOW DO I or any of the Board Members know what your concerns are? I told you all when I was elected DO NOT SIT Back -- come out and hold me accountable.

I as a Board member have entrusted the interim CSA to do due diligence with regard to assessing the workforce based on student needs and economic viability, and I have held her to that standard and questioned as intently as I could without interfering in her responsibilities to manage the day-to-day operations.

The salaries were set by the UNION Contracts. The contract obligates this district to apply a specific salary treatment according to a SALARY GUIDE. We don’t get the salary guide, nor do we have input on it. The CSA and BA are responsible for the salary treatment calculations based on the agreed upon rate. 4% on $40,000 looks a whole lot different than 4% on $150,000…but it’s pure mathematics and has nothing to do with individualized decision making.

NONE of this was easy. I repeat NONE of THIS was easy! For folks to comment so caustically and haphazardly about the time spend on this process and the outcome is insulting.

One thing is for sure though…Once the war is over and the troops have been bloodied – is NOT the time for YOU to come in on your gleaming WHITE HORSE offering up sanctimonious opinions and "yall should have done" dictates.

I was there! I cried! I fought!

Let's Go "GREEN"...

In RESPONSE to Mr. Green -- Imagine my surprise that you had any interest in the Board of Education. If you are interested in the choices, inner workings, or direction of the Board of Education, won't you please stop by and pay us a visit to share your concerns.

Surely a man of your intellectual prowess and caliber of irreproachable character would not levy charges, accusations or assumptions nor perpetuate behavior for which you have been on guard against on your own behalf without offering an opportunity for a civil discourse. I, for one, hate to be misunderstood or erroneously represented as I’m sure you can relate.

I look forward to some real conversation very soon to ensure that we can coordinate our efforts on behalf of Plainfield Public Schools to ensure that as you continue to draft the bills necessary to counteract the Governor’s cuts on our public schools and library budgets, as well as use your span of influence to get buses and petitions ready to go to Trenton and fight the good fight; I will continue to help Johnnie and Johanna read so that we can make use of these libraries as well as be prepared to assist you in your petition to the Governor on behalf of public education in our fair city.

Sound like a plan?

Hope to see you soon.

All the Best,
Renata

More than a Wink...Wink...Nod!

Storming, Norming and Performing!

Storming… as in brainstorming…NOT blame-storming! You’ve got a wonderful idea then send it to the CSA and copy the Board. The BOARD cannot and does not put forth curriculum, classroom structure etc. as that falls under the "day-to-day". Remember we approve the recommendations of the CSA so if you have solid ideas bring them forth following the proper protocol and let's get the work done.

Norming…taking those ideas which are relevant, realistic, equitable and financially viable and creating committees of SME (Subject Matter Experts) to map out, articulate and teach the staff the necessary “how to” to move the plan forward.

And finally … Performing – this is the actualization of every individual in the district’s employ taking on their roles and responsibilities with unwavering commitment, pride, energy and passion to ensure that every child within their classroom receives and achieves the learning objectives as set forth by the State, Federal and school specific mandates.  It is living out the true meaning of no alibis, no excuses -- no exceptions!

**************************************************************

If doing what we need done in this district was a simple as an “undo” we’d be well on our way to providing (what we ALL say we want) highly, competitively educated children.

Almost two months into this elected position and I’m still working through the muck and mire of circumstances NOT yet addressing our students’ needs.

We can’t ignore the big white elephant, gorilla, rhino or more specifically The BUDGET cuts levied by our Governor on this District. $7+ Million dollars is NO SMALL GAP! On top of this, decisions about the infrastructure of the Board has to ensue; that is to say -- our choice of council had to be made – which might I add -- AS I WAS THERE – took from 5:30 PM to 1:30 AM to decide. These assertions of light-hearted, favor induced decision making especially from those who don’t even attend the Board meetings are really despicable!

Worked in tandem with these responsibilities is the need to respond to school liaison constituents’ issues and concerns; managing appointed committee activities, then working the normal “pay-the-bills” 9 to 5’ers, and finally participating in the lives of our own children. So to have folks constantly attacking, criticizing, judging and putting forth false accusations and assumptions -- whose sole responsibilities/activity rest within the employ of the schools, their garden, picture taking and whatever other retired exercise they wish to undergo -- is quite bewildering and deplorable actually.

PPS is a PROJECT not a quick fix UNDO, REDO, follow ME exercise of the same stuff different day. However there ARE absolutely things that were done that are worth maintaining, upgrading and/or further expanding. So to all of you who think, thought we already had the answers but were not implementing them–whether it is a curriculum (which if we had what we needed -- as many have said repeatedly --then why is it being done this summer – check the agenda to confirm) or classroom structure – (i.e. SLC – for which $7M in cuts will not allow a plan of 3+ years ago to be rolled out as effortlessly as some report).

We have to deal with where we are right now with what we have right now and build from there. I’m all about dreaming big, but we have to place realistic guardrails along the way otherwise we will do as we have been doing over the last 2 months – attacking our own team members and eating our young!

InTENSE!!!

Can you say intense! I didn’t get home until 1:30 AM for a meeting that started at 5:30 PM!


Intense indeed!

The aggravation quotient was at an ALL TIME HIGH.  I don't know if it was the heat (literally) the circumstance or the condition! My temper ranged from getty to downright PO’d…but in the end cooler heads prevailed. 

I will certainly learn the art of instantaneous prayer over the next 3 years!

Well as you will soon hear the Board elected to have two law firms; one representing our General and Labor Counsel and the other our Worker’s Compensation. I’ll let you all read the Courier or Star-Ledger for the who’s who but suffice it to say we deliberated, vetted portfolios and although neither firm was voted in unanimously – we did what we felt needed to be done. It’s an interesting blend, but certainly the expectation of this Board is that the best interest of our school district will be served and served well!

On The Horizon:

The Community/School Council is Forming – We need COMMUNITY MEMBERS! Please email me if you are interested in joining. We will be looking at various Community/School Initiatives and Opportunities including A Food Service Commission, Parental Involvement, District Wide SLC to name a few.

BOE Retreat 2010: Save The Date (7/24/10) check out District website for more details

Got Questions? Interested in Joining? Got Ideas to share?

Then email me: rahernandez@plainfield.k12.nj.us