Comments

• On the Blog Post Embedded in the West Orange Schools

  

  john anthony prignano

  12:26 pm on Friday, May 10, 2013

  MSS Let's get the news, ALL the news, out there - 2012 test scores - Pleasantdale third grade, 50.8% proficient in Language Arts Literacy, and 60.7% proficient in math. Liberty Middle School seventh grade ; 55% proficient in L.A.L. , and 39.6% proficient in math. Roosevelt Middle School 68.1% proficient in L.A.L. , and 59.5% proficient in math. Edison , sixth grade, 59.9% proficient in L.A.L., and 74.2% proficient in math. Why work hard to raise test scores when it's much easier to simply lower the demographic? Lisa { and many others } says the schools are great. $21,000+per child, and West Orange seventh graders were about 53% proficient in math in 2012, which is about 14% lower than 2011 West Orange sixth graders. A NJASK motivational assembly is nothing to be happy about. The amount of instructional time is already obscene, and there is less and less of it every year. Amy Simon is yet another example of THE RULE; Give your friends money, and students and taxpayers be damned. 39.6% of Liberty Middle School seventh graders testing proficient in math and 55% testing proficient in Language Arts Literacy is great? Then what test scores { IF ANY } would be defined as mediocre and poor ?

• On the article Shop Local, Save Money on Taxes in West Orange

  

  john anthony prignano

  9:36 am on Thursday, May 9, 2013

  Kevin , Tom G. How does this sound ; "There are many reasons for Pal's Cabin going out of business, but an annual property tax bill of $200,000 certainly wasn't one of them."

• On the article Shop Local, Save Money on Taxes in West Orange

  

  john anthony prignano

  7:11 pm on Wednesday, May 8, 2013

  Kevin, how could you think that a property tax bill of $200,000 is not a significant factor in Pal's demise? It's cause and effect.They must pay the $200,000 tax bill, but they can raise prices,and/or they can try to make do with fewer employees, or outdated decor, or reduced portion sizes, etc.They can try those cost - cutting measures and many others, but that doesn't mean all or even a single one of them them will work. Even if a business can "stay afloat": the return for the effort expended simply isn't worth it. A property tax bill of $200,000 and it's inevitable accompanying domino effect are most certainly significant factors in Pal's going out of business.

• On the Blog Post School Vouchers Are Bad Medicine

  john anthony prignano

  3:43 pm on Wednesday, May 8, 2013

  West Orange grammar schools are in session for 1196 hours a year. Let's use the fourth grade as an example; Lunch, minus 135 hours. Scheduled and unscheduled early dismissals, minus 25 hours.The average student is absent 10 days, minus 65 hours.Daily snack time, minus 30 hours. School begins at 8:45, but instructional time doesn't start until 8:55, minus 30 hours. Bathroom and nurse, minus 30 hours. 20+ emergency drills, parties and celebrations, minus 25 hours. 2 field days, fitness testing, and lectures on healthy eating { NOT given by the classroom teacher } The S.A.L.E.S program, World Language instruction taught by students. The D.A.R.E. program, which is taught by a police officer. Multiculturalism, a character curriculum, an anti - bullying and tolerance curriculum, health and sex education, field trips, phys ed., music, art, Black History, NJ Social Studies, Standardized Tests, Science, computer science, environmentalism and recycling programs, library/media center, guest authors who talk about being yourself, handling adversity and bullies, and giving back to the community. Autism Awareness, Arbor Day, Awareness events, Earth Day, etc.etc. to Z,oo docents. Penmanship? No, no time. Inclusive U.S. History,current events? No, time. Geography? No, no time. Even if all these things are mandates and/or great for kids, where's the TIME for them? Early dismissals? Mandated prep periods? Every year LESS TIME?? NO ONE sincere about quality education would pull this crap.

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• On the announcement YOU CAN DO IT - EDISON NJASK VIDEO GOES VIRAL

  

  john anthony prignano

  1:49 pm on Monday, May 6, 2013

  Adam Great comments. There are no professional standards for our "professional educators". When I read the contract, I didn't see anything regarding professional instruction - All papers will be corrected with exactitude, a child can't know right from wrong if no one corrects them,so correct them. Instructional time must take precedence over any activities that reduce or interfere with it, etc. And you want a dress code? Not a chance. Adam, remember the words of Ogden Nash," In the world of mules, there are no rules."

• On the announcement YOU CAN DO IT - EDISON NJASK VIDEO GOES VIRAL

  

  john anthony prignano

  1:47 pm on Monday, May 6, 2013

  Adam, The formidable Mr. Wasko has been teaching for 6 years. Edison Middle School Language Arts Literacy ; In 2009, 69% of the students tested proficient. In 2010, 69.2% tested proficient. In 2011, 68.3% tested proficient, and in 2012,59.9% tested proficient. So from 2009 to 2012, there has been a decline of 9.1% in the { already very poor } L.A,.L.. proficiency rate. And there's Mr. Wasko leading the motivational assembly. Julie's right. You ARE lucky Mr. Wasko wasn't your teacher.

• On the article Essex Chiefs Association Endorses Christie

  john anthony prignano

  1:23 pm on Monday, May 6, 2013

  Gift grabber Christie imposed an arbitrary cap of $175,000 a year on School Superintendent salaries. I believe he did that to make it look like he's doing something about school administrator salaries, but more importantly, he did it to show the police chiefs support by NOT doing anything about Their salaries; Paramus, 77 officers, one makes $196,000+, another makes $192,000+. Carlstadt 24 officers, one makes $224,000+ . Elmwood Park, 35 officers, one makes $182,500. Edison, 370 police officers and firemen one makes $188,000+, another makes $186,000+ and another makes $183,000+ Is the source of their compensation { salaries, longevity pay, lifetime benefits, cost of living adjustments, 65% of base pay pensions after 25 years of service } different than the funding for School Superintendents' salaries? Christie has no problem with their salaries, and he's clearly demonstrated that to their satisfaction.....and unanimous approval. Pathetic.

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• On the announcement YOU CAN DO IT - EDISON NJASK VIDEO GOES VIRAL

  

  john anthony prignano

  1:24 pm on Monday, May 6, 2013

  wohopeful In 2012, 58.4% of sixth graders tested proficient in math. At the Liberty Middle School, 39.6% of seventh graders tested proficient in math. Overall, the 2012 seventh grade tested about 53% proficient in math, or 14% less than the 2011 sixth grade. and people are complaining that "Too much time is spent teaching to the test"?????

• On the announcement YOU CAN DO IT - EDISON NJASK VIDEO GOES VIRAL

  

  john anthony prignano

  11:42 am on Monday, May 6, 2013

  ladyface Thomas Edison Middle School Language Arts Literacy proficiency rate; 2012, 59.9% 2011, 68.3% 2010, 69.2% 2009, 69%. Proficiency rate in math; 2012, 74.2%, 2011, 67.1%, 2010, 65.1%, 2009, 58.4%. In 2012, the seventh grade at Liberty Middle School tested 39.6% proficient in math. The combined seventh grade math proficiency rates were about 53%, or about 14% less than the previous year's sixth grade math scores. You don't think those scores are appalling? You don't think a longer school day and school year is needed, and needed very badly? These people do not want to teach. Every year there are more social engineering and indoctrination programs, and less and less time spent on the basics. No one sincere about properly educating children would stay involved for very long in this blatant ripoff of the taxpayers and the students. I'll take your word for it about Mr. Wasko. He's a great teacher,......when he teaches. CLEARLY, the amount of time he does actually teach is woefully inadequate. " Failing to prepare is preparing to fail." "Nothing great was ever achieved without great effort." Why aren't you screaming bloody murder about those test scores? Cry havoc!

• On the Blog Post Embedded in the West Orange Schools

  

  john anthony prignano

  11:42 am on Monday, May 6, 2013

  GREAT comments, Adam. It's a lot easier to say the schools are terrific than it is to do the work that would make them terrific. The public schools have nothing to do with education. Every student tests proficient; Teachers receive their salaries, raises, step increases. longevity pay, benefits,and coaching, coordinating , mentoring and moderating stipends. No student tests proficient; Teachers receive their salaries,raises, step increases,,longevity pay, benefits,and coaching, coordinating, mentoring and moderating stipends. Adam, what's THE RULE? Give your friends money ! Voila!