Where are the Best Places to Raise Kids?

If the City School District is such a believer in neighborhood schools and diversity, why is Henry Barnard Elementary not a neighborhood school? Is it in the wrong neighborhood? Why is it just for the smaller children? Very few would argue that parents who send their children to Barnard are extremely happy. It seems to be a great program. It is probably the most desired program in the district. Why would any parent want to give up such a great program? Returning Barnard to being a neighborhood school may be one of the most unpopular ideas among some of the homeowners in that neighborhood and families whose children attend the school. We would be interested to learn what people have to say on this topic. The fact is that the children from that very "diverse" neighborhood are not able to automatically attend Barnard. We find it hard to believe that this was a random decision on the part of the City School District of New Rochelle.

As is typical of the City School District of New Rochelle, they have parents at Trinity running around in circles. In this post we reveal evidence of the use of delaying tactics in order to not address an issue. In “Parents Mobilizing to Address 15 Minute Lunch” posted on this blog on Friday October 3, 2008, we reported on efforts by parents drafting a letter requesting a time extension of the 4th and 5th grade lunch at Trinity Elementary School. Currently, 4th and 5th graders at Trinity only have 15 minutes to eat. This includes standing in line to purchase the lunch. In an extraordinary effort by a group of parents, a letter was drafted and 129 signatures were gathered. This effort is extremely significant due to the fact that each signature represents a family and not an individual. Furthermore, the number approximates 15% of the total families at Trinity Elementary School.

It seems that blogging about the City School District of New Rochelle has become quite popular. You may want to check out the following blog also hosted on the New Rochelle Talk website: Robert Cox's blog

Many of of our readers may not be aware that when they visit New Rochelle Community Pulse they are just getting a snippet of a much larger and comprehensive effort. New Rochelle Community Pulse is not a standalone blog, rather one of several blogs within the New Rochelle Talk Site. We encourage everyone visiting to look around, read, comment, register and become an active participant. The 60 Day Progress Report for Talk of the Sound within the main page describes some of the progress of the overall site up until know. Furthermore, alludes to the inherent potential of People voicing their opinions and being heard. Please visit the latest post on Mr. Talk's Blog and get more information.

On October 7th in our post Parent Attends Board Meeting Seeking Answers we reported some of the observations of City School District of New Rochelle parent while at the Board of Education meeting. We requested a copy of the prepared remarks made to the board of education during the public meeting because we learned that the speaker was repeatedly interrupted by board members who sought to prevent the speaker from completing his remarks during the allotted 5 minute time period and the adjourned the meeting in the middle of these remarks. The speaker also presented a Freedom of Information Act Request to Mr. Organisciak and hand-delivered it to the clerk of the Board of Education. Mr. Organisciak asserted that he refused to accept the FOIA request even though the delivery of the request was a "good delivery" for legal purposes and seen by more than two dozen witnesses.

It has come to the attention of New Rochelle Community Pulse that within the City School District of New Rochelle, 47 children qualified for this year’s Full-day talented and gifted program at the elementary level (commonly known as Kaleidoscope). This particular program resides at Davis Elementary School. The breakdown of eligible participants by school is as follows:

North End Schools

Ward = 18 students
Davis = 14 students
Webster = 6 students

South End Schools

Trinity = 5 students
Columbus = 3 students
Jefferson = 1 student

Lunch continues to be a very important topic for our readers.

Submitted by purplepride on Thu, 10/09/2008 - 15:46 about Second Graders at Trinity Have a Long Wait Until Lunch

About three years ago NRHS implemented a schedule in which students were given 25 minutes to eat lunch. With four lunch periods (the earliest at 11 and the latest at 2) and 3,500 students that's about 800 students per lunch period waiting on long lines to get their food and find a table in the largely overcrowded cafeterias.

On nice days, students enjoyed eating lunch outside, however purchased food was not allowed to be brought out - only bagged lunches. Which seems completely arbitrary and illogical.

After graffitti was found outside the building where students eat lunch, there was a new rule implemented in which student were no longer allowed to eat outside at all, therefore stuffing the cafeterias even more.

It has come to our attention that a parent will address the Board of Education meeting tonight, October 7, 2008 calling in to question several items related to lack of equity, accountability and transparency within the City School District of New Rochelle. Some of the specific items being brought up have been raised previously. As we understand, neither the Board of Education nor the Superintendent of Schools have responded to this parent’s concerns. This particular parent’s concerns are of interest to all that live in New Rochelle. Tonight, other items will be added to the list awaiting a formal response (or acknowledgement) from the district. Maybe if the Board of Education and district officials close their eyes really tight and plug their ears, any concerns that parents bring up will simply go away.

It has come to our attention that in a direct response to our post Lessons From the Lunchroom, a number of parents have begun to organize efforts to address the 15 minute lunch of the 4th and 5th graders at Trinity Elementary School. Many parents were unaware that this was happening and are not satisfied with the responses given by City School District officials. We will bring you more information as it becomes available. If you are interested in getting involved, e-mail us at nrcommunitypulse@gmail.com.