Yonkers Tribune

Many teachers in our school district have advanced degrees and excellent reputations among parents. Our school district has a diverse population, and parents expect teachers to tailor the material to each student. Unfortunately, the Common Core gives teachers minimal discretion about what or how to teach. Last year, a sales representative told a group of parents that teachers may not replace a single unit of the ELA curriculum. We are no longer treating teachers like skilled professionals.

RIVERDALE, NY --The Council of the City of New York has issued a proclamation to honor the College of Mount Saint Vincent’s Class of 1948 on the occasion of their 65th Class Reunion. The proclamation was presented at the 2013 Reunion celebrations on Saturday, June 10th 2013.

Statement by Yonkers City Councilman and Education Committee Chairman Michael Sabbatino:

"As Chair of the Education Committee,  I am postponing the meeting scheduled for Jan 2nd.  I originally scheduled this meeting because of the urgency and importance to the parents and students of Yonkers to resolve the implementation of the APPR by the Jan 17th deadline.   At the request of the BOE and the YFT, I have agreed , at the risk of not jeopardizing the final negotiations with a public discussion, to postpone the meeting to next week when the highlights of both the contract and the APPR can be discussed openly. Contract highlights as well as the APPR highlights cannot be discussed in public as they have not yet been ratified by both parties.  I am told that the BOE and the YFT are very close to an agreement and I would rather both parties move ahead with the process.  Their expectation is that the ratification vote will likely occur this week."

YONKERS, NY -- December 30, 2012 -- Yonkers Education Chair Michael Sabatino (District 3) [RIGHT], has called for an Education Committee Meeting for Wednesday, January 2, 2013, at 5:30 p.m.. The purpose is to discuss the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) and the teachers’ contract. Yonkers Public Schools (YPS) Superintendent Bernard Pierorazio [CENTER] and Yonkers Federation of Teachers (YFT) President Pat Puleo [LEFT] have been been asked to attend. The meeting has been requested to be televised.

Watch Sakena Yacoobi on Educating Women and Girls in Afghanistan on PBS. See more from Independent Lens.

YONKERS, NY -- Mayor Mike Spano unveiled plans today for his new Yonkers Education Redesign Team (ERT), which is tasked to recommend innovative reforms to the Yonkers Public School System. The team, consisting of stakeholders representing government, education, business, labor and parents, will begin its work by conducting a comprehensive assessment of the administrative functions of the Yonkers Board of Education (BOE) and the City of Yonkers (City). They will make meaningful suggestions on opportunities for intra-governmental efficiencies to enable BOE to enhance its focus on academic performance while minimizing its costs for non-academic functions.

"Everybody is a critic now!" the saying goes in this day of the Internet and iCritic and YouTube postings. True criticism is a genuine art form as valid as the art it criticizes. Everybody's critical faculty can be cultivated beyond thumbs up, thumbs down, and the often-heard "I know nothing about it, but I know what I like.!" "The Art of Crticism" course aims to train the potential critic in everyone to emerge and develop, and be able to distinguish between sound and superficial criticism from others while formulating and refining his or her own critiques. There will be intensive readings in, and discussions of, literary, drama and film criticism, as well as in some important but little-known fiction, drama and cinema, all up for students to hone their critical acumen on. Also some looks at fine arts and music criticism. Students will write weekly reviews of things read or seen (e.g., movies and live theater) to be evaluated by both the instructor and classmates. Result: knowing not only what one likes or dislikes, but also the reasons why. The best efforts may well be publishable.

The next two weeks are crucial for the future of the Yonkers Public Schools and the children of our city.

I assure you that I am doing everything in my power to make things work for our students. While I am a strong advocate for education, I am only one of 7 on the council. It will take my other 6 colleagues and the Mayor working together non-stop to get a budget that provides our students with the education they deserve. 

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