Dear Plainfield Public Schools Stakeholder:

I hope that this letter finds you and your family safe and secure from the recent winter blasts. Due to the need to close schools, the District has exceeded the amount of “snow days” built into the 2009-2010 school year calendar. As a result, we will be developing plans to ensure that our students attend school for the number of required days. We cannot allow rain, sleet, or yes, even snow, to deprive our students of the best and maximum opportunities to learn and excel. Nothing should ever be allowed to distract from or get in the way of their learning.

Black History Month provided tremendous opportunities for our students to not only learn about and appreciate the service, struggle, and spirit shouldered by countless which paved the way for many to ensure freedom and equality for Blacks in the past, but the need to embrace similar service, struggle, and spirits as they prepare for an even more challenging and uncertain future.

Despite the difference between past, present, and future times, education has always been and remains the greatest passport to freedom, equality, justice, and prosperity. So has unity. For in the struggle it was unity that rose above division and discord, and enabled people from all different races, colors, creeds, perspectives, places and backgrounds to come and work together to achieve a common goal.

Such must be ours in the Plainfield Public Schools. We must ensure that our common and most important goal of educating our students remain at the forefront of everything we do. Our students deserve nothing less. Increased focused on learning must occur as our students prepare to take the state assessments as HSPA this week and the NJASK next month.

During the month of February, the Plainfield Public Schools has remained focused on improving the district and the learning of our students through the following: 

• Implemented Professional Development Day for all district staff to engage in and inform of best practices and innovations, consistent with Goal 2: Human Resources of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Held Superintendent’s Educational Support Professionals Stakeholder Meeting, comprised of clerical, bus drivers, custodial, security, and IT staff  to discuss concerns and solicit feedback on ways to improve the District, consistent with Goal 5: Community & Family Engagement of the 2008-2010 District Strategic Plan
• Received approval from the NJDOE of the District’s NCLB application which provides $3.5 million in federal funds to PPS for the 2009-2010 school year
• Participated in Legal One Training held at the Morris-Union Jointure Commission to ensure that staff is trained in school law, ethics, and governance, consistent with Goal 2: Human Resources of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Implemented CIM Module III to continue in depth training on the use and analysis of student performance data to improve learning and instruction, consistent with Goal 1: Learning Outcomes of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Launched “The Business of Education” Radio Broadcast on Harvest Radio to engage and inform the public about issues, ideas, and innovations in PPS, consistent with Goal 5: Community & Family Engagement of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Met with Acting Commissioner Brett Schundler through the New Jersey Association of School Administrators and engaged in a discussions about educational funding, teacher quality/performance, and school/district accountability
• Participated in the African American Read-In to celebrate literacy through the advancement and sharing of literature by African American Authors
• Held 1st Meeting of the 2009-2010 school year with the PEA Executive Board to discuss issues, concerns, and collaboration
• Celebrated the recognition of Clinton Teacher Mrs. Kathryn Horne as a Magic 98.3 FM “Teacher Who Makes Magic”, consistent with Goal 5: Community & Family Engagement of the 2008-2010 District Strategic Plan
• Installed 100 year plus sculpture “Puritans Landing at Plymouth Rock” at the new Emerson School, which was previously at the old school
• Continued the work of the School Redesign Task Force in which new and innovative educational models are being explored for PPS, consistent with Goal 1: Learning Outcomes of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Held ESL Site Coordinator’s Meeting to ensure that staff receive the information and updates pertaining to ESL implementation in PPS, consistent with Goal 1: Learning Outcomes of the 2008-2010 District Strategic Plan
• Continued the work of the Special Education Expansion Task Force to assess current and future SPED Expansion in PPS, consistent with Goal 1: Learning Outcomes of the 2008-2010 District Strategic Plan
• Opened an Early Childhood Teacher Resource Room to provide resources, materials, and support for effective planning and quality instruction, consistent with Goal 2: Human Resources of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Provided a College Preparation Assembly Program for students through the Making It Count partnership to provide information and advisement to students about attending college, consistent with Goal 5: Community & Family Engagement of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Implemented the Universal Design for Learning in partnership with Rutgers University to improve mathematics, science, and technology in PPS, consistent with Goal 1: Learning Outcomes of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Participated in the NJ Partnership for Middle School Mathematics to promote the integration of best practices in middle school mathematics
• Continued the work of  the PPS Best Practices Task Force to identify and support the use of new and highly effective instructional practices in PPS, consistent with Goal 1: Learning Outcomes of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Engaged the NJ Council for Young Children through the Early Childhood Program of PPS
• Prepared and presented resources and guidelines for staff and parents in support of the PPS S.T.E.M. Fair, consistent with Goal 1: Learning Outcomes of the 2008-2010 District Strategic Plan

The work of the Plainfield Public Schools and that which is done on behalf of students continues. Nothing should ever be allowed to distract from their advancement. The journey, however, toward improving the District is continuous, and at times, difficult. The difficulty lays not so much in the work, but in navigating through those things that distract and take away from the work! Significant financial challenges lay ahead of the Plainfield Public Schools, as many districts throughout New Jersey. The State already faced a $2.3 billion dollar shortfall this year resulting in a $950,000.00 loss to Plainfield and over $22 million to another district. This is very critical as most of the educational funding in Plainfield comes from state aid---not the local property base. Approximately 14% comes from the local taxpayer base in Plainfield. The remaining 86% of funding for Plainfield Public Schools comes from State and federal dollars.

Also, there have already been recommendations to local school districts to plan for budgeting at 90% of current funding levels. In the Plainfield Public Schools, that could result in budget cuts upwards of $10 million---a reduction never seen in the District. This will be on top of rising health care costs and the need for a new teacher contract that has yet to be settled, despite a year of ongoing negotiations. School districts that were able to settle their contract prior to this economic crisis were able to anticipate and factor in such costs in their decisions to meet the budget challenges. A school district’s first and foremost obligation is to the education of its students. Although there have been issues that have faced the Plainfield Public Schools in recent months, the fiscal challenges that lay ahead represent real challenges for the school district---and more importantly, to the education of our students.

We must remain ever mindful that the journey and rewards of educating our students and improving our district far outweigh the struggles, and must be used to imbue in each of us a sense of purpose, focus, and unyielding determination and resolve.   

As we continue this journey, it will be increasingly important that we judge not by imperfections; but by intentions and remain focused on whether or not actions and words are intended to help a child to read, solve mathematical equations, appreciate the arts, sciences, and athletics, and become a better human being. These reflect our core purpose. These reflect the real “business of education.”

In the end no champion is ever embarrassed by their scars. Courage has never been defined by those who fought and did not fall, but by those who fought, fell, and rose again. Toward the betterment of the Plainfield Public Schools and the learning of our students, above division and discord, and as was done by those before us toward an even greater cause such as freedom, justice, and equality, must we rise.

Plainfield Public Schools…Yes, we will!

Sincerely,

Steve Gallon III, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools