our students. What a difference a year makes! This summer, we have been fortunate enough to develop, implement, and monitor a summer learning experience for students in grades K-12 through various programs of enrichment and remediation to approximately 550 students at Emerson, Washington, and Plainfield High School. Yes, what a difference a year makes!

A year has also made a tremendous difference throughout the Plainfield Public Schools. Yes, we were extremely proud and pleased that our school district was one of several throughout the state to be removed from the lists of “Districts in Need of Improvement.” This represented a collective and concerted effort on the part of teachers, administrators, support staff, parents, and most important, students.
 
In July 2008, upon my arrival as Superintendent of the Plainfield Public Schools, we were informed that based on trend data from preceding years, Plainfield High School was designated as a Persistently Dangerous School (PDS) under the NJDOE Unsafe School Choice Option. What a difference a year makes! The New Jersey Department of Education was pleased to inform me in writing on July 31, 2009, that the PDS Designation for Plainfield High School was removed consistent with the provisions and criteria outlined in the policy.  Again, due to the collective and concerted efforts of the school’s principal, administrators, security staff, teachers, parents, and students, Plainfield High School has been lifted from under the PDS designation. Plainfield High School is no longer designated as a Persistently Dangerous School. What a difference a year makes!

It is also important to note, however, that consistent with the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan under Goal 4 for Safe Learning Environment, innovative and effective strategies were implemented to stem the tide of incidents at not only the high school, but both middle schools as well. Several strategies that have been credited with improving the safety and security at these schools have included “It Did Not Have to Happen Training,” Expanded Security & Detection Procedures, and weekly visits and monitoring to the schools and of related data. Expanded Search & Detection Procedures, as a legally random process has been a major deterrent to students’ bringing contraband onto our campuses, and has been viewed by many outside of the Plainfield Public Schools as a model for school safety and security efforts.

In fact, the NJDOE in their site review and letter commended our District for such innovative efforts and stated that we would be contacted “to review practices and programs that you [PPS] have implemented to reduce the incidents of violence in your [PPS] school.” Such efforts, though met with some resistance, helped to move our schools and District forward in the area of student safety and security. Fortunately, we did not end up in what often becomes a chasm of figuring out what to do while doing nothing. We developed, communicated, implemented, and monitored a coherent plan of action to address the challenging issue of student safety and security in our schools.  I would like to especially commend the security staffs at all of our schools for the positive work they do in keeping our schools, staff, and students safe. What a difference a year makes!

Additionally, during the summer month of July, though considered a respite for some, the work on behalf of the Plainfield Public Schools continued as follows:
 

• Awarded a competitive $25,000.00 Grant for proposal submitted to the NJ Family Care 100% Insured for Sure! Schools Project, consistent with Goal 3 of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Implemented PPS Passport to Summer Learning, consistent with Goal 1 of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Launched the District Curriculum Review and Writing Team comprised of elementary, middle, and senior high school teachers to develop a curriculum, scope and sequence (map), and overall framework for grades K-12. consistent with Goal 1 of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Met with Executive County Superintendent to review and discuss progress of the District
• Established and implemented new criteria for District issued cell phones to improve efficiency, equity, and accountability, consistent with Goal 3 of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Began the relocation of classroom structures to Cedarbrook K-8 to facilitate the increased enrollment consistent with program expansion and Goal 1 of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Continued Collective Bargaining with BOE and PEA to work  towards the timely establishment and resolution of a new PEA contract, in support of Goal 3 of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Met with PASA Executive Team to discuss collaborative efforts for the 2009-2010 school year, consistent with Goal 2 of t he 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Attended High Schools that Work (HSTW) Consortium to improve the school-to-career readiness of students and performance in reading, mathematics, and writing, consistent with Goal 1 and 2 of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Participated in the Citywide  Neighborhood Block Association Meeting to further engage community stakeholders in the improvement of the Plainfield Public Schools and community, consistent with Goal 5 of the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan
• Continued with the development of Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies and the relocation of the Barack Obama Academy for Academic & Civic Development

The above reflects the continued commitment to improving the Plainfield Public Schools and advancing the educational agenda for all students in our community. My father would always remind me that success comes before work only in the dictionary! His admonishment was a subtle reminder that there is nothing “free” in life and that I was not entitled to anything that I was not willing to work, sweat, and struggle for; that there was dignity in work and caring, and that they represented the foundation for a life with meaning. In order to establish and draw meaning for our lives and respective roles within the Plainfield Public Schools---and life---we must be committed to work systematically and tirelessly toward our work and life’s goals. What difference will be made in your work and life a year from now?
I would be remised if I did not recognize one of our colleagues who was called away from service on this journey in the Plainfield Public Schools and in life. Mr. Patrick Draper, who faithfully served the District for nine years, was “called” away on Tuesday, July 28, 2009. Our prayers and thoughts remain with his family and colleagues.  
In closing, we look forward to your continued support, engagement, and commitment to the work being done on behalf of our students. I hope that you have a restful, productive, and enjoyable remainder of the summer.
Plainfield Public Schools….Yes, we will!

Steve Gallon III, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools