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Friday, nov 15
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New York State Education Department
Schools
Carmel School Board Member Under Fire For Comments On Israel-Hamas War
Elected officials and community members are calling for a Hudson Valley school board member to step down following alleged antisemitic remarks made at a board meeting. The outrage was prompted following a school board meeting in Putnam County on Tuesday, July 9, when Carmel Central School District Trustee Jim Wise allegedly controversy within the town over a comment on the Israel-Hamas war. The statement in question, "From the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free," was defended by Wise in a post on social media on Wednesday, Aug. 7. "I also reject absolutely the idea that …
Schools
College Of Saint Rose Shutting Down After 103 Years
After more than a century in operations, Albany’s College of Saint Rose is permanently closing amid mounting financial struggles. The school’s board of trustees voted Thursday, Nov. 30, to shut down the college at the end of the Spring 2024 semester. “It is with a heavy heart that the Board decided to close the college at the end of this academic year,” Board Chair Jeffrey Stone said. "The Board determined that the College does not have the financial resources to operate for the full 2024-2025 academic year and therefore cannot remain a standalone institution.” It comes after years …
Schools
Boces
Names New Superintendent For Northern Westchester, Putnam
The Board of the Putnam and Northern Westchester BOCES has named its next superintendent as the current one plans to retire. Neil Boyle, who previously served as the organization's Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, will serve as the next District Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer of PNW BOCES, officials announced on Thursday, April 27. Boyle will succeed James Ryan, who is retiring from the position this year. Already having a long history with BOCES and other school districts in the area, Boyle has previously served as the coordinator …
News
NYU Finance Director Embezzled $3.5M To Fund Her Lavish Lifestyle, DA Says
A former director at New York University is being accused of embezzling millions in state funding and using much of the money to fund a lavish lifestyle at her home in Connecticut home, according to authorities. The six-year fraud by Fairfield County resident Cindy Tappe, age 57, of Westport, related to two NYU programs, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced this week. Tappe used her position as the director of finance and administration for NYU’s Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and Transformation of Schools to diver…
Schools
Covid-
19: NY Cancels January Regents Exams Due To Pandemic
High school students in New York will be exempt from taking the January Regents exams due to the spike of fresh COVID-19 infections that have been threatening the entire state. The New York State Education Department announced on Tuesday, Dec. 21 that the exams have been canceled due to the surge of new COVID-19 cases, specifically those tied to the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the virus. It marks the second straight year that the Education Department canceled the Regents exams due to the spread of COVID-19. “New York set a daunting record last week with more COVID-19 cases rep…
Sports
Covid-
19: Some NY HS Sports, Including Football, May Be Canceled In High-Infection Rate Areas
New York State education officials are calling on school districts begin to prepare to potentially cancel high-risk sporting events where participants are not fully vaccinated in areas with high COVID-19 transmission. With the new school year less than a month away, the Education Department released its guidance on reopening schools, including how best to handle sports and extracurricular activities as variants of the virus continue to cause new infections to spike. Football, volleyball, and competitive cheer and dance are considered to be fall sports at a "higher risk," according to the st…
Schools
Covid-
19: NY Cancels Next Scheduled Regents Exam Due To Pandemic
There will be no Regents exams for high school students in New York this January as the state continues combating the COVID-19 crisis. The New York State Education Department announced on Thursday, Nov. 5 that the ongoing pandemic has wiped out the chance of administering the Regents exams in January 2021. No decisions have been made yet regarding the June and August 2021 Regents exams, interim State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa announced. “Throughout the pandemic, our priority has been the health and wellbeing of our students and educators,” she said. “We determined the January Regen…
News
Covid-
19: Hudson Valley School Closes After Positive Case, 22 Percent Of Staff Under Quarantine
There has been a new school closure due to a positive case of COVID-19 in the Hudson Valley. The school, in Sullivan County, is the George L. Cooke Elementary School, where a staff member tested COVID positive and several other staffers are in quarantine, the Monticello Central School District announced. The school has switched to remote instruction only for all of its students through Friday, Oct. 9, the district announced on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Related story - COVID-19: Westchester School District Pushes In-Person Learning Into November The district and Su…
News
Covid-
19: State Guidelines For Reopening Schools Now Available To Public
Guidelines sent to school districts when the formula that will be used to reopen schools across New York State was announced are now available for the general public. Under the formula, schools can reopen if the region is in Phase 4 and the daily COVID-19 infection rate is five percent or lower over a 14-day average. But if the regional infection rate is greater than nine percent using a seven-day average after Saturday, Aug. 1, schools will then have to close, in effect, "an emergency stop button," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in announcing the formula on Monday, July 13. The determination for …
Schools
Covid-
19: These Steps Are Needed To Safely Reopen Schools, NY State Teachers Union Says
With the state set to announce in less than a month plans for reopening schools in the fall, the New York State Teachers Union has offered guidance on how to best get students back in the classroom. NYSUT President Andy Pallotta released a statement following New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announcing an official timeline for when a decision will be made on school reopening. COVID-19: NY State Sets Timeline For Making Decision On Reopening Schools The state will provide public guidelines from the New York State Education Department to districts on Monday, July 13, and school districts will have…
News
Covid-
19: NY State Sets Timeline For Making Decision On Reopening Schools
New York State now has a timeline for announcing a decision on how to best potentially reopen schools in September amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. During a news briefing on Wednesday, July 8 in Manhattan, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that the state has set a deadline for making a final decision on whether how or if schools will open their doors in the fall. The state will provide public guidelines from the New York State Education Department to districts on Monday, July 13, and school districts will have to submit their proposed plans by Friday, July 31. Once distr…
Schools
Covid-
19 'New Normal' For Schools: NY Finalizing Fall Options
When schools potentially reopen their doors for classes in New York come the fall, they could have a very different look for students and staff. The New York State Education Department and Board of Regents has launched a “school reopening task force” comprised of educators statewide as New York recovers from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that forced the state to transition to a “distance learning” model. Related story - COVID-19: Have Plans Ready For The 'New Normal,' Cuomo Tells NY School Districts That task force held its first meeting this week, on Monday, June 15, as i…
Schools
Covid-
19: School Districts Given Deadline To Submit Reopening Plans To State
The clock is ticking for school districts in New York to figure out their plans on keeping students and staff safe if they reopen in the fall amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. State officials have mandated that school districts must have a plan in place that includes social distancing, hybrid learning options, and other intangibles if they plan to potentially reopen in September as New York recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Some districts have even looked into testing students and staff for the virus upon their arrival at school buildings. The New York State Education Dep…
Schools
Covid-
19: NY Finalizing Options For What Schools Will Look Like In Fall
When schools potentially reopen their doors for classes in New York come the fall, they could have a very different look for students and staff. The New York State Education Department and Board of Regents has launched a “school reopening task force” comprised of educators statewide as New York recovers from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that forced the state to transition to a “distance learning” model. Related story - COVID-19: Have Plans Ready For The 'New Normal,' Cuomo Tells NY School Districts That task force held its first meeting this week, on Monday, June 15, …
Sports
Covid-
19: Guidelines Released For Summer HS Sports Workouts
Public schools in New York will be able to open up campuses later this summer for sports workouts, according to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association's novel coronavirus (COVID-19) Task Force. The NYSPHSAA announced on Friday, June 12, that school campuses can be used for high school sports training in Phase 4, though official practices will not be permitted to start until Monday, Aug. 24. Workouts will resume once regions enter Phase 4 of their reopening plan under the mandates set provided by the state. If the mid-Hudson Valley and Long Island stay on track, they will…
Schools
Covid-
19: 19 Members Of State's Reimagine Education Advisory Council Announced
A group of nearly two dozen top education leaders has been tabbed to help reimagine education in New York when the state is rid of COVID-19 and ready to begin reopening schools. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a panel of 19 experts, made up of educators, students, parents, and education leaders, to help districts reimagine schools as they prepare to reopen in the "new normal." Cuomo said the advisory board will reimagine education “while protecting health and safety, how virtual learning can bridge the gap, and supplement face to face education when schools reopen.” The Council …
News
Covid-
19: State Orders Schools To Cancel Spring Recess, Continue Remote Learning
School districts in New York have been instructed to forego traditional spring recess and continue distance learning as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to plague the state. With schools statewide shut down through at least Wednesday, April 15 due to the virus, Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order requiring that remote teaching continues to that date. The governor said that districts that fail to provide instruction on all weekdays through April 15, including scheduled vacation days, could potentially lose state aid. It is unclear what school districts will do rega…
News
Covid-
19: School Staff Member In Westchester Tests Positive
A staff member at a Westchester school has tested positive for novel coronavirus. Bronxville Schools Superintendent Roy Montesano issued an alert to parents on Wednesday stating that a member of the staff at The Bronxville School tested positive for COVID-19. Montesano noted that the school has been closed since Friday, March 13, leaving nearly two weeks since anyone has been in group contact in the district. It was unclear whether the staff member was a faculty member, administrator or another employee at the school. “To help you respond to this situation, we note that school contact, ‘b…
News
Covid-
19: All Schools In State Will Close For At Least Two Weeks, Cuomo Says
As the number of positive cases of the novel strain of the coronavirus (COVID-19) climbs, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that all schools statewide will be closed for a minimum of two weeks, and maybe more. During his daily news conference on the outbreak, on Monday, March 16, Cuomo announced he is working with the state Education Department to ensure that all schools are shut down to help curtail the rapid spread of COVID-19. Cuomo said that nearly 90 percent of New York Schools had already closed or had planned to close in the coming week. The order comes as those schools that remai…
Schools
New Rochelle, Ground Zero For
Covid-
19 In Westchester, Closes All Schools
All schools in New Rochelle, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the Hudson Valley, will be closed until Thursday, March 26, officials announced. Related story: School Closures, Schedule Adjustments For Friday, March 13 New Rochelle has been at the center of the outbreak after a 50-year-old attorney who lives in the North end of the city became the second New Yorker to test positive for COVID-19. The virus quickly spread thereafter the attorney attended a bar mitzvah and wedding at an area church, which then transmitted to members of the congregation. Earlier story:&nbs…
Obituaries
Judith Johnson, Longtime Hudson Valley Educator, Dies
Former New York State Education Department Regent and prominent Hudson Valley educator Judith Johnson has died. During her career, Johnson, 80, spent time serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary for Education under President Bill Clinton and spent decades educating students in the Hudson Valley. Johnson spent 10 years as the Schools Superintendent in Peekskill, becoming the first African American to hold that post. She also took over at the helm in Mount Vernon in an interim position in 2012 as the district underwent wholesale changes and sought a permanent …
Politics
'Emergency Executive Action' To Ban Flavored E-Cigarettes In NY Announced By Cuomo
An "emergency executive action" has been put in place to ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes in New York. The order will advance legislation aiming to eliminate "deceptive marketing practices of e-cigarettes to underage users and raises the purchasing age of e-cigarettes from 18 to 21 years old," Cuomo's office said in a statement announcing the move on Sunday, Sept. 15. The action comes after a sixth vaping-related death was announced on Tuesday, Sept. 10, in Kansas. Cuomo directed State Police and the Department of Health to immediately partner to ramp up enforcement efforts again…
Schools
State Assembly Grants Four Hudson Valley School Districts Waivers On Millions In Fines
Four Hudson Valley school districts may be spared from paying about $19 million in fines due to late paperwork on construction projects. The state Assembly gave its approval on Tuesday, June 4 to legislation freeing the Orange County school districts of Newburgh and Chester, as well as the Sullivan County school district in Monticello. They allegedly neglected to file final reports on building projects years ago. The state Senate previously approved the bills last month — and a separate bill to grant Roscoe School District the same penalty waiver in Sullivan County. The legislation now goe…
Schools
Westchester School District In Danger Of Losing State Aid
The New Rochelle School District is in danger of losing state aid because two middle schools will not meet the required number of instructional hours for students. Parents were made aware of this issue this week when interim Superintendent Magda Parvey sent a letter detailing the issue at hand. The problem was discovered in December and district officials by the school’s lawyers. In the letter, Parvey pointed the finger at the former administration, which was helmed by former Superintendent Brian Osborne, who abruptly left his position in the district last year. Parvey said that there are n…
Schools
Report: Westchester School District May Be Spending Millions On Improperly Registered Students
A school district in Westchester may be spending millions of dollars to educate students that are improperly enrolled in the school by using false addresses, according to a report by CBS New York. Toward the end of the last school year, New Rochelle School District officials announced that they would be re-registering each of the district’s 10,700 students, though they were forced to amend their initial plan to give themselves “a more realistic timetable to complete the (task).” According to the CBS report, a consultant involved in the residency verification who has verified enrollment…
Schools
Hudson Valley Has One Of State's Three 'Essential Elements Schools'
Fieldstone Middle School in Thiells has been recognized by the state Education Department as an "Essential Elements School." Also making a longer list of "exemplary schools to watch," were South Orangetown Middle School in Blauvelt and Van Wyck Junior High in Wappingers Central School District. In collaboration with its New York Essential Elements to Watch partners, the state recognized three new schools as 2018 Essential Elements: Schools to Watch (EE-STW), according to Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. The designation is awarded to exceptional middle level schools that mee…
News
Investigate Schools Blocking Exits During Gun Safety Walkouts, Cuomo Says
Click here for a related story: Hudson Valley Students Stand Up, Speak Out On National Walkout Day Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New Castle called on the New York State Education Department Commissioner to investigate public schools that blocked exits this week when students decided to walk out in memory of 17 students and teachers killed in the recent mass shooting at Parkvale, Fla. Cuomo asked the commissioner to direct schools to "cease unconstitutional disciplinary action against students and teachers who participated in (the) gun safety walkout." Cuomo issued the following open lette…
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