http://www.mhssc.net Copyright 2012 Syntax Communications On April 25, the Council hosted the Annual School Board Institute Dinner Meeting in Hudson Hall on the campus of Mount St. Mary College. The event was attended by more than 100 superintendents, board members and guests. The audience was addressed by Mr. Henry Grishman, the New York State Superintendent of the Year. Mr. Grishman is the superintendent of schools in Jericho, Long Island. The agenda for the evening included the election of officers and executive committee members, the adoption of the budget for 2012-13, and the awards for Educational Leadership. The recipients of the Educational Leadership Award were Dr. Dee Berlinghoff, Mount St. Mary College, Dr. Richard M. Hooley, Valley Central School District and Dr. Thomas Meyer, State University of New York at New Paltz. The Friend of the Council Award was presented to former school attorney, Mr. John Donoghue. The social hour was sponsored by ECG Engineering, J.J. Stanis Company, Inc, Pupil Benefits Plan, Inc and School Aid Specialists. The after dinner coffee bar was sponsored by Hawkins, Delafield and Wood, LLP. Dr. Dee Berlinghoff Mount St. Mary College Dee Berlinghoff currently holds the rank of full professor. Her area of expertise is special education. She is highly regarded in her field and is often called upon to speak at local, state and national conferences. She is the incoming president of the New York State Council for Exceptional Children. She received her undergraduate degree from Penn State and her graduate degrees from Lehigh and Penn State. Her colleagues describe Dee as the consummate professional, dedicated to the success of her students. In addition to her work with students she can often be found working with local districts providing them with methods and strategies in addressing the instruction of high needs students. Her commitment to mentoring has served both her students and the mid-Hudson region. Dr. Berlinghoff has manifested leadership and scholarship in all areas of our work. The Council is proud to recognize Dr. Berlinghoff, for her contributions and achievements in the mid-Hudson region. Dr. Richard M. Hooley Valley Central School District Dr. Hooley is currently the superintendent of schools in the Valley Central School District. He has been the superintendent for the past nine years. Dr. Hooley obtained his bachelor of arts and masters degree from Wake Forest University. His administrative training was obtained from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He completed his graduate work at Teachers College, Columbia University. It is probably fair to say that no one works for Dr. Hooley, but Dr. Hooley works with everyone. His success at Valley Central can be found in his leadership style. He demonstrates consideration for everyone in the Valley central community. His vision for the district is driven by data and the passion to develop lifelong learners. He is a doer. Dr. Hooley, in addressing the challenges of leading the school district has chosen to build bridges by being collaborative and collegial. His constituents find him to be fair and most approachable. He maintains an open door policy. In these difficult times, Richard Hooley is a problem solver who encourages individuals to have the courage to think outside the box when searching for the answers. The Council is proud to recognize Dr. Richard Hooley for his accomplishments and achievements in the mid-Hudson region. Dr. Thomas Meyer State University of New York at New Paltz. Dr. Meyer is an associate professor and currently the director of the Hudson Valley Writing Project. He has been at the college for the past 13 years. Tom received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan. He completed his graduate work at Stanford University. He is a frequent speaker at the local, state and national level. Dr. Myers colleagues repeatedly mention his dedication, enthusiasm and commitment in advancing the improvement of writing instruction throughout the region. His programs are valued for both their rigor and engagement. Under his leadership the Hudson Valley Writing Project offers a summer institute that provides teachers an opportunity to learn and understand the skills necessary to improve student writing at all grade levels and in all content areas. In addition, he oversees the Saturday seminars that are held throughout the year on a variety of topics. Tom has been described as transformational leader. One who listens, empowers and encourages individuals to achieve at the highest level. The Council is proud to recognize Dr. Thomas Meyer for his contributions and achievements in the mid-Hudson region. Friend of the Council recipient Mr. John Donoghue. Mr. Donoghue has provided legal service to the school districts in our region for the past several decades. In addition to serving the school districts, he has provided legal opinions and guidance to the executive directors of the Mid-Hudson School Study Council for the past 40 years. http://www.mhssc.net/News/Story.aspx?id=5583 Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT On May 7 the Council will be hosting a workshop on how unfunded mandates and tax cap jeopardize a sound basic education. The workshop will take place from 10:00am until 12:00pm at New Rochelle City Hall, 515 N. Ave., New Rochelle. The workshop will feature a panel of speakers that include: Michael Rebell, Executive Director, Campaign for Educational Equity at Teachers College, Columbia University; Jay Worona, General Counsel and Director of Legal and Policy Services, New York State School Boards Association; Gary Bixhorn, Chief Operating Officer, Eastern Suffolk Board of Cooperative Educational Services; Louis Wool, Superintendent, Harrison Central School District, and Howard Miller and John Miller, Bond, Schoeneck and King. The discussion will focus on the financial and programmatic impact to the children in our school districts throughout the region caused by unfunded mandates and the tax cap. Superintendent, board members and other stakeholders are invited to attend. Registration is available until May 4. http://www.mhssc.net/News/Story.aspx?id=5386 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Council hosted a meeting on March 28 that focused on improving the student teacher experience for school districts, colleges and student teachers. The meeting was attended by nearly 40 people. The participating colleges were Mount Saint Mary, Marist, Vassar, and SUNY@ New Paltz as well as superintendents, central office administrators and student teachers. The meeting focused on the following six essential questions: 1. What is the value added of having student teachers in your district? 2. Would a common application and process for the placement of student teachers by regional teacher preparation institutions be of interest for your district? If yes, what would this look like? 3. What are different models that could be used for student teachers in your classrooms? 4. How can teacher preparation institutions work more effectively with districts? 5. What advice do you have for teacher preparation institutions? 6. What are the strategies that address the growing anxiety caused by APPR in cooperating teachers? There was unanimous agreement that the current student teacher model needs to be redesigned. Teacher preparation institutions need to be flexible and understanding of the current and evolving K-12 environment. In the future, teacher preparation needs to be a more clinically rich experience. In addition to a clinically rich experience, education majors need to understand and be able to apply data from student assessments to inform their instruction. Undergraduate students majoring in education need many more field experiences prior to commencing their student teaching. Current successful student teacher placements were characterized as having strong pre-and inservice training for their cooperating teachers. Student teachers along with their cooperating teachers need to commit that they are teammates in a professional learning community. During the field and clinical experience student teachers with the assistance of their cooperating teacher will spend much of their time learning to understand both the science and art of pedagogy. There was strong support for the co-teaching model. School administrators emphatically stated that student teachers will be the teacher of record at some point in their student teaching experience. As a result, student teachers need to know and understand the curriculum standards in their area. At the conclusion of the meeting, all agreed that discussion and conversation was productive, meaningful, and needs to be continued. The Council offered to assist the colleges in placing student teachers for the 2012 fall semester. http://www.mhssc.net/News/Story.aspx?id=5132 Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Mid-Hudson School Study Council is proud to announce the winners for this year’s Educational Leadership Award. The nominated candidates must demonstrate superior educational leadership and accomplishments in their educational environments. These individuals have shown an advanced sense of creativity in meeting the needs of their students. In addition to their accomplishments in the classroom, they have also contributed to the growth of their professional communities. These educators are among the best of the best in the mid-Hudson region. The Council is also proud to announce that this year's Friend of the Council Award goes to Mr. John Donoghue. Mr. Donoghue, a long time school attorney in the mid-Hudson region and recently retired from the law firm, Donoghue, Thomas, Auslander & Drohan. Mr. Donoghue has played an integral part in the success of Council. This year's Educational Leadership Award winners are, Dr. Dee Berlingoff, Mount Saint Mary College, Dr. Richard Hooley, Valley Central School District, and Dr. Thomas Meyer, SUNY@ New Paltz. Dr. Berlingoff has been at Mount Saint Mary College for 12 years. She obtained her degrees at Penn State and Lehigh University. She is considered to be a leader of leaders in the area of special education in the Hudson Valley region. In addition to her papers, she is often asked to present at the state and national level. Dr. Richard Hooley has been the superintendent in Valley Central for nine years. He has attended Columbia University, Wake Forest University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. During his tenure he has demonstrated to be not only the administrative leader of the district but also the instructional leader of the district. He is often characterized as one who thinks outside the box. Dr. Thomas Meyer has been at New Paltz for the past 13 years. He attended Stanford University and the University of Michigan. He is primarily responsible for the Hudson Valley Writing Project. This project has benefited numerous teachers and students throughout the region. His passion and leadership in the area of creative writing is truly one of our region's greatest assets. Our honorees will be recognized at the Mid-Hudson School Study Council’s annual dinner to be held on April 25 on the campus of Mount Saint Mary in Hudson Hall. The event will begin at 6 PM with a social hour sponsored by J.J. Stanis Company, ECG Engineering, LLC, Pupil Benefits Plan, Inc, and School Aid Specialists. In addition to granting the awards the keynote speaker for the evening is Mr. Henry “Hank” Grishman, New York State Superintendent of the Year. His topic will be Celebrating the Success of Public Education. Mr. Grishman is the superintendent of schools in the Jericho Public Schools located on Long Island. Annual Meeting Information (PDF) Annual Meeting Registration http://www.mhssc.net/News/Story.aspx?id=5084 Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT This past Superintendent’s Conference Day the Mid-Hudson School Study Council provided a staff development day for education office professionals, paraprofessionals, aides, and monitors. This event was held at Anthony's Pier 9 on November 8 and attended by more than 80 people. The presenters included Ms. Jonnie Wesley-Krueger, Director, Training & Education at Orange Regional Medical Center and Ms. Penny Lynch, Breast Cancer Supervisor, Ray W. Moody, M.D. Breast Center, the Orange Regional Medical Center. Ms. Krueger's presentation focused on how to work incorporating appropriate ergonomic techniques as well as diffusing combative situations. Ms. Lynch, an expert in breast cancer detection and treatment, talked directly to the audience on women’s health issues, specifically, proper breast screening technique,s as well as the benefits of a healthy lifestyle in warding off breast cancer. Mr. Stuart Waxman and Ms. Laura Del Gaudio from the law firm of Donoghue, Thomas, Auslander & Drohan informed the audience on the dangers of students engaged in cyber bullying and appropriate and inappropriate student social networking behaviors. The final workshop was conducted by David Hungerford and David Hungerford Jr. these gentlemen are certified financial planners from AXA Advisors. They provided the audience with various investment options based upon their age and current financial health. In closing, the initial feedback from the attendees was very positive regarding both the presenters and the topics. http://www.mhssc.net/News/Story.aspx?id=3581 Sun, 13 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Dr. Robert Dillon Executive Director MARCH MADNESS - In March, the Council sponsored three workshops. On March 12, the Council in collaboration with Monroe College sponsored a legal update workshop for school administrators. This workshop was held on the Monroe College campus in New Rochelle. The presenters were Terry O'Neil and Howard Miller from Bond, Schoeneck, and King. Their topics for the evening included the Triborough Law, Negotiations, the Triborough Amendment, the Faithless Servant Doctrine, as well as current issues in employee and student discipline. Although lightly attended, the presentations were extremely valuable. On March 14, an informational forum was conducted for the district clerks’ in our region at Mount Saint Mary College. The forum was conducted by Dan Petigrow from Thomas, Drohan, Waxman, Petigrow and Mayle. The discussion focused on the Open Meetings Law, Budget Vote Timelines, Records Retention, and Voting Machines. The session concluded with a lengthy Q&A. As in the past, the participants found this workshop to be very valuable. On March 20 another legal update for school administrators was held at Mount Saint Mary College. This legal update was conducted by James Drohan and Stuart Waxman from Thomas, Drohan, Waxman, Petigrow, and Mayle. Topics included; Special Education, Student Discipline, 2% Cap on the Tax Levy and APPR. Those in attendance commented on the content and professional presentation of the presenters. http://www.mhssc.net/News/Story.aspx?id=2994 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT Nearly seven hundred supporters, friends and family members turned out to express their appreciation with raucous cheers, along with numerous standing ovations throughout the evening for their colleagues at the 2011 Mid-Hudson School Study Council’s Awards for Excellence celebration. Dr. Ivan Katz, president of the council, presented the recipients with their awards. This event was under- written with the financial support from HSBC Bank, J. J. Stanis and Company, Capital Markets Advisers, LLC, ECG Engineering, LLC, and Hawkins, Delafield, and Wood, LLP. This celebrated event recognized outstanding service in the areas of administration, support staff, pupil personnel services, teaching, and school board service. Support Staff: Linda Ahnstrom, Sullivan West Deborah June, Pine Bush Arlene Looney, Millbrook Michelle Lucks, Ulster BOCES Ann Michel, O/U BOCES Raphy Perez, Washingtonville Nancy Pisanelli, Dutchess BOCES Susan Reichardt, Valley Central Terry Synder, Onteora Mary Ann Zuvich, Monroe-Woodbury School Board Service: James Barrett, Pine Bush Elizabeth Blashka, Valley Central John Broderick, Monroe-Woodbury Dawn Fucheck, Newburgh John Seagren, Hyde Park Pupil Personnel Services: Nancy Brother, Valley Central Carrie Frost, Newburgh Carolyn LaPenna, O/U BOCES Donna Matthews, Ulster BOCES Marcia Tanzman, Millbrook Teaching: Judith Ambrosetti, Newburgh Donna Carbone, O/U BOCES Stephanie DeRobertis, Chester Jack Etter, Monticello Tamara Realmuto-Diaz, O/U BOCES Fabien Riviere, Goshen William Yager, Millbrook Administration: Lisa Burnside, Pine Bush Matthew Evans, Fallsburg Linda Heitmann, Dutchess BOCES Charlene Kelemen, Monroe-Woodbury Arthur J. Lange, O/U BOCES Sandra Miller, Kingston Janet Seaman, Washingtonville http://www.mhssc.net/News/Story.aspx?id=2903 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT