Dear Editor:
The Hoboken Board of Education made an atrocious error in hiring a superintendent without enough public school experience. It was his duty to tell the HoLa team that implementation in September 09 was not possible based on implementation guidelines. Literature (BoE Website) dictates a minimum one year of community outreach, immersion model evaluation, and staffing and location considerations. Subsequently, an additional year spent on staff training and implementation plan development. At least two total planning years are strongly suggested.
Other breaches in due diligence by the superintendent include:
50/50 English vs. Spanish language speaking is desired – how can this be administered on first come first serve basis?
Would the 50/50 immersion model be more appropriate for our community due to the significant attrition rate?
Other programs are started by hiring/allocating a dual language teacher reporting to the principal and committee within an existing school, why do we need an administrator, a family liaison, and a leadership team?
Leave it to this superintendent to suggest doing this program in the most biased, irresponsible, expensive way possible.
Originally, I believed Mr. Raslowsky’s experience at St. Peter’s Prep would be good for our district, particularly the High School. It appears all we have incurred is the additional costs of a superintendent that is not properly qualified. We must pay a board mentor. No other district our size has an assistant superintendent. How much more must we pay for incompetence? And I guess if you are unqualified, it seems OK to hire consultants with absolutely no professional experience in the area for which you are hiring.
Those who are questioning the HoLa program are not saying never, they are saying not now, especially in the economic climate we are currently facing. Our BoE seems bent to proceed despite the overwhelming facts that this is being rushed to accommodate the few.
Most disheartening of all, the BoE job mill that has created a mess to the tune of about $25,000 dollars per student, the highest in the state and probably the country has created a situation where the parents of this community are pitted against each other. Parents, who I want to believe, have the same goal, a good school system for all. This could all have been avoided if Jack was doing his job.
Sincerely,
Ruth McAllister