Bridgeport’s teachers could ratify a new, three-year contract this Thursday, and though the terms of the contract are not being made public yet, here’s to hoping the Bridgeport Board of Education takes advantage of the rare opportunity it has in its hands.[Connecticut Post, 1/15/2014; Bridgeport Board of Education, Agenda, 1/16/2014] A few miles up I-95,… Continue reading Bridgeport Teachers Could Ink A New Contract On Thursday
The Student Achievement and Special Populations Ad Hoc Committee met Monday to discuss the “district dashboard.” The dashboard was created by former Chief Operating Officer, Don Kennedy. It gives a snapshot of the district over the past three years and includes all sorts of data, including drop-out rates, attendance, suspension and several others. One metric… Continue reading School Metrics Reveal More Students Staying in District: Is School-Choice Good for District?
The school board met on Friday evening for the first deliberation session, but has yet to come to a decision in the Carmen Perez-Dickson hearing. Friday’s meeting was conducted entirely in executive session and it’s expected that all subsequent meetings will also be held behind closed doors—except for the vote, which must be held in… Continue reading No Decision Yet for Dickson
Mayor Bill Finch told reporters earlier this year that Superintendent Paul Vallas has “never seen a contract as bad as this.” Believe it or not, Vallas may be on to something… I’m not quite sure what part of the contract he was referring to; however, after reviewing the contract myself, I noticed a few lines… Continue reading Is It Ok for the BEA Contract to Use the Term “Mentally Retarded Children?”
Last week, Superintendent Paul Vallas began a new round of “State of the Schools” community meetings, similar to those held two years ago when Vallas first came to the district. The first was held on Thursday at Jettie S. Tisdale Elementary, and the next will be held at Black Rock School on Thursday at 5:30pm.… Continue reading Vallas Meets with Parents During “State of the Schools” Community Meetings
During Friday’s termination hearing, Tisdale Principal Carmen Perez-Dickson claimed she thought the tapes were “doctored.” The three now infamous tapes allegedly show the Tisdale Principal “manhandling” two kindergarten students under her care. In order to protect the student’s identities, none of the tapes were released to the public. During Perez-Dickson’s retelling of the February 19th… Continue reading Carmen Perez-Dickson Termination Hearing: Were the Tapes Doctored?
After months of hearings, Jettie S. Tisdale Principal Carmen Perez-Dickson was finally given a chance to tell her side of the story during Friday’s four-hour special board meeting. Perez-Dickson was put on administrative leave back in 2012 after three tapes surfaced which allegedly show her “manhandling” two kindergarten students at Tisdale. During Friday’s hearing, Perez-Dickson… Continue reading Carmen Perez-Dickson Takes the Stand
Thursday’s groundbreaking celebration drew quite a crowd. Over 200 Roosevelt students, parents, teachers and community members were in attendance. The festivities included performances by Roosevelt’s band, as well as their chorus, who sang “Bridgeport Reach” – A song written by Central High School’s choir about Bridgeport students. Mayor Finch, Superintendent Paul Vallas, and Board of… Continue reading Groundbreaking Celebration at the New Roosevelt School Draws a Crowd
The Board of Education met with City Council’s Budget Appropriations Committee Monday to discuss teacher and administrator contract negotiations. The meeting lasted only ten minutes and very little discussion took place. State statute requires the Board of Education to meet and “confer” with city fiscal authorities prior to the start of collective bargaining negotiations.… Continue reading Board Meeting on Teacher Contracts Ends Early
Tuesday, Superintendent Paul Vallas announced Bridgeport Public Schools will receive an $11.1 million federal grant over the next three years. The grant was awarded through the U.S. Department of Education’s Magnet Schools Assistance Program. The district will receive $3.2 million in the first year, and then $3.9 million in the second and third years. This… Continue reading Bridgeport Schools to Receive $11 million in Federal Grants
