McDonald & Company Fail Kearny

[Guest Where have u gone, Onembo?]

I don't owe you any answers. The Board owes us all answers, and from what I read in the Observer, they gave them. Apparently Ferraro was making decisions without proper consultation with the Board. You may not agree with those reasons but they are valid. And calling this "friends and family" ignores the fact that they never wanted Ferraro in the first place. You have your version of the motives but you're not necessarily right.

And I'm still not a female. I told you, I have no connection to anyone on the Board. What about you? Where do you fit in here?

You criticize others but can't defend your positions and throw in a dose of snarkiness for good measure? You can yell, throw mud and then run, but you will be questioned.

I repeat Board of Education Members McDonald, Lindenfelser and Cifelli Sherry did a hatchet jot on Ferraro. They are now spinning a story to defend themselves publicly. But those three Board members are being questioned and challenged. You many not owe me any anwers on this Board. But you do owe answers in public, ma'am.

[Guest Your Answer]

That's not an answer. You said absolutely nothing.

The claim was that Ferraro did something to improve the quality of education. I want to know what he did. Apparently, nothing.

Here is what appears on the State DOE site.........seems Mr. Ferraro has a good grasp on things, has a plan in motion and has set targets to address specific issues.

KEARNY TOWN (17-2410)

Over the past year, Kearny Public Schools has moved forward to meet the needs of our two most important constituencies, Kearny students and taxpayers. We are nearing the completion of a comprehensive community-wide strategic planning process. The strategic plan will identify long-term goals in the areas of instruction, facilities and finance. Over the three planning sessions, over 100 people participated in the process; these people included District staff, community members, students and representatives from local government and faith-based organizations. The completed strategic plan will be a road map forward for Kearny Schools highlighting our instructional and administrative priorities in the years ahead.

Like other District’s across the state, we are in the midst of implementing a new and rigorous principal / teacher evaluation process. This process is a powerful tool to be used by teachers and administration to improve instruction by identifying professional development opportunities for teachers and areas of focus that will improve classroom instruction. The District will also be addressing academic achievement for students by making data-driven decisions that will include test scores, performance targets and demographic information that will ensure all students from all backgrounds will have the equal educational opportunities our children deserve.

The District has already started the 2014 – 2015 budget process that will connect instruction to taxpayer resources. The budgeting process will include over 20 budget hearings to plan expenditures for operational areas such as instruction, facilities, technology, athletics / extracurricular activities and staffing. The budget process will be open to include administration staff and the community.

The Kearny High School construction project has been restructured and work will commence within the next month. There will be a page on our website dedicated to the project so our staff and community can follow the progress.

We encourage and welcome parents to become involved in their children’s education. There can be nothing more rewarding than participating in your child’s learning. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the appropriate District staff member and together we will address any issue to improve your children’s educational experience here at Kearny Schools.

Mr Frank Ferraro

(201) 955-5021

fferraro@kearnyschools.com

kearnyschools.com

[Guest Guest]

Here is what appears on the State DOE site.........seems Mr. Ferraro has a good grasp on things, has a plan in motion and has set targets to address specific issues.

KEARNY TOWN (17-2410)

Over the past year, Kearny Public Schools has moved forward to meet the needs of our two most important constituencies, Kearny students and taxpayers. We are nearing the completion of a comprehensive community-wide strategic planning process. The strategic plan will identify long-term goals in the areas of instruction, facilities and finance. Over the three planning sessions, over 100 people participated in the process; these people included District staff, community members, students and representatives from local government and faith-based organizations. The completed strategic plan will be a road map forward for Kearny Schools highlighting our instructional and administrative priorities in the years ahead.

Like other District’s across the state, we are in the midst of implementing a new and rigorous principal / teacher evaluation process. This process is a powerful tool to be used by teachers and administration to improve instruction by identifying professional development opportunities for teachers and areas of focus that will improve classroom instruction. The District will also be addressing academic achievement for students by making data-driven decisions that will include test scores, performance targets and demographic information that will ensure all students from all backgrounds will have the equal educational opportunities our children deserve.

The District has already started the 2014 – 2015 budget process that will connect instruction to taxpayer resources. The budgeting process will include over 20 budget hearings to plan expenditures for operational areas such as instruction, facilities, technology, athletics / extracurricular activities and staffing. The budget process will be open to include administration staff and the community.

The Kearny High School construction project has been restructured and work will commence within the next month. There will be a page on our website dedicated to the project so our staff and community can follow the progress.

We encourage and welcome parents to become involved in their children’s education. There can be nothing more rewarding than participating in your child’s learning. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the appropriate District staff member and together we will address any issue to improve your children’s educational experience here at Kearny Schools.

Mr Frank Ferraro

(201) 955-5021

fferraro@kearnyschools.com

kearnyschools.com

It doesn't say anything. It's just usual generalities that a lot of people in government put out to tell us how wonderful they are. And it doesn't inspire confidence when the writer puts "District's" when it should be "Districts."

For example, it says there is a teacher evaluation process. But is that new? How does it work? How do they intend to use it? Where's the beef?

I still want to know specifically what Ferraro did to improve education for our students.

[Guest Guest]

You criticize others but can't defend your positions and throw in a dose of snarkiness for good measure? You can yell, throw mud and then run, but you will be questioned.

I repeat Board of Education Members McDonald, Lindenfelser and Cifelli Sherry did a hatchet jot on Ferraro. They are now spinning a story to defend themselves publicly. But those three Board members are being questioned and challenged. You many not owe me any anwers on this Board. But you do owe answers in public, ma'am.

Who do you think you're kidding? You're part of the perpetually angry faction that lost the election. You could never get elected in the first place if the elections hadn't been held in April. You got your friends and family to vote for you, and you won. (Then you have the nerve to say it's all about friends and family.) But then you did a lousy job, and the election got moved to November when more people vote and you got crushed. Friends and family didn't boot you out. The people did, because you turned the BOE into a circus. Castelli finished 7th out of 10 candidates, and he wasn't close. Then he ran for state senate and got crushed there too. Nobody with any sense is going to vote for you guys. All you ever offer us is a lot of complaining but when you got into office, you acted like immature little boys on a playground. We'd be crazy to trust you to run the BOE or anything else.

So now you're mad. Ms. Lindenfelser told you about her problems with Ferraro. She said he wasn't being professional or responsive. She was specific. In a privately owned business he would be fired. Doing what they did is not a hatchet job. It's what we elected them for, to see that the district runs properly, and in order to do that they need a superintendent who tells them the truth and doesn't change his story every time they talk to him. You have no reason not to believe her and the other Board members who said the same thing. Except, of course, Ferraro's your guy and the truth isn't what you want to hear.

I don't know whether it's worth it to boot him out. Mayor Santos raised that point, and it's a good one. But I do know that there is more than enough reason for responsible people to wish Ferraro wasn't there. I have more confidence in this Board to sort that out than I had in the Board who hired this clown, at the last minute when they hadn't been able to fill the spot for a ridiculously long time. Having more confidence in this Board than the previous one may not be saying much but at least it's some progress.

[Guest Where have u gone, Onembo?]

To the Guest who posted on February 8th,

1. I'm not angry. I never ran for Board of Education. I've been an observer for a very long time.

2. Fact: the total votes for Board of Education in November was not that much more than in April elections. As it turned out, it's still a family and friends election. The ones who got visible bumps in November are the two Board of Education candidates who were directly below the Democratic and Republican lines on the ballot.

3. Fact: the difference between the third highest vote getter, who wins, and numbers four and number five is not getting "crushed". It's around 100 or so voters. That means any majority, including the current one, can become a minority very quickly with Board of Education elections yearly.

4. You calling the Board of Education members who voted to hire Ferraro "immature little boys on a playground" opens the door to calling the Board of Education members who fired Ferraro (McDonald, Lindenfelser and Cifelli-Sherry) "mean girls" out to get revenge.

5. You're still ignoring Lindenfelser's statement at the Board of Education meeting when she said her problem with Ferraro was his termination of an employee who the Observer reported has a drug-related criminal record. In the private world, Ferraro would have been recognized for doing his job. But not with this Board of Education, where it's about friends and family first.

6. I don't see any progress. I'd settle for standstill, but I fear it will get worse.

[Guest Guest]

2. Fact: the total votes for Board of Education in November was not that much more than in April elections. As it turned out, it's still a family and friends election. The ones who got visible bumps in November are the two Board of Education candidates who were directly below the Democratic and Republican lines on the ballot. 3. Fact: the difference between the third highest vote getter, who wins, and numbers four and number five is not getting "crushed". It's around 100 or so voters.

That's not how I recall it. I recall a big spread in the voter turnout, comparing April to November. And because the BOE members do not run on a party line, I don't think you're correct about where their names appeared. I could be wrong but that's not how I recall it.

Finally, the 4th- and 5th-place finishers might have been close to the first three but Castelli wasn't. He got crushed. One of the other knuckleheads didn't run, and I don't recall where the one who did run finished. It wasn't in the top three. But it's obvious to anyone who understands politics that the higher voter turnout in November hurts Castelli and his gang.

[Guest Where have u gone, Onembo?]

That's not how I recall it. I recall a big spread in the voter turnout, comparing April to November. And because the BOE members do not run on a party line, I don't think you're correct about where their names appeared. I could be wrong but that's not how I recall it.

Finally, the 4th- and 5th-place finishers might have been close to the first three but Castelli wasn't. He got crushed. One of the other knuckleheads didn't run, and I don't recall where the one who did run finished. It wasn't in the top three. But it's obvious to anyone who understands politics that the higher voter turnout in November hurts Castelli and his gang.

That's not how you'd "like" to recall it, but numbers don't lie. Fact is there was not much of a difference in vote totals for Board of Education comparing April to November. Also, I didn't say Board of Education candidates run on a party line. The way the ballot is layed out in a November election, the Board of Education candidates are lined up in a row from left to right on the lower half of the ballot. The Board of Education candidates in the first two slots, A and B, line up below the Democratic and Republican columns on the top half of the ballot.

Like I said before, not much separates the lowest winner and the next highest vote receiving candidates in a Board of Education election. That means control of the Board can change quickly, like it has in the past three years. In my opinion, it will likely happen again based on the first month of performance of the current majority. The losers are not the candidates, but instead the district's children and teachers.

[Guest Nothing Else Matters]

That's not how I recall it. I recall a big spread in the voter turnout, comparing April to November. And because the BOE members do not run on a party line, I don't think you're correct about where their names appeared. I could be wrong but that's not how I recall it.

Finally, the 4th- and 5th-place finishers might have been close to the first three but Castelli wasn't. He got crushed. One of the other knuckleheads didn't run, and I don't recall where the one who did run finished. It wasn't in the top three. But it's obvious to anyone who understands politics that the higher voter turnout in November hurts Castelli and his gang.

This has nothing to do with an election, an election result, who ran, who lost..........none of that!!! Stay on point and that is the actions taken and being taken by the "EXISTING" sitting BOE. Nothing else matters except the reckless, thoughtless, selfish, costly, desperate, retaliatory actions taken recently and to be continued !!! The focus is on THIS board and nowhere else.

[Guest Guest]

This has nothing to do with an election, an election result, who ran, who lost..........none of that!!! Stay on point and that is the actions taken and being taken by the "EXISTING" sitting BOE. Nothing else matters except the reckless, thoughtless, selfish, costly, desperate, retaliatory actions taken recently and to be continued !!! The focus is on THIS board and nowhere else.

I disagree. There is a lot of misinformation and hyperventilating going on here, and it's pretty obvious where it's coming from. Just because someone posts it here doesn't mean it's true.

[Guest Guest]

This has nothing to do with an election, an election result, who ran, who lost..........none of that!!! Stay on point and that is the actions taken and being taken by the "EXISTING" sitting BOE. Nothing else matters except the reckless, thoughtless, selfish, costly, desperate, retaliatory actions taken recently and to be continued !!! The focus is on THIS board and nowhere else.

retaliatory - that's the word...the board is trying to make the changes that were forced through by the KPD majority on the previous board. Mr. Ferrero was a non-responsive superintendent. He never took calls, he never returned calls or e-mails. Even at BOE meetings where he would tell a questioning parent/citizen to call him the next day, the calls were never answered nor were they returned after messages were left.

The climate of government has changed a great deal. We have a governor who doesn't believe he has to answer to his constituency, feels he can yell and belittle people when they question him to a superintendent who doesn't believe he has to answer to the people he works FOR. The board has 9 members and they were all his superiors, not just the group that agreed with him. Have a great day and try to stay warm and dry in this next storm. :-)

Edited February 12, 2014 by KOTW
The above statements have not been confirmed.

[Guest Guest]

Why does KOTW put a disclaimer on post 35 but nothing when someone calls President Obama a criminal, a socialist, etc.? There are plenty of things that have been posted here about local officials that are questionable at best. Why doesn't KOTW disclaim those, too?

Edited February 12, 2014 by KOTW
Superintendent is not an elected official.

[Guest False Accusations]

retaliatory - that's the word...the board is trying to make the changes that were forced through by the KPD majority on the previous board. Mr. Ferrero was a non-responsive superintendent. He never took calls, he never returned calls or e-mails. Even at BOE meetings where he would tell a questioning parent/citizen to call him the next day, the calls were never answered nor were they returned after messages were left.

The climate of government has changed a great deal. We have a governor who doesn't believe he has to answer to his constituency, feels he can yell and belittle people when they question him to a superintendent who doesn't believe he has to answer to the people he works FOR. The board has 9 members and they were all his superiors, not just the group that agreed with him. Have a great day and try to stay warm and dry in this next storm. :-)

As the previous post says........there is a lot of misinformation and that misinformation is ONLY coming from you and your cronies who are trying anything to justify the inappropriate actions taken by this rogue Board!!!!!

I am a parent of three (3) students in this district. I have taken a major interest in the BOE in the past year and a half. As a taxpayer I am disgusted by what this Board has done and I can only wait to see what other damage is coming. As a a Parent of students I was very excited that we were going to have some structure and stability and at the least four (4) years of continuity when Mr. Ferraro was hired. I became even more content when the Asst. Superintendent, Dr. Debra Sherard (sorry if I spelled her name wrong) was hired, finally the Kearny School District was set at the top positions and we would be off and running finally.

I can tell this forum first hand, that we, (my husband and I) had a few "issues" with some educational related topics in the past. Each time we tried to get answers we were always blown off, no one would ever meet with me or my husband and we were just given "lip" service. When Mr. Ferraro was hired we called the Superintendent office, Mr. Ferraro returned our call the same day, gave us an appointment to meet with him that met 'Our" schedule and followed through with addressing our concerns in a very reasonable period of time. Both these administrators Ferraro and Sherard have taken my phone calls when I've called or have met with us when we asked. We have never been treated before in such a concerned and respectful way. We were convinced that our children and all the students were first and foremost with Mr. Ferraro and its a shame that this Board is playing politics with our children as the true victims of adult power wars.

[Guest Guest]

retaliatory - that's the word...the board is trying to make the changes that were forced through by the KPD majority on the previous board. Mr. Ferrero was a non-responsive superintendent. He never took calls, he never returned calls or e-mails. Even at BOE meetings where he would tell a questioning parent/citizen to call him the next day, the calls were never answered nor were they returned after messages were left.

The climate of government has changed a great deal. We have a governor who doesn't believe he has to answer to his constituency, feels he can yell and belittle people when they question him to a superintendent who doesn't believe he has to answer to the people he works FOR. The board has 9 members and they were all his superiors, not just the group that agreed with him. Have a great day and try to stay warm and dry in this next storm. :-)

@KOTW - you're absolutely right, I was only repeating the complaints/claims against Mr. Ferraro that were said in an open board meeting. I should have clarified that in my post of 2/12.

[Guest Guest]

I'll give you credit, KOTW, you gave a straight answer to an honest question. Of course, the superintendent is a public figure, and answerable to the public, so I'm not convinced your standard is a good one, or that you apply it evenly. For example, Hilary Clinton was also not an elected official as Secretary of State, yet you allowed a certain individual to say all kinds of things about her without issuing any disclaimer.

In the main, though, I like what you're doing. And the recent changes are very welcome.

[Guest Guest]

As the previous post says........there is a lot of misinformation and that misinformation is ONLY coming from you and your cronies who are trying anything to justify the inappropriate actions taken by this rogue Board!!!!!

I am a parent of three (3) students in this district. I have taken a major interest in the BOE in the past year and a half. As a taxpayer I am disgusted by what this Board has done and I can only wait to see what other damage is coming. As a a Parent of students I was very excited that we were going to have some structure and stability and at the least four (4) years of continuity when Mr. Ferraro was hired. I became even more content when the Asst. Superintendent, Dr. Debra Sherard (sorry if I spelled her name wrong) was hired, finally the Kearny School District was set at the top positions and we would be off and running finally.

I can tell this forum first hand, that we, (my husband and I) had a few "issues" with some educational related topics in the past. Each time we tried to get answers we were always blown off, no one would ever meet with me or my husband and we were just given "lip" service. When Mr. Ferraro was hired we called the Superintendent office, Mr. Ferraro returned our call the same day, gave us an appointment to meet with him that met 'Our" schedule and followed through with addressing our concerns in a very reasonable period of time. Both these administrators Ferraro and Sherard have taken my phone calls when I've called or have met with us when we asked. We have never been treated before in such a concerned and respectful way. We were convinced that our children and all the students were first and foremost with Mr. Ferraro and its a shame that this Board is playing politics with our children as the true victims of adult power wars.

I'm merely a "devil's advocate." I really don't think the BOE will be straightened out until we have a board who is truly there for the good of the school system - not to further a personal agenda (or vendetta.)

The current board (and recent boards) have been working like the state and federal government. If the one side says white, the other will say black. it doesn't matter if it is republican vs. democrat, spy vs. spy, or the boys vs. the girls; this kind of partisan politics has stymied the country with politicians looking for the personal "win" rather than the good of the country; and it is stalling our school system as well.

In order to fix things, I would suggest that this BOE has to come together on an agenda on which they can agree. They need to hire an administrator that all can respect and trust. They need to put aside their personal animosities. If anyone in this group of nine (and I hesitate to call them based upon their behavior) adults cannot figure out how to work together, he or she needs to step down.

[Guest Just Wondering]

I'm merely a "devil's advocate." I really don't think the BOE will be straightened out until we have a board who is truly there for the good of the school system - not to further a personal agenda (or vendetta.)

The current board (and recent boards) have been working like the state and federal government. If the one side says white, the other will say black. it doesn't matter if it is republican vs. democrat, spy vs. spy, or the boys vs. the girls; this kind of partisan politics has stymied the country with politicians looking for the personal "win" rather than the good of the country; and it is stalling our school system as well.

In order to fix things, I would suggest that this BOE has to come together on an agenda on which they can agree. They need to hire an administrator that all can respect and trust. They need to put aside their personal animosities. If anyone in this group of nine (and I hesitate to call them based upon their behavior) adults cannot figure out how to work together, he or she needs to step down.

Is that admiministrator Ms. Blood?

[Guest Guest]

The current board (and recent boards) have been working like the state and federal government. If the one side says white, the other will say black. it doesn't matter if it is republican vs. democrat, spy vs. spy, or the boys vs. the girls; this kind of partisan politics has stymied the country with politicians looking for the personal "win" rather than the good of the country; and it is stalling our school system as well.

In order to fix things, I would suggest that this BOE has to come together on an agenda on which they can agree. They need to hire an administrator that all can respect and trust. They need to put aside their personal animosities. If anyone in this group of nine (and I hesitate to call them based upon their behavior) adults cannot figure out how to work together, he or she needs to step down.

I think we have members on the current Board who do want to work together for the community's good. The King-Leadbeater-Castelli group was very contentious, and all about stirring up people's anger but when it came to running the district, they stank at it. Taking over from a group like that is like getting into a cage with a skunk: even if you do everything right, you can still end up with the stink on you.

[Guest lil pp]

Any town that would vote Johnny Dice Eyes into any elected office in in deep need of an enema.

[Guest Guest]

I think we have members on the current Board who do want to work together for the community's good. The King-Leadbeater-Castelli group was very contentious, and all about stirring up people's anger but when it came to running the district, they stank at it. Taking over from a group like that is like getting into a cage with a skunk: even if you do everything right, you can still end up with the stink on you.

I hope so.

[Guest Guest]

Is that admiministrator Ms. Blood?

Not necessarily, but to hire someone that one faction or another is going to continually get in the way of moving forward is counter productive.

A huge part of the problem is the salary cap pushed through by governor Christie. The experienced educators who were doing the job well were all chased off and we are left with inexperienced administrators who have no mentors to guide them through the process.

[Guest Guest]

Any town that would vote Johnny Dice Eyes into any elected office in in deep need of an enema.

Hey lil PP I think you need an enema in your mouth.

[Guest Fed up Parent]

retaliatory - that's the word...the board is trying to make the changes that were forced through by the KPD majority on the previous board. Mr. Ferrero was a non-responsive superintendent. He never took calls, he never returned calls or e-mails. Even at BOE meetings where he would tell a questioning parent/citizen to call him the next day, the calls were never answered nor were they returned after messages were left.

The climate of government has changed a great deal. We have a governor who doesn't believe he has to answer to his constituency, feels he can yell and belittle people when they question him to a superintendent who doesn't believe he has to answer to the people he works FOR. The board has 9 members and they were all his superiors, not just the group that agreed with him. Have a great day and try to stay warm and dry in this next storm. :-)

Sorry you are WRONG. Was at meetings, had some concerns about my children's classes and Mr. Ferrero allway's took my call or would call me back. May be He didn't answer your calls and I could see why. So please do not answer for all the parents/Citizens. By the way this so called new board is a joke.

[Guest Guest]

Any town that would vote Johnny Dice Eyes into any elected office in in deep need of an enema.

Johnny Dice Eyes coming from someone signing in LIL PP.

[Guest Guest]

Sorry you are WRONG. Was at meetings, had some concerns about my children's classes and Mr. Ferrero allway's took my call or would call me back. May be He didn't answer your calls and I could see why. So please do not answer for all the parents/Citizens. By the way this so called new board is a joke.

What do you mean you can see why he didn't answer my calls? I have never had a need to call Mr. Ferrero - my children are always well behaved honor students who are able to avoid problems in school. There is nothing in my post that is emotional or angry - unlike yours.

I made it clear that what I spoke of was what was observed at BOE meetings. With a nasty attitude like yours, I can only imagine the problems you have to clear up for your own children. Have a great day! I hope the weekend is a nice one for you! :-)