Tagged: amber dixon

A familiar name will be running an educational center using a new approach to giving younger people the skills they need to take advantage of local economic opportunity. 

Former interim Buffalo Schools Superintendent Amber Dixon is now running the new Buffalo Arts and Technology Center.   

Not only is Dixon veteran of education as a teacher and an administrator, she also worked as an electrician before going to college to get a teaching degree.

Amber Dixon's long career with the Buffalo School District is coming to an end following her Tuesday resignation.

Dixon spent most of the 2011-2012 school year as the district's interim school superintendent, but was passed over for the permanent position when the school board appointed Dr. Pamela Brown in July.

After 21 years with Buffalo schools, Dixon was under contract through next June at a salary of $109,000.

The long and tangled fight over millions of dollars to help bail out Buffalo's six worst-performing schools may be nearing a resolution.

State Education Commissioner John King Wednesday said he will approve the latest deal between the Buffalo Teachers Federations and the school district when it is formally signed by interim Schools Superintendent Amber Dixon and BTF President Phil Rumore.

A series of prior deals was rejected by Albany or by union members.  The sides have struggled for months over finding a plan that is acceptable to all interests. 

The Buffalo Public Schools District received word from the State Education Department Thursday that it would approve improvement grants for six city schools.

The Education Department says it approved six of seven school improvement grants, but only if the district is able to reach agreement with on a teacher evolution plan with the Buffalo Teachers Federation by July 1.

"We are the adults in this city, every one of us, and the only people being hurt by this are the kids in this city," said interim Schools Superintendent Amber Dixon.

The New York State Board of Regents today followed a recommendation to close Pinnacle Charter School in June at the end of the current school year.

The Education Department recommended the school closing because of persistent sub-par scores on state tests. There is no appeal process, although school officials were meeting with legal counsel Tuesday about a possible lawsuit to block the closing.

Parents, teachers, and students have been rallying in recent days to keep the school open.

Saying they just aren't worth the trouble, Buffalo schools want to do away with those "half-days," half-days of class and half-days of professional development for teachers.

The district has seven of them this year and wants none next year, although that depends on what Albany does about Regents tests during the year.

"There's limited benefit to the teachers and I'm sure it's very frustrating for the parents as well," said school board member John Licata.

So, district administrators argue they have to go.

The Buffalo School Board could be voting soon on laying off dozens of employees after leaders of the teacher's union approved keeping an attendance clause in the district's teacher evaluation agreement.

Albany insists chronically absent students must count.  The dispute is holding up $9 million in funding for six of Buffalo's low-achieving schools. 

With more than $9 million at risk, Buffalo's Board of Education is appealing to the teachers union for help. 

At a special meeting today, the School Board unanimously approved a resolution asking the Buffalo Teachers Federation Council of Delegates to reconsider removing the student attendance clause from its teacher evaluation plan.  Interim Superintendent Amber Dixon says state education officials won't accept a plan that excludes students with excessive absences.