Tagged: buffalo schools

New York State students in grades 3-8 are showing some improvement in math and English test scores, according to a report issued by the State Education Department today.

Statewide, 55.1 percent of students across the state showed proficiency in English, up three percent from last year. In math, the proficiency rate was 64.8 percent, an increase of 1.5 percent from last year.

In a prepared statement, Education Commissioner John King noted that the improvements were a small, positive step, but the results still are not good enough.

Dr. Pamela Brown is now officially the new superintendent of the Buffalo Public Schools.   Brown was sworn in by Justice Rose Sconiers at City Hall Thursday afternoon. 

Brown's three-year contract was unanimously approved Wednesday night by the school board after a court battle. An attempt by Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino to block Brown's hiring was tossed out by State Supreme Court Justice Donna Siwek late Wednesday afternoon.

Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino claims the city school board violated the state's open meetings law when it hired new schools superintendent Dr. Pamela Brown. 

Paladino has filed papers asking the State Supreme Court to block Brown's hiring and toss out her contract which also provides her with an $800  a day consultant fee prior to final contract approval. 

The board voted 7-2 for Brown at its June 13 meeting. The vote was taken after a lengthy executive session with no public discussion.

A court hearing on the matter is set for next Wednesday.

Buffalo's Public Schools will be under the leadership of a new superintendent in the fall, with the election of Dr. Pamela Brown to head the district.    The city school board voted 7-2 Wednesday night in favor of the veteran educator.

"Such a very vital position. Everyone has strong feelings.   We strived to come up with a unanimous decision," said School Board President Lou Petrucci following Wednesday night's nomination and public vote at City Hall. 

With a new teacher evaluation system and slight boost in graduation rates, it's been a week of  positive news for the often troubled Buffalo School District.

WBFO and AM970's Jim Ranney spoke with Interim Superintendent Amber Dixon  about the developments.

Developing a teacher evaluation plan has been a lengthy process for the district. Dixon says that several previous plans had been rejected by the state Education Department, but the new plan was, in essence, pre-approved by state officials.

Gaining teacher approval was the final hurdle.

The third and final candidate for the Buffalo Schools Superintendents' job met the press at City Hall Monday afternoon.  Dr. Pamela Brown, like the other finalists, brings to the table a wealth of experience, especially, in urban education. 

Brown has been a top administrator in Philadelphia, Richmond, Va, and the Charlotte-Mecklinburg district in North Carolina.  She is Stanford and Harvard-educated and she received her Ph.D from Harvard. 

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. 

Two of the three candidates to succeed former Buffalo Schools superintendent James Williams met with reporters Thursday afternoon at City Hall.  

Edward Newsome Junior, currently an an assistant superintendent in Baltimore County, Maryland; and interim Buffalo Schools Chief Amber Dixon.  A third candidate was out of town.  

Buffalo Interim School Superintendent Amber Dixon could be moving closer to assuming her position on a permanent basis, though she'll first need to beat out two other finalists for the post.

The Buffalo School Board is expected to formally interview the three candidates later this week.

According to the Buffalo News, the two unnamed applicants come from large urban school districts and presumably would be familiar with the multi-tiered issues hampering the Buffalo district.

The local cultural community and the school board told separate Common Council budget hearings last night they need more funding.

Led by Interim Schools Superintendent Amber Dixon, the Council was given a detailed look at deteriorating finances with cuts in state aid as costs like pensions, retiree health insurance, and teacher salaries go up.

Nonetheless, Dixon offered an optimistic tone.

Interim Buffalo Schools superintendent Amber Dixon was the recent guest speaker at the Coalition of Arts Providers for Children.   It is a group area arts in education professionals. 

The conversation with Dixon was designed to hear about the superintendent's commitment to arts in a child's life.  Dixon spoke candidly in a nearly hour conversation. She was asked how the arts played a role when she was a student.

Some local children will be taking part in a new initiative designed to promote healthy living.

The U.S. Soccer Foundation has awarded a grant to the Independent Health Foundation to bring the national "Soccer For Success" program to ten Buffalo Public elementary schools. 

The youth development program uses soccer as a tool to combat childhood obesity. Independent Health President and CEO Dr. Michael Cropp said the epidemic of obesity and diabetes is driving the crisis in healthcare today.