Thursday, May 23, 2013
Legislation Committee Chair, Ann Ormsby Cary, says after accounting for Westfield’s increased SDA assessment, "our district will experience a decrease in State Aid for Fiscal 2014 of $75,229."
To the Editor: The Westfield Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution opposing the Schools Development Authority assessments in the State Budget that will be sent to the Governor and our legislators. According to the nonpartisan Office of Legislative Services, in its annual analysis of the Governor's proposed budget, almost half of New Jersey school districts will see a net loss in State Aid due to the construction grant fees or Schools Development Authority assessments. Westfield is one of these districts. As you will all remember, Westfield’s State Aid was increased by one dollar for the coming year. A one dollar increase is not a meaningful increase in terms of student achievement. And, at the same time, $75,230 will be…
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Girls and boys swim teams and boys cross country team recognized for their achievements
The Westfield Board of Education honored 166 student athletes who earned state recognition for their achievements Thursday evening. BOE President Rich Mattessich began the presentation by congratulating Westfield High School senior Lexi Borr, whose career record is "an astonishing 85 wins and 3 losses," Mattessich said. In 2009, Borr was semi-finalist in the state singles tennis tournament. In 2010, she was a finalist and led the WHS girls tennis team to the school's first ever Tournament of Champions title. Then in 2012, she held an unbeaten record and won the Tennis Singles State Tournament. Borr was named to the Star Ledger 1st Team All American and selected to the All American High School Tennis Team. Mattessich added that the district…
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550 Dorian Rd, Westfield, NJ
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Saturday, December 22, 2012
The following message was issued on Friday, Dec. 21.
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Saturday, December 22, 2012
Dear Friends, We are all unfortunately too well aware of the incident last Friday in Newtown, Connecticut. There are no words to describe the pain we all feel for the Newtown community, and the loss of innocent children and the adults who died while protecting them. A loss of this magnitude, undertaken in such a manner, is unspeakable. And while our thoughts and prayers go out to that community, it is also understandably human nature to think of our own vulnerabilities in circumstances such as this. As caring human beings, we want to protect our children and educators at all times and in all of our schools. It is for that reason that we wanted to reach out to all members of our community to remind and reassure everyone that the Westfield …
Monday, December 10, 2012
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m.
After months of debate, Westfield residents will have a chance to cast their ballots tomorrow, Dec. 11, for or against a $13.6 million bond referendum that would fund repairs on more than three-quarters of the school district's roofs. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. In September, residents voted against a $16.9 million bond referendum that would have covered those repairs as well as paid for the installation of a lighted turf field at Westfield High School. Following the defeat by a 2:1 margin, Westfield Board of Education members said they "heard" voters and on Oct. 21 unanimously approved a referendum that does not include a turf field but will account for the full cost to replace and repair the roofs of the 12 district-owned …
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Board approves revised schedule that includes June 25 commencement date
The Board of Education approved a new 2012-2013 district calendar that includes a new graduation date for Westfield High School and gives the district added flexibility should school days be lost this winter due to snow. Under the revised calendar, the new graduation date for Westfield High School will be Tuesday, June 25. Graduation was originally scheduled to take place on Thursday, June 20. The calendar was approved during the Policy Committee report at last night’s Board meeting. The revised calendar is designed under the assumption that the district will use all of its three snow days. Under the new plans, classes for grades 6 through 12 would end on June 25. Classes for grades K through 5 would end on June 26, because elementary …
BOE vows district roofs will be fixed, whether Dec. 11 referendum passes or not.
The Westfield Board of Education has made it clear that, within the next several months, the district will take the necessary steps toward replacing a substantial portion of the roofs on all district buildings. Over the next 14 days, the residents of Westfield can make a final decision on how the district will pay for those repairs. After 10 months, a dozen public presentations and countless hours of planning and number-crunching, the oft-discussed roof repair issue will have a more definitive future after a Dec. 11 bond referendum is decided. Board members have stressed that the capital project has reached the level of district necessity, with the only remaining issue being how the town decides to fund the $13.5 million investment. “…
Thursday, November 15, 2012
BOE, Town Council used Facebook, Twitter to keep residents informed after storm.
When Hurricane Sandy caused trees to fall, power lines to go down and lights to go out, Westfield – like most towns in the region – fell quiet and dark. But with inquiries about school openings, road closures and other pressing issues on the minds of residents, the storm did nothing to quell the town’s need for information. As parents and students scrambled for answers to their questions, alternative means of communication were crucial and non-traditional methods of dispersing information in a timely fashion proved invaluable. With landline phones down and televisions and laptops without power, many tapped away at smart phones and iPads to get the information they needed from the real-time dialogue going on within the world of social media…
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Schools will open on MLK, Presidents Day to help make up for days lost due to storm.
Across Westfield, residents and businesses continue the process of piecing together the lives and schedules that were interrupted during Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath. The Westfield Board of Education’s responsibility is no different, and at its meeting Tuesday night, the Board began the process of finding days on the remaining 2012-2013 school year schedule to make up for the classroom time that was lost as a result of the storm. The effort of finding suitable make-up days on the schedule is one complicated by both the educational requirements of the state and the traditional plans of families. Several Board members and parents noted it is a puzzle lacking an ideal solution. But after a presentation and discussion, the Board …
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Storm aftermath on the agenda
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Tuesday, November 13, 2012
The Westfield Board of Education will meet at 7:30 p.m. at 302 Elm St. All are welcome to attend the meeting. On the agenda will be a report by Westfield schools superintendent Dr. Margaret Dolan regarding storm aftermath. Superstorm Sandy shuttered schools throughout the district for nearly two weeks. The storm also took out the school district's server, rendering the website and staff email accounts unreachable. Also up for discussion will be the district-wide roof replacements that will be up for a vote on Tuesday, Dec. 11. A $13.6 bond referendum was approved at the Board's last meeting held Oct. 22. To view this evening's agenda, click here and then click on the document marked 11.13.12.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Board votes 8-0 to temporarily add new bond referendum to Dec. 11 ballot.
Last week, a larger-than-usual number of Westfield residents went to the polls and defeated a $16.9 million bond referendum that would have funded new roofs on all district buildings as well as a lighted turf field at the high school. Last night, the Board of Education held its first public meeting since last Monday’s vote, further acknowledging the message residents had sent loud and clear, yet also remaining focused on a project that is still viewed as a necessity. “The majority of roofs are in need of repair,” said Board President Richard Mattessich. “We will find a way to do that.” The Board unanimously voted to place a new bond referendum on the Dec. 11 ballot, following a recommendation made by the district business office. The bond …
Jeff B
10:13 am on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Walkin Westfield, a key reason this country is in a financial mess at all levels is that what you said is not the attitude of the public employee unions. It was recently reported in the Ledger that Port Authority police average $83.99 per hour, exceeded only by Nassau and Suffolk police. Add overtime and two of them married are well into President Obama's "millionaire" category ($250,000 and up… more ›