Return Recess To Westmoreland Central School Children

Westmoreland School Officials WANT, WANT, WANT...But what about GIVE??? VOTE NO ON BUDGET!!!

2009-04-05T13:03:00.003-04:00

Ah, yes....travel back to the days when parents clamored into a school board meeting at Westmoreland Central School...asking for one simple thing...RECESS. Parents did their homework on this topic...presenting the school board with numerous studies extolling the benefits of recess. Some concerned parents even beat the pavement in (this mostly rural area) driving countless miles just to get signatures for a petition to re-instate recess....Spending their OWN hard-earned money to make flyers etc....Unfortunately, the parents have been met with opposition from school board members and still, months later, no promise or inkling of recess coming back. Now one must remember, when the "idea" to remove recess was brought up with district officials, nary a peep was heard by the public...They did NOT reach out to parents to get their feedback. Nothing. All very hush, hush...Parents had no idea.

BUT, when Westmoreland wants something in the monetary sense, well the whole district knows about it!!! Yes, they sent out FULL COLOR flyers to entice Westmoreland taxpayers to vote and approve a ONE MILLION plus "Capital Improvement" budget....that allegedly will cost us nothing. To me, I have some concerns. Lets start:

One hand washes the other. Parents wanted recess for their children. Westmoreland officials dug their heels in and often were hostile and condescending in attitude when their wonderful idea was questioned. They felt they "revolutionary" and "ahead of other schools" in removing recess. They did (and continue to do) very little to return recess. Support is a two-way street and school board members need to know that.
Westmoreland has a prior history with mismanaging their money. There are at least 2 projects that seem to be flawed in recent months (or within the last year and a half). One being the middle school stairs in the main entrance. The students are NOT ALLOWED to use them for reasons not quite known, although it is alleged the stairs are unsafe for students. Also the seats in the NEW AUDITORIUM are not safe which was brought to light at a recent open house in February 2009. There is mention of the seats in the minutes of a recent school board meeting. It seems that Westmoreland officials aren't quite as responsible with money as they need to be. It would be a shame to squander over a million dollars on shoddy projects.
Westmoreland was audited by the NYS Comptroller, dated July 2006, for POOR ASSET MANAGEMENT. Check out the complete release by following the link below:

https://osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/jul06/071306.htm

All in all, Westmoreland officials are selfish and want what THEY want, YOUR concerns...well maybe not so important....Think twice and VOTE NO.

Contact NYS To Help Change PE Mandates

2009-01-11T18:40:00.003-05:00

I am encouraging parents and any concerned citizens to write to the NY State officials and try to make some changes to NYS PE Mandates. In these poor economic times, I fear other schools may follow Westmoreland's example and for the sake of funding: Eliminate recess in order to be compliant with NYS PE Mandates. Westmoreland officials have clearly stated due to funding constraints, they do not have the money to implement any additional solutions to the recess crisis. Perhaps, with repeated requests, letters and even petitions, the state can make some changes in how schools meet the PE mandates. Ideally, if schools could use recess time in meeting these mandates, this would be a non-issue for Westmoreland.

Response to Recent Letter to the Editor

2008-12-22T12:51:00.004-05:00

I read a recent letter to the editor in our local paper, The Observer Dispatch. The writer seems to agree with recess being necessary. Unfortunately, the writer seems to be putting too much faith in the district to do what is best. She felt that Joann Ottman (who incidentally is making almost $96,000.00 a year to make a decision with no respect for the parental opinion) will really try to work something out. The writer also felt that it's good for Westmoreland to be in compliance with NYS mandates. I think we all agree, that yes, being in compliance is important. The problem lies within how the district CHOOSES to meet mandates. Westmoreland CHOSE the wrong solution. Did you know that the district decided to go along with this "plan" without consulting the affected parents or affected teaching staff? The did not consult with parents nor even give them an inkling that this was an issue. The writer also felt that since Westmoreland was in compliance, it would lessen the chances of the state looking at Westmoreland and there be possible "fiscal consequences". The writer, if researched, would have found out that Westmoreland was found to have poor asset management by the NYS Comptroller in 2006 and this information is discussed in an earlier post....So this district is no stanger to being under the microscope for "fiscal reasons".
As far as fiscal reasons, district officials state that the average starting salary for teachers in the Westmoreland district is $5000.00 LESS than other local schools. Our administrator salaries however (based on information gathered from the NYSED site: New York State School Administrator Salary Disclosure. Based on 2007-2008 school year, our salaries for our administration is comparable to wealthier districts. That doesn't seem to make much sense, right? Visit the website to see current salaries:

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/mgtserv/adm_salary_secondpage.shtml

Our teachers start out a low pay, but what about our principal?

2008-12-18T20:44:00.003-05:00

https://www.saanys.org/uploads/content/reg%208%20by%20district.pdf

This was listed as the salary for our Westmoreland Elementary Principal. The date of the data gathered was 1/19/2008. This is what the principal makes:

$95,966.00

According to this site the average for Oneida County is: $69,172.50

Westmoreland Has Had Money Management Problems in the Past:

2008-12-18T20:35:00.001-05:00

How well does Westmoreland really spend your hard-earned tax dollars? They say there are no problems. But it was only in 2006 that the NYS Comptroller issued a statement regarding the district's poor asset management. I have to wonder if there are still problems? There is no money in the $17,744,098.00 budget for recess but with prior issues, I have to be concerned.

You can read the statement issued by the NYS Comptroller and also have acess to the full audit. Click on the link below:

http://osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/jul06/071306.htm

The truth behind Joann Ottman's PARENT VOLUNTEER Program

2008-12-18T12:32:00.002-05:00

Recently, principal Joann Ottman, sent home parent volunteer forms. She also stated via email that the school could add an extra 5 minutes to lunch (to make a 35 minute lunch). The idea of parents volunteering was to help give the students an option of outdoor time after eating lunch. She implied that the extra 5 minutes would be everyday....AHHH, not so!

From information from an undisclosed teacher, Joann Ottman sent emails to the teachers regarding this new "idea". In reality, the program will only be used on days "when the weather is good" and a maximum of only 2 days per week. Not exactly a solution and a little dishonest! So parents, if you think the school is going to give your children so much more extra time, you thought wrong. It appears to be a deliberate attempt to mislead parents!

Update from 12/9 BOE Meeting

2008-12-18T12:09:00.003-05:00

Results of the 12/09/08 School Board Meeting:

The superintendent, Rocco Migliori, had a budget presentation. This was a direct result of information submitted concerning what Westmoreland really is dedicating to "academics" as they tout as a reason for recess elimination. The 17 page budget report is available by contacting the Westmoreland School Superintendent.
Sadly, VERY little parents were there!!! If we all want recess, we ALL need to work at it! 3-4 parents alone are trying and working hard, but they need SUPPORT!
Since there were so few people and no media, some of the school board members decided they were brave enough to speak. At the October meeting, they all sat like stumps-not a peep! Mary Ann Hawkins really believes Westmoreland is "ahead" of all the other schools with no recess!!! Another member also stated "Shouldn't we focus on academics?" It is obvious that these school board members are either too ignorant or too lazy to read and research the benefits of recess, which makes for better students and people...therefore BETTER ACADEMICS!
There was a parent there who thought the new program was just fine because children can get exercise in gym class". She stated she was an educator (although to what capacity she did not specify). She obviously is misinformed to recess being only about exercise and therefore that can be gotten in other ways. Recess reaps MANY other crucial benefits to child development. She also said some parts of Canada were doing similar programs. What bearing that has on students in the United States is beyond me. They drive on the opposite side of the road in the UK, does that make it something the US should adopt?
Joann Ottman conceded by saying that the school could add 5 extra minutes onto lunch. Of course, that is not what it seems and I will explain in a new post.
I suggested the school send home parent and child surveys to see what they thought was adequate for recess and lunch time for the children. One board member thought this was not a good idea. I think the school board doesn't want to know the truth on how people feel and also, by sending home surveys, it gets people thinking again. They definitely do not want that!

School Board Member thinks Parents are SELFISH!

2008-12-06T09:27:00.000-05:00

Mary Ann Hawkins, a member of the Westmoreland school board, has said the acts of trying to return recess and making this public issue are SELFISH. Selfish to the poor district....How sad that an ELECTED member of our school board cares more about how the district looks and less how the parents and children feel. But then to call us selfish because of the negative publicity? If the board and district REALLY feel what they have done by removing recess is the RIGHT decision, then why in the world would they feel that this was negative? Maybe because what they did was wrong!?! Below is a quote from her email supporting this claim:

"In this society, it is crucial for our children to be prepared academically. Equally as important, my daughters were given great social skills in our district, that didn't come from 'recess' per say. They had no 'recess' in the middle school nor did they in the high school. Due to the weather we live in, most days were spent inside during recess at the elementary level. My girls along with all their friends have not suffered. I am appalled at the negativity and criticisms these last few months have given our district. We have worked countless hours and have a great reputation with other school districts. I am involved with many other schools through different events where we are commended and I want to keep it that way. This negativity is not good to surround our children with. I feel we have given our children time to release the anxieties and stresses they have during the day. It may not be called recess, but it is the same.

Let our administration do what they do best. If there is an issue, they have always been glad to listen so you can't criticize them. Concerns have been heard and adjustments have been made during this whole process to compromise and make it better. So why bring such terrible negativity? I applaud our school administration/faculty and I applaud all the great energy we have been blessed with and hope to continue that good energy for the benefit of our children. In addition to that, Westmoreland has great community support and that too is priceless."

Some of her claims:

"concerns have been heard and adjustments have been made during this whole process to compromise and make it better"

Where, Ms. Hawkins have there been any adjustments? Allowing the children to eat quickly through their 30 minute lunch, just to have 5-7 minutes of "playtime" in the cafeteria? Or is it checking the students lunches physically before they are allowed to get this "free time"? That, Ms. Hawkins is not a compromise and you know it and so does the rest of the administrators who have been directly involved in the recess debate.

greatschools.net

2008-12-05T17:18:00.000-05:00

There have been some complaints about my posting of the comparisons of schools of what they spend per pupil. Some feel it's "unfair" or doesn't represent the "true" picture.

HOW SCHOOLS ARE RATED per greaterschools.net

As an overall rating (based on TEST SCORES) from greaterschools.net: *10 being the highest rating*

Westmoreland-5
Marcy Elementary (Whitesboro)-7
Clinton-9
New Hartford (Bradley)-9
NY Mills-8
Oriskany-7

Remember, as per the website, the overall school grade/rating is based on test scores.

To be fair, Mitch Lemaire (school board president at Westmoreland) felt I should have a break down of test scores in subjects. He did a compilation and sent it to me via email. I will include that information below:

Mrs. Ritter,

Why don't you tell the rest of the story that's being told at thegreatschool.net page you are quoting.

English Language Arts Grade 3 scores - % meeting or exceeding standards,Westmoreland 71%, State average 70%.
Math Grade 3 scores - % meeting or exceeding standards, Westmoreland92%, State average 90%.
Math Grade 4 scores - % meeting or exceeding standards, Westmoreland89%, State average 84%.
English Language Arts Grade 5 scores - % meeting or exceeding standards,Westmoreland 85%, State average 78%.
Math Grade 5 scores - % meeting or exceeding standards, Westmoreland85%, State average 83%.

This trend continues up through the Middle and High School. I could on and put the rest of the scores here but I think that you get the point, statistics can be made to look good or bad but you need to have the whole picture, yes while we might spend less percentage wise on the academic area than the state average, we are significantly above the state average on test scores, which I believe is the more important issue here. All the above info is from the same web page that you are getting your information from.

Mitch LemaireWestmoreland School Board

Thank you Mitch for helping compile this information and presenting it to me! It certainly is a testament to the wonderful teachers Westmoreland has, which has never been disputed. The problem at Westmoreland lies in the administration, school board and other decision makers....Not our teachers!

nnn Just also need to point out that we have exemplary teachers. Obviously they have to be good-they get good test scores from the students on LESS INSTRUCTIONAL funding than other local comparable schools!nnn

Support of Dr. Melinda Bossenmyer!

2008-12-04T22:02:00.000-05:00

We are thrilled to have the support of Dr. Melinda Bossenmyer. She is a highly credited expert in the field of recess, playgrounds, childhood obesity...and the list goes on! Bottom line: She knows her stuff! Click on the follower ICON for the "Recess Doctor" and read all about her. She is located in Los Angeles, CA. Her support means so much and gives me the drive to continue this arduous fight. She inspires me to keep going and to not give up-assuring me it will well worth it! So THANK YOU MELINDA!

Westmoreland Cost Per Pupil Compared with Other Local Schools:

2008-12-04T20:33:00.000-05:00

All information shown here is located at greatschools.net which publishes information on schools. It is readily available and easy to access. This site also "grades" schools. Westmoreland Elementary currently is graded a "5" out of "10" on this site. Of the school comparatives used below, Westmoreland did have the lowest overall.

Where does Westmoreland spend the money from our taxes? Westmoreland officials use one excuse of “ACADEMICS” being more important than recess…therefore justifying the elimination of it and replacing it with the new physical education program. But can Westmoreland really back up this claim? Let’s see how they compare to other local schools, (who all currently maintain a recess program.)

Please Note: "State" refers to state average.

Total Cost Per Student:

State: $15815
Westmoreland: $13341
Clinton: $13237
Oriskany: $13710
NY Mills: $15799
New Hartford: $13467

Monies spent per pupil broken down by category in percentages:

INSTRUCTION:

State: 65%
Westmoreland: 62%
Clinton: 67%
Oriskany: 67%
NY Mills: 67%
New Hartford: 68%

STUDENT AND STAFF SUPPORT:

State: 8%
Westmoreland: 8%
Clinton: 10%
Oriskany: 8%
NY Mills: 6%
New Hartford: 7%

ADMINISTRATIVE:

State: 10%
Westmoreland: 11%
Clinton: 10%
Oriskany: 10%
NY Mills: 11%
New Hartford: 9%

OTHER EXPENDITURES:

***The "other" category includes all other types of expenditures. Examples of costs in this category include operations (utilities, maintenance and security), food service, and the salaries of support staff such as bus drivers and cafeteria workers.***

State: 17%
Westmoreland: 19%
Clinton: 13%
Oriskany: 15%
NY Mills: 16%
New Hartford: 16%

As you can see, Westmoreland spends LESS than the state average on INSTRUCTION and less than any of these schools listed! Westmoreland also manages to exceed ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS and OTHER EXPENDITURES above the state average. Westmoreland spends significantly more on “other expenditures” than ANY of these schools. Do we really spend more on our electric bills or some of the other examples given as POSSIBLE "other expenditures"?
Based on these statistics, it appears Westmoreland wants the taxpayers and community to believe that they put ACADEMICS above everything, even sacrificing recess in the name of better ACADEMICS, but it looks like they would really rather spend the money elsewhere!

All they want for Christmas is....RECESS!

2008-12-04T17:54:00.000-05:00

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Show support December 9th at 6:30pm at the Westmoreland BOE Meeting, in the High School Library! This is a gift that keeps on giving for years to come and makes for a well rounded child and adult in the future!
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Where Westmoreland Spends Your Money Per Student:

2008-12-04T06:30:00.000-05:00

http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/ny/other/4083#finance

Westmoreland is spending less overall....BUT as you can see from the breakdown below, they spend LESS PER STUDENT on actual INSTRUCTION, yet they spend MORE for ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS!!! And the "OTHER EXPENDITURES" is higher as well.....Makes one wonder, do the students really come first?

Spending Per Pupil

Total per pupil expenditures
$13,341-Westmoreland
$15,815-State Average
Breakdown By Expenditure

Instructional
62%- Westmoreland
65%- State Average
Student and staff support
8%-Westmoreland
8%-State Average
Administration
11%-Westmoreland
10%-State Average
Other expenditures
19%-Westmoreland
17%-State Average

Source: NCES, 2005-2006

All the Kids Want for Christmas is...Recess...

2008-12-01T21:08:00.000-05:00

Let's get some support together and join voices at the next Westmoreland Board of Education Meeting on December 9, 2008 at 6:30pm in the High School library. Bring signs showing your support...Let's try to give the children the gift of recess! Be on the look-out for new signs following this holiday theme...Maybe Santa will find out? If you would like to show your support and would like a custom painted themed sign for your lawn etc...please feel free to contact me! I am currently making some and will have a few to offer to anyone who wants one! Also, try to get the media involved once again...Write letters to the editor of local papers, send in pictures of signs you have made and post them on sites like WKTV Younews and write a little story...it doesn't take much time and it can make a world of difference!

Joann Ottman's "Parent Volunteer" Program nothing new...

2008-12-01T11:19:00.000-05:00

Parents be aware that the proposed "parent volunteer" program suggested by principal Joann Ottman is nothing new that what the children are currently receiving! She does not want to add extra time to the 30 minute lunch period. This is NOT acceptable for recess! As a matter of fact, it is insulting to every ones intelligence involved. If you read the proposed letter (written in cutsey lettering), you will see that she only wants volunteers to help out during the 30 minute lunch period.

OUR CHILDREN ALREADY ARE GETTING THAT!!!!

Unfortunately, because she is offering up the same bowlful of deception and people don't jump all over it (ever so grateful) because they are intelligent enough to say "Wait a minute....my kids already have this...", Joann Ottman and Mitch Lemaire can conveniently say "Well, we tried and no one wants to help..." We demand to be treated better than that, treat our children better than and treat our teachers better than that....We should not settle and let this district continue to BULLY those who oppose the wrong decisions they make!

Links for Websites pertaining to RECESS!

2008-11-29T21:24:00.000-05:00

http://blog.peacefulplaygrounds.com/search?q=westmoreland

Experts: Lack of playtime is hurting children - Kids and parenting- msnbc.com

NAECS/SDE. Position Papers.

http://www.education-world.com/a_issues/issues217.shtml

http://americanjournalofplay.press.uiuc.edu/1/2/pellegrini.html

http://www.geocities.com/recessplease/overview.html http://www.movingandlearning.com/Resources/Articles30.htm

Recess Myths and Truths:

2008-11-29T14:38:00.000-05:00

Don't the children get more exercise now with daily PE classes?

FACT: No, the children are actually getting LESS! The classes are big (an entire grade) so approx. 45-60 children, there is limited equipment to distribute, therefore the children have to take turns, so there is a lot of waiting time which equals idle-non-active time. The class time is only 25 minutes long so by the time the children get assembled to participate in the activity, they actually get very few minutes of actual physical activity! There is one PE teacher and one aide to assist in these large classes.

The children still go outside, right?

FACT: No, the children do not go outside! They are all confined to the school gymnasium for class. They do not utilize the playground equipment.

The children get to socialize though during gym class?

FACT: No, the children are not allowed to have any real opportunities to socialize during gym. This is a structured class just like any other. The children do not get to team up with friends for activities in gym class.

Recess is dangerous, right?

FACT: There are no studies supporting the dangers of recess outweighing the benefits. In fact the benefits of recess FAR surpass any misconceptions children are in danger at recess. True, there may be instances where a child could be picked on or bullied at recess but children can be bullied anywhere (school bus, hallways, bathrooms, cafeteria at lunch). Does this mean we eliminate all of those things? Factually, recess provides children the social skills to deal with issues such as being teased or bullied. They learn to problem solve and come up with resolutions on their own. Recess is also monitored, eliminating any real danger.

The children get to socialize at lunch, right?

FACT: The children are allowed limited socialization while eating but must remain seated and maintain a relatively quiet level of conversation. After eating, the children may participate in quiet activities confined to the cafeteria. The children may only do this only if the staff deems the lunch is eaten in a satisfactory manner, the children must have their lunch inspected before being granted permission to "play". This school solution has encouraged children to wolf down their food, just to get a few precious moments of freedom....Hardly conducive to a "healthy lifestyle and healthy habits". Many times the children are "told" they are going to play "MUM" in an effort to keep them quiet. Please keep in mind that this all happens in a time frame of only 30 minutes!

The children are happy, right?

FACT: The school district wants you to believe the children are happy with this new program. At least that's what they tell us...In reality, not one of the school board members or any school officials have actually asked the children one-on-one if they are happy with no recess! And not one person who decided to eliminate recess has a child directly affected by this decision!!! Children are adaptable but that doesn't make what this school has done right!!!

Recess is useless playtime, right? There are no real benefits to it, right?

FACT: Recess is an essential time for children to develop social skills that are needed throughout life. There is also the benefit of physical activity. Young children love to play, swing and run around at recess. They need to be able to have this "free-time" to develop their own sense of self and their own decision making skills. There are numerous studies supporting recess. Even the NYSED-Physical Education Dept. supports recess! Children who are not allowed to socialize freely could become reliant on the internet in the teenage years to socialize and make friends. This as we all know is a real danger to our youth. I will provide several links to websites to support recess.

The school has no choice but to replace recess with gym class in order to be in compliance with the NYS requirements, right?

FACT: This completely FALSE. While the state does require children in grades K-3 to have daily PE instruction (weekly total of 120 min.), the state does NOT dictate how the schools allocate the time. This allows schools flexibility in meeting mandates. Westmoreland refuses to explore other options and presents this as a black and white issue...it is not!

Westmoreland school officials made a recess study group, right?

FACT: Yes, the school did form a committee in response to public outcry, media attention and a petition signed by 255 people. What most people don't know is that the committee was headed up the elementary principal, Joann Ottman, who was a key player in removing recess. The committee had a total of THREE meetings. Mitch Lemaire, Westmoreland School Board President, was also a committee member. He stated during one meeting that "recess was not an option". Both Ottman and Lemaire feel that the committee has served the purpose and it's work complete...(Yes, after only 3 meetings!!!) Guess what? No recess and no real solutions from the school even though several parents had some GREAT ideas!

The teachers don't want recess, right?

FACT: The majority of the elementary teachers want recess and were never consulted prior to this decision being made. Unfortunately, the sad truth is that our teachers are SCARED. Frightened of retaliation if they show an inkling of support! What kind of learning environment is this for children? Not a healthy one I'm sure!

Recess at Westmoreland Central School - Westmoreland, NY

2008-11-29T14:15:00.000-05:00

Let's start with the begining...Westmoreland Central School District eliminated recess starting the 2008-09 school year for ALL the elementary students in grades K-4. Why, you ask? According to district officials, it was NECESSARY to be in compliance with NYS Physical Education mandates. NYS mandates require children in grades K-3 to have daily PE instruction with a combined weekly total of 120 per calendar week. The daily portion of the PE instruction can be met in a variety of ways, including in-class instruction performed by the normal elementary classroom teachers as long as it is under the supervision and direction of the ceritified school physical education teacher.

Unfortunately for children at Westmoreland Elementary, school officials decided the ONLY wany to meet NYS mandates was to eliminate recess in favor of daily 25 minute PE classes.

That seems like an okay idea at first, right? Truth be told, after doing extensive research on recess and it's benefits (both PHYSICAL and social), you will find this the WORST way to meet NYS mandates and is detrimental to the children of this district.