Health Benefits Mobile Phone Applications

State Health Benefits Program and
School Employees' Health Benefits Program

HEALTH BENEFITS MOBILE PHONE APPLICATIONS
Personalized information in the palm of your hand

Aetna, CIGNA, and Horizon have developed applications for the iPhone, smartphones, and other web-enabled mobile devices to provide State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) or School Employees’ Health Benefits Program (SEHBP) members with plan information "on the go."

Medco Health Solutions, Inc. has also developed the Medco Pharmacy mobile app for its Prescription Plan, now available at no cost on BlackBerry® and Android™ smartphones using the Verizon Wireless network.

Reminders

Dear Teachers and Staff:

As you know, a new law has been passed to fund the New Jersey pension system. Although we will have to contribute an additional 1% beginning in October, it also means the state will be required to make contributions to the pensions, which had not been happening in the past. The state requires us to make pension deductions on a 10 month basis. PLEASE NOTE: Some of you have divided up your salary so that you will get more during the year and not have bigger summer paychecks. Please feel free to see me to make those arrangements.

Also please note that President Obama is increasing our Social Security payments back to 7.65% in January 2012.

Health Insurance: The new law also required increased contributions by employees to their premiums, but Elysian employees are already paying a sufficient amount to meet the new rules. We are hoping that there will be no increase in health premiums in January due to the new options being offered in the School Employees Health Benefits Plan.

Dropbox.com and Google.com Documents: Dropbox is a free storage website where you may upload and save documents. Google documents is the same. This may be an efficient way for students to maintain their documents rather than on a flash drive, which is often lost. Open Office.com is a good source of free word processing and spreadsheet software. Tutorials on all of these websites show you how to use them.

Note from our Stevens Work Study Student, Matt Witowski:
"Google Tools is an excellent replacement for computers missing Microsoft Office. It has everything that Microsoft Office has, but in a lighter form. This means that it will run a lot faster, becaus it has some features that are not needed, such as macros. When you save documents you have the option of saving them to your google account so they can be accessed and downloaded from anywhere. You can also upload any Microsoft Office documents and save them to your google account. Google Tools also allows you to edit any uploaded files. You have to have a gmail account, and it is recommended to use the Google Chrome browser. In my opinion Google Chrome should be used over any other internet browser just because it is much faster. "

Microsoft Office Equivalents:

Google docs = Microsoft Word
Google presentation = Microsoft Power Point
Google spreadsheet = Microsoft Excel

Nutshell
PROS
Faster than all Microsoft Office software
Documents stored online automatically
Documents can easily be uploaded and downloaded
No problem with documents on lost flash drives
Free!

CONS
You need a gmail account
You need internet access
Google chrome recommended
Some advanced features not available

Thanks Matt for your analysis. Gaby Khoury is also assisting us from Stevens with IT work. And Damian Pizzo is on call as our IT professional. Dont forget to fill out a form and give it to Mike if you need help. That's how the IT people get their to-do list. They are also available for computer tutorials.

Website forms: Additional forms and information for parents are now posted on the school website, www.ecsnj.org, along with other documents and forms for staff. Please send me anything you would like parents to be able to access online. And don't forget to submit class trip forms promptly so they can be posted on payschools for payment.

END OF YEAR NEWS

Dear Staff:

JUNE 30 PAYCHECK: As per your request, the June 30 check will be issued on June 30 rather than the last day of school. It will be direct deposited. Your attendance will be emailed to you for report cards later this month. All unused personal days will disappear June 22, sick days carry over.

HEALTH & PENSION: NJ School Boards Association published a comparison of the two different bills being proposed in the legislature: http://www.njsba.org/sb_notes/20110329/pension.html
We will have to wait for the final outcome, but it does seem likely that some changes in our pensions and state health benefits plan will be enacted. We will keep you posted. We will have an employee committee on health benefits to study the changes and make recommendations to the staff regarding the possibility of switching health plans.

ORDERING: You all received printouts of the School Specialty and Staples catalogs. You may order from these and other contracts online at www.hcesc.com. Click on Cooperative Pricing to order; register first (don't forget your password, or just use "elysian2"). Classroom teachers get $500 to order from any vendor you wish (If the vendor is not on www.hcesc.com just fill out a paper requisition, which was attached to your package.) You may still use paper if you prefer it to online. Please submit orders to me by the end of June.

PROTECT YOUR CAREER: It came to my attention at the NJASBO conference that teachers should have their own private professional liability insurance. The school carries insurance to protect you but teachers in district schools also have their own policy provided by the union. There is a group called Association of American Educators that offers such a policy to many charter school teachers across the country for a membership fee of $15 per month. Please let me know if you would like to sign up; I recommend it.

GOOD NEWS: The Governor has made a temporary adjustment to next year's budget which will allow us to restore our emergency fund to avoid future layoffs. This is not a permanent increase but will add to our financial stability. We will select a staff representative to join the long-term financial planning group for the school, including the salary scale. The salary scale is frozen as long as the budget is frozen; there will be no moves up to higher steps or increases in the step amounts until there is a change in funding. The Board is exploring how to increase teacher pay.

PHONES: A new phone system will be installed this summer, since we discovered we can rent new phones for the same rental amount as the old ones.

PARTITION of ART/SPECIAL ED ROOM: The City approved our architectural drawing and the work will begin after school closes. Carmen will also rip up carpet and refinish floors in some rooms.

Proposed Changes in Elysian Bylaws

Dear Staff:

On January 28 at the Chili Dinner, the Board of Trustees has called a Special Member Meeting to vote on 2 changes to the Bylaws:
1. To increase the term limits of Board members from 2 to 3 terms (terms remain at 2 years)
2. To allow nonparent Board members to vote in Board member elections

At our staff meeting the changes were discussed.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Why can't this wait until the regularly scheduled March meeting?
Because we need to know who will be eligible to run before the meeting so the ballot can be prepared.
2. Will this result in the Board members becoming entrenched?
The community retains the right to reject this proposal and to vote against individual board candidates. The tradeoff of keeping more experienced, better informed and more knowledgeable Board members is balanced by the benefits in trustee knowledge gained over 6 years versus 4. This is a relatively minor increase in Board member longevity. We are not talking about unlimited terms. (By the way, many NJ charter schools have appointed, not elected, Board members with unlimited terms. Often this longevity and depth of experience results in successful facilities aquisition.) There are many discussions of the pros and cons of term limits for trustees of nonprofits online if you care to research it in the next three weeks.
3. What is the issue of nonparent Board members voting?Pam Cushing, as a retired and not a current staff member or parent, was not eligible to vote in the last board election. The board agrees that Pam or any other nonparent Board members should be eligible to cast her vote in the elections given her dedication to the school.
4. Why is the Special Members meeting being held at the Chili Dinner?
Since it can be difficult to obtain enough attendees for a quorum it seemed an opportune time, since the Chili Dinner is expected to be well attended.

If anyone has other thoughts and comments, please feel free to submit them and I will post them on the blog so that they may be shared with your colleagues.

Kathy Mone

Charter School Reform Agenda

Dear Staff: Below please find reforms being proposed in Trenton which will be very helpful to our charter school, particularly in requiring public school districts to identify unutilized space in public school buildings and allowing charter schools to have the first opportunity to rent the space:

The Reform Agenda: Education is the Civil Rights Issue of Today Challenging the system to grow high-quality charter schools, spur innovation and create public school choice “First of all its about more charter schools in New Jersey…a robust public interdistrict choice program…the Education Opportunity Scholarship bill…that will permit, over the course of time, thousands and thousands of children to pursue educational choice…A single mom in Newark, working two jobs to keep a roof over her child's head, should have no less of an ability to make that choice than my wife and I had to make that choice for our children. Her child's life is no less precious than ours. Her child's future is no less promising than ours. And the great things that her child will do with his or hers education, will mean just as much to the great state of New Jersey as what our children will do with their education.” - Governor Chris Christie, Remarks to the American Federation of Children National Policy Summit Dinner in Washington, D.C. 5/3/10 Giving All Children the Same Hope and Opportunity that Comes from a Top-Notch Education The need for improved school choice could not be more urgent. New Jersey public education continues to grapple with the serious challenges of failing schools, a wide achievement gap and a lack of choice – and hope – for families. Today, 104,000 students are trapped in 205 chronically failing schools in New Jersey. In 2009, forty percent of New Jersey’s African-American and 32 percent of Hispanic students were unable to meet basic standards on a national test. Likewise, New Jersey’s education system has failed to prepare vast numbers of students with the critical skills required to be competitive in college or the workforce. In 2009, nearly 30 percent of all 8th graders statewide lacked basic math skills. Generations of families, throughout the state and in urban communities, have been promised meaningful change and given hope that their children would receive the educational opportunities deserve. Yet, decade after decade, these promises have failed to materialize and the hope for a better future has been stolen from generations of New Jersey families.
To change these unacceptable results, Governor Christie’s Reform Agenda removes hurdles and roadblocks to expanding and growing high-quality charter schools, empowers parents with greater choice and provides flexibility for charter school to adopt innovative and creative teaching methods that meet the needs of the community.
Fulfilling New Jersey’s Obligation to Children and Parents: Providing an Alternative to Failing Schools
In order to change the status quo, parents must be given options. It is unacceptable for children to be trapped in failing schools without any hope. Despite some of the highest levels of education spending in the entire nation, New Jersey’s public schools continue to confront a critical achievement gap that shortchanges our children. The achievement gap between wealthy and low-income 8th graders in math is nearly the same today as it was 19 years ago; the gap between at-risk 4th graders and those not at-risk has remained nearly unchanged over the past 13 years.
The Christie Reform Plan removes barriers to growing and expanding successful charter schools already in New Jersey, opens the doors to world-class charter school operators and increases the ability to innovate in the classroom.
Overhauling New Jersey’s Charter School Laws to Encourage Growth and Expansion. Sweeping changes to New Jersey’s charter school laws are needed to remove barriers and roadblocks to growth. Today, the laws and rules governing charter schools act as a deterrent to growth instead of fostering expansion. It is time to aggressively encourage some of the nation’s most-respected and successful charter school operators, such as Mastery, Achievement First and Green Dot, to
Charter Schools in New Jersey
73 charter schools are operating in New Jersey, serving 26,000 students.
Over 11,000 students are on charter school waiting lists.
New Jersey charter schools serve roughly 1.4% of the K‐12 student population in the state.
Cities with the largest number of at-risk children have large concentrations of charter schools. Camden City Public Schools has the densest concentration: 17.5 % of Camden students attend charter schools. Trenton has the second highest market share with 14.6% of students enrolled in charter schools. In Newark, 10.2% of students attend charter schools.
Source: NJDOE
come to New Jersey while making it possible to implement the same model of innovation and results in other new and existing charter schools. Growing and Expanding High-Quality Charter Schools Developing a list of qualified charter management organizations for designation as “preferred providers” to streamline partnerships, expansion and replication of the best charter schools. Removing barriers to private and parochial schools converting to charter status by eliminating the one-year delay and grandfathering currently enrolled students automatically; Removing hurdles for public schools to convert to charter status by changing the rules related to parent, community or staff support required for conversion, as was recently done in California; and, Assisting the growth of charter schools by expanding the universe of potential affected students to enroll by shifting from a designated number of districts to a mile-radius pool of students, no matter the number of eligible districts. Establishing a rolling application period for charter applicants.
Increasing Charter School Authorizing Capacity Through The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) Approving new and high-quality charter school authorizers, while continuing to operate as a charter school authorizer itself. Expanding the pool of potential authorizers to all public entities, including school districts. Basing authorizer selection on a demonstrated commitment and capacity to grow high-quality charter schools.
Implementing Best Practices for Charter School Management
Creating performance contracts for charter schools.
Spurring Charter School Innovation and Creativity
Allowing single-sex charter schools. Allowing charters with a special education focus. Encouraging cyber and virtual charter schools.
Encouraging Greater Cooperation Between School Districts and Charter Schools
Enable closing of failing schools and converting them to charter schools. Providing for facilities assistance and sharing of space. The NJDOE will develop a program to encourage coordination and space sharing between charters and their local school districts.
Charter School Performance
70% of New Jersey’s charter high schools had a higher 2009 graduation rate than their local district average.
Grades 3-8 Assessments in ’08-’09 Outperform Traditional Public Schools
71% of charter schools outperformed their local district on Language Arts.
61% of charter schools outperformed their local district on Math.
High School Assessments in ’08-’09 Outperform Traditional Public Schools
60% of charter schools outperformed their local district on Language Arts
66% of charter schools outperformed their local district on Math
Source: NJ Charter Schools Association
Taking Immediate Steps Right Now to Improve Education for New Jersey’s Children
Providing Rapid Relief for Children in Failing Schools. Every child deserves a high-quality education, but too often, low-income and lower middle-income children are trapped in failing schools. The Governor will sign the Opportunity Scholarship Act that is currently moving through the Legislature. As written, the Opportunity Scholarship Act will help between 2,500 and 3,800 children leave their chronically failing public schools in the first year; up to 7,600 in the second year, and as many as 19,000 when the program is at full capacity. Introduced in March 2010 with bi-partisan sponsorship, the Opportunity Scholarship Act will establish a five-year pilot corporate tax credit scholarship program to fund scholarships for low-income students trapped in the state’s lowest performing public schools. The scholarships will enable students to attend out-of-district public schools, or non-public schools anywhere in the state, that choose to participate in the program. At least 75 percent of the scholarships will be awarded to current public school students who may choose to attend a better public or private school.
There is no time to waste as children continue to wait for a solution. The legislature must take immediate action on this bill.
Giving Children Hope By Making the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program Permanent. Full implementation of the Interdistrict School Choice program that Governor Christie signed into law earlier this month will enable hundreds of families to send their children to high quality public schools in nearby neighborhoods.
The new law makes the Interdistrict School Choice program permanent. Schools decide whether they want to participate in the program. Preference for enrollment may be given to siblings of students who are enrolled in a designated school to keep families together.