Reconsidering the Skyway
Bring up the Skyway in any conversation where Buffalo’s armchair urban planners are discussing anything from grain silos to livery stables, and watch the sparks fly. But before you join the mob chanting for its removal—a massive demolition that we’re told will restore the city to its former greatness—you’d be well advised to read “Ribbon of Steel and Concrete”: A cultural Biography of the Buffalo Skyway , which was recently published in the academic journal American Studies.
Author William Graebner, Professor of History Emeritus at SUNY, Fredonia, puts the historic bridge in the context of its time, and in so doing lets us see the “eyesore” in a new light. Rich in detail, and full of interesting photos, Graebner avoids the easy route of treating the Skyway like a political football. He draws no final conclusions, but at the same time presents an interesting dilemma for preservationists and developers alike to consider.
We offer it with the kind permission of American Studies editor David Katzman, the Mid-America American Studies Association and the University of Kansas.
*Please note: Although the essay is in the spring, 2007 issue of American Studies, that issue was published only recently, in May 2008.
July 24, 2008
SED Critical of Academy School, ResulTech
The State Education Department has released its report on Academy School 44, and it faults—among other things—ResulTech, the Maryland firm that provides technical support for the failing school. Unfortunately, the project was turned in too late to receive any credit from the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority, who already approved ResulTech’s $1.7 million contract extension two weeks ago, on July 8. (more…)
July 16, 2008
Carl Paladino Commercial
The Buffalo School district may have officially decided to just forget all the problems regarding McKinley High School principal Crystal Barton, the dysfunctional School Board, Superintendent James A. Williams and McKinley basketball coach and accused serial seducer, James Daye, but apparently one Buffalo citizen is not going to let them off the hook that easily. Developer Carl Paladino has purchased radio spots on WBEN chastising all of the above and giving a little instruction of his own. “James A. WIlliams, it’s time for you to go.”
July 1, 2008
School Board has Cake, Eats it too!
The Buffalo school board held a special meeting at 3:30 this afternoon, called by board member Catherine Nugent Panepinto to “vote on pursuing disciplinary action against the individuals named in the report of attorney David Edmunds and/or as discussed by attorney Karl Kristoff.”
After the Pledge of Allegiance, board President Kapsiak began the meeting by moving to enter into executive section, which was immediately seconded by Catherine Collins, who said that she, for one, intended to mention people’s names—therefore making an executive session mandatory. Within five minutes of typical chaos, the press was again sent into the antechamber that has become their second home since issues involving Crystal Barton and McKinley High School have become public knowledge. Nugent Panepinto never even got to read her motion.
After half an hour, the door opened and BPS lawyer Karl Kristoff read a motion to share all the raw data collected by the $25,000 Edmunds report with school board members—something they’ve never had access to thus far—before deciding if any disciplinary action might be warranted.
Here’s how the vote went down: Four in favor (Nugent Panepinto, Hernandez, Petrucci, Jacobs). Perry-Cahill said she would like to “sustain.” Her colleagues corrected her use of terminology and asked if she would like to “abstain.” She said yes, she would like to do that, and she was joined in her abstention by Collins. Kapsiak and Johnson voted against seeing any more evidence.
Vivian Evans, although present in another room, would not take part in the vote.
Thus, with only four votes in favor of examining all the evidence generated by the $25,000 of taxpayer funds that were used to compensate Edmunds, the motion did not receive the five votes it would have needed to pass. Chief of Staff James M. Kane quickly observed: “It doesn’t pass!” He had the tone of a dealer at a poker tournament, interpreting all the hands for the spectators.
Next, it was time for the board to vote on new officers. Vivian Evans entered to take part in this vote.
Again, the room stood to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Kapsiak retained her position as board president, Collins replaced Hernandez as VP of Executive Affairs, Jacobs replaced Nugent Panepinto as VP of Student Affairs.
In a stunning and unpredictable coincidence, each vote was identical, with Perry-Cahill, Collins, Johnson, Kapsiak, Jacobs, and Evans voting for the winners—while Nugent Panepinto, Petrucci, and Hernandez voted for the losers.
Kapsiak, Collins, and Jacobs were sworn in to their new positions and the meeting was called to a close.
Florence Johnson was the first to move in on the cake. She and Perry-Cahill moved in for a slice after sharing hugs with Collins, Jacobs, and Kapsiak.
And even though it was a big cake, Nugent Panepinto, Petrucci, and Hernandez didn’t have any.
June 27, 2008
ResulTech Achieves 100 Percent Failure Rate, Wins Contract Extension
Without waiting for the results of a State Education Department investigation conducted two weeks ago at Academy School 44, the Buffalo School Board voted Wednesday night to extend a lucrative contract to Maryland firm ResulTech, to continue ongoing technical support. The expected outcome is to “increase student achievement, attendance, literacy and out-of school suspensions.”
After two years of ResulTech’s help, which has already cost the district $5.4 million (the new extension makes a grand total of $7.1 million), this year’s test scores show the following: Speaking to the attendance issue, only one third of these 7th and 8th graders took exams. Of the one hundred students that took the tests, 79% of 7th graders failed English, while 90% of the 8th graders failed English. In addition, 91% of the 7th graders failed Math, while 100% of the 8th grade students who took that exam failed it.
Voting to extend the ResulTech contract were (shown left to right) Mary Ruth Kapsiak (Board President, Central District), Catherine Collins (at large), Vivian Evans (East District), Florence Johnson (at large), and Pamela D. Perry-Cahill (Ferry District).
At large board member Chris Jacobs ordinarily votes in step with superintendent Williams—who advocates ResulTech despite its performance—but he voted against the contract extension. Jacobs felt the results of the State Education Department report should be considered before moving ahead another year.
The vote had been delayed since May 14, when it was pulled off the school board agenda at the last minute as stories surfaced in the media about Academy School 44. Teachers there harshly criticized ResulTech, which prompted the State Education Department investigation two weeks ago. The contract extension passed quietly this week as school ended, and as the public was distracted by the district’s inept response to the Crystal Barton/McKinley scandal, and the District Attorney’s response to the bungled handling of reported sexual abuse at school 67.
On the bright side, after two years of trying, ResulTech now has literally nowhere to go but up when it comes to producing improved results for 8th grade math.
June 12, 2008
Answer to the $25,000 Question
The Buffalo Public Schools have spent over $25,000 conducting an investigation into alleged wrongdoing at McKinley High School last year. Here is the official statement from school board president Mary Ruth Kapsiak, sent to Artvoice via fax at 10:55 pm last night, June 11, 2008.
June 9, 2008
State Education Department to visit Academy School 44
Responding to a May 15, 2008 memorandum sent to Albany by Buffalo Teachers Federation President Phil Rumore, the State Education Department is sending “a team of subject area experts in math, Social studies, reading/English language arts, instructional technology and technology” to Buffalo for two days this week to check up on Academy School 44.
The SED is proposing a “three-fold action plan” to increase student learning at the school. Step one “will include, but not be limited to: observing the teaching and learning process; interviewing school administrators; teachers and non-professionals; and reviewing educational documents.”
Next, curriculum specialists will make specific recommendations for improvements at the school. The third step of the process will take place next school year, when representatives of the team will return to see if their recommendations are being implemented—the aim being to improve student achievement.
Recently, the school received harsh criticism from Rumore, who cited teacher surveys that were critical of ResulTech, the Maryland company that has provided technical support at the school since 2006.
Recently, Artvoice published a pair of stories critical of the fact that although the ResulTech contract was being pushed forward for renewal, the second year of the program had yet to be evaluated.
As the State Education Department arrives in town to look into the matter, we thought it was a good opportunity to take a walk down memory lane by reading the initial ResulTech proposal, circulated by then Associate Superintendent of support services Diane Collier, dated June 8, 2006. (resultech-proposal)
Compare it with the actual contract signed two weeks after that (resultech2006-contract), and compare that one with the current contract, signed and ready to go once it gains school board approval—which it has not yet received, since being pulled off the agenda at the last minute on May 14. (resultech-2008-contract-proposed)
Now, with inspectors from Albany arriving to study the school this week, it seems like a difficult time for the administration and school board to push through the contract extension for ResulTech, which is for $1.7 million dollars next year. The company has already received $5.4 million for the first two years.
May 20, 2008
High School Principals to Williams: Get Out of Town
A friend called in to tell us that a friend called him just now with this news, which he heard third-hand: (Does that insulate our sources sufficiently from the fury of the Buffalo Public Schools administration?) Last night Buffalo’s association of public high school principals registered a unanimous vote of no confidence in Superintendent James A. Williams. The vote of no confidence follows closely on the heels of Williams’ announcement that he is staying in Buffalo; his contract (renewed last fall by an administration-friendly, outgoing board of education) runs through 2011. Williams had been a finalist for the superintendent’s job in Memphis, Tennessee. Word is, Williams is furious about this and has been burning up the phone lines, chewing out those principals he deems responsible for the measure. To which one might reply: Dr. Williams, the vote was, according to our sources, unanimous. UPDATE: The secondary school principals apparently asked the entire principals’ union to join them in taking a vote of no confidence in Williams. Buffalo Teachers Federation President Phil Rumore told Channel 4 News at Wednesday’s school board meeting that his executive committee might ask union members for a no confidence vote as well. If both those things happened, the only folks left in the district supporting Williams would be his cabinet and a handful of board members.
May 16, 2008
James Williams Withdraws From the Running in Memphis
“It wouldn’t be fair to the children, ” said Buffalo Schools Superintendent James A. Williams, announcing this afternoon that he had withdrawn his name from consideration for a job as head of the Memphis schools. Upon reflection, Williams said—pulling out the regal first-person plural—”Our greatest achievements are here, in Buffalo. We’ve had a very good three years.”
Williams had been due to interview for the job in Memphis on Monday, May 19. That would have been the formal interview; he’d already done a phone interview, which landed him among the finalists. As Jamie Moses wrote in AV this week, Williams trolled for jobs in other cities while he was superintendent of Dayton schools, too. He said at today’s press conference that Buffalo was it for him; that he’s made a commitment. Moses’ article indicates that he’s said that before as well.
Williams was joined at the press conference by senior staff and the five school board members who seem to think he can do no wrong: Mary Ruth Kapsiak, Vivian Evans, Chris Jacobs, Florence Johnson, and Pamela Perry-Cahill. The four who tend to challenge Williams and his steamrolling style—Ralph Hernandez, Lou Petrucci, Catherine Nugent Panepinto, and Catherine Collins—were absent.
Williams’ performance was recently evaluated by the board, and the overall score he received—comprising an average of the individual scores given him by each board member—was reportedly pretty good. (Of course, it was an average, and there has been some grumbling that dissenting opinions never made it into his final evaluation.)
Did that vote of confidence, asked Channel 2’s Rich Kellman, figure into his decision to stick around?
“I’ve always had the confidence of the board,” Williams said. “When I say ‘the board,’ I mean the majority.”
May 8, 2008
Williams Interviewed for Memphis Job
When the Memphis Commercial Appeal published details of the search for that city school district’s superintendent position on Tuesday, May 6, Dr. James Williams was named as one of the five finalists for the position.
The next day, as the story was breaking here, the Buffalo Public Schools Web site posted an official statement from Williams, which reads in part, “The Memphis City School District and their representatives recently contacted me regarding my possible interest in the position of Superintendent of their District. I was approached about this position and I have not formally interviewed for the position.”
Williams does not elaborate more on his new job prospects, but Alvin Johnson, speaking today on behalf of Ray and Associates, was able to shed a bit more light on the situation.
Ray and Associates is the executive search company that has been contracted by Memphis schools to find suitable candidates for their Superintendent position.
Johnson says that Williams was contacted by a letter sent to him from Ray and Associates headquarters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Apparently, Williams will open a letter from a “professional organization that specializes in school executive leadership searches” even if he won’t open a certified letter from a teacher in his own district. In defense of not reading that important message that was reporting alleged fondling of a young student by a teacher’s aide, Williams went on the record saying he doesn’t open any of his mail.
Somehow, this letter was different. (more…)
Older Posts »
