Teachers raise concerns about bilingual education

Sep, 30-2009 2:47 pm

By SHAUN SMITH
Staff Writer

VENTNOR – Teachers expressed their concerns and displeasure with the changes to bilingual education at the school board meeting Wednesday, Sept. 23.

Bilingual teacher Sonya Bertini, who is president of the Ventnor City Education Association, said during the board’s public session that the recent switch to a “high-intensity” program for its 135 English as a second language students is causing problems in the classroom.

In the spring the district made changes to the bilingual program, cutting two of the four teachers. However, on Aug. 25 the state denied the school’s request for a wavier to educate kindergarten through third-grade students who speak Spanish with the high-intensity ESL model.

“Thirty-three Hispanic kindergartners started school without the assurance of being properly placed. In fact now, 13 fulfill all the requirements for receiving bilingual services but they are still awaiting those services,” Bertini told the board.

“Second- and third-graders were pulled from one class and put into another. Schedules and class lists will have to be revised yet again. Parents were called in for an orientation where they received information that proved to be irrelevant.”

She said Superintendent Carmine Bonanni reached out to the staff to work out a plan that would meet state approval, just to reject it.

Bonnani said their plan required hiring staff, which was unacceptable.

Bertini noted that some classrooms have up to 30 students.

“The question begs to be asked: Has the children’s overall education been enhanced? Is it in fact at the same level as last year? The answer is no,” she said.

“We ask that you please listen to your staff – those of us in the trenches. We do not come with a hidden agenda, we assure you. Our only intention is to do our very best to ensure that the children of Ventnor receive the most appropriate public education as mandated by law.”

Kindergarten teacher Scottie Van Duyne asked why the successful self-contained bilingual model was changed. In that model, bilingual students were taught English as well as subject content in a separate classroom.

“These children are not being serviced, and that is unacceptable in my book. We’re at our wit’s end,” she said.

She said one student in her class speaks only French, and other teachers have reported an increase in discipline problems due to their inability to communicate.

Board President David Lavenson responded by affirming the board’s commitment to the children and its duty to taxpayers.

“This board doesn’t run the school. No one up here is setting the curriculum. We’re looking forward to a quick end,” he said.

Manny Aponte, a member of the board of trustees of the Hispanic Alliance of Atlantic County, said he was disappointed in the board’s actions.

“You said it was a philosophical shift, but I don’t agree with it,” Aponte said. “It was a monetary issue; then it was a philosophical shift. You had a shortfall and you had to pick something, so why not pick this.”

He suggested the district form a parent advisory committee on bilingual education to keep students and parents informed.

Former Mayor Timothy Kreischer said the change in the bilingual model would ultimately decrease property values.

“By cutting two teachers, you saved $160,000, which is half a penny on the tax rate. It would have cost me $150 over 10 years to maintain my property value,” Kreischer said. “If the value of my $300,000 home falls 1 percent, that’s $3,000. Twenty times more of an investment is worth it in my opinion.”

Board Vice President Larry Pacentrilli, who was president when the budget passed, said the board didn’t target the bilingual program.

“The board put pressure on the administration for cuts,” Pacentrilli said. “We felt the high-intensity ESL program would work out for everyone, but it turned out there were more obstacles than we accounted for.”

Board member Lisa Martinelli said that the board does care about the children and insinuations otherwise aren’t fair.

Bonanni said in an interview Friday that he submitted a plan to the state Department of Education that day for approval and implantation Tuesday, Sept. 29. As of Wednesday, he hadn’t received any communication from the state, he said.

He said the plan requires no additional staff.

Bilingual students in kindergarten, first and second grade would get 2½ hours combined instruction in language arts literacy and math, and first- and second-graders would also get one period of ESL in the afternoon. Third- and fourth-graders would get 1½ hours of language arts and one period of ESL.

Bonanni said the switch to high-intensity ESL was both a monetary and philosophical shift that was offered by board members and that the district is going to move in that direction. Fourteen students in grades three, four and seven are using that model.

“When you start to change things, it moves people out of their comfort zone. They’re unfamiliar with it and they develop a resistance to it,” Bonanni said.

“Deep down inside I think everyone wants the best for the children,” he said.

“We’re all professionals. In the board’s case they’re volunteers and they wouldn’t do it unless they care, and the teachers care – they work feverously,” the superintendent said.

“Things happen sometimes; controversy will emerge – it’s part of educational changes.” He said the process would require some patience.

“There have been some growing pains, and I want to thank everyone who is hanging in there with us,” he said. “We’re not going to disappoint.”

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