Buffalo School Board meeting SIG funds coming and new girls charter school opening in fall

Buffalo school board meeting tonight and there is lots on the agenda. Three interesting items:

• Dr. Constance Moss, a retired Buffalo schools associate superintendent 2007, submitted an application to the SUNY Charter Schools Institute to open a charter school for girls fall 2013 with mission to improve graduation rates. The school is expected to open at the old Cantalician Center in the 3000 block of Main Street adjacent to the University of Buffalo, South Campus.
• President Lou Petrucci asked  interim Super Amber Dixon for update on the SIG funds. She replied a 3rd MOU submitted to State Ed folks on Friday afternoon last week that BTF President Phil Rumore, BCSA President Crystal Barton and she signed. A telephone call from State Ed on Tuesday informed district officials several issues had to be resolved before approved and three issues discussed that were sent over to the BTF at 3PM.  Rumore met with executive committee meeting and a decision made not to bring it for vote before the teachers no time to share it. Interim Dixon in touch with deputy commissioners in Albany and Regent Bennett and Rumore. District requested and got a postponement for a hearing  from 1 to 5 PM, Wednesday in Albany. Though they got a letter of rejection from State Ed yesterday the revised document sent to Rumore for his review Dixon told it was "now approvable." Dixon commented they have an extra week to return the SIG funds to the district. Latest word is State Ed "was willing to make sure Buffalo received these funds." We received verbal approval of the document that is now in front of Mr. Rumore. This she told the board at about 5:50 PM tonight. 
• Florence Johnson at Large requested copy of the presentation a few district officials saw at a Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) meeting Saturday. She wanted other administrators to see the process for staff development. She expressed concern about the evaluation process the funding involved and adding an assistant principal to help with the observations done several times based on 60% of the evaluation.