Together We Make A Difference
Banners Herald an Optimistic School Year

At an early morning briefing with school administrators, Superintendent of Schools Bernard P. Pierorazio presented school banners to Roosevelt High School principal Jade Sharp, Mark Twain Middle School principal Eileen Rivera, and Fermi School assistant principal Migdaline Delany.

Achievement, Cooperation and Communication – Together We Make a Difference
The colorful banners proclaim cooperation and communication, district goals that Superintendent Pierorazio reinforced with administrators and new teachers during the August run up to the opening of school.

“We are anticipating a banner year,” said Superintendent Pierorazio. “The Yonkers Public Schools District is in the midst of a positive transformation.  This summer, we negotiated a four-year teachers’ contact (through 2011) that awaits ratification when the teachers return on Tuesday (September 4).  The District has the fewest teacher vacancies (19 as of 8/30/07) at the opening of school in more than 10 years.  And, we will maintain our outstanding New York State record of more than 99% of Yonkers teachers rated High Qualified.”  The superintendent went on to note that school buildings are in reasonably good condition, based on their age, to receive students and staff.

“The banners represent the district’s goal for community outreach in all aspects of our work,” said Vincent McPartlan, Executive Director of Pupil Support Services.  With the support of the New York State Title IV Safe and Drug Free Grant funding, banners were purchased for all 39 schools.  The banners symbolically support school-based efforts to focus students, staff and parents on collaboratively working to strengthen the bond between home and school to improve every student’s achievement.  

Eye on the Prize
“We are in this effort together, as the banners say.  The grand prize is the success of each one of our students.  Our staff has its eye on that prize.  All of us are involved, accessible and reaching out using every available means,” declared Superintendent Pierorazio. 

Community outreach activities scheduled for the fall include:

• Superintendent’s Community Forums across the City of Yonkers throughout October
• State of the District presentation by the Superintendent of Schools in November
• School Open Houses throughout the fall
• ConnectEd school to home message system expanded to include attendance notification, a phone call to parents if their child does not report to the school
• www.YonkersPublicSchools.org  the primary resource for day-to-day information for family, staff, community and business
• WDMC TV cable television Channel 75 more news, features and educational programming
• E-Chalk, the web-based communications service that connects families to their child’s school and classrooms
• YPS News Email Notification for Families, Staff and Community Members.