On Board Online • February 24, 2020

By Merri Rosenberg
Special Correspondent

Disturbing incidents of anti-Semitism have been on the rise, including a knife attack on celebrants at a rabbi's house in Monsey (Rockland County) during the Hanukkah holiday in December.

Swastikas have been discovered in five school districts in Westchester County - New Rochelle, Pelham, Scarsdale, Pleasantville and Ossining.

On Board Online • February 24, 2020

By Eric D. Randall
Editor-in-Chief

Schools do not to need to take any special precautionary actions regarding the new coronavirus besides encouraging good hygiene such as hand-washing and covering one's mouth when coughing or sneezing, according to a new state advisory sent to school adminstrators.

On Board Online • February 24, 2020

Fred Langstaff
NYSSBA President

How do you feel when you get a birthday card in the mail? Or an annual holiday letter? Or a personal note from a faraway relative?

In an era dominated by email, texts and other electronic forms of communication, my wife Debby and I cheer when we discover the occasional old-fashioned letter in our home mailbox. We can spot one of these rare treasures quickly: handwritten address, colorful stamp in the upper right corner and, of course, a ZIP code.

On Board Online • February 24, 2020

By Julie Davis Lutz
Chief Operating Officer Eastern Suffolk BOCES

The lack of diversity among teachers and other school personnel has been getting more attention in New York State. A draft report presented to the state Board of Regents in November found that 200 of the state's 700 school districts do not employ a single teacher of color. Nationally and statewide, about eight in 10 teachers are white (and predominantly female).

On Board Online • February 24, 2020

By Gayle Simidian
Research Analyst

School districts are finding it difficult to retain principals, according to recent research that summarizes data from more than 30 studies on principal turnover.