Page 12 THE VILLADOM TIMES II, III & IV • July 29, 2009 MIDLAND PARK SIDEWALK SALE DAYS Thursday, Friday & Saturday, July 30, 31 & August 1  Sponsored by the Midland Park Chamber of Commerce Board of education adopts goals, highlights successes The Midland Park Board of Education’s district-wide goals and performance measures adopted last week reflect the fact that highest priority is given to student achievement. To that end, the three goals are to execute and implement the technology plan, (including fiber optic infrastructure, IEP, accounting and maintenance programs, and staff training and usage); to address math performance; and to develop a revised plan to improve facilities maintenance. The board’s own goals constitute a professional development improvement plan directed towards increasing knowledge and skills in policy making and governance for board. These include charging board committees to propose new sources of revenue and cost-cutting proposals; sponsoring a governance workshop to improve function and teamwork; and successfully completing contract negotiations. Now that goals have been formalized, action plans will be developed and adopted by September. The superintendent will be required to provide quarterly updates on progress toward the goals. The challenges the board sees it will be facing in the coming year include: • the successful initiation of new staff and new positions; • training for and full acceptance and usage of technology; • facilities maintenance; • public perception of public education and school boards in general, throughout the state and region; • projected cost increases and budget issues; • a policy to combat substance abuse; • board andstaff /administrations relations; and • tracking the progress of and fully utilizing the five-year strategic plan. The board takes pride in its many recent accomplishments: the hiring of administrative team, chief school administrator, the business administrator, buildings and grounds administrator and building –level administrators, as well as the team-building workshop; the technology improvements and the work of the technology committee; the addition of a student representative to the board of education; communication improvements, including “chalkboard,” e-blasts and good press; a successful GSAC review; the board’s self-evaluation; and successful contract negotiations. Other successes include the voters’ approval of the annual school budget and the implementation of new programs, including world language at the elementary level and summer math; a math club; and the foreign teacher program, which is one of only four in the United States. July 30, 31 & Aug. 1 Plans are in full swing for the Midland Park Volunteer Fire Department’s 100th anniversary celebration, which will be celebrated in conjunction with the town picnic on Saturday, Sept. 12. Residents of all ages are urged to save the date. According to Fireman Peter Jeffer, who is heading the celebration committee, the department will partly take over the traditional Midland Park Day and turn it into a thank you to the community. He said there will be demonstrations of equipment and other activities, and free hamburgers and hot dogs throughout the day. Volunteer firefighters will also be selling t-shirts commemorating the historic event. Jeffer said that the anniversary journal, featuring the history of the department, its people and its equipment, is going to press early next month and will be available for review in the library. “It turned out really nice,” Jeffer said. “It shows how we started and how we got to where we are today,” said the 35-year member, for whom the department has been a family affair. His father and his two brothers were long-time members as well, and his son was also a member. Later in the month, the department will host a reception at the firehouse for other fire departments in the mutual aid network, and in October, a reunion of all past and present firefighters is planned. “We are down to a few that we haven’t located,” he said. Fire department centennial to be marked at picnic 7-29-09 ester/janine • Lauretta4x(7-29-09)• 4 x 9.5