A reader sent in the letter below which was sent by SACS recently. Seems like they are being a bit more cautious than last year.
What I don't understand is that they expect to get a "reasonable sense on the final approval status as early as mid June." So when do they get final approval? In August? What happens to the teachers & faculty they supposedly hired if they find out in August that it's not opening? What about the students? Hopefully their parents will have the sense to double-register. Are parents willing to send their kids without having met a single administrator or teacher, or even knowing where the school is going to be?
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Progress towards opening in September 2012 is going very well and on schedule.
All of our Administration and most of the Staff are still lined up and applications continue to come in to fill any vacancies.
Following another round of in-district applications, announcements will be made of admission of students from the out of district waiting list – if there are any remaining seats. Registration will occur in late spring – Shalom Academy will provide you with registration guidelines to secure the spot (district transfer cards, proofs of age and residency). For now, your in-district spots are being held and no action must be taken.
Our current phase involves demonstrating to the NJ State DOE and Bergen County DOE that the school has achieved all of the necessary preparedness steps and is indeed ready to open. Our Administration, and Immersion and Development teams have been working very hard to ensure successful navigation of this process including mandatory weekly seminars and workshops in Trenton and Washington, DC.
Last year this phase was navigated successfully with only 1 deficiency - a limit to the number of students that was far below our actual enrollment was added to our Certificate of Occupancy.
We have already leased a new facility, and last week underwent a preliminary site evaluation - the outcome was extremely favorable.
It is likely that we will be able to get a reasonable sense on the final approval status as early as mid June – less likely but possible as early as mid May.
There is every indication, and we are optimistic, that we will be able to receive this approval – and efforts to get an advance ruling are underway. However, as we found last year, there is no guarantee that the school will receive this approval.
In the event that there is any indication that we will be unable to open in September we will inform you immediately. Similarly, if we are clear that opening is definite, that information will be released immediately.
We look forward to a positive result from the DOE and passing on this great news to you.
Progress towards opening in September 2012 is going very well and on schedule.
All of our Administration and most of the Staff are still lined up and applications continue to come in to fill any vacancies.
Following another round of in-district applications, announcements will be made of admission of students from the out of district waiting list – if there are any remaining seats. Registration will occur in late spring – Shalom Academy will provide you with registration guidelines to secure the spot (district transfer cards, proofs of age and residency). For now, your in-district spots are being held and no action must be taken.
Our current phase involves demonstrating to the NJ State DOE and Bergen County DOE that the school has achieved all of the necessary preparedness steps and is indeed ready to open. Our Administration, and Immersion and Development teams have been working very hard to ensure successful navigation of this process including mandatory weekly seminars and workshops in Trenton and Washington, DC.
Last year this phase was navigated successfully with only 1 deficiency - a limit to the number of students that was far below our actual enrollment was added to our Certificate of Occupancy.
We have already leased a new facility, and last week underwent a preliminary site evaluation - the outcome was extremely favorable.
It is likely that we will be able to get a reasonable sense on the final approval status as early as mid June – less likely but possible as early as mid May.
There is every indication, and we are optimistic, that we will be able to receive this approval – and efforts to get an advance ruling are underway. However, as we found last year, there is no guarantee that the school will receive this approval.
In the event that there is any indication that we will be unable to open in September we will inform you immediately. Similarly, if we are clear that opening is definite, that information will be released immediately.
We look forward to a positive result from the DOE and passing on this great news to you.
Logging you in...
realist · 678 weeks ago
the voice · 678 weeks ago
SACS? · 677 weeks ago
Many rabbis have done either litter to nothing in town to fix the tuition concerns of many. I know many families that plan on taking control on their own, and that includes programs like SACS.
Yeshiva_Dad 69p · 677 weeks ago
I sympathize but there's just no excuse for the lack of communication. The parents that are putting their trust with these people are treated like crap. No amount of tuition is worth that. I'd rather send my kids to public school than sacs.
-YD
Miami Al · 677 weeks ago
Y'all have a massive entitlement complex, and that's the driver of all your economic woes.
Yeshiva_Dad 69p · 677 weeks ago
Absolutely they would! And they invite prospective parents to meet with the principals and tour the school. They even encourage students to "shadow" classes for a day. They respond to emails and phone calls. They make information about the building and staff public.
Read the post we did on the THS open house. Or check out their website: http://www.teaneckschools.org/Domain/14.
Or, for a better apples to apples comparison, check out the website of Teaneck Community Charter School: http://www.tccsnj.org/
I don't think its an "entitlement complex" to want to know where your children are going to be spending half of their waking hours, who is going to be instructing them, or to be able to have a face-to-face conversation with the people in charge of their well being. Sounds more like basic parenting to me.
guest · 677 weeks ago
I beg you, please don't blame SACS, these people have spent thousands of hours, and have lost thousands of hairs trying to get this done. Should it get done, SACS will make us all proud.
SACS? · 677 weeks ago
BTW, YD, I agree with you also, that public school is still a strong alternative. Dozens of families already use the TPS within the Jewish community and many don't know enough about it to make an informed decision. From kosher meals from EJs to excused days off for Jewish holidays [when they are not closed - they are closed for RH, YK and Passover this year]....there is a lot to offer.
realist · 677 weeks ago
Right. And of course you have proof of this? I hate rumors. Besides, even if this was true, then how do you explain the lack of communication? If SACS were a service organization, they'd be bankrupt by now. Besides, why would a teacher sign a contract with them not knowing if the school would even open? If you were a teacher, would you? I wouldn't, unless no one else would hire me.
The Know · 677 weeks ago
The calendars for next year are out for Yavneh & BPY
BPY is opening Tuesday after Labor Day, instead of Wednesday.
BPY also announced that they will be open for 2 out of 3 days of chol ha'moed sukkot.
Kol Ha'Kavod.
Yeshiva_Dad 69p · 677 weeks ago
I heard that but I also hear they are adding days off around christmas. Is that true?
count the days · 677 weeks ago
Tim · 677 weeks ago
School on chol hammed succotash, school on Christmas, school on Erev Shavuot, school the Friday before pesach, 1 day off between last day of school and camp
The know · 677 weeks ago