2000-2001 calendar

during San Francisco

conference trip

At the workshop meeting, Superintendent of Schools Alan Elko told the board it did not have to decide on 2000-01 calendar then, but could act on it in April.

The one area of the school year that generated some discussion was the week of Election Day in November.

Since Election Day and the New Jersey Education Association’s Conference in Atlantic City fall on the same week, it could make for a "disruptive week," according to Elko.

He said that since this year is a national election, most schools will be closed on that Tuesday.

In addition, all schools are closed Thursday and Friday of that week due to the convention, so Monday and Wednesday would be the only days for school instruction.

Elko explained that some districts will be closing for the entire week.

"It’s a problem for any (district) school calendar," he said.

Board member Craig Rosevear said an alternative would be to keep schools open on Tuesday so students could go from Monday to Wednesday.

He stated that closing schools on Election Day has been a recent development.

Elko stressed, however, that the two concerns if schools are open that day would be the higher percentage of people voting in a general election and the heightened security issue.

The two drafts have differing versions of the spring recess.

The original proposed draft noted that schools would be closed April 12-13 and 16-20.

In the revised proposed draft, schools would be closed April 9-16.

During the administrative report, Elko informed the audience that he took part in the National Conference for School Superintendents in San Francisco late last week.

He said that he participated in a discussion with graduate students at Stanford University.

But the highlight of Elko’s trip was meeting President Bill Clinton.

It was not something that was planned, however. It happened by chance.

Elko said that after a cable car ride, he and his wife were walking along Fisherman’s Wharf when they came upon several policemen.

Elko asked another stranger who was dressed in a suit what was going on, and the man said that Clinton was eating in a nearby restaurant.

Elko should have known, he said, because there were limousines with flags and men wearing ear pieces.

Elko and his wife decided to wait in line to meet Clinton when he came out of the restaurant. Elko explained that a staff member used a wand to check the people for any weapons and even scanned every loaf of bread that was to be brought into the restaurant.

As Clinton came out, Elko’s wife had a sketch that she wanted the president to sign; however, a staff member reprimanded her, according to Elko.

When Elko’s wife shook Clinton’s hand, she told him that she was a supporter of gun control and wanted to see an end to school violence.

Elko said that she ‘pushed the right button’ and Clinton stopped and talked to Elko and his wife for about five minutes, even becoming emotional when talking about the 6-year-old girl who had recently been killed in a Michigan elementary school.

When Clinton was heading for the limo, he signed the sketch that Elko’s wife had brought.

After Elko’s anecdote, board members peppered him with questions such as, "Did you invite him (Clinton) to North Brunswick?" and "Did you tell him who you were?"

Elko said that he just let Clinton do most of the talking.

"You don’t interrupt the President when he’s on a roll," he said.