Bergen School 10/8/2017 Meeting Summary
Dear Parents,
(Please check English version in the second half below)
会议纪要
时间：2017年十月八日上午11点30分
地点：华夏博根中文学校（425 Paramus Road, Paramus, NJ 07652）
华夏博根中文学校董事会和校委会于2017年十月八日上午在学校餐厅举行了一次和在校学生家长的见面会。董事长王建锐首先向大家简要介绍了学校的相关条例和组织架构，然后宣布问答开始。以下是家长提问和校方回答的现场记录：
家长：现在学校教学质量存在问题，有9位老师离开，教师选择的标准是什么，有教师培训吗？
学校：实际上有7位老师离开，有些是因为个人原因，学校没有主动辞退任何老师。同时学校也在考虑增设某些课程，以及培训新老师。
家长：关于AP课临时换老师的问题，学校应该提前通知，家长要有知情权。
学校：以前中文学校通常也没有通知过家长的。
家长：国画课在开学的头天才通知关掉的，另外小提琴课也关掉了。
学校：根据报名的具体情况学校可能要关掉某些课，但国画课在开学(9/10/2017)的当天早上，根据家长的要求特意又重新开了，但一直没有足够的人数报名，直到开学的第三周才关掉。现在的国画老师是在原来老师离开的情况下被紧急请来帮忙上课的。
家长：建议使PTO (Parent Teacher Organization)合法化，以便增强同学校的沟通。另外因为教室的变动，象棋课每次上课家长都要去帮助搬桌子，这样很不方便。
学校：因为学校的合同有变，原来的教室没有了，所以才会出现这种情况。象棋课搬桌子的事可以由校委会人员来做。（注意：关于PTO的问题，在会议开始的时候董事长已经有所澄清了，根据华夏博根学校的法则条例，博根只存在三个机构，即家长大会，董事会和校委会。三个机构的运作方式，职责和权限在法则里都有陈述，家长们可以上学校网站查看(
http://www.hxbg.org/doc/schoolbylaw.php). 学校欢迎任何在校的家长，老师以个人或联合的方式向校方反映情况和提供建议。根据学校现有条例PTO不属于华夏博根中文学校。）
家长：选校长的标准是什么？
学校：根据学校条例，校长由董事会任命，经过全体董事投票产生的。
家长：说明有关退学退课的问题，为什么校委会从9个人增加到12个人？另外学校的财务状况应该受到监督。
学校：董事会开会已经讨论这些问题了。今年的学校预算还没有通过，会继续进行讨论的。关于校委会的具体人数并没有明确的规定，但学校只付校委会人员很少的钱，学校老师的工资也不算高的。
家长：潘梅老师的王双双班和陶艳丽老师的国画课非常好，但这两位老师都离开学校了。女儿今年依然参加中文学校，但对现在的老师失望。家长听了两堂课后，中文转到普通班，国画课退课了。为什么学校不能解决纠纷，把老师请回来呢？
学校：董事会将就这些问题进行讨论解决的。潘梅老师在上届校委会群里声明不再教了，学校曾有过挽留。学校会根据需要开王双双班。（注意：会议期间董事会收到一封潘梅老师的申述书。）
家长：AP班听了两节课，有很多学生退课，要求换老师，推荐张勤老师。
学校：董事会正在着手解决这项问题。AP老师向来难找，因为压力大。上一任余清老师一开始的时候也曾有问题，成长都需要时间。今年余清老师是因为家庭原因离开的。学校曾请过孙常慧老师，但没有接受。孙瑜老师原来同意教AP班但后来想教王双双班，可是王双双班已经安排其他老师了。最后找到现在的王柔云老师，王老师虽然没有教过AP班，但的确有教其它中文课的经验。
原教务长马璐：潘梅老师对新一届校委会担忧，对新任校长有顾虑。双双班很受欢迎，建议开两个双双班，开四册双双班，并向校长，董事会提议，但没有得到回应。
家长：孩子报了5个班，退了3个，为什么原教务长马璐没有在这一届校委会任职？PTO是代表家长意见的。
学校：如前所述PTO可以向学校提建议。要给董事会时间解决各项问题。学校要权衡学生家长的各种要求，开设新班需要多方综合考量。
家长：有些老师受到不公平待遇，校方要澄清，董事会要为学生考虑，家长要旁听董事会开会。
学校：家长旁听董事会开会恐怕不现实，但学校财政情况会公布的，董事会开会的会议记录也可以查看。（关于有些老师离职的问题，如上面所讲，董事会已经在讨论这些问题了。）
家长：数学班的小老师不合格，应该先有一年的培训。
学校：这个问题已经解决了，去年的一个助教现在已经回来教了。另外一个助教一直在学校教。数学班并不是中文学校的正式课程，主要是为了给小孩提供参加服务和实践的机会。
家长：教师的任命规章制度。
学校：学校已经有一套这方面的系统。
Meeting Summary
Date: October 8, 2017, 11:30 a.m.
Location: Paramus Catholic High School,
425 Paramus Road, Paramus, NJ 07652
A face-to-face meeting with school parents was held by Board of Directors and School Administration Committee on October 8, 2017 in school cafeteria. The meeting started with an introduction of Chinese school structure and bylaws by the President of BD, Mr. Jianrui Wang, followed by a Q&A section which is summarized below:
• Parent: We are concerned with the quality of teaching at school. There have been 9 teachers left the school this year. What is the criteria for teacher selection and how are they trained?
• School: There were 7 teachers left school this year. Some were due to personal reasons. None of them was dismissed by school. School is considering to open additional classes. New teachers will be trained as appropriate.
• Parent: Parents were not aware that a different teacher was assigned for the AP class. Such change should have been communicated to parents in advance. Parents have the right to know.
• School: School did not have to communicate changes of teachers in the past.
• Parent: Parents were told the Chinese Painting class was closed only the day before the school started. And the Violin class was also closed.
• School: Sometimes school may close certain class(es) depending on the status of registration. The Chinese Painting class was reopened in the morning of the first day of school per parents’ request. Unfortunately, there had been not enough students registered until after three weeks so that the class was eventually closed. The current teacher for Chinese Painting class was asked to teach the class in last minute due to the leaving of the original teacher.
• Parent: It is suggested to legalize the PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) to enhance the communication between parents/teachers and school. In addition, one of the parents has been setting up the table for Chess class due to change of classroom. This should be changed.
• School: The change of classroom was due to change of rental lease with the Paramus Catholic High School so that the original classroom is no longer available. School administrative staff will help setting up the table for Chess class from now on. (Note: In the beginning of the meeting, the President of BD has already clarified that according to bylaws of Huaxia Chinese School at Bergen, Inc., there are only three organizations: Meeting of the Membership, Board of Directors and School Administration. The operation, responsibilities and rights of these organizations are described in the bylaws which can be found on school’s website (
http://www.hxbg.org/doc/schoolbylaw.php). All parents and teachers at the school are welcomed to provide relevant feedback and suggestions to school by individual or as a group. PTO is not an organization under the current school bylaws.)
• Parent: What is the criteria for appointment of the School Principle?
• School: The School Principle is appointed upon voting by the Board of Directors.
• Parent: Please comment on the following issues: drop out of students, increase of school administrative staff from 9 to 12, supervision of school financial status.
• School: The school budget was discussed at recent BD meeting. It did not go through and will be revised and further discussed. There is no definitive limit of total number of the school administrative staff. They only received low pay, same thing for the teacher.
• Parent: Ms. Mei Pan (Wang Shuang Shuang class) and Ms. Yanli Tao (Chinese Paiting class) both taught very well but have left the school. My daughter is disappointed of the current teachers. I myself have listened to two classes. In the end my daughter transferred to general Chinese class and dropped the Chinese Painting class. Why can’t the school resolve the issues and invite those teachers back to school?
• School: The BD have been discussing these issues and seeking for solutions. Ms. Mei Pan claimed to stop teaching the class during last school year and was asked to continue. The Wang Shuang Shuang class has been opened as needed. (Note: an appeal letter by Ms. Mei Pan was distributed to BD members during the meeting.)
• Parent: I have listened to the AP class for two times. Many students dropped out. The teacher should be changed and Ms. Qin Zhang is recommended.
• School: The BD has been involved in solving these issues. It is not so easy to find a good candidate for the AP class. It takes time to develop expertise for any teachers including Ms. Qing Yu (past AP teacher who has left school due to family reason). Ms. Changhui Sun was asked to teach the AP class but did not accept. Ms. Yu Sun first agreed but then wanted to teach Wang Shuang Shuang class which unfortunately had been assigned to someone else. Finally, Ms. Rouyun Wang agreed to take the job. Although never taught AP class, she does have experience in teaching other Chinese class.
• Ms. Lu Ma (previous Curricular Director): Ms. Mei Pan worried about the new School Administration Committee and was concerned with the new Principle. She suggested to the Principle and BD to open two Wang Shuang Shuang classes and 4th grade of the class, but did not receive any responses.
• Parent: My children first registered for five classes, later dropped three of them. Why is Ms. Lu Ma (previous Curricular Director) no longer working in the school? The PTO is providing feedback to school on behalf of parents.
• School: As previously said PTO can provide feedback to school. It takes time for BD to solve problems. School must balance different requests from the parents. Opening new classes needs comprehensive consideration.
• Parent: Some teachers were not treated fairly, please clarify. BD should think for the students. Parents should listen to the BD meeting.
• School: It is not realistic for parents to attend the BD meetings. In addition, school account information will be disclosed to parents. Parents can review the BD meeting minutes as well. (For the first request refer to above response by School – “The BD have been discussing these issues…”)
• Parent: The teacher of Math Problem Solving class is not qualified. They should have one year training in advance.
• School: This problem has been solved. One of the two teaching assistants from last year has been back and appointed to be the teachers for this year’s class. The other one has already been teaching the class since the beginning of this school year. It should be noted that this class is not like other formal classes but mainly to offer an opportunity to young kids to participate and practice.
• Parent: There should be regulations for teacher appointment.
• School: The school does have a system to deal with that.
School Board