The comments I have been receiving regarding last night's meeting range from "gruesome", and "disgraceful" to more colorful ones involving baby seals. I can't repeat many of them -- even NotThePTA has standards (sort of!).
Last night's meeting was outrageous, the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" must be getting concerned about the Superintendent's lawsuit because they threw everything they could at her last night. These fools, who have no financial or managerial experience believe they should be able to micro-manage every aspect of school operations. They have yet to grasp the concept that when they were elected, they vaulted from their previous professional status as deli clerks to members of the Board of Directors of Stop and Shop. Do you think Stop & Shop's BOD spends a lot of time discussing how the baloney should be arranged in the deli case? I think not.
The purpose of a BOD is to increase shareholder value by improving the business. To do this, they need to have some sort of understanding of the industry, as well as an understanding of how the entity functions. Then, they hire and work with professional managers to run the day to day operations of the business. This Crazy Coven has no understanding of anything and absolutely no appreciation of those that do.
Fortunately, the current committee is viewed with such disgust and disdain that they are ignored -- essentially leaving the Town in a holding pattern until they go away. It's unfortunate that their complete lack of professionalism, and management ability is taking the reputation of the Superintendent down the toilet with them. It's more unfortunate that kids who are depending on an education can't wait for them to leave.
A few observations -- one of the new members appeared to be off her meds again last night. The bizarre expressions, head bobbing and obnoxious comments were in high gear -- and served well to highlight her complete lack of knowledge of what she was talking about. (Hint --- the expressions and motions work may well when Oprah does them -- but she usually does her homework BEFORE going on camera.! If you are going to use daytime TV as a study guide -- look for an old Judge Wapner rerun! At the very least, don't use a 6th grader as a role model for public presentations!)
The Community School crowd was out in full force last night --- to barrage some revisionist history onto SACAT. In an interesting twist, Jim Lehane came back to rant and rave about being victimized. Crossman expressed concern that the Community School reserve fund declined from $400K to $100K the year BEFORE the School Committee stepped in--- good point, Nance! That was the year YOU ran the Community School!
Lenihands decided it was "irresponsible" to restructure the Community School BEFORE receiving the audit. I would point out that there had been several management reviews in the past -- all of which had been ignored. I would also point out that the audit SUPPORTED the reason the programs were restructured!! I would also point out that this is just one more example of her not having the faintest idea what she is talking about.
This isn't about Lehane. These issues all pre-date his employment. In fact, I met him AFTER I had gone through my laundry list of complaints after reviewing my first Community School budget before he was even on the payroll.
I have said many times that The Executive Council was working within the framework established by prior School Committees. I also said that framework was wrong and conflicted with Massachusetts General Law. The laws have changed since 1974 -- not surprisingly, Sandwich didn't. My concern was to bring the programs into compliance and, then generate some revenue/reduce some expenses to aid the K-12 District Budget -- THAT IS WHAT THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE IS SUPPOSED TO DO!
To be clear -- if the pool incurs $X for utility costs and pays anything less than $X, the balance is paid by the School District. If the School District is paying for that cost, it is taking money away from K-12 operations. There is no provision in the law for "in-kind" services -- each entity has to pay its allocation of expenses. If the School District did not have to pay pool utility costs, it certainly could more than have paid for any of the in-kind "donation" the Community School chose to provide.
The list of people who use the pool was lovely -- but pointless. Nobody ever said the pool doesn't get used. The only issue is paying for the pool. If all these people want a pool, they can pay for it. Why should parents paying for Drivers Ed or Pre-School also be forced to pitch in on the cost of operating the pool? Why should a taxpayer who doesn't use the pool be forced to pitch in on the cost -- are the Community School patrons going to contribute to the cost of that taxpayer's hobbies?
Last night's meeting was pathetic and anybody who voted for those four buffoons (or didn't vote at all) should be ashamed.
23 comments:
The Truth Maker spent last night watching most of the School Committee meeting. The two newly elected ones were spouting that they did not have a policy book[Bobby and MS. Barton you did not return them} So they decided to make some changes to the policy in regards to how members of the school committee could circumvent the policy by asking questions about the budget to the business manager and who ever they wanted. The policy clearly states the chain of command, but they want to circumvent that, so that they can get Dr. Johnson out of the loop. The four union led members got there dander up when the Super told them they would have to change the policy if they wanted to ask questions about the budget. After spending another wasted effort of near an hour discussing the subject matter, they decided to remove the motion from the table. One of the members once again states that she would not have any questions about the budget until they had a copy of the whole budget before them.
Understanding that each week a portion of the budget has been presented by the super , with full explanations and the dummies do not ask any questions during this presentation[Why?] Non of these four have ever put together a budget, but all of a sudden when it suits them they are now experts on how a budget is put together and who is responsible for the task.
I also found it rather enlightening that they allowed the past Community School Director to participate in the dialog and he was not on the adgenda for last nights meeting. This would seem to me, to be a violation of Open meeting law. Jim provided his points if veiw which I have no problem with, but he should have done that during public forum, as he was not on the written adgenda for this meeting. I will agree that his comments did have merit and every one can now agree that the past illegal process was known by many , especially MS. Marshal and Crossman, The Community school reports to the Super and that is under MGL and it should have never been outside of that control which the above named were complicit in doing for a good number of years. Money diverted from K -12 should never be used for the community school ,[MGL] but that was a standard which was set up by previous school committees who did not want the extra work on there shoulders. More comments to follow for sure.
I think you and Guerin should march in to the next school committee meeting, audits in hand, to remind the folks why the school committee did what it did with the community school……..amazing how Crossman sits their advocating for a program for which she collects a paycheck! Where is the outrage in the community?
Santa:
Please ship "why can't we be friends" mugs to the members of the school committee for me. I'll make sure you are paid from that
"revolving account thingy"!
I must say that last night's meeting was disgraceful!
THEY JUST VIOLATED OPEN MTG LAW BY VOTING ON SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA!
The Truth Maker would also add that the present way the four have there notes all written out would conclude that the cotrivance is really getting more involved as each meeting is held.
Watch closely and you will see the hand written notes being passed to keep this tempest in a tea pot boiling.
They must spend a great deal before the meetings are underway to come up with some line that they can exploit during the meeting in public.
Last nights theme was all about saving face about what they did as a group. It was legal if you listen to the questions and answers.
Not according to MGL and severel private audits. It was Illegal plain and simple and they looked the other way. The whole process has been in violation of MGL for a very long time and that is a known fact. Even Jimmy acknowledged that fact. The process allowed the Community School to divert dollars from educational purposes to support the losses by the Community school for years. The process has produced many questionable outcomes when it comes to where and how money for k-12 was utilized over the years.
Again we lost educational dollars from the district to support those that felt they were above the ethical laws prescribed under MGL
The present union led school board members have not acknowledged, nor do they except these facts as they are preparing to find a way to relive the old history. That is why they continue to badger the present super. She will be a reminder that she will be following the laws under MGL as long as she is the super of school.
They do not like that, so it is only natural that every one realize the mistake that would be, to go back into revisionary history.
Bobby,
The four led union led school members would find it hard to stack bread on a shelf, never mind hotdogs and rolls. They would be asking questions which are un-related too stacking, but rather questions like what is bread or hotdogs and rolls. I would be more concerned about how they were made.
The sad part in all of this public venndetta by these four, are that the very children who we are responsible for, will lose in the end.
They are all clueless. I don't think they have any idea what they are doing and the chair is letting them do whatever they want. The guest apperance was disgraceful. He was worried about his rep well he just ruined it.
My observation is that the fab four justified the value of "in-kind" donations as away of off-setting the money that was spent from the K-12 budget.
I doubt that auditorium curtains, new hardwood flooring, and stage lighting were high on the priority list when the schools were looking for money to buy textbooks!
Who came up with the idea to spend the money that way?
I enjoyed how Sherry kept saying "we" as she spoke as a member of the Executive Team for the Community School - get a clue you are on the School Board now.
Pathetic?? Hmmm...that's too kind a word, not to mention one that evokes pity. I have no pity for the majority four who orchestrated that circus last night. Contemptuous seems more appropriate. We have sunk to a new low, and that's pretty difficult given some recent past performances at School Committe meetings.
The disrespect and vindictiveness on display is something we would NEVER tolerate with our Sandwich students. How sad, therefore, that "adults" are given free reign to bully by a chairperson who has obviously lost total control of these meetings.
Some people better smarten up and realize that forging ahead with a superintendent search, warranted or not, means that Sandwich Public Schools is being watched closely. I can't imagine last night's school committee sold anyone on coming to Sandwich to work with this crew. It was a trainwreck. God help us...
I TRY SO HARD TO WATCH THESE MEETINGS AND RISE ABOVE PETTY NAME CALLING AND INSULTS......BUT SHERRY AND HER SISTERS OF DOOM ARE SOOOOOOOO WORTHY OF NOTHING ELSE!!!!!
What was Lehane's point?
The Community School WAS operating illegally.
The audit pointed out that invoices & leases weren't being approved -- that was only corrected last year after Guerin/Simmons bitched for two years.
The auditors pointed out State procurement law was not being followed.
The auditors pointed out that costs were not being allocated to the Community School --- which meant they WERE being paid by the public schools.
This is nothing new -- its been talked about for 3 years. The audit only confirmed what prior SC members had been saying.
Prior School Committees were willing to ignore the law (or were completely ignorant of it) and allow the CS to do what they wanted. Three years ago, School Committee members decided to read the law and follow it.
STFU, continue fixing the problem -- cut costs where you can (Two Directors?) and save the worthwhile programs you can.
Move on ...
Amazing that these four are in control of the 30 million budget school budget. Just when you thought this couldn't get any worse, it does!
How does that superintendant sit there and listen to the illogical madness and the continued trashing of her reputation?
Time to just stop watching the madness and become apathetic like the rest of the 80% of the Town.
Two major prerequsites for new superintendant: Incompetance a must, willing to break MGL laws and also be insane in order to get along with the School board, Comm. School employees and Ms. Carlise Union President.
Lehane should be sending thank you notes to the prior committee who stopped the thick-headed oaf before he could encumber the district with a huge deficit by building an new "preschool". Doesn't anyone remember that debacle. He had plans drawn up and was good to go with building a new separate building to replace his little red school house! Can you only imagine where we'd be deficit-wise if the two Bobs didn't stop that train from barreling over the ledge! You may like him, Bob, but in my opinion, he's a buffoon of the highest order!
Its to bad comments can't be made without the name calling. I feel I am in grade school reading these comments
To the last poster:
So, are you saying: you’re right about all this issues and problems but the name calling distracts me?
Or, are you saying: you’re wrong about all the issues and the name calling distracts me?
Also, are you suggesting the School Committees behavior is better?
The Truth Maker would add , you may want to make that point to the four union led members of our school committee, as they are experts in the name calling business. They have it down to a science, but I guess the children will learn that lesson well, if they look in. So much for the bully program
Not %80......%85
glad I could help
I only caught the last hour or so of the meeting and was, once again, appalled. The four of them should be tarred, feathered and run out of town. I voted for Kangas and Crossman - what a mistake! The Gang of Four are an insult to this town.
Dr. Johnson should have gone after Kangas at the meeting when she (Kangas) implied that she did not have a handbook because of Dr. Johnson. Kangas should have done her homework and found out whose responsibility it is to give handbooks to new members - it's obviously not Dr. Johnson's. Kangas made herself look foolish (again). You can't make this stuff up.
Can't we pull together and do something about this mess rather than waiting to vote these people out? A lot of parents are disgusted with the SC, but they are hesitant to do anything because of fear of retribution against their children by union members. People need to realize that action needs to be taken. The childrens' education is at risk. Further, this situation not only affects the parents and students, but every taxpayer in town. Many people live in Sandwich and put up with high taxes because of the perceived quality of the school system. If the quality of our schools and the reputation of the schools suffer then all of our property values will decline.
Further, the gang of four each have an apparent conflict: Linehan's husband is a teacher and former union leader; it is my understanding that Kangas was formerly an employee of the school district who was let got (hence this is the source of the axe that she grinds; Crossman is a Community School employee; Marshall may not have a direct conflict, but it's a pretty well known fact in town that she is entrenched in the system, was formerly on the Community School Council and is close with several of the present and past employees that want Dr. Johnson out. These people don't give a damn about the children. It's just about fulfilling their personal agendas. Shame on them and shame on us for not taking more action.
6:39 Great post and you are right, parents rightfully so, are afraid of retribution towards their children. Can you organize a Sandwich Recall Marshall and Linehan Day, wake up the 85% that have been asleep to come and sign the petition to recall? I think its around 3800 reg. voters? Taylor White/town clerk would know for sure.
Couple of thoughts…
Horrifying. We have the Droogs from Clockwork Orange (look it up, Marie… I gave you a gift by citing the reference) who don’t even understand the concept of CASH in elementary accounting ("Is that cash, dollars, or checks, too?") demanding a one week turnaround of a $30million budget with no input from the administration…(that’s the people who have to make it work, Droogs, that’s why it’s important).
They want a budget book, before the long holiday, so that they can sit down with the union and nit-pick the number of spare tires in the SPED transportation department. Laura and Gary can write their zingers for them, and they’ll have several days to practice in the mirror, and then grandstand in front of the camera again.
The whole “let’s change policy” debacle was frightening; the consequence of very small, undisciplined minds with way too much power. Droogs, you are supposed to behave like mature members of a deliberative body, not the “biguns” from Lord of the Flies. (another gift, Marie.)
I get that for a not insignificant number of our neighbors, the essential argument here isn’t “the kids” or the town; it’s people’s jobs, their livelihoods, their benefits. It sucks to be the losers in re-structuring, to have your life upended by circumstances beyond your control, to bear the sacrifice for the good of the whole. I readily concede that banding together to take control is legitimate political action; the bloc can vote in whoever it wants to serve and preserve them. If the taxpayers and parents are asleep at the wheel, they reap what they sow.
But,quite honestly, this has got to make even Laura Carlyle's skin crawl.
And Jim Lehane, you keep patting Jessica on the head. That will do wonders for your reputation.
Lehane had respect from our family up until the other night when he decided to jump into the hot seat (sherry allowed him to speak for 10 minutes even though he wasn't on the agenda, Sherry always takes care of her friends!) to defend his actions as the Comm school director,but he definately crashed and burned with his defensive rant. Wow Now we have to ask what was actually going on with K-12 monies the past 25 years? Rick Reino ran out of town awfully fast too after the legal super was appointed. Where is George Brennan CCT investigative reporter when you need him?
to the writer from 12/17 6:39 pm
What position did Kangas have in the district? I thought she was a Respiratory Therapist for 17 years. From what was in her bio, that was her main job. Therefore I believe she can probably read and stack bread on shelves, since she worked with life and death for almost 2 decades. Obviously the people who rant and rave on this site haven't a clue about what they are talking about. Therefore I have to surmise that the people they say haven't a clue have much more than the writers.
11:11,
Great!!
If we need a bread stacker, we'll call you!!
Your post was as pointless as your meeting comments!!
Respiratory Therapist, no way that women was put in charge of peoples lung function, she has to have lied on that resume.
Bread stacking yes, therapist with college degree no way. She needs to prove that fact. Not that a college degree is required to be on school committee, but a brain and a heart for the children is a requirement, she has failed to either one the last 7 months. Talking about policy when she hasn't even got the school policy book. That's her responsiblity to get that policy book. OMG OMG
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