Taxpayers, teachers and parents should read this week’s Enterprise story about the MA school building repair moneys program and Dr. Johnson’s long, lonely campaign to interest Town officials in “free money.”
Apparently, while Dr. Johnson has been working diligently to obtain more than $1.5 million in state building assistance, no one on the Capital Improvement Committee, School Committee or Board of Selectmen has been working toward the same goal with a shared sense of urgency. Instead, the Capital Improvement Committee and Board of Selectmen have been brainstorming new ways to pull dollars from well worn and nearly empty taxpayer pockets. The School Committee remains mute on the issue.
Now with time expiring on the state construction aid program, folks on the Board of Selectmen and Finance Committees are waking up to the state funding possibilities Dr. Johnson has been highlighting for more than 3 years. And now they’re pledging to help pursue this state aid.
One can only look on in amazement as a “fired” town employee (the Superintendent) works diligently (including attending Board of Selectmen meetings on her own time) to convince town employees and town officials to pursue unclaimed and available state building and repair aid.
Where's the School Committee in all this? Nowhere.
School roofs leak, windows fail, heat and plumbing systems disintegrate. All buildings are in need of serious repair and only the “fired” Superintendent advocates for the schools and for capital repairs and for FREE money from the state to get it done and paid for. It’s as sad as it is amazing!
46 comments:
SILLY SLEEPIN SANDWICH! What has happened to our town?
Thank you Bob for pointing this out! Dr. Johnson has been phenomenal is grant writing across the board - the Tower Grant, Kiwanis grant, etc. The SC thinks the budget is a problem now? Just wait to see what happens if we do not have Dr. Johnson at the helm!
I recall hearing Kangas & Linehan using words like "proactive" and "transparent" when they were trying to get on the Board.
I guess they have proved they really did have no idea what they were talking about!
Come on Bob!!!! When an employee has done so much for your town and has been such a valuable asset, how else should you treat them but to FIRE them!!!! FOOLS!!!!! Ive said it before and ill say it again....MEJ deserves better than us!!!! Its ok though, chances are were gonna end up paying two supers anyway....that wont be a waste of precious resources!!!!! People in this town need to get Mad!!
I think the BOS meeting last week might paint a slightly different picture. Not to mention there was a debt exclusion proposed at the fall town meeting for the roofs. I won't disagree however with B.G. that a sense of urgency has not been in play. Some of this, where a proposed debt exclusion is concerned or maybe even a lot of this has to do with the agenda of the CIPC and the unfortunate, "can't give the schools something if the town doesn't get something" way of thinking. The CIPC agenda has been perplexing to say the least.
At last weeks BOS it was agreed that Town Manager should go to Fin Com tonight and ask for money from the reserve fund to start the process for roof repairs. So you might want to tune in or even contact a Fin Com member. The meeting is at 7pm at Oak Crest Cove.
There will be several steps to getting the roofs fixed including likely another debt exclusion proposal. So stay engaged in the process. The roofs needed to be fixed two years ago when this began. They needed to be fixed before the comprehensive study on Capital repair work was completed through the CIPC, they needed to be fixed in the fall and funded to take advantage of the reimbursement, and they still need to be fixed but the deadline is now, now or no reimbursement.
Some blame needs to go to the fact that we have a committee between Town and School management and the BOS. It began before there were municipal or school overall facility managers. Time we start thinking about effective and efficient government for our town.
Its true that at the last Town Meeting an obviously split Finance Committee and the Selectmen tried to jam taxpayers with a multi million dollar boondoggle of repair projects – some needed and many not needed.
The Selectmen proposed an override that would paint the transfer station, buy new doors for the senior center and reroof 2 schools among other things. The Town’s operating budget is millions annually and taxpayers are told that we can’t afford to buy paint and a door without a tax increase. Who's buying it?
The School Roof project should have been its own item and should have been voted up or down on its own merits. BUT, politicians being politicians, the Selectmen wrapped the good with the bad and the ugly on the hopes that taxpayers would hold their noses and vote for an override regardless of how bad the proposal stank. And it stunk!
The only credit I will give the Selectmen is that they’ve been playing politics with the schools and school finances for years. It continues today.
The town versus school mentality has, as JKR suggests been at the heart of Sandwich government dysfuction and community frustration for decades it seems. In continues regularly to drive articles and one particular local government columnist. But last night a member of the Fin Com asked that language be changed in the minutes to reflect the "one town" mentality that many in government have embraced and continue to support. So there is hope.
In these financial times, in my view, the school roofs should have been the only Capital items to be addressed last fall through the proposed debt exclusion. Or perhaps with one other timely issue. The theory that we have neglected capital for decades and now (in a recession) we have to address it big time, makes little or no sense to me. You can't ignore the recession and taxpayer burden even if it is a perception issue for some. There is a respect issue there for me.
As Mr. G says state reimbursement it was "free money and the process time sensitive. Seperating it out is just another so called leadership decision that really kicks the can into Town Meeting. I think it would have been better leadership to say, this is what we need to do. This is why. And we need your help to fund it in this way.
When Town Meeting becomes an excuse to not make strong leadership decisions, we loose time and money. Making important issues political footballs is just as damaging at the local level as it is at the state and federal level. Government impacts our lives day to day and it is important to make timely decisions about resourse management and policy in my view.
It does seem that there is only one person really working for the schools right now in a comprehensive way. Despite how she has been treated and what she has been through since last May, Dr. Johnson still gets out there and makes the big things happen. I don't know how the roofs would get fixed if it weren't for her pursuing it and working with the Town Manager. Too bad her committee couldn't just let her get on with the business of growing in her job and in her working relationships within the school department and town government. There has been no one collaberating with the town from the School Committee really except her since last years election in May.
Ironic is a week word to describe the situation. Despite the fact that her contract decision was reversed by a team with 1/2 it's members freshman to the school committee, through political manuevering, despite the fact that her reputation is and contiues to be damaged through careless and unprofessional behavior and media attention, she just keeps doing the right thing for our kids and for our town.
It is truly sad that a rash decision has placed us in such a difficult situation. The integrity of our schools has been damaged, of our community and the financial questions loom large when it comes to what looks to be continuing damage to our schools, to our town. Who will advocate for the schools when she is gone?
I suppose to some the solution is a less qualified, less knowledgable and innovative person but someone who won't rock the boat. That would be the boat that is sinking. Our out of district accessments are going through the roof I'm told, as parents flee the district and there is no relief in sight given our ridiculous circumstance.
We are at a critical juncture that I'm not sure many on SC even understand. I suppose in a few years it will be another local story to explain why property values sank and developement ran in the other direction. It effects the whole town but after years of school committees stressing the schools and the municipal side are one commmunity, that we need to work together, that we need to be responsbible for common goals and solutions, it seems we are at a very illogical place again.
The Truth Maker would add that given the present direction this Union led school committee is going, the community of Sandwich and its school district will continue to backslide, all at the expence of the children in our town.
We are now in an regresive learning process for the educational survival for every child that enters our district.
We have a chair and her majority members that have placed themselves above and beyond the duties of being a progresive proactive learning experience that is needed in todays world of education.
It may be difficult, but things will need to change if our children are to obtain the educational experiences they want and need.
If you think things are bleek now, wait for the hammer to fall on increased teacher pay and paying out all of the law suites .
Non of those costs have been calculated into the up and comming budget for the district.
You may be looking at reducing the staff of teachers by 30 teachers before the next election of school committee members and that will further increase the class size of every class. What do you think that will do to your childs educational learning experiences?
Attend the public hearing this Monday [31] of September at the High School. That is if you care about the way the present School Committee will be eliminating your childs progress.
Make your voices heard, loud and clear that you care about your children and want to make this school committee acountable for there lack of leadership in the above matters.
The Truth Maker
Thank you to integritycounts for pointing out something that I believe is so important. The very large majority of people in Dr. Johnson's situation would have played lame duck and just rode out the year. Instead, she has balanced not only this year's budget but next year's as well, she continues to seek out and get large grants, she takes not only the schools and students into account in every decision she makes but also the town as a whole. Even if someone did not like her before this whole debacle, you have to give her your respect for how she has remained professional in spite of everything.
Anon 7:59
Thanks for validating my view and Bob G's and I know so many other people in town. I think it is because she wants to stay and truly cares about our kids and our town. She has demonstrated that time and time again through her ability to keep on keeping on for the sake of our kids and her vision for the district. I think she sees the potential here for a truly exceptional, innovative, and progressive school systme that meets the needs of all our children. That is good for everyone on all levels.
Any problems there have been should have been looked at as something that could be fixed and a method found to help with that. There is no organization except her school committee to help her. It seems they are willing to throw the baby out with the bathwater instead of looking at the big picture. This is not a personality issue. It is a management issue and the managers are the school committee.
Sorry I have so much to say. I am so passionate about our town and believe the schools are the heart of any healthy community. Not to mention I believe that if we as adults don't show our ability to solve problems rationally, what do we teach the next generation. One last thing.
To Truth Maker and everyone else. Calling the School Committee "union lead" is not only unhelpful, but inflamatory. I truly do not believe the inflamatory and personal attacks help the process of fixing this problem.
Inflamatory? Maybe. BUT, not untrue. Until teachers can get control of THEIR union, this problem will continue. Our teachers are way better than the stooges their union leaders worked so hard to get elected.
I hope things change in May.
The Truth Maker would respond to Integritycounts.
Would it be better to call this group,union influenced rather then union led?
Perhaps it may be better to continue to bury our heads in the sand and hope these influenced individuals that have brought inflamatory issues to the educational process here in Sandwich contnue to be ignored?
Given all of the ongoing inflamatory issues by this present board of malcontents,personal attacks have taken a new meaning in how to destroy a school district.
These union influenced members have and will continue to destroy years of well intentioned planning and leadership by Dr. Johnson and her staff of dedicated teachers.
This information may be new to you, but look around and smell the fires burning at the table when ever this group of leaderless committee members have an opportunity to attack all of the ongoing good work of our administrators.
The process they have engaged in has been spitefull,vindicative and personal attacks.
I guess what every one is watching is a matter of interpertation.
We have an old saying and it goes like this.
What is good for the Goose is good for the Gander.
A wise man once stated, that just because something is the truth, does not mean that one should turn a blind eye to its merits.
The four influenced union school board members in my opinion are all living in a vaccum and no matter what, show distain to the whole school district,teachers and children alike.
The teachers in our district need to take back the progressive learning experience being smothered by there union leaders and this present board of union led school board members.
There is clearly enough blame in this situation to go around, but what we really need is leadership that wants to build bridges not tear them down. We need more people to join the ranks to become part of the solution as oppossed to part of the problem.
Ordinary citizens and ordinary teachers don't have control of all aspects of this situation. Those who have direct control and who are accountable to the kids and the town have most if not all of the control. Of course now through letigation there are new players. One legal voice has been a part of this since May.
If people have gotten control for illegit reasons or for their own power trip or personal gain, that of course will do the whole process in. Let us hope that leaders now or future come up with leadership strategy.
The teachers have known for over 3 yrs they needed to rally and vote out President Laura Carlisle/SEA. Ms. Carlislie refused and misled positives efforts for change under Dr. Young 's administration too. Carlisle has fought all positive changes for our schools and repeatedly misled her own flock of teachers. Until the teachers decide to cut the head off the fish, we all can expect our schools to continue to rot.
And if people don't step up to run for two seats in May and voters stay asleep, then expect more destruction of our schools from the incompetants Marshall, Linehan, Crossman and Kangas.
These two things need to occur to effect positive changes for our school children.
anonymous 6:o6....I COULD NOT AGREE MORE!!!!!!!!!!!! WELL SAID!!!!
Anon 6:06,
In a perfect world I would agree with you. Though we would like to think because we live on Cape Cod, our world is perfect, not so much. Clearly, communication skills are greatly lacking when it comes to issues and governance in our town.
"Shoulds" for people have little effect apart from making people more defensive, and willing to dig in deeper. It is an amazingly universal truth that the hardest thing for people to do is admit when they are wrong and figure out what to do about it. On top of that you have a known enviroment of abuse, intimidation, and reckless mean spirited behavior in these issues. Many people have to think about what they can handle emotionally and have to think about protecting their families.
While some people may have thick skin, it is not possible for others, especially in a small town with a reputaion and a well deserved one, for gossip running rampant. There is mis-directed anger, at play here too, which of course is only getting worse each day. And of course the extreme feelings of helplessness.
Public outcry, activism, and organization could succeed where it seems nothing else is working. Communication has broken down and trust at so many levels it seems. You can't lead a horse to water but you can teach it to drink, maybe.
There will likely be teachers willing to take a stand but I understand why others simply can't. When there are power plays swirling in the schools, it is so difficult just for people to survive the day. The emails swirling, the directives from the union, the strong union people in the schools trying to effect change their way, all this contributes along with the angry parents and citizens, the upset and effected students, the outsiders haveing a voice. And why wouldn't you have people who just don't want any part of the food fight.
As I said there is enough blame to go around. Enabling is probably at the top of the list too.
8:34 From reviewing this blog I haven't seen any blogger asking for perfection. So, your comments are perplexing.
What we have read clearly is the disgust at the 4 agenda driven members arrogance and abuse of their powers as elected officials.
How they are not advocating for our children's educations, crossed boundaries with their micromanaging and obvious personal agendas
Linehan: Husband is H.S. Teacher & Union leader, dislikes any accountability or evaluations for teachers.
Marshall: Advocates First and foremost for Comm. School old friends, ignoring the past twenty years of using $100,000.s to prop up Comm School, but what the hell "it's only town money"
Crossman: Community School employee, do i need to say anymore on that? BOS messed up allowing her to keep her seat and job.
Kangas: Still doesn't have a clue what her role is 9 months later, she attended trainings has policy book, she should be good to go, but isn't even close to getting up to speed.
No one expects perfection, but failure is not an option when it comes to our kids educations.
These four women are so unprofessional and disrespectful to Dr. Johnson, just watch a few meetings, it's like the real world women, you don't have to like someone but you should always be respectful.
Being a human being basic 101!
Sorry my comments are perplexing. It was a turn of a phrase. I have read the disgust you speak of on this blog. I understand it and respect those feelings. I won't disagree with your perception of the SC negatives. These are negatives that likely exist on most small town volunteer boards. I do however think all the folks sitting on the SC believe they are advocating for our children. Clearly they are not on the same sheet of music. I don't think there is evil at play here just misguided folks and ideas, lack of professional skills, inability to communicate at an executive level, and lack of knowledge.
Frankly, the SC as an organization gets little guidence from our charter and has a tradition of confussed understanding of their responsibilities and powers based on our local traditions, education funding reform of 1993, heavy reliance on outside legal council, etc. With the rapid growth, school issues have been stressful in town for decades now.
I'm not making excuses but looking at the big picture rather than personal condemnation. Small town government as a whole contributes to the dysfuction. Poor government policy and other factors weigh heavy in this situation.
Three members of the BOS or at least one did mess up in not producing a majority vote about conflict of interest. I think it was a political mistake. Which brings us to the biggest culprit in this, small town politics.
Good slogan failure is not an option, but what does it mean in terms of "we the people" effecting the change we need to preserve our schools?...I ask you.
I think we need two good candidates running on the same platform declaring soon, we need multi-public forums asking the candidates to shape their plan for us to produce "failure is not an option." I feel rather confident that ever rational person will get behind them. We need more professionalism and devotion to the fiscal issues of the whole town sitting at the SC table. We need people who can connect the dots and achieve progress and success. We need to play hard ball with candiates and make sure they are in line with "failure is not an option." We need people with the time to do the job. Bringing your ego to the table as your only tool is not that helpful.
Easier (and shorter) answer -- the School is a $30 million organization. The Committee members that run it need to have some sort of professional background and/or education.
Being the fastest swimmer, or running the biggest bake sale does NOT qualify someone for a position overseeing the work of ACTUAL professionals.
Time for a Mayor and an appointed School Committee.
Right after they build the third bridge!!
Don't disagree with you, but executive skils, espeically where communication is concerned are the most important thing I think, and time to devote to the work. A process through a better government would help too. Policy and prodicols, for collaberationg with other policy making committees would be nice to see. Is an appointed School Committee legal in Mass.? A mayoral systems I think would be more efficient. Every day in New England towns are changing to it. But that would mean giving up town meeting.
I think linking the Superintendent's Blog to this one would be effective. Perhaps people could look to see what is currently happening despite all the negativity. Imagine where we could be/get to if the board supported the innovation and the people doing the work, rather than the union influenced who are blocking anything that looks like more work or that makes others look "better" than them.
If anyone watched or attended the budget hearing for the schools Monday night, it was telling. There were very few parents there. The divisive atmosphere is sucking the life out of everyone. The School Committee still exhibits no leadership except to say no to Dr. Johnson. The same outspoken people are coming after certain school committee members. The union is boldly trying to talk about salary expectations at the table. It is a zoo. New leadership on the committee is needed desperately because right now there is none. We need a change!
The Truth Maker would ask integritycounts given that you recogonize the complete lack of leadership by the present elected school committee, what do you suggest the taxpayers who get to pay the bills, do about it? Ignoring this lack of leadership, will not make it go away any faster. The local papers have not reported this obvious leaderless committee,matter of fact they condone the action this board has perpertrated upon the community of Sandwich, by there action, in not reporting the facts. It is unfortuned that only a few are willing to put them selves out there for those, that are unwilling to speak out, for a multitude of reasons.
What ever happened to Sandwich's no hate policy? Is that a reason why parents with children in the system are afraid to get involved with the educational process that may affect there childrens learning to survive in todays world?
Perhaps if more citizens did step up to the plate and make there voices heard, those few citizens may not give the appearance of being outspoken and personal toward a system that has allowed every taxpayer here in \Sandwich to feel the pain of the actions, they have brought to our community.
Watch the last school committee meeting and it is not only obvious, but unfortunate that the present chair does not have a clue as to what her job is, as the chair.
If it was someone that just came on the scene for the first time that would be one thing, but this is a person who has been a sitting member for 18 years. To think that she will be running again for the school committee is mind boggling and she just may be relected for another three years. She has run every year on the mantra that she want to finish the job she started.
In my opinion, her goal is to dismantle a progressive school district and given all of the happenings over this past year, that goal is not far away. This plays right into the leadership of the school union as well, because they also have a similar goal in my opinion.
Dear Integrity: At least the Union is talking about salary expectations! This School Committee has been shamefully silent on this issue. The school budget has been negative for years - actually less than no growth! And, the union hasn’t moved an inch on salary expectations and the School Committee, Selectmen and Finance Committees all remain silent and stone faced.
Leadership, true leadership, begins when the politicians actually tell the truth and take a stand. The current contacts (all municipal contracts) are not affordable or sustainable but they keep getting signed/approved by our so called leader politicians.
Of course, the only leaders who said publicly and repeatedly and in writing that salaries and benefits were problematic (Bob & Bob) have been run out of office and slandered in the local press. Anyone thinking of running should call those two and ask: is it worth it?
You all can bet the union and Sherry are already working on making sure Sherry Marshall gets reelected so she can continue to protect the union's ridiculous benefits and annual 6% pay & step increases as well as the siphoning off of educational dollars for her beloved community school cronies.
Sandwich can not continue on this financial track but if the voters fail to turn out this election,you can count on Sherry Marshall & Laura Carlisle/SEA union pres. handpicking their next lackey superintendant before the May election as well as letting the union micromanage the school board, administrators and teachers.
Sad to hear so few parents turned out for the budget hearing this apathy and fear is ruining Sandwich. The board and union im sure have agreed to drag out the union negotiations until after budget season, then sign another outrageous contract that our town can't afford.
SEA Union knew on the last contract they would lose teachers if the expected those increases, Laura Carlisle didn't care about losing teachers why would she care on this go around.
Sherry and Union want an override people! They realized along time ago Dr. Johnson won't ask the town for an override when we can't afford one, that's why they want her out so bad people.
Wake up sleeping Sandwich or your gonna get more of the same for 3 more years with Sherry as Chair.
If anyone has been slandered its the 4 sc members who are trying to conduct school business in a vacuum. With the super not cooperating with the sc its very hard. She tries to derail the process every chance she gets
2:32, that's a good one!
The vacuum is caused by their complete inability to understand what they are supposed to be doing. (Maybe vacuum is an appropriate term -- given how much they suck!)
The questions they ask on camera are usually so irrelevant that they should be embarrassed. In the dreaded private sector, they would have been fired long ago -- and the source of many amusing stories!
This budget appears to have been handed to them -- they did no heavy lifting! They had a foolish argument about whether Mr. Linehan's Social Studies job was more important than one of MEJ's Literacy people -- that went nowhere.
Sherry actually said the teachers contract had NO IMPACT on the budget! (huh ? 70% of the budget is payroll!)
But ... at least Kanga-roo got to the bottom of that $1500 travel expense! (Apparently they have no intention of doing any site visits to check on the new Supt they want to hire so badly?)
Why should the Supt do anything ? They fired her! I would just sit quietly and smile politely and then say "You do the budget!"
They're lucky SHE acts like a professional!
So, when are YOU up for reelection?
You have missed the boat there not on any committe
Simply amazing how far out a few peoples perspectives are, Dr. Johnson isn't cooperating are you kidding us!
9 Months of SCAT videos will prove you and your 3 minions delusional and on a personal witchunt.
Ya gotta asked: Why so crazed to get Dr. Johnson out we wonder?
Who is their pick of superintendant we wonder? What is the boards future plan?
After 18 yrs Sherry still has no clue on leading or the contracts are 71% of the 30 million dollar budget? They want to dictate personel issues and curriculum in our schools?
Dr.Johnson attempts at true changes in our schools have been welcomed by the great teachers and hated by the lousy teachers. The lousy unmotivated teachers hide behind the union protections.
All four of these women want to return to the good old days of no accountability for anyone, sign any and all contracts with no clue or regard for how it impacts our town's finances.
Sherry's famous line is "Oh that's town monies!" and now the newest addition "contracts don't impact the school budget" 71% of the budget goes to contracts!
Typical greedy union, the great teachers work twice as hard as the lousy teachers and never get the credit, the past few years professional development and literacy program has certainly brought the cream of the crop to the top but the union threats have scared them off, the SEA association of teachers need to vote out their toxic leader Ms. Carlisle if they really want to continue positive change in the schools.
Slander is a false and defamatory statement or report.
Can we get 2 fact-based examples of how any one of the Fab 4 have been slandered?
Lets keep in mind: Truth is always a defense to having been charged with slander!
I hope 314 is only a school committee member- -- not an SHS grad!
Slander is exactly what the 4 have done to Dr. Johnson's professional reputation but they have no evidence to justify their actions.......equals $$$$.
Why are they soooooo crazed and venomous? There has to be more to this mess than we all know.
Has Sherry/Chair responded to the Comm School Audit yet?
Why haven't they responded and corrected the auditors recommendations immediately?
Ya gotta wonder. Maybe an audit that goes back a few years is in order here?
Anonymous 2:32 said: "If anyone has been slandered its (sic) the 4 sc members who are trying to conduct school business in a vacuum. With the super not cooperating with the sc its (sic) very hard. She tries to derail the process every chance she gets"
Can you be more specific please? It would help me figure this out. I am one parent who DOES show up to these meetings, and I've been watching closely for quite some time, and your statement confuses me. I can't determine how the Super is trying to derail things.
On the other hand, I have observed the chair of the committee behaving almost bizarrely, in what is either rank ignorance or deliberately letting things go to hell.
Who prevented the budget hearing from being advertised in time? That would be the committee chair. Did that derail a process?
Who consistently allows rambling discussions based on misunderstanding and/or ignorance to continue for minutes upon minutes upon minutes without curbing or correcting her committee members? That'd be the committee chair. Does that derail the process?
I'd like to hear the other side, I really would. My mind is open. Please say something that makes sense.
Back Bench, BOS FIN COM and others have been talking about the structural deficit. The SC doesn't seem to be aware at all about overall town financial realities. I would agree the town needs to get seriuos with all the unions when it comes to expectations but that is part of a bigger cultural picture. Putting the standard at taking "0's" if you ask any expert in the area of collective bargaining most likely will pit one union against the other at the expenses of the taxpayer. Sandwich is a classic case where this is concerned in my view.
Anao2:32, I do not think you would find many people in town who would agree with you. Of course those connected to the gossip train would. But if what you say is true, the SC needs to produce hard evidence. To the thinking public she does not look like the villan in this. She has a big job and is still doing it. The SC has not appeared to be doing their job since last May. Their actions are costing the town town huge amounts of money we don't have, there are no percievable executive skills at work in the commmittee, they are not unified, and are bringing bad press to our town when it effects our economy drastically given we are coming out of a recession. Sorry, can't agree with you and as I said, doubt many except the gossip train can. It is illogical.
TM,
Many people came before the SC as a result of the ill advised decision to vote down Dr. Johnson's contract. The blog came back up, citizens tried to organize and met for hours over the summer to try and find a constructive way out of this mess, there was a lot of energy to try and get the new SC to listen to reason. It got nowhere. Except the majority now view themselves as victims. I'm sure they have many at-a-boy's in their circles that tell them that is enough: holding the line, being right, keeping their clique supported, etc. With the amount of stress in the situation it is not surprizing to see logic and responsibility go out the window. So people can still speak up but it falls on deaf ears, which is quite evident. Plus you have the daily sirrings of the rumor mill and power plays in the schools which can't be postiive.
We need two good candidates to run and add rational voice to the SC. They need not only to stand for the right thing, but they need good communication skills and the ability to get right into the disucssion.
And, they should not be a former school superintendent nor a former community school director!!!
We need to move forward- -- not rehash the past or settle old scores.
Again.
that wasn't what I said, Mr. Blog manager "control freak!"
This control freak claims no credit for that comment
Integritycounts:
There is already one excellant candidate running.
Sherry Marshall
6:30 You don't really think the fab four can understand what a structural deficit is do you?
Sherry Marshall after 20 yrs doesn't understand that teacher contracts affect the budget and is 71% of 30 million budget. She only realized a few years back that the benefits package to each hire is about 13000. and that's added to the town side of the budget so she didn't really care, "oh that's town money" is one of her infamous lines.
Anon 2:03. that comment has been explained many times before.You choose not to understand it and she has a handle on the budget better than most.You have no idea how much she knows and does say whats going on.
2:36 We have watched Sherry for years on the meetings it is amazing how much she simply does not retain. Actually, the past few years she appears even worse than in the past. After 20 yrs she should be able to put a budget together by herself. Just watch her, it's as if she is a brand new board member when it comes to the budget issues.
The audit should have upset her and if she were leading she would have put responding to that audit and making the corrections a #1 priority and she has failed at that as well.
Why was the 2.5 deficit like the plague, they discussed copier contracts for weeks instead of addressing the real elephant in the room.
S.C. vaguely have said they are working on it, but until we see the response and suggested changes, we believe she will return to the good old days of violating the law and using Educational dollars to prop up her baby the Comm. School.
As Chair she is suppose to address the most pressing issues affecting the schools, this past fall that should have been the audit results and closing the 2.5 deficit.
Dr. Johnson and her business manager appear to be the only ones that have handled these two issues, while the 4 s.c. talked copiers.
They are such a joke, it's too bad their actions affect real children and teachers.
The Truth Maker would repond to integritycounts,
Are you kidding us, with the present majority four, feel they are victims? They are the ones who have placed the town of Sandwich in peril by there actions. They are the ones who have allowed a comprimised chair to lead them down the path of destruction. They and only they should pay the cost of these irrational actions.
The rumer mill is being primed by a few, as to who may be running for school committee. Rest assured, it will not be any one mentioned above.
Every one may be surprised when the papers are taken out and any one who really cares about your school district, should do all your homwork as to the best canidates to get us out of this financial hole this group has placed us in.
Sandwich welcomes new tax base!!!
Pinky the Dog Groomer will be open for business 2/15/11! Clark-Haddad Building, Dewey Ave.
More info to follow.
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