I don’t watch School Committee meetings much anymore.
Yelling at the TV and making motions from the couch just don’t seem to accomplish much. (But, then again, I could say the same for many people who are actually at those meetings!)
I saw most of last night’s meeting, but was forced to change the channel when Kangas started repeating her “thoughts” on the literacy program for the 5th time. I thought there was something wrong with the cable -- she’d finish her statement, and then start over again, and again, and again.
What happened to her? She went from bitching about postage and copying expenses to advocating FOR a $1.3 million budget deficit and saying “Let’s just throw ANOTHER $200,000 on that budget request”. So much for the “Budget Watchdog".
Where was Linehands? The Guardian of All that is Good once again didn't bother to vote on the annual budget – this will be 2 out of the past 3 annual budget votes she hasn't shown up for. Is she ignoring her duty as an elected School Committee member because SEA members were in the room holding signs complaining about their inability to negotiate a contract? Doesn't sound like very good representation for her constituents.
Speaking of contracts, as of today I have been 9,897 days without a contract! I have managed to maintain gainful employment based solely on my own abilities and constantly-evaluated job performance. On the bright side, I now get 3 weeks’ vacation and a handful of holidays – which gives me time for my continuing professional education – and some time to work a few side jobs to get some money into my self-funded retirement account.
You want to raise my K-8 athletic fees how much?
Did I miss the part of the budget presentation when somebody mentioned that the School District was going to stop subsidizing the swimming program for those nice people from Mashpee, Bourne, Falmouth, Barnstable, etc?
Did I hear somebody say Bus Fees?
Did I miss the part where somebody said they were going to complete the audit work that was started on the Student Activity Account, Athletic Revolving Account, and Community School Program 3 years ago?
How about a reserve in this budget for anticipated legal fees and settlements, as well as contract negotiations. (I don't need specific numbers --- I just want to know these issues have been considered.)
I’m sure they must have had those discussions while I watched Steve McGarrett & Co. save the world.
46 comments:
BOB JUST READ YOUR COMMENTS BRIEFLY WILL LOOK AT IN MORE DETAIL WHEN I HAVE TIME. I DON'T RECALL IN PAST POST COMPLAING WHEN THE MINORITY MEMBERS DIDN'T MAKE MEETINGS.AS A MATTER OF YOU DEFENDED THEM. I GUESS ITS OK FOR SOME TO MISS AND OTHERS NOT. YOUR A VERY BIAS PERSON. I WOULD LIKE TO BE OBJECTIVE IN THE POSTING BUT VERY HARD TO DO WHEN YOU SLANT YOUR COMMENTS.
A truly disappointing budget and budget discussion.
Bob, you should consider invoking your rule against publishing comments which are "grammatical/spelling nightmares". If the 3:06 post is actually from a real person (and not a bad joke), I hope they didn't go to Sandwich Schools.
I think they missed the point that you were talking about meetings to review & approve the annual budget --- not regular meetings. I agree with you that the Budget is the most important vote of the year.
Book 'em Danno !
I was thinking the same things while watching the meeting last night. Why would someone be on the School Committe if they are not going to be there to vote on the budget. There is also one member on that board that was at times rude to her co-members and a bit unprofessional in her remarks. I'm sorry but the education of the students in this community and how the school department spends the taxpayers money are important and if she doesn't get that then should have stayed home.
I was thinking the same things while watching the meeting last night. Why would someone be on the School Committe if they are not going to be there to vote on the budget. There is also one member on that board that was at times rude to her co-members and a bit unprofessinal in her remarks. I'm sorry but the education of the students in this commitee and the taxpayers dollars are more important than she seems to realize. Very unprofessinal and extremely dissappointing.
Hard to believe that we’re cutting the literacy program so that we can provide a little extra compensation to teachers (aka Department Heads) who otherwise have maxed out their compensation under the current salary schedules.
Great to know k-8 parents will pay more for their children’s extra curriculars but that we will continue to underwrite pool time for Barnstable and Mashpee seniors.
I am beginning to wonder why we’ve never seen Peter Cannone and Dr Canfield in the same room at the same time? Perhaps they are one and the same?
Honey turn off the DeLorean! We’r e back to the Future!
I agree with the earlier comments -- Kangas was more embarrassing than usual last night. She acted like the rest of the committee members were morons ---- and she just ended up looking like a bigger one!
There was no reason for jessica rabbit to be there -- she accomplished her only objective last year when she drove out Dr. J!
I WILL HAV MOR TIME TO COMMINT WHEN I FINISH MY SHI FT AT MC DONALDS AND GET BACK TO MY MOMMAS BASEMENT. YOU SUK!
Bobby -
Love the 5-0 reference... I've been a fan since watching the re-runs late night while studying in college. Jack Lord had gravitas, did he not. Do you remember when Lettermen used to have a Jack Lord bobblehead on his set?
P.S. Riddle me this: If SHS is nationally recognized as a great institution, why are 1/3 of current 8th graders, including mine, applying to other high schools? We should get Chin Ho to investigate. Chin gets answers!
Bob, I agree with your observations. I would like to note that the "literacy coaches" which Ms. Kangas repeatedly referred to with such disdain and disrespect are veteran teachers in our District who deserve better. You can agree or disagree with the plan for the Literacy Progam but for the love of all that's good, why was Mrs. Kangas repeatedly allowed to show such personal contempt for the professionals who have done that job for our District. I don't expect much from "I've Got Nothing Kangas" but I do expect the other members to publicly reprimand her for such outrageous behavior. Much of Marie's script comes from the union leadership at the high school. Kangas has showed her true colors time and time again, she's practically an honorary member of the union. It has been an abomination that she serves on the contract negotation team. Most importantly, how dare the committee put this budget before the BOS, FinCom and taxpayors without resolving the contract. Is the expectation that they'll push this through "for the children who deserve the best" and then after we've allocated an extra $130 odd grand, they'll resolve the contract and once again all our tax dollars will go directly into the teachers pockets. I hope the BOS and FinCom look closely at the motives of the SC and the Super. On a completely separate note, this blog gives a voice to many of the taxpayors who are frutrated with the status quo but most of us don't want to get into a pre-teen name calling fest with your caps lock gal. Can you omit these posts, it detracts from the conversation and has gotten quite predictable.
Mrs. Kangas was not the only one at that table with disdain for the Literacy Program. The teachers who are jealous of the coaches and have been complaining since the beginning about teachers teaching teachers have finally won. In my view, it is short sighted to gut the program, to say the least. The one success in the district, gutted and by next budget season no doubt gone. I wish those in charge of the program would have been allowed to present to the School Committee. We've already seen the positive data. People forget that the Literacy program was a calculated decision when Dr. Johnson was curriculum coordinator. She was hired by Nancy Young to find a solution to the (3) K-8 school's not meeting adequate yearly progress. It took Dr. Johnson time and analysis to decide what to do about getting those schools back on track. And it worked. I believe the program is not fully accomplished, so it looks risky to cut back. I honestly don't see the comparison between what those Literacy teachers are doing for the district overall and k-8 coordinators, but I hope I am wrong and we have students streaming back to the schools, happy parents, and magical money appearing to pay back our investment in Literacy and other things. Thank you Mr. Catalinni for pointing out the true cost per coordinator to the district when you take into account the teachers who will have to replace their classroom time.
The Truth Maker would add that with the ongoing diolog in referance to a 20/20 vision, it would be appropriate for those in the know to elaborate on what is this vision, other then words.
keeping in mind that the present budget should it get approved, before any contracts are approved, stand the chance of being used to pay them off at the expense of the programs ,we are all being told, that is what we need the money for now. Unlike the budget on the towns side, when a line item budget dollar value has been stated, it can not be spent for any other item.
We have seen over the years, that money for example, we all approved at town meeting for BOOKS for $250,000 in an override, was never used and still to this is not being used for the purpose we all were told it would be used for.
We all were told that the school budget can be adjusted in any manner and spent on any item with out any quarantees, as to where they stated it would be used, when applying for it at town meeting.
What makes this years budget any different?
Where was the transparency in what was presented and what was excepted now?
How does one build a budget on some imaginary vision in a real world of real needs?
Truthmaker, To be clear -- Town Meeting has never approved money for books. Town meeting only approves a single number for the entire school budget.
Under State Law -- how that money gets spent is at the direction of the elected school committee.
The Committee produces a budget which is certainly discussed publicly but they have the option of shifting funds to respond to shifting needs. Those transfers need to be discussed and approved in a public meeting.
Like it or not -- that's the law.
If the School Committee abuses that, the BOS always has the opportunity to squeeze school funding he following year -- or reduce the town's contribution to the school budget at the next Town meeting. If the SC really abused it, the BOS could probably call a Special TM and make a grab to reduce the School Budget immediately -- that would be ugly!.
And, of course, offending SC members could be voted out of office at the next election.
Why is the budget requesting another FTE for foreign language? (As referenced by a school committee member Tuesday night.)
I mean really, how many kids are going to take German, Mandarin or Italian? Seriously how many? Asking for an FTE for a subject that is not a requirement for graduation at SHS, is a waste of our tax dollars,especially in these difficult economic times.
Mass. State of Board of Education states that the Guiding Princples of a Foreign Language are as follows:
1. All students should become proficient in at least one language in addition to English by the time they graduate from high school. Students who select modern languages should be able to speak, read, write and understand the foreign language they study; students who select a classical language should be able to read and understand the foreign language they study.
(How many kids are "proficient" after 2 years, which is what most take? If a parent knows their child will never be proficient and/or use a foreign language why can't the parent(s) say no to their child taking a language?)
2. Language acquisition is a lifelong process. Foreign language programs should begin in elementary school, since language acquisition is more easily accomplished at a young age, and continue beyond grade twelve.
(Life long process, what % of students still use the foreign language they studied in HS, after graduation? Our K-8 kids are not proficient in the English language, ie.,spelling and writing. So how can we justify that it's mandatory for them to learn a foriegn language in the 7th & 8th grades?)
3. Effective foreign language programs integrate the study of language with the study of culture, which includes daily life,history, literture, visual and performing arts, mathematics and science. In this way, foreign language programs create natural links to all other disciplines.
(Again if a language is not used on a continous and/or daily basis it does not become a learned skill.)
4. Assessment of student learning is an intergral component of effectie foreign language instuction. (What is the assessment standard in Sandwich?)
Many colleges do not have the foreign language requirement for entrance.
What programs/guidance are available,at the high school, to help kids that aren't going on to college? Unfortunately a lot of these kids should of gone to the Tech but with the guidelines so stringent, for a public high school, they often are unable to attend. Guess that's why there is such a long waiting list to get in.
Starting with first grade, the emphasis is on as long as it sounds right then it's ok. It's not ok! Kids need to learn to spell and write correctly from the get go, not "it sounds right" therefore they'll get credit.
Sorry for running on.
The Truth Maker would comment to our most gracious host of this well known and informative blog that you are correct in the total budget number.
However, one must also recognize that when we were discussing all of the reasons, as to why the total amount was needed. It had line items listed for several need items, that were needed and one of those line items that we were presented at town meeting, stated that $250,000 was needed for books.
Irregardless of the final number the line items that we were being sold on, became part of the Overide that year. If the school did not need the $250,000 for books and apparently they did not , because that money went some where else in the budget for the following years. As far as I am concerned, we have given the schools, through the overide some several million dollars for books, yet to this day, our schools do not have updated books for the children to use. A choice was made, but also a bond of trust was broken by those that sold the need and did not see to it, that they use the money where they stated they would.
Some one sold the town meeting on why they needed the overide and we were all onboard with it, but the School leadership decided to use that money some where else. It was only after the fact, that it was made known that the schools can move money around and not honor the reasons, the request was made before the voters of Sandwich, that was included in the overide.
If the leadership of the schools tell us that some of the money they need are for a specific reason, then in my opinion that is where it should be spent and not on salaries.
Now smile for the spring is about to begin and the fish will be bitting once again.
What a life, we all have ,living here in Sandwich and to think we were on a new road of recovery that seems to elude us every budget season, never fails.
TM, it did strike me watching Tuesday night that the point was made a number of times that the dollar figure would come from the town but the schools could spend it anyway they wanted to. While they may have the legal right, what you are talking about (and are you really still talking about the override and books?) goes to trust. Trust is the major issue in all things that require citizens to view government or any part of it as cutting them a square deal. Trust is the major issue in all things I suppose. Just saying you want it does little. You have to prove it. Sadly our poor school district has been on quite a roller coaster ride where leadership is concerned for over 6 years now. But in defense of all the good people who are tying, it has been extremely challenging. I get discouraged sometimes when it seems like government is a game. So many managerial issues just would not stand in the real world. Political leadership has a standard all it's own too and sadly I'm not looking at that as positive for the most part. This committee stuff is tough I think. All that responsibility and top folks aren't even part of the environment on a normal work day basis the way most normal organizations function. At the municipal level it is particularly rough. Committees need to stay in touch with the citizens, but that value has been diminished in recent years for the school committee. Challenges, but that always means an opportunity to learn and improve. Of course, depending on the leadership.
It's important to remember that elected people's only qualification for the job is that they convinced enough people that they were "the lesser of evils", or that they were more well-known than their opponents.
Unfortunately, very few are elected based on professional ability.
And when you mix in some people with axes to grind, or who may be motivated by self-interest, as it appears has happened on the School Committee, you get the ugly spectacle we see on the local cable station each week.)
Kangas is and always will be a union plant.......and you would think that a teachers union would choose a brighter person to stand up for their schemes on the board not this IDIOT!!!!!
No surprise -- look who keeps getting elected as head of the teachers Union! I can not imagine a worse public figurehead for an organization that badly needs public support.
The other union leaders in Town even think she's out of control.
Until the teachers stand up to her, this nonsense will continue until the District collapses.
It appears that at least some members of the BOS weren't thrilled with this year's school budget dance.
Asking for an extra $1.3 Million, but being willing to settle for "only" the extra $.3 million --- sounds like a rookie mistake.... the Committee should have known better.
FinCom should be entertaining.
It appears Dr. Canfield got his budget training at the same school as former supe Nancy Young! FinCom should be highly entertaining! Unfortunately, it appears some members of our illustrious BOS have their heads planted firmly in the same sand dune as Marie! After all, "its for the childrlen" is the new mantra! Whatever happened to living within your means? As usual, one selectman waffled and the only one with the intestinal fortitude to stand up to this nonsense was Frank Pannorfi! Don't give up the fight, Frank -- lots of us are on your side!
The Truth Maker would also add that the Board of Selectmen may have violated open meeting laws, by discussing subject matter that was not on the agenda in regards to the school committees budget?
Now that will be a nice kettle of fish to deal with if it true?
Our family experience and hearing many other parents cite similar circumstances with their own children. Our son came to our home @ 8 yrs old very traumatized from his first 8 yrs of life. We were told by the Spec.Ed. teacher to GIVE UP on him and he will never be able to read. She would also send home science and math homework, we made several calls and told her how ridiculous it was to send home homework if he's unable to read the instructions. We made it clear don't send anymore homework home unless it literacy homework.
Refusing to accept her opinion (not knowing at the time she wasn't even certified as a special needs teacher) we had the judge on his case assign the best lawyer in the state Mike & Lynn Turner to kick the special ed. dept. into action and opinion of our child was NOT acceptable. We knew our child far better than any of them. She arrogantly argued with the Turners in the IEP meetings as well, obviously this dismissal approach had worked for her in the past and we heard from many other parents their frustrations with similar "we know better than you parents"
We are thrilled to report after having 3 excellent qualified sped teachers, literacy program was implemented and a strict IEP plan from the lawyers, our child now reads at almost a 4th grade level.
Now he brings home science, math and read his instructions with some assistance from us. He went from hating school to never wanting to miss a day! He's a different child now, honor roll for the past few years as well, all due to having caring certified teachers and the literacy program.
Simple, If a child can't read, he can't learn anything else. K-8 education is crucial for all future education.
The true advocates for our children are biased towards Dr. Johnson for our childrens sakes. Dr J. was exactly what our school district needed to make the difficult overdue changes to our school system. k-8 literacy for one.
Sherry Marshall and company devious political manuvers to keep Dr. Johnson from making the final cut, Why? several on that search committee were there to protect their pet projects. They knew what Dr. Johnson would do to all their pet projects. If it wasn't benefiting our kids she was gonna make major changes to their projects.
Uncertified teachers, drunk teachers etc. 95% of teachers are awesome, it only takes a few to bring a system down, the proof is in the fact a few destroyed Dr. J's career and now have the town and themselves on the hook for paying minimum of $300,000.
Sherry's goal was and always will be to protect her friends re: the using K-12 monies to prop up the losing pool program and the comm. school to continue even if it used our childrens' educational monies. IT'S ILLEGAL TO USE ED DOLLARS TO FUND COMMUNITY SCHOOL & POOL.
ACCOUNTABILITY AND OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONS NEED TO COME FIRST! the SEA President Laura Carlisle's has suceeded in getting Canfield to return stipends and dept. (bobble) heads to the high school. Fin Com and BOS have to approve the monies to keep the literacy program. Canfield and S.C. are deliberately holding the literacy program hostage. Making Fin Com and the BOS the bad guys now. Fin Com and BOS should question the return of more jobs and dept. heads, stipends in the high school. Im sure the FIN Com and BOS know they are being set up on keeping the crucial literacy programs in place.
Marshall, Linehan, Crossman, Kangas and Caulkins did destroy and run Dr. Johnson out of town. Nice job ladies, but you have to live with what you all did, hope you sleep well knowing your actions negatively impacted our children educations for the rest of their lives.
Best of luck to the FIN Com and BOS on this one!
p.s. our child is also going to the upper cape when the time comes. We are tired of our childrens education being held hostage for the annual 6% pay raises.
Mrs Beasley:
Like you, I just loved Dr. Youngs' weekly "But you cant run a school with less than a 6% annual budget increase" speeches.
I think she's in treatment now at Spendaholics Anonymous. Maybe we should reserve a bed there for Dr. Canfield too?
Is it next week when the Pool Committee will present their pool re-construction plans and the cost estimates? Wonder where that money is coming from? How many ELA staff will we have to fire to replace the cabanas?
Here’s why you’re wrong Beasley:
After years and years of very modest school budget increases and with the arrival of new, attractive well financed alternative schools, the Selectmen and others are now stunned, stunned, to witness the dramatic outflow of students to better, newer, more modern out of district schools and to witness the associated school choice cost increases.
There is a real cost to trying to run a school system on the cheap; and sooner or later, one way or the other we all knew that the town’s taxpayers would pay for the Selectmen and Finance Committee being penny wise and pound foolish with our schools.
Frank’s insistence on a 1% budget will only increase the sizeable stampede of students out of our District.
I understand your point anon 4:41; however, every time more money is allocated to the District it goes into salary increases and NOT program enhancements for our children. I also agree that our District needs to make substantial changes to keep our students from fleeing. However, everytime a new Administrator tries to offer improvements, the teacher's union steps in the way to grieve something or other. A perfect example is when the new computers were purchased for every teacher in the District. The union objected (for what insane reason, I can't imagine) and those computers collected dust for very long time.
Many innovative ideas have been proposed for our District and through a revolving door of Superintendents and a teacher's union that has proven time and time again to remain out-of-touch with taxpayors and parents, they have failed. The previous SC and the current SC seem far more concerned with pool cabanas than resolving the teachers contract! Sandwich is in the situation that it is because years ago our town decided to make it virtually impossible for businesses to open and be successful. That history is long and documented. There is only "X" amount of dollars to give -- when Bud Dunham learns how to make wine out of water, perhaps then we can afford to give our schools more. In the meantime, my family can't afford to go on a "big" vacation this year but it doesn't mean I don't "love" my kids any less because I can't give them the very best. I will give them what I can afford, a fun, smaller vacation and down the road a piece, I will be able to help them with college and not be serving my husband cat food when we retire. Life is about choices, the "most expensive" is not ALWAYS the "BEST"!
The teachers do, in fact, need those books. The administrators and the new department heads and quasi administrator/coordinators will not be able to do anything productive for the students because their salaries and stipends will take up that money. Yes, let's get rid of a proven...not only through research..but via our own test scores of a literacy program that we could have used to raise property values. Nice way to waste a million dollars folks. Don't be fooled by a politician that says it will still be in place. How? How can we trust him or current administrators who have not proven that they are willing or able to make teachers accountible. It will be up to parents to be vigiliant. DO NOT settle. DO NOT just say, well it was a good idea, but we don't have the money. We DO have the money. It is literacy for goodness sakes, not Chinese!
I agree Beasley that the schools lack leadership and accountability. The current Super and the current School Committee is hugely disappointing. They’ve proved themselves to be no more than Gatekeepers of the Status Quo.
Like you, I would not indulge any of their “visionary plans” for their school of the future because they haven’t dealt with the structural issues – like the union and the Community School – that they must in order to stabilize their finances. On this point we’re in agreement.
However, 1% is just not enough to hold the system together while they restructure (or don’t). Basic maintenance requires more – maybe 2% or 2.5%. Forcing additional cuts on this system will only exacerbate the out-of-district problem and cost us taxpayers dearly.
The Truth Maker would add to the above comments.
Given the present understanding of it, it all depends upon the meaning of what guidance means in making up the present budget?
The school system was told and a motion was passed that stated to the schools, bring us a 1% increase from last year.
That seems fairly simple, until you understand what was stated afterwards and those comments were "it was not cast in stone" and we will have some flexability in that number.
Then when you listen to the disccusion by selectman Jim Pierce,in regards to what he also stated on several school committee meetings, in regards to what he was telling the schools. It is no wonder, that what was submitted, did not meet the merits of the motion passed by the Board of Selectmen and was totaly ignored by the superintendent and the majority of the school board.
So here we sit, with the Board of Selectmen, now facing a violation of open meeting law, because the topic was not on the adgenda, like it should have been.
Another two ot three teachers will now be included in an attempt to arrive at the 1% limit.
Is more money needed, one may ask?
Do the schools really have what they need, but are not looking at this vision with open eyes?
I am however, at a complete loss of understanding, when we have just spent millions of dollars to get in place a working littoracy program, that had postive results, would be the first program to get gutted by the present budget that was presented to the school committee?
Why would any one, now feel any trust with this process that tells us one thing and does another?
It goes with out saying that our property values will continue to decline , until and unless we get a more stable school managment in place. This does not mean more money persay, but more conviction in keeping the goals uniform from year to year, along with a better understanding on how this money is actually being metered out in various programs. If the goals change with every new superintendant and politics continues to guide the school committee, instead of common sense , we will never get to a turning point.
It is time to close one school and bring together a more cohesive educational system that can be transformed into what we need here in Sandwich to move upwards and onwards to providing a quality experience, without drugs and alchol, along with programs that stand the test of time, rather then the whims of politics.
Good points made by all, even those who sound hostile. I can't slam hostile. People are mad and very sad at what has happened to the Sandwich Schools in the past 13 years. But no one in my circle is "stunned" as one of the posters states about Selectman. Many have seen this train wreck coming for at least a decade. The revolving doors of Superintendents, sure that's a factor, but I think one of the posters has nailed it. The structural problems in salary and benefits consistent increases on both the school and municipal sides is the most significant factor. Town Manager claims to have held the line but if you look at all the increases in salary and benefits over the years there is a different tale to tell. The schools are the only guilty party. It is no different in unions and civil service other places. And we need our civil servants, don't get me wrong. Zero is meaningless if the following years bring unsustainable increases. The ruling town party has not been rational in their thinking about how to protect our services. You can't just blame the teachers. There really is no point in blaming anyone. The town did this to themselves by wasting years on small town politics, a broken system, and talk talk talk from folks who haven't really got a clue what they are doing but sure spend a lot of empty words doing it. We don't have a system to make this better. It is a leadership issue and let's face it volunteers can't lead a town where the professionals always have the volunteers to blame. I can't imagine any changes in the schools at this time will do anything besides send more families out of Sandwich schools. School choice doesn't pay for itself. It was a political move. It may be the declining school population that will actually be our salvation. We can't afford our schools or anything else at the rate we're going. Sure wish I had one of the government jobs though. We can seem to afford lots of six figure salaries to run a town that's going down the tubes.
I doubt that discussing the school budget during a meeting where the Town Budget was prominently on the agenda violates anything.
The fact is the school budget is the biggest part of the town budget -- of course it would be part of the discussion.
I hope nobody wastes a lot of time on this silliness.
Agree with you Reed. I meant to say in a previous post that the schools are NOT the only guilty party when it comes to unrealistic and unsustainable salary and benefit increases to town employees. The data proves both municipal and school side have created this problem. Rather the leadership that keeps allowing this has. The school is obviously a bigger hit, but the principal is the same. The divisive conversation the town has been subjected too for those past two decades or longer is hog wash.
The hemorrhaging of students leaving this Sandwich school system has just begun. A survey as to the mass exodus is nothing more than trying to put toothpaste back in the tube. The march out of this school district is about as serious of a problem Sandwich has ever faced and the sooner people in charge admit this, the better off this town will be. Power plant closes? No problem, just raise my taxes. Every, yes every, town that boarders Sandwich has more offerings in their school systems encouraging families to take a more than a cursory look to leave Sandwich? Serious...serious problem. I was listening to a local real estate show Saturday morning and the pumping of the tires for the school system in Sandwich was disgusting. Now, I'm not going to send my child to any school system based on a radio program but intellecutual dishonesty is code for kicking the can down the road. Literacy program ending? No problem. Wing School needing $30 MILLION in repairs? No problem. Spinnaker program floundering? No problem. Sports Trainer position vacant for a year? No problem. Students leaving Sandwich for other schools offering a better product? The most serious problem this town has ever faced.
I agree that students leaving our schools and the cost associated with it is a huge problem. The reputation of our schools effects not only the well being of our community but it has an economic factor as we are already experiencing. However, we can't just think that throwing money at the schools now will have a significant positive effect on the problem or reverse the trend. In fact looking at this years school budget process and the decisions made by the School Committee regarding the direction of the schools, it does not appear that much thought is being put into the school issues. The school committee still seems quite ill equipped to guide and protect our school system.
IS IT TRUE IF WE DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL CHOICE.THAT IS, NOT TO ACCEPT ANY KIDS FROM OTHER SCHOOLS WE AS TAX PAYERS WOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR OUR KIDS GOING ELSE WHERE.
Anon 8:32
The Spinnaker program is far from floundering as their numbers are up to 25 students and that is just preschool through 2nd grade. The progress that their students are making is amazing. Project Excel is floundering but Spinnaker is an amazing program that continues to grow.
5:51 -- Not true.
School Choice is a State Law. The Committee can vote NOT to let outside students in -- but they can not prohibit Sandwich students from going to another District that is willing to accept them.
If somebody chooses to go outside their home District, the State charges the Home town sending tuition of approximately $5,000. If the student goes for part of the year the tuition gets pro-rated.
For Incoming students, the state pays the receiving school the same amount.
While accepting incoming students offsets the cost of outgoing students, once a district accepts an incoming student, they are obligated to keep him and his siblings through graduation.
Also -- by law, incoming tuition is paid directly to the School District, while outgoing tuition is charged directly to the Town's state aid --- a rule that certainly adds to local budgetary friction!
(There are also other adjustments for SPED-related costs.)
For more info see: http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/schoice/choicead.html
So......the Canfield survey is in and what do you know.....I have to spend the .44 cents to send information back that will only benefit the Sandwich Schools. So I did a little research. 42 students left under School Choice and 112 went to Sturgis. 154 surveys times .44 cents comes to a whopping $67.76. Couldn't spring for that Sandwich? This is less money than a lunch paid for with donation account money. This survey is already off to a bad start.
BOB THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION
The Truth Maker would respond to Redd Herring. As every one knows the schools budget makes up the largest part of our town wide budget numbers.To think that the Chairman of the board of selectmen would not include placing that on the posted agenda for discussion is silly in your words. Non the less that is what happened, he failed to meet the obligation of the present open meeting law in place in that matter. The laws had been recently changed to prevent such things from occurring and for good reasons. it is clear and concise, that whenever the meeting is posted all agenda items will be clearly posted for every one to see, before any meeting is conducted. For the Chairman of any board , nevermind the chair of the board of Selectmen to engage in a conversation not on the posted agenda, it sets a bad example for other boards to follow and defeats the process in place.
It is clear that only the municiple side of the towns budget would be brought before the full board for discussion on Feb 2 2012.
Now one must agree that is not what we here in Sandwich, would like to see continue going forward. Is that silly to use your words, or is it the truth?
The Chairman of the Board of Selectmen made an error, that many others, also have observed and have taken note off.
The reason why, we have Open meeting laws in the first place is to help guide the process of town government into a more transparent process where every one can speak to a subject, when it is brought before the government body for discussion. How does any one respond to a posted meeting where subject matter of interest to the public is not included in the posting? I would expect a rookie member of any board to make such an error, but not one whom has been a member for the length of time the present chair has been involved.
The truth of the matter is an error was made in open meeting law and what will be the learning lesson going forward?
Silly I think not, and truthfully I would have expected much more from the present chair.
TM,
I think the point he was making is that ANY discussion of the Town Budget automatically includes a discussion of the school budget. You can't discuss one without the other.
The School Committee should be more involved with Finance Committee & Selectmen.
The survey wasn't restricted to people who fled the District -- so the postage number would be larger than that.
The problem is that most of the surveys will be thrown away -- so the return postage would have been wasted anyway.
Besides -- SEA is probably making copies and skewing the results again anyway.
The Truth Maker would agree that for the most part both budgets are in need of discussion, but the posting states the following
Town manager Presentation of Recommended FY13 General Government Budget and intial FY13 Budget Submissions,DPW Sanitation Division Enterprise Fund, Governors proposed Fy13 Cherry sheets.
One can debate the intensions of the wording, however in most circles of town government, the term, general, indicates the municipal side of the budget process and not the schools.
How can the town manager address any budget process on the schools side? he does not have that juridictional power to do so.
Going back to the violation of open meeting laws, the posting shall show the specific disccusion that will be presented and it was not in my opinion and understanding How I read the posted minutes of the meeting.
It was to bad that some dropped the ball between both sides in regards to the schools budget, but that does not excuse the chair from engaging in a conversation in regards to a subject matter that was not posted ,as part of the agenda for that meeting in my opinion. How many other citizens, might have responded, had they known and voiced an opinion at public forum in the above matter?
The "survey" was not a survey at all. I was so dissapointed! I've never seen such a poorly-worded or thoughtless quest for information. Who put that together? It makes me think they don't really care, or don't really want to know the reasons. They can fix the problem in the Sandwich school without spending one penny. Try going outside your contract to motivate and challenge the little angels instead of complaining about them all day. I'm sending my kid out next year because I just can't take dealing with this anymore.
M says it all. People don't want to deal with the poor leadership and decisions of the district and the town where our schools are concerned. It is an unstable school system as represented over and over again during the past few years. It almost seems like the district is using the upheaval of the past 18 months as an excuse to just throw something out there and think we are on the path to recovery. And where is information about the Community's School financial issues and that drain on our system? Kicking cans down the road will kick more and more students out of the district, which means more of the taxpayers dollars going to other communities. Who is holding the line? A survey can't do that. What kind of decision is firing teachers as the only solution to the budget issues? Oh that's right a political one. Any chance line items like $350,000 for sports might be looked at? Taking away staff that support Special Education, what kind of decision is that? Where do those students go when their parents have had enough? That's right, out of the district. Of course the schools have a sweet deal really. The students leave and the cost to taxpayers comes off the municipal side. It becomes a political issue not one of accountability. Got to love it.
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