Many of us are probably familiar with the proverb: “He who fails to plan, plans to fail.”
If nothing else, the current school committee and school administration have failed all of us in the sense that they have failed to plan. The current school committee and school administration have purposefully decided to ignore several immediate challenges that represent huge impediments to healthy, financially stable school operations. Instead of dealing with the current challenges facing our schools, the Committee and Administration have chosen to discuss academic program changes, like STEM, and school construction projects, like the high school expansion, that are, quite literally, years down the road and unlikely to ever materialize without today’s challenges being addressed head on and definitively now.
So what are the challenges and obstacles that threaten our schools and have yet to be resolved by the current school committee and school administration?
In no particular, order the challenges and obstacles include:
· The unsettled teachers’ contract which represents an unknown financial liability that could easily exceed $750,000 or more. The current school committee and school administrations’ lack of focus and resolve and communication on this issue should alarm parents and taxpayers. It’s well past time to tally the bill and pay up.
· The unresolved Community School mess only grows worse with discussions of new unfunded pool spending and construction projects. The annual cost of propping up this house of cards is easily $150,000. Fixing this mess permanently and now should be a priority.
· That the current school committee and school administration seems to unquestioningly believe the student population projections showing continual decline despite all of the permitted and in process housing projects AND the untold number of empty and unsold 3 and 4 bedroom homes in town. (Autumn Wood alone is a potential 300 bedroom project.) Guessing wrong on population trends will cost us big time – I promise! Somebody should recheck these projections and fast before we sell the buses and close the schools.
· Our reality is that the current school payroll grows at a rate faster than the actual budget increases requiring annual service cuts and or staffing cuts. The schools’ and our towns’ reality is that we can’t afford what we have today; so why does the current school committee and school administration ignore that reality and only plan for years from now?
Sadly, the list of critical planning areas that I’ve highlighted above that are being ignored by the school committee and administration is just a partial list.
It’s too bad that our school committee and school administrations’ failures will cost taxpayers, parents and students dearly in the coming years. Plan on it!
Here’s hoping that the coming election will bring new perspectives and new resolve to the Committee.
20 comments:
Thank you for an excellent editorial on the chaotic way the schools are moving forward. I watched the SC meeting and hear Dr. Canfield say we want to use the gift of time. It made me very uncomfortable to hear that. What gift of time I though? The problems in the schools are in front of us and need to be addressed NOW. Planning can not and should not get in the way of problem solving! It should not masquerade as problem solving either. Once we commit to the second HS renovation in a decade, where will the energy come from the already limited staff to solve the problems that now effect our kids and families, not to mention the overall well being of our community. It is very disappointing to say the least, that fiscal responsibility to the town is being interpreted as asking for capital money when our capital list currently has been defined though the extensive work of the CIPC last year as costly and overdue. We want to be one town. But those can't just be words. Competing interests can't continue to rule the day.
The Truth Maker would say to Brother Guerin. What we are seeing here with the presentation of wish list plans are just a diversion from the realities before this group of educators and school committee. It make more sense to speak about some imaginary rebuild project rather then face the realities of what issues are really at fault, to a continued educational experience for our children here in Sandwich.
We can have all the goody feel slogans about programs that are years away from being implimented, as they continue to destroy the foundation blocks put in place over the past severel years to give our children the programs missing for years. Why did we go through all of that turmoil to gain technology and innovative approaches to educating our children, if now, all we are going to do put another spin on why they cannot get things done?
No visable effort has been made by the present school administrators to resolve all of the money we pay in taxes to support our children and are going to continue to be supplimenting the budget losses by the Community school and Pool.
How long, do we, as a town, need to put up with this violation of MGLaw, who is the one to pull this plug and get some accountability back into where all this funding is being used.
You all know that the present budget has some one million dollars hidden in the line items to pay back teacher payouts if a contract is settled. Why did they not simply state that in its own line item , so we all will be aware of what the true number will be once this contract is settled?
With people moving out of Sandwich, more children going to other well established learning centers, it will take a revolt by the people to change any thing and I do not see that happening in the near future.
It would appear that we replaced a click with another click and we can say all we want, but in the end nothing really is changing and that my firends does not bode well for Sandwich overall.
Thank you Bob for putting our dinner conversation/frustration in print! It is reassuring to know that we are not the only people in town who do not understand the choices that the SC is making right now. I would like to point out that in addition to the more pressing issues that are touched upon in this blog, small things like an academic calendar for September would be really nice too!
I agree that the school committee and school administration have failed us. Our schools are run like a dysfunctional home where the mortgage is already late and the car needs serious work and the bills are all overdue but Mom and Dad still spend their time talking about putting in a pool or taking a trip to the islands.
Our school committee and school administration, much like the clueless parents I’ve described, have continually made bad choices, failed to act when they should have, and spent precious time dreaming of what might be with no regard for what is. Who suffers the consequences? The children.
The committee and administration should be embarrassed for what they’ve done and what they’ve failed to do. Parents and Taxpayers should be furious.
Mr. Guerin, how do you know these issues are not being discussed or being taken care of in way that would not include you being directly notified. Maybe you have inside information that the rest of the town is not privy to. How many issues in the past were not conveyed to the public, yet you never complained. So far it seems to me, that the new super is aware of the issues/problems that were left for him to fix. I can't imagine that one person could possibly "fix" all of it in less than a year. The CS process has begun with the hiring of one director and undoing the co-director positions put in place by the previous super. Now we should give this new director a little time before you decide nothing is being done. It was mentioned at a recent meeting that "revamping" was taking place. I don't believe the sitting SC or super put into the works the "wing school" issue. That was already in the works, this is follow up. It was also stated that because of that accredidation for the HS certain things had to be in place, I think one of them was the Dept. heads and curriculum coordinators. To me, it sounded like because of these issues that the STEM program would be a good fit. I don't know, I feel like things are moving along from whats been addressed at meetings. I also feel that much more information has been forthcoming from this years "group" . I also feel that it would be impractical for them to give us step by step progress/info at each meeting. The other boards sure as hell don 't do that! I think when there is something to say about an issue, we'll be told. I think Mr. Guerin needs to relax a little and give the new administration a minute or two to get things on the right track.
I think parents and taxpayers are furious. But just like last years debacle, no one quite knows what to do about it and the beat just goes on. More and more speeches, nothing changes, good people shoved out the door and teachers trying to run the system. Politics run rampant in the main office. It has almost become a farce. And as is usually the case in an organization going down the tubes, now so many secrets are coming out into the open. The culture of the schools is the talk of the town. Teachers who do not work their full hours are being outed. Adult bullying is the talk of the town. The inferiority of administrators is the talk of the town. The list goes on and on. What can the taxpayers do really? It is a leadership issue. It has always been a leadership issue. Schools are top down organization. It is very clear where the buck stops. Prior to Nancy Young getting here each school was it's own kingdom. Best practice district wide was meaningless. It was all about appearances and still is. Who was it that said schools are always threatened by a cottage industry mentality? Since 1989 I would say Sandwich has been taken for a long and costly ride where the schools are concerned. Yes, the saddest thing about that, is we are neglecting our duty to the children and families of this town. What can we do? Now there are serious economics at stake.
10:26, do you really believe that -- "Trust us ... everything is under control --" ? The points Guerin raised need to be addressed publicly and they have not been. I have had similar conversations with SC members --- anybody can. If you have a question get your head out of the sand and ask them! You can be sure Guerin asked the question.
To clarify your comment about the Community School -- I think that revamping process began 3 years ago when both Bobs pointed out that the CS financial reports were bogus and that the program was actually losing money and using School District money to cover its costs. (This was later confirmed by an outside audit firm).
Timing is important -- the School District needs money for next year's budget. Since the Town won't give it to them they intend to fire more teachers and charge parents more fees. Why not do as many people have suggested and just stop subsidizing the Community School -- particularly the pool?
10:26 AM. For your information, prior to the 2 Co-Directors there were 3 administrators running the Community School. The reduction of 1 administrator and the creation of the 2 Co-Directors saved the Community School over 90,000 a year at the time. I agree it was time to consider ways to reduce overhead any further.
4:31, you are correct. There was a savings from eliminating the third Administrator -- although there were pay increases when the other two got promoted, so the savings wasn't the full $90K for the eliminated position.
The double position was also never intended to be permanent -- it was considered a Transition/audition measure to see who handled operations the best.
I read the audit report (which is so conveniently linked from this blog!) and it seems the first move is obvious -- eliminate the program which lost $128,000 in FY 2009.
All you have to do is follow the meetings and you can see what is being discussed. If illegal conversations are taking place or conversation creating policy outside a SC vote are taking place that will eventually show up too. Mr. Guerin is just reporting and commenting on public knowledge. If policy is being pushed through any entity outside the SC from a political or business standpoint, that will show up too. Citizens need more input into the decision about the future of the Sandwich Schools. Dr. Canfield has not been here one year. The report based on a committee looking a H.T. Wing school has not done enough to explore the topic.
The Truth Maker would respond to 2:47 One would think after spending all of this money for evaluating the Wing School situation that some common sense approach would be forthcoming.
As I see the process, that unfolded, the information corralates to what they wanted the answers to be. After listing to the School board meeting in regards to this report,I think the money they spent could have gone to a different approach, that has a little more reality in it.
At this point in time they need to be addressing present needs and taking in the belt on the money for the C School and pool they are spending, before they look at any long term fix that is so far out of reach it is almost comical.
What has happened with those running for school committee, answering any questions and why has the chair thrown in the towel, for the rest of this year?
No one wants to address the real issues and that is why every one is tossing the salad down the road to some imaginary listings of needs. it is a simple diversion
Relax Bob, the Superintendent and School Committee don’t need to act quickly to solve the financial issues you’re worked up over; they can just raise Sports and Activities fees.
Relax Bob, the Superintendent and School Committee don’t need to act quickly to solve the financial issues you’re worked up over; they can just raise bus and parking fees.
Relax Bob, the Superintendent and School Committee don’t need to act quickly to solve the financial issues you’re worked up over; they can just lay off staff and support personnel.
Funny how much time and effort the Superintendent and School Committee has been put into collecting higher fees and new fees and laying off staff and teachers and how little effort has been put into fixing what’s really wrong - all the items Guerin has highlighted.
Guess we shouldn’t be mad or frustrated or disappointed. Guess we should just relax.
I agree the saga of the current community school debacle began three years ago. But the money the community operation has cost the town and in particular the kids through it's operation has helped create the dismal funding issues we face today. The fact the SC has not done anything practical or substantive about the CS since the two Bob's left is a disgrace. Sadly it was easier to kill the messengers, ignore the message, and protect the status quo even if it is draining educational dollars. In what universe is it not politically correct for the Superintendent and the SC to be fiscally responsible to the citizens of this town. Now I'm told Town Manager Bud Dunham and Dr. Canfield and other highly paid staff are going to get together to see how to save the Community School. Time and money being spent to do what? What is the revenue the Community School brings to the town. Is there an accounting of the so called revenue that includes operational costs and wear and tear on the buildings? Are we legally mandated to have a community school? If the schools want to keep subsidizing the Community School without a complete investigation into the audit results, how can the tax payers find merit in that, in view of declining budgets. If we are paying 6 figured employes to sit down with a $70,000 a year director of the CS and the school business manager to find the answer, is the answer about efficiencies, services? And what critical problems on the municipal and the school side are going to be ignored while they hold the CS's hand? Please stop trying to solve the CS issue through political measures. If you SC doesn't believe the audit and think it's results have significant impact on the school system and budget, well I don't know what to say. This blog in particular has presented the facts over and over. Fin Com is now calling for more information. When will something be done to stem the flow of money and resources. If the town can help with the pool as a way to provide services to the town, it should.
When will something be done? Tomorrow
If anyone is interested in seeing how the town feels about the union and the unsigned contract, head over to Facebook and read the comments under Sandwich Moms started by Dee Penta Molloy.
I can't seem to access that page on FB. What did it say?
The Sandwich Moms FB page is not public. You have to be in the FB group to read it or post there.
Let us hope that the mom's do something.
Those last few comments must be a joke. I have no idea what might have been said on moms Club page --- but to be clear it certainly doesnt represent the "town's" view -- it represents the view of the person who wrote it. Historically,. that group has been completely uninvolved and generally clueless about "real" issues..... I don't hold much hope for them "doing sopmething".
@Amused Bystander: The "Sandwich Moms" FB page is not for, by or about the "Sandwich Mother's Club," which has its own page (on which it will come as no surprise to you that little or no commentary on these issues has occurred).
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