tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post1493793460210040019..comments2023-09-29T06:32:16.005-04:00Comments on My School Committee Blog: March 17, 2009, Amherst MeetingCatherine A. Sandersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03523667921190365891noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-41914620735626218642009-03-24T21:48:00.000-04:002009-03-24T21:48:00.000-04:00I hate to wade in here, but there is so much misin...I hate to wade in here, but there is so much misinformation floating around.<BR/><BR/>Folks really need to be careful and check their facts, or else this valuable resource becomes just a harangue for the disgruntled.<BR/><BR/>Example: Ed, I am very close to a teacher in town. They do not get paid to set up their classrooms in the fall. Most spend 1-2 weeks or more in their classrooms in August, and that is unpaid time. The only day they are paid for is the day before the children return. And that day is mostly meetings.<BR/><BR/>Just a thought. Dialogue is helpful. Misinformation is not.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-77616150901278912382009-03-22T09:24:00.000-04:002009-03-22T09:24:00.000-04:00part of the problem with posting links here is tha...part of the problem with posting links here is that the comments column is not very wide and the links get cut off (at least on my browser they do).<BR/><BR/>Here is a clickable link to the pdf that shows "AMOUNT NEEDED, USING H.1 PARAMETERS, TO GET TO FOUNDATION". (When I go to the Globe article, I don't see the link. Maybe it only shows in certain browsers. So here it is for anybody who couldn't find it.)<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.mass.gov/Agov3/docs/DistrictswithIncreasestoFoundation.pdf" REL="nofollow">pdf with list of towns</A><BR/><BR/>If anyone is interested in knowing how to make a clickable link when you leave a comment, this is the code:<BR/><BR/><a href="paste URL here inside the quotation marks">place here the text to show in link</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-20585407272164783702009-03-21T20:30:00.000-04:002009-03-21T20:30:00.000-04:00One more thing: the issues I raise have nothing t...One more thing: the issues I raise have nothing to do with wanting to close the school or not, nor with anything INSIDE the school (other than it literally sharing an atrium and two enterances with a UM admin building).<BR/><BR/>One could, in theory, build a different road between North Amherst and UMass, move the new North Residential Area and all of that to abate these concerns, but that is not going to happen.<BR/><BR/>So if you are going to close *a* school, and you have three in fairly appropriate areas and one exposed to lots of hazards, which one would you look at?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-17641433022224849702009-03-21T13:07:00.000-04:002009-03-21T13:07:00.000-04:00Ed's response:First, while ad hominums attacks may...Ed's response:<BR/><BR/>First, while ad hominums attacks may upset others, I merely find them annoying. Annoying in the concept of how could one be stupid enough to think it will bother me.<BR/><BR/>Second, lets look at facts.<BR/><BR/>First, what was it like when Mark's Meadow was built -- the 1950's picture we ran in the MMan was the only one I could find but it clearly was of a different world. In 1958, Route 116 had been moved from North Pleasant Street to "the bypass." There were plans to continue it south through where Staples is now, to have a second UMass exit feeding in just north of where the Mullins Center is, and to have Route 9 bypass the whole town. And UMass was a 5000 student university where few kids had cars.<BR/><BR/>None of the other roads were built (the shortest route from 116 to most of campus is past Marks Meadow, even from the south), UMass went from a residental campus of 5000 students to an increasingly commuter campus of 30,000, and the campus expanded to the north.<BR/><BR/>Puffton Village was farmland. As were the rest of the apartment complexes up there. Steve Puffer might have driven HIS car past the school, but there is a whole lot more traffic there now.<BR/><BR/>Second, starting in the 1960s, we started looking at highway safety. Where we used to put the elementary schools in the most visible places next to major highways to promote civic pride (and taxpayer support), we started moving them away from vehicular traffic for safety reasons. There is a whole lot of traffic on all three sides of Mark's Meadow and not that on all three sides of the other three elementary schools in town.<BR/><BR/>Third as to child molesters and other perps - I happen to know a lot about the limitations of the UMPD because I have been involved in getting people removed from this campus. On more than one occasion I have made a 911 call of "so-and-so is in the parking lot right now" and been patched through to a deputy chief for a conversation about what we can and can not do about this.<BR/><BR/>If the most henious pervert was to enroll as a student and then wander around through Mark's Meadow (and know his/her/its rights) I honestly do not believe that there is anything anyone could do until the student was at least suspended - and that would have to be for cause.<BR/><BR/>You can bully and intimidate but that just as quickly can become a very expensive civil rights violation. And every UMass student has every legal right to wander through Mark's Meadow School as no current student may be trespassed from anywhere at any time.<BR/><BR/>Worse, it is physically connected to another academic building where UM students have a legitimate need to be. This is inherently problematic...<BR/><BR/>I say this as an educator -- Mark's Meadow is physically placed in a location where no one would put a school today.<BR/><BR/>And as to the teachers packing and moving their stuff, I think it is time for people to start playing hardball.<BR/><BR/>A teacher is responsible for setting up his/her/its classroom in the fall. I was.<BR/><BR/>And if the teachers don't want to pack up their stuff, then send it all to the dump. (Who packs up and moves the classroom of a retiring teacher?)<BR/><BR/>Teachers are paid to set up their classrooms in the fall - and if they want to use the stuff they had the prior year, fine -- but they don't have to. And if the senior (much better paid) teachers don't want to act like professionals and do this, then FIRE THEM and get cheaper and younger teachers who are still interested in teaching.<BR/><BR/>When my father moved to a new building, he had to pack (and unpack) his stuff and he wasn't paid for it. If the Marks Meadow teachers aren't (a) willing to teach in the classrooms they are told to teach in or (b) set up a classroom in the fall that is conductive to education, then they should be fired for insubordination. FIRED.<BR/><BR/>It isn't like there aren't a whole lot of good teachers who could be hired for less...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-41044027053104442702009-03-21T09:20:00.000-04:002009-03-21T09:20:00.000-04:00The teachers moving, packing up and then unpacking...The teachers moving, packing up and then unpacking their things will take a large portion of the summer to accomplish. This is time they do not have in their contracts and that they will have to be compensated for, <I>if</I> you can get them to do the work in the first place. <BR/><BR/>And Ed, seriously. The only way to stop any chance of anything from happening at any school, is to put each school and surrounding area in a bubble. This week's incident did not happen at mark's Meadow and could've have happened at any of the schools. Do not isolate Mark's Meadow as the only place this can happen. <BR/><BR/>Oh yeah, this reminds me... How many bomb threats have there been at the high school since the late 90's? Talk about a wide open campus!!!! The track is right on a main street! The football, baseball fields, again, same thing. If you want to compare apples, you may as well compare apple to apples.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-6114626339370578682009-03-21T08:33:00.000-04:002009-03-21T08:33:00.000-04:00To Ed,I love it. Now MM is compared to the Love C...To Ed,<BR/>I love it. Now MM is compared to the Love Canal! Please, keep the comments on this side of reality! It seems that those whose only agenda is to close a school will say just about anything to make it happen. Sounds like your bitter that Umass lets us use it! And yes, teachers should get compensated for time spent packing, moving, unpacking. I don't think you understand how much work is involved in this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-55400018014342295852009-03-21T07:20:00.000-04:002009-03-21T07:20:00.000-04:00Breaking news that Amherst will be receiving 280,0...Breaking news that Amherst will be receiving 280,000 this March from Federal funds for SPED funding. This information came off Masslive and Amherst was listed this time on list of schools. Again the formula concerning how much money although not spelled out in this venue is related to of number of SPED students in the system and amount/percentage of budget spent on SPED. Some in Amherst feel SPED is a huge number of students and expenditures and it is not small but is is not as big as many other systems hence their larger grants. Gov Patrick announced this distribution yesterday with one distribution in March 2009 and one next fiscal year which hopefully will be the same ammount. Every little bit helps and hopefully this may diffuse some of the us/them feeling that some of the SPED parents have had recently. I am SPED parent and but am not in that number. I do feel we need to look at each program including SPED to make certain that we are spending our money wisely. I do however feel that some folks posting on this and other blogs have had an agenda about cutting SPED merely because it does not relate to their kids and their lack of understanding about SPED has been clear. We need to evaluate and make certian how we service all SPED students is done effieicenlty and effectively. Not all are the severe needs with specialized programs that have been discussed but kids like my son who have a n IEP and need a boost to be successful and hopefully be totally mainstreamed in the near future. This money MUST be used for SPED the stimulus package information was clear from the beginning that the money would be earmarked for SPED, infastructures and some teacher salaries. However using this money for SPED increases or even saving services for SPED students frees up that amount of money on the bottom line. Does not cover the whole deficit but every bit helps.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-84211033618201036752009-03-21T00:13:00.000-04:002009-03-21T00:13:00.000-04:00Ed's response:First, I am in the UM School of Educ...Ed's response:<BR/><BR/>First, I am in the UM School of Education which means that I have been to Furculo Hall. As all of the issues I raised are OUTSIDE the building, how is anything inside it relevant to these concerns? <BR/><BR/>I have been inside the school - was horrified by the wiring in the auditorium which maybe was legal in the '50s but was something I wouldn't want COLLEGE kids near, let alone elementary school kids. But that is a moot point.<BR/><BR/>Second, it is called exposure to risk and the more vehicles you have going by the school, the greater the chance of a kid getting run over. Sorry, this is a fact.<BR/><BR/>And as to the ALLEGED incident by Wildwood, I will publicly say what I said privately then: people are shooting at shadows. My point is that we live in a world where these things CAN happen, in a way that they simply didn't in Amherst of 1950.<BR/><BR/>I again say, and this is notwithstanding whatever may be inside the building, the school is in the WORST place to have a school! No secure envelope to protect from perps, no isolation from very busy streets, right in the middle of the UM campus (which hadn't expanded down that far in the '50s) -- it should be closed for these reasons....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-53204308682410735382009-03-20T21:09:00.000-04:002009-03-20T21:09:00.000-04:00Sorry about not spell checking that first :)Sorry about not spell checking that first :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-53102663629937187082009-03-20T21:08:00.000-04:002009-03-20T21:08:00.000-04:00Ed,First off, I can not believe you brought up the...Ed,<BR/>First off, I can not believe you brought up the accident from last fall!!!! That happened no where near the school, and really could've been any child and where in this country. <BR/><BR/>Second, have you been to Mark's Meadow at all? Have you walked thru the building? Met with any of the staff? If so, you will know that the children are well protected. If not, you really shouldn't be saying anything about the situation, and you should get in there and take a tour. Especially when the kids are there so you can see what it is like suring the day.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-59573111887358413702009-03-20T16:49:00.000-04:002009-03-20T16:49:00.000-04:00To Ed - The scare about the child and the guy in t...To Ed - <BR/>The scare about the child and the guy in the car happened RIGHT next to Wildwood, not MM.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-42796117316783355292009-03-20T15:23:00.000-04:002009-03-20T15:23:00.000-04:00Following up on Alisa's comment, I strongly suspec...Following up on Alisa's comment, I strongly suspect that mean property values are a factor because there is a push in some of the hilltowns (like Shelborne with the Cosby estate) to go to median as the one rich person is messing up the state aid.<BR/><BR/>I also suspect that it is also reflected in household income and when you have a LOT of people with six figure household incomes you are going to get dinged on something like this.<BR/><BR/>NB: Median is half above and half below, mean is what most think of as average. (Mode is the actual figure you see the most.) The practical distinction is how extreme figures affect - say everyone taking an exam got a B (80-89%) except for the football player who got 2% for writing his name on it.<BR/><BR/>In this case, the median (half above/half below) score will be somewhere in the B range - while the median (add all and divide) could be a C or even lower depending on the size of the sample.<BR/><BR/>And Amherst, a college town with three colleges and lots of well-paid professors has a very high median income level compared to, say, Belchertown, Springfield and Holyoke. Hence even if Amherst wasn't already at benchmark, it likely would be dinged as being "too rich" to need help.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-64734596345778512642009-03-20T11:51:00.000-04:002009-03-20T11:51:00.000-04:00Reading this, I don't quite understand why Amherst...<I>Reading this, I don't quite understand why Amherst doesn't qualify - but there is a line in there about foundation-spending level (which apparently Amherst must not be below.)</I><BR/><BR/>As you concluded, we aren't on the list because we spend a lot more than foundation. Looking at the list to think about who *isn't* on it may help you put it in context -- Pelham, Leverett, Shutesbury, Hadley, and Northampton *aren't* on it, South Hadley and Belchertown are on it.Alisa V. Brewerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07806428075243362536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-87268585071990624772009-03-20T11:50:00.000-04:002009-03-20T11:50:00.000-04:00Has anyone considered that Mark's Meadow is unsafe...Has anyone considered that Mark's Meadow is unsafe?<BR/><BR/>It fronts on one of the busiest streets in town, one that funnels traffic from no fewer than three numbered highways to the UM campus. <BR/><BR/>On both sides is the primary access to UMass parking lots, with considerable vehicular traffic.<BR/><BR/>With this traffic, which routinely backs up all the way beyond Wysocki House and with the shortage of parking, you have a good potential for "road rage" even forgetting the fact that the vast majority of drivers are under age 25 and statistically most likely to have a MVA.<BR/><BR/>To the south what was once the "Women's PE Building" has not only become co-ed but the girls sports teams moved literally to Hadley. There are those four new dorms and the plan is to actually have EIGHT there (the rising price of steel forced Lombardi to cut the plan into two phases).<BR/><BR/>Last night UMass sent out a warning about an "African-American" in a "silver four -door sedan, possibly with out of state license plates" who may or may not have attempted to abduct a child. This is like the third one of these emails that I have gotten this month...<BR/><BR/>Amherst has three elementary schools with a secure perimiter and one elementary school where any creep need only enroll in, say UWW and have every legitimate right to be IN THE BUILDING because UWW is in the same building (actually the white one next to it).<BR/><BR/>Other than on top of an insecure toxic waste dump (e.g. Love Canal), the absolute worst place to have an elementary school in 2009 is where Marks' Meadow is. The town has been lucky that nothing has happened, but as the tragedy of last fall shows, accidents and other bad things DO happen and you do need to think about risk.<BR/><BR/>Marks' Meadow should be closed as a child safety issue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-40091717355173855442009-03-20T11:31:00.000-04:002009-03-20T11:31:00.000-04:00Two things.First, I have NEVER heard of a teacher ...Two things.<BR/><BR/>First, I have NEVER heard of a teacher being paid extra for packing/unpacking all the stuff in a classroom. The teacher is responsible for setting up the classroom the way the teacher wants it at the start of the school year and if you can have stuff left the way you want it from last year, that is a gift, not an expectation.<BR/><BR/>There is precedent elsewhere, usually in going to a new school, and what I have always seen is you get to pack your stuff into boxes and the district dumps it (sometimes quite literally) in your new classroom for you to do with as you please.<BR/><BR/>And in the case where a more senior teacher "bumps" a junior one - does the bumper also get paid to move all the stuff to the new classroom?<BR/><BR/>Teachers are paid on a yearly salary for all the things incidental to teaching for a year and that includes setting up the classroom in the fall.<BR/><BR/>If the district wants to give them 5 extra days pay to make them happy, I call that a bribe...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-69252288037074812442009-03-19T22:40:00.000-04:002009-03-19T22:40:00.000-04:00I don’t blog often though I have been following th...I don’t blog often though I have been following the recent debates and issues closely and have attended many of the SC meetings. After reading many of the opinions and comments I feel compelled to point out, yet again, as so many others already have:<BR/><BR/>1. We are facing a global economic crisis and a financial shortfall for our schools. The most constructive thing we can do is to find real practical solutions that will work now. The current economic climate dictates that we tighten our belts. We can be optimists but we also need to be pragmatic and find a solution now. <BR/><BR/>2. This debate is about fiscal responsibility – how we can improve our schools, decrease the budget deficit, and ensure quality education for all children, emphasis on “we”.<BR/><BR/>3. We cannot look at other sources to “rescue” us – not tax over-rides, not stimulus money, not grants – as a long-term solution. If resources from these alternate sources become available that would be fantastic. We should be cautious, however, about looking at grants because this type of resource has the potential to not last forever. If a grant does run out what becomes of the grant funded program(s)?<BR/><BR/>4. There is no ambiguity about the financial savings if MM was to close. The numbers were clearly presented in the February SC meeting. There is no other way to save nearly $700K – save this money now and we save instrumental music, and teachers. This impacts all students, not just a few, and ensures that we can provide quality education for all.<BR/><BR/>5. Other data supporting closing MM is also very clear – namely the school enrollment projections – the numbers clearly show that we do not need four elementary schools to educate our children. We can continue doing a quality job with just three.<BR/><BR/>6. I want to applaud the SC for willing to consider the motion put forth by Catherine at this week’s SC meeting. I urge them to vote on it soon. This decision needs to be made now, before the new superintendent assumes his responsibilities. It is not a decision that should be thrown into his lap, as Andy Churchill so aptly put it at this week’s meeting. Dr. Rodriguez needs to be given every opportunity to be successful. The last thing we need is for him to start his term facing a divided community. <BR/> <BR/>7. Children are resilient; we are doing them a disfavor by characterizing them as anything less. Our children’s friendship’s cut across this town and our tight knit community. They will maintain these connections and we will maintain our community.NavneetMDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17628165489272525737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-83742154292766389102009-03-19T21:43:00.000-04:002009-03-19T21:43:00.000-04:00Here is the link to the list of towns in MA that w...Here is the link to the list of towns in MA that will receive the money - and Amherst is not on it - and the total adds up to the $168 million. <BR/><BR/>http://www.mass.gov/Agov3/docs/DistrictswithIncreasestoFoundation.pdf<BR/><BR/>Here is a link to the article (I couldn't find the article with the link Catherine posted).<BR/><BR/>http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=gov3pressrelease&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Key+Priorities&L2=Job+Creation+%26+Economic+Growth&L3=Massachusetts+Recovery+and+Reinvestment+Plan&sid=Agov3&b=pressrelease&f=090319_education_investment&csid=Agov3<BR/><BR/>Reading this, I don't quite understand why Amherst doesn't qualify - but there is a line in there about foundation-spending level (which apparently Amherst must not be below.)<BR/><BR/>The state’s historic education reform law established so-called foundation budgets for communities, setting a minimum funding threshold districts must meet so that students receive a “fair and adequate” education.<BR/><BR/>The Governor protected Chapter 70 education funding from cuts in his Fiscal Year 2010 budget proposal, maintaining the current allocation of $3.984 billion. However, due to a historic drop-off in state revenue collections brought on by the recession, level-funding of Chapter 70 still prevented 166 districts from reaching foundation spending levels.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-36043741129614564872009-03-19T20:08:00.000-04:002009-03-19T20:08:00.000-04:00Catherine A. Sanderson said... Nina: Here's the li...Catherine A. Sanderson said... <BR/>Nina: Here's the link that refers to the article mentioned by the anonymous poster and Abbie. There is a link to a list -- Amherst is NOT on it. http://www.boston.com/news/local/<BR/>breaking_news/2009/03/governor_to_off.html.Catherine A. Sandersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03523667921190365891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-20858243046674294382009-03-19T20:07:00.000-04:002009-03-19T20:07:00.000-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Catherine A. Sandersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03523667921190365891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-808486158320201352009-03-19T19:58:00.000-04:002009-03-19T19:58:00.000-04:00To Nina:in the article referred to my anon @1:54 t...To Nina:<BR/><BR/>in the article referred to my anon @1:54 there was a link giving the distribution of the entire $168 million (it won't download on my laptop (or link removed?) but I have the pdf at work).<BR/><BR/>Amherst was not listed as receiving any of those funds. Hopefully, this is just the first distribution and Amherst will receive some later on?Abbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02989627808442831131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-45334726309178696312009-03-19T18:53:00.000-04:002009-03-19T18:53:00.000-04:00The spotlight needs to shine on another pressing s...The spotlight needs to shine on another pressing social justice issue. <BR/><BR/>I believe that as a community we also need to push for our school committee to continue to address and respond to the sad reality that as a subgroup low income students in ALL of our schools are struggling to do well on those standardized tests(MCAS) that unfortunately matter so much in these in these times. Whether they sit in Wildwood or Crocker it is imperative those who run our school are working hard to make sure that low-income students are not being left behind.<BR/> <BR/><BR/><BR/>As you know last year 3 out of our 4 school failed to make AYP because of this subgroup struggles.(See http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/state_report/ayp2008.aspx?mode=school orhttp://www.arps.org/Curriculum/AYP.Amherst.2008.pdf)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-33888107866545988062009-03-19T18:52:00.000-04:002009-03-19T18:52:00.000-04:00"The Boston Globe is reporting today that Gov. Pat...<I>"The Boston Globe is reporting today that Gov. Patrick wants to distribute $168M in stimulus money to towns for K-12 educational support. Notably, Amherst is not slated to receive any of that money."</I><BR/><BR/>Where does it say in that article that Amherst is not slated to receive any of that money?<BR/><BR/>Here is a clickable link for people who are interested in the article:<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/03/19/governor_to_offer_168m_to_education/" REL="nofollow"> $168 Million to Education </A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-13344081395559282832009-03-19T18:20:00.000-04:002009-03-19T18:20:00.000-04:00Anonymous 6:10 - here is the reality -- enrollment...Anonymous 6:10 - here is the reality -- enrollments have dropped in all the schools, and costs have increased. The result is a structural deficit. It wasn't created by the families at MM, or those at another other school. It just exists. So, I can pretend that it doesn't, which is totally irresponsible, or I can acknowledge that it does and try to solve it -- which is what I was elected to do. I have said there are other ways to solve it -- we can increase class sizes dramatically in all the schools, eliminate instrumental music, and have principals be shared between schools. We could do all those things, and if the MM community wants to save their school, they should start promoting these ideas and getting other people on board. But the reality is, we need to reduce our structural deficit, and all the kids in our schools can be educated in three schools, and that is a way to KEEP what many see as the core of the Amherst education for all kids. If you believe that the core of the Amherst education for MM kids is to stay in MM, come up with a way to reduce $700,000 that you feel good about and let me know. Your email criticizes me, says I'm abusing my position, and says I'm intimidating people -- because I am willing to share what I see as the best solution to reducing our structural deficit and maintaining an Amherst education for all kids. Send me your idea for doing that and then we can talk about which way is better.Catherine A. Sandersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03523667921190365891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-86816908832214481132009-03-19T18:10:00.000-04:002009-03-19T18:10:00.000-04:00What is selfish about wanting to save your child's...What is selfish about wanting to save your child's school? I don't get that? How can a school's closing that has been operating for so many years suddenly be the solution to solving the deficit in our elementary budget? I can only pray this will happen if MM does close. But, I resent being called selfish, such childish names Catheriine!, in the standing up for what I beleive to be right. If people are personally attacking you I feel for you but to attack a whole group who believe MM should be left alone only proves to me that you are abusing your position. <BR/>Why is it being presented that if MM stays open we will make other children suffer by taking things away from them??? We didn't set this scenario up. <BR/>So you use your position on the SC to intimidate people?? <BR/>Follow me or become one of the group of people who mortify all others???Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-48411215479514479912009-03-19T16:23:00.000-04:002009-03-19T16:23:00.000-04:00Mary May - the School Committee actually isn't in ...Mary May - the School Committee actually isn't in charge of coming up with numbers; that is the job of the Superintendent's office. The transition costs numbers were created by staff in the superintendent's office, as were all of the other numbers. I'd recommend addressing your question about the accuracy of those numbers to the superintendent, if you, and the Marks Meadow staff, feel that $70,000 is too little to cover the time of such a transition. However, I think it is very important to acknowledge that while there would of course be one-time transition costs to closing a school, the thing we all have to keep in mind is the LONG-TERM savings of operating three versus four schools. So, even if the transition costs are double what they are now, the long-term savings are clear.Catherine A. Sandersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03523667921190365891noreply@blogger.com