The meeting schedule for town boards and committees can be found on the Town website here. I have posted the agenda for Monday's Select Board meeting here.
I couldn't find the agenda on the Town website.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Select Board meeting scheduled Monday 9/22
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21 comments:
So too bad there are no override questions for student textbooks or student technology requirements. Interactive Touch Screens for the classrooms like in Europe? No question for library materials and a librarian for our youngest students. No question for foreign language instructors. No question for more art and science. No questions, no caring? It's a global economy and education is global.
Select Board people should lead on education funding support as well as our School Committee. Is there a pulse or thinking caps on?
No, our agenda doesn't really include education advocacy or discussion prior to Town Meeting.
Reconsider your positions, it is ethical and part of larger thinking.
The school department has received a 4-5% increase in funding for many years. They received a 4.5% increase this year, about $1.6 million. They will receive a similar increase next year. My agenda is for the town to live within its means and that includes the school department. They will receive their mandated increases which are well in excess of what other town departments receive and will have to learn to live within that funding. Some people apparently think that if we just shovel money at the school department, everything will be fine. I don't think so.
Why do you? Could you tell me what you think the school department would do with more money that would lead to a better education? Why do you think that they share your priorities? I think they would hire more administrators, staff and still wouldn't have the books that students need.
How aggressively do you think the SC and administration will pursue cost-saving contracts? If 85% of the school budget goes to salaries, there is little left for what really counts. I thought that figure was 80%. Has it gone up?
The town has little choice but to reduce the costs of the people that we employee. That reduction can come by reducing the rate of increase of salaries and wages or by having fewer people. Those are the choices- lower increases or fewer people.
Does it appear that the school will do the same?
There has been an outcry for books, they'd get them. I don't see a Technology Manager as a bad spot to fill. Or money for classrroom technology and staff training. I keep hearing we don't have an elementary librarian. We also have heard that the athletics and music programs get funded but not enough money for art and foreign languages. Bill can you help these areas get addressed within the minimum? By the way is the school buddget keeping up with inflation and electric/oil costs?
Hey people, the children need staff it is about safety alkl around and learning in a stable environment (MS bursting at seams) and we still have a 900 student school. Did people forget about the QUINN EXPERIMENT, our kids the little student guinea pigs!
Anon 3:03, do you think the school has its priorities mixed up, then? What is your opinion about administrative salaries?
i think if you took into consideration the many hours of volunteer work and several hundred thousand dollars of fundraising that percentage would look different. Regardless the students spend the majority of their day interacting with the teachers and other staff so it is not surprising they are so highly valued and regarded by parents and the admin. Who remembers their textbooks when they graduate? What good are textbooks with poorly qualified staff?
The School Committee has sole authority in determining how the appropriation for the school department is spent. Please read this post if you are interested in the details.
The salaries are normal and not inflated, time and time again this has been discussed with real data. The minimum spending is insufficient for the education system needs, no brainer. So the Select Board and Fin Com together with Town Meeting could support additional funding for our education system, and stop saying go have the money spent differently by SC to get the textbooks and technology and necessary positions which have been unfilled for a time. Support additional funding. The turnbacks are too high, and the CIP stuff we can bond for.
FROM DART MOM-Sounds like you leaders are passing the buck and not doing anything to help the students, MEGAQUINN or CROWDED SYTEM WITH MISSING RESOURCES DUE TO INADEQUATE FUNDING!
The facts are that the town has no money to increase educational spending. We are facing a deficit for FY10 and have no plan to resolve that situation. There will be an article for $300,000 or more at the Fall Town Meeting to provide funds for a new reading curriculum. Even though I believe that this article is in contravention of the adopted policy of both the Select Board and Finance Committee against the use of one time revenue for operating budgets, I will support it. But my support is for this one time only. I will oppose any further use of one time revenue for such use. The school department is going to get minimum required net school spending for the foreseeable future. They need to plan accordingly to live within that appropriation. Minimum net school spending will increase every year at 4-5%. Our revenue is increasing at 3.5% or less. Just that differential means that every other town department, besides the school department, will get less than a 3.5% increase. Other departments face the very same increases in utility and other costs as do the schools.
My point is that there are going to be sacrifices across all departments. The school department is not being singled out and, in fact, will get an ever larger piece of the pie due to mandatory increases in their appropriation.
We are in the worst national fiscal crisis since the Great Depression and all these people do is cry, cry, cry for more, more, more.
It is not about more it is about basics. The appropriate foundation for learning. The economists say that in these difficult times the place to invest is in education, not scrimp.
I attended the School Committee meeting last night where the district's three year plan was presented. While I have not yet seen the plan and there was no discussion of the costs, the superintendent said that the goals represent a new focus on academics. He did mention that the schools expect to be funded at minimum required net school spending, so I assume that the plan is crafted with that in mind.
You didnt see the plan because you got up and left at the beginning of the presentation.why?
I was at the School Committee meeting until they adjourned. Perhaps you are confused because I went to the restroom at one point. If you require independent verification of my continued attendance, you can ask John Fitzpatrick or Bev Days who spoke with me following the meeting.
Mr. McDonald said he would be forwarding the plan to the Select Board. I will look it over when I receive it.
Bill was there till the end of the meeting. The only select board member to attend several of these meetings I should add.
Greg Jones
Yes Indeed Bill was there until the end of the meeting. Bill, I have the presentation on my website if you (or anyone else)would like to download it.office 2007 powerpoint is required. A version for office 2000-2003 will be available tonight. Thanks for coming to the meeting.
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