Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Parents, Not Politicians
Many of us voted for the 'Parents Not Politicians.' Anyone want to comment on how they feel about that now? Time to evaluate the Board of Education. How do they measure up to your expectations? Have you had the transparency promised? Have you seen a change in the way the school system is handled? What are your thoughts?
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The State should take over our BOE. As bad as it is now... we still have several of the deadbeats that were in power before the last election. For example Riva. Does she add any value. Corda went unchallenged for years and though I don't agree with anything Steve or the Preacher have to say at least they are trying to make a difference.
ReplyDeleteTake the politics out of the Board of Education, seems easier said than done.
ReplyDeleteMany BOE members are just concerned with their agendas, and not the big picture. There are many schools that have been performing, despite the challenges that NPS has put before them. However, there's so much mistrust, and back stabbing on the BOE that they can't get any meaningful work done. I had high hopes for Dr. Marks, but it hasn't been her time. We needed someone who was going to stand up to the BOE members and fight for what NPS needed. That's clearly not her style, and that's fine, but that's not what Norwalk needs. Also, community members and unions have been manipulating and bullying the Supt. We need someone who is going to fight the City, BOE, community and unions for the future of our schools and our kids. We need a balance of collaboration and strong management - straight collaboration in Norwalk is not working.
We need to revisit the City Charter and figure out a better way to oversee, or elect, BOE members. And we need a Superintendent who can stand up to BOE and fight for our schools. Lastly, a clear vision for NPS so we know what our tax dollars are funding.
Any ideas on how to achieve this?
The Six Enemies of Greatness (and Happiness)
ReplyDeleteThese six factors can erode the grandest of plans and the noblest of intentions. They can turn visionaries into paper-pushers and wide-eyed dreamers into shivering, weeping balls of regret. Beware!
1) Availability
We often settle for what’s available, and what’s available isn’t always great. “Because it was there,” is an okay reason to climb a mountain, but not a very good reason to take a job or a free sample at the supermarket.
And sadly, we'll never know everything.
2) Ignorance
If we don’t know how to make something great, we simply won’t. If we don’t know that greatness is possible, we won’t bother attempting it. All too often, we literally do not know any better than good enough.
3) Committees
Nothing destroys a good idea faster than a mandatory consensus. The lowest common denominator is never a high standard.
4) Comfort
Why pursue greatness when you’ve already got 324 channels and a recliner? Pass the dip and forget about your grand designs.
5) Momentum
If you’ve been doing what you’re doing for years and it’s not-so-great, you are in a rut. Many people refer to these ruts as careers.
6) Passivity
There’s a difference between being agreeable and agreeing to everything. Trust the little internal voice that tells you, “this is a bad idea.”
It's hard to lump Haynie, Colarossi and Kassimis together. I don't think that any one who voted for that slate 3 years ago thought that they would blindly support an ineffective superintendent. But that's been Haynie's m.o. She even blames Board of Ed members for Marks' mistakes. Colarossi complained about the budget and how it was prepared. Seems like he was on to something.
ReplyDeleteKassimis has been active and seems to be a sensible Board of Ed member.
If you want to look at the problems, look at who has been leading the Board of Ed for 3 years. It's been the Mayor's choice and I think that's the biggest problem.
You are right about one thing...hard to lump Haynie, Colarossi and Kassimis together.
ReplyDeleteHaynie is the only one that is trying to build a coalition to improve a failing school district.
Colarossi is the COMMITTEE LOOKING FOR the lowest common denominator. His sidekick "Artie the Party" is the one agreeing with everything and not trusting his internal voice that says "this is a bad idea" or maybe he just doesn't have any of his own ideas.
Susan Marks is not a super hero and is not going to be able to fix everything in one year. She has made some small changes but with a thug running the teachers union and useless staff like Dadonna things are going to take time.
The mayor is not in charge of the school budget or the curriculum or anything else that directly effects our school.
What spin! I'm dizzy.
ReplyDeleteNo one expects Supt. Marks to be a superhero- just a leader. She hasn't been.
Kassimis is independent- he's voted against appointments when proper process wasn't followed. That's the type of board member we want- someone who listens to his conscience. He doesn't bow to public pressure to "go along to get along" with the Superintendent.
Colarossi has been outspoken about lousy financial practices. He got tarred and feathered by The Hour last year for it. I've said it before- there are times when he gets a little too prickly, but he's been right about lack of financial oversight.
As for Daddona, Supt Marks recommended that his contract be extended after she evaluated him. If he's a problem, then some blame goes to her for keeping him.
It's easy to bash the unions. But what have any of them stopped Marks from doing? She could have told them there was no money to hire more teachers last summer. Instead, she caved and look what happened- a deficit.
I do agree that consensus causes Board of Ed problems. But how do you blame two of the members who vote against the majority the most (except for Rivas) for that problem? Turn your attention to what really happens at meetings.
I don't know who Parents Not Policians are but the names above can not be lumped together. I like Mr. Kassimis; he is independent and votes according to what he believes is right for the district and students. Mr. Colarossi is like a bull in a china shop but he is right most of the time. Ms. Haynie, on the other hand, has blindly supported the Superintendent. She is brainless! I attended the last budget meeting in June of 2011 and was embarrassed for Ms. Haynie. After every vote she quickly responded with "That was also on the Superintendent's list". She should resign! She adds nothing to BOE and is a colossal failure as a board member.
ReplyDelete9:58,what are you talking about? Marks is not even close to being a leader, let alone a super hero. Staff like Daddona? Sorry, but you have him wrong too. He's not the bad guy. Now Haynie is a different story. Haynie is the one who needs to go. She has no background in education, yet thinks she knows everything. She has been one of the few who have destroyed what was left of the system after Corda. Let her move out of Norwalk to Westport, Wilton or Weston and watch how she gets laughed out of town! Remember the fairytale evil queen and her poisonous apples? Guess what? We have That fairytale being played out right here in Norwalk. This city will not see happily ever after until the apples have been removed.
ReplyDeletePeople, you really need to get a grip. Education costs are out of control. Less than 20% of the town uses the school system and those that can afford supplement with after school enrichment or tutoring. The remaining 80% who don't have school age children are tired of seeing their taxes go up year after year to pay for better pension and healthcare benefits than they have.
ReplyDelete1:19 you can speak in metaphors all you want regarding the apples, but the budget allocations and the willingness or ability to pay are out of sinc with the community.
The community had better sit up and take notice. Your home values are deeply affected by the school system. Those 80% of you need to realize that there are power hungry people destroying the value of your homes by destroying the school system. Pensions and health benefits are paid by every district. New York teachers get pensions AND lifetime health benefits, so don't complain about Norwalk. It's about your homes! Will anyone want to move here knowing that there is no leadership in the school system and the void is being filled by people who have no idea about educational practices? Would you go to any type of professional for advice if he/she didn't have a degree in his/her specialty? If your answer is yes, I'll be glad to yank that tooth that is giving you a problem for a fraction of the professional's cost...
ReplyDelete3:12 - double check your facts about teacher pensions. I believe pensions are a shared cost between the teacher and the state, not local communities.
ReplyDeleteThe belief that the slate of candidates ran as parents and not politicians is funny - as soon as one declares their candidacy and aligns themselves with a particular party they become politicians. It's the nature of the beast.
Were I a teacher in Norwalk the first step I might take is looking at new union leadership. I believe in unions but based on what I've read it's time for a change.
It seems to me all the "stakeholders" are guilty. How refreshing would it be to have any of them stand up and say, "Wow this is hard. I've done a lousy job but if we can all get on the same page and figure out a way to work together I'm confident we can bring Norwalk public schools back."
I didn't vote for the Parents Not Politicians slate because they had a number of typos on their website. If they aren't willing to "cross their t's and dot their i's" prior to getting elected how can we expect them to oversee our educational system?
ReplyDeleteI am sorry for voting for Parent Not Politicians. I am a parent of a student in this district and I am now selling my house my house to get out of this failing district. I have some questions for Steve C:
DeleteDo you know that some secretaries in the CO are getting paid stipends?
Do you realize that Columbus have 13 buses with 7-10 students on them because parents are afraid to put their child on buses?
Have you checked into the CMT test scores of Columbus recently? The "Bank Street" method is not working. They have very low test scores, but they have a teacher and a "
Teacher's Assistant" in every classroom and they have benefits. They do nothing else than any other Kindergarten and First Grade Aide does.
Why do elementary schools with very low enrollment have an
Assistant Principal. Is it because the Principal cannot do their job and earn so much money?
Why do two middle schools have two Assistant Principals? All of the middle schools have In-School suspension aides who have their rooms filled a majority of every week. They also have Intervention Aides. These are a few things that you should look into.
Sorry,
DeleteI am selling my house not two! Columbus has 13 buses.
It is easy to make mistakes on mobile devices. The message is what counts.
DeleteWhy is one Board of Ed member responsible for Columbus? It was begun long before Steve C. got on the Board of Education.
ReplyDeleteMy children attend CMS and I know that it has given them an education that is unique for Norwalk. CMS works for families whose children need a different approach to learning. CMS students when they arrive at Middle School have some of the best CMT scores. So that proves the Bank Street model works well.
It is a selling point for realtors when families are thinking about moving to Norwalk. Children from all over Norwalk come to our school. That's why there are so many buses.
Did it ever occur to you that it takes a caring parent to enter their child in a lottery for CMS? Research shows caring parents produce students who achieve. Q.E.D. Columbus students should be doing much better on test scores than any other school. The argument still remains; Why don't the test scores reflect the select population in the school?
DeleteFor all the Steve haters . . . weren't you the ones who complained about him before. You cried when grilled the CO administration about the budget. Right? You insisted that he roll over and support Susan Marks' ridiculous budget cuts last year- right? When he didn't, you complained that he was "unfair".
ReplyDeleteThe only thing that's consistent with the haters is that none of you will ever hold Susan Marks accountable.
YES! Well said, 10:51.
ReplyDelete10.51 that where I think you are wrong. This blog seems to have been set up for the Marks and apple haters. And while marks is no Rhee, she at least got rid of the HR and previous COO and Norwalk High principal.
ReplyDeleteShe's raised her hand to volunteer Norwalk to be a pilot district for evaluations for the principals and teachers.
Not a lot any superintendent can do until the legislative laws of accountability kick in. You want get rid of Marks and then have Mellion bankrupt a town he doesn't even live in!
Let's get something straight. The previous COO left because he wanted to leave. She did NOT want him to leave. The Norwalk High principal is retiring. If he was asked to leave, he was evaluated by the Assistant Superintendent for years, so give him credit, not Marks. It takes years of writing someone up to get rid of them. Yes, she raised her hand to have Norwalk pilot an evaluation program it can't afford! Finally, if Marks leaves, Melion will bankrupt the town? I don't even know where to start with that one! Marks is trying to bankrupt the town by creating jobs for her friends. Melion has been around for a very long time under many superintendents. He is not responsible for the economy or for the millions that the CO has overspent. Your arguments make no sense! .I could go on, but it isn't worth it.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that, 6:44 AM.
ReplyDeleteSupt. Marks defended Dr. Dan Cook, even when loads of mistakes were found in the budget. You know why, right? It was the Stamford connection, courtesy of Interim Supt. Mike Nast and his cronies in Norwalk. Nast made sure to protect all his friends (like Ruotolo) before he got out of town.
Do any of you think that Dr. Marks got rid of Fay Ruotolo on her own? That was one of the few things that Haynie and Colarossi agreed on.
The Superintendent can do a lot- this one chooses not to.