Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Your Turn
This is an open topic for those who want to post. All topics, comments and breaking news about the NPS are welcome. I will not delete unless there is spam, profanity, advertising, or the like. My purpose is not to judge, but to provide a space for your opinions. A good old fashioned argument arising from differences of opinion is perfectly fine. We are adults and we should be able to defend ourselves if the truth is misrepresented. Having said that, I am not responsible for the opinions of others.
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When it was established in 1916 most Americans must have thought that it was insane. However, now with 397 areas and 84 million acres the 250 million plus visitors can appreciate that it was established. Though the annual budget of $3.14 billion might seem rather large it does employ 22,000 employees and over 221,000 volunteers. The arrowhead emblem was authorized by the Secretary of Interior in 1951.
ReplyDeleteNPS...We are being asked to comment about the National Park Service...correct?
In 2007, she broadened her efforts to include the K-12 educational sector, initially as a parent, then as a professional consultant, and finally as an advocate for reform.
ReplyDeleteThis is a quote from Lisa T's Bio. Did we pay her for consulting in Norwalk?
5:52am - layoff already. Focus on what is happening at
Deletethis moment - and stop riding Lisa's a..
Just like she lays off teachers and administrators? She doesn't appear to ha e qualifications. Shouldn't people know that? Aren't we allowed to evaluate the person who is advising the superintendent and who is pushing for evaluations, etc.?
DeleteWhy are evaluations a bad thing? The qualified=$10 million in the red for next year.
DeleteNo one said evaluations are a bad thing. Teachers and administrators ARE evaluated yearly, at least that is what I'm told by middle and high school people. You would have to ask the former Director of ElementaryEducation if she competed her evaluations. I don"t know that. As.for the 10 million in the red, that is not accurate. The city is forcing 5 million in cuts for next year. That is not being in the red. Those are cuts to be made for NEXT year's budget.The insurance is in the red, but that was directly under the superintendent's responsibility. So if you are speaking to evaluations, yes, the superintendent needs to be evaluated for that.
DeleteIts not like NPS every fires anyone for cause...who care about evaluations:)
DeleteI guarantee that people, teachers and administrators, have been asked to resign before they got fired. They resigned. That kind of information is never made public.
Deleteand that is a bad thing.... sometimes you have great people in the wrong jobs and they need to go. Evaluations would at least level the playing field and set expectations on all sides.
DeleteTeachers ARE evaluated. Students ARE evaluated. Even Susan Marks is evaluated. Administrators ARE NOT evaluated at this time. If they were we would be looking for at least three NEW principals for MS for Roton, Ponus and West Rocks.
DeleteLast night's BOE meeting did not disappoint. I find it interesting that the BOE looking at a $10 million dollar deficiency next year is adding a Kindergarten class that is more expensive to run and does not reduce teacher head count from ANY OF the other schools. “You have some Splaining to do!” How are we going to reduce the budget? TICK TOCK.
ReplyDeleteWhat about the Preacher last night at the BOE meeting. Was he asleep during Sue's explanation of the State pilot program for teacher evaluations. Sue explained it, Susan Marks explained it, and he still got it wrong. This was obvious with the BOE spectators all yelled NOOOOOO in response to purchasing new computer software. We are in BIG trouble if this group is in charge of figuring out how to fix the 6+ million dollar budget gap.
ReplyDeleteMr. Kassimis responded to the point that the state is not guaranteeing that it will pay for the new computer system that will be needed. The state is only promising that it will "point to and/or provide". Guess what- that means that Norwalk could have another bill to pay. Good work Artie Kassimis for picking up on this.
DeleteIs Sue our new superintendent? Why was she explaining the state's evaluation model? That's a first for Norwalk.Usually the superintendent is in charge of all of that.
DeleteWe all hear that the state said it would "point to and/or provide". The preacher thought that NPS was on the hook to purchase a computer system....and we are not. Looks like you were sleeping too. Didn't you hear everyone yell out nooooooo not thank you good job.
DeleteSue is explaining the evaluation system because it is a BOE meeting and she is on the BOE. When questions came up to clarify Susan Marks answered.
DeleteI applaud the preacher for double checking on the comment "point to or provide". That's typical double talk from the state. Then before you know it we are paying for a computer system that was not budgeted for because everyone else was sleeping!!!
DeleteThat in depth answer was sufficient for you??? You think the BOE really knows what the policy is?
DeleteSusan Marks said we MIGHT have to purchase some type of software that wouldn't be very expensive.
Mike Lyons said no that even if the state pointed to something, we wouldn't have to purchase it THIS YEAR.
I think both of the answers were knee jerk reactions/guesses. I agree that Kassimis was sleeping and really wasn't following the discussion. At least he appeared to be confused.
It is the lack of understanding that has created the financial crisis that we are in.
Given the lack of clarity in many of the attacks here, and having actually been at the Tuesday, May 1 BoE meeting and read the information about the pilot evaluation program, I'd like to ease some concerns voiced here.
DeleteThe materials from the state indicate that the "Regional Educational Service Center" will "provide and/or identify an on-line data management system that integrates data from educator observations, student performances and feedback" . The same materials direct that the participating board of education must "collect and submit data" and "maintain records" for the project.
The local board of education's duties are not conditioned upon the regional agency's providing the database management tools.
It stands to reason that if Norwalk participates, Norwalk MUST collect data. However, neither the state nor the regional educational service center is obligated to provide the data management system. THEREFORE, IF WE PARTICIPATE WE WOULD BE OBLIGATED TO CREATE A DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IF ONE IS NOT PROVIDED. In any event we will bear the full cost of maintaining the system that will track our 11,000 students and their teachers.
The actual application requires the participating board of education to "commit to full engagement in this project". Consequently, that would mean collecting and providing the data (and paying for the system to do so) even if it isn't paid for by the state or regional group.
There are lots of reasons to want Norwalk to participate in the pilot program. However, it is legitimate to question if there are costs associated with participating that could fall on the shoulders of our taxpayers.
Speaking of a.... why isn't anyone riding Steve's? Large and in charge of the finance committee!
ReplyDeleteSteve is just one guy - and for what I see he is doing more the Jack! The board should be working together and not placing the burden on just one individual. We need to hold them accountable on that too, the city should request for them to resign their seats - this is unexceptable.
DeleteIt is apparent from reading all of these posts the only thing that you people can agree on is that their needs to be a BOE evaluation on a** riding.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's time to ask why the Chairman of the BOE didn't defend their work in reviewing the budget.
ReplyDeleteLast I checked he voted for it and he's on the Finance Committee too.
Please - Jack sits and listens to Steve and has little to nothing to add to any of Steve's responses. He does not drive the bus, he just rides it. Steve should of been the Chair from the beginning
DeleteSO Columbus school got what they wanted to the tune of 150,000 for one teacher and aid and benefits. Thought this would not pass guess we know who the favorites are. As in the past when all the assistant principals were hired and the K aides were all cut from 27 1/2 hours to 25 hours except Columbus aides again they got what they wanted. Where is the fairness in this. The other schools do a better job and they have to suffer.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why Columbus always gets what they want. Their CMT scores are very low and there is no difference in their student's academic skills when they get to the middle schools. Why isn't anyone on the Board looking at this? They have a teacher and teacher's assistant (aide no different than any other aide in the district)in every classroom. The aides also get benefits and no other aide in the district get benefits. Yes, I guess this is one of the favorites! This district is in deep trouble and someone(maybe the State Dept of Education)needs to step in quickly!
DeleteColumbus DIDN'T get what it wanted. They wanted their 17 classes which included 17 classes. What they got was 16 classes. They LOST a class. They could of kept things as they now are with only 2 kindergarten classes or they can REDUCE either the first or second grade to 2 classes instead of three , and move that class as the third kindergarten class. Their choice.
DeleteHonestly,I've never seen such a bunch of know it alls than on this site. If you know better, then run for the BOE. Quite frankly it seems this site is run by Bruce Mellon-head & Co.
This 'know it all' would like to know how a 3rd K class makes sense. Doesn't that mean that next year there would be a third first grade...and so on and so on....? I hope you will forgive me for asking questions. I am a different person from the one who posted above. I hope you won't 'flame' at me for asking.
DeleteEqual opportunity time, Sue Haynie, who explains curriculum and evaluation, has the following credentials:
ReplyDeleteCharter Oak State College
Parsons School of Design
University of Nevada
University of San Diego
And that's according to Linked In as well, unless I got the wrong Sue Haynie, realtor and chef.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Nice to know we have another self proclaimed expert dictating curriculum and evaluations.
Sue, could you let us know if this linked In reference is you and what degrees you attained at all of those schools?
Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe it is the state that is driving the need for a better evaluation process not Haynie and Thomson. What's the old saying? Me thinks you doth protest too much. Now that we all know that principals haven't been evaluated or rated since before Corda it is easy to understand the resistance by someone who is obviously one of them. Who could you be?
ReplyDeleteI just don't like or appreciate the lies. Administrators have been evaluated since before Corda and after. There are even administrators who have been asked to resign or who would have been fired. Lies, lies and more lies are piling up! I am not objecting to evaluations! Please read my post more carefully.
ReplyDeleteWhat everyone seems to be missing in the discussion about the state driven evaluations is that Norwalk has always evaluated teachers and administrators, but additional indicators have been added. The state is adding to evaluations, not providing evaluations because they never existed. The added indicators include test scores. I believe that the objections here are the false statements by at least one of these women that evaluations never existed and LO AND BEHOLD 'they' are here to remedy the problem. Just not true. THEY are not saving the Norwalk Public Schools, neither is the superintendent. This is a federally driven initiative and the SDE is complying. I believe the superintendent needed to explain that point and not turn to Board members for their so called 'expertise.'
ReplyDeleteWhere is Mr. Colarossi's audit report to the Board of Education members concerning the situation at Norwalk High School: Lenny Mecca, auditors, and the Student Activity Account? Don't they deserve to know about this financial debacle? Why has he kept this information from the public?
ReplyDeleteYou've got my interest! Steve?
DeleteI am not the auditor for the school department. The Policy Committee did start a review of how we would improve accounting procedures involving student activity accounts. We had a public discussion last Tuesday; it was on our agenda.
DeleteDid you have a private discussion with the board about Lenny Mecca spending money from the student activity accounts? Did the audit verify inappropriate spending? The audit was done weeks ago--why are you stalling? Why haven't you been transparent about this issue? This man retires in eight weeks. The only reason you are examining the accounting procedures is because of what has transpired at NHS.
DeleteI believe you are a good guy, Steve. Do not get caught up in the politics of this issue. A wrong was committed, which has negatively impacted the staff, students, and parents at NHS. Do the right thing. Transparency is NEEDED NOW before this guy retires....
Rowayton needs to extract itself from Norwalk and be done with all this garbage. Free Rowayton!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteFine! Just remember all the state and federal grants will not follow you. They are targeted to areas in need. Also, you get to keep the Board members who are power hungry. Best of luck to you! :)
ReplyDeleteWe'll pass on the state/federal grants and keep the Board members if it means we can get rid of those vile pods.
ReplyDeleteNo one is mentioning the usual end of year deficit in Special Education. The out of district placements that Karen court ordered typically cause a problem at the end of the school year, or at least they have in the past several years. Is there a problem this year or not?
ReplyDeleteSorry for the typo.....that was not 'karen' but supposed to be 'are court ordered.'
DeleteYes. I believe it is a million+.
DeleteSo that 1 million has to be added to the 4 million deficit?
ReplyDeleteI hear attending a BoE meeting is really telling regarding how the two parties interact. If a certain minority member brings up a question, the Republicans on the Board whisper and make faces. The questions are good ones, but the 'know it alls' appear to have no tolerance. What's with that?
ReplyDeleteYes, the 1 million + is added to the 4, which is then added to the 5. The total is an astronomical amount of money. Unless the city steps in, I do not know how the board will reconcile the budget.
ReplyDeleteIt really quite simple. The city will bail them out because they have no choice. What will be a huge problem is if the city doesn't demand direct oversight of the budget at that point. It would allow the inmates to continue to run the asylum.
ReplyDeleteThe buck stops at the superintendent's desk. The community allows for this lack of leadership and the intolerance shown at the Board level. When will the community organize and say enough is enough. Everyone can complain and point fingers as much as they want, but no one is willing to organize. Shame on the community! Shame on everyone reading this! Organize so that your feelings are made known. At least picket city hall! Want a name? Call yourselves 'Leadership for Education NOW!
ReplyDeleteGo for it. That's the only way you will see change! I promise you it will work.
The Nathan Hale racially segregated classes have finally been stopped. It sure took a long time for that to happen. What I'm wondering is whether the superintendent will write up the principal for this. I doubt it. It's one of her favorite administrators. I hope the Board sees the preferential treatment of her favorites.
ReplyDeleteNow those kids who were getting extra help will fall further behind. You people are so sad and care nothing for the next generation. Pathetic!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right. 'We people care nothing for the next generation'....not the federal government, the State Department of Education.....' Are you aware these classes are illegal? Are you aware Special Education had issues with these classes? Are you aware all of our grants were in jeopardy because of this illegal grouping of students? Are you aware that we no longer live in the 50's and racially segregate people? Does it matter to you that research does NOT support this practice? Or did you just want these kids out of your kids' classrooms, because I can think of no other reason for you to object to an illegal practice!
ReplyDeleteNEWS..........NEWS........NEWS..........NEWS........NEWS
ReplyDeleteThe former Director Of Elementary Education lost her grievance. Surprise!
She was found to be NOT qualified for the Director of IT position.
So how long do you think it will take for the superintendent to create another job for her? Taking bets...
If the BET meets Monday night to decide on the Board of Education's money, won't they cut it by the bailout?
ReplyDeleteThere's plenty of blame to go around. But why should our children suffer?
I am the only parent who is afraid of what will happen to our kids if money is cut?
ReplyDeleteLooks like everyone thinks it is out of their hands. We'll have to wait and see what happens...
Delete