How Can Milford Improve Its Schools?

There's always room for improvement, you might remember a teacher saying.

And with the district's 2013 Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) scores showing a decline in 15 of 20 grade/subject areas -- including a 4.5 percentage point drop in sixth-grade reading -- the saying holds water in Milford.


Milford school officials are "troubled" with the results, according to a report in the Milford Mirror, and plan to suss out the scores at a Sept. 23 meeting.

In the meantime, a school board candidate is bashing the city body he is seeking a spot on.

"You’d never know there was a problem when attending Board of Education meetings," Tom Jagodzinski wrote in a letter to the editor. "This year there hasn’t been a single substantive discussion of school performance or spending."

As we await the discussions of Sept. 23, Milford Patch on Tuesday asked fans of its Facebook page this simple question: How would you like to see Milford Public Schools improved?

Here are some of the ideas proposed (not all relate to the CMT scores):

Greyson Schwing: I would like to see members of the Board of Education actually have Education Experience.

Suzanne Besaw Doyle: Stop spending valuable class time on mastery test improvements and offer richer curriculum. Offer more sports and social activities especially in middle schools.

Alan Robbins: Cut out winter and spring breaks. To(o) many days off. For example, labor day, they should have schools open and learn what Labor Day is all about. That goes for the other holidays also. They should also have a longer school day!

John Pasnau: Go to a 48 week school year. Open at 6 am. Close at 6 pm. The reason for summer vacation was so kids could be home to work on the farm during the growing season. The reason school starts so late and ends so early is so kids could get home to the farm for chores. Milford kids don't live on farms any more. Parents aren't home working on farms any more. Parents, usually both, GO to work, usually before school starts. Parents usually come home from work after school closes. It's about time we get the school year and day back in sync with reality.

Gary Tobin: Stop the school system from eliminating parent involvement. Let the educators educate. Eliminate the politicians and politics from the education system. These steps would certainly leap frog the Milford Education System on to the recovery track. "It's All About The Kids"

Add your thoughts/ideas in the comments below.