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RONALD M GOLDWYN April 16, 2013 at 02:33 pm
I'm glad that I checked with Patch prior to attending Cafe Atlantique this morning. Please tell us…Read More ASAP when we can meet with our Supt. of Schools.
Gary Jeanfaivre (Editor) April 15, 2013 at 09:15 pm
Due to a scheduling conflict on our part, tomorrow's office hours have been postponed to a date…Read More uncertain. We'll let you know the new date as soon as possible.
John Pasnau March 28, 2013 at 03:15 pm
"He and his wife Kathleen, and their three children, live in Greenwich."
Nope, working in…Read More your home town and not having I95 in your daily life might be part of the consideration too. Being at kids events and games, 2 hours a day of life back into the usable column. Many factors go into choices like this one.
John Pasnau March 26, 2013 at 07:55 pm
"More expansive evaluations of administrators will be mandated by the State of Connecticut…Read More beginning in Fall 2013".
Change the word "expansive" to "expensive". Just one more way the State has to drain dollars from the classroom and spend them on government drones counting beans and writing reports. Typical of Government in the 21st century. Do anything that creates more government jobs. I wonder how much fulfilling state mandates costs the Milford Schools. How much does the state "give" us in "grants"? Is it time to tell them to take their mandates and grants elsewhere?
Ed March 26, 2013 at 06:58 pm
Hal...I have kids across all the schools...elementary to high school and from the feedback I've…Read More received, the quality of teachers has changed....I was a bit critical to general in my earlier comment because there are still good teachers out there, but there are also a lot of lackluster ones. Perhaps they simply don't care anymore or are tired from all the changes, in either case, they all affect the quality of education my kids, and am sure others, are receiving.
Hal DePino March 26, 2013 at 06:50 pm
@Ed - this article and those percentages are for the Principals' evaluation. Teachers have a…Read More different set of measures. This has been coming down the pike for a long time. It's a good thing to have set standards to measure by so that, as someone else mentioned, bad teachers and administrators can be asked to move on. It's all state mandated, but I don't see the unions going anywhere anytime soon.
Ed May 6, 2013 at 05:06 pm
Hal...I'm not about to compete with you on this because this is not about you are me, but about our…Read More children. There is an obvious difference between the two of us on what is acceptable. You are welcome to your acceptance of this solution, but I am not quite as receptive. If you feel offended by my position, that is your problem and not mine. There is bigger fish to fry here...
Hal DePino May 6, 2013 at 04:17 pm
@Ed - I will point to this comment you made this morning:
"the first thing we need to do is…Read More assess all the schools and find out what needs to be addressed to strengthen the school. Once that is done, we would need to see what is out there that can provide a solution in addressing the vulnerabilities that exists at some of the buildings. "
The first thing "WE" need to do? You say that as if the district has been sitting on its you know what when in reality the safety assessment team - again, a panel of experts and those charged with running our school system - has been meeting weekly since Sandy Hook. They have assessed and continue to assess. As I said, they have reviewed the measures that have been in place a long time, have shored up what needs to be shored up and have plans for enhancements based on those assessments and what their experts are suggestions. How do I know all this? Because I have had a discussion with both principals at the schools my children attend. I sat through a meeting last week that was over 3 hours long. I feel my children are very safe in our schools and I trust those in charge to be on top of this.
Ed May 6, 2013 at 01:00 pm
Sandra....this will by last exchange...if you read my posts, I do not ridicule anyone...I'm sorry if…Read More you take it personally. I only have a desire to protect my kids. I gain no satisfaction by mocking anyone and if you look at the posts, unless someone attacks me personally, then I respond.
I do not believe bringing SROs into schools and am voicing my view against that decision and not against you or Mr. DePino personally.
David Chesler March 21, 2013 at 01:45 pm
By bundling this all under "We had a hurricane and a blizzard" we can't evaluate a bunch…Read More of proposals separately.
- Some days it's a question of the classrooms being uncomfortably warm. (Late June, early September.)
- Some days it's a question of continuity or parents' work schedules. (Half days, breaks, holidays that most employers don't have.)
- Some days it's a question of how best to honor that which the holiday is supposed to honor. (Veteran's Day. Some holidays are more about somber remembering, for others the joyous celebration is how we are supposed to commemorate the happy event. I get calendars from foreign branch offices with holidays like "Spring Holiday".)
- Some days it is a question about how and how much to accommodate some people. (religious holidays.)
- Some days it is a question of safety (Election Day, the morning decision to close for weather).
thathouse March 21, 2013 at 01:28 pm
I don't know about everyone else but we used to start AFTER Labor Day. I just don't understand…Read More having them go to school for one and a half days and then being out. Start after Labor Day. As for being in school on holidays, I don't see a problem with that. Now this next statement will probably get me in trouble with someone, but why not use those days as a day to teach the kids WHY people celebrate those days? Teach them what the Vets have done for us? By being home they're not going to learn anything about why they're off.
Hal DePino March 8, 2013 at 05:40 pm
It's not so much the busses driving as it is kids standing on the side of the road in less than…Read More optimal driving conditions. I bet you'd be the first to sue the school system if your kid was hit by a car or plow while standing on the side of the road waiting for the bus. There is way more than 4 inches of show out there. Ane here we go again with the plows. Can't all be first.
RONALD M GOLDWYN February 28, 2013 at 09:41 pm
Many Milford residents have made comment on this incident in a prior article. Those who know the…Read More student involved stated that he is still a child and should be treated as such. The above letter states to all that he will receive JUSTICE fitting his being a teenager. I draw no conclusions at this time and I'm sure the system will also give justice to the victims of the assault but not in the public arena.
Myra Healy March 5, 2013 at 01:35 pm
Thank you for reminding people about the importance of reading and talking with young children;…Read More singing and talking about family life ( describing what is for supper, etc.) Read to Grow provides free new and gently used books to children of all ages .
Families can apply inline at www.readtogrow.org. There is a family application and a program application. The most important thing one can do for children is to provide books to them so they have a healthy supply of books to practice their reading skills and to have good bonding time with parents and siblings as stories are read together. M Healy Project Coordinator, RTG
Joseph C Moore, USN Ret February 28, 2013 at 03:41 pm
Excellent advice. Greatly underestimated value to the child in this hurried, frantic world.
Carol Nardini February 17, 2013 at 06:38 pm
I don't agree. Students need a break after being in school all day. A period of recreation,…Read More preferably physical, would be better than starting homework right away. This solution worked for this student, but not for all.
Juan Black February 15, 2013 at 06:43 pm
The Chief and the Mayor need to get on the same page! Seriously
The Mayor is having City payloaders…Read More move the snow from the streets and place 15ft
walls of snow on homeowners sidewalks! AS WE SPEAK!
Steven Petti February 14, 2013 at 08:55 pm
Good to see volunteers getting into the spirit of things by shoveling sidewalks! Seriously…Read More people...every year there are sidewalks that go on uncleared through EVERY STORM! If you're a homeowner, and there's a sidewalk in front of your house...CLEAR IT! It's a fairly simple concept to grasp.
Now, if you find that you're the sedentary type and you have no interest (or are physically unable) to shovel...THEN HIRE SOMEONE!
Ed P. February 19, 2013 at 12:18 am
Alex said: "I'm not sure I'm following your logic. I wasn't bragging about my sexual history.…Read More You, on the other hand, were touting your business savvy, which seems to warrant my request for additional information. Your request is perverse and completely inappropriate. I'd try to have it taken down, though I certainly won't be doing you that favor".
You want some help Little Alex? here ya go....
NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS WHO I AM OR WHERE MY FAMILY LIVES OR WORKS!.
YOUR request is perverse and completely inappropriate ....to ME.
Go stalk someone else.
Alex February 18, 2013 at 11:47 pm
I'm not sure I'm following your logic. I wasn't bragging about my sexual history. You, on the…Read More other hand, were touting your business savvy, which seems to warrant my request for additional information. Your request is perverse and completely inappropriate. I'd try to have it taken down, though I certainly won't be doing you that favor.
Michael Nelson February 13, 2013 at 05:36 pm
Lastly, I hope "we" as a town (and as a nation) develop a Government that rewards merit…Read More and effort, not necessarily longevity, with the ability to say, "No thanks, I don't need that extra $" because next year, we won't be automatically penalized because we turned money down. A good example would be for the Board to publish a "what-if" budget, if they were forced to *cut* 5% of their budget, honoring the current fiscal situation that faces the nation, state and inevitably the town and its citizens.
I had an example put before me in college. Math, scored outstanding. Reading/writing scored poorly, small pieces of the budget went to arts, sports, etc. Now cut half the budget. We all took money from math and threw it at reading/writing. All of us did, in our mock budgets. As individuals, we all agrees to financially punish the math dept and reward the Eng dept. Whoops.
Keep pumping good kids out of the school system and I'm sure you'll get whatever you need to continue doing so.
Michael Nelson February 13, 2013 at 05:29 pm
Page 17 - aah, some meat. Which expenditures are new? What costs, if any, are increases from past…Read More years, and to what %? Between books, computers, etc and development, should we reasonably assume $628k is a deal? The norm? On the high side of what other localities are spending?
Page 18 - costs seem relatively inexpensive. Are these full timers? What are their roles/responsibilities? For the cafe personnel, how will this affect my kid's nutrition, or is this for safety or.. I don't know - food delivery?
Page 19 - I can appreciate the need for a behaviorist, transportation and sports, no matter of some people this less or more, different, etc.
Page 21 - I personally have a beef with "greeters" but I'll let the current ebb and flow of public opinion take my money there. (What, no greeters on buses? How about armed protection for school bus stops? Where's the line again?)
Page 32 - I really am a simpleton. How does a $1.3M increase and $1.3M decrease equate to a 2.x% rise in the budget?
Slides 34-35 - I have no business complaining about any of the numbers in specific, but man, that's a lot of money to play around with. I realize some kids aren't Ivy League bound, no matter how great or well paid the teacher is. I realize making a kid *want* to learn requires more out-of-the-box thinking and less lectures, quizzes, tests, etc.
Michael Nelson February 13, 2013 at 05:11 pm
Page 10 - the CCSS "fundamental shift in instructional approach" will affect the lesson…Read More plans how? Different books? Reading different chapters? More or less homework? Does this fundamental shift require additional staff for the teachers?
Page 11 - awesome - more aligned with college and work expectations. How? In which industries or companies has the Board been in communication to determine which educational processes or policies?
Page 11 - I guess I'm wondering how the CCSS system applies to this budget document, not just stating what the CCSS is or does.
Page 12 - I assume this is an 80,000ft view set of statements because I have no idea how new evaluation plans, replacing old evaluation plans, is represented in the budget. Or how the student's growth or performance is valuated and tracked.
Page 13 - properly trained teachers make for better educated students. Well done!
Page 14 - please help me identify what a high-quality teacher is. The fact this is a budget document, I assume we're talking about teachers that are well paid? How does this statement protect my kid from being put in a class with a tenured Dr pulling down a large salary but with waning enthusiasm?
Page 15 - safety, the 4th.
Bathroom Graffiti Leads to Police at East Shore
4 Recommend Ryan Sartor (Editor)