School Choice
Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 76, section 12B, paragraph d

(d) Each city, town or regional school district shall enroll non-resident students at the school of such non-resident student's choice; provided, however, that such receiving district has seats available as stated in said report; provided, however, that this obligation to enroll non-resident students shall not apply to a district for a school year in which its school committee, prior to June first, after a public hearing, adopts a resolution withdrawing from said obligation, for the school year beginning the following September. Any such resolution of a school committee shall state the reasons therefor, and such resolution with said reasons shall be filed with the department of education; provided, however, that said department shall have no power to review any such decision by a school committee. If the city, town or regional school district operates an intra-district choice plan, non-resident students may apply for schools on the same basis as resident students, but the intra-district choice plan may give preference to resident students in assigning students to schools.

Jeff Bennett

Perhaps it is time for the Narragansett Regional School Committee to stop the buying and selling of kids. Time to stop using kids as a commodity. Time to stop using them as pawns to fund their budgets. If you do not think this is a problem, if you do not feel this is big business, I would suggest you look at the NRHS budget document, page4, under funding sources, school choice; $1,064,330.00. The school committee simply has to vote to not accept or to opt out of school choice and the district can stop this practice.

 They then can concentrate on providing a good basic education to the kids of the district, as in the towns of Templeton and Phillipston. As a community that recently voted to take on a 50 million dollar debt load for a new school, I think we should figure out how to fund it, how to have a balanced budget and how to live within it, without robbing kids from other towns to do it. If you think about it for a moment, to take or accept children from outside the district, you should have room or capacity for these "extra" kids, which means if you did not take those kids in, you would have fewer children in the classroom, a smaller child to teacher ratio. I believe in the past, we have been told that fewer children in the classroom equals more time with the teacher for each student and that is suppose to be a good thing. I would think teachers and administrators would be all in for smaller class size. Of course if you have 800 students rather than 1200, it gets kind of hard to justify such a large administrative work force. I am putting that question at the top of my list for any school committee candidates that show up for candidates night.

Jeff Bennett

Candidates Night at the Kamaloht, on Thursday, April 28th at 6:30 P.M.
See you there.

Reading a recent article in the Gardner News, it appears some members of the building committee may have slept during past meetings. Selectmen Haley Brooks could be one of them; Haley Brooks voiced concern about people flying up the road, going 50 mph. Well, when the traffic pattern was being discussed at a few meetings about the school, it was disclosed that Templeton police chief, fire chief and highway superintendent all were in favor of the traffic going up Wellington Road and coming down South Road, as they felt this the safest. Where was the concern for speed when this project was being sold? Perhaps too much cheer leading at that time rather than discussion of these concerns? Haley Brooks again concerned about lack of street lights, again, where was all this concern back last summer when the planning meetings were happening? Where was this concern at the November special town meeting vote for the school? Haley Brooks again concerned about the new playground at the current site, again, this was covered in past meetings, but if you have such great concerns, where were the questions at the town meeting? My first thought is either someone likes to see their name in the newspaper or after the project gets passed, with someone's very loud voice in support, suddenly wishes to be seen as a big champion of the local folks. My question is , where were these concerns during the planning phase of the project? Another item is not too long ago, there was a quote in the Gardner News from Haley Brooks, saying how the new Massachusetts DOT complete streets grant program was money that could fix up the streets around the new school so what is all the sudden worry now? The residents that are now raising all the fuss need to be asked the same questions; where were you during the planning phase? Where were you at special town meeting? Where were you at the ballot box? I notice not much concern voiced by Haley Brooks over the money being spent on many changes brought on by school personnel, so lets admit that the project passed, at least a million dollars has been spent on it so far and the project is going to be built and down the road, it will be a nice addition to the area. Does Haley Brooks think traffic will slow down if the new school is not built there? There does not seem to have been much concern for the lack of street lighting to date so why now? Either park to police officers there all day or the folks that drive those roads need to slow down because signs, lights and a couple of traffic bumps are not going to do the job. I would much rather have had my selectmen have a contract for 50 million dollars looked at by the Town's attorney rather than argue about street lights after the fact. Those are easily fixed, just have the Templeton Light department install street lighting after the school is built. As in people can see the night light generated by the building, then decide how bright they want their neighborhood to be at night in the future.

Jeff Bennett

Link should open up to the latest Templeton budget draft document.
You should then be able to check some things out for yourself.

Jeff Bennett

2017 OPERATING BUDGET View in OneDrive

Narragansett Regional Budget presentation to Advisory Board

FY2017 foundation budget per pupil cost listed at $10,309.00

Templeton minimum contribution listed at $4,114,704.00

Templeton's transportation share at      $678,659.00

Templeton's share of debt listed at        $443,879.00
Total of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..$1,122,538.00

$4,114,704.00
$1,122,538.00
____________
$5,237,242.00

Templeton budget draft from Town Administrator (selectmen) shows
Templeton assessment for NRHS at $5,625,000.00

Assessment for Monty Tech, a completely different school district at $708,882.00.

Just as a curiosity, if one looks at the fiscal 2017 Templeton budget document put forth by the selectmen and town Administrator, line 442 shows NRHS debt as $433,627.00, which in my opinion, results in a $10,252.00 shortfall and I believe we have experience with debt numbers not being correct, as in a budget not balanced, nor correct.


Jeff Bennett

The upcoming fiscal year (FY2017) Templeton portion of chapter 90 (road) monies is $335,950.00. This information came to me via an email from state senator Gobi.

According to the latest budget versus actual from Templeton Town accountant, last years portion was $338,351.00 with $394,300.93 having been spent. The BVA shows a deficit of $55,949.93. I suggest you attend a selectmen meeting and ask the members of the board about that.

On another note, it was nice to see the Templeton highway dept. spending time and resources on sweeping sand up when they will most likely be putting more sand down this weekend and next week as winter and snow refuse to leave us. A wise spending of taxpayer money, again.

Jeff Bennett