Narragansett Regional School Committee forms a District Re-Organization Advisory Committee. One purpose of this committee will be to help guide the administrative team and school committee shape a vision for the future of the NRHS district.
Within this letter, which was distributed through the Town office, as was explained to me. The school committee wished the committee to be made up as follows;
1 school committee representative from each district town (Templeton & Phillipston)
1 select board member from each town
1 community member from each town
1 teacher from each school (5)
1 UFCW member from each unit (cafeteria, secretary, paraprofessional)
1 member from each town's Advisory/Finance committee
Town Administrator or equivalent from each town.
Here in lies my concern; Templeton Advisory Committee did not receive the invitation/notification; not a phone call, no email, no letter, which would or should have come by way of town hall, as in the board of selectmen's office. I found out by way of a newspaper article and then contacted the school district.
There was a deadline of sorts within the original letter; December 11, 2017.
My conclusion is this was a deliberate move to leave Advisory Committee out of the loop and make it appear Advisory did not care or was not paying attention. ( I suppose it could have been a lapse because of the holidays approaching ) :) I draw this conclusion based on past actions by the current town administrator and board of selectmen. Games, plain and simple, as in those calls for resignation and bogus open meeting law violations, which after much bluster and newspaper coverage, never went anywhere. The responses from the Advisory Committee were never appealed to the attorney general's office. Selectmen Fortes stated at a recorded meeting "that we have to be the adults here." - Then he posts a tweet of himself doing a face first plunge into a swimming pool with a beer in hand, now that is an adult!
I was at the BOS meeting when mention of the creation of this district committee was stated and that the district was looking for a member of the board of selectmen to serve on it, no mention of Advisory Committee, even as I sat there at that meeting. Sorry boys and girls, I am now on that committee! I thank the Narragansett School district Committee and the superintendent of schools for their consideration.
Good going Jeff, for being on the ball. You have attended more School Committee meetings than most of the people in this town. Another snub from our Selectmen and TA ! So what is new ? Like Jeff said, the Advisory Board has a job to do, you don't have to love us, but you should try to work with us. Bev.
ReplyDeleteEnviromental Justice Communtiy I would say that’s Templeton. People of low socioeconomic status that are frequently the demographics that are most severely affected by health hazards. One reason for this is a general lack of education and political representation. These affected demographics frequently lack the education necessary to be aware of the health risks associated with living near any of the aforementioned areas . If they are unaware of the risk, it is certain that they will not seek out a solution to an unknown problem. Money represents another significant barrier. Unless a population can be mobilized through a grassroots effort the financial barrier to environmental justice issues is enough to ensure that they will go unaddressed.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry. That expensive new school will eliminate all the deficiencies in education. We'll have all above-average children.
ReplyDeleteAs for "environmental justice", I find it troubling that all the parents support such a wasteful action as tearing down a sound building. I should have been tipped off by all the gas guzzler SUV and pickups they drive. Save the Polar Bears.
I've done some simple review of meetings and unless I missed something our BOS members are have been MIA. I dont think DHB has been to a single meeting since before the FTM. The TESBC has not had a BOS member attend recently. Why are BOS members on many Committees if nobody shows up?
ReplyDeleteAre we trying to fill the committee vacancies? How are we doing? As far as I can tell we have had 14 vacancies since June. This along with member assigned and never showing is not giving the town great representation.
Just my opinions