from the NRSD website:
“The Narragansett Regional School District in partnership with the communities and parents, Think about that for a moment.
"In partnership with communities and parents"
I think their partners just told them to do something, accept $19.5 million dollars as a budget base. Apparently that partnership is a one way street. Not only did the school committee just ignore their partners, they belittled them, chastised them and talked them as if they were little kids who do not know what is best or right. I mean, those partners only pay their bills.
As has been pointed out here before, using the dollars provided from DESE or Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and some dollar figures provided by the district, along with what two towns have said they will provide, added up, those dollars equal $19.8 million dollars.
Message to the school district - Take the $19.5 million before you really piss off your partners. Watch the you tube meeting of the last school committee meeting and you can view how they acted. Personally, I look forward to speaking to the district at the next district wide meeting, as opposed to being quiet at the last one. I hope they bring their car seats.
School committee wants to sit at a table and belittle Templeton residents; who paid for that brand new school, who provides the school resource officer, who is providing the fields that apparently the district is using for sports activities, where does the district office sit. The answer to all of those points is Templeton! So school committee, you may want to stop belittling Templeton by telling us we do not support the schools, we do not pay our fair share or someone pays more than we do.
I see in your spread sheet budget from first meeting in February, a dollar figure of $56,113.00 for practice bus to Gilman, as in Gilman Waite fields (you know, that long project to develop a recreation area for Templeton.
Lastly, I hope the district makes plans for many snow days because if Templeton has to make cuts, the roads may not be plowed in time for it to be safe to have school buses on the roads. Lastly, how about them wood chips, are they still at $28.00 per ton? Were they ever at $28.00 per ton?
The pile of dollars is only so big and there are more things to cover than there are dollars; hence, everyone has to feel the heat, even teachers and kids, it is called reality. Speaking of reality, if you live on Wellington or lower South Road, welcome to reality come the first day of school.
If we assessed fees for the use of Gilman, then assessed fees for the use of space for the "central office" etc and all the other little things we should be able to lower our assessment.
ReplyDeleteI was very disappointed in our elected School Committee members. They seem completely out of touch with reality.
Templeton is paying $795,000 additional money this year for the Elementary School Building. The School Committee asked for a $20.3 million dollar budget. That is a little more than $1.7 million more than last years number at $18.6 million and Mrs Trifilo (Vice Chair) whines we were told its "our turn this year"......
Ms Hughes again reiterates her Phillipston did their part but Templeton residents hate kids, dont support the school and are generally terrible people compared to Phillipston. This type of crap has been thrown out meeting after meeting yet Ms Hughes doesn't seem to be concerned about
"Acting fire chief Donald Smith noted sections of the school building that are not in compliance with current fire safety regulations. He said sprinklers and clearly visible smoke detectors must be installed to bring the school to code. However, because the state School Building Authority will not fund fire suppression upgrades to a wood-framed building, the town will have to finance the upgrades themselves." which was from https://www.atholdailynews.com/New-roof-heating-and-handicap-upgrades-slated-for-Phillipston-Memorial-School-22976737
If children are placed in a school that the fire chief says is NOT UP TO CODE is "it all for the kids", really? I personally wouldn't allow my child to be taught in a building deemed unsafe (not up to code) by a Safety Official.
Read the story, outdated heating systems, leaky roof and fire safety issues, but we MUST keep the KIDS in Phillipston and "it's all for the kids" well I wouldn't want my child to be school choiced into that building, would you?
I think we need a new School Committee or Templeton needs to seriously look at the benefits and liabilities of staying with this present arrangement.
Just because Phillipston doesn't upgrade their school, staff their police or fire safety doesn't mean Templeton should do the same. Athol and Templeton cover Phillipston for police as stated by the Chief and a resident.
It really seems like Phillipston is using the "it's all for the kids" as a leverage point to have Tempelton assist in maintaining their public buildings.
I sincerely hope that when the fire, police, ambulance service is cut back one of the School Committee members is the first to suffer from delayed or lack of response from public safety or the schools don't get plowed out due to highway staff cutbacks. It is quite clear the School Committee members do not give a crap about this community. "its for the kids" is a bunch of crap. That bunch is doing a great job at polarizing this community.
ReplyDeleteTalk about putting their foot in their mouths ! Big time ! What I get from this meeting is a complete lack of understanding of what the Town has for revenue, and how far it has to go. The me, me, attitude has got to go, or these people have to go. I see the Town as the roots and trunk of a big tree. The roots can only grow according to the conditions determined by things it does not have control over. The School is a branch from this tree along with the other departments in this town. What makes the School more important than the Police Department, or the Highway Department ? Nothing really ! With out our Police Departments our citizens would not be safe. With out our Highway Department we would not get out of our driveways in the winter. Schools would not open. This is time for the School Committee to take a good look at their behavior ! A real good look. Once respect is lost, it is hard to earn back.
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