Steve Rosendahl's Plea to Parents and Citizens of Woodstock
Relevant Story: Mayor blames Board of Education for wasteful spending
Save Programs. Save Teachers. Write letters and emails. Start a petition to let the BOE know you will not vote for a budget that cuts teachers and programs unnecessarily. Let the BOF know you will not vote for a budget that cuts teachers and programs unnecessarily. Be heard.
Thursday night’s meeting of the BOE was incredible. I felt like I had been lured into a game of Three- card Monte. The silver lining was that Mrs. Paul’s fellow ‘Breen Party’ members are jumping ship and thinking for themselves. Mr. Ford and Mrs. Andrzeicik, who make up the communication committee with Mrs. Paul, are the same group who post on the Café under their own names and aliases. It should be pointed out that the ‘Spotlight on Education’ is the product of these three and not the complete BOE. Now seeing two of them standing up for honesty and integrity is truly refreshing. There comes a time when good meaning people become aware that being on the BOE is supposed to be about the education of our most prized Woodstock assets- our children, and not about control and playing political games. I hope this is a sign of things to come.
In the years I have been going to BOE meetings I have always been amazed how little attention and time is spent on students. I was interested in being involved in representing the WBOE at EastConn and CABE to see how other boards acted and how they dealt with improving student knowledge. The first thing that hit me was all BOEs are not like Woodstock. Many superintendents are arrogant and self important, but in the last year I have met some truly dedicated and inspiring ones. I have also learned Woodstock is very lucky to have the group of students we have, the problems of the larger towns and cities are not here. This is a perfect environment for all our students to achieve, and as I have stated before, the teachers in all three schools do a great job of getting Woodstock’s students ready for college and life.
Far more wealthy communities do not do as well as our schools. Money needs to be spent on education, but money is not what makes a great school. Millions of dollars have been spent on studies tracking the relationship between dollars spent and education outcome; few if any have shown that more money makes for better education. Many of the exceptional schools in the United States are very poorly funded. As I stated at last year’s budget BOF meeting, the excellence of education is the direct result of skills and abilities of the administration and the vision of the Board of Education.
It is amazing to me what a good job the teachers do without this support. The job of the BOE is not to be cheerleaders for dollars but to inspire policy that creates a parent, student, and teacher friendly environment and to provide and promote new and innovative ideas and educational advancements. I have not seen this with the last two superintendents. Woodstock was a town where superintendents would come to the BOF at the end of the year and say we have $50,000.00 leftover and this is how we would like to spend it and why. I have only been here for 25 years but I do not remember the town ever saying NO. This went miles in creating good feelings about the schools by the townspeople. We felt that we were part of the schools and we had a say. Now we have our board members stating at BOF meetings that once we get the money we can do whatever we want with it and that’s the law.
Lawyers and MBA’s on the board spoke of bringing suit against the Townspeople of Woodstock, tried to overthrow Town laws, openly state how stupid Woodstock voters are and how few of the townspeople can understand the nuances of negotiations, and tried to do what amounted to a hostile takeover of the Woodstock Academy with the Breen legislative ploy, and don’t forget- tried to hold your children back with the 9th grade proposal. Also remember this board votes to extend Dr. Baran’s contract out three years every year even though there is still two years left on his contract. One more off the top of my head- how about making parents pay for play when at the same time spent $700,000.00 on extras. If I sit here longer I am sure I could remember many more.
The remainder of the 12 year agenda board members and Dr. Frank Baran are now trying to take SPICE, music, sports, and teachers away from you when it is not necessary. Many well educated townspeople have seen through this and will show very straight forward alternatives. We do have to make cuts but we need to make them in a way that has the least effect on students and teachers. Cutting coordinators may make Dr. Baran’s life more difficult, but his job is the kids.
I am sure that last night’s meeting did not go the way Mrs. Paul and Frank Baran had planned. If body language is of interest to you watch the video of the meeting. We had two very unhappy folks.
Don’t forget to comment here and send email and letters to the Superintendent asking to copy all BOE members and to have them read at the next meeting.
The Town government employees all voluntarily refused salary increases, union and non-union alike.
Woodstock needs to come together ask the Woodstock Public School administration to take a real salary cut and maybe all union and non-union BOE employees will do the same, maybe the Academy as well.
This will only happen if you the townspeople join together. Remember, your letters and emails to the State and direct action saved the Academy. We can save programs and teachers, if we all work together- parents, BOE members, administrators, teachers, and students (your letters are the most important).
I almost forgot, the 300 or so people who showed up at the 9th grade hold back meeting made the difference. The school would have been set back 20 years. Thanks also to almost 1,000 signatures stating the town wanted to keep the 9th graders at the Academy.
I would like to hear from the Academy in an unofficial way.
If you write, it might be a good idea to copy email here to this site so we know they were received- woodstocktruth@charter.net (Fax to: 860-656-6919)
If you are a teacher or BOE employee don’t sign them and Mr. Powers will remove any identifying info and forward them to the Superintendent and all BOE members.
Woodstock can do this, and the time is now to be heard.
As always I am speaking as a parent and townsperson not a sitting BOE member.
Steven Rosendahl
Save Programs. Save Teachers. Write letters and emails. Start a petition to let the BOE know you will not vote for a budget that cuts teachers and programs unnecessarily. Let the BOF know you will not vote for a budget that cuts teachers and programs unnecessarily. Be heard.
Thursday night’s meeting of the BOE was incredible. I felt like I had been lured into a game of Three- card Monte. The silver lining was that Mrs. Paul’s fellow ‘Breen Party’ members are jumping ship and thinking for themselves. Mr. Ford and Mrs. Andrzeicik, who make up the communication committee with Mrs. Paul, are the same group who post on the Café under their own names and aliases. It should be pointed out that the ‘Spotlight on Education’ is the product of these three and not the complete BOE. Now seeing two of them standing up for honesty and integrity is truly refreshing. There comes a time when good meaning people become aware that being on the BOE is supposed to be about the education of our most prized Woodstock assets- our children, and not about control and playing political games. I hope this is a sign of things to come.
In the years I have been going to BOE meetings I have always been amazed how little attention and time is spent on students. I was interested in being involved in representing the WBOE at EastConn and CABE to see how other boards acted and how they dealt with improving student knowledge. The first thing that hit me was all BOEs are not like Woodstock. Many superintendents are arrogant and self important, but in the last year I have met some truly dedicated and inspiring ones. I have also learned Woodstock is very lucky to have the group of students we have, the problems of the larger towns and cities are not here. This is a perfect environment for all our students to achieve, and as I have stated before, the teachers in all three schools do a great job of getting Woodstock’s students ready for college and life.
Far more wealthy communities do not do as well as our schools. Money needs to be spent on education, but money is not what makes a great school. Millions of dollars have been spent on studies tracking the relationship between dollars spent and education outcome; few if any have shown that more money makes for better education. Many of the exceptional schools in the United States are very poorly funded. As I stated at last year’s budget BOF meeting, the excellence of education is the direct result of skills and abilities of the administration and the vision of the Board of Education.
It is amazing to me what a good job the teachers do without this support. The job of the BOE is not to be cheerleaders for dollars but to inspire policy that creates a parent, student, and teacher friendly environment and to provide and promote new and innovative ideas and educational advancements. I have not seen this with the last two superintendents. Woodstock was a town where superintendents would come to the BOF at the end of the year and say we have $50,000.00 leftover and this is how we would like to spend it and why. I have only been here for 25 years but I do not remember the town ever saying NO. This went miles in creating good feelings about the schools by the townspeople. We felt that we were part of the schools and we had a say. Now we have our board members stating at BOF meetings that once we get the money we can do whatever we want with it and that’s the law.
Lawyers and MBA’s on the board spoke of bringing suit against the Townspeople of Woodstock, tried to overthrow Town laws, openly state how stupid Woodstock voters are and how few of the townspeople can understand the nuances of negotiations, and tried to do what amounted to a hostile takeover of the Woodstock Academy with the Breen legislative ploy, and don’t forget- tried to hold your children back with the 9th grade proposal. Also remember this board votes to extend Dr. Baran’s contract out three years every year even though there is still two years left on his contract. One more off the top of my head- how about making parents pay for play when at the same time spent $700,000.00 on extras. If I sit here longer I am sure I could remember many more.
The remainder of the 12 year agenda board members and Dr. Frank Baran are now trying to take SPICE, music, sports, and teachers away from you when it is not necessary. Many well educated townspeople have seen through this and will show very straight forward alternatives. We do have to make cuts but we need to make them in a way that has the least effect on students and teachers. Cutting coordinators may make Dr. Baran’s life more difficult, but his job is the kids.
I am sure that last night’s meeting did not go the way Mrs. Paul and Frank Baran had planned. If body language is of interest to you watch the video of the meeting. We had two very unhappy folks.
Don’t forget to comment here and send email and letters to the Superintendent asking to copy all BOE members and to have them read at the next meeting.
The Town government employees all voluntarily refused salary increases, union and non-union alike.
Woodstock needs to come together ask the Woodstock Public School administration to take a real salary cut and maybe all union and non-union BOE employees will do the same, maybe the Academy as well.
This will only happen if you the townspeople join together. Remember, your letters and emails to the State and direct action saved the Academy. We can save programs and teachers, if we all work together- parents, BOE members, administrators, teachers, and students (your letters are the most important).
I almost forgot, the 300 or so people who showed up at the 9th grade hold back meeting made the difference. The school would have been set back 20 years. Thanks also to almost 1,000 signatures stating the town wanted to keep the 9th graders at the Academy.
I would like to hear from the Academy in an unofficial way.
If you write, it might be a good idea to copy email here to this site so we know they were received- woodstocktruth@charter.net (Fax to: 860-656-6919)
If you are a teacher or BOE employee don’t sign them and Mr. Powers will remove any identifying info and forward them to the Superintendent and all BOE members.
Woodstock can do this, and the time is now to be heard.
As always I am speaking as a parent and townsperson not a sitting BOE member.
Steven Rosendahl
Steve this is an excellent letter to the parents and review of the facts surrounding this BOE. I am grateful that you are finally speaking directly to the 1200 people that voted for you to speak for them. Parents must remember that none of the budgets presented in the last 6 years have been maintenance budgets.
Parents also need to understand that the BOE budgets always start at the dollars that were approved the year before and go up. Knowing that, the 44 phantom students that were placed in the budget in 06-07 and 07-08 are still in the budget plus the growth in the budget in those years to now. That money went into the budget as High School Students and has been used for the purchase of everything from lawn mowers to administration computer software along with servers and computers for the students. The money is in the budget not the in the form of cash but in the form of completely disposable income for the BOE. It has never been shown in the budget, it is like peanut butter that has been spread throughout the budget. Why do think that Lindsay Paul and Frank Baran were spending so much time talking to the BOF to have an account to place the money so they can get at the money in following years. If you look at their want list (sometimes called the capital plan) they have placed in it a $25,000.00 tractor for the school system. I challenge them to buy it this year in their June Cash Dump.
There has not been a maintenance budget in this town for years and to call it that is a lie.
Hopefully, at some point in time, the realization will set in that cutting funding for items such as spice, music programs and sports- with a hoped for result of getting parents to become engaged- is far more counterproductive and feeds into the continued lack of faith in the leadership and direction the BOE has set sail on the past several years.
The analogy of the spending elites in Washighton rolling up sleeves to make needed budget reductions by laying off the elevator operators at the Washington Monument... to help foster a sense of appreciation by the humble taxpayers out on the Mall comes to mind.
Perhaps the day will soon arrive when positive forces on the BOE will be able to nudge the ship's tiller towards a course of positive engagement with WPS parents, Woodstock citizens and sister edcuational institutions and steer away from the winds of educational class envy and divisiveness as a means to an impossible end.
Well said, Steve!
I am very grateful for your continued efforts on behalf of our children and our town.
Woodstock has not escaped the severe economic downturn that is affecting our ENTIRE COUNTRY. We have plenty of families here who are feeling the effects and are having to make hard choices in order to ride this out. People are losing their homes and jobs. They are taking pay cuts. They are cutting out their own 'wasteful spending'. Isn't it time that our elected officials did the same?
I applaud Mr. Walker and all of the town employees who have taken the steps to ensure that they are doing their part to cut costs.
It seems that now more than ever our BOE needs to end business as usual and embark on a new path.
Zero-based budgeting would be an excellent start.
We are, indeed, all in this together and we MUST start acting like it.
I am having a little problem with some of the premature presumptions being made. Consider this: The boards are not charged with developing budgets that are "gestures". They are charged with developing budgets that best reflect the needs of our towns and schools. While we can quibble back and forth about what these needs exactly are, at the end of the day it is the elected board members who are charged with making these judgements.... and then wash their hands of the political fallout that may ensue. It is up to the voters to then accept or not to accept. For anyone other than the voters to make this decision, prematurely and presumptuously, based on political or economic factors, is absurd and offensive to the democratic process. In fact, I am a little put out that the boards are being asked to make a zero% increase. It makes me feel that the decisions are already being made for us, may not reflect the electorate in its entirety, undermines the democratic process, and subterfuges the role that the boards are charged with.
Please do not miscontrue me here. I strongly urge the boards to be accountable, frugal, transparent, support zero-based budgeting. The budgets they present, I hope, are vetted with all these values taken into deep consideration. However, I would like these budgets to reflect an honest assessment of what the town and the schools truly need. Requesting any number %, whether it be zero % or 100%, takes away this disclosure and honesty and makes me feel like I am voting on a budget that doesn't meet the truest reflection of need that I personally have come to expect.
Lastly, I strongly believe in and strongly support the voice of the majority. But let's give the majority a chance to have their voice and with it the responsibility, rather than stealing this voice, undermining the democratic process, and placing the onus of responsibility on the boards. This is not what the boards are charged with doing. They are charged only with proposing. So let them propose and let the voters decide!
Bill,
Your statement: “The boards are not charged with developing budgets that are "gestures". They are charged with developing budgets that best reflect the needs of our towns and schools.”
I would very happy if we had a board that did what you say. Dr Baran and the Board do not know their own budget in the detail that I, Craig Powers and David Richardson know their budget. If you took the time to view the tapes of the BOE meetings since they have been provided or attended the meetings, you would not hear a word spoken about your first sentence.
Has attacking the Academy for the past 6 years reflected the needs of the Town? Was the 9th grade proposal reflective of the needs of the Town? And finally, has the BOE through Shipman and Goodwin, funding the attempt to overturn Prop 46, threatening to sue the Town over the funding of education and the grunt work on the Breen Proposal...has all of this reflected the needs of the Town?
Gentlemen,
Your conversation is at the root of our problem. We always seem to leave the students out of the equation.
On Thursday night we may very well put forth a budget that takes away programs and teachers without need. I repeat, by cutting the coordinators which are not tenured meaning we get around $150,000.00.
WE only save $68,000 by cutting the spice programs so I believe this would also leave enough for the music / band program. We can deal with semantics at a later date. Don't get me wrong, the whole role of the BOE needs to be vetted but we are approaching an unnecessary reversal of the quality of education. This is where discussions need to take place.
I certainly agree that we should be looking at the quality of education. How many students does the middle school coordinator reach? The band director? The math intervention teacher? Far more than a curriculum coordinator! We changed math texts twice in 3 years. I can't imagine that we are looking for new texts now. The curriculum is aligned with the CMTs. Teachers are able to analyze the results. What greatly affects our CMTS is the teacher, the front line people. Obviously we have a math intervention person because there are some low scores. How will keeping the coordinator but losing the intervention teacher help those students! GET RID OF THE COORDINATORS. They are not critical. Teachers are trained professionals who can coordinate curriculum. Offer a stipend for someone to be in charge. Use the 2 extra professional days as curriculum planning days. There are several ways to get this done. Have teachers work on study groups and offer an hourly wage etc. We do not need to set aside 150,000 for this position in a system this small! Wake up, put the money where it matters.
Thanks for the inside info. Do you think the teachers would freeze salaries in order to save teacher jobs?
Preston,
I appreciate your points, but I am speaking of a different issue.
Clearly, the electorate has every right to judge a board on the actions that they take thoughout the course of their tenure. However, I do not believe that they have a credible right to judge a board on whether or not their proposed budget meets the request from a BOF. Nor do I believe that the BOF should be making such a request on behalf of the electorate. Only a vote can determine what the majority wants.
An uproar against the BOE for not submitting a zero% budget increase is uncalled for. Plain and simple, the budget must reflect the needs of the schools and not the economic/political needs of the community. That is what the members of the BOE are elected for and that is all they are charged with doing. The electorate must be the ones to decide if the budget meets their economic and political needs. If the creation of a budget is determined by the presumptuousness of the BOF and not by the honest needs of the school, the BOE is not doing, in my opinion, what they are charged with doing. This would undermine the fairness of the democratic process as the electorate is allowed only to vote for a budget that has been pre-dictated by potentially false pretenses, that is, a false representation of what it is that the electorate expects to be voting on—which is a budget that meets the needs of the schools and NOT a budget that merely meets what the BOF is speciously and presumptuously pre-determining.
Now I am not so naïve to misunderstand that we are facing unprecedented economic strains and my statement should not be judged to reflect a lack of sympathy for those who are now most challenged by it, however I do not believe that circumstances should dicate the opinion, the responsibility, and the actions of any board. Leave that to the voters.
I find it creepy that the BOE would consider cutting the budget because of the potential political fallout from not complying with the BOF’s wishes.
Simply, I think that the BOE should not be criticized for proposing a budget they feel appropriately meets the needs of the schools, whether it be zero% or 100% increase. This is all they are charged with doing. Its only a proposal. The responsibility for determining the acceptance of the budget, at whatever % increase, must be determined by the public majority, not by the BOE and not by the BOF. While the gesture is nice, NO THANKS.
Bill,
I have no problem with the root of your argument here, but many of us feel that the BOE has developed this budget in the wrong way for the wrong reasons and in effect are playing ‘chicken’ with the parents and Town for their own reasons which have nothing to do with quality education. For this they must be called out and held accountable. I believe that it is the responsibility of citizens and parents to question this behavior and their motives.
Just imagine what this discussion would look like if there was trust with the BOE and they put forth a well reasoned and transparent budget in support of educational issues of meaning. Instead, we have another hostage crisis which appears to be designed to support the status-quo while obfuscating true needs and spending. Just because the statutes allow this latitude in how they spend, that doesn’t mean that whatever number they come up with is a reflection of needs and there is no evidence of that despite your hope that they had this in mind when developing the budget. Logical analysis shows otherwise.
If you recall, in the last couple of years the BOF basically gave away the store and clearly avoided the hard questions- and look at what we got in the way of educational management and spending. This year, the economic crisis has forced their hand along with Dave’s research and analysis which is impossible to refute. This year they are trying to read the tea leaves taking into account the financial impact of a tax increase- seems to me like a responsible course of action in this environment.
Your argument would be a good one in a perfect world wherein the education budget could be voted on stand alone on its own merits; however, the way it is in the real world is that arbitrary cuts to the total forced either by the BOF up front or by a ‘no’ vote will not cure the ills of the proposed budget. How many will really understand what they are actually voting on other than a number? This is the real root of the problem and what needs to be addressed.
Put another way, if the BOE and Superintendent put forth choices ala a ‘Chinese menu’ of where and how education dollars were actually to be spent and that could be voted on, that would make sense to me…either way, I would bet dollars to doughnuts that SPICE, etc. will remain despite the threat because when the dust settles the money is there- they just don’t want to say so during the dance because it is great theater for their purposes of expanding arbitrary spending and the empire. I don’t think we can continue to afford that at this time.
It's a shell game and the people know that. This is being confused with education, the BOE could have accepted a wage freeze. They could have decided the transportation we have will do fine for many years to come. Fuel oil is down, electricity can be monitored and conservative practices followed. Their is so much fluff that could have been cut to comply with a 0% budget.
They as usual being the well educated people, have decided to find issues that would hurt the students and threaten the parents into submission. Once bit, twice shy! How much money has already been wasted on legal expenses, referendums, etc. I say cut waste and put the taxpayers money into education. Do what's right for everybody first not last...
Steve,
Thank you. You bring up very good points as usual. However, I believe that the unnecessary reversal in the quality of our education begins when the BOE puts forth a budget that is based on a BOF request rather a budget that reflects what the schools need.
Certainly cuts may come if the voters want them, but why should the BOE be pondering cuts when we haven't even voted on the budget yet? Because the BOF said so? This is big government at a small town level.
Bill,
I am very short of time at this moment but wanted to respond to you. I believe that the BOF is doing its job, remember there are checks and balances in a democracy. Setting a budget target is what a BOF is charted to do. It costs about $5,000.00 to put up a referendum, so do you think the BOF should float a budget which is out of bounds in their judgement? A few years ago when the BOE was threatening the town with a lawsuit we did just that. Like last year, if you float a budget that will be turned down you are just wasting badly needed dollars. It would not take many referenda to waste the dollars given up by town goverment employees just in trying to fly pie in the sky budgets.
Again we have moved away from the issues. We can have a 0% increase budget and not cut teachers, it just takes leadership. I heard a rumor that some groups of the BOE employees stated they wanted to refuse pay increases, but they did not get any support from the Superintendent or leadership to bring that forward. If this is true someone please step forward and confirm this.
Students, teachers and parents could suffer needlessly. Bill, please try to look at this as a real problem and not an abstract theory.
Bill,
Long time no see. I hope that all is well with you and yours.
I believe I understand where you are coming from. There are a few points that I’d like to address.
The ‘majority’ of the populace is not nearly as aware of much of the facts with regard to town spending as those of us who have been so heavily involved. They are reliant upon what their boards tell them.
Without benefit of facts (truth?), most citizens simply take the boards at their word. Simply put, an uninformed populace and/or one that is subject to propaganda (i.e., ‘bare bones maintenance budget’) have very little choice but to accept what they are presented with. This lack of true transparency is in itself an attack on the democratic process. In my opinion, this is an example of big government at its finest.
We have good people here in Woodstock. People who don’t want to shortchange the children or vital services. But, these same good people need to be sure that their money is spent well and that they don’t have to hand over more money than they should or reasonably can.
A budget process which ensures that a truly diligent assessment of needs has been undertaken will allow citizens to vote on a budget in which they can have a reasonable level of confidence that their tax dollars are spent wisely and appropriately. In tough economic times, it is even more vital that our boards are doing their part to be fiscally responsible. Any board that is inflexible or unwilling to seek out better methods or alternatives to meet goals while ensuring fiscal responsibility is not providing the citizens with necessary confidence.
As for the BOF’s recommendations to the BOE? That is not big government. That is a public agency directing another public agency. It is not exercising excessive control over the citizens – it’s fulfilling its charge of laying tax with the best interests of the entire town. In fact, it is the BOF doing its job.
The BOF is responsible for determining that budget recommendation presented to voters at town meeting is fiscally sound. Two weeks prior to the town meeting, those who are desirous of funding must put forth their requests (the BOE fits in here) which the BOF, by law, can reject or recommend to the citizens. Those bodies requesting funding do not go directly to the citizens. This regulatory process is one of the few that, if done right, actually protects the citizens. Done wrong? The citizens are left to sift through rhetoric and propaganda.
If the BOF believes that no diligent effort has been undertaken to ensure that the funding request is the most fiscally responsible, been subject to a thorough vetting of true needs, or that sufficient concessions have been sought in light of a severe economic downturn, it is imperative that it does all within its authority to ensure that such is done. And I for one am glad that the BOF is exercising fiscal oversight. Someone needs to and we all know that once the budget is approved, the BOF has no authority over the BOE’s budget. The BOE can (and has) do as it wishes with the funds. I am relieved that the BOF is not asleep at the wheel.
Steve has made valuable points. Concessions and alternatives must be considered. And the ‘front lines’ would be the last place to cut, in my opinion. We have wonderful teachers here and I would prefer that the BOE does all that it can to keep the teachers and vital programs in place. Having been involved in this issue for some time now, it is all too clear that the cuts are always made first to those items which are likely to incite fear and anger with parents. This is a tactic - nothing more. There are, indeed, hard choices which must be made but, I do not believe that the best interest of the children is the greatest factor in making those choices – as it should be.
Lisa,
Hello! Good to hear from you as well! Thank you so much for taking the time to respond so substantively. Please understand that we share the same values. My only concern is that some voters will not have the options they deserve and expect when they are considering the budget, whether we agree with them or not, because the BOF is imposing what they believe is a responsible gesture. Again, thanks, but no thanks.
While I’m sure many folks support a zero % increase, there may be some that do not. They deserve a vote that represents what they desire as well, even if they might be in the minority. While I believe that a budget should be responsible, I don’t believe it should be a gesture. I believe that a budget proposal should reflect what it is the town or the schools need, not what the BOF thinks that the town wants. And while the BOF may have good intentions, I don’t believe they should speak for the town or for other boards at this point in the process and nor should the board be criticized for not complying at this juncture.
We have other safety mechanisms in place (Prop 46) to protect taxpayers from overspending and of course the BOF has the final say in allocation. By expecting and insisting on a specific % increase budget they are denying the boards the responsibilities for which they were elected and they are denying the voters the right to choose from a fully disclosed budget that reflects need--- not economics, gesture, or intention. I just thought this was worth mentioning in the context of this discussion because if the tables were turned none of us would like it. I also understand that this does not address many of the other concerns we face or an issue that is student-focused, however, I believe my point to be a principle worth defending at some level --- even if it seems utopic and abstract. In some countries it is, but not this one.
Hi Bill,
As always, I respect your opinions - even if I may disagree.
This dialogue is wonderful. Too many, it seems, involved in this issue have a tendency to brand those with whom they disagree as the enemy. I appreciate the debate! :)
Agreed and likewise! Thanks so much Lisa and take care. I felt compelled to write a letter to the BOE that reflects my views. You have all set an example of taking our views further than the blogsites. I hope all will understand my intentions. We pay attention to detail. Power to the people.
Bill,
I hope you do not feel attacked by the comments on this post. Someone just sent me the Dead Zone piece on the Café. With most people using their real names, you know and have spoken with us all on many occasions. I think I can speak for everyone in that you are well liked and respected. You always bring your true thoughts to the table, and I could not ask of more from anyone.
I know from our conversations that you think change is needed in many arenas, and are willing to sign them with your name. The fact you sign your name speaks volumes to me.
Again I hope you did not feel swarmed, I know that was no one’s intent. I picked the Truth site to go public with my ideas because it is respectful of deferring ideas. Please continue your post; I would like to hear more of your feelings regarding cutting programs and teachers as opposed to the coordinators.
Steve,
Thank you for your kind words and concern, but I actually enjoy the discussion. I think it is important to consider all ideas and I am appreciative of the opportunity to voice mine. I have no expectations and I bear no grudges if my ideas are not fully embraced. I am satified enough that they are aired and perhaps considered in some form or fashion.
I believe that you and the other members of the BOE have been unnecessarily placed in a difficult position by the BOF. I believe that the responsibility of the BOE is to simply propose a budget that reflects the needs of the school. I believe that it is the responsiblity of the voters to determine if that proposed budget meets the needs of their financial abilities and/or their personal objectives. Its a very simple "social contract", if you'll pardon the expression, that I believe is being breached by the BOF who is imposing their will or the will of some voters into the process--at the wrong time and the wrong place. In the process of being breached both the board members and the voters are being disenfranchized from their respective roles. While the intention may be sound and good and outwardly reasonable, it is fundamentally unfair, undemocratic, and setting a dangerous precedent.
As a result, you and the other BOE members are now faced with making decisions that may not carry the best interests of the schools. Instead they carry undue political pressure and undue criticism from opposing sides. The very kind of pressure I know you strongly oppose and the very kind of pressure that divides boards. As a parent of children in the school system, this division has created the wrong kind of productive and working relationships that are necessary to creating true and valued change for all too long.
Well that is all. I've gone on too long about this. I'm no expert in these issues, but you get the point I'm sure. Steve, thank you for serving the town of Woodstock and thank you for taking the time to engage yourself with me on this blog. (Thanks admin. too for the opportunity)
Bill,
Duties of the BOF- [ http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/pub/Chap106.htm ]
Sec. 7-344. Appropriations. Laying of tax. Not less than two weeks before the annual town meeting, the board shall hold a public hearing, at which itemized estimates of the expenditures of the town for the ensuing fiscal year shall be presented and at which all persons shall be heard in regard to any appropriation which they are desirous that the board should recommend or reject. The board shall, after such public hearing, hold a public meeting at which it shall consider the estimates so presented and any other matters brought to its attention and shall thereupon prepare and cause to be published in a newspaper in such town, if any, otherwise in a newspaper having a substantial circulation in such town, a report in a form prescribed by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management containing: (1) An itemized statement of all actual receipts from all sources of such town during its last fiscal year; (2) an itemized statement by classification of all actual expenditures during the same year; (3) an itemized estimate of anticipated revenues during the ensuing fiscal year from each source other than from local property taxes and an estimate of the amount which should be raised by local property taxation for such ensuing fiscal year; (4) an itemized estimate of expenditures of such town for such ensuing fiscal year; and (5) the amount of revenue surplus or deficit of the town at the beginning of the fiscal year for which estimates are being prepared; provided any town which, according to the most recent federal census, has a population of less than five thousand may, by ordinance, waive such publication requirement, in which case the board shall provide for the printing or mimeographing of copies of such report in a number equal to ten per cent of the population of such town according to such federal census, which copies shall be available for distribution five days before the annual budget meeting of such town. The board shall submit such estimate with its recommendations to the annual town meeting next ensuing, and such meeting shall take action upon such estimate and recommendations, and make such specific appropriations as appear advisable, but no appropriation shall be made exceeding in amount that for the same purpose recommended by the board and no appropriation shall be made for any purpose not recommended by the board. Such estimate and recommendations may include, if submitted to a vote by voting machine, questions to indicate whether the budget is too high or too low. The vote on such questions shall be for advisory purposes only, and not binding upon the board. Immediately after the board of assessment appeals has finished its duties and the grand list has been completed, the board of finance shall meet and, with due provision for estimated uncollectible taxes, abatements and corrections, shall lay such tax on such list as shall be sufficient, in addition to the other estimated yearly income of such town and in addition to such revenue surplus, if any, as may be appropriated, not only to pay the expenses of the town for such current year, but also to absorb the revenue deficit of such town, if any, at the beginning of such current year. The board shall prescribe the method by which and the place where all records and books of accounts of the town, or of any department or subdivision thereof, shall be kept. The provisions of this section shall not be construed as preventing a town from making further appropriations upon the recommendation of its board of finance at a special town meeting held after the annual town meeting and prior to the laying of the tax for the current year, and any appropriations made at such special town meeting shall be included in the amount to be raised by the tax laid by the board of finance under the provisions of this section.
I'm sure that interpretations will abound...interested in knowing your stance on Steve's question of Coordinators vs. Programs. Moreover, you have mentioned a couple of times that the BOE's responsibility is to "propose a budget that meets the needs of the school". Do you think that the proposed budget meets this standard?
There was a post from Kevin Ford at the Cafe not too long ago that said that more money might be found from savings in oil costs and in switching to a more standard benefit plan for the teachers. So hopefully, we won't need to make as many cuts as we think. But if we're doing worst-case scenario planning here, I guess I would like more information regarding the role and responsibility of these coordinators before deciding if they can be cut without adverse effect. I would like to know how other schools with a simiar student body size handle their coordination of State testng for 2 schools. Is this something that can reasonably be done by one person? What other responsibilities do these coordinators have that would also have to be picked up by someone else?
Mr. Powers, I still think that a win-win answer might be found by restructurig our SPED program to make t leaner and meaner. Are there practical ways to reorganize SPED instruction that will improve student performance for less cost? This goes back to what you an I touched on in our 3/12 comments here. I mentioned those Federal grants to schools that want to establish a public charter school, so is there grant money available that we are leaving on the table by not exploring more options? I was extremely fortunate when I was in middle school (which was junior high/grades 7-9 in the school district I was raised in). This was back in the dawn of the U.S. Dept of Ed.'s birth of the "Blue Ribbon School of Excellence" designation. Our midde school eceived that designation while I was a student there. One of the revolutionary methods they employed for educating students of differing abilities? The very same as what was discussed in your link. Our school had between 11-13 classes per grade (varied each year depending upon # of students enrolled). Obviously, I came from a much larger district than Woodstock. But each class was assigned a level and that level was asignd a letter. So you had level A, B, C, etc. The letters were assigned in random order so as not to classify the high performers from the Sped kids, although it wasn't that hard to figure out - everyone knows who the brainiacs are in their school. But, the point is that this system allowed for grouping of kids according to their ability so that gifted kids were together, Sped kids were together based on need. So kids who were fairly proficient readers but needed Sped for math could be together and vice versa. All "specials/encores" were co-mingled so that kids of differing abilities had opportunities to interact together and appreciate each other as classmates. Also, the scheduling was planned in such a way as to allow a student to take classes in more tan one level. I'll use myself as an example about what I mean. I generally floated between being an average student in some subjects to slightly above average in others. And I was down-right remedial in Algebra. So under this system, I took a lower level math that progressed through the lessons at a slower pace. But in my chosen foreign language, I rocked; so I took that class with the highest level. Same for English. But in Science, I was pretty average so I took that subject with other students of similar ability and we progressed through that subject in the usual way and at the usual pace.
The beauty of a system such as this is that it targets for teacher aids and Sped teachers only where they are most needed. It also cuts down on the time that students are in the resource room because kids are grouped by both subject and need/ability in the first place.
My point in bringing all of this up is to say that this discussion of whether we should cut programs or coordinators is one thing. But at some point, aren't we going to reach a place where there's nothing left to cut but programs? Seems to me that now, before we get to that point, is when we shoud be coming together as a community to discuss and possibly plan and implement a restructure of our system with the goal of realizing a cost savings while simulataneously maximizing the education that we provide to our students. I would love to see the BOE establish an advisory sub-committe made up of a combination of teachers, administrators, a BOE member or two, and parents to start investigating various plans and grant funding that could provide viable alternatives. I think that our teachers currently do a fabulous job of educating our kids but that doesn't mean that we can't come up with ways to help both teachers and students even more.
I liked your story and I agree that a more progressive approach to the system as a whole is what is necessary.
Having said that and understanding where we are in the budget cycle- first things first. What I mean by that is, the battle for the next 3 or so weeks is really about transparency regarding the BOE budget. I know that this will be an unpopular statement, but the masses need to understand that the school system is awash in money- let me say that again- the school system is awash in money. These charts are an update to Dave’s previous articles [ -HERE- & -HERE- ] to include the ‘09/10 proposed budget-
It is important to note that the proposed enrollment in PK-8 for '09/10 drops again by 28. I can supply the spreadsheet if you desire a copy.
This is about management and lack thereof. It is also about continuing the myth of the “bare bones maintenance” tripe and nothing more. The leadership of the BOE and the Superintendent might as well hang the “mission accomplished” banner and take a walk- because for them politically, the game is nearing the end. You can only hide so much before the scheme is exposed. They have spent us into the stratosphere by hook and crook on seemingly arbitrary items which were entirely discretionary and they still want more- and we hear absolutely nothing about forward thinking initiatives. Rather, the administration and discretionary spending grows unchecked on declining enrollment.
I found your comment on the SPED department to be an ironic turn of phrase- “lean & mean”- I can’t think of a better literal description of the state of that department today.
Let me add regarding Mr. Ford and some of his recent comments on Aljazeera that it is encouraging that he stepped from the shadows in the last meeting; however, it is apparent that he is still drunk on the Kool-Aid to some degree. I do agree with him that it is a tough job to fully understand what is happening; however, that is what you sign up for when running for BOE. In my view, it is the job of these members to entirely understand the budget and to be prepared to question the Superintendent regarding same while being prepared to not take no (or BS rhetoric) for an answer. Their job is NOT to be a rubber stamp for whatever comes out of his mouth as appears to be the case.
I appreciate your due diligence in trying to reach the residents of Woodstock. Truth be told, I am sure I am not the only one who feels as though this process is the same as last year, the year before, the year before that, etc. etc. etc.
Every spring it is the same old song and dance. The newspapers are full of derogatory information about Woodstock's budget process. The BOE makes a mockery out of our town. They fail to listen to what we have to say. Until we vote the budget down countless times, at an expense of $4,000 each, will the BOE listen. Not from the start.
Dr. Baran has done nothing to improve relations with the community. It is not the Citizens for Prudent Spending.
As I am a parent, the budget is important to me. However, I feel that it is a waste of time to attend BOE meetings. I, personally, have lost confidence in the BOE and Dr. Baran.
I too as well as almost everybody I talk to are tired of what goes on at public meetings. Same old same old. When Mr. Higgins takes the helm as moderator you get a chance to speak but are abruptly over powered by the BOE cheerleaders who live in a fantasy created by the BOE brainwashing techniques.
The parents are subjected to fear instilled by letters sent home and the children are preached to in class.Then at the referendum the class gets the day off so an appearance at the polls is made. Subjective offers are made to voters like "We will watch your children or pets while you're in the town hall".
Should the budget get shot down it's back to the polls 1% at a time until the initial money is spent and you guessed it! Not on education or children.
I find charts and graphs difficult to dissect because often they don't provide the raw data. What also makes this whole budget issue confusing to me (and perhaps some other parents) is the use of different numbers by different parties when drawing these comparisons and contrasts. Some include SPED in WA, Some don't. Some include Sped in K-8, some do not. Likewise for transportation and construction costs. It makes it tougher to follow along in my opinion.
Add to that the fact that none of the charts and graphs prepared by either your sources, WA, or the BOE do anything to answer my basic question in my last post. Namely, are we close to approaching a point where we will run out of things to cut that are "furthest away from the students" before too long? How much room for cuts remains before we must cut programs because they are all that is left to cut? The BOE says there is little left to cut before we start hacking away at programs. You dispute this. Can you give me a simple, straightfoward list of areas in the budget that are "awash in money" so that I and others can examine it? Has Mr. Richardson or anyone else that you know (perhaps you, yourself) worked up their own sample budget or proposed budget showing what the numbers would look like if the BOE used a zero-based budget approach? If so, using the BOE's numbers in their 2009-10 proposed budget, where do your figures leave us? How much savings have you found and how few programs are touched/cut? Maybe more residents might take an interest if we could see the full picture.
As mentioned, the spreadsheet and logic behind it are available to you for the asking. With regard to your question, the answer based upon the research is no, not anytime soon. The answer to "how much room" depends on how it is approached, which in itself is a great argument for pursuing the Fusco audit committee.
The zero based approach is not a "one-man" job and would require committment and cooperation from the Superintendent and BOE and takes time to implement- you just can't decide to do this and have a result in a week- it is an involved process of transparency and priority setting.
As far as the "straight-forward list", for now while other work is in process, I would refer you to the check register that was published here previously (I'll find a link for you later today). The entire check register is also available to you. Look at it this way, if the '09/10 budget is to be the same as this year, can we expect the same sort of dump/bounce that Dave has described in detail in '07/08? Those same dollars are now in the proposed budget, we are currenly working on budget vs. expended year to date for '08-09 in order to analyze the spending patterns.
With the games being played and the shuffling and misdirection employed by those fighting transparency, this is not an easy task although certainly not impossible. We are committed to bringing this information to light as we can.
Quite frankly, going forward with the Citizen Audit Committee and relevant subcommittees with an involved and diverse group would be preferable to us continuing to carry the load ourselves. More people need to step up.
Sure, I'll check the link out later when it bcomes available.
As far as broadening the participation on the audit committee and subcommittees, isn't CPS a non-profit? Is it possible for them to sponsor an ad stating what you said above? And that objective, interested volunteers are being sought? For me, I would take it a step further and state in plain English that this is not to be an attack on the BOE. I think new blood might be gun-shy to get involved without some assurance that they aren't going to be dragged into a war. It seems to me that this whole issue has gotten so ugly and personal in recent years that no one new wants a piece of it.
Link to 4 year check register -HERE-
As mentioned, I am not a member and this isn't neccessarily a CPS inititative, but I will pass it along- the suggestion of the "CAC" has never been an attack on the BOE; however, the leadership hasn't exactly been truthful, cooperative or receptive, have they? Maybe it has gotten personal & ugly, but who has made it that way?
Thanks for the link for the check register. I only saw the 2005. Was I able to see everything in your link, or was I supposed to be able to pull up more than that? Not questioning you. Just making sure there was no operator error on my part.
You can say I'm naive if you like. It's certainly been said many times before. But in looking at the register, I'm not cear as to what you're taking issue with there. I saw the time period of all the checks written, so am I to assume that you point to this register as evidence of the end-of-school-year dump that you mentioned? I can't say that any off-the-wall expenditures jumped out at me.
So for you, is the problem how much they spend, what they spend it on, or when they spend it? If it's a timing issue, I seem to recall Kevin Ford explaining at the Cafe that they hold off on a lot of purchases until the end of the year so they can make sure that their contractual obligations are paid first. I believe that refers to things like benefits, utilities etc. The register you provided seems to bear this out because I did notice alot of payments to agencies that suppy testing materials and textbok/curriculum materials. There seemed to be a good amount of instances where it appears that teachers needed to purchase items upfront and out-of-pocket and were then apparently reimbursed. That seems normal. I guess I'm not following the point that you're trying to make very well.
I don't have a lot of time at the moment as we are preparing for tonight's meeting. But to hit some of your points-
I can expand on this at another time if neccessary...
A question for Dr. Baran and/or Mr.Richardson-
What do the charts look like now that we have a 0% budget proposed?
Also if the Academy was growing at the same rate as K-8, where would it be in $?
Thanks for your time in advance.
Steven Rosendahl
As always I'm speaking as a townsperson and parent and not a sitting member of the BOE.