Ken
O’Brien
In an article titled Southbridge
school board takes on restructuring, council criticism, Worcester Telegram
reporter Brian Lee addressed recent developments in the district.
The article states, “Speaking about various issues
in the highly politicized school environment here, Mrs. McLoughlin confirmed
that she took part in a conference call about the proposed restructuring with
two senior associate commissioners at the state Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education. One call was before Tuesday night’s public hearing, the
other was Wednesday.
“But after viewing the proposal, and verifying that
it contained substance, the DESE officials told her “to proceed in any manner
as the district and School Committee sees fit,” Mrs. McLoughlin said Friday.”
The article goes on to observe, “Middle-high school
Principal Melissa Earls' job has drawn considerable public interest. Fliers
expressing support for her have been posted on utility poles in town, while
many of the 20 people who spoke during the public hearing expressed concerns about
constant turnover and the need for stability at the middle high school.”
Speaking about the recent no confidence vote by the council
“Mrs. McLoughlin also confirmed that she asked DESE if it could issue a letter
of support for the School Committee's authority, in wake of the Town Council's
recent vote of no confidence in the school board.
“Mrs. McLoughlin said she hopes that a letter from
the state could speak to ‘a sense that the authority of the School Committee is
being subverted or challenged’ by ‘certain individuals in official positions in
this community’ who are ‘overstepping their legal bounds.’
“Mrs. McLoughlin said, ‘A lot of people in official positions are trying to insert themselves into decisions that are not within their legal perview [sic],’ while ‘using’ that they are weighing in as a private citizen.
“Various town councilors have sounded off about the
School Committee. They have raised concerns about whether the proposed
restructuring would add to the schools' rising unemployment and legal costs.
“Mrs. McLoughlin said: ‘The very people that are
outraged or concerned about our legal costs are actually causing our legal
costs to go up.’”
Regarding the vote to extend the Acting
Superintendent’s contract, “Mrs. McLoughin said she doesn't believe that this
is the proper environment to do a search because the board doesn't feel united
or aligned.”
“Asked about the state's recent level of involvement with the district, DESE spokeswoman Jacqueline Reis said, ‘We have been in communication with a representative of the Southbridge School Committee and remain concerned about the discord in the district. We hope the (town's) elected officials will be able to work together to stabilize the district for the good of Southbridge students.’”
What planet is Mac on? She says, "the very people who are outraged by the our legal costs are actually causing our legal costs to go up". The buck stops with you sweetheart. AND...the legal costs over the past three years have been way out of control UNDER YOUR WATCH/LEADERSHIP.
ReplyDeleteAlso, what is the difference in waiting to do a supt. search because; "she doesn't believe that this is the proper environment to do a search because the board does not feel united or aligned." AND, restructuring the district??? From what I can see, the same people do not feel united or aligned when it comes to to subject of restructuring. As they say, "what's good for the goose is good for the gander". Then again, this is Southbridge.
the very people who are outraged by the our legal costs are actually causing our legal costs to go up".
Deleteperhaps she meant unemployment costs?
2.6 was need for level funding the budget and the TC only gave them .8
# heads will roll.
How many ??? You do the math.
Octo, I don't know what accounting/budgetary experience you have but last I knew, unemployment costs do not fall in the same bucket as legal fees. That would be considered "Fuzzy Math".
DeleteIf an employee is released and they sue the town, which happens here more often than usual(even before this SC), legal fees are the result
DeleteThere are a couple of things that the SC could do to reduce tension in the district / town:
ReplyDelete1) Since they do need a Superintendent while they do a search, they should give Stanton a contract that has the following condition: " until a permanant superintendent is appointed, not to exceed June 30, 2016."
2) Start the superintendent search.
3) Modify the restructuring Plan to just hire an Co-Principal at the SMHS with the responsibility of the Middle School side with further restructuring to held off until a new permanent superintendent is appointed.
4) Once a new permanent superintendent is appointed come back to the Town Council and request additional funds as necessary to complete what ever that superintendent wants to do for restructuring.
This plan does not throw the baby out with the bath water and all sides get the room they need to cool down while the new people on the S/C, T/C and in the administration can make an informed decision.