Loss of Computer in our schools!

[JMB]

PLEASE CONFIRM... Rumor has it that the Grafton schools will no longer
be providing computer classes in grades K-2 and for the middle school
students. Can anyone confirm this?

I have a significant concern with this if it is true. I recognize
that budget cuts are necessary however middle school students need to
continue their foundation of technology education .

[eja...@gmail.com]

I do know that the computer teacher, Mrs. Lewis, will no longer be
teaching in grades K-2 at SGES. I believe this applies at NGES as
well. At SGES, Mrs. Parker is looking at ways to provide some
computer instruction.
I don't have any information regarding the middle school. If no-one
else responds, you could ask Mr. Lind, the principal, at:
li...@grafton.k12.ma.us.

Caroline Alper

[SueZ]

The last paper I saw (at a GMS PTG meeting) with proposed cuts did
indeed include computer science at the middle school level. I cannot
say for sure if the list I saw was the "final" list of cuts.

The most important thing we need to emphasize here is that REAL
POSITIONS, WITH STAFF IN THEM, are being cut. We could debate all day
which things should be cut and which should be saved (and I will tell
you that I think it's embarrassing if in fact the middle school will
not have computer science - it's 2008, for God's sake - but I can't
say which classes I think should be cut instead) but some of the
misinformation, including the ridiculous Grafton blog at the T & G,
states that the positions lost are currently not filled. This is
obviously not true, and needs to be corrected in the community.

As for the blog in the T & G, which I wasn't even aware of until it
was mentioned on this website, I file that away with the likes of
K.Whynot. I simply don't read it anymore, I haven't read K.W. in
years, and I have to say, my experience with the Grafton News is far
more pleasant because of that. We railed against him 10 years ago and
demanded his removal due to his relentless bigotry, negativity and
most importantly, inaccuracy, and we were met with deafening silence.
I can see by the letters to the editor that he has been ramping up of
late. Unfortunately, those that agree with K.W., and with the blogger
at T & G, don't often bother themselves with facts.

On May 23, 5:56�pm, JMB <jbone...@gmail.com> wrote:

[greatergrafton]

When I did the Middle School tour last month, the principal did say
they do not have a "computer class" at the sixth grade level (which
will be my son next year) and the computer facilities themselves were
pretty grim. There was a small room off the library and a few Macs
that weren't hooked up (there are pictures on my blog) and a
classroom's worth of laptops that are circulated on a cart.

I haven't heard about further cuts, but I'll ask next week.

Jenn

[wbs]

I know that some of these positions are actual positions being cut!
Why weren't we told this at town meeting?

> > > continue their foundation of technology education .- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Ravindra R. Harve]

Is there any transcript available from these town meetings?

Can anybody attend town meetings? I am a permanent resident but not a citizen?
 

My daughter will be in middle school next year, and we are having a parent orientation this week.

 

Can we list out the questions that needs to be clarified with the principal during this orientation.

[SueZ]

The potential cuts were discussed at school committee meetings prior
to town meeting. The school committee came up with a "tiered" plan,
which went to 11 or 12 tiers of cuts that would be made based on what
the proposed budget would be. Each of those tiers included cuts and
cost-savings measures that coincided with a particular budget number.
When the town administrator and superintendent finalized the budget
number, it was determined to go with "tier 8" of the school
committee's recommendations, to correspond with the $21M budget number
(which was very close to the original budget number the town
administrator wanted, as I understand it.) Tier 8 is essentially what
we have now, although there may or may not have been some tweaking
done after the fact. The tiers may be spelled out in the school
committee meeting minutes, check that on the town website.

The problem with discussing these things at town meeting, as we all
saw, is that if you change one number in a balanced budget, you have
to take the money from somewhere else. And in a year like this, where
there is nothing left over to go into stabilization, you have to take
the money from another department or line item somewhere. And
likewise, another department can move to increase their line item at
the expense of the school department. Eventually, the worst case
scenario is that the whole budget gets thrown out and whatever finally
gets voted on and approved is the year's budget, no matter what it
looks like. The school committee was prepared to make these cuts, and
needed the budget to pass as it was to prevent it from being cut more
to some unknown number at the town meeting.

I don't know at this point if there is anyway to change what is
getting cut...I believe the cuts have already been made. But next
year looks to be worse, so definitely put the school committee
meetings on your calendars and try to attend...that is where you can
have the most impact on what is cut and what is not.

> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

[Registered_Voter]

Ravindra,

You can attend Town meeting however, you need to approach the Town
Moderator beforehand to receive permission to attend, he does not have
to give you permission to attend though. You would not have the
privledge of making any comment as a visitor nor casting votes. If
you want transcript, contact the town clerk.

On Jun 9, 8:48 am, "Ravindra R. Harve" <ravindra.ha...@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Is there any transcript available from these town meetings?
> Can anybody attend town meetings? I am a permanent resident but not a
> citizen?
>
> My daughter will be in middle school next year, and we are having a parent
> orientation this week.
>
> Can we list out the questions that needs to be clarified with the principal
> during this orientation.
>

> > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

[Registered_Voter]

SueZ is absolutely right, all of this was played out at all of the
meetings with the school committee leading up to the town meeting. My
understanding is that there was very little participation from the
public at large at any of these meetings.

I believe next years budget (08-09) is locked and cannot be changed at
this point, that would be a question directed at the superintendant


The 09-10 budget will be even worse, there is always a lag of 1 year
in the tax base due to changes in assessments, etc. and with such
volatility in the housing market, it may potentially be an even worse
budget scenario, not just for schools, but for essential services in
the town as well.

[greatergrafton]

As far as meetings go -- aside from Town Meeting, anyone can attend a
meeting of any town board. For example, you can go to School Committee
or Selectmen.

I haven't gone to a School Committee meeting in Grafton, yet. All
towns handle these meetings differently -- some have a period set
aside during the meeting for public comment, some require you to have
an item placed on the meeting's agenda if you want to be heard. If the
agenda has a "public hearing," that means the matter that's in front
of the committee is open for public comment.

The town's website has a calendar section set up that lists when and
where what boards will be meeting. Most of the boards also post their
agendas online as well. The School Committee agenda is generally
posted only on the Grafton public schools Web site.

I think a lot of the frustration at Town Meeting comes when we ask
questions that should have been asked at the board meetings long
before that. But I also think the general public isn't really aware
they have the right to attend them, or when they meet, or how they can
find out what's going before the boards.

Jenn Paluzzi