Sunday, March 6, 2011
Silence Is Not Always Golden
How can LPS be responsive to the needs of the students of Lynn if it has chosen a policy of disengagement with the parents? Deb Stone's position of parent liaison has been vacant for eighteen months while she has been out on medical leave. Just cause she's not there doesn't mean her work is not. Who speaks for the parents? This is on top of the loss of the Confidential Secretary to the Special Ed. Dept. Who speaks for the students? WE NEED TO REMEMBER WHY WE"RE HERE AND WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
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On top of that the School Department is spending 10s of 1000s of dollars fighting with both the Parent Liaison and the Confidential Secretary. Money that could be better spent on our children. When will it stop? When will the School Department put the children first? WHEN?
ReplyDeleteWE must STOP it. Do you hear us Lynn Public Schools?
ReplyDeleteWhat about the new deputy? Are we still going to hire a new one plus a secretary for her? Must be oodles of $$$ lying around Dr. Latham's office.
ReplyDeleteMelissa prompted me to inquire about this with the Supt. last week. There was a meeting last week on this issue. I hope that there will be an answer this week that will bring about a resolution. This position is funded and should be filled with either Ms. Stone, if she is able to return or a replacement. From what I have heard from parents and administration, Ms. Stone performed her duties admirably. I would imagine that it takes a certain type of person to serve in this role and that you just can’t pluck someone off of the street to help parents navigate the web that exists within Special Ed. If Ms. Stone cannot return, I would hope that administration would allow members of the PAC to have input into her replacement. I will post more when I know more.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, that position is going to be filled. The approval of the job posting was referred to the personnel sub-committee. I don’t understand the immediate need more than halfway through the year, just before we begin the budget process. In my opinion, it is also a morale breaker. Teachers and Principals having been doing more with less for years and have gone without raises for 3 years. Parents are looking at their children’s classes and saying “hey spend that money over here”. While I understand that administration is over burdened with paperwork, so isn’t everyone else. If we have to pull hundreds of thousands of dollars out of our classrooms for paperwork and reporting purposes, then something is wrong with the DESE’s systems. If this is the case in Lynn, it must be affecting other communities as well. As a member of the Finance Sub-Committee, if we are facing cuts to staff that provide direct services to our kids, then I am taking a serious look at this position. For now, the vote was taken and a majority of the committee agreed that this position should be created.
ReplyDeleteI wish Latham would have been on the stand instead of Fortucci. Do those who have a lot of paper work to do, work overtime? it doesn't seem fair when this money can be directed to the classroom.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the story with re-uping Latham's contract? Despite the Woman of the Year award, I think many parents in Lynn are dissatisfied with her performance.
ReplyDeleteRick, well said nut in the words of that great philosopher, Yogi Berra, "It ain't over til the fat lady sings". And no, I am not talking about anyone specific.
ReplyDeleteMelissa, SEE ABOVE comment for the answer to your question.
ReplyDeleteWell said RIck, I have to agree with you 100 percent. Also, I thank you for being one of the School Committee members who voted against this position. We need to keep fighting in order to get our families and children what they need.
ReplyDeleteDolores DiFillipo