MARSHALL MAKING THE MOST OF MCAS

Thurgood Marshall Middle School - Lynn, MA

3 mins ·

Hey Mustangs!! Remember that tomorrow and Wednesday are the LPS Middle School MCAS practice dates. Please make sure that you get a good night's sleep tonight and that you arrive to school on time tomorrow, ready to show what you can do in math! We are really hoping that you shine on this practice test. It will be giving us important information as to what we still need to focus on, for the remainder of the time until the real test in May. Just for kicks...who can solve this one? Good luck!!

WATCH OUT FOR FALLING SHOES

Times they are a-changing
The budget they are a-rearranging


The police and firemen holding a political signs
Will be good practice for standing in the unemployment line.


In Judy we did trust
Until the teacher's healthcare was a bust


So now we must wait
For the full effect of SPENDINGGATE.

SORRY JUDY, DOESN'T LOOK LIKE SPENDINGGATE IS AS WIDESPREAD OF A PROLEM AS YOU WOULD HAVE US BELIEVE

The DESE lists financial information 319 Massachusetts districts; 4 out of 319 districts spent under the 95% spending threshold that can result in state aid penalties

JOHN AND JUMPING BEANS

Food for thought!


CHUCK and JOHN THE RIPPER are both candidates for the UPCOMING race to be a Representative for the 11th District. Surprisingly or maybe not so surprisingly they have been quiet on the SPENDINGGATE scandal. Why is that?


They knew or should have known about this problem for a long time. How can they expect us to send them to help fix a problem they have refused to acknowledge. Kind of IRONIC ole JOHN, he was successful in sticking the city with an additional burden of his own retirement and if elected it is assumed he will be pushing for some actuarial magic to shift the burden of the TEACHER'S retirement off the CITY'S books and on to the SCHOOLS. I'm not saying that's wrong, just funny

CITY'S BUDGET WOES ELIMINATED

Kennedy warns of layoffs

In a bold attempt to make lemonade out of the lemons the DESE has handed the city, the Mayor is set to introduce a NEW Community Policing plan that will have officers walking foot patrols in every neighborhood. Since their squad cars will no longer be needed they can be auctioned off on the Lynnway.  Also instead of a gun Buy-Back program, we will be looking to sell.This one-time infusion of cash should alleviate the current education spending shortfall.


Reducing spending by a similar method in the Fire Department may be a little more problematic but I have heard from my usually reliable imaginary sources that the Chief Financial Officer has been instructed to do a Quantitative Analysis on the costs of using mo-peds to transport fire equipment's. In addition we are waiting to hear back from the BEDROCK FIRE DEPARTMENT of FLINTSTONES fame.

PARENTS PURSUEING PURSE STRINGS PURSUIT

 LPOBE (Lynn Parents Organizing for Better Education) - with special guest Luc Shuster, from the Mass Budget and Policy Center to teach about education funding. TUESDAY, APRIL 1st 6:30 - 8:00 PM - 25 EXCHANGE ST. LYNN ( LYNN ARTS )

NO ONE WILL CARE IF IT'S FAIR

To this SCANDAL don't be late
Trending now:#-SPENDINGGATE


Not much doubt they knew
Last year's budget they blew


At the end of the day
Penalties we will pay


The real question is who's to blame
Maybe us, we elected the SAME

ONCE AGAIN, "WHO KNEW AND WHEN?"

Who has a handle
on this growing
SCHOOL SPENDING SCANDAL

Though the MAYOR did vent,
 "Is she far
from INNOCENT?"

Ignorent she may
play to outsmart
she may.

To get a raise, she is a trying
but that's not a BILL OF GOODS 
I am a-buying!

DAYS OF WHINE AND ROSES

Our MAYOR scoffs at what the STATE proposes
So at the tomb of the CITY she places roses.

Plenty of talk about being ready to fight
In order to do what is right.

But we've heard it all before
We just need to see more

To know you're just not talking fancy
Like you were with the case of MR. CLANCY

Where even though the case you won
Court battles are far from done.

To your critic's you continue to amaze
You still will come out with a RAISE.

In this SCANDAL with the schools
The taxpayers are the FOOLS.

LIL'LORI HAS CARPET CALL FOR MAYOR

From: Lori D'Amico 
Date:03/28/2014 12:11 PM (GMT-05:00) 
To: Mayor Kennedy 
Cc: Rick Starbard ,Charlie Gallo ,Patty Capano ,donnacoppola@mail.com,Maria Carrasco ,"Ford, John (HOU)" ,Dan Cahill ,Terry Young ,Wayne Lozzi ,buzzybarton9@gmail.com,Brendan Crighton ,hongnet@verizon.net,mchughk@lynnschools.org 
Subject: Last night's meeting 

Good Morning, 

After listening to your response to the net school spending issue, I still have the same question I have had from the beginning and I am hoping you, or anyone else included in this email, can provide me with a simple, straight forward answer.

As we all know, the restriction on not counting retired teachers health insurance costs is well-documented and publicized.  It is specifically mentioned in Section 3 of the annual state budget and it is noted on the EOY Financial Reports.  It is also highlighted each year at the summer EOY report workshops for business administrators, and it is mentioned on the DESE website.  Therefore, the restriction is not, or at least should not have been a surprise to any of you.  You have been Mayor for 4 years, but the audit only went back I believe 2 or 3 years.  Therefore, the almost $16 million shortfall is from your time as Mayor.  If this is not correct, please let me know.  Knowing the restriction existed, why did Lynn include these costs toward net school spending for the past few years?

I did not hear you give an answer to this simple question during last night's meeting.  I heard you state in detail what costs could and could not be counted toward net school spending, as well as your personal feelings and opinion on the way the state does things.  I heard you state that the reason the city has this almost $16 million shortfall was because of a box that was or was not checked on a form submitted 20 years ago.  However, this is not really true.  We are not facing this shortfall because of a form that was submitted 20 years ago.  We are facing this shortfall because the city included these costs toward net school spending (fully aware of the restriction) for the past few years.  I just don't understand how or why city and/or school officials simply ignored this restriction for the past few years and did not do any research to find out if Lynn did in fact include these costs in FY 94 as the restriction states.  If they had, we would not be facing this issue, correct?  So again, why did the city include these costs toward net school spending for the past few years? 

Thank you

Lori D'Amico

WHY ISN'T THE ITEM REPORTING THIS?

You know, I was watching the school committee meeting over because I was lookiing for something NEW to write. I mean I was getting BORED harping on this NET SCHOOL SPENDING situation. I was afraid my horses were all dead and well you know being a WV boy I am an animal lover. In WV the only thing we love more than our animals is our cousins.

But to tell you the TRUTH I got down right terrified by what I heard. Here is what IS happening. The city is going to float another 3 million dollar bond to fund a variety of projects upto $1500,000 each around the DISTRICT that will go to reducing our NSS gap. That NEW DEBT won't completely eliminate it so other things must be done too.
 Remember in addition to the 4 million dollars the city council already bonded, the voters approved a 92 million dollar bond. By my calculations 3 + 4+92 = 99 MILLION DOLLARS the city will have BONDED in the past year. I wonder how our precious BOND rating is going to look now?

The sad thing is all that borrowing still leaves us short of what our spending requirements are going to be. So the MAYOR can stamp her feet all she wants but she still is promising raises for everyone. YUP, I see a vote on a tax increase coming.

Some of those other things that were discussed was laying off policeman and firefighters. Teachers were said to be the safest city employees because eliminating their salaries would actually compound the problem. It would seem to me that the other solution suggested would be a PROP 2 1/2 TAX INCREASE.

Now I agree with the MAYOR that every dollar spent toward providing educational for our children should go toward reducing our NSS burden. However this problem didn't just suddenly present itself. Everybody knew or should have know the rules going in. There has been little effort to resolve it until now. Maybe I am wrong but it is just hard for me to see through those smoky backrooms with my failing eyesight.

SPENDING SHORTFALL RIPPLES

POET-AT-LARGE: THE FASHION OF FALLOUTS

poet-at-large.blogspot.com

PAYBACK IS A $#%@&

You see I got this burning question.. Did you folks in the police and fireman's unions get the same kind of raise that some people are talking about giving the MAYOR and CITY COUNCILMEN?

I know a lot of you held signs. You guys may be RESPONDERS but you are definitely not FIRST!.

JUDY'S SWAN SONG

Being from WV, it is only natural that I try my hand at writing some COUNTRY MUSIC. This whole NET SCHOOL SPENDING saga has gotten me inspired.

LYNN'S LADY SINGS THE BLUES

If whine was only served in a longneck bottle
Then I ciuld go at this spending thing full throttle.

Seems the STATE just don't care
So I've been sinking in despair.

I've been thinking
Guess there is nutin left but drinking.

Pour me another one barkeep.
What I've sown, they shall reap.

Do ya think I have a hit? I'll donate all proceeds amd royalties to help close the anticipated antiquated gap.

NEW PLAN TO REDUCE CLASS SIZE

I'd like to take credit for this idea then maybe some of you people would mistake me for being smart. Unfortunately I must yield my quest for accolades to that BRIGHT STAR of the corner office. It was her that first alerted everyone to the potential layoffs in the police department.

Since there wcould be fewer.officers that is bound to free up someome space in that fancy new station. I am sure there will be more than one empty desk. YOU ARE THRIFTY MADAME MAYOR!

DAN AIN'T DIDDLING

Thanks for the quick response!

Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 16:58:23 -0400
Subject: Re: MAYORAL RAISE
From: danielfcahill@gmail.com
To: stanleywotring@msn.com

Stan,

As stated in the past, I too am interested in seeing this "proposal" the Daily Item keeps referring to in articles.  Discussions on various topics are certainly healthy and part of every day governance, but until something appears on paper and is properly posted for public review, it is all merely speculation and conjecture.

Should any such proposal appear, I would be happy to discuss and debate its merits.  Until then, I am focusing on the various issues at hand, including net school spending.

Have a nice weekend,

Dan

On Fri, Mar 28, 2014 at 3:42 PM, Stanley Wotring <stanleywotring@msn.com> wrote:

Dan,

I am writing to urge you to reconsider your support of the exorbitant pay increase reportatedly talked about for the Mayor. In last night's Lynn School Committee meeting, she herself warned of the drastic and dire potential consequences facing the city f the Net School Spending issue is not resolved. Increasng her salary will not help find a solution to what may be our fiscal armegeddon.

I am afraid failure to address this burning issue will draw comparisons to Nero and Rome. The ramification of these consequences could dramatically affect the city's political landscape.

Sincerely,
Stan

TAXING HISTORY LESSON

In trying to find out more about this net spending shortage, a 23 year old article popped up from 1991 - little history lesson on Lynn.

Slumping City of Lynn Turns to Tax Override

Former shoe center north of Boston suffers from industry decline

BY THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

LET YOUR COUNCIL PRESIDENT KNOW HOW YOU FEEL

HERE'S MINE, USE IT OR WRITE YOUR OWN

Dan,

I am writing to urge you to reconsider your support of the exorbitant pay increase reportatedly talked about for the Mayor. In last night's Lynn School Committee meeting, she herself warned of the drastic and dire potential consequences facing the city  the Net School Spending issue is not resolved. Increasng her salary will not help find a solution to what may be our fiscal armegeddon.

I am afraid failure to address this burning issue will draw comparisons to Nero and Rome. The ramification of these consequences could dramatically affect the city's political landscape.

Sincerely,

Stan

HERE YOU GO!:

danielfcahill@gmail.com)

THE MAYORAL MOMBA

There once was a RANT

Of what CAN and CAN'T

Be counted

On NET SCHOOL SPENDING discounted

Cries of unfair

And attempts to scare

Still no answers did she provide

Unless her strategy was to hide!

TALE OF TIDAL WAVE OF TROUBLE COMING

It all began with a twenty year turn of the clocks And the failure to check the right box No matter how much you cry unfair Inthe end the state they don't care. So this battle you may well lose Between Policeman and Fireman you may have to choose

MADAME MAYOR, PLEEAZ!

Salem; $100,000
Beverly; $106,047
Gloucester; $100,000
Newburyport; $85,000
Amesbury; $80,000
Haverhill; $90,000
Lawrence; $100,000
Woburn; $105,000
Revere; $111,223
Everett; $105,000
Newton; $125,485
Melrose; $125,000
Medford; $135,500
Malden; $114,000
Somerville; $145,000
Boston (Menino): $175,000
Weymouth; $110,375
Braintree; $105,000
Lowell; $144,000
Springfield; $95,000
Peabody; $105,000
Quincy; $128,000
New Bedford; $112,000
Average = $113,114

Again how is Lynn's Mayor making a minimum of $140k justified?

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, THANKS ITEM FOR PRINTING MY LETTER

Not right time to hike mayor’s pay

To The Item Editor:

While I can empathize with the relative low pay given to the Mayor of Lynn given the financial struggles facing the Lynn Public Schools, including the potential $92 million construction of the new Marshall Middle School and possible loss of $7 million in state aid, any pay increase would be fiscally irresponsible at this time.

Increasing the mayor’s salary will automatically trigger a cascade of payroll adjustments. At the present time, increasing payroll should not be such a priority. It seems to be highly hypocritical since she fought so valiantly in court to establish the current base salary level. The realities of the court proceedings make it highly unlikely that we will ever recoup the overpayments.

Stanley Wotrin

JUDY'S JINGLE

Tonight there will be a meeting
Where on spending we are retreating.

Who is to blame
For what is clearly a SHAME.

It's fair share the CITY did not spwnd
While LPS has been left to defend/

Why the students they did short change
For a POLITICAL victory in exchange.

BULLDOGS TAKE A BOW

English High girls basketball team was honored by the mayor and the City Council Tuesday night at City Hall.

CHUCK IS LOOKING FOR A NEW DAY JOB - HE IS RUNNING, FROM NET SCHOOL SPENDING?

Check out The City's Voice tonight for Charliallo for State Representative & the president of Marian Court College, Dr. Denise Hammond

SCHOOLS NOT SALARIES

POET-AT-LARGE: SOME WOLVES WEAR WOOL

poet-at-large.blogspot.com

PLUGGING HOLES IN THE NET

http://uneducacion.blogspot.com/2014/03/compromise-bill-contains-no-changes-to.html?spref=fb

Go to CLEO'S blog to educate yourself on the NET SCHOOL SPENDING mess/ The problems are REAL

.Sure the answer to all of our problem is to pay our our MAYOR and COUNCILORS more.

MORE FOR THE MAYOR WHILE LESS FOR THE SCHOOL

Really the proposed pay raise for the Mayor is CHUMP change compared to the MUCH larger NET SCHOOL SPENDING shortfall that our MAYOR ultimately played a lead role in causing. I say this because it was her that PROPOSED the budget that was short.

So I am all for giving her a raise, I'll even lead a movement to raise funds. We'll call it:

CHANGE FOR A CHUMP

Now this comment was about something else but I think it is appropriate heree as well. I am not giving a name. I didn't ask. I just don't want to take credit for someone elses wisdom cause you people might get the idea that I am smarter than I am.

The school spending issue is one example - they printed quotes where some elected officials said 'oh we're not worried, our state delegation is working on some amendment...' except did the Item look into the amendment to see how viable it was and present the idea that it might not be an option? Nope and guess what? That amendment was left out of the compromise bill just submitted, so a $7 million loss in state aid is still on the table.... //end rant

It's not just, "What's in YOUR wallet?" but whose wallet are we talking about

BACKLIST

The CITY COUNCIL approved
LPS's attempt to get back
on the LIST we were removed

For MARSHALL the ground's not been BROKE.
For PICKERING, taxpayers we will soak.

Getting the MSBA to go along
singing thier same od song.

that one where eighty is sixty
and taxes we won'i raise and it will be tough
because we've found out now we don't pay our Mayor enough.

LADY BULLDOGS STAND UP FOR STANDING OUT

THE PEOPLE ARE PERCOLATING WITH POETRY

AnonymousMarch 25, 2014 at 4:51 PM

Here is a little poem for you Stanley...

How can Judy ask for a raise so soon after getting elected?
If we knew she would do this, she probably would have been rejected!

No one is really singing her praise
Especially since she requested a raise.

The raise wont just be for you
But also the city council and also your crew.

The city always says it has no money...
I guess they will find it for you though, isn't that funny?

The teachers have also been asking for a raise
The city is stalling, it must be a phase.

Administration keeps adding more and more teacher work to be done
yet the raise, well appears to be none.

They just want us to take all of our work home to be done after school
But when they don't even respect us, do you think we are fools?

The mayor mentioned she wants to be paid like mayors in another city.
Well the teachers do too..isn't it a pity?

Revere teachers earn about 8-10 thousand more per year
They build new schools and have money to spare

Wouldn't it be nice if we could do the same
But to you, the school committee, and the superintendent, it is just a game.

Maybe we should ask Revere how they are keeping pace?
Because what Lynn is doing, is very much a disgrace!!!

Join

A Night of Awareness - Fundraiser memorial scholarship

Saturday, April 5 at 4:00pm

BRICKYARD BAR+ GRILL in Lynn, Massachusetts

4 people are going

SOURCE FOR RESOURCE

MEETINGS THAT MATTER

Reclaim Our Schools Meeting - for teachers, parents, students and concerned citizens. TUESDAY, MARCH 25th 7-9 PM - 112 EXCHANGE ST. LYNN


Lynn Parents Organizing for Better Education - with special guest Luc Shuster, from the Mass Budget and Policy Center to teach about education funding. TUESDAY, APRIL 1st 6:30 - 8:00 PM - 25 EXCHANGE ST. LYNN ( LYNN ARTS )

NO BLACK BOX NEEDED FINALLY WE HAVE A SIGHTING - AN ACTUAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING

There are those out there not that I KNOW any of them that think the LSC has been cancelling meetings to AVOID talking about the MISSING money from the school budget. I think it MAY have been found and has become AVAILABLE to go into somebody's PAY RAISE.

WHAT USED TO BE IN YOUR WALLET?

Anyway atleast they're meeting.

March 27 | 6:15 PM | 6th Regular

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA!

I TOLD YOU SO

POET-AT-LARGE: GETTIN JOLLY WITH JUDY

poet-at-large.blogspot.com

LESSONS FROM LISTENING TO LIL'LORI

"The time is right for the City Council to talk about giving her a pay raise, said Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy, pointing out that mayor’s salaries “for similarly sized cities goes $140,000 to $170,000.”

http://www.itemlive.com/news/kennedy-time-for-pay-raise/article_3346a792-b304-11e3-b260-0019bb2963f4.html

Kennedy: Time for pay raise

itemlive.com

LYNN — The time is right for the City Council to talk about giving her a pay raise, said Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy, pointing out that mayor’s salaries “for similarly sized cities goes $140,000 to $170,000.”

•  I agree the Mayor should be paid more than $82,500. However, it always comes down to the question, Can the city afford it? When it comes to needing essential items, all we hear from city and school officials is that there is not enough money. Howeve...See More

  2 hours ago · Edited · Unlike · 1
• 

  Lori D'Amico Wouldn't it be a better idea to hold a public meeting to discuss the $16 million shortfall in net school spending, the penalties the city keeps incurring because of their failure to adequately fund our schools, and where the city will get the funds to pay for the debts it currently has and essentials this city and its schools need NOW?

CONTRACT TALK

Time we must wonder what we'll do
if the SUPER'S contract we'll renew.

It's true we are out of LEVEL 4
but more problems are in store.

Some of the trouble is not of her making,
the financial crisis be a quaking.

The CITY didn't pay its share
so cuts to Chap. 70 we must bare.

Fiscal management has not been sound
answers some how must be found.

If not then it is abundantly clear,
"NO ONE WILL WANT TO WORK HERE!"

STEP UP TO STAND OUT FOR C. A. E. P.

College Application Education Project, Inc. (C.A.E.P.)

Hayward's Restaurant is represented in the College Application Education Fundraiser Challenge. Lynn Police Department is represented in the College Application Education Project, Inc. (C.A.E.P.) Fundraiser Challenge. Lynn Fire Department is represented in the C.A.E.P. Fundraiser Challenge. 15hourcode.com is represented in the C.A.E.P. Fundraiser Challenge. Mass Probation is represented in the C.A.E.P. Fundraiser Challenge.

SOCCER SIGNUPS

MAKING THE MOST OF THEIR MCAS AT MARSHALL

Thurgood Marshall Middle School - Lynn, MA added 3 new photos.

We have lots of students who are showing extra effort to succeed on their MCAS this year! Ms. Powers, a 6th grade ELA teacher from Cluster 10, is very proud of the students who have been arriving for extra MCAS practice before school each day. Day to day the numbers vary, but you've got to love these students getting up earlier than needed to get a little step up! (not to mention Ms. Powers having to get up earlier, too!)

MARSHALL SAYS, "EVERYDAY IS A GOOD DAY FOR LEARNING."

Thurgood Marshall Middle School - Lynn, MA added 5 new photos.

Saturday School continued today for week 4. Just TWO weeks left!! About 75 students were there today, working on math, science and test-taking strategies. (Ok so we do sneak in a little open gym, too!) Great effort everyone! Thanks for opting to spend part of your weekend with us!

SOS FOR YOUTH!

TIME TO RAISE SOME FUNDS

 College Application Education Project, Inc. (C.A.E.P.) Fundraiser Challenge Celebration on April 5, 2014 at 7:00 pm, 270 Union Street, Lynn, MA 01901, 781-596-0760

MARSHALL MAKES MOST OF MUSIC

"Love Lost, Friends Found," an original musical. (21 photos)

Ms. Campbell worked with our acting club to write an original musical on friendship and treating others with kindness. Approximately 75 students, parents and teachers showed up tonight to see the outcome of 3 months of hard work. Six students acted out scenes that they had written. Original songs were written and then put to music, accompanied by a pre-recording of Ms. Campbell on the piano. The whole work of art sent a message that friendships have to be cultivated and tended. Sometimes friends can say things to hurt each other and when that happens, you need to deal with it by talking and apologizing. Great job to Ms. Campbell and her 6 starlets!