Thursday, March 31, 2016
BINARY BULLIES - WHEN DOES NO MEAN NO
Tonight before many people came to the LSC DR.LATHAM told me she wanted to talk to me. I was immediately uncomfortable because of the limited number of witnesses. Especially since most of the ones present were probably much more loyal to her than me or even the truth. You see I have no employees at THE WATCH and well the DOC'S good graces are necessary for more than a few mortgage payments.
So I said directly I did not want to talk there. Ignoring my statement she proceeded. Again I protested. To which she responded I just want to ask a you a question. Once again I said that I didn't want to talk about it and said I don't want to be bullied. Her response was I am not bulling you, you're the bully. At this point DR. WARY chimed in her agreement with a snicker and a statement, "You are a bully". Then DR. LATHAM proceeded to ask in front of a small number of people, "Do you ever think about the feelings of the older people you write about?". Well maybe I am looking at this all wrong, maybe I should be flattered because there ain't many of them that much older than me, certainly fewer still less gray.
Anyway this verbal battering took place probably before the recorder or video was on so there is no independent objective verbal confirmation of what occurred. You could believe me but DR. LATHAM publicly called me a LIAR, saying I write things that are untrue.
You know when you are right you are right. YES IT'S TRUE. Sometimes I stretch the truth but I always make pretty clear what is a statement of fact,
Perhaps she should seek out the help of LSC member and former D1 collegiate wrestler, ATTORNEY JARED NICHOLSON to explain the difference between collegiate wrestling and WWE WRESTLEMANIA in order to draw parallels to what I do. We are in a time of INFOTAINMENT.
I have been doing what I do for 6 years and as I told you I deserve respect. I have standing as a journalist and certainly as a parent. A legal analogy would be like "settled law". I mean would you talk to a reporter from the ITEM like that. Well maybe you did before LPS became a client of their new parent company.
HILL COUNTRY IS MY COUNTRY
I decided to go have coffee and lunch outside of my Boston Street office. I know it's a big deal for me to go to a place where coffee is more then a dollar and they don't offer FREE refills. I mean a poor, disabled poet's gotta live. Since I just got paid and I planned to secretly attend a public meeting at city hall on the PICKERING PROJECT I thought I would treat myself. I mean there is a heck of a backstory there at THE LAND OF A THOUSAND HILLS coffee shop.
I even talked to the manager about filming a little video for my blog. At first she said yeah but quickly backed away, saying "not today" and "really if you just told your friends it would help". Obviously she has never heard of or read my blog or she would know I don't have any friends. What I do have however is readers and some degree of influence.
The story of this place is very socially responsible and is very relevant to things going on at LPS. But I really don't have time to go into it now and hopefully she will rethink her position and we can do a video sooner rather than later telling the story.
 |
| Plus it is a beautiful place and I would love to use it as a backdrop for some future political interviews! |
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
MIKE MARKS DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF
I was honored to have Mike Marks come on the WATCH today. He helped show why the race for Sheriff of Essex County is so important to all of Lynn students. Okay so I am hoping to boost my numbers, everybody wins.
ANY CANDIDATE for Sheriff is welcome to appear on the WATCH! Hopefully we'll be in touch!
ANY CANDIDATE for Sheriff is welcome to appear on the WATCH! Hopefully we'll be in touch!
NARCAN NOW?
Finally after multiple meetings maybe something is happening -
Of course we've seen this before.
Let us not forget -
Let us not forget -
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
BANNER TO BE BROUGHT BACK?
I do not know why the banners were taken down, only that they were. Perhaps they were for innocent reasons like cleaning them or mending stitches. A response from someone, anyone could perhaps clear this right up. I would gladly post an honest explanation. Do not be afraid of me. I am just a poor, disabled poet.
You see gifts have to be approved to be received. Now I'm NO lawyer but I would bet that once received they would NEED LSC approval to be removed.
I am sure they will be returned because look what I found in the policy manual -
You see gifts have to be approved to be received. Now I'm NO lawyer but I would bet that once received they would NEED LSC approval to be removed.
A statement from somebody could clear this mess right up right away.
Invite
Monday, March 28, 2016
LORI LOOKS AT THE NET (IT WON'T GO AWAY)
http://www.itemlive.com/news/city-and-state-near-net-result/
This is
the article from January about the net school spending issue. It does not
give specifics of any agreement, nor does it state it's a done deal. The
article also mentions the Mayor's plea that she believes Lynn is at an unfair
disadvantage when it comes to meeting net school spending requirements.
She always makes it a point to say things like, "Lynn and other
cities" face this same issue and this may be true. Perhaps Lynn and
some other cities do face the challenges the Mayor mentioned and these may
cause a burden for the city. I don't know what other cities the Mayor is
referring too, but Lynn appears to be the only city facing such a financial
crisis and to my knowledge, is the only city forced to work out an arrangement
with the state to resolve the crisis. The DESE has reported the FY15 net
school spending compliance reports for 312 of 322 districts in the state and
none of them failed to meet at least 95% of their net school spending
requirement. In fact, 95% of the districts reported exceeded their net
school spending requirement. Lynn, as we know, is one of the districts
not reported yet, but I believe Lynn was expected to only meet something like
92% of its FY15 requirement. Why is that?
JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT . . .PLUCKED FROM THE LPS WEBSITE
Will CHUCKIE ever leave? I hope not then I would have to work harder to find something to write about. Seriously, two NEW LSC members were elected in NOVEMBER 2015 AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T UPDATED THEIR OWN WEBSITE.
It's kind of a slap in the face not only to our two newest LSC members but also to the parents of some 15,000 students who depend on LPS for the education of their students. Geez, with all that brain power in the administration you would think they could stay current. Heck I had my blog updated when my old computer wasn't even working.
UNLESS . . .
CHUCK is still around haunting the halls of BENNETT STREET. That could explain why I always feel a little queazy there.
Sunday, March 27, 2016
BRINGING UP TAKING DOWN
Hearts filled chock full of hate
Led to the phenomenon known as BANNERGATE.
Taking no effort to hide
The destruction of symbols of pride.
In an effort to rewrite the past,
Making a new future by the removal of last.
In the end the truth will come out
And from the rooftops I will shout.
Led to the phenomenon known as BANNERGATE.
Taking no effort to hide
The destruction of symbols of pride.
In an effort to rewrite the past,
Making a new future by the removal of last.
In the end the truth will come out
And from the rooftops I will shout.
BEHIND THE BANNER
Putting things in context
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/F_The_Ups_and_Downs_of_Water_Droplets_prt.htm
The eighth-grade students from Robert L. Ford School wanted to know how water droplets react in reduced gravity, like in space. Do they bounce off each other, merge into one large water droplet, or break into many smaller water droplets?
Students first did the experiment at their school. They squirted streams of green water toward streams of red water to watch how the streams collided. Students then recorded their observations. The streams of water both merged and bounced off each other, splashing into many small drops of water. Students wondered if the water would behave the same way when there is very little gravity.
To do the water collision experiment on NASA's Weightless Wonder, students built a collision chamber. Inside the chamber, two nozzles sprayed streams of water toward each other. Pumps controlled how much water and how fast it sprayed. Cameras recorded the waters' reactions. Ford teachers also observed the reactions.
After landing, they found the problem: a loose washer. "When we opened up the electrical panel, we saw the tiniest little washer sitting under an electrical contact," Romanowski said. "We came to the conclusion that the washer caused a short circuit, like blowing a fuse."
On the second flight, the experiment worked well. Ford vice-principal Barbara Kelly and seventh-grade science teacher Andrea Ogles observed the experiment. They couldn't tell for sure if the water droplets merged or bounced when they collided. "But they did form almost bubble shapes, and they would float around and float to the top and pop just like a bubble," McCarthy said.
Also working as part of the Ford team were principal Claire Crane and teachers Paula Muller and Shannon Stevens.
The team told students about the experience using the school's Web site. They sent pictures and wrote a daily blog. They also answered students' questions using e-mail. "They saw every single day what it is we did," McCarthy said. "I felt when we came back, they were very well aware of what went on."
McCarthy enjoyed experiencing nearly double Earth's gravity as much as she enjoyed microgravity. "It was amazing experiencing two-g's," McCarthy said. "You'd be standing up and all of the sudden it's like someone is pulling you down to the ground."
The NASA Explorer Schools project is one of many NASA projects to prepare the next generation of scientists, engineers, astronauts and others. NASA is working to excite today's students about science, technology, engineering and mathematics so they can carry on NASA's mission in the futur
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/F_The_Ups_and_Downs_of_Water_Droplets_prt.htm
The Ups and Downs of Water Droplets
06.20.07
Ford students experimented with water collisions on the ground by spraying green and red water with squirt bottles. Image Credit: Robert L. Ford Elementary School
Robert L. Ford School in Lynn, Mass., is one of 20 NASA Explorer Schools that designed an experiment that was conducted on a reduced-gravity flight. Teachers ran the experiments on NASA's "Weightless Wonder" aircraft. The aircraft flies in a roller-coaster-like path. When the plane climbs up, passengers can feel almost twice as heavy. Then the plane descends toward the Earth, letting passengers experience weightlessness. This process is repeated multiple times during the flight. The eighth-grade students from Robert L. Ford School wanted to know how water droplets react in reduced gravity, like in space. Do they bounce off each other, merge into one large water droplet, or break into many smaller water droplets?
Students first did the experiment at their school. They squirted streams of green water toward streams of red water to watch how the streams collided. Students then recorded their observations. The streams of water both merged and bounced off each other, splashing into many small drops of water. Students wondered if the water would behave the same way when there is very little gravity.
To do the water collision experiment on NASA's Weightless Wonder, students built a collision chamber. Inside the chamber, two nozzles sprayed streams of water toward each other. Pumps controlled how much water and how fast it sprayed. Cameras recorded the waters' reactions. Ford teachers also observed the reactions.
Ford vice-principal Barbara Kelly looks for water droplet interactions in the experiment chamber. Image Credit: NASA
On the first flight, Ford teachers David Romanowski and Jennifer McCarthy had a problem. Things went well for the first five or six tries, Romanowski said. "Then we noticed a problem with the cameras. They had stopped taking pictures. ... Then the water stopped shooting out of the chamber. The pumps weren't working." After landing, they found the problem: a loose washer. "When we opened up the electrical panel, we saw the tiniest little washer sitting under an electrical contact," Romanowski said. "We came to the conclusion that the washer caused a short circuit, like blowing a fuse."
On the second flight, the experiment worked well. Ford vice-principal Barbara Kelly and seventh-grade science teacher Andrea Ogles observed the experiment. They couldn't tell for sure if the water droplets merged or bounced when they collided. "But they did form almost bubble shapes, and they would float around and float to the top and pop just like a bubble," McCarthy said.
Also working as part of the Ford team were principal Claire Crane and teachers Paula Muller and Shannon Stevens.
The team told students about the experience using the school's Web site. They sent pictures and wrote a daily blog. They also answered students' questions using e-mail. "They saw every single day what it is we did," McCarthy said. "I felt when we came back, they were very well aware of what went on."
David Romanowski floats in microgravity while holding a NASA Explorer School bumper sticker. Image Credit: NASA
Students wanted to know what it was like to feel weightless in microgravity. Romanowski said swimming was the closest on-Earth activity to how he felt in microgravity. "But even then, when you're floating (in microgravity) you don't have the weight of the water," he said. "I loved it. It was fantastic." McCarthy enjoyed experiencing nearly double Earth's gravity as much as she enjoyed microgravity. "It was amazing experiencing two-g's," McCarthy said. "You'd be standing up and all of the sudden it's like someone is pulling you down to the ground."
The NASA Explorer Schools project is one of many NASA projects to prepare the next generation of scientists, engineers, astronauts and others. NASA is working to excite today's students about science, technology, engineering and mathematics so they can carry on NASA's mission in the futur
THE BANNER LEADS THE BRIGADE
Believing in fake moon landings
Is reason for denying Ford's standing
As NASA's choice
For our child's voice
In a battle for legitimacy
In the fight against conspiracy
Against the truth of science
Waged by the warriors of ignorance.
RAISIN' BANNER CAIN
As a direct result of jealousy and hate
Now we are left with FORD SCHOOL BANNERGATE!
Symbols of pride and distinction
Relegated to hide and extinction.
Here's to hoping your actions slide by
Guess you forgot about me before you did try.
Your lesson, you must not have learned.
Because messing with me you'll surely get burned.
Now we are left with FORD SCHOOL BANNERGATE!
Symbols of pride and distinction
Relegated to hide and extinction.
Here's to hoping your actions slide by
Guess you forgot about me before you did try.
Your lesson, you must not have learned.
Because messing with me you'll surely get burned.
GRUDGE GRIEVANCE?
Removal of banners
lathamc@lynnschools.org; jcerulli@lynnma.gov; jaredc.nicholson@gmail.com; john.e.ford@state.ma.us; donnacoppola@mail.com; Maria Carrasco; patti7761@hotmail.com; lorraine.gately@stmaryslynn.com; tom iarrobino; tyoung@lynnma.gov Cc: lariveej@lynnschools.org
lathamc@lynnschools.org; jcerulli@lynnma.gov; jaredc.nicholson@gmail.com; john.e.ford@state.ma.us; donnacoppola@mail.com; Maria Carrasco; patti7761@hotmail.com; lorraine.gately@stmaryslynn.com
Dear Dr. Latham, Ms. LaRivee, and members of the Lynn School
Committee,
Hopefully you will be able to tell me the devastating news
that I heard is not true and that no one there is trying to rewrite history.
Specifically I am hearing of the removal of the banner denoting Ford School a
NASA EXPLORER SCHOOL. Also there was talk of the removal of the awarding of the
INTERNATIONAL IMAGINE LEARNING distinction.
This callous and brazen action is akin to removing the
championship banners from TD Garden that were won at the old Boston Gardens or
distinguishing the Patriots accomplishments while at Foxboro versus Gillette
Stadium.
How can you in good conscience rob mine and countless other
children of a representation of being the first elementary school of having
talked to astronauts on the International Space Station? It is clear to me that
this blatant attempt to rewrite history along with your cessation of the Know
Atom program constitutes what I feel is a war against science where our
children our the unwilling victims of a personal vendetta.
I strongly urge you to restore all the banners taken down to
return the heritage of the students of the Highlands. Hopefully this was all a
misunderstanding and this distorted sense of ethnic cleansing did not occur.
Please make me apologize.
Sincerely,
Stan
Saturday, March 26, 2016
BENNETT STREET BALLAD
The Bully of Bennett Street can bring teachers to their knees
Unless her ego they struggle to appease.
Don't even attempt to resist
Less a reason be found for you to be dismissed.
Petty grudges, long they be held.
Ruling through fear if truth be teld.
To keep control you must intimidate.
It's not loyalty, your threats generate.
Unless her ego they struggle to appease.
Don't even attempt to resist
Less a reason be found for you to be dismissed.
Petty grudges, long they be held.
Ruling through fear if truth be teld.
To keep control you must intimidate.
It's not loyalty, your threats generate.
THINK ABOUT THIS
KIPP PROVIDES NEW TRANSFUSION FOR BLOOD BUILDING
Why do we have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to build an educational monument to our egos?Friday, March 25, 2016
SEE I AM A REAL POET
The Poetry Daily is out! http://paper.li/GoodBlogPosts7/1316391872?edition_id=b5013a20-f2bf-11e5-8985-0cc47a0d15fd … Stories via @OMANXL1 @MattForrestVW @LynnSchoolWatch
LYNN SCHOOL WATCH: IS THE ITEM TRYING TO OUT "POETRY" ME?
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IS THE ITEM TRYING TO OUT "POETRY" ME?
PICKING A PLAN FOR PICKERING
You have to give them PROPS for their repetition of the "P" sound. I could not have done it better. Not only do they get an "A" for alliteration it's kind of hard to argue with their argument but I do ask you when has that ever stopped me?
TRUE - The construction of the NEW Marshall is not only coming in on budget and will be beautiful.
BUT there is no WOTRING WING.
Hopefully since the PROPOSED PICKERING will be about 11/2 times the size of it this time they'll be able to squeeze it in. I have to tell you the price tag makes me shutter, $132 MILLION.
I heard at a MONTHLY MEETING for the new MARSHALL construction that the same design team had an inside track on the new PICKERING construction. Looks like somebody was clairvoyant. That's not necessarily a "bad" thing. Coming in on-tie considering the winter we had last year is a remarkable achievement.
Still I do have to return to an old question. How did KIPP build a comparable size school to the new MARSHALL for roughly a third of the cost? I was told that it wasn't holding up as well because there wasn't all the oversight and regulation required by the MSBA. I broached that statement with an official from KIPP who flatly denied it.
Another thing to think about is with the prevailing climate toward adding more charter schools makes you wonder if we are going to need that large a school and if the dwindling resources might be better spent providing more direct services?
But who's kidding who? I am all for anything that'll make the WOTRING WING a reality.
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