IGNORANCE OR ARROGANCE, THE DANGER IS REAL

LORI IS LOOKING IN TO WHAT WE MAY BE LOSING

Lori D'Amico‎Lynn School Watch

3 hrs ·

This is not good for Lynn! I believe our low income percentage has been about 83% of students, but this new economically disadvantage measure drops that percentage down to about 47% of students. Therefore, it appears this will have an impact on chapter 70 aid, and most likely other aid and grants we receive, resulting in a decrease or loss of aid and grants. It will also have an impact on the MSBA reimbursement rates, which again will most likely hurt us. This change, along with the continued failure to meet its NSS requirement, will have a significant financial impact on the city of Lynn and Lynn Public Schools. Remember that financial cliff I mentioned?

Redefining Low Income - A New Metric for K-12 Education - Data Collection/Information Services

For many years, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has collected data...

DOE.MASS.EDU

THERE WILL BE WORDS!

Last year I did warn
But me, the Mayor did scorn.

Was told my figures were wrong,
Looks like I was right all along.

Not that I mean to start trouble
However our debt did double.

One thing is abundantly clear,
We can't afford to wait for next year!

SORRY DAN, YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER THAN TO TALK TO ME

At DONNA COPPOLA'S CAMPAIGN KICKOFF standing only a few feet from the buffet table (the barbecued kielbasa was to die for) the MR. DAN CAHILL, PRESIDENT OF THE LYNN CITY COUNCIL and I had an in depth conversation about the workings of city government. I did hear the words "YOU CAN'T PRINT" this but silly lawyer I use a computer screen. No where is there any ink involved.

Don't worry DAN, your secrets are safe with me. I have some of my own and the best ones are made-up. No our actual conversation dealt with the seriousness of the NET SCHOOL SPENDING problem and the REAL limits of the CITY COUNCIL and the SCHOOL COMMITTEE to do anything about it. They do not have the authority to add money to any body's budget. No that BURDEN is solely the MAYOR'S.

But it may surprise a few readers where the BLAME lies though, that's because it lies mostly with YOU. JUDY'S fiscal priorities were not a hidden surprise. Not only did these policies NOT  jump out RIGHT field, it's been a SLOW stroll from the bullpen. I believe these spending deficiencies were brought up in the last MAYORAL campaign but firmer COUNCIL PRESIDENT PHELAN got spanked and the army of sign holding supporters of JUDY may soon be looking for work. I know it's a big word but can you say INSOLVENCY boys and girls.

Talking with DAN, we both agreed there is a need for more taxes only no one can stand more taxes. The only answer is to broaden the TAX BASE and GROW businesses. That's the reason LSC member RICK STARBARD is leaving the LSC to run for CITY COUNCIL. He believes his business acumen would better serve efforts to reduce the NSS gap. Besides JUDY needs some friends to fully complete the disaster.

I've read were TIM PHELAN doesn't want to talk about his spanking with an "We're on to Seattle" attitude. Sorry TIM, I'm not one to offer advice but your loss ought to be front and center of your campaign. You need to be pointing out what your opponent's victory really BROUGHT the voters.

BUT HECK, WHAT DO I KNOW?

Well being married four times and being from a state (WV) that usually ranks near the bottom of everything, that kind of makes me an expert on losing. 

You want to know why MOUNTAINEERS ARE ALWAYS FREE? Because that's all we can afford.

PHASES OF PHELAN'S FACES

Tim Phelan Announces His Candidacy for Councillor-At-Large

June 4, 2015

Actually I've had a lot of fun with alliteration over the years all at this candidate's expense. Phonics are fun, but if I can speak seriously for a moment I want to say a couple things. I mean we have a lot in common. Well okay, only one thing. We both got KILLED in the last election we ran.

Well maybe one more thing. It would seem that we both have this uncanny ability to see into the FUTURE AT OUR OWN PERIL. I remember CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR PHELAN sounding the alarm about spending shortfalls in the schools. Nobody would listen because they were too busy navigating through the scorched earth of the MAYOR'S re-election campaign.

POLITICAL attacks became PERSONAL (Are there any other kind?) and I believe TIM'S wife was METAPHORICALLY ran out of town. Her career in education capped off and so once again LYNN loses to SWAMPSCOTT. I reached out to STACY to give her an opportunity to write an unedited (by me) piece that I would publish. She never got back to me so she must have seen it for what it was,"A THINLY VEILED ATTEMPT TO START TROUBLE". Tim always told me she was smarter than him. I believe it must be true.

Anyway this COUNCILOR-AT-LARGE race is shaping up to be a very interesting and one of VITAL importance to LYNN SCHOOLS going forward.

WHO MISSES WHAT?

You know, the MAGNANIMOUS person that I am I was willing to give up my SCOOP of the GEORGE F. LAUBNER ACADEMIC & LEADERSHIP AWARDS to the ITEM  cause to tell you the truth I didn't want to type out all those winners name and we don't want to begin to talk about spelling.

I mean they have an essay contest at each elementary school's fifth grader and middle school's eighth grader writes about their future and what their education means to them or something like that. The winners get a NICE certificate and the BUSINESS ED FOUNDATION gives them a $30
 gift certificate to BARNES & NOBLE. (By the way, remember the BUSINESS ED FOUNDATION is the fiduciary sponsor that lends its 503 status to LPS so they can go after PRIVATE GRANTS

Well I ain't seen nothing yet. My plan had been to let hem have their say and I would comment on their work. Not much different than my usual stuff, Well I'm still waiting on them. Now I don't subscribe to the actual paper so they could have buried the story on a back page and I could have missed it. LPS did put up a couple photos on their web site but you would have thought they would have done several extensive FACEBOOK posts BUT THAT AIN'T NONE OF MY BUSINESS.

Now I don't want to tell the ITEM how to do their job since it's not like me to offer an opinion on something I know nothing about but I will ask a question of the ITEM though. Are you making so much money from advertising that you can take a chance on pissing potential advertisers off by ignoring them?

GOING GRAND

Just got back from a GRAND OPENING. You might be wondering what an education blogger is doing spending his precious time going to such CHAMBER OF COMMERCEE type events. You probably think I was just there to get my picture in the paper. C'mon now I am a serious interest to the health and welfare of our students. (Well okay the thought did cross my mind but I got there a little late anyway.)

 Ribbon Cutting: Heart & Soul Boutique and Consignment

Well the truth of the matter is that the ONLY way we are ever going to be able to AFFORD to pay for our schools and maintain some semblance of the city services we've come to expect is to GROW our TAX BASE. That we don't have to TAX people MORE instead we have to have MORE people to TAX.

By the way I didn't see anyone from the ITEM or LYNN JOURNAL there. They may have been, I don't know as many people who know me. Oh well, even if they were I'm sure I'll get the story up first. You see, I'm not overly concerned with facts only the truth.

I did see JOE GILL, Director of Alumni Relations at ST. MARY'S and also PR Director for the NORTH SHORE NAVIGATORS (have to give them a plug due to my CHOMPS connection and their relationship with LPS) there supporting a ST.MARY'S ALUM who happens to own the store. It's always good to remember your friends and celebrate their history.

You know, I think the MAYOR should have been there to shake my hand.

THE MAYOR SPANKS CHUCK TONIGHT

Even though I get no response when I sent the MAYOR the warnings about CHUCK'S intention to go all commando solo on the budget, evidently after witnessing her response to the proposed fantasy budget she must have been reading them. So this BUDGET on the BLINDSIDE was not only DOA it never even got started.

I almost feel kind of sorry for ole CHUCK. I warned about the members of the LSC not having the fortitude to fight along side him for full funding of the schools. The MAYOR was successful again to intimidate most of the other members to go along with her WRONG interpretation of the law. Now it's not me who's saying she's wrong, it's the DESE.

However I believe the culture of state government, while they might agree she is technically wrong, there will not be any prosecution (which is an executive action). I challenged the other members tonight to stick to their guns but except for MARIA the others wimped out.

Sorry charlie! i tried to warn you. That's just not how the system works.

THE NEW ED DIET

Not much longer can they conceal
The Great 2016 Budget reveal.

Which program's death will it seal?
No matter what other's may feel

The MAYOR will say, "C'mon CHUCK, get real".
"There's no money to strike a deal"

So if it's for education you hunger,
"PREPARE TO MISS A MEAL!"

THE BEGINNINGS OF THE BUDGETARY BOMBSHELLS

This post comes from someone who went to that TEACHER'S ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION at the Union Hall that I was not allowed to go to because....I'm not a teacher (see us POETS we don't have no special buildings and such). Anyway I had to go watch my son play baseball besides being a poet, a pain, and a person of interest in multiple ongoing investigations, I am also a parent.


Tax paying Lynners, all day kindergarten is being cut from our budget, Baker proposed it does this not bother you? I think about how Kindergarten is not mandatory and how 1st grade will turn into k/1st , I also learned that SEI rooms in our district being dismantled and English language learners are merged to regular classrooms ..but we are not hiring additional language support teachers so it falls on YOU teachers cause you don't have enough on your plate! My taxes are certainly not going down? I asked Fennell yesterday what collaborative solutions state can offer lynn and he said to ask my city officials ... Are you not a city official of Lynn? Pointing finger time... When this happens nothing gets resolved ..well I don't have to pay $5000 for my kid to be able to stay in day care all day cause my kids are teens ... I am paying for my kids not having books in their classes in public schools and are on binder systems ... I'm done with this rant but teachers are taking direct hits and I'm pretty sure it's against the federal mandate to do away with SEI classrooms ...Charlie Gallo Maria Carrasco Rick Starbard please put this SEI classroom dismantle on the agenda .. Ask your teachers they will tell you the global impacts on this in the future ...


Now haven't I been trying to warn you all about the massive devastation that's going to be wrought on our schools if we don't wake up?

Unfortunately the LSC can do little to affect the actual budget. They can not put money in that would be the MAYOR.

THE BENEFITS OF BACK SCRATCHING

Remember when there was SUCH opposition by certain people on the LYNN SCHOOL COMMITTEE to CHUCK wanting to require that the job posting for the new DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT require a DOCTORAL DEGREE? The requirement did make it in the posting after a 4 to 3 vote with I believe the MAYOR, FORD, and CAPANO NOT WANTING TO MAKE IT THAT STRINGENT.

In fact PATTI expressed FEARS ABOUT NO GETTING ENOUGH QUALIFIED CANDIDATES because of adding that restriction. I mean who would want a $150,000+ a year job? Well after getting over 15 applicants for the job here is the interview schedule for the next two days.

Deputy Superintendent Candidates  Interview Schedule
McGuiness Administration Building
100 Bennett Street, Lynn MA
School Committee Room

Monday, May 18, 2015
5:00 PM | Dr. Mary Dill                        
5:30 PM | Dr. Mary Walsh                    
6:00 PM | Dr. Jennifer Wu           
6:30 PM | Dr. Lynn Caterius                 
7:00 PM | Dr. Nadene Stein

Tuesday, May 19, 20154:30 PM | Dr. Arthur Urobskey
5:00 PM | Dr. Wayne Alexander
5:30 PM | Dr. Patrick Tutwiler
6:00 PM | Dr. Frederick McDowell     

Just a quick note, there are RUMORS circulating and then there is the FACT the RACE is about to cross the finish line and positions it once funded will be NO more. WRAP your head AROUND that.

GUESS THAT PUT'S US IN A PICKLE.

TEACHERS TALKING

MAY

19

Legislative Roundtable with State Representative Robert Fennell

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• Tuesday, May 19 at 4:00pm - 5:00pm Next Week · 69°F / 56°F Partly Cloudy

• Show Map Lynn Teachers Union 679 Western Ave, Lynn, Massachusetts 01904

LTU members are encouraged and welcome to attend a legislative 

HERE IS SOMETHING THAT CHUCK SHOULD REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT

Everybody always wants to talk about how good Salem is doing compared to Lynn, well...

An Education Blog shared a link.

Salem schools face cutting 51.5 positions

SALEM — The school district is staring down a tough set of decisions as budget-development season rolls forward: where do we cut first?

SALEMNEWS.COM

Stanley Wotring

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THERE IS NO MONEY ANYWHERE!

So just how is MR. MCHUGH going to come up with a realistic imaginary budget of NEEDS?

FIRE THE PHASERS, MR. CHECKOV! TAKE US OUT OF HERE MR. SULU, WARP FACTOR 9.

WHEN JARED CAME TO TOWN

Privy to Ivy but
Subjects to bags of carpet.

Student populations glut
Lack of revenue control forget.

Promises not to run and cut
If only you'll give a seat to sit.

THE JOCKEYING OF JARED

Lori DAmico has left a new comment on your post "MORE THAN NICE HAIR": 

Jared is correct. The next school committee will face the same challenges our current and past committee's have---financial concerns, rising student enrollment and infrastructure needs. If we want to build pathways for students to college and jobs, we must first resolve these issues. 

Two of the biggest problems we have in Lynn are the continued underfunding of our schools and the mishandling of the funds we do receive. Unfortunately, the way the system currently works, there is little the school committee members can do when it comes to the underfunding. This problem originates and lies with the Mayor and city council members who create and approve the city budget. However, the school committee does have authority over the school department operating budget. To help ease the burden of the current financial crisis, school committee members could begin with demanding transparency. It is amazing to watch and listen to a LPS budget hearing. Money is moved all around that budget from line item to line item or bunched in with other line items. I honestly do not believe a single person sitting at that table, including Kevin, can account for every dollar that comes in and out of the district. You can see the look of confusion on the faces of committee members. Unfortunately, this confusion leads to almost no questions asked (typically only Donna asks any) and a rubber stamp approval. 

Another way school committee members could help ease the burden of the current financial crisis is stop approving exorbitant raises for administrators, particularly those who have offices on Bennett Street and especially for those who are responsible for the financial crisis we are currently facing. Why are these individuals being rewarded for their neglectful actions? Why are raises being given out when there is a net school spending shortage of about $17 million? Money for raises does not just miraculously appear. It is money that is taken away from our schools, classrooms and students. Schools and classrooms that are overcrowded and already have insufficient resources. If current and potential school committee members really want to support our teachers, stop suggesting, recommending, requesting and expecting they do more for less. Less time, space, money, and resources. 

The lack of overall parental involvement is another significant issue in our schools. It is great to have such diverse schools full of students from different countries, backgrounds and cultures. However, parents/guardians need to step up, get involved, take responsibility and action for the education of their children, as well as their own, and stop blaming the teachers! 

RULES ARE FOR FOOLS!

An Education Blog

45 mins · 

Per an April 22nd report from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Lynn's school budget shortfall for FY15 is currently $16,833,243.

Source: http://www.doe.mass.edu/finance/chapter70/compliance.html

Compliance With Net School Spending Requirements - Chapter 70 Program - School Finance

The Commonwealth's school finance statute, Chapter 70 of the General Laws, establishes an...

DOE.MASS.EDU

COMRADES IN HARM?

An Education Blog

 

"The school department is losing close to $1 million in grants that have expired, including a school redesign grant for the struggling Bentley School and federal Race to the Top money. The $515,000 redesign grant paid for, among other things, additional teachers at Bentley. A new course has been set for Bentley as a district charter school, but the loss of that grant means officials need to find another way to pay those costs and other improvements."

Salem schools grapple with budget problems

SALEM — Before he leaves the superintendent’s office in two months, Steve Russell will have to file one last budget. And he and the School Committee have some tough decisions to make.

SALEMNEWS.COM

Salem is facing similar problems as we are. I believe Saugus is as well.

What we have that they don't is an  $18 million albatross hanging around their neck called NET SCHOOL SPENDING in addition we are also facing an untold loss of CHAPTER 70 money to KIPP this year due to the addition of their elementary program.

LET'S START FACING FACTS PEOPLE!

EXPRESS YOURSELF!

Potential City Charter violations

Stanley Wotring <lynn.school.watch@gmail.com>	2:14 PM (0 minutes ago)
to jcerulli, DonnaCoppola, Charlie, Maria, patti7761, john.e.ford, Rick, tom

Dear Mayor Kennedy,

I find it imperative to write to express my outrage at school committee Charlie Gallo’s blatant attempt to circumvent the Lynn city charter to advance his own personal beliefs and values on the good citizens of Lynn. Enough signatures were gathered on a petition and certified by city clerk Mary Audley to mandate a public hearing be held regarding the Lynn School Committee’s decision to severe ties with Gordon College. His objections to this petition do not come as a complete surprise since he has shown willingness in the past to proceed with prosecution without the presence of a violation.

Also in what I feel is another potential violation of the city charter is his attempt to usurp your budgetary authority by initiating and encouraging Kevin McHugh, School Business Manager, to craft a budget for LPS while neglecting the necessary input from you. This irresponsible and reckless behavior took place in your absence at last Thursday’s Finance Subcommittee/Meeting of the Whole.

Given what transpired last year with Dr. Latham coming up with a budget on her own, only having to slash it some seven million dollars once you provided her with the actual numbers available for the city’s contribution. Such an exercise in futility commissioned by Mr. Gallo is a waste of time and valuable resources.

I am hereby requesting that you address it at the next Lynn School Committee meeting demanding that they cease and desist from ant further action until such time as you provide the appropriate and available budgetary parameters. Thank You.

Sincerely,

Stanley H. Wotring, Jr.

LET'S HOLD EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE

MAY

18

Ward 5 Campaign Kickoff

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• Monday, May 18 at 5:30pm - 7:30pm

• Show Map Old Tyme Italian Cuisine 612 Boston St, Lynn, Massachusetts 01905

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Come down & support the campaign kickoff for Ward 5 Councilor Dianna Chakoutis

Appetizers & Cash Bar

Suggested Donation: $25.00

Hope to see everyone there.