BANNER DAY FOR SOME BULLDOGS

ALL ABOARD! From the PARTY DECK of the U.S.S. NAVIGATOR the itinerary of my fun filled family venture included flying rubber chickens and dizzy bat dances.  The evening was started off with kids from THE LITTLE BROWN SCHOOL leading the crowd in THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER while the LYNN ENGLISH JROTC presented the colors. LYNN ENGLISH is always flying the flag! Those are some patriotic BULLDOGS!

A little rain delay did not dampen the excitement the night provided. Opening Day ended with a brilliant display of fireworks which is how every Friday night game for THE NORTHSHORE NAVIGATORS are going to end.

NAVIGATOR manager RICHIE HEBNER literally gave the shirt off his back (and his pants too) to the winner of the SILENT AUCTION for the DETROIT TIGERS  uniform with the number 2 jersey he wore.

Former CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE CLAY WALSH invited me to join LOU MARKAKIS on the PARTY DECK. I had the pleasure of sitting with 10^th ESSEX DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE CANDIDATE DUSTY CAUFIELD for five innings. LYNN CITY COUNCILMAN BUZZY BARTON stopped by to say HELLO to DUSTY (not me).

HIGHLAND’S HERO

Now I don’t claim to know all the details, that’s the talk of lawyers, trustees, and the like, far beyond the comprehension of this poor poet but I hear tell of a NEW SCHOLARSHIP targeted first for HIGHLANDS residents and if there are none it would default to a LYNN student for a full scholarship to SALEM STATE COLLEGE.

Going forward it will be known as the DR. CLAIRE CRANE SCHOLARSHIP. Hence forth her tireless efforts to promote the value of education to members of the HIGHLANDS community will be forever memorialized.  Legacy notwithstanding, I will repeat to you the words I have heard DR. CRANE utter countless times, “It’s all about THE KIDS”.

Lowdown on the Lockdown?

Did anyone else out there hear about the LOCKDOWN at INGALLS, Wednesday I Believe? It was around dismissal.

I know they had to wait for the police clear the area. I would have reported it earlier but I have been temporarily Internet impaired.

PAC TO PICK NEW LEADERS

DAVE ELLIS has resigned as CHAIRMAN of the SPED PAC. Votes will be taken in two weeks for officers for next year. Hopefully both sides will work together more for the kids.

The PAC needs to grow with the increasing desire of the parents to become involved.

THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING DATE IS.....

Keep this under you hat. I don't want LPS to know what's coming.

Just as soon as the new POTENTIALLY BUDGET BUSTING BUMP to DR. LATHAM'S contract is voted on and no one has to rely on my making up numbers, I am positively predicting a petition drive.

KIPP KOMES THROUGH AND NO KOOLAID REQUIRED

A representative from KIPP was at last night's HIGHLAND COALITION MEETING . This showed a verifiable interest in the community. I can't say anything bad now for at least a little while.

LESLIE GREENBERG, co-chair of the HIGHLANDS COALITION told me the are even going to help out with the JULY 3 FREDRICK DOUGLASS event at HIGH ROCK TOWER. YEA!

(I still have problems with their funding mechanism but it's better to be on my good side)

IT’S WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT AND WE’RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT AT LPS

With the job posting for a MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPALSHIP at BREED MIDDLE SCHOOL that completes the TRIFECTA OF TURMOIL at LPS’S middle schools. Not a good thing at a CRUCIAL time in the development of our youth. These are the most IMPRESSIONABLE years.

With MR.MURPHY abandoning a crumbling ship at PICKERING (I know he says he’s leaving for professional growth  but that was before I learned about possible growth in the bathrooms) and now this vacancy at BREED bookending the surprise cancellation of DR. COWDELL’S departure at MARSHALL.

I had heard rumors about the BREED PRINCIPAL not coming back from his MEDICAL  LEAVE because of BAD BLOOD. But hey, you know me I’m not one to start RUMORS.

FACTS, I check them and recheck them. I only change’em if I need them to rhyme.

PHELAN DOESN’T FIGHT FAIR

Here I was minding my own business, sampling a couple of egg rolls Saturday night at HONG NET’S FUN(D)RAISER and out of no where COUNCIL PHELAN broadsides me with an introduction to his beautiful wife STACY.

Now it has been widely documented, mostly by me, that I have trouble thinking clearly and making rational judgments when I am exposed to women. Now it will might be hard for me to call him to task on what I feel are questionable decisions.

Everybody knows I am a SENSATIVE guy. Well maybe not so much.

REGULATING RAISES

Despite PICKERING’S bathroom being a DUMP

our SUPER wants her salary to JUMP.

Just how high, no one wants to tell,

cause that will be a hard one for the MAYOR to sell.

To progress, it we could tie

but that would be a hard one for LATHAM to buy.

Determining the raise would be clear sailing

because our district we are a failing!

HERE’S ANOTHER CHANCE FOR PAC TO PUT OUT IF LATHAM LETS

There is currently a job posting for a DEPARTMENT HEAD/SPECIAL EDUCATION at ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL. With curriculum development at the center of a detailed duty list, I think this is an important job.

Someone else must think so too since it pays $74,403.

I honestly don’t know in what capacity PAC could best serve. I mean we can’t MICROMANAGE every decision. Someone else has that job.

THE NEW MARSHALL BALL IS ROLLING IF EVER SO SLOWLY

Well a PROJECT MANAGER has been picked. And the winner is……JOSLIN, LESSER & ASSOCIATES.

NOW…..

what does this mean?

Well it means they are going to take a year to do a FEASEABILITY STUDY. No ground is going to be broken for at least that long. When it is done, a SPECIAL ELECTION will be called to see if the good citizens of Lynn will allow the CITY to put our share of the building on the city credit card.

RUMOR HAS IT, they, meaning the COMMERCIAL STREET CROWD, are concerned about which way the wind is going to blow when it comes to the voting.

TRANSLATION – they are bracing for a BLOGASTROPHY.

MY TERMS – Name the school after me and I’ll PLAY NICE.

HAPPY TRAILS AT HONG'S FUN (D) RAISER

Went to HONG'S HOEDOWN last night enjoyed good company, loud music, and good food. Media from as far away as a regional CAMBODIAN paper from PHILADELPHIA covered the event. Pictures were taken by the paper but I don't know which ones they'll use.

I know this will come as a surprise to you, knowing how camera-shy I am but at least one of them was of me with HONG.

From the LSC, the MAYOR was there (must have been her-there were short legs and long necks) and MARIA CARRASCO (she was pumping the flesh and selling tickets to that LATINO SCHOLARSHIP DINNER DATE) were among numerous dignitaries. GARDY JEAN FRANSCOIS was cutting a rug in some group dance. Where I am from, we call that LINE DANCING. YEE HA! We could have called it SQUARE DANCING but there seemed to be more than one partner.

This being SUNDAY, I hesitate to say what I am going to say but my vow of SUNDAY POSITIVITY was self-imposed and I do have a track record of falling off the wagon. I cornered "BRUCE WAYNE" LOZZZI, WARD 1 COUNCILOR (that's MY ward and the one PICKERING is in) to express my concern over the reported deplorable condition of the PICKERING "PIT STOPS".

His response was he doesn't get involved in school stuff because he has enough to worry about on the CITY side.

REALLY NOW?

I wonder how he explains his signature on the GROUP CITY COUNCIL letter of support for LATHAM then

AND

the way I understand it, ISD which is a CITY department is responsible for maintainence at LPS. HMMM!

I guess that explains why he is going to pay $9000 a year to send his daughter to ST. MARY'S.

Let me end this post back on a POSITIVE NOTE;

                  HE HAS "NICE" HAIR!

CLASSICAL KIDS CLEAN UP

Winners at the GREATER LYNN ARTS AND CRAFT SOCIETY ART SHOW were:

NICOLE KULESZKA - FIRST PLACE

CHRISTA MARTIN - SECOND PLACE

ELLIS HOBBY - THIRD PLACE

All winners were RAMS. I don't know what they are feeding them over there. Must be KEVIN RICHARDSON'S new lunch menu.

AND THE WINNER IS......US

Lynn students honored for planning future education

Shucks, I hadn't looked at this story until now. I felt pretty sure the ITEM wouldn't print all the names, I would and I would have a scoop. Well FACE TO ME! I think they're all here!

Good for the ITEM and GREAT for the WINNERS. A little positive encouragement can go a long way. My theory: THE MORE PEOPLE WE POINT OUT FOR POSITIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, THE MORE THERE WILL BE TO POINT OUT!

TEMPERATURES RISING, SCHOOL'S CLOSING

The weather's getting warmer, flowers are beginning to bloom, and lawns need manicuring or is that pedicuring (Thinking about those DUEL DIVAS gets me all confused. Remember, I ADMIT I HAVE A PROBLEM). Time for a young man's fancy turns to SUMMER SCHOOL.

Last year's foray into INNOVATIVE EDUCATION, the much anticipated CAMP EXPLORER at LVTI was an attendance BUST. Instead of exploring new ways to success, it was resigned to RELIVING past failures.
With teacher development grant money gone, I guessing, other avenues are being explored.

A couple of things proposed are CAMP RAM and CAMP BULLDOG. Can you guess where. These will be either for 9th graders or middle school, I forget. They will be HEAVY into ARTS and ATHLETICS. Interestingly a good development is that TEN HIGH SCHOOL kids will be hired at each one.

A couple of teachers will be going into DAYCARES over the summer to do some POINT OF SALE TEACHING so kids won't have to lose those precious day care slots. I like this idea I just hope that the TEACHERS aren't being sent there to lead choruses of ITSY BITSY SPIDER.

Since the PRINCIPALS are supposed to be tied up all summer with PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT only four locations will be open for summer school this year. I wonder how those outlying district kids are going to get across town? And then LSC member DONNA COPPOLLA asked about two of the locations not serving lunch. Not being one that advocates missing meals, DR. WARRY promised to look into it.

CATHE CUTS CLASS TO SHOOT AT THE MOON

At the LSC meeting Thursday night, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the other PARENT concern at OPEN-MIC. I never MISS a chance to cause trouble, so why would I RE-MISS one.

Seems like there is going to be a SHOWDOWN AT SHOEMAKER. parents are a problem there for LPS, no not problem parents. I know from personal experience. TRIPPY used to go there. Back then I was just a concerned parent, not much of the troublemaker I've become. Parents there are active and organized. Of course, my involvement then was before MRS. MANN retired and the GREAT LEVEL 4 PRINCIPAL SHUFFLE. "No you see her, now you don't".

Sounds to me like they are losing a 1st grade classroom. Now from what I gather, (here I go with that fact thing again. Remember I have a license) the main concern is a LACK OF OPTIONS. Just wait, you'll be singing a different tune next fall when your kids start playing musical chairs to find a seat (Hey didn't we just win some NATIONAL DISTINCTION for our music department?).

Don't worry, you can put the overflow with the librarian. OH YEAH,I THINK DR. LATHAM CUT OUT THE LIBRARIAN TOO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. There should be plenty of shelving for all of your textbooks. You do have textbooks, don't you?

Now how can you expect us to pay for those undisclosed DEPUTY RAISES if we don't cut back somewhere? DR. LATHAM'S request for a raise MUST BE A DUESY if after two TOP-SECRET EXECUTIVE SESSIONS they haven't NEGOTIATED it. Our kids will be taking  quite a LUMP FOR HER BUMP!

WHY ARE WE LETTING LATHAM LANGUISH? IS HER NEW CONTRACT A BUDGET BUSTER?

Now I'm not much of a troublemaker. Well, maybe a little. Maybe the LSC don't remember but us parents, we lost the hearing thing. You've already voted to EXTEND the contract of DR. LATHAM. Why haven't you already?

Come on, let's do it already. What's the hold-up? Wait maybe it's because we the people would be entitled to the PUBLIC INFORMATION.

I admit, I was a little surprised last night at the LSC meeting when after speaking at OPEN-MIKE, I got a round of applause after pointing out the comparative RAISES of KEVIN MCHUGH, BUSINESS MANAGER, TEACHERS, AND FIREFIGHTERS but then wondering why a couple weeks have passed since the DUO of DEPUTY DIVAS signed their contract and we still don't know the details.

Now if we don't know the facts, I'll have to start making things up. Don't worry, I'm a POET, I can do that. I have a license, a CREATIVE LICENSE.

Sometimes though, my information is not completely WRONG. It's all in how you slice the data. An old MATH teacher taught me that.

PARENT POINTS OUT NO "P" IN PICKERING

Well not exactly. Before the beginning of last night's LSC meeting a parent from Pickering spoke at OPEN-MIKE to let everyone know of the deplorable conditions at PICKERING MIDDLE SCHOOL. We all learned about the BATHROOM BALLY-HOO.

According to this parent, there are only bathrooms on one of three floors available to the students. To make matters worse, only 4 urinals are functioning so when things get BUSY, there is a BATHROOM BACKUP. I guess how often kind of depends on the food the cafeteria is serving.

This comment included the statement PRISONERS ARE TREATED MORE HUMANELY THAN OUR KIDS. No rebuttal was offered despite the fact that counting ATTORNEY MIHOS, three lawyers were at the table. Oh I forgot, OPEN-MIKE is not intended for an exchange of views..