My views on education were shaped here. I never had an EDUCATION course, no advanced degrees. The simple solution is usually the best.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
BIRTHPLACE OF A REBEL
My views on education were shaped here. I never had an EDUCATION course, no advanced degrees. The simple solution is usually the best.
DOLLAR DAZE - STORAGE WARS
Our economy must have had a dramatic turn. THE GOOD DOCTOR'S line for rental space has jumped from $20,000 last year to $40,000 this year.
I'm sure she is going to need the extra space to store that extra cash for that TOP SECRET raise she is requesting.
In the meantime our kids line up to use stinky bathrooms.
DOLLAR DAZE - IT DOESN'T ADD UP TO ME
There is a line in the SPED budget, for Teachers'TBD - SPED 240. It looks to me like 22 different grants but I don't see any actual teachers attached to it. We are talking $129,000.
Someone's got some splaining to do!
Someone's got some splaining to do!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
DOLLAR DAZE - SPIRIT SALARY
HELP! I can't figure this one out. Last year's budget list TWO DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENTS at $269,198, then this year we got TWO at $284,540.
I would say the differance reflects the normal pay raise. Fine.
BUT WAIT A MINUTE.....,
we only had ONE DEPUTY for most of last year. How come the salary reflected a WHOLE years WAGES?
GHOSTS IN THE MACHINE
I would say the differance reflects the normal pay raise. Fine.
BUT WAIT A MINUTE.....,
we only had ONE DEPUTY for most of last year. How come the salary reflected a WHOLE years WAGES?
GHOSTS IN THE MACHINE
DOLLAR DAZE - HOME ON THE STRANGE
Thanks to a McKinney grant of $30,000 a year, we have a funded HOMELESS SUPPORT SPECIALIST. The only problem is I don't think we have had anyone in that position for at least a couple of months.
Someone correct me if I am wrong but it looks like we have a HOME (a position) but we are LESS a SPECIALIST. What happens to the money?
Someone correct me if I am wrong but it looks like we have a HOME (a position) but we are LESS a SPECIALIST. What happens to the money?
NO KIPP ON KAMPUS
THE FIRST WILL BE LAST AND THE LAST WILL BE WHEN THEY WANT THEM TO BE
I hear from parents all the time about these appeals being denied about going to one middle school over another. There is a question of who they should go to to vent their problems.
Some say they should go to DAVE HEGAN, Acting Head of the PARENT INFORMATION CENTER. Since he also serves as HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION, he is uniquely qualified at sending people to the back of the bus.
Still others direct parents to UNCLE TOM IRRABINO who seems to have been annoited by the COMMERCIAL STREET CROWD to be in charge of parent put-downs.
I hear about these lines that seemed to be more geometrical than linear. I'm not smart like the GOOD DOCTOR.
Some say they should go to DAVE HEGAN, Acting Head of the PARENT INFORMATION CENTER. Since he also serves as HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION, he is uniquely qualified at sending people to the back of the bus.
Still others direct parents to UNCLE TOM IRRABINO who seems to have been annoited by the COMMERCIAL STREET CROWD to be in charge of parent put-downs.
I hear about these lines that seemed to be more geometrical than linear. I'm not smart like the GOOD DOCTOR.
BUDGET BLASPHEMY
School's Out now, my numbers have fallen a little with the rising temperatures so it is the perfect time to ram through a BUDGET stock full of padding and perks. We here at the WATCH are committed despite that to examing the LPS BUDGET with a fine tooth comb, pointing out areas of economic malfeasance, waste and potential corruption.
UNLESS.....
I appear again in a photo for the ITEM cutting the ribbon to the opening of the WOTRING WING of the soon to be built new MARSHALL. I would ask that the wholoe school be named after me but I am too HUMBLE. I mean the "T" has "HONORABLE" in front of his name. The only thing that's been in front of my name started with "DIS".
UNLESS.....
I appear again in a photo for the ITEM cutting the ribbon to the opening of the WOTRING WING of the soon to be built new MARSHALL. I would ask that the wholoe school be named after me but I am too HUMBLE. I mean the "T" has "HONORABLE" in front of his name. The only thing that's been in front of my name started with "DIS".
DOLLAR DAZE - A BARRIER YOU CAN TAKE TO THE BANK
While we are looking at the SPED budget, let's look at this line, 1 LS PARENT TRANSLATOR at $58, 181. Huh?
I witmessed DAVE ELLIS, FORMER CHAIRMAN OF PAC get into a heated discussion with SOMETIME PARENT LIAISON FRANCES MARTINEZ over LPS'S failure to provide COURT Mandated Translation Services....
YET.....,
we got a line item.
I seem to remember something about some discussion about this last year. There was some song and dance but when the music stopped one parent had to go to the OFFICE OF HUMAN RIGHTS to compel LPS to provide PORTUGUESE translation at an IEP meeting.
CHA-CHING! Where did the money go?
I witmessed DAVE ELLIS, FORMER CHAIRMAN OF PAC get into a heated discussion with SOMETIME PARENT LIAISON FRANCES MARTINEZ over LPS'S failure to provide COURT Mandated Translation Services....
YET.....,
we got a line item.
I seem to remember something about some discussion about this last year. There was some song and dance but when the music stopped one parent had to go to the OFFICE OF HUMAN RIGHTS to compel LPS to provide PORTUGUESE translation at an IEP meeting.
CHA-CHING! Where did the money go?
DOLLAR DAZE - PARENT POINTS OUT POTENTIAL PADDING
Last year the SPED department budgeted a whole position for PARENT LIAISON at $52,310. However the position remained empty for around two years until it was filled by a part time person.
I don't know if the pay was part-time.
Because I know some of you out there like transparency, I applied for that job and was not only not given an interview, I didn't even get a a letter acknowledging my application.
It is my understanding that a PARENT LIAISON is supposed to work with PARENTS and a good way would be to go to PAC meetings. Well what started out as attendance at half the meeting evolved into total absence. Did her pay stop when she quit doing her job?
I don't know but I see that it is budgeted for a whole position at $52,310 again this year. I wonder what we will get.
I don't know if the pay was part-time.
Because I know some of you out there like transparency, I applied for that job and was not only not given an interview, I didn't even get a a letter acknowledging my application.
It is my understanding that a PARENT LIAISON is supposed to work with PARENTS and a good way would be to go to PAC meetings. Well what started out as attendance at half the meeting evolved into total absence. Did her pay stop when she quit doing her job?
I don't know but I see that it is budgeted for a whole position at $52,310 again this year. I wonder what we will get.
Monday, June 18, 2012
DOLLAR DAZE - WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THESE CHARGES
Someone other than me is going through the LPS budget line by line to see what's on the line. Interesting stuff.
Another interesting thing is the electricity allocations - maybe you could help explain It says Ford - 40,179 but Ingalls 152,462; Breed is 213,661 while Pickering is 83,216 and Marshall 71,012. How can these numbers be so different?
I'm not a MATH person but it might be nice to divide these numbers by the number of students served and then multiply it by their MCAS scores to get an idea of WATTS UP!
DOLLAR DAZE - FRIENDSHIP HAS ITS BENEFITS
There is no doubt we have a LARGE SPED population. Normally I might be HAPPY about the growth of the SPED department to handle the burden.
BUT.....,
I got to wonder about the direction of the growth. Let's look at SPED administration for a minute.
They are adding one position at about $110,000, 1 program specialist at $74,000, and and a clerical person at $50,000 plus.
Maybe I'm looking at things wrong but it looks like we have no GRANT money here in FY 13., losing over $200,000.
All of this happening after I heard stories of a class of 17 last year at INGALLS which exceeded the state mandated limit of 12. No worries that princiPAL got a nice promotion. I'm not saying any quid quo pro stuff went on BUT that princiPAL did speak in favor of staying the course with a leader that has led us into failure.
BUT.....,
I got to wonder about the direction of the growth. Let's look at SPED administration for a minute.
They are adding one position at about $110,000, 1 program specialist at $74,000, and and a clerical person at $50,000 plus.
Maybe I'm looking at things wrong but it looks like we have no GRANT money here in FY 13., losing over $200,000.
All of this happening after I heard stories of a class of 17 last year at INGALLS which exceeded the state mandated limit of 12. No worries that princiPAL got a nice promotion. I'm not saying any quid quo pro stuff went on BUT that princiPAL did speak in favor of staying the course with a leader that has led us into failure.
WAS SOMEBODY LISTENING?
Lynn schools introducing iPads into city classrooms
If you remember earlier I said for the money we are paqying for a new DEPUTY we could go a long way to buying everyone I Pads? Then, I told the story about an old friend of mine who teaches in an early choldhood SPED class in my old school system in WV had 2 I pads in her class?
I am not saying I had anything to do with encouraging LPS to come into this century inregards to the use of technology. I mean, I'm just a poor,disabled poet, what do I know about such things?
If you remember earlier I said for the money we are paqying for a new DEPUTY we could go a long way to buying everyone I Pads? Then, I told the story about an old friend of mine who teaches in an early choldhood SPED class in my old school system in WV had 2 I pads in her class?
I am not saying I had anything to do with encouraging LPS to come into this century inregards to the use of technology. I mean, I'm just a poor,disabled poet, what do I know about such things?
Sunday, June 17, 2012
C'MON BABY LIGHT MY FIRE
Here is the POT-BELLIED STOVE located inside the one-room BAILEY SCHOOL donated by my BROTHER. What was LPS'S line item for heating again?
RESIZING CLASS SIZE
http://home.comcast.net/~baileyrg/home.htm
In LYNN we may have 100 year old schools but at least they have more than one room. Here is the one-room school my mom went to and her mother (my grandmother) was the lunch lady.
Eight grades in one room. Puts our overcrowding into a different perspective.
In LYNN we may have 100 year old schools but at least they have more than one room. Here is the one-room school my mom went to and her mother (my grandmother) was the lunch lady.
Eight grades in one room. Puts our overcrowding into a different perspective.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
DOLLAR DAZE - SOMETIMES MORE IS LESS
This year LPS saw about a 7.5 million dollar increase in the budget - YEA!
UNTIL....
we look a litlle closer and realize that this MATH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE stuff translateinto a million dollar reduction in non-salary expenditures and eight million dollar increase in SALARIES.
CAN YOU GUESS WHAT CATEGORY TEXTBOOKS FALL INTO?
UNTIL....
we look a litlle closer and realize that this MATH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE stuff translateinto a million dollar reduction in non-salary expenditures and eight million dollar increase in SALARIES.
CAN YOU GUESS WHAT CATEGORY TEXTBOOKS FALL INTO?
"WATCH" BLOGGER "EXPOSED" TRUE MISSION
KIPP exec apologizes after Lynn teen abandoned on field trip
Blogger WOTRING has been telling everyone he is down here in WV to take his son to meet with family but the TRUTH he is on a secret bounty hunting mission to track down potential KIPP escapees.
WOTRING could not be reached for comment because the pipe they used to transport the sunshine is mysteriously clogged. It is thought his BFF has something to do with this sabotage.
Blogger WOTRING has been telling everyone he is down here in WV to take his son to meet with family but the TRUTH he is on a secret bounty hunting mission to track down potential KIPP escapees.
WOTRING could not be reached for comment because the pipe they used to transport the sunshine is mysteriously clogged. It is thought his BFF has something to do with this sabotage.
Friday, June 15, 2012
WHEN YOU CHECK OUT THE FY 113 LPS BUDGET, IT WON'T BE IN THE LIBRARY
WITH A $7.5 MILLION INCREASE IN THE FY 13 LPS BUDGET surely we will be returning librarians to all the old schools and adding new ones?
Don't worry, we can count on CENTERBOARD for our reading. After all, think how much you can learn from one free book!
Don't worry, we can count on CENTERBOARD for our reading. After all, think how much you can learn from one free book!
PUBLIC MONEY, SECRET DEALS
Why does the LSC have to go into a smoke-filled secret EXECUTIVE SESSION to try and sell a few LSC members the BROOKLYN BRIDGE? Last time I looked at the BALANCE SHEET it was OUR money.
DON'T WE DESERVE TO KNOW HOW IT IS BEING SPENT AND WHY IT'S BEING WASTED?
I see TRANSPARENCY, it's apparently not for LATHAM anymore.
DON'T WE DESERVE TO KNOW HOW IT IS BEING SPENT AND WHY IT'S BEING WASTED?
I see TRANSPARENCY, it's apparently not for LATHAM anymore.
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