Geo Listening in California Schools- Spying, Monitoring, and Who are They?

The Glendale, California school district recently spent $40,500 to "monitor and report on 14,000 middle and high school students' posts on Twitter, Facebook and other social media for one year."  This in effort to improve student safety.

Local H.S. Seniors Honored

This in from Chris Barnett at the Secretary of State's office. Congratulations to these students!

"Honoring High School Seniors for Public Service

Students from all over Rhode Island are recognized with our 2009 High School Civic Leadership Awards.

The awards are given annually to members of the senior class who make outstanding contributions to their schools and their hometowns. The winners were honored in front of friends, family and faculty at a State House ceremony. Photos of the event.

“This award recognizes students who show an understanding of the importance public service has in a democratic society,” says Secretary of State Mollis. “These students take the principles of civics and put them into action at home and at school.”

We asked high schools around the state to nominate members of the Class of 2009 who best met the ideals of the award: public service, leadership ability and academic achievement.

Seventy-nine high schools ranging from Barrington High to Woonsocket High nominated seniors for the honor. This is the third consecutive year we have presented the awards.

"I am committed to encouraging young people to get involved. Their enthusiasm and willingness to participate in the civic life of their school and community are vital to the strength of our democracy. I hope their example inspires next year’s senior class," says Secretary Mollis.

Middletown High School: Carly Benson& Daniel A. Quintanilla

Rogers High School: Bethany Lopes & Michael Turchetti

Tiverton High School: Elizabeth McGreavy & Joshua Louis Beaupre

Middletown Council Meets

It was a long one, preceeded by a workshop on the new assessment, & followed by a closed session meeting on Union negotiations. How do they stand it?

One reason making this meeting so long is loose control. This results in endless yak-yak and confusion. Sometimes, it's difficult to know who is in charge. At one point Councilor Silveira referred to the Town Admin. (Sean Brown) as "Mr. Chairman." Too often everyone's gaze is directed at the Town Solicitor (Mike Miller), "The Great Arbiter", or "The Quiet Man" Brown.

This has to do with an inexperienced chair, & a table shape that denies members from actually seeing/hearing each other, and members not speaking directly into their mic's (or lousy mic's). All easy fixes, but...

I'll cover major points & post video up ?Wed.

To receive the same income from last year, your tax rates would need to increase 1.54%. That's NOT good news. Commercial is 2.39%. Detailed assessment info by name/location will soon be posted on the town website.

When Councilor VonVillas asked Tax Assessor for a really simple answer as to why your home value will decrease but not your taxes, she didn't get it. Oh, you silly girl. She is concerned that it may well be a "big surprise" when locals receive their tax bill in August. Yup.

Three memorandums from the Planning Board rec'd too much conversation. You vote to receive these or not. Not this time. Two members recused themselves accidentally (Bozyan & Prez Semonelli). I think. They did, then they didn't, but who knows. Even the Prez, supposedly running the meeting, was confused. They really wanted to recuse themselves later in the agenda.

Recusals. I am assured by Councilor Bozyan that he did confer with the Ethic Board and was told that it was a necessary action on his part. I believe him. I don't know when the line is drawn that you should go before the Ethics Commission for a decision; e.g., Councilor Santos as Treasurer for the local historical group. So I asked. If you have nothing in writing from them, it counts for butkus. It's your opinion based on how you interpreted what you were told & the facts that you revealed privately. You may well not want your business laid out for the public to read, but that's how it goes. It takes nothing but filing a form & an appearance to receive a written opinion.

Sen. DiPalma gave a lege update. Sorry, I found it long & confusing. The bad news is- the State is in an ever-deepening hole- almost $600 mil. And "the worst is yet to come" when Stimulus funds end in 2011. Good news- sorry, little. The lege will likely approve recent Charter changes. Prostitution, school funding formulas, holding harmless, tax structure, library funding- it all blurred by iffiness & a confusing ramble. KISS Forget the details, stick with the bullets. Nice try, though & your effort is appreciated.

Much discussion ensued with a request from the Substance & Abuse Task Force to impose training sessions on liquor store employees. The concern was that this is an "unfunded mandate" (VonVillas) with the Prez also expressing concern. Right now, it's covered through fed grants, but that could always end. This was the first hearing & it will be on the agenda again before it's voted on. Councilman Silveira wanted more into from police (stats) that this ordinance would actually address and solve a problem- underage drinking.

The wind turbine ordinance is still being worked on and Solicitor "The Great Arbiter" Miller is instructed to draw up a moratorium ordinance until one is actually in effect.

There was some lively discussion once again on the School Committee's request for $30,000 to move the Kennedy School playground equipment to the Gaudet School field area. Councilor Santos voted against it just when the topic was brought up & Councilor VonVillas wanted to know what the vote was on. Again, confusion.

Upshot, Councilor Santos is NOT fond of the school committee, thought that they should fund this, & wanted these monies from somewhere besides Parks & Rec. Something to do with the "kids"? having to replace railings & a "band-aid" approach to Second Beach. You've got me.

Councilor VonVillas tried to keep the discussion on track with the playground being a "community resource .... We're not doing this for the school."

Mr. Hawes ("Open Space" chair) spoke that he supported having a "really good site at Gaudet [to include playground equipment]" and "Get it done! I don't care where the money comes from." The discussion continued with Mr. Viveiros from the audience speaking to the need for proper budgets to be prepared, eliminating requests like these- especially from the School Dept. School Dept. -65% of the town's budget. That's where this pointed anger is coming from. Thank you, State of Rhode Island & fed'l gov't from so little $ and so many mandates.

Councilor Silveira again tried to draw the discussion down to the topic at hand with, "It's all ours. We're all in this together. I take offense at "us" against "them." "Them" being the school department and "us" being the town. One more audience speaker- Manny Mello, "Let them move it themselves." You get the drift.

Bottom line- playground goes to Gaudet. Councilor Mello is "for" playgrounds but voted against because of the funding source. "Them" should fund it, I guess.

And totally off topic, I asked the school facilities director if a backboard was ever returning to the Gaudet tennis courts. YES!! Sometime!! But I had to agree to use it. Okay and that's likely the only way you'll get me to those courts for awhile. Read this as: out of practice and lousy at serves.

Basic Education Plan

I've done two postings on this & the press has yet to pick up on what these new proposed regs actually mean for schools & towns; except for Projo. Even teachers (except for school librarians) seem to be clueless.

Tom Sgouros has picked up on the story with "But who will run the programs?" He gets it. Lots of yak-yak in the new regs about great programs, but zilch about who will run them, how, or even when.

Talk about gutting education, these will do it. These regs are school committees' bibles. It details most everything down to how many books need to be in a library & how much $ needs to be spent per pupil (?$1.69- last computed in 1969). Updated- yes. But these were gutted. And what are we getting for it? Simplification. Yeah. That's what they say. Change that to stupefication.

What we really need to do- come up with a plan (state, federal, AND local) to fund education, not strangle it.

I was speaking last week to an art teacher who currently works in the h.s. & formerly the elementary schools. She was speaking of how students get a top notch experience in primary grades, but most then receive zilch in middle school. In h.s. students are req'd to take one art class. A senior was given a "C" by her. This student wanted "A" for a grade point average, so kept coming after school to work with her until the grade was achieved. She lamented that this would not have been necessary if the student had rec'd a better background in Art, but... Think this will improve?

Newport School Committee woman, Dr. Sandra Flowers, who writes here, says these changes are a good thing & will give teachers more freedom in the classroom. I don't get it. B.E.P. never caused me any problems and actually helped me as librarian. The only constrictions that I ever felt were caused by Principals & School Committees who seemingly rec'd messages from God & issued their commands while descending from the mountain and intermingling with we, the sinners- the common people.

However, maybe Sandra is right & I'm missing something. The great flying spaghetti monster hasn't communicated with me recently.

New B.E.P. Hearing

I'm 60 years old. I know crap when I see it, I know it when I hear it, and I definitely know it when I smell it. And this hearing for public comment by the State Board of Regents (two were present) was crap.

When school committees, parents' groups, & teachers have no time to review the plan (the download site doesn't work) & you schedule something like this with a week's notice, it begins rather smelly in my book. And I was right.

The audience consisted of appx. 25 with 7 people elected to speak, & the new proposed doc was given out. Good thing because the link on their site doesn't work.

Middletown's School Supt' Kraeger was there (spoke), along with School Committee woman Gaines. Present, but not speaking was Liana Ferreira-Fenton, Linda Savastano (ass't sup't), and Sandra Flowers (Newport Schools). There were a number of school librarians in the audience. Evidently they were the only group able to get info out regarding this meeting.

The BEP ("Basic Education Plan"- see previous article) is every school's Bible. This doc reads well, sounds good, and goes down real easily. But what the heck does it mean? You've got me.

The actual session last an hr. with 7 people electing to speak. It was announced that the Regents are "interested in [the] need for further revisions." Doubt that. Seems to me they are interested in "teaks only."

#1. Dr. Carol Herman- the most impressive speaker with 1 1/2 pages. She is a teacher-librarian & new member on the non-partisan Tiverton School Committee. She stated that we "need explicit" B.E.P. regs to prevent school committees from decimating programs in order to lower taxes. She referred to the Sat. Tiverton Town Budget meeting which cut $627,000 from schools at a poorly attended meeting. She said that these new regs would results in "the only winners [are] those who want lower property taxes. The losers are the kids." She referred to economic development necessitating good public schools and the real problem in education is not casued by the current B.E.P, but by not having a fair funding formula and a basic lack of monies from the State.

Here! Here!

#2. Helen ? spoke for School Counselors. Sorry, she spoke too quickly & with her head down, so I missed much of this. She spoke to a wording problem in the new doc.

#3. Gentleman. Sorry, he did not speak directly into the mic & I just couldn't hear him. His focus seemed to be that the doc calls for a "minimum adequate education" and he wanted it to address excellence. Good point.

$4. Barbara Ashbe of RILINK spoke to the new doc not addressing "reading" in library requirements nor does it address what a "highly effective staff" actually mean. She is also afraid that the loss of professional school librarians could results in the state dropping interlibrary loans to school. She is concerned that their is no method of challenging districts' interpretations of this doc mean.

#5. Middletown School Sup't Krager was delighted that the doc address "inputs." Of course, she has not yet had time to speak with the school committee (no one has). Her critique address very specific items- mostly concerned with definitions. She was also concerned with tech & consumer ed. Heck, just kiss them goodbye.

#6. JoEva Gaines. She is a former music teacher in Midd., was head of the Union here, and was on the Board of Regents who helped draw these old regs up. She is now on the Newport School Committee. She loved the new doc! It is "superb" and expresses "confidence in teachers." It leaves a basic education "up to each district" and speaks to "rigor & accountability."

Hmm. School Committees love this as it leaves everything up to them. Sorry. Doesn't inspire much confidence in me. The bottom line is ALWAYS $, you can't kid a kidder.

You know, it seems the Guv achieved in these appointments & this doc what he hasn't been able to do otherwise- get rid of the Caruolo Law & crush public education (and get rid of those bothersome Unions). But that's me.

#7. Deb?- A school librarian spoke to the need for professional staffing & collection developemtn. Let's face it, without a librarian- a library is just a pile of books. That's all.

#8. Stacy Lyon- Coggeshall School Librarian. This is her second career & she spoke to "research literacy" and the fact that most school librarians work "behind the scenes."

Yup, you don't love us until we're gone.

Dave Fontaine (MHS librarian was also there).

I was the only press. Big sigh here. The Bible of our public school system undergoin major change (thing of replacing the Bible with "Cliff Notes" or "Classic Comics") and few shows. When this thing passes (and it will), you'll see major changes in your schools. And not for the better, I might add.

Hearing on New Basic Education Plan

The Board of Regents is holding one on Monday at MHS on their newest proposal. Wow, so much publicity on this. The press release from them is dated May 4. So much notice. You think they are actually interested in receiving your "public comment?" LOL.

Not familiar with the BEP? It's the Constitution or the Bible for ALL our public schools. Currently it's over 400 pages and covers everything that your school must offer & includes staffing. I know that without the BEP backing us up in the libraries, we would have gone back in time to the closet libraries where you never actually saw a librarian. And little wonder as there were 8 elementary schools & 1 clerk (no computers then). The required funding wasn't much (think 1967 & about $1.50/kid), but at least it was something. The download for the new doc doesn't work. What a surprise.

The specificity of it guarantees that the schools in Newport offer the same basic education as the schools in Little Compton, Tiverton, & Middletown. The proposal is 40 pages long. 40 pages.
The hearing begins at 6 pm. Important? Yup. But aside from this & a short article on it in todays Projo, who cares? The purpose of the change is to update the doc & "assert a greater degree of state influence." Yeah, sure inspires confidence in me.

Kennedy School Closing

It's a fact despite some parents at both Kennedy & Aquidneck Schools protesting it.

In the Fall I kept asking if anyone was interesting in covering school committee meetings. I knew that with huge anticipated cuts on the horizon (and more coming), momentous decisions would be made here. Unfortunately, they happened while many were sleeping.

Why school closings? Frankly, it saves big bucks in one fell swoop. You don't cut services, just operational costs & some personnel. Other cuts (and they have a list of 15 chopping block items) end programs with much smaller savings. By closing a school, all those kids still will be educated & you'll get a lot less flak. Most Councilors rec'd not one phone call on the topic. If the school committee doesn't cut costs here, you've got to give them an alternative. What is it?

Throughout the years there have been MANY class/school reassignments. You can argue educational opporunities; but, for the most part, it was bottom line costs that were the determining factor.

I was at Gaudet when gr. 7 was moved there. It was a similar setup to what they are now proposing for grade 4. It was an isolated corridor and it worked wonderfully, for the most part. I don't doubt that this will to despite all the protestations of contact with older students.

Expect to see many more $ reductions in future budgets. School committees & town councils throughout the state have no alternatives. It is, as they say, hitting the fan now.

There are some interesting postings here. This is the time to be considering running for school committee. Too often these positions are just- hey, you want it? You got it! Few local forums and when there are- no one shows. It you want better government, you have to stay involved in current happenings and elections. Otherwise...

School regionarlization? So prove to me that it actually saves $. From my studies on the topics, it just adds another layer of bureaucracy. I just don't think you'll see it happening. What you will see is more & more districts co-operating on certain areas. Because they want to & it works. Much better.

I applaud the parents for their concern and work. It's not easy. So what now? I think that across the State this year and next you'll start to see rashes of lawsuits against the State. Point your fingers there & at the Feds. Seen any of them involved here lately?

Newport Schools Student Showcase

Free parking at St. Joe's on Mann Ave.

Online Petition to Keep Kennedy School Open

Click here. The goal is a thousand signatures. So far they have 80 with comments & names which you can read.

The NDN ran a story yesterday (School Committee asked to give back) detailing Kelli DiPalma's decision to return her $1200 from the town & asking others to do the same. She's borrowing from Ed Silveira's idea for the Town Council to return 25% of their pitiful allowance.

Frankly (and I do know Frank), I have mixed feelings about this. At this point it smacks of grandstanding. So return your money or give it to charity- but a reporter beforehand? I don't see any state lege or the Guv doing this & they make a heckuva lot more while mostly local Councils & School Committees remain on the front firing lines making little. It's a good-hearted gesture, I suppose, but in the long-run (when we'll all be dead) or the short-run, it's pretty much meaningless.

I haven't heard a word from her about anything since elected. How about asking the Guv & the State Lege to properly fund our schools & screw those ever escalating property taxes? How about threatening a State lawsuit to challenge the fact the R.I. is the ONLY state not to have a funding formula? I think you may very well see this happening this year.

Really, this is all penny ante feel good stuff done primarily because parents are angry about the Kennedy School closing & shipping fifth graders to the Middle School- which well they should be. They may well pretend to "feel their pain," but this may also translate into: I can well afford it. Kelli (the product of private schools) & in her early 20's hasn't done much to bring her to anyone's attention besides this. I never see anyone challenging the Superintendent. Why not?

There is anger out there that large amounts of $ are being spent for consultants & management, while teachers- remember them, the ones who actually work with kids- are being laid off & kids shipped off at a young age to a middle school. No one even pretends any longer that it's done for solid educational reasons.

This isn't just a local problem- it's statewide AND national. Let's start pointing fingers where they belong- State Legislators, Governors, and the feds who barely fund education at all but certainly give out plenty of mandates. Let's point the finger at the new Statewide flat tax which is bleeding millions of tax revenues in the cause of- rich people stay here & spend like crazy, PLEASE?

I applaud the Kennedy School parents & their grassroots movement. Keep up the pressure & widen your targets. Think big. Lobby local & fed lege who are expected to cut even more $ in the coming budget. Keep challenging your School Committee members to do the job you elected them to do. Fourth graders don't belong in a middle school. Heck, I don't even think that fifth graders do.

School Bus Monitors in the State Budget

**I received this note from Sophia Pendergast. If you want to help, contact your legislators regarding the Governor's supplemental budget plan cutting this local school requirement of K-5 monitors, now is the time! Are kids living in wealthy districts the only ones who should be entitled to these monitors because that is wherein the future lies? Contacting locals (schools & councils) can't hurt either. Politicians respond to constituents!

The bill is House bill 5019 article 18 regarding school bus monitors. To help keep the mandate, please call your legislator, Senate President Paiva-Weed, House Speaker Murphy, the Governor, Senator Costantino and their local legislators.

To find out who they are go online to www.rilin.state.ri.us and they can find a list.

Friends & Family,

I have a very important request. The Governor has proposed budget cuts that will eliminate school bus monitors. If passed, this will present significant danger to children who ride school buses in Rhode Island. I am attaching a letter for you to e-mail to Governor Donald L. Carcieri, Steven M. Costantino, Chairman of the House Finance Committee, Theresa Paiva-Weed, Senate President, your local legislators and to any other members of the state legislature you choose. This letter expresses your opposition to eliminating monitors.

Please email the attached letter to each person individually. If you are unsure how to e-mail the letter, instructions are provided at the end of this e-mail.

Calling your legislators is very powerful! We implore you to consider calling after you send your e-mail. Please forward this email to all your friends and family in Rhode Island. This issue affects all of us and it will take lots of voices to be heard! Finally, please copy FISST@cox.net when you email your legislators. This will help us track our progress.

You can look up your Senate and House of Representatives District by going to: http://www.sec.state.ri.us/vic and entering your name, date of birth & zip code. I have listed the names, email addresses and phone numbers of the Newport County legislators below. If you live outside Newport County and are unsure of who you should contact, please e-mail: Families Insisting on Safe Student Transportation at FISST@cox.net Or call one of us: · Sophia G. Pendergast at (401) 846-8513· Julie A. Mott at (401) 225-1791

We will happily provide any information you need very quickly. Thank you for your support of this very important issue!

Send an e-mail to: Governor Donald L. Carcieri Governor of the State of Rhode Island. drigov@gov.state.ri.us 222-2080

Send an email to: Representative Steven M. Costantino Chairman of the House Finance Committee rep-costantino@rilin.state.ri.us 521-1313

Senator Theresa Paiva-Weed Senate President Senate District 13 Newport & Jamestown 316 State HouseProvidence, RI 02903 sen-paivaweed@rilin.state.ri.us 222-3110

AND…Send an e-mail to your Senator and Representative

Senate District 11Bristol & Portsmouth Senator Charles J. Levesquese-levesque@rilin.state.ri.us 683-9194

Senate District 12 Little Compton, Middletown, Newport & Tiverton Senator Louis D. DiPalma 24 Sail Court Middletown, RI 02842 sen-dipalma@rilin.state.ri.us 847-8540

Representative District 69 Bristol, Portsmouth Representative Raymond E. Gallison 50 King Philip AvenueBristol, RI 02809 rep-gallison@rilin.state.ri.us (508) 677-4235

Representative District 70 Portsmouth & Tiverton Representative John G. Edwards rep-edwards@rilin.state.ri.us

Representative District 71 Little Compton, Portsmouth & Tiverton Representative John J. Loughlin II 105 Preservation Way Tiverton, RI 02878 rep-loughlin@rilin.state.ri.us
625-9889

Representative District 72 Portsmouth, Middletown, Newport Representative Amy Rice 438 Bramans Lane Portsmouth, RI 02871 rep-rice@rilin.state.ri.us 841-0505

Representative District 73 Middletown & Newport Representative J. Russell Jackson 10 Xavier Terrace Newport, RI 02840 rep-jackson@rilin.state.ri.us 848-7979

Representative District 74 Jamestown & Middletown Representative Deborah L. Ruggiero rep-ruggiero@rilin.state.ri.us

Representative District 75 Newport Representative Peter F. Martin 1 ½ Willow Street Newport, RI 02840 rep-martin@rilin.state.ri.us 924-2402

Middletown School Closing?

The School Committee is thinking of closing Kennedy School on W. Main Rd. & sending upper grade students to Gaudet & lower ones to Aquidneck School. There are a number of reasons for this cost-cutting measure (the town anticipates a $two mil shortage) including one odd one stating that Aquidneck School must be used for only educational or rec purposes in the deed. However, I believe that also applies to Kennedy School, too, along with the Library.

If ever there was a time to stay informed about the goings-on of local and state gov't- this is it! When the budgets are tight, can cuts be far behind? And I'm not speaking of just getting rid of the billboards the town now owns on East Main Rd. ( soon to be minus $6000/yr. in income). Also be prepared to be nickled & dimed even more.

Thanks to Mat Sheley from NDN for the article.

Middletown School Budget in Trouble

Well, this is a duh. Everyone needs to keep their eye's open for what is happening here.

"The town is facing a loss of up to a $2 million in state, federal and other impact-aid revenues, which she [School Super Krager] said could mean restructuring the schools and grades and staffing layoffs might be necessary. Although no specifics emerged about what those cuts might be, school officials said the outlook was grim. "

While focus always seem to be spotlighted on the Council, you'd better start watching what goes on with school committees- all of them.

WHAT'S NEXT- Members of the Middletown School Committee and Town Council will meet with local members of the General Assembly on Monday, Feb. 2.- The Middletown School Committee will hold a budget workshop on Thursday, Feb. 5. (NDN)

Thanks to NDN reporter Matt Sheley.

Mother Supports School Bus Monitors

Sophia Pendergast is a woman on a mission. She wants to educate people, especially those with school-aged child, of the "risks and safety factors" involved in riding school buses. Sophia wants everyone to understand the role of bus monitors in promoting safety and the risk when non are provided.

She, along with daughter Julie Mott, realize far more than the rest of us and on an extremely personal note, the consequences of no bus monitors. In 1985 Sophia's daughter and Julie's sister, Vanessa, a Middletown first-grader, was killed by her school bus after disembarking for the short walk home. The bus driver, quite simply, didn't see the little girl who got trapped underneath.

In 1985, the year of her daughter's death, two other Rhode Island students were killed by a school bus. Prior to that, an average of one student each year lost their life. In 1986 the State Legislature passed a law requiring all buses for K-5 to have monitors on board to assist students, the drivers, and alert the public to students getting or leaving buses, and crossing the street. Since then, no students in our State have been killed. Not one.

Currently, the town of Middletown places monitors not only on buses for young students, but for all students, costing the town $117,000 this current school year. Mike Crowley, School Committee Chair, is determined to keep this program going. Like myself who was a teacher in the system at the town, he recalls all too well this shocking and avoidable incident. The next school year we remembered the little girl by planting a cherry tree in front of Aquidneck School in her memory. I also had her sister, Julie, in grade school and later in middle school. How much is a child's life worth in your town or your State?

Mike has made his opposition to this item in the Governor's supplementary budget proposal requesting the State Legislature's repeal of this law thereby eliminating the cost for local schools for these monitors. "This is a decision that most all school committees weigh in on. The decision will be made by our legislators."

Sophia knows this all too well as in recent years this has been previously proposed by legislators at the bequest of some towns and school committees. Knowing the severity of this year's financial crisis and the rapidity with which this budget will be adopted, she and her daughter have launched an e-mail campaign to call attention to the consequences of repealing this school mandate. In contact with parents from other states, she has heard horror stories of students assaulted and robbed; especially those with older students. In between her work as a bookkeeper, supported by her husband William, a former Newport police officer now working as the computer manager at the stationhouse, and with Julie doing some of the crunchwork, a web site is being worked on.

Sophia is determined to get out more information for parnets and guardians of students riding school buses. She urges voters to get in contact with their Senators and Representatives to let them know about the importance of this issue to them. Newporter Sophia's Senator is Paiva-Weed and Rep. Martin. She has not yet reached them yet personally, but won't give up trying.

Sophia and her family are on a mission because they know more than most what is at stake. Expect to hear a lot more from them. And when your child, niece, grandson, returns home safely on their bus today, send a little note of thanks to Sophie and remind yourself to contact your newly elected politicans. Now, not later. Time is of the essence with House Finance hearing on this budget being scheduled. See my previous posting for a sample letter & local legislative addresses.

Check Projo & NDN for more stories. I'll also be doing more follow-up on the specifics of what Middletown does to promote bus safety for students and Sophia's tips.

Letter Regarding School Bus Monitors

AN IMPORTANT LETTER REGARDING THE
LIVES OF RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL CHILDREN

Response to

House Bill 2009--H 5019
Article 18
Title 16-21-1 Transportation of public and private school pupils


To:

Governor Donald L. Carcieri,
Steven Costantino, Chairman, House Finance Committee
M. Theresa Paiva Weed, President, Rhode Island Senate
Gordon D. Fox, House Majority Leader
William J. Murphy, Speaker of the House
Members of the House Finance Committee
And all members of the Rhode Island Senate and House of Representatives


Please keep Rhode Island school children SAFE. I want RI School Kids to ARRIVE ALIVE!

I am sending you this letter to urge you to vote against the act introduced by Representative Robert A. Watson that, if passed, would no longer require school bus monitors on all Rhode Island school busses that provide transportation for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Prior to 1985, on average, one Rhode Island student was killed in a school bus related accident each year. In 1985 that number jumped to three. Since monitors have been mandated (1986) NO RI CHILD HAS BEEN KILLED IN A SCHOOL BUS RELATED ACCIDENT.

According to John DiTomasso during his tenure as RI Director of School Bus Transportation, ALL school bus related accidents (bus to motor vehicle, bus to object & bus to pedestrian) have decreased by 65% since monitors were mandated in 1986.

I want you to vote to keep the school bus monitor requirements mandatory.

Your constituent,

Name: Date: 1/12/09

Address:

City:

FISST – Families Insisting on Safe Student Transportation
e-mail: FISST@cox.net website: http://members.cox.net/fisst
(401) 846-8513 or (401) 225-1791

Eliminating School Bus Monitors

I rec'd a note yesterday from my friend the D'Amicos regarding school bus monitors. You likely know Lou & Denise- "Lou's Hot Dogs." One of the guv's supplemental budget suggestions is to repeal the law mandating these monitors to save the local school district $ while he cuts their State aid.

Now I remember why this law was started. Kids got killed by school buses. Since this law was passed, and BTW, Middletown voluntarily started the bus monitor program, No Student has been killed by a local bus.

She was a first grader as I recall. She was getting off her bus at the end of the school day. Somehow the bus driver did not see her and started the bus to finish his route. You can figure out the rest. We planted a tree in her memory outside of Aquidneck School. It blooms in the Spring. Not much.

Since that time efforts have been made to improve school safety- those folding bumper gate have been added (much like at the Pell Bridge) along with an outside address system. You now can see and hear when busses are stopping, reminding other drivers to do the same. Monitors come out to help students safely cross, then check under the bus- front and back- before leaping back onto the bus which only THEN engages.

These monitors don't make a heckuva lot; likely not much more than minimum wage. They work odd hours, not the entire day & are out in all kinds of weather. And most importantly, not a single student has been killed by a school bus driver not seeing a little kid in their way.

So how much is that worth?

BTW, all of the following names either read or aware of this blog. Please post or send me your comments or thoughts. It can't hurt.

Here is the letter. Sophie Pendergast (her name is given as contact person) is the mother of that young student:

Dear Friends & Family,

I have a very important request.The Governor has proposed budget cuts that will eliminate school bus monitors. If passed, this will present significant danger to children who ride school buses in Rhode Island. I am attaching a letter for you to email to Governor Donald L. Carcieri, Steven M. Costantino, Chairman of the House Finance Committee, Theresa Paiva-Weed, Senate President, your local legislators and to any other members of the state legislature you choose.

This letter expresses your opposition to eliminating monitors. Please email the attached letter to each person individually. If you are unsure how to e-mail the letter, instructions are provided at the end of this e-mail.

Calling your legislators is very powerful! We implore you to consider calling after you send your e-mail.Please forward this email to all your friends and family in Rhode Island. This issue affects all of us and it will take lots of voices to be heard!

Finally, please copy FISST@cox.net when you email your legislators. This will help us track our progress.

You can look up your Senate and House of Representatives District by going to http://www.sec.state.ri.us/vic and entering your name, date of birth & zip code. I have listed the names, email addresses and phone numbers of the Newport County legislators below.

If you live outside Newport County and are unsure of who you should contact, please email: Families Insisting on Safe Student Transportation at FISST@cox.net

Or call one of us:· Sophia G. Pendergast at (401) 846-8513· Julie A. Mott at (401) 225-1791

We will happily provide any information you need very quickly. Thank you for your support of this very important issue!

Send an email to Governor Donald L. Carcieri Governor of the State of Rhode Island rigov@gov.state.ri.us 222-2080

Send an email to Representative Steven M. Costantino Chairman of the House Finance Committee rep-costantino@rilin.state.ri.us, 521-1313

Send an email to Senator Theresa Paiva-Weed Senate President Senate District 13 Newport & Jamestown 316 State House Providence, RI 02903 sen-paivaweed@rilin.state.ri.us 222-3110

AND… Send an email to your Senator and Representative

Senate District 11 Bristol & Portsmouth Senator Charles J. Levesque sen-levesque@rilin.state.ri.us 683-9194

Senate District 12 Little Compton, Middletown, Newport & Tiverton Senator Louis D. DiPalma 24 Sail CourtMiddletown, RI 02840 sen-dipalma@rilin.state.ri.us 847-8540

Representative District 69 Bristol, Portsmouth Representative Raymond E. Gallison 50 King Philip Avenue Bristol, RI 02809 rep-gallison@rilin.state.ri.us (508) 677-4235

Representative District 70 Portsmouth & Tiverton Representative John G. Edwards

rep-edwards@rilin.state.ri.us

Representative District 71 Little Compton, Portsmouth & Tiverton Representative John J. Loughlin II 105 Preservation Way Tiverton, RI 02878 rep-loughlin@rilin.state.ri.us 625-9889

Representative District 72 Portsmouth, Middletown, Newport Representative Amy Rice 438 Bramans Lane Portsmouth, RI 02871 rep-rice@rilin.state.ri.us 841-0505

Representative District 73 Middletown & Newport Representative J. Russell Jackson 10 Xavier Terrace Newport, RI 02840 rep-jackson@rilin.state.ri.us 848-7979

Representative District 74 Jamestown & Middletown Representative Deborah L. Ruggeiro rep-ruggeiro@rilin.state.ri.us

Representative District 75 Newport Representative Peter F. Martin1 ½ Willow Street Newport, RI 02840 rep-martin@rilin.state.ri.us 924-2402

The next post is the letter.

Got Dresses?

Becca's closet has opened a branch at Rogers H.S. to collect and loan prom dresses. Rebecca Rosen, a junior at Salve Regina University & Britany Nutter, a Rogers are the organizers. They need dress racks & dresses.


I live in a houseful of men & my prom days are long gone, but perhaps some of my readers have different circumstances & could help these young women out. Dresses will go to islanders from all 3 communities. This is the only chapter in the state. Girls may keep the items or donate them back for another use.


For more information, contact Rosen by e-mail at lilrosen06@yahoo.com or by phone at 617-763-1795.

Thanks to NDN reporter Sean Flynn for the article.

Middletown Schools Restoring Frosh Sports

***UPDATE*** This in from the NDN's reporter Matt Shelley. As my husband said, it takes a good Irishman, Wm. A. Kelly (class of 70) to do that! Baseball is back & football may also return. "Besides donating several thousand dollars to help the program this year, Kelly is helping create a permanent fund to support freshman sports for years to come."

Kelly no longer lives here, but owns Kelly Financial Services of Braintree, Mass. What a great thing to do! You may also make donations to the "Middletown High School Freshman Sports Fund" by sending a check to MPS on 26 Oliphant La., 02842.

Now if there were just some really rich nurses out there, they could restore them to each elem. school


From Meaghan Wims of Projo:

The School Committee last night shaved roughly $78,000 from its current-year budget plan by eliminating the freshman football and baseball teams, three part-time teaching assistants and one school bus.

The schools still have $15,000 to cut for a balanced budget.

Kraeger [sup't] said it will be difficult to find the remaining money, particularly if more teachers are needed to handle unexpected growth in enrollment.

Classes sizes now are maxed out. "The school district has so far recalled only about five of the 16 positions it eliminated for this school year."

When will fingers start being pointed to those who mandate everything & provide little (State funds cover 30-40% of expenses; feds- around 7%). It's not the income tax, the sale tax, etc. It's the property tax! You know, the ones the guv "forgets" to pay (Helmsley- "We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes ..."). Hello Guv, General Assembly, Congress, Pres.

Newport, Tiverton, & Little Compton teachers are all still in contract negotiations.

Let's start to hear some chatter here!

Flower's Newport School Committee Fundraiser

This from Newporter Sandra Flowers who is running for the Newport School Committee:

My first event will take place on Wednesday, August 27, at the Elks' Lodge, Bellevue Avenue, Newport, from 6 to 8 PM, with light hors d'oeuvres and cash bar. The donation is $30 and checks may be made out to "The Campaign to Elect Sandra J. Flowers" and mailed to PO Box 114, Newport, RI 02840 (or, of course, at the event).

I hope to see you there. Seeking a place on the Newport School Committee is really quite exciting and enlightening.

Sandra J. Flowers, Ph.D.

Candidate, Newport School Committee

16 Keeher Avenue--PO Box 114
Newport, RI 02840

Please support candidates that you like. It's hard for them out there. And we want to see good candidates vying for offices. Sandra is a Ph.D.- a doctor. But don't ask her for advice regarding your bad back. She's not that kind of doctor. Put me down fromTWO!

http://www.sandrajflowers.net/

Middletown's New Budget

Here is Projo's Meaghan Wims' article from last night's meeting. A small fender-bender sent me to my bed early with some body aches. Two vehicles slightly the worse for wear but drivers are good!

Here is Matt Sheley's take in the "Newport Daily News" and also here. As usual, please feel free to comment. I get tired of listening to myself.

Freshmen sports at Gaudet is still in jeopardy, but not all-day Kindergarten. Town trash users will see a reduction in bag price but now have to pay a $50 membership fee. There will be a defecit.

State Lege to Schools- Maybe, Kinda, Sorta

I was delighted when I first heard the Lege was intending on giving an increase to most communities in the form of more school aid. I was a heckuva lot less delighted when I understood all the and's, if's, and but's.


Your schools will get the extra funds IF slot machines pay off as expected when as of yet they have not been doing so. The Council could award the school some of the extra funds out of their budget & then asked to be reimbursed, but I'm not sure that can be legally done.


What's this mean then for schools? You can't actually include these monies as revenues because you may never get them. You can't actually use them to balance your budget NOW. So what do you do with maybe monies? Not a darn thing until you actually have them in hand. A sad way to fund schools when you've actually mandated just about everything about them. Schools matter, then. But only if you hit the lucky numbers. So please, play those slots! Your kids future may depend upon it.


It's better than nothing, I suppose. But maybe not. Balancing the State Budget on the backs of kids, seniors, & and poor families- that's the best that we can do? Thanks to the federal gov't, too, who helped put us in this mess.


This weekend I heard an economist suggest that we need to start throwing monies out to solve our energy problem & perhaps enact a new Manhattan project. Energy- yes; education-no. Just mandates & punishments. Heaven forbid actually spending on education. And since education costs by their very nature primarily consist of labor costs... well, you know the rest.

I've had several residents with kids in school & various school personnel speaking to me lately regarding the current town school budget shortfall which I've written about previously. I'm no longer hearing complaints on teacher salaries, nor even benefits. The biggest complaint is that while there are no more reading teachers, various programs have been cut, and many staff laid-off, the administration stays the same. Actually, not even that- it's being added to. I've written about this before- ALL administrators belong for a period of time every week IN the classroom. It serves as a reminder of why they are there.

Parents/teachers need to actively find candidates on ALL levels, make their concerns known, and SUPPORT those candidates. Support them not just with votes, but money & time. NOW IS THE TIME. If you don't fight for them, who will? Good schools are good for everyone.