Saturday, August 10, 2013

some more notes

Someone asked about other school districts that the DESE came to.
Here's the link for what happened at Wachusett Regional school district


Here's another link for some interesting reading

also from the Telegram
June 04. 2013 12:00AM

Quabbin Regional school budget may face increase

BARRE   Late-breaking fiscal information now means that Quabbin Regional School District towns assessments for the schools are no longer worth the paper they were written on, school administrators said during an emergency board meeting Monday.

Barre was poised to absorb a 2 percent assessment hike, according to the fiscal 2014 budget approved by Quabbin Regional School Committee. It now faces a 5 percent spike, to almost $4.6 million, an increase of more than $120,000.

Quabbin Superintendent Maureen M. Marshall said she recently obtained data from a Statehouse source that will result in a mammoth and problematic shift in how the assessments totaling $13,118,662 are shared by the districts five towns.

With Chapter 70 state aid, the school board approved spending $31,755.822 for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

Hardwick is also likely to see a higher assessment, Mrs. Marshall said, while Hubbardston, New Braintree and Oakham assessments will decline.

Mrs. Marshall and Cheryl Duval, Quabbin director of administrative services, said the Legislature has not provided estimated required spending amounts, making the district unable to adequately forecast the fiscal 2014 budget.They said they have been scouring legislators and their aides for the data for months, to no avail.

The administration sought the information from state Rep. Anne Gobi, D-Spencer, who replied in April 12 email that the House Ways and Means Committee cannot provide me with any information on Minimum Local Contribution amounts.

The state Education Department advised the district earlier this year that until the state budget is passed, local school officials should be having discussions with town finance officials about the likely range of numbers, rather than trying to definitively pin down one official number.

 James F. Russell



64 comments:

  1. Some of the people on this blog want to point out the schools administration and say the school is being shady! The BOS has a town coordinator and two full time secretaries! Also the fire chief was supposed to hire two full time employees and instead he hired one full time and two part time! Not what the towns people voted on! Can someone explain this to me?

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  2. Templeton Times' feature article concerns the halting of water fluoridation in the Country of Israel. Everyone who truly cares about the intelligence of future generations would do well to read this informative piece. Fluoride has been linked to lower IQ in a recent article from the Harvard School of Public Health.

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    1. Poison Ivy, you are starting to give me a rash. If the Fire Chief got the money and felt it was more effective to spread it out, to provide more coverage, just what is your problem?? I do think this man has the best interest of the town in mind. The Selectman's Office is a busy place, with lots of information to process. Most of the other departments in town funnel their information to the Selectmen's Office, so they can write reports, to be used by town, and state agencies, along with a hundred other things. The secretary that has been in the Selectmen's Office the longest, has had her hours cut along with everyone else. She did not leave for a job somewhere else. She along with the other ladies, stuck it out, doing as much work for less, and I have not heard one thank you, from the people in this town. If the school rapes the town, just how many of these people could live on one days pay, if the Town Office Building were to close four days a week? My guess would be none of them! This town needs core people to survive, and we need to be as efficient as we can be. So back to your original question, the money the Fire Chief is spending is the same amount we voted on, only used to be more efficiently. It is too bad the Elementary School Building Committee pissed away over two hundred thousand dollars for land, with nothing to show for it, as that money could be used about now. It is about time you stop trying to create problems, that do not exist, and be thankful these people stayed, under conditions that are not the best, on a good day. My opinion, Bev.

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    2. Bev, Im confused. Is your arguement that the town needs administrators & secretaries to keep things running properly & smoothly; but the school doesnt??? When in fact the school has to deal with 5 times the amount of people, regulations, & paperwork than the town? That doesnt seem very credible.

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    3. huff n puff you need to pay attention to the posts. The argument is not that the school doesn't need the administrators or secretaries it's that the TOWN lowered these individuals salaries cut their hours and still move on. BUT the school on the other hand increases their salaries. Why can't the school take a salary cut for a change? And if they (school) complain that it will affect the education of our children, then they (school) are deficient in their teaching. Look at the town's yearly report from last year, our teachers and school administrators are paid well for this small town. It would not hurt them to give as the town employees have. Get you head out of the clouds and look at what the town has and may have to give up to appease the arrogant school committee and superintendent. The SCHOOL does not run the budget of the town and for them to continue to push their budget without any give, and they have had not compromise at all is a slap in the face of all towns people. Remember more parents voted NO on the override and they will again. You can not take money where there is none.

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    4. Very good explanation, Not dumb, & so right!! You got the point head on!! Anyone who thinks that the townspeople are just being against the school is so far from seeing reality it is preposterous. But according to huff there, the economy is doing great & blames me for not looking for a job when I have good one & poison ivy that says the town is stubborn for not doing what They want. It is these narrow views that are strangling us right now. Who are the stubborn ones? I would say the school dept. who keeps trying to shove their wants (not needs) down the throats of the rest of the town who have said NO now for the fourth time. I can support the schools more but many can't. That is who I have spoken for, not myself & I don't have any children in the system but always want the best for them in education, as I got. Again, all this ranting from the administration is not for the kids. There is PLENTY there that they could cut without hurting the children. It is time that the very ones we entrust to teach children values, morals, & compromise, in addition to the basic curriculum, put on their big adult pants & do the right thing. They need to stop giving out raises when the rest of the town has had to cut back. How is that teaching what is just & right? The teachers pays are no longer the low ones of years past. We are in a crisis right now & what might have worked previously is not the solution to the problems at this time. Maybe in a few years we can all go back to business as usual but as Pauly has pointed out there are a lot of children who are not getting the basics at home due to job losses. Yes, there are always going to be those who are just not willing to work or expect others to pick them up but that is not most of Templeton, that's for sure. There are a lot of good people who have been hit so hard that they have lost their homes & have no where to go. The foreclosure rate is still, I believe, at an all time high. That is a huge part of the tax base. So, again, as NDE says, you can not take money where there is none. Have a good Sunday everyone!

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    5. 1. How can you say they havent sacrificed when they have lost 18.... Eight-TEEN!.... positions??? And if your complaining about salaries, your complaint is with the Union, not the school. The school cant breach the contract.
      2. isteach... plenty to cut? Please, inform us all, what can we ACTUALLY cut? Everyone says cut..... ok, WHAT? Go to a SC mtg & tell them what you can legally cut. Please, go line by line & tell us, what MORE could be cut! Its easy to scream CUT with no actual answer.

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    6. I think you just hit the nail on the head, huff. I guess you are right when I think more about it. It is more a union issue than a town issue now when it comes to the school salaries. I do wish I did have more answers or solutions to the vast array of problems we have but I don't & I also realize that is why I am not in an elected position. I know I am armchair quarterbacking at times but it does seem to me that there in lies a great deal of the problem. Thanks for pointing that out huff. See. we don't always disagree on things. It is far harder to fix something once it is in place. And believe me, I have done my share of hands on in this town but this one is too big & in areas that I cannot reach. So, again, I hope everyone keeps blogging with their thoughts & ideas. Maybe one day we will come to some better compromises, solutions & conclusions. Have a good day all.

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    9. P.I. - there is also no such word as "discusted", which you have used more than once. Funny, some like-thinking poster also uses that same word. Maybe you went to the same spelling class and got the exact same grade. Not that the same person would post the same crud under different pen names, right?

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    11. Well, you got the poison ivy name right anyway, wow!

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    12. Thanks isteach! Figured its alway important to compare Apples to Apples

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    13. isteach, we agree in more than you think. :-) It just annoys me when people (not you) spew false information then scream "We have to cut" when they have never been ti a mtg. I DO agree that I am glad I dont have any of those jobs. I couldnt do it. All Im asking is that the screamers give the SC a fair shake. Thats a very tough job to stand up there and take this bullet so publicly and not back down. Someone needs to stand up to the townspeople who want to keep the tax rate at 1995 levels. Hopefully, in the long run, this is the best thing for the town as a whole.

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    14. huff n puff

      The school did not have to cut EIGHTEEN positions if they had followed one of the recommendations from TomJ - like furlough days or a pay freeze. The school committee negotiates the contract with the union. The school committee has painted themselves into this corner by not exploring all options including pay freezes and furloughs

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    15. AHH HAH! At least we are finally agreeing that they have been cutting. And yes, they may have done this to themselves, probably because the town refuses to raise the tax rate.

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    16. By the town, you mean the voters at town meeting and at the ballot box. Passing an override is difficult. When the town and/or the school loses credibility, the townspeople will not willingly fork over more money in taxes.

      It is not "they may have done this to themselves", they DID do it to themselves. The school committee negotiates contracts with the teachers union. They are responsible for signing those contracts. When you use "one time" money, whether stimulus money or grant money, you can only use it once and it is gone...no more all gone! There is nothing left to fund pay increases for the succeeding years.

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    17. Oh! I forgot.

      Please VOTE NO on August 22nd.

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    18. Agreed. But maybe you could tell me, what was the tax rate per 1000 10 yrs ago?

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    19. Call the assessors office 978-939-2793. They will have that information. Please keep in mind that the tax rate for each year varies. it depends on votes that were taken at ATM and any successful overrides that were voted. Like the senior center was a 1 year capitol debt exclusion. The money for that project appeared on the tax rate for just 1 year and then was taken off.

      An override to permanently increase taxes will be built into the tax rate for the succeeding years. Some years there are capitol debt exclusions and regular overrides that were successful. I think the fire truck and an override for the school were successfully voted at the same time. So if the fire truck is paid after 3 or 5 years, that money will come off the tax rate, but the override for the school is still built into the tax rate...that is how I understand it. The assessor's office can provide this information to you.

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  3. Here are some things that other districts have considered. I do not reject nor endorse any of these, but it shows some "out of the box" thinking that doesn't seem to exist in Templeton.

    Negotiate 9–12 furlough days for all employees, based on work year (year-round staff take 12 unpaid days, 10-month staff take 10 unpaid days, etc.), including 6 cut school days (the same as this year)
    AND
    OPTION A
    Negotiate a pay freeze, including no step increases
    Negotiate no increase in benefits costs
    AND/OR
    OPTION B
    Negotiate a salary reduction of 5% across the board
    Negotiate a reduction in the PERS employee pickup


    here is the link for those of you inclined to dig further.

    http://www.4j.lane.edu/communications/sustainablebudget/outcome/

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    1. Tom J., thank you for the information. I hope that people will look at it, and give the options some thought. We could argue about these problems until we are blue in the face, but I do not think many minds will change. I will not stop standing up for the people in this town. Every family knows what they can afford, and what they can't. No one should be bullied into a position they don't feel comfortable with. The town workers have given enough, and to ask them to give more is just plain wrong. The people who can barely make ends meet, do not have to make excuses for their financial position. Our town office staff, Town Coordinator, our Fire Chief, Police Chief, Assessor, Highway Super. and all the people who work under these people are no less "Professional People" than the people who work in the schools. I resent that there are those who do not value them, or think they are worth less!! I am always more than happy to see the plow go by, on a stormy night in the winter, when the rest of us are in a warm house. Is it fair that they are not paid more? Hell no, but as a town, we have to live within our means, they get it, but it is too bad the School Department and the School Committee does not. This is my opinion, like it or not. Bev .

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    2. I think one of the problems here is that the vast majority of townspeople could afford the xtra 20 bucks, hell its usually included in the mortgage. The problem is...... THEY ARE WORKING!! You, Bev, like to speak for the 100 or so that have nothing better to do so they show up. Get all 8000 residents to show up; then see how the vote comes out. Until then, we really have no idea what they think.

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    3. I agree the majority want these changes! It's just getting them to vote. Until THEY VOTE this town will be run by the downward spiral.

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  4. In an effort to lighten up the discussion a little...here in an interesting link. It is a link to an 8th grade test from 1912...see how well you would do...

    http://www.bullittcountyhistory.com/bchistory/schoolexam1912.html

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  5. Education being the goal: According to the Russian historian Vasili Ivanov, Russia was transformed, as early as the beginning of the 1930s, into a typically masonic nation, which clearly showed freemasonry and socialism to be branches on the same dark tree.
    Vasili Ivanov described the situation as follows: "In order for the masonic ideals to triumph, it was necessary to kill the soul of the Russian people, remove the people from its God, obliterate its national character, trample its mighty history in the dirt, dull the intellect of its young generation and raise a new kind of people without a God or a native country: two -legged wild creatures who, after being trained, would obediently place themselves in the masonic cage."

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  6. huff has a great idea, lets get the 8000 to vote. This issue should go to a special town vote at the polls. More people show up for the poles than they do for the STM. Then we shall see how the town feels about this issue.

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    1. I totally agree with you, 100%. My husband was a union arbitrator for years at Dupont in Leominster. He told me that the union contract can be renegotiated if it turns out the money is not there. It was a poor decision for anyone to give pay raises, knowing the financial climate in Templeton was as poor as it is. Mr.Spring told the School Committee things were tight, and I am pretty sure he asked them to level fund the budget. As the head of the Advisory Board, he has the well being of the town government and all of it's residents as a priority. This whole thing will eventually be ironed out, and when it is I truly hope some of the younger people will be a lot smarter as a result. Bev... .

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    2. There are not 8,000 registered voters in Templeton. This is the total population which includes unregistered voters and minors, both of which cannot vote. I believe the number of registered voters is around 5,000. In the May election (first ballot vote on school override), 1,799 or 36% voted. In the June ballot for the school budget override, 1,956 or 38% voted. Unfortunately, these are considered good voter turnout numbers as some towns struggle to get even a 15% turnout. It would be wonderful if all 5,000 got out and voted. I believe that is an issue all of us can agree on for once.

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  7. I see some good ideas brought forth by people more in the know than I am, (TomJ, Bev, Julie, etc.,) of how things are run with possible remedies that might be considered. It causes me great sadness that there were those that held out on the union side & didn't renegotiate those contracts resulting in that those teachers positions got cut. I agree w/NDE & Templetonian, that wouldn't it be nice if the 5000 voters (many of whom) are always complaining got out there & cast their votes, as well as, those of us who are doing our best with the info we have. I have a few family members who have been union & those who aren't, but usually when the economy is not at it's best with businesses or other entities struggling there is some better compromising to help ease the load on those less fortunate. And for the record, I am far from being a socialist, I am much more conservative but things are what they are & when business is booming or not, decisions have to be made differently & accordingly. Well, as said prior, I would not want to be in those positions making these decisions. It is hard to fund programs, projects, raise salaries or the tax rate to support them when the DOR gives such a dire report. I do hope there will be some solutions soon to ease the pain on both sides. Thanks to everyone who is working to solve & resolve those issues. Have a pleasant day.

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    1. Thank you isteach. You are much more well spoken and eloquent than I, even though we seem to share the same ideals. I am just more blunt about my thoughts ;)

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    2. You are welcome, TomJ. I enjoy reading your thoughts & ideas in whatever way you feel will get the attention of those who should & need to see it. I find your blogs to be every bit as good as mine but thank you for the kind thought.

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    1. I hope the streets are plowed so you can get your kids to Quabbin. That road isn't much fun to drive in the winter.

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    2. I have been reading this blog since it started and I can say I am ashamed and embarrassed by the negativity regarding the school budget. I have to admit that I have not been to any of the school committee meetings, but I did have two children graduate from Narragansett, I graduated from Narragansett and I was very involved with many activities within the school district, from the PTG to the Athletics. I have seen many changes over the past 10 years and they have not all been positive ones. I should've gone to meetings to suggest cuts that would not affect teaching or the kids, such as eliminate one principal at either the High School or Middle School, keep one vice principal at each school - the vice principal handles disciplinary actions and the principal handles administrative issues - it appears that one principal could manage both schools. eliminate the two adjustment counselors - these positions were "created" and i'm sure some kids use them, but if there are issues at home, or at the school, the teachers can talk to them or if there are major issues, DYS could/should get involved-that is what the agency is there for-use them. some of the topics discussed with these counselors are not even kept confidential like they are suppose to be. also, is there really a need for a police officer to be at the school all day? eliminate curriculum director, or whatever the position is called now. just eliminating those 5 positions could save at least $400,000 or $500,000. is there a mandate that department heads get more pay, is that in the union contract? the school committee should've negotiated with the union to freeze pays, they new this was coming for at least two years. by eliminating 5 positions, you almost have all the funds needed. other options could be going to a 4 day school week, save on food, electricity, heat...high school kids are out of school at 2:00 PM, the issue could be busing, which is another issue, I've seen many school buses with only 5 or 10 kids on it, is that bus necessary? when working with budgets cuts you start at the top, it is best eliminate the higher paying salaried employees then you only need to eliminate a few rather than 15 lower paying employees. I would also like to mention/note that the 15 positions that they claim have been already cut, i'd like to know the names and titles, rumor is that they were just moved to different titles, so it "appears" that they were eliminated, but the people still have jobs. some people really need to not be so trusting and believe every word spoken from the school committee nor the superintendent. if they can show the actual names and titles and then see that they are NOT on the payroll anywhere else within the school district, I will apologize for that statement, but until it is in writing, I believe that this is exactly what is happening. I need written facts before I believe anything.

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    3. J, great comment, all we are asking for is the facts in writing. Who got pink slipped. How much were their salaries. Could we get a list of all employees, current positions, last years salaries and this years budgeted salaries. I know this is published in the annual report that was posted here but we don't know what all these people do. I did however notice that we have custodians making more than a COA director, assistant Town Clerks, etc. At one candidates night Ms. Miller stated no one was getting raises but they were getting "steps". Well hell that's a raise. I am a firm believer in a good education. But I want transparency in all areas of government, including the school. On this Blog I have seen all kinds of "facts" in writing about various issues. These have helped me make informed decisions. That's all I'm asking for from the school. Someone made the comment that $20.00 was not going to put someone into foreclosure. Maybe not but it could by that extra gallon of milk, loaf of bread, etc. for that family that does have enough to eat. And to the comment that was made about the extra money just gets paid by ones mortgage company. I would hate to see your finances! And who pays the mortgage? We do.

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    4. Also, great points, Zebra. To some people, who are having a difficult time, that $20 is like $200 or $2000 when it may seem like 20 cents to someone who is in a better financial position. Again, all good things to consider. Have a wonderful day.

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    5. Thats not what I meant & you guys know it.
      As for positions, just look at how many were employed 10 years ago vs. now. 18 less, well now 19 now that they cut a FL teacher. Remember though, some were retirees that never got filled to save money.

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    6. Regardless, this is all important blogging as we try to get to the true reasons behind everything, huff. I think I know what both of you are saying, I believe. All blogs are subject to interpretation. Sometimes the interpretation is correct & sometimes not as to what that particular blogger meant. Neither one means all exclusively right or wrong. The more opinions & info out there the more people can research. My opinion this day.

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  9. two observations, there are not 8,000 voters in Templeton. Perhaps school districts should get out of the business of trying to "steal" students from other communities and concentrate on taking care of the students within their community. Now whatever community takes in all these choice out students, they will now have to account for more students and perhaps have increase in class size. Schools seem to be in the business of sales rather than simply education. Some schools even seem to build budgets around the choice in students which can change rather quickly, a bad business plan. My only other thought is with the number of students at Gansett, why can they not get the override passed both at town meeting and the ballot? There has to be at least 400 sets of parents from Templeton, that should equal 800 voters, plus any student who is 18 can also vote. I believe I am being very conservative in my numbers so the parent vote alone should be there to pass the overrides. So what happened? Maybe I am wrong with my math.

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    1. Truthfully Jeff I think the parents are against the override as much as the other towns people are. Why not charge for riding the bus? Other school districts do, the ride is not required, pay to ride will cut some expenses.

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  10. I know this is not going to be a popular comment but I believe the sports fees need to be increased until things get better. They did this at Oakmont in around 2003 and it paid for most of the sports and the kids who could not afford the high fee could apply for a waiver or some groups were willing todo fundraisers or pay the fees for those kids. There needs to be compromise on both sides as the kids need a well rounded education and the town needs police, fire and highway not to mention the other town employees who work hard to keep this town running.

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    1. I would love for a compromise to be reached. I don't want to have to recommend cutting public safety. I do want the kids to have a great education, the money just isn't there. I can't for the life of me figure out why the school committee keeps re-voting and re-certifying the same number that has been repeatedly shot down? That tactic is a great way to piss off voters.

      Until there is a compromise , please VOTE NO on August 22nd.

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    2. I would say in that statement, Mrs. Farrell I couldn't agree with you more!

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  11. Mrs. Farrell, I think they keep spewing forth the same numbers because they are used to getting what they want year after year & can't believe at this point that the voters are not giving into their override requests/demands. You are right, it is a strong way to tick the voters off. As I said, I can give more & would be happy to if that was the way the voting had gone, but now I am getting very annoyed that they are not compromising at all with what has been voted down several times. At this juncture, it appears to be basically demanding & stomping their feet like little children do until they get what they want or someone finally says No who can back it up completely. It seems that the voters votes don't count & that is really getting to the people that I have spoken to who can't afford another thing right now. This discounting of the voting majority & trying to slam through the same thing over & over again breeds apathy if people feel going to the polls makes no difference. That is when republics are really in danger of losing the democratic notion as many of us know it to be. I see more than a slippery slope here. All I can say to those who don't listen to their tax base & all the voters, be careful what you wish for. It may not turn out to be the best thing. People in education should know this but they/we have had it too good for too long. Now, certain masses don't seem to know how to behave when they don't get their way. That is just my opinion. I would have conceded to however the majority had voted, either way, the first time. Again, my opinion. Everyone is entitled to theirs.

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  12. After reading these - Here's the link for what happened at Wachusett Regional school district and Here's another link for some interesting reading - listed above. It is apparent that our town and high cost of school is not the only one hurting. But there are alternatives. These are alternatives that don't involve raising taxes but instead puts some of the cost on the parents of the school children. Is that fair? In my opinion YES. If the school insist on higher budgets then let some of that cost pass on to the parents like - paying for parking for students with cars and paying for riding the bus. These are both items that are not required to provide the students with and education. These costs will lower the existing budget request for transportation costs, that is a large 400K plus for the next FY. Sports is not a requirement for students raise the cost of sports this will put money back into the schools piggy bank. If you have families that can't afford these costs, then rally around a fund raiser to assist these families. Town residents don't have an option when it comes to paying higher taxes, once passed they are stuck with it they can't do fund raisers to help with their tax burden, and who of you would donate to that cause knowing you have to pay higher taxes as well. I think the state needs to send in someone to evaluate the income range of the town before they say give in to the schools demands. For them to push any resident into a foreclosure of their home or being forced to decide what bills they can pay after they pay taxes in inconceivable.

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    1. 1. Get real. 20 bucks isnt gonna push anyone into foreclosure.
      2. Bussing is mandatory for a "Regional" school district.
      Do your homework.

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    2. So huff n puff, could you be so nice as to state how / where you arrived at the 20 bucks number? Could you provide the MGL (law) that states bussing is mandatory for regional school districts, just for the purpose of letting people know where they can check these statements you make. Lots of things get put out as fact when in the end, it turns out to not be the case in many instances. Trust but verify and thank you.

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    3. Your right, 20 bucks (or whatever number is correct) would generally not "break" people (although there are some on the verge), BUT, it is not just the single extra $20. It is the fact that everyone is asking for more, we are paying a lot more for gas, heating oil is constantly going up, our illustrious state has just raised the gas tax (on top of the high gas prices), home insurance goes up every year, medical insurance continues to skyrocket while benefits continue to spiral down, power costs go up.

      It is not a single item that is unaffordable, but the sum of everything that continues to go up every year and for most people, pay increases do not keep pace producing a constant backwards slide. Suddenly you may be making more but your money pays for much less.

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    4. Jeff, 20 bucks was just an average # based on what happened when the senior center debt exclusion fell off.

      Bussing...... M.G.L. C.71 §16c

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    5. The cited 16C does not require regional school districts to provide transportation. What it does is to promise state reimbursement if the regional agreement includes transportation. The state will not reimburse for any students that live closer than 1.5 miles. The district has in the past restricted transportation to those living close.

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    6. so mark, which law is it then? I just googled, because my statement was made based on what the Supt. said to me.

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    7. Go read that law, which you sent me to read. Actually read it, then come back and tell me if it says what the Superintendent told you.

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    8. your right, its about reimbursement. But if we get reimbursed, how does cutting it save us any money then?

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    9. AT the AB meeting last night, it was mentioned that the district can't charge for transportation. But they can limit it to students living a minimum of 1.5 miles (maybe even further, but the state won't re-imburse for closer). With the new sidewalks on Baldwinville Road, Ms. Miller indicated she would consider that in the future. If the school reduce the number of buses by not busing kids closer than 1.5 miles, the savings would be the cost of the bus. All the re-imbursement would still be captured.

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    10. Mark I couldn't attend last nights meeting but I did go back and look at the school's 2013 budget one thing I noticed was "secretaries" making more than our Fire Chief, Highway Super, Cemetery Super, etc. etc. What's wrong with this picture? Wish I was there to ask Ms Miller some questions.

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    11. they work more than them... HAHAHA....sry, had to

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  13. Last year Citizens for Templeton raised money at the Craft Fair to buy school supplies, shoes and clothing for the children in need in the Narragansett School System. They also held a fund raiser to help pay hospital bills for a student who experienced a very awful experience last year. In my opinion, that is not "anti-school" and, in fact, quite the opposite. Many who read and post comments on this blog are educators themselves. No one has ever stated that they do not find education important or refusing to pay for it. The majority of the discussion is based around HOW to pay for education and HOW to fix the flawed education system. This is not "anti-school". I would like to know what efforts Gansett Greatness has done to help the children most in need in the school system. Have they done any fundraising? Have they put pressure on the School Committee to find a permanent solution to the flawed education system? Have they done anything to engage the public with school activities or raise awareness on the achievements of the kids in arts, academics, and sports? How about gathering together concerned educators and parents from other districts who are facing unsustainable budgets and lobbying the state to find a solution? That would be greatness. Positive activism is far more productive than creating a town vs. school war. I'm sure the Citizens for Templeton would be happy to help raise money for kids that can't afford sports fees. Maybe Gansett Greatness can partner with them and actually work together to do something positive FOR THE KIDS. How about having a concert on the common to raise money for the band uniforms? We all need to think outside the box and try to solve problems by putting out heads together instead of tearing each other down. Some say that Templeton is going down the drain and they threaten to send their kids elsewhere or move. I say 'don't let the door hit you on the way out'. These people do not love this town the way I do and do not have a true concept of community. Stop asking what can the town give you and start asking what can you give to the town. When times get tough, we have to work harder TOGETHER to embrace the good and bring the town back to its original glory, not quit. Quitters never win. Winners never quit.

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    1. Excellent post and very well said. So True.

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    2. The town has an opportunity to educate the students in civics. Students could attend selectman's meetings and write papers on what is happening. They could learn about Massachusetts law covering towns. They could learn "Roberts Rules of Order" and how meetings supposed to be run! They might look into grants or programs available to schools. Look on this as an opportunity to think outside the box!

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    3. Yes, Moving on, that was a great blog by Templetonian, as usual. Superb points about the fund raising. I do remember contributing to those events mentioned. Absolutely correct that most people are NOT anti-school. I remember years ago there was the booster club that was a fund-raising organization for sports. We also raised money for band uniforms. Many car washes, bottle drives, raffles or auctions were done in the past by the parents of then also to fund these programs for the kids. Sponsoring sports events & drives have also been held by the 'Gansett cheerleaders & other groups for extra curricular activities, as well. In total agreement with above statements. Great job.

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