Once upon a time, there was a little girl who was very smart and very good at sports and just all around very good. When she grew up, she decided to be a teacher, even though she could have done something else that would have earned her a lot more money. Teaching children was her calling, and she followed that call.
The young teacher quickly became a superstar and sought out increased responsibility and showed skills in management and administration. She married another gifted educator and the two of them chose to work in the town where she grew up even though they could have made more money elsewhere: community and family were very important to the teacher and her husband.
The teacher and her husband worked hard. She worked so hard that she was given an opportunity to be the principal at a school. And she went to the school and continued to work really hard and the teachers at the school and the students loved her. The parents of the students were so pleased that their students had a principal who was so committed and who was so very perfect for the job.
At first, the teacher, who was now a principal, and her husband didn't live in the town where they taught and where she had grown up. Eventually, they found a home in the town and moved there with their two wonderful children, a little girl and a little boy. The principal's parents still lived in the town and so did one of her three sisters.
Everything was good.
Sadly, the principal needed to work with an Evil Superintendent. The Evil Superintendent didn't live in the town or anywhere near the town where the school was located. She never attended any community events. And she didn't like the principal. The principal knew this and did her best knowing it.
At the principal's school, there was a bad teacher. The teacher was very, very bad and the badness was documented. The principal had to fire the bad teacher and the bad teacher did not take it well. In fact, the bad teacher said that she had been assaulted by a student and that the principal had done nothing to protect her. So, the lawyers came, and a sum of money was given to the bad teacher to make her go away. And the Evil Superintendent smiled because now she had a way to get rid of the principal whom she did not like.
Why didn't the Superintendent like the principal? Maybe she felt threatened. Maybe she doesn't like nice people who work hard. Maybe she resents people who are happy. Who knows?
Finally, it came to pass that the Evil Superintendent was to resign from her position. And all believed that she would go quietly into the hereafter. But that was not to be. First, she decided to implement redistricting. And then she decided to get rid of the Principal. Because she could.
Is this vindictiveness something that she learned on the trip to China that the good people of the town paid for her to have?
Who could come to the aid of the Principal? Was there a Prince?
Remember: the Principal is happily married.
If there is to be a hero in this story, it could be the School Committee. The School Committee can give a vote of "no confidence" in the Evil Superintendent and give her an extra two months off before her retirement in July. This would show bravery and resolve and would prevent the ES from any additional parting shots that she may want to lob at the good townspeople.
We, the townspeople, are counting on the School Committee to offer a no-confidence vote at the School Committee meeting on 6 May 2015.
Please, members of the School Committee, help us achieve a happy ending.
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Saturday, April 11, 2015
How Not to Solve a Problem: the PTO Mom is NOT Happy
What are you doing next Wednesday? Are you heading to the High School to attend the 'public hearing' about redistricting?
Sadly, I will be on a plane heading to a work conference, which is good for anyone else who does attend the hearing because, if I were able to attend, my head would surely explode. It might anyway.
At the Fitzgerald PTO meeting this week, I had to excuse myself when our wonderful principal had to update us on the redistricting plans. I apologized to her on behalf of the parents, taxpayers, and voters, that she needs to deal with this and then I left before I said things that I would surely regret. So, instead of saying them in the relatively safe environs of a PTO meeting on a Tuesday night, I'll blog about them here for all to read.
First, let me say that there is not an 'overcrowding' problem in the Waltham elementary schools. There is an inequity problem with the use of resources and there is a decision-making problem and there are politics at play, however, the district has enough room for all of our elementary students.
There IS an overcrowding problem at the Fitzgerald School. How did that happen? Allow me to give a brief history:
Once upon a time in a magical land, there were six enchanted schools where the good townspeople sent their young children to learn. Then things started to go wrong: the principal at one of the schools, the Fitz, 'retired' amid allegations that she had not done anything about an alleged bullying incident. The superintendent of the school district, it was said, had run afoul of the mayor, and he, too, resigned. A friend of the mayor's came in as acting superintendent until another superintendent was hired. At the Fitz, an interim principal came in, ostensibly to guide the well-liked assistant principal, who likely saw a track to become the school's principal. That did not happen, and the assistant principal left, along with the interim principal, and a new assistant principal and principal were hired. During his first year at the Fitz, the new principal was told by the new superintendent that an additional program would be coming to the Fitz. The new principal protested: there was already a special program meeting in the library because there was not enough classroom space. The Fitz had the highest enrollment in the district. Surely there was another place where the students in this program could be better served. Alas, it was not to be, in part, I believe, because a School Committee member had a student in that program and lived close to the Fitz and lobbied strongly for the program to be relocated to the Fitz. Also, I believe, it was easier for a new superintendent to tell a new principal that he had to do something than it would have been to tell a tenured and well-respected principal that she had to do something. In other words, I wouldn't be surprised if principals at other schools in the district told the superintendent "No effing way, bee-yotch."
And so it came to pass that the program was moved to the Fitz. And the new principal resigned. And the Fitz had another interim who had to deal with where to put 500+ kids. And so the Fitz gave up its Science room (because who needs science anyway? It's not like it's important or anything.) and its Drama room and its teacher workroom (because it's ok to teach kids in a former closet with a window). And the parents of the students at the Fitz were told to stop whining and stop being so entitled. And then they ripped up the bridge on Beaver Street just to show those parents west of the school (I am making that up, but it is a strange coincidence.) And now our new, forever principal has to sit at a PTO meeting and tell us about redistricting. And so I apologized to her and to the teachers and to the staff.
Why is any of that important? If that program had not been moved to the Fitz, the enrollment there would be on par with the enrollment at the other elementary schools. That is, that bad decision, made for reasons that are murky, was indeed the straw that broke the district's back.
So, cue the CONSULTANTS and the HAND WRINGING and a TWELVE YEAR plan for redistricting! Bring on the modular buildings and redrawn lines and the dismantling of computer labs and the purchase of laptop carts! Call the Public Hearings! Can you say "obfuscation"?
Here's the deal: NO PARENT anywhere ever is going to be in favor of redistricting that makes his or her kid move to a different school. That's because it's all about the network every parent begins building when her kid goes off to kindergarten: I know who I can call when I'm running late or who I can text when my forgetful 5th grader forgets his homework again or who I can carpool with to the birthday party. It takes a LONG time to build these bonds; no one willingly wants them to be broken. So stop asking the parents if they want it to happen: we don't.
And, to make it more painless, come up with ONE plan that makes the most sense. This isn't about being democratic: it's about making a decision. The democracy part comes in November when we vote. Work out the differences between the plans and then implement. Because here's the thing: populations are dynamic, not static. So the longer a decision is delayed, the less impact it's going to have. The use of the FITCH school was STILL being debated until last fall! For reals?
In my humble opinion, the School Committee needs to deliver ONE plan and then implement it. The Superintendent is, with all due respect, a lame duck, so she can afford to put on the big girl pants and make a decision. The mayor, however, is running for reelection, so there may be some caution with stepping up and being decisive because the longer the decision is delayed, the better for reelection hopes.
I am so very weary of hearing about the conundrum. I know more about the number of students at each elementary school than I ever wanted to, and more about modular buildings and blueprints and laptop carts than I ever needed to.
I'm still waiting for someone to step up and make a decision.
Sadly, I will be on a plane heading to a work conference, which is good for anyone else who does attend the hearing because, if I were able to attend, my head would surely explode. It might anyway.
At the Fitzgerald PTO meeting this week, I had to excuse myself when our wonderful principal had to update us on the redistricting plans. I apologized to her on behalf of the parents, taxpayers, and voters, that she needs to deal with this and then I left before I said things that I would surely regret. So, instead of saying them in the relatively safe environs of a PTO meeting on a Tuesday night, I'll blog about them here for all to read.
First, let me say that there is not an 'overcrowding' problem in the Waltham elementary schools. There is an inequity problem with the use of resources and there is a decision-making problem and there are politics at play, however, the district has enough room for all of our elementary students.
There IS an overcrowding problem at the Fitzgerald School. How did that happen? Allow me to give a brief history:
Once upon a time in a magical land, there were six enchanted schools where the good townspeople sent their young children to learn. Then things started to go wrong: the principal at one of the schools, the Fitz, 'retired' amid allegations that she had not done anything about an alleged bullying incident. The superintendent of the school district, it was said, had run afoul of the mayor, and he, too, resigned. A friend of the mayor's came in as acting superintendent until another superintendent was hired. At the Fitz, an interim principal came in, ostensibly to guide the well-liked assistant principal, who likely saw a track to become the school's principal. That did not happen, and the assistant principal left, along with the interim principal, and a new assistant principal and principal were hired. During his first year at the Fitz, the new principal was told by the new superintendent that an additional program would be coming to the Fitz. The new principal protested: there was already a special program meeting in the library because there was not enough classroom space. The Fitz had the highest enrollment in the district. Surely there was another place where the students in this program could be better served. Alas, it was not to be, in part, I believe, because a School Committee member had a student in that program and lived close to the Fitz and lobbied strongly for the program to be relocated to the Fitz. Also, I believe, it was easier for a new superintendent to tell a new principal that he had to do something than it would have been to tell a tenured and well-respected principal that she had to do something. In other words, I wouldn't be surprised if principals at other schools in the district told the superintendent "No effing way, bee-yotch."
And so it came to pass that the program was moved to the Fitz. And the new principal resigned. And the Fitz had another interim who had to deal with where to put 500+ kids. And so the Fitz gave up its Science room (because who needs science anyway? It's not like it's important or anything.) and its Drama room and its teacher workroom (because it's ok to teach kids in a former closet with a window). And the parents of the students at the Fitz were told to stop whining and stop being so entitled. And then they ripped up the bridge on Beaver Street just to show those parents west of the school (I am making that up, but it is a strange coincidence.) And now our new, forever principal has to sit at a PTO meeting and tell us about redistricting. And so I apologized to her and to the teachers and to the staff.
Why is any of that important? If that program had not been moved to the Fitz, the enrollment there would be on par with the enrollment at the other elementary schools. That is, that bad decision, made for reasons that are murky, was indeed the straw that broke the district's back.
So, cue the CONSULTANTS and the HAND WRINGING and a TWELVE YEAR plan for redistricting! Bring on the modular buildings and redrawn lines and the dismantling of computer labs and the purchase of laptop carts! Call the Public Hearings! Can you say "obfuscation"?
Here's the deal: NO PARENT anywhere ever is going to be in favor of redistricting that makes his or her kid move to a different school. That's because it's all about the network every parent begins building when her kid goes off to kindergarten: I know who I can call when I'm running late or who I can text when my forgetful 5th grader forgets his homework again or who I can carpool with to the birthday party. It takes a LONG time to build these bonds; no one willingly wants them to be broken. So stop asking the parents if they want it to happen: we don't.
And, to make it more painless, come up with ONE plan that makes the most sense. This isn't about being democratic: it's about making a decision. The democracy part comes in November when we vote. Work out the differences between the plans and then implement. Because here's the thing: populations are dynamic, not static. So the longer a decision is delayed, the less impact it's going to have. The use of the FITCH school was STILL being debated until last fall! For reals?
In my humble opinion, the School Committee needs to deliver ONE plan and then implement it. The Superintendent is, with all due respect, a lame duck, so she can afford to put on the big girl pants and make a decision. The mayor, however, is running for reelection, so there may be some caution with stepping up and being decisive because the longer the decision is delayed, the better for reelection hopes.
I am so very weary of hearing about the conundrum. I know more about the number of students at each elementary school than I ever wanted to, and more about modular buildings and blueprints and laptop carts than I ever needed to.
I'm still waiting for someone to step up and make a decision.
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