Woodstock CT Café

TOWN OF WOODSTOCK
NOTICE OF REFERENDUM
MARCH 27, 2007
12 NOON – 8:00 PM

Referendum votes of the electors and citizens qualified to vote in town meetings of the Town of Woodstock, Connecticut, will be held on Tuesday, March 27, 2007 between the hours of 12:00 Noon and 8:00 P.M. pursuant to Section 7-7 of the General Statutes of Connecticut, Revision of 1958, as amended, on the resolutions presented under Item 2 & 3 of the Notice of Special Town Meeting held March 13, 2007. Electors and persons qualified to vote in town meetings who are not electors shall vote at the Woodstock Town Hall, 415 Route 169 in Woodstock. The aforesaid resolution will be placed on the voting machines under the following heading:

Shall the Town of Woodstock adopt the ordinance presented at the March 13, 2007 Special Town Meeting as follows: Whenever a question on the call of a Town Meeting involves an appropriation or issuance of bonds or assumptions of debt, and the amount of such appropriation, bonds or debt is $100,000 or more, the Board of Selectmen shall submit such question to a vote at referendum?

Voters approving the resolution will vote “Yes” and those opposing said resolution will vote “No.” Absentee ballots will be available from the Town Clerk’s office.
Dated at Woodstock, Connecticut, this 14th day of March, 2007.

Judy W. Alberts, Town Clerk Read the rest of this entry »

Woodstock Academy football boosters and Ed Higgins’ fundraising effort is covered today in the Norwich Bull

“…special education costs in our district were on par with others in the state…Woodstock Public School spending practices appear to be on par with the state and DRG.”

It is obvious that we all can get lost in the minutiae and completely losing sight of the bigger picture. ‘A Taxpayer’ wondered what the percentage of Special Education (SPED) spending is for towns that compare with Woodstock. The same question has wandered across the horizon of my awareness several times. So, I did a little poking around.

I started at the home page of the CT Dept. of Ed (www.sde.ct.gov), then I went on to the ‘School & District’ on the left side bar, then down to the School & District Data selection link in the center column, then down to the ‘Data Bulletins’ in the left side bar, and finally, down to the Connecticut’s District Reference Groups School Year: 2005-06 download at the State Dept. of Education HERE.

“District Reference Groups (DRGs) is a classification system in which districts that have public school students with similar socioeconomic status (SES) and need are grouped together. Grouping “like districts” together is useful in order to make legitimate comparisons among districts.â€? The preceding is the opening paragraph of the June 2006 Research Bulletin. Read the rest of this entry »

Norwich Bull article on the Academy dismissal of Warren and Taylor.

(RE the request submitted to the State Education Committee)
This is an initiative from Mr. Breen as a private citizen and has not been supported nor endorsed by the BOE. Are there individual members of the BOE who would like to see this initiative go forward….undoubtedly.

See the “Problem Statement“. Admin

But the BOE as a group would have no basis to support it or sponsor this. As a matter of fact, it is in the BOE’s minutes that they do not support the specific solution sought by Joe Breen. They did ask for clarification from the Legistature about the specific roles and responsibilities between the Academys and their sending towns with respect to educational statutes and financial accountability.

The Shoppers Guide ad seems to be yet another underhanded attempt by the Academy to discredit the BOE in the eyes of the electorate. If the Academy spent a fraction of the brainpower, energy and financial resources that it does in trying to discredit the BOE and applied those resources instead to working with the BOE to come up with a solution to the way the Town funds its K-8 educational system (i.e. changing the arbitrary way in which the BOF comes up with the annual education appropriation percentage), then I am certain that the Academy would have the precious five year contract extension that it so desperately covets and the situation in Town would be much less tense.

According to the most current statistics developed by the CT State Department of Education the Woodstock K-8 school system is in the bottom 3% (2.4%) and likely 4th from the bottom in per pupil spending.

Last spring one of our articles reported that Woodstock was 164th out of 169 towns in per pupil spending, in the bottom 3% of Connecticut towns (See this article ). Others at the Café have quoted this data either from the original source or from the Café article. The source of this information was a pdf document (See the source article http://www.opm.state.ct.us/igp/MUNFINSR/fi95str2.HTM ) from the CT State Office of Policy and Management. This was the only source of this information that we were aware of at that time. This pdf document states that the statistics in the document are not necessarily the finalized statistics. The Café article cited this reference correctly. The key statistic derived from this document was the finding that Woodstock spent $8583 per pupil in the K-8 system for the 2004-2005 school year (the most recent year where these statistics are available even today).

Recently a Café visitor (‘numbers’) began to question rightly the accuracy of these statistics because ‘numbers’ found a document at the CT department of Education that reported a per pupil spending of $8919 for that year and ‘numbers’ provided a step-by-step path to accessing that statistic (see comment 7 in the article entitled “Woodstock Education Funding – “Problem Statementâ€? Under Consideration by the Education Committee of the CT General Assemblyâ€? ). If ‘numbers’ was correct Read the rest of this entry »

It would be very stimulating to the Community if other Town officials would talk about their philosphy on community service. We could all learn how to contribute for the betterment of the Town from this kind of testimony.

This was a comment posted by Romeo under Melissa Weinand’s statement below. Admin

After serving almost 12 years on the Woodstock Board of Education and having been a Town Moderator/Election Official for several years, I feel qualified to speak to this issue. I can think of no better way to serve your community than by becoming involved in a board or commission. Back in 1995 I stood up at a Town Meeting when the debate was raging over whether or not to purchase the Data General property and turn it into a Middle School. At that time I had two children in the Woodstock School system. My wife and I were involved parents. We went to school functions. We met with teachers and administrators and were always helping out whenever we could. But that fateful evening, when I stood up and stated my opinion in public, I initiated something that I could not have foreseen coming. A phone call the next day from the Chairman of the Republican Town Committee asking me if I would be interested in running for the Board of Education. In fact, I was told that I could be appointed in one month to fill the vacancy of a member that was about to resign, and get a few months service under my belt before the November election. What a deal! I had one day to think about it. And, the rest as they say is history.

Do I have regrets about serving two terms on the Board of Education? Just one. Read the rest of this entry »

Melissa Weinand, former Selectman, left this as a comment under “Leadership Dilemma“. Admin

Imagine catching up on town goings-on and seeing my own name in print as a “republican foot soldier.� I’ve been out of the scene for some time-busy working full time over an hour from home and going to graduate school full time to boot.

As far as my “label� is concerned, I would have considered myself neither a “republican foot soldier� or an elected official that any one group was wholly comfortable with. I listened to the issues, talked to folks, and did what I thought was right, disappointing and angering many a “foot soldier� along the way. Yet, years later, I hear I am now considered a voice of reason and a consensus builder. Both characteristics of an effective leader.

If you thought Woodstock had a leadership dilemma only a year ago, I can only imagine how you feel now. I believe leadership “void� would more fit the bill.

Bright, articulate, and dedicated individuals of any party are difficult to entice into public service. Months of campaigning, weeks of meetings and endless hours of “public debate� end in just such circumstances: those on the ‘outside’ constantly labeling and questioning the motives of those on the ‘inside’ (serving the town as best they can).

I suggest you put your intelligence and political leanings to work: volunteer for a town board, commission, or group and let us all see how you fare “on the inside.â€? Read the rest of this entry »

The referendum to revise the town charter and switch to a mayorial system in New London failed. Not enough votes.

Don Imus asked the question this morning “Do you know any intelligent person who doesn’t have a sense of humor?”…The answer was “No!”

The numbers put forth by Becki and Admin establish clearly that in the school year 2004-2005 the Woodstock School system was 164th out of 169 school systems in the state in funding per pupil (the bottom 3% in funding per pupil among all state school systems). The situation for the K-8 system in Woodstock appears to be much worse than 164th suggests. This number is based upon the total education budget reported to the State Department of Education divided by the number of students in the system.

The 2006-07 education budget includes approximately $4.619 million for 459 students at the Academy. The overall tuition is $9849/student (basic tuition of $9550 + a $299 fee per student for “construction costsâ€?). If you add 25% (conservative number) of the total transportation costs for all Woodstock students equaling $199,412 and the Special Education budget of $134,000 reserved for the Academy students (in the total Woodstock education budget), then the total amount taken by the Academy from the Woodstock education budget for 2006-2007 is approximately $4,952,400. This may be a significant underestimate because I don’t know all of the ‘hidden’ costs of the Academy in the Woodstock education budget. Read the rest of this entry »

March 12, 2007

As the Woodstock Board of Education begins to formulate the 2007–2008 education budget, I would like the citizens of Woodstock to understand the changes in the 2006–2007 education budget that resulted from unexpected changes that occurred at Woodstock Academy. The purpose of this letter, therefore, is to clarify the Board of Education’s rationale for the restoration of funds to specific educational programs.

Due to an unforeseeable decline in the number of students enrolled at Woodstock Academy between June 2006 and October 1, 2006 the Woodstock Board of Education realized a savings of $216,678. With these funds, the Board of Education decided to reinstate full-day kindergarten and seven regular education teacher assistants at Woodstock Elementary School. In addition, the Board instituted a remedial mathematics program for grades 5-8 at Woodstock Middle School.

The recent Connecticut Mastery Test Results for the Woodstock Public Schools indicated that although students in grades 3-8 are performing well above the proficiency requirements of the Federal No Child Left Behind Legislation, students in the special education subgroup have not reached the required proficiency levels. Therefore, in acknowledging its legal and ethical obligations to help these students achieve proficiency, the Board of Education earmarked the majority of the $216,678 savings for programs that will benefit both special needs students and the general population. Read the rest of this entry »

Woodstock Academy was established in 1802 with a private charter to “maintain and operate a school and engage in educational enterprises in . . . Woodstock for the benefit of the inhabitants of said town and vicinity.” The Academy’s Trustees have an affirmative fiduciary and legal obligation to manage the school in a manner consistent with this mission.

The Academy has grown to be a large regional high school and become a critical asset to the area’s public education system. In 1992, the school was financially stabilized, expanded and reconstructed with a $14.5 million bond issued by Woodstock and Eastford, guaranteed by Woodstock, and with a long term funding commitment by the State of Connecticut to repay the bonds. Consistent with the Academy’s charter and bylaws, the statute providing the State financing commitment required a governance structure to insure ongoing collaboration between the Academy and its sending towns.

The Academy Trustees have recently prioritized expansion of its student population and physical facilities over the academic environment of the smaller scale school many residents prefer, even while at least one sending town (Brooklyn) is examining leaving the Academy. The Academy’s recent problems all relate directly to this expansionist objective. These include a large land acquisition without proper due diligence and the associated legal default on the school’s primary bonding. The rapid increase in the student and staff population has caused overuse of the school’s septic system resulting in its premature failure and the need for a new sewer line. The budget conflicts with the Woodstock Public Schools include possibly improper retention of overcharged tuition funds that have been set aside in a growing cash reserve. Read the rest of this entry »

See the source of ranking of 169 school systems showing Woodstock as 164/169 in per pupil spending, e.g. the bottom 3%, below in the comments. Admin

This document was presented to the BOE at their meeting last Thursday night.

“Woodstock Academy is an intriguing model and a critical asset for public education in northeast Connecticut. For many families, this school is a primary motivation for a decision to raise their families in this part of Connecticut. But the current structure of this model is increasingly at odds with public education policy because it is incomplete. The Connecticut General Assembly created and fostered this model and it is incumbent on this body to make the proposed modest adjustments to carry it forward successfully consistent with the interests of the region’s public education system.” From the Summary at the end of this statement. Admin

Referenced State Statutes can be found HERE with key references in bold.

Submitted to Andrew Fleischmann, Chairman of the Education Committee, CT General Assemby, on February 21, 2007

Key Points

• The Town of Woodstock has a local ordinance called Proposition 46 which imposes a rigid fiscal constraint on the town’s expenditures.
• Woodstock’s public education expenditures are consistently ranked in the range of 160-165th among all Connecticut towns.
• Woodstock Academy is privately chartered with a public education mission and has almost exclusively public students and funding. Sending town representation is nominal.
• The Academy receives priority public funding and asserts exemption from Prop 46, so that Woodstock’s public K-8 system bears the full fiscal impact of Prop 46.
• The Academy is expanding staff and facilities and reserving cash from public tuition payments for a planned expansion. Woodstock Public Schools are reducing staff and programs and are unable to make necessary capital investments.
• Contract negotiations between the Academy and Woodstock BOE are deadlocked. The Academy asserts private control of its governance and budget; WBOE asserts the need for more effective sending town participation in Academy decisions in order to balance and coordinate overall educational expenditures.
• Payment for complete reconstruction of the Academy was recently completed; withdrawal and construction of a public high school is impractical.
• Statutory guidance (CGS 10-36/10-285b) for Academy governance appears to have ceased. Based on the substantial public investment in the school, Woodstock is seeking (i) clarification of the public education role of the Academy and its Sending Town Representatives; (ii) 50% sending town representation on the Academy Board with full participation in major decisions; and (iii) reimbursement of domicile costs.

Read the rest of this entry »

Many Internet surfers are fairly naive about the Internet and the ability of websites and servers to gather information. For the sake of clarity on this point the Cafe felt that it would be fair to describe our own practices in monitoring traffic to and from the Cafe.

The Cafe uses two independent software packages to monitor visitation to the Cafe. However, this type of monitoring does not reveal the identity of the visitor unless the visitor or the server discloses their identity. Companies usually disclose their identity through their own servers. Many Cafe visitors have disclosed their identity willingly, but still the vast majority of visitors remain anonymous and this is fine with the Cafe.

Internet Protocol (IP) is the method of directing Internet traffic or messages from the sender to the receiver whether this is by email or by surfing websites on the Internet. IP is assigned to an individual’s computer by the Internet Service Provider (ISP) to be its address on the Internet. IP can also be used to track Internet fraud and theft to its source. If you’ve watched “To Catch a Predator” on NBC TV, you have seen Chris Hansen repeatedly stand in front of sexual predators with a ream of paper reading Internet conversations between the perp and the prospective victim. In addition to these conversations, that ream of paper no doubt contains the IP history of the perp that can be used to determine the origin of the perp’s Internet access through an ISP. Read the rest of this entry »

To the School System. Please see Bowman’s thoughtful suggestion below in the Comments section.

Mr. Olson, Woodstock Public School Technology Coordinator, kindly supplied the information below to Becki Leavitt.

Advantages to Building 58 Computers

1.) Better Price: Building Computers $27,570 – Dell $32,456

2.) Built computers can be adjusted to improve CPU (central processing unit) performance.

Dell computer software will not allow improvements of CPU performance.

Improved CPU performance increases the speed computer program instructions are interpreted and data is processed *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_processing_unit]. The ever-increasing complexity of websites with graphics, flash and animation require higher processing speeds for downloading.

3.) Built computer parts are easy to find and inexpensive.

When Dells are ‘out of warranty’ (1-5 years) the parts are expensive. It is hard to find three year and older Dell parts. This is known as ‘planned obsolescence’ in most industries. It encourages predictable reoccurring sales.

4.) Built computers will be able to have their CPU’s, Mother Boards, memory, and power supplies upgraded in the future. These parts will allow us to reuse some parts and upgrade computers in three to five years.

Dell computers and parts are proprietary and expensive, and parts cannot be upgraded.

5.) Most of the parts for the built computers are under manufacturer warranty. Additionally, because of the cost savings of the parts for the built computers, we will purchase several extra computer parts for use as downtime replacements.

6.) Since these computers are being built from scratch, the operating systems are purchased separately and the school system is able to keep the license.

With Dell computers, if the computer dies (or leaves the district) the license goes as well. We cannot transfer the license within the district.

7.) Built computers warranty - $8 per unit ($454 in extra parts divided by 58 units) Additional parts may have to be purchased in the future, but cost will not equal the Dell per unit warranty cost.

Dell warranty – $100 per unit

Woodstock Public Schools cannot afford, and does not have the luxury, of looking at computers as ‘consumables’ – needing replacement every 2/3 years. Read the rest of this entry »

Late Thurday evening, March 08, 2007

Too much to tell. I made it through Item VII, Citizen’s participation, but had to leave because that big ole yellow bus calls me pretty darn early in the morning. I’ll only be able to give you some highlights now. I have an article addressing the technology issue that we have been tossing about for the last week. It should be ready to publish sometime Friday (which for the next 30 minutes is tomorrow… then it’ll be today).

The Academy presented an overview of their budget to the board. This took two hours, when you add in the question and answer period for the board members. To say the exchanges were tense and strained would be an understatement. The Academy was well supported with numerous Board of Trustee members in attendance. Headmaster Foye and Business Manager Campbell made their presentation accompanied by nine (I think) flat screens waltzing through a well-orchestrated power point collection of graphs and pie charts. The presentation went smoothly enough. It was the questions posed by the members of the Woodstock Board of Education that illustrated how difficult the discussion is between these two parties.

Mr. Olson provided the background of the information and justifications considered in choosing to build computers rather than accept Dell Computer’s pricing for 58 units. Read the rest of this entry »

Meghan says: Here … chew on this one.
NEWS FLASH!

Keep some simple questions at hand while reading this, “what’s in it for the Town?” “Are we (the Town) going to get a reduction in tuition at WA?”

It has been reported in the Villager that WA has gone to the Town for help in bonding the sewer project. The 1st selectman (MW) had stated in there that the Inn could get in on it too. It was reported as a Dept of Ag. bonding program which from afar would seem a nice thing, low interest etc.

What really is behind the whole thing is that MW APPROACHED WA to get in on this low interest bonding. She didn’t disclose the mandates that must be met BEFORE getting reimbursed for the project. Yup, reimbursed! WA was going to do the project on their own but she believes the Town can save them money. The Town could probably do that but at what expense? Is the Inn, a private business, eligible for a federal loan? The Town will be required to bond and pay for the entire project and then receive reimbursement, of course only after satisfactory completion the whole project. In order for that to occur the Town would have to reapply periodically for bonding as the project goes forward. That alone would eat up any savings and would require the Town staff to spend countless hours monitoring everything and issuing checks, etc. Read the rest of this entry »

If Mr. Olsen was an employee then presumably he still did such research but no formal documentation was made. For many private organizations this might fly.

Having said that, the BOE is under fire (rightly or wrongly) for budgetary issues and they have been for quite some time. They should have known better. Sure 30k is a small portion of their budget but it is a large enough amount with real product differences where it is not unreasonable to assume that taxpayers would have questions about it. That is the reality of the political situation in town. I don’t expect them to have every such an analysis on hand at all meetings but they should be able to get one to interested taxpayers if requested. Read the rest of this entry »