Woodstock CT Café

Per pupil regular education costs (minus construction costs, minus SPED, minus transportation) for 2007-08:
K-8 … $7793 per pupil
Academy …$9998 per pupil
see below

At last night’s Board of Education meeting the proposed 2008/2009 budget was revealed a page at a time.

The meeting started off with a presentation from the Academy. They had brought a battery of flat screen monitors (four for the BOE and two facing the audience) for the annual power point presentation. An opening photomontage failed to boot, so the budget presentation began. Paper copies of the budget presentation were distributed to the board members, but the generous stack of extras was not offered to the audience. After a loudly whispered request from an audience member, copies of the presentation were passed out or retrieved by individuals.

The presentation was the regular collection of graphs and pie charts with little if any budget information. The information that actually made its way into the color, six-page, doubled-sided, coated photo paper collection floated atop the pages with very little context making evaluation nearly impossible. The long and short of it is that the tuition for the Academy is increasing from $10,277 to $10,715 per pupil (includes construction costs) – and increase of $438 (4.26%) or a $202,356 hit to our education budget. Frankly, the whole process was reminiscent of getting the check at a restaurant; it’s very difficult to figure out if the price of the meal is reflective of the reasonable cost of the ingredients and labor… or… Read the rest of this entry »

On June 26th 2007 the Hartford Courant published a large table that ranked Connecticut High Schools by their graduate enrollment in college (page B2; the link at the newspaper website does not work anymore). The Cafe published an article on this report.The title of this half page article was “More Graduates Heading to Private Out-of-State Colleges” the main message of the article. But, although the data ordered all 179 CT high schools by the percentage of graduating high school students that attended private colleges, the table also showed the total percentage of high school seniors that went on to both private and public colleges. This survey compiled its data by averaging 2004 to 2006 graduating seniors.

As might be expected, the same affluent towns that ranked highest among preK-8 schools - New Canaan (2), Darien (1), Wilton (4), Staples/Westport(5), Ridgefield (9), and Simsbury High School (12), towns that don’t send their kids to out-of-town high schools were at the top of the list with 90-97% of graduating seniors going off to 4-yr colleges. Among this elite group the percentage of seniors going off to private colleges ranged from 76% down to 54%.

Woodstock Academy (WA) was ranked 108th out of 179 high schools for private college enrollment with 25% of its seniors enrolling in private colleges.  WA ranked 114th in the state with 74% graduating seniors enrolling in any type of 4- yr college. Read the rest of this entry »

…you don’t need a queen… you don’t need a bishop… all you need is a rook and a king!… Marc Quevillon, Brooklyn Middle School Chess Club Coach

Yesterday I got wind of a chess tournament being held at Woodstock Middle School. Remembering a reference to the WMS Chess Club in the list of grants awarded by the Woodstock Education Foundation and noticing the rapt attention of several of my bus riders huddled together over a magnetic chess board for the last few weeks, I felt almost compelled to attend. Boy, was I glad I did. The experience was fabulous!

The Woodstock Middle School Chess Club started up this fall. Christine Carter is the supervising faculty member. Donnie Piché is a volunteer parent who guides the club members through basics, opening, tricks, traps, end games and other various strategies. The Chess Club has about 50 members that meet once a week (about 35 strong) and is planning to have one tournament a month.

Afternoon sign-ups started at 3:30. (Preregistration was available through email.) The entry fee was $5 at the door. The prizes were trophies for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. Ms. Carter also had ribboned medals for ‘first-timers’. I arrived well into the process, near five. There was a refreshment stand in the hallway offering pizza, beverages and various donated desserts for purchase. Just inside the cafeteria was the gallery of spectators, mostly parents - some quietly visiting with each other, others intently focused on their child’s particular competition. Read the rest of this entry »

After a week of preparation we finally completed the GV-1 (steam generator) inspection. I have to sit in a very small room, with an equally small door to do the inspection. I am like a nuclear Hobbit. The room is in the reactor building next to the airlock, so I cannot eat or drink while I am there. Once the test begins I am not one for breaking because too many things can go wrong. There are over 4,600 tubes to be inspected in each generator. The entire test is recorded by three video monitors and all radio communications are recorded as well. The test started at 10:30am and finished at 7:30pm with one 17-minute break (5 minutes of which was used for me to be cleared radiologically). This time I located 10 leaks in this one generator! Last year I found 6. The tubes I found leaking will have a video probe run through them. The leaks are microscopic so they are very difficult to find although last year the videos were best sellers at the plant. This is followed by eddy current inspection. Then a stabilizer is installed so the tube doesn’t damage its neighbors and then finally it is plugged on both ends. All of this is done with manipulators as the steam generators emit a tremendous dose of radiation. The installation is done in bubble suits (forced air, very cool, I look like a 1950’s sci-fi astronaut) and a large dose of radiation is usually received. Read the rest of this entry »

“A truth’s initial commotion is directly proportional to how deeply the lie was believed. When a well-packaged web of lies has been sold gradually to the masses over generations, the truth will seem utterly preposterous and its speaker a raving lunatic.” attributed to ‘Dresden James’ of the Dresden Files

“T’is the season”

A headline story in USA Today (winter 2005) was “Flu Cases Pack Clinics…” If one reads further one finds the following statements “likely will worsen”, “Disease… is increasing”, “…report widespread flu”, “patients with sore throats and fevers crowding emergency rooms”, “seems to be hitting us earlier”, “really seeing it skyrocket”, “going to get worse before it gets better”, “808 lab-confirmed flu cases”, “sick patients are flooding”, “really getting overwhelmed”, “10-13 hour wait times”, “this is more severe”, “the rest of the country may be next”, “there are potentially thousands…spreading the flu” and finally “78 million doses (of the vaccine) have been distributed.”

“Really”, “really”… “worsen”, “widespread”, “crowding”, “hitting”, “skyrocket”, “worse” (again?), “flooding”, “overwhelmed”, “severe”, “potentially thousands” …What’s wrong with this picture? Is this the “War of the Worlds”, or perhaps “The Day After Tomorrow”? The article reads like a tsunami. As I read the article, I envisioned bodies floating on giant waves intermingled with debris, and the aftermath of people lining up at clinics bruised and broken. In the article, there was also a picture of a stoic blond with glasses peering into the ear of an equally stoic brunette with a Mona Lisa-like smile. This told me a lot about what Armageddon will be like. I’m sure that whatever she is seeing in that ear will explain everything. I would not be surprised if this article slipped down to lesser headline status and then disappeared without explanation. Read the rest of this entry »

I sat in on the Board of Finance meeting tonight. During citizen participation Lindsay Paul, the BOE chair, spoke quite eloquently about the upcoming budget proposal to be discussed at this Thursday night’s BOE meeting. She also invited the BOF to attend. I watched the faces of the BOF members as she spoke, and couldn’t help but notice some of the furrowed brows, the brows that didn’t look at her, and the faces that I knew didn’t understand a word that this brilliant woman said. I noticed that the First Selectman was there in the audience. Then I heard Dawn Adiletta, who spoke after Lindsay Paul, and said that she was “looking forward to working” with the BOF on “open Space” options. She also said she was meeting with those open space people from Pomfret to see how they got their bond approved for the four million dollars. Most faces on the BOF were noticeably different when Dawn spoke. I couldn’t help but think that there was no possible way that Woodstock could ever afford to buy up Woodstock, and that there was plenty of unused land now, and that under 46, none of these people had any business thinking about hundreds of thousands, let alone millions for open space. The school system is trolling the bottom, why isn’t the rest of the budget? I wanted to speak up. I wanted to say “so when is the Board of Finance going to cut the Selectmen’s budget and give more money to Education? When are the Selectmen going to better scrutinize their numerous requests by all the people who pour in for this money and that money during their budget process? When?” But I didn’t. I didn’t.

submitted as a comment by ‘Milky Way’

It is correct that the State reimburses towns after a school system has expended 4.5 times its Per Pupil Expenditure PPE. In the case of children placed in a private facility by DCF or the courts, the reimbursement occurs after only 1 times the PPE. However, in Woodstock, the school does not receive the money. The excess (SPED) costs grant, as the reimbursement is called, goes directly to the town. If you look at the budget revenue page of the BOE budget and the town budget, you will see that the excess cost is a revenue for the town, not the education system. So the Board of Education budget has to reflect the total cost of SPED and the town actually gets the money.

Graylady

Just because people disagree with your concepts doesn’t mean that they are not open to debate. I’ve seen lots of debate in here, and most of the people that support your point of view come in here with no facts, loud voices and name calling. At least you try to use some facts but you are not seeing the forest through the trees.In response to your comments to me, of course I believe every child has a right to an education, including those with special needs, so that they can have a productive life.

However, my point that you could not see through the trees is this:

1) Why do you believe so strongly that a parent can fight for their special education child, but you attack the rest of us for trying to get more for our children? In the SPED case, the parent believes that the school is not doing enough, it is the same for many of the people here.

2) To clear up a factual error, in 2005-2006, about 18% of our budget was spent of SPED. To claim that it is mostly paid for by state and federal monies does not accurately reflect the impact it has on the budget. Prop 46 absolutely creates these conflicts in resources.

3) Your example of hiring teachers aids instead of teachers is perfect example of this. Prop 46 creates a funding cap, BOE needs to fit all of their expenses within this cap, obviously resulting in short cuts.

On the one hand, you want the BOE to follow Prop 46 to the tee. On the other hand, you want them to just start to spend money on individual cases.

What I believe is that you will take any line of attack to go after the BOE. Your logic is not consistent unless this is your motive.

Reprinted from the Original Antique Atlas of :  Windham & Tolland Counties by Ormando Willis Gray

 Several have wondered about the fluctuation of Special Education costs year to year. The percentage of SPED costs by district for 2001-02 through 2005-06 is taken from the Dept of Education’s CT Strategic School Profiles provided here: http://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/der/ssp/#go . The 2006-07 strategic profile cites the SPED costs for 2005-06. So each year provides the SPED costs for the previous year.

‘Soapbox’ raised the issue that if SPED (special education costs) were removed from the total per pupil costs presented in the article below, many of the surrounding towns would have lower “regular” per pupil costs than Woodstock. The previous article stated that Woodstock has the lowest per pupil spending based upon the total education budget. There was an inference in ‘Soapbox”’ claim that many of the surrounding towns had more educationally challenged school children.

The upper table re-calculates the per pupil spending of the surrounding towns with SPED costs removed. The lower table presents the same re-calculation for the bottom 18 towns in the State in total per pupil spending. Read the rest of this entry »

For more information about the WEF please visit their website at: www.woodstockeducationfoundation.org

Greetings:

Eighteen Education Grants have been awarded by the Woodstock Education Foundation (WEF) for the 2007-2008 school year. The following list details the exciting variety of programs funded at Woodstock Public Schools. The WEF instituted the Education Grant program during the 2005-2006 school year. WEF Education Grants are intended to benefit students and enable teachers to enhance and enrich the educational program, to encourage superlative instruction and creative, innovative curriculum development. Funding may also be used for visiting artists or professionals. A total of 33 grants have been awarded since the program’s inception.

On May 9th, the WEF will be hosting a Friday afternoon youth activity and an evening dance at Woodstock Middle School. We will be looking for chaperones for this spring fundraiser and volunteers for others, yet to be announced, so stay tuned!

Many thanks to all that contributed to our 2007 annual appeal, as well as those that purchased the WEF Christmas ornament by Woodbury Pewterers. Your generous support is greatly appreciated.

2007-2008 Teacher Education Grants
• Grade 5 Mobile Planetarium, In-house program
• WMS Public Speaking, After-school program
• WMS Piccolo Flute purchase
• WMS Bass Clarinet Partnership purchase w/ Woodstock PTO
• Grade 6 Roseland Cottage Primary and Secondary Source, In-house program
• WMS Science Fair
• WMS Newspaper Club
• Grade 6 Two day, Archeology In-house program
• Grades 5-8 Atwater-Donnelly performance
• Grades 7 & 8 Supporting materials for HNE Family Ties, Civil War & American weeks
• Grade 6 Demos ‘R US, In-house Science program
• Grade 3 In-house Ragged Hill Woods Environmental, In-house program
• Kindergarten Literacy program
• Pre K - 4 Author Jarrett Krosoczka visit
• WMS Engineering Club
• WMS Chess Club
• 4th Annual 7th Grade HNE Family Ties program: Funded through private donation to WEF
• 4th Annual 7th grade HNE Civil War Week program: Funded through private donation to WEF

Barbara Wright,
President

Just a note - When providing data, especially fiscal data, provide the source used. If the data you are using comes from the internet provide the actual website address (URL).  Admin

The data in the first three columns is data compiled by the State of Connecticut, Department of Education and published in November 2007.

Data source: http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2635&q=320562

The calculation for Woodstock is based upon an Education budget of $13,847,656 (2006-2007) and 1432 elementary, middle school and high school/Academy students (Average Daily Attendence). All districts have been calculated exactly the same way. A pdf list ranking all 166 school districts of the State in one spreadsheet can be found on the left at the bottom of the list of Pages entitled “Per Pupil Spending…”

Woodstock’s per pupil spending is last among 14 surrounding towns in spite of the finding that Woodstock is in the middle among these towns in terms of year 2000 per capita income. Read the rest of this entry »

Yesterday morning, somebody called me and asked me what I knew about a town meeting that was supposed to be held that night (Thursday, the 21st) concerning a cell tower going up in East Woodstock. Well, you can imagine my surprise because I knew nothing about a town meeting… or another cell tower. So, I checked in at Town Hall while I was out doing errands. I couldn’t find anything on the notice board about a town meeting and nothing about a cell tower at all. I checked with the town clerk, who then referred me to the Selectmen’s office. After checking in with Carolyn Derrico, I got the information I was looking for.

There was going to be a town meeting but the proposed cell tower was not an agenda item on this regularly scheduled Selectmen’s meeting (scheduled for Thursday, the 21st). However, the Selectmen’s office had been fielding calls from citizens and expected there would be a group coming to speak during the meeting’s ‘Citizen’s Comments’ period.

The meeting started on time at 7PM. The agenda was relatively short: 2 Minutes to be approved (with 2 more added), a discussion of the Dog Pound, an added item – stump an brush removal bids, another added item – rear portico and air lock bids, 3rd Annual Jog with Judy, FOIA charges, Tax Rebates, Correspondence/Announcements and Citizen’s Comments.

• the minutes were approved
• it was announced that the dog pound will no longer be used

Read the rest of this entry »