Woodstock CT Café

The data below was published by the CT Department of Education in November 2007 and first published at the Cafe on February 20th 2008.
Below is the link to the same data and definitions compiled by the DOE:

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

The upper panel lists the lowest ranking school districts in terms of per pupil spending – data compiled by the State of Connecticut, Department of Education and published in November 2007. The calculation for Woodstock is based upon an the entire K-12 Education budget of $13,847,656 (2006-2007; a lower figure than the buget5 approved by the town) and 1432 elementary, middle school and high school / Academy students (Average Daily Attendence). All CT districts have been calculated exactly the same way. A pdf list ranking all 166 school districts in one spreadsheet can be found on the left at the bottom of the list of Pages entitled “Per Pupil Spending…” 

The lower (right) panel is the estimated Woodstock per pupil spending comparing the Academy Read the rest of this entry »

“Grant me one false premise, and I will prove anything.” – Bertrand Russell

“…he’s having telephone conferences with the town lawyer with the permission of the First Selectman…”

I’ve seen the ‘spreadsheet’ developed by Mr. Richardson (see spreadsheet at the bottom that was inserted into the BOE minutes at Rosendahl’s insistence). It seems apparent that Mr. Richardson is having a good time arbitrarily ‘what-if-ing’ every number that crosses his field of notice. He obviously knows more about crunching numbers than any of his fervent fans (those rabidly devoted to the CPS/46 banner).

While Richardson may have been an accountant for Rogers Corporation and gotten his ‘gold watch’ from them, he is not using basic accounting practices by 1) combining the use of both budgeted and expended figures, 2) using rounded numbers in some places and actual numbers in others, 3) lack of notations of years covered by combined annual growth rate (CAGR), and 4) using inaccurate student populations.

I have no idea of what Rosendahl does, but by his own admission he couldn’t tell if the numbers were right or wrong. Read the rest of this entry »

That famous philosopher, Momma Gump, once said “Stupid is as stupid does!”

I was reminded of this statement by Momma Gump when I saw the spreadsheet submitted to the Board of Education last Thursday by Steve Rosendahl. Rosendahl said that this spreadsheet is being circulated around Woodstock which I guess, in his mind, makes the math legitimate. Rosendahl, as an elected member of the BOE, fessed up that the calculations were Dave Richardson’s and insisted that the calculations be entered into the minutes (see the link to Kevin’s website to view the spreadsheet).

If I were the conveyor of this type of information, I would first want to make sure that I understood the calculations and that the calculations had an accurate basis of fact – not just bad accounting by an accountant on a mission. Because Rosendahl insisted that the information be entered into the minutes, I say that this is Rosendahl’s information – since he’s the conveyor, he owns it. If he’s too stupid to understand what’s wrong with it, that’s his problem.

First, Rosendahl and Richardson don’t realize that Ellis Tech is FREE (paid for directly by the State, not out of the BOE budget), and 20-30 high school students listed in the “495 students” that supposedly went to the Academy (2007-08) was not correct. They have not explained the context of their calculations in order to draw some mysterious conclusion that they prefer over reality.

In October 2007 the Cafe based its per-pupil spending calculations on the number reportedly enrolled at the Academy for 2007-08, e.g. 472 students not 495 students. See the October article which states as follows:

Read the rest of this entry »

See Kevin Ford’s summation of the “March 13 and March 27 BOE meetings”
There is a lot of interesting stuff in Kevin’s article including Rosendahl/Richardson’s blundering math, dealings with the Academy, and the BOE’s handling of Shultz’ ridiculous FOI complaints.

1. Budget – the BOE is submitting a budget to BOF of $15.7 million, representing a 4.7% increase over the current year budget of $15.0 million.  The proposed 2008-09 budget represents the cost to only maintain current K-8 services, with no staffing or program improvements, and will be submitted along with a supplememt showing other items the BOE feels would allow them to meet their goals, but for which they are not requesting funding.  The base “maintenance” budget is likely to face cuts based on the current calculation of the Proposition 46 cap.  Further, the challenge to the current calculation of the Prop 46 cap by Dave Richardson, which according to Mr. Richardson has gained the endorsement of town attorney Robert DeCrecenzo, as publicized in this week’s Villager, may produce an even more severe negative impact on the town’s school budget.  This while the Academy is off and running on the expansion of their athletic complex, increased technology purchases, additional academic programs, and expanded  international staff junkets. 

2. Steve Rosendahl – This BOE member, who ran on the Republican ticket with the published endorsements of former Democratic BOE member  Christine Johnston Lessig alongside that of CPS President Preston Schultz, is quickly gaining steam.  Rosendahl presented for inclusion in the BOE minutes a highly misleading budget “analysis” showing the Academy and K-8 budgets.  The Academy’s Transportation and Special Education costs are not only EXCLUDED from the Academy’s budget, but they are INCLUDED as K-8 costs, grossly distorting the relative costs of the two systems.  This distortion is so blatant as to represent a bald-faced lie. 

3. Academy Contract – In addition to their longstanding demand that the BOE sign a contract granting the Academy unilateral authority over the tuition they are paid, the Academy has renewed their even more outrageous demand that they be reimbursed for any cost they (unilaterally, of course) deem to be an unreasonable cost of negotiations with BOE. Read the rest of this entry »

First the Villager suggests its readers are spreading untrue rumors (see the quote below) … and then they admit to using “a little fib” to scare readers into filling out the form that will build an address database for whatever purpose.

“However, it seems as though rumors spread faster than the truth. I am committed to my customers and want to make sure that you have all of the information that you need to create a sound marketing plan.

For the past few weeks you may have noticed the mail-in coupon on the front of our newspapers. I want to ensure you that we are NOT going to be changing our circulation. As the note attached to the coupon reads, we are applying for a special permit with the U S Post Office. This permit will allow our newspapers to be delivered by priority mail, thus giving our advertisers the comfort of knowing our readers are receiving the newspaper on time. In order to obtain this permit we have to collect the signature of 50% of the population in our coverage areas. You know as well as I do that getting people to mail things back is difficult. For that reason, we told a little fib and threatend to stop sending the newspapers to people.”*

*This quoted text is from an emailed ‘copyright’ protected letter sent by Ms. Charette of the Villager to its advertizers on March 28th.

The following statement by the Villager was captured in a previous article at the Cafe. What the Villager is saying basically is ‘to full out and send in the damn form… stupid!’

Thanks to Rebecca Hyde for alerting the Cafe to this issue.

See the “informational website” www.southbridgedump.org
Read the rest of this entry »

Congrats to Zack Wetzel for winning a significant scholarship to Norwich University in Northfield Vermont.

About 90% of the visitors are from Northeastern Connecticut.

Book review – a subject relevant to Woodstock.

    I happened to be at the Southbridge Library and found a few books that seemed worth reading. One was “The Works” by Kate Ascher.  This book was published in 2005 and is a guide to understanding the infrastructure of NY City.  Very user friendly, in a Richard Scarry sort of way, with plenty of pictures, pleasurable wording, and user friendly guides  to describe topics not normally that interesting to non-geeks. The book mingles historical perspective, scientific and engineering concepts, and many interesting factoids.  It examines all aspects of the cities infrastructure from streets to sewers to water supply to electricity to communication systems. The book truly made me marvel at the human feats we take for granted that make a city like NY so spectacular.  The great part about this book is that it can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

     The second book I found was called “Outrage” by Dick Morris (Bill Clinton’s long term political advisor). Published in 2007 it touches on many of the current travesties that according to Morris should outrage us.  While I was expecting the usual liberal trip, I decided to keep an open mind. Topics he included are illegal immigration, the United Nations, Pharmaceutical companies, Fannie May (the democratic Enron), the Katrina Scams, Special interest trade.  But the chapter that really caught my eye was entitled “How Teachers Unions Block Education Reform.”

  I have long known or have heard of or have experience the shortfalls of unions, the Teachers Union not excluded. While this is a sensitive topic as teachers, by the nature of their jobs, deserve great respect. I regret that unions ever were needed in the first place and understand their role, initially, but they have become obstructive to progress…ironically, something progressives support. Read the rest of this entry »

Comment from Marnie: “We are trying to connect with people who are having the same issues, and learn best ways to protect the view. There’s a group in Kent who are objecting to Verizon’s contract. You may want to contact them.”
See the article about Citizens for a Better Tower

“O beautiful, for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties  Above the fruited plain!…”

A Visit to the Connecticut Siting Council Website showed the following existing communication towers in Woodstock:

see http://www.ct.gov/csc/site/default.asp  (random old maps are a recent addition)

A review of decisions by town (right hand column, Decisions, By Town) can be found at:
http://www.ct.gov/csc/cwp/view.asp?a=949&Q=248078
A database of Tower Sites under the Siting Council’s Jurisdiction can be found in the left hand column, Telecommunication Database at: http://www.ct.gov/csc/cwp/view.asp?a=895&Q=248312&cscNav=|  

Coatney Hill/Town Highway Facility site

This photo was taken from Joy Road. It is a ‘monopole’ that is 190’ tall. It has existing antennas for Cingular, T-Mobile and Verizon with requests from Southwestern Bell Mobile, Omnipoint and Cellco (dba Verizon). The tower is visible above the tree line. Read the rest of this entry »

We had several couple friends over for Easter as well as family. One of my friends is a real sharp guy who always seems to know whats going on in Hartford and Washington and even Internationally.  I was telling him about the education/budget woes of Woodstock, and actually spent some time elaborating about Prop 46, the grand list, the k-8, and Academy issues etc…. We talked for a long time while the kids played and dinner cooked, etc… His comment was, that education, which is run on the local level, is typically getting the axe all over the country. He went on to say that this was so because local town operating budgets needed the money and this was where they could get it (from education), sort of like a woman stretching her food budget because she had little control over the mortgage, heat, and utilities. Then I began to tell him about our recreation department, what I thought it actually did, and that we had a paid Recreation Director. Then I went on to talk about the pay raises for Town Hall employees over the past few years and what they were. I talked about the non-profits in Town that don’t directly contribute to our tax base; also, our cock-eyed version of PA 490 and those who abuse it. Lastly, I talked about the committee that Dr. Gordon headed up recently and some of the committee’s proposals. When I finished he smiled, looked surprised, and we went on in to dinner.

by ‘Lamb’

See Headmaster Foye’s announcement in the block quote over “The Academy Difference” below.

The figures and assertions below summarize the Norwich Bulletin Opinion Article “Our View: NFA should use interest from its $51 million endowment to ease tax burden.” See this article.

• NFA has a $51 million Endowment.
• Its last major gift was $12 million four years ago.
• An annual fundraising program adds to the endowment fund each year.
• About $34 million is restricted to funding annual scholarships, construction, renovations, and maintenance from the interest.
• Interest from about $17 million is ‘unrestricted’ and is used “to update and purchase school equipment and maintaining the school’s healthy financial picture to ensure a strong bond rating for borrowing.”
• Endowment interest available this year for spending is estimated at $1.7 million.
• NFA gives the city of Norwich a $100 discount in tuition for each Norwich student.
• NFA has 8 sending towns.
• Tuition for Norwich students in 2008-09 will be $10,365, $100 less that the other 7 sending towns.
• The NFA tuition is off-limits to budget cuts demanded by taxpayers when they reject the education budget in referendums within the sending towns.
• Tuition rates have grown at an average 3.5% over the last three years.
• NFA’s Board of Trustees are elected to 3-year terms and are not accountable to the voters of the sending towns, or the Boards of Education of those sending towns – “they answer only to themselves.” Read the rest of this entry »

Roman Wajer provides some history to Newcomer’s article: “… your reference to “Datasoft” was actually Data General, the old Annhurst College. Annhurst College and New Roxbury Village were the only 2 facilities in town connected to the Putnam sewer system until it was expanded towards and connected to Linemaster. Long before Hyde came to town, the town, but not the Academy, was offered the property somewhere around the price you mentioned. The purchase went to a town referendum and was defeated. The dorms, the cultural center and the student center were eventually purchased by Hyde School. The Town of Woodstock ended up buying the library building (for pretty much the same price as the town could have bought the entire property) and that structure was expanded and became the Middle School. We had our chance, but the people spoke.

When it comes to lighting at the Athletic complex, give or take about 10 years ago, the subject was explored. To illuminate the complex, light structures over 40 feet in height would be required. The height exceeds our zoning regulations in town and would have required a variance. The abutters protested and issue became moot. In the past both issues were pursued and both failed to get support. In both instances we had our chances and in both instances the proposals failed not for a lack of trying.”

I happened to attend the PZC meeting last Thursday and there was quite a lengthy discussion regarding the proposed improvements and additions to WA’s athletic field.

I must admit, I haven’t been following the issue too closely. I’m rather torn as to how I feel about it all. On the one hand, I certainly would like to see enhanced athletic opportunities for our students. On another hand, one can’t help but be sensitive to the concerns of the abutting property owners regarding the noise generated by PA systems. Not to mention the issue of cost. WA and K-8 battle for money already and it’s usually an ugly battle indeed. So, is there any way to do this without breaking the back of the taxpayer or taking needed funds from another area, whether it’s K-8 or something else to cover the cost?

A few issues came up that I’m sure I’m not understanding correctly. There was a discussion regarding lighting at this new field. Apparently, no lighting is currently being proposed. The abutting property owners seemed to be in favor of that so their concerns must be respected. Yet, this facility was also mentioned as one that would be available for public use as well. If I’m interpreting “public use” in the same way WA and/or the PZC is, I’m thinking that means anyone can go walking on the track, use the tennis courts, etc. as well as attending the events held there. So I’m wondering why, for liability sake, WA wouldn’t want lights in the event that residents choose to play tennis or take a walk in the evening. Wouldn’t lack of proper lighting be a safety concern? Or maybe the Academy decided that if they just omit lights, no one will be there at night so that solves the concern? Read the rest of this entry »

Please see prior comments under “The Academy Difference”. Admin

Rosebud – Addressing your above comments in order:

1) “only educators should have this responsibility.”

Don’t you believe teachers should answer to their administration, and the administration to their boards, whether public or private? This is how all public agencies, nonprofits and corporations work in order to ensure public accountability.

2) “I think that greater BOE representation on the Academy BOT’s would muddy the waters of setting clear and consistent objectives . . . as the body of the BOE’s change with election cycles, the consistency of those representing the towns may change as well, leading to and perpetuating a lack of clarity.”

The purpose of greater sending town representation is to balance the budgetary needs of the Academy with those of the public school systems and to better coordinate their educational programs all with the intent of improving the education of our students. The BOT’s self-selected inbreeding has produced an insular group with an excess of missionary zeal that feels entitled to a disproportionate share of the public’s cash – the public school system be damned. This is contrary to the interests of the town’s overall educational system – and the Academy’s own long term interests.

3. “It seems to me that you undermine the role of educators, parents, and students in their responsibility in achieving a quality education. Your statements likens to the foolish belief that a hospital administrator bears ultimate responsibility for a patient’s health.”

Following your example, ask any CEO of a hospital – he is responsible for the health CARE of his hospital’s patients – that is precisely what he is there for. You distort the point by saying the patient has responsibility for his own health as well – people do get sick or injured despite taking good care of themselves – it is simplistic to suggest otherwise.

4. “Your example of the Warren-Taylor affair may be a more appropriate example of an issue affecting the Academy’s social environment I think . . . I think it had little impact on the educational environment. However, I am glad that you are confident on the public education’s expediency in taking care of disciplinary issues because it has been my understanding that the public education system has its hands tied in this matter, especially when it comes to disciplining children who are directly and beligerently interfering with the academic environment of their peers.”

Such an affair at senior ranks of any organiztion would distort the organizations productivity – why do you believe the Academy is an exception? And comparing treatment of irresponsible adults who are paid professionals to misbehaved schoolchildren is a poor analogy and represents a real lowering of the bar in rationalizing the Academy’s negligence in this matter – they did nothing about it until it became a public relations problem – a real statement about their priorities.

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

East Woodstock as it looks today Read the rest of this entry »

Richard Foye, Headmaster at the Academy, announced today (3/24) on WINY that the Academy is adopting a policy of using breathalizers at school events.

Six in the morning on a Monday morning: how can it be that although the alarm rings every week day calling, “Wake Up! Rise!” the incessant beeping never becomes easier to hear? Blue jeans and purple cardigan, a quick flip of the hair, a toaster strudel for breakfast, and an even faster brushing of the teeth provides just enough time to hit the school bus after waiting in the bitter cold for a few minutes.

The bus ride proves thought-provoking as it does everyday. It seems that with every bus ride, my vocabulary increases tenfold. Even the middle school children are as proficient instructors in the ways of diction and speech as the most learned of Academy scholars. There are terms for all sorts of people, most especially deviant teachers and overbearing parents. Sitting beside me is a close friend that allows the ride to pass by smoothly. Both of us remain in a drowsy daze until the clock tower at last comes into view. Woodstock Academy, the high school for champions remains as I had left it: perfectly polished on the outside. Red lights flash as the bus files out the children within it. A wind blows throughout the open campus. The bus runs early, as usual; the bell that resonates as a call to first class won’t sound for another twenty minutes.

For whatever reason, whether it’s the lure of prefabricated yet delicious breakfast biscuits or the only marginally comfortable plastic chairs that the cafeteria offers, this place of communion remains the common place to begin the day. Upon entering, I exchange a few words with acquaintances and friends. Each one seems as unwilling to be here as the others. Only one, with a reputation for being relentlessly cheerful, has a smile on her face as we sit at our designated table. Read the rest of this entry »