Woodstock CT Café

Craig R. Powers said in the Villager published on Friday “There at least 15 of us ready to go” and Steve Rosendahl said “I am 100 percent in favor of it.” Of course they are. The Judge in Powers’ last lawsuit against the school system said “pure folly”, (not) “sincere”, “disingenuous”, “baseless”, “shifted their argument”, and (lacking) “common sense” to characterize Powers’ lawsuit in handing down his decision. As for Rosendahl who formed a group called BoardWatch several years ago, he believes that “The town has not trusted boards in 20 years.” But the town elected these board members including Rosendahl, so is he saying that he can’t be trusted? Perhaps he, in his limited perspective, believes that he’s the only one that can be trusted. Remember the two that thought that they discovered cold fusion?

The Cafe will be reporting on the members of ”The Citizens’ Audit Group” a group that Armand Fusco calls a “forensic committee” a label that explains the underlying predisposition of this group. They start with the premiss that crime has been committed and then they go look for it. This approach has already been revealed by Preston Shultz whose smoking gun blew up in his face at his last FOI commission hearing.

It’s easy to predict who will be on this committee but I would like to take the time to nominate some more objective committee members. Read the rest of this entry »

Ms. Galton was previously superintendent of schools in Woodstock, Conn., but left the Woodstock School system in 2001 after a revolt of 111 parents who signed a petition supported by 26 pages of complaints that were not being addressed under Ms. Galton’s leadership. During this period, the principal of the Middle School was also removed.

Here’s part of the news release on Ms. Galton’s new departure which showed up on our newsfeed on the lower right.

“Westport (Mass. near the southeastern Rhode Island border) Superintendent of Schools Linda L. Galton intends to leave her job “to move forward and explore new challenges,” she announced in a letter to students, staff and the community Wednesday. In fact she won’t finish out the school year, saying she plans to leave on March 2.

Ms. Galton said her departure seems right, coming at a time when Westport schools will be “facing several significant transitions” over the next year.

Those transitions include the departure of two of the superintendent’s foremost school committee allies, chairwoman Sally Huntington and Kelley Cooper who have said they will not run for re-election next spring. Also departing within the year have been middle school principal James Gibney, who retired…”

This last statement hints that there is more to the story than is mentioned in the news release.

What sort of jurisdiction does P&Z have with regard to funding? Can P&Z require a surety bond in order to guarantee proper completion of the project? Such a bond would seem to require a budget for the project in order to come up with a reasonable amount for that bond. JK

October 15, 2008
Dr. Gail Dickinson
Chair, Woodstock Planning and Zoning Commission
415 Route 169
Woodstock, CT 06281         

Dear Chairman Dickinson and Commissioners, 

Thank you for your service on this commission, and for your efforts in support of your mission “to manage development in a responsible manner in order to protect the public health and safety of the town’s citizens, as well as the environment, natural resources and character of the Town, and to further the goals of the Woodstock Plan of Conservation and Development.” 

For the record, I speak as a private citizen, not as a member of WBOE. Also, for the record, as I have stated publicly in the past, I endorse athletics as part of a balanced program for students’ whole development. I support athletic field expansion for Academy students, in concept, IF pursued in a manner which (1) is financially and environmentally responsible, (2) does not displace funding for academic priorities at the Academy or in the K- 8 system, (3) reflects restraint and good judgment by developing only those fields/facilities providing capacity which cannot otherwise be met in existing fields or other community fields, (4) is appropriate in scale to its surroundings, and (5) does not otherwise materially adversely impact its surroundings. 

With regard to your consideration of the proposed Bentley complex expansion, and in furtherance of your mission and of the 11 criteria required for a Special Use Permit, I respectfully request the following: 

1. All materials relating to the prior application be carried over and entered as part of the record for this current application, including my letters submitted to PZC dated May 12, 2008 (concerning the costs, funding, and impact on tuition and Woodstock’s taxpayers) and June 17, 2008 (concerning conditions to reduce negative impacts on the historic district and the town of Woodstock as a whole). These letters are attached.  

2. All Condition for Approval, as submitted in draft form by Syd Blodgett on July 17, 2008, and as submitted in draft form by Jeff Gordon on August 12, 2008, be given careful consideration and adopted as Conditions for Approval of the application. These documents are attached. 

Read the rest of this entry »

The following list is a draft of conditions by Syd Blodgett (PZC member) submitted to the Planning and Zoning Commission for the Commission’s consideration of the Academy application for expansion of their athletic fields. In the memo to the Trustees from Headmaster Foye (below), referring to these conditions Mr. Foye makes the following statement “There were a number of criteria that the interveners brought forward which were discussed by the Commission, and were not accepted by the Commission.” Since Mr. Blodgett is a member of PZC, should he, or any other member of PZC, be considered an “intervener”? The Cafe believes that Jeff Gordon has also submitted draft conditions but the Cafe does not have that draft. This draft has been FAXed to “John G” presumably at CME for review. Delia Fey says in an attached note that she will also be reviewing Mr. Blodgett’s draft of conditions.

All three legal Intervenors receive all information regarding this application.

Read the rest of this entry »

Both Syd Blodgett and Jeff Gordon are elected, seated members of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Yet Headmaster Foye, in his memo to the Trustees below, seems to refer to these two Commission members as “intervenors”.

I attended the PZC meeting. Several people opposed to the athletic field plan were there. I saw a couple of Academy trustees too. I’m not a lawyer, but when it was pointed out the wording that began the special permit section that requires all zoning rules must be met in order to approve a special permit, then I understand why the PZC voted to deny the plan if the athletic field frontage on a road is not in agreement with the zoning rules. They used the term “without prejudice” when denying the plan. I heard a couple of PZC members ask if it were O.K. to require the minimum frontage to be met as a condition of approval, but the zoning rules don’t allow an application to be made to comply with the rules as a condition of approval if the application doesn’t already meet the rules beforehand.

The town planner distributed copies of conditions of approval from several sources. One was what Blodgett wrote. Another was what Gordon wrote. Blodgett’s copy is written in the post above. Gordon’s is copied below word for word from an eletronic version sent to the town planner. Parts of it have italics, but I can’t make italics on this blog. I’m trying to get the electronic version of what the town planner wrote to the PZC that night. Anyone have a copy?

*****
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL JEFFREY A. GORDON, M.D.
THIS IS A DRAFT VERSION ONLY AUGUST 12TH, 2008

This is a list of some of the Conditions of Approval that I have written down during the course of the PZC discussions on #SP577-08-02 Woodstock Academy Athletic Field. This is not intended to be an all inclusive list. This list having been prepared by me does not indicate any approval or disapproval of any item or part thereof on this list by me. This is meant to be a draft version only for the purposes of discussion. The following items are listed in no particular order.

1. Additional measures may be required during construction as required by the Town of Woodstock, CT. This is something repeated throughout Design Professionals letters.

2. The use of town constables shall be required to direct traffic into and out of the athletic complex whenever a single large sports or other event is held, or more than one sports or other event is held at the same time. Appropriate traffic control management shall be provided on-site by town constables and/or WA staff, as determined by the Town Constable, in order to maintain designated flow of traffic, proper access for any emergency/safety vehicles, and availability of handicap parking spots. Will need to better define what “large” means regarding events.
Read the rest of this entry »

StreamWalk Report – Unnamed tributary to Roseland Lake Drainage
Ms. Pillo and Ms. Coughlin were both trained to conduct StreamWalk visual assessments by USDA NRCS staff. From Woodstock Conservation Commission Development Review Committee, October 14, 2008. “The walk confirmed the presence of soils in the area that are highly vulnerable to erosion. Excess water drainage from the proposed development would be expected to exacerbate erosion. The proposed under drains (to improve drainage on playing fields) would be expected to channel more water into the stream area at increased volume and velocity, resulting in offsite impacts.” The Development Review Committee agrees with the recommendations from the Streamwalk report, including the concern that: “Additional flow volume may cause a widening of the channel in these areas with a large displacement of the soils along the stream banks unless the stream banks are stabilized. Careful consideration should be given to any new development in the watershed of this stream to avoid increases in flow volume and velocity. Low Impact Development strategies and on-site stormwater management are recommended.”

The Figures in this report are photographs of the stream that can be viewed in the original report. If someone can send us JPegs of these photos we will publish them. These photos show the pristine undisrupted path of this stream.

On July 25, 2008 Jean Pillo and Paula Coughlin conducted a Stream Walk on an unnamed tributary to Roseland Lake shown as a perennial stream on a USGS topographic map. This stream originates on land currently owned by Woodstock Academy and drains to a wetland associated with the southwest shore of Roseland Lake. Access to this stream was gained from a nature trail on Town of Woodstock owned land associated with the Woodstock Elementary School. The stream was followed upstream to the point where the stream channel was first identifiable leaving an impenetrable wetland area, then followed downstream to the point where the stream channel was no longer identifiable in a wetland thicket on the east side of Roseland Park Road. The weather on the day of the Stream Walk was sunny. There was a rain event the day before this Stream Walk. A Garmin 76CSx GPS unit was used to geo-reference the locations noted in this report, and digital photos taken to document the field locations at each waypoint recorded on the GPS unit.

The red arrow points to the site of the new football field, the green arrow points to the current football field, and the yellow arrow points to the start of the StreamWalk.

Segment A – B: This segment is characterized by clear water over a bottom comprised of 5% sand, 35% gravel, 25% cobbles, 15% boulders, 5% silt and 5% organic soils. Stone walls or breached stone dams crossed the stream indicating abandoned prior land uses. Riparian cover, comprised of predominantly hardwood trees, exceeded 100 feet through this segment. Considerable winged euonymus was noted in the understory. The active stream channel averaged 6 feet and the water depth averaged <1 foot deep.

The approximate length of this segment was 1600 feet. Areas of concern in this stream segment included extensive areas of exposed soil along the banks of the active channel that indicate that the stream banks are highly vulnerable to erosion (see figure 1 – 3). Downstream of each of these areas, deposits of sand and gravel were observed. The Woodstock Elementary School nature trail crosses this stream twice. The footbridge from the upstream crossing was located along with several large logs approximately 150 feet downstream from the trail (figure 4). It not determined when this bridge washed out, but a significant flood event occurred in Woodstock in October of 2005. Recommendations for this segment are to avoid additional storm water impacts and to stabilize the existing exposed soil along the stream banks. Read the rest of this entry »

On Sick Days

As a teacher, we do get 15 sick days per contract calender year. Like those in most professions, these days do roll over into the next year. Teachers do not use these days lightly, I can tell you. It is more work to develop substitute plans, grade the “busy” work, than a day out of the classroom is worth! Schools (especially primary grades) are germ factories! We get ill from having contact with children just like you do! Many of you have found that after your child came home from school sick, you came down with the same illness. Now imagine if how sick you might be if you had 100 children! Finally, most teachers with accumulated sick days do put them to good use, including donating them to colleagues who are severely ill (ie: cancer, injuries, etc) so that they may be able to heal without the added worry of a lost income!

School Computers for Students

“Students at WMS use the computers for very basic tasks: internet (surfing, online games), business applications (word, power point), and printing (maybe).”

Students at WMS use the computers for very advanced tasks other than “BUSINESS APPLICATIONS,” as you so put it.

Video/sound/graphic editing (Fox 61 Student News), Advanced PowerPoint design (requiring sound), Desktop publishing (newsletters, newspapers, brochures), Printing (always), and the “internet games” that you refer to must be referring to StudyIsland or BrainPop– virtual supports for learning that the students can access at home as well as at school.

The Internet is also used as tool for research and learning, not just for idle “surfing.”

CAD does have a place in school systems (though not necessarily at the middle school level.) High school students going on for degrees in engineering and construction are expected to have a knowledge of how to use CAD. I learned it in my sophomore year in a general computer class in a local high school. This was run on your standard computer.

The custom-built computers you so decry allowed the Tech. department to offer higher quality materials that can withstand constant use. Your average Dell computer is designed for recreational/home office use. The computers are the schools (especially WMS) are in constant use. They need durable keyboards, mouses, and systems. While Dell is comparable in price, they do save money by scrimping on the keyboard/mouse that they include with the system. Dell’s reputation for the reliability of its computers (especially hard drives) and the poor customer service makes it a less than desireable choice for the school.

“Graphic Designers” use Apple’s, by the way because they offer more processing power than an Windows-based PC.

A Teacher

This Thursday evening at 7:30, Woodstock’s Planning and Zoning Commission will hold what may be the last public hearing on the Academy’s plan for expansion of the Bentley athletic facility.

To date, the Academy has not announced any long range plan, timeline, budget or funding plan for the expansion, although it has indicated that construction will begin following approval. The Academy has only announced its intention to solicit donations toward the cost of expansion but there is no history of significant or accomplished fundraising. This raises concern about the success of the effort, and about who will cover the costs for construction of this multi-million dollar project.

Consulting engineer firms hired by the Academy and by a group of concerned citizens warn of soils erosion with water detention that may cause pollutants to enter the watershed area serving Putnam. The plan includes encroachment near to and over wetland. 

Consider attending the public hearing to voice your support or concerns over this application that promises to impact all residents of Woodstock and sending towns.

Woodstock’s Planning and Zoning Commission is responsive to citizens’ concerns. A letter can also be sent in to Delia Fey, Town Planner, 415 Route 169, Woodstock, CT 06281. All letters will be entered in to public record.

Author’s Title: “A New Deal For The Middle Class“ 

Clearly, as the information I provided shows (in the article below), we have become a nation of spenders and not savers. Sadly, I wonder if, for many, personal consumption may be the most subjective indicator of well being and the ability to drunkedly spend, at whatever cost or credit, deceives those addicted to it into thinking they are better off. I spent some time working in a Methadone clinic and the most amazing part was that these drug addicts often failed to see how the stress of having to maintain their habit cost them their health and well being. So I appreciate your comments about the stressors of making ends meet, but I wonder if what people consider “making ends meet” is perspectively wrong and based on their need to maintain a “habit” that consumes the very things they are inwardly striving to obtain…happiness.So while it is undeniable that wealth has been created and that our economy has moved forward in the last 30 years we have to wonder if we are any happier for it. But that is not my concern. That is something we all must ask only of ourselves. What people choose to do with their wealth is their own business…until what they do with it becomes so speculative that the taxpayers have to bail them out. This then becomes all of our business and open for judgement and criticism. Greed, irresponsible loaning, irrational selfishness all mark the dark side of capitalism which should be addressed and regulated.

However it must be remembered and cherished that amongst this “dark side” there are many individuals and families that have played by the rules, have worked hard, enjoyed and invested the fruits of their labors, played by the rules, and have reached the American dream with honesty, integrity, pride, and not at the expense of others. These are the people that give capitalism a good name. These are the people I want to give voice to. While I realize that capitalism is not for the faint of heart we can not build a society that punishes those who are strong and rewards those who are weak. With capitalism comes a call for personal accountability, motivation, coping skills, hard work, and sacrifice. These virtues are needed to survive capitalism but in the same hand they are promulgated only by capitalism. When we start to chip away at our capitalism and replace it with social engineered welfare these virtues are prone to being hibernated and the good people who live by them are prone to being diminished at the expense of others.

So while we need to provide safety nets, we have to be careful not to disallow for the great benefits that capitalism provides. In an Oct. 11 New York Times editorial by Tom Freidman, he rightly stated the role of governement at this juncture “must regulate the excesses without smothering the underlying innovative, entrepreneurial and risk-taking attributes of our economy, which are what will ultimately bail us out — as they always have.” I have to question whether or not Senator Obama’s economic policy lives by these words. Read the rest of this entry »

You raise an interesting question that can only be answered with some data (speaking to John). However, finding data that accurately trends the standard of living index in America over the last 30 years is difficult. Standard of living can be quite subjective and entails a number of factors including material well-being, health, job security, freedom, gender equality, ect.

As an aside, an interesting study was done this year by an independent, non-profit initiative by Oxfam America, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, and the Social Science Research Council provided information on well-being, ranked by state and congressional districts. They took into consideration some of these factors. Interestingly, Connecticut came in #1 in well-being amongst all of the states. Mississippi came in last. What it demonstrates is that there are gaps in standard of living amongst states. More importantly, there are income gaps between the low, middle, and upper classes as well, but what defines these classes is a bit sketchy and varies from source to source.

Finding how these trends follow over a 30 year period is as sketchy. I did find an interesting article, “Trends in the level and distribution of U.S. living standards: 1973-1993? Eastern Economic Journal, Summer 1996 by Burtless, Gary

The author notes that the US economy and standard of living climbed dramatically from World War II to 1973, but the living standards in the decades that followed to 1993 increased to a lesser extent as 1973 marked a turning point in post-war economic history.

According to the author, consumption expenditures per person, adjusted to reflect changes in the price level, climbed 37.3 percent between 1973 and 1993. The Census Bureau’s tabulations conclude that real median family income was essentially the same in both 1973 and 1993. Thus, as measured by one popular indicator of well-being – real consumption per person — living standards improved more than a third according to Burtless. However, it should be noted that increased consumption may only reflect less saving. While real income received by the median family remained unchanged it was noted that the average family size from pre-1973 to post 1973 had decreased.

In 1973, personal consumption expenditures represented 88.5 percent of disposable personal income; in 1993, consumption expenditures were 93.4 percent of disposable personal income. Personal saving fell from 9.0 percent to 4.1 percent of disposable personal income [U.S. Council of Economic Advisers, 1995, 306]. Even though real per capita personal consumption expenditures climbed 37.3 percent between 1973 and 1993, real per capita disposable income rose just 30.2 percent.

One important point that the author makes is that virtually all of the income gains received by U.S. families between 1973 and 1993 were received by families in the top 40 percent of the income distribution, with an overwhelming share received by families in the top one-fifth of the distribution. So like the first study I presented which demonstrated income gaps between states, so too the income gap between the top 40% and the lower 60% seems to have grown over the 20 year period. However, at the same time period, there was a substantial growth in welfare dependency and single parent homes amongst the poor. John, I think we have to take into consideration that while the upper 40% (which includes most of us in Woodstock) succeeded, a large expansion of entitlement programs after the Johnson Administration created a flattening of the upward mobility of the poor. Read the rest of this entry »

You have to distinguish between the stock market and the credit markets before you get to the solution.

The role of the Federal government in regulating the stock market (through the SEC) is to insure stocks are issued based on published financial statements that are consistent with established accounting standards, and to prevent fraudulent practices such as insider trading (or say mortgage-backed securities and credit-default swaps). The stock market is laced with rumor, perception and emotion which at a time like this causes wild daily gyrations. This is a severe downdraft (43%) – one of a handful since 1929 (75%). But investors are on their own here as stability of the DJIA is not the responsibility of the Feds – “Caveat Emptor”.

The banking system is much different. Since 1934 this system has operated under strict regulatory control of the Federal government through the Department of Treasury which is charged with the responsibility of maintaining its stability through proper accounting, investing and capital reserve requirements. The Federal Reserve (not the Treasury) has almost unlimited powers – on its own account – without the advice or consent of either the President or the Congress – to prevent the failure of one or more banks by infusing cash through means of its choosing – or to allow them to fail. In “exigent circumstances” the Fed can extend this same power to any financial institution or even some other industry – such as General Motors for example. The Fed normally infuses cash into large banks during short term credit disruptions and less frequently to the banking system as a whole during financial crises. But this is the first time – ever – that the Fed has used its power for a nonbanking financial institution including (i) the stop-loss guarantee of Bear Stearns assets as a condition of sale to JP Morgan; (ii) the Fannie/Freddie lines of credit; (iii) the AIG bailout; and (iv) the Morgan Stanley/Goldman Sachs lines of credit (albeit accomplished through their immediate admission as bank holding companies). These actions exceeded the actions of the Fed in the Great Depression and depleted the reserves of the Fed by 75% from +/- $800B to +/- $200B. Then, with the consent of the Treasury, the Fed replenished their reserves through an overnight T-Bill sale. The Fed can do this basically as long as there are global investors to buy – and there will be – at a price of course – so the Fed has effectively unlimited resources. And effectively unlimited powers. (Remember this part.)

So this crisis has followed a classical pattern:

1. Industry sector failure.
2. Sector pulls overall stock market down.
3. Large financial institutions suffer losses.
4. Banks contract business/consumer credit.
5. Banks contract inter-bank credit.
6. Public/Business/Consumer sectors hoard cash.
7. Stock market investors capitulate.
8. Banks experience run on cash.
9. Business/Consumer spending contraction.
10. Protracted economic depression.

I have been waching this system for a long time, and I’m not kidding you – they really blew the lid off this time. One British economist I have come to appreciate said in the Financial Times this morning “These circumstances threaten the political stability of the liberal Western democracies” – a stunning statement – but not to the Europeans. The U.S has not been past step #4 this severely since 1933. We are past #5 and we are currently rapidly advancing through steps #7, #8 and #9.

So this is a very, very severe crisis. And what is playing out before our eyes is exactly what Paulson warned Congress would happen when interbank lending cracked and he presented his bailout proposal the next day. And this problem did fester for a long time. The causes are:

1. Long run of low-cost, aggressive credit including but not limited to Fannie/Freddie.
2. Mortgage-Backed Securities – created to liquidate the S&L assets, this product was expanded geometrically into the commercial and single family home mortgage industries and peddled by Wall Street at cumulative values that were a large multiple of the value of the underlying assets.
3. Massive expansion of MBS technique to all forms of debt – autos/student/business/consumer – in the form of “Collateralized Debt Obligations”.
4. “Credit-Default Swaps” supporting the MBS/CDO pools. This product is a financial guarantee that constituted an unregulated insurance product and that accordingly was improperly reserved by their issuers such as AIG.
5. Poor credit standards for MBS/CDO pools by the Credit Rating agencies themselves – S&P/Moody’s – who just lazily slapped the under-reserved guarantor’s credit rating onto the securities.

So the three elements of an investment – asset value, risk and cash flow – were separated through this process and institutions bought these securities – en masse – not based on the underlying credit standards and asset values – but based on the guarantees and credit ratings. And when the guarantees were called, there was no ability to pay – this is why AIG collapsed. If you think about it this constitutes what is essentially an enormous “Ponzi Scheme”. And the integration of the global financial markets just provided a basis for even greater expansion of the problem. No wonder the system came down like a house of cards. And there is no one to pick up the losses except the taxpayers.

But the Fed’s job at this point is clear in the minds of all observers – to push as much cash as fast as possible into the banking system to stabilize the credit markets, and to continue doing so until the credit system revives. And if the banks won’t lend (”pushing on a string”), the Federal government will push cash directly into the economy through massive tax cuts and public spending. And our system is being run right now by Paulson, the best Wall Street financial dealmaker of the past 30 years, and Ben Bernanke, an economist renowned as a specialist in the Great Depression.

So we have the right people on the job and they have the right tools.

But it will take time.

Snuffy

I’m dubious if that would have helped. A few weeks ago when the need for the bailout was announced, it was already too late. The problem with the investment banks was a trailing issue caused by the underlying problem, the number of loans out there that are being foreclosed. An underlying problem that we still have not addressed in any meaningful way.Once it got to the point where a 700B bailout was needed it was all over for investor confidence. There was a brief reprieve when the government did nothing but it couldn’t last. If they continued to do nothing indefinitely the banks would fail, capital would dry up and the market would drop like a rock. On the other hand, once they did do something, they acknowledged the problem was real and a 700B problem at that (at least), investor confidence crumbled and the the market started to drop.

The time to have done something was 6-10 months ago when the problem was still at it source, the large number of untenable loans. They were causing not only losses to the banks but new foreclosures that caused more inventory on the market exascerbating the problem.

Unfortunately congress didn’t want to be seen a bailing anyone out and the underlying problem was essentially ignored hoping the banks would fix it on their own be refinancing as many as could be salvaged and converted to reasonable terms. A quick look at their internal and external stakeholders would have revealed that for the impossibility it was without being forced. So the problem festered. What is really worrying is that the problem is still not resolved.

I’ll give John McCain his due for at least mentioning it in the last debate. I don’t think his solution was realistic but you can’t have everything.

Any good news? Well at least the investors are only in a state of semi-panic. It could be worse, much worse.

Thanks,

Kevin

This post represents my personal opinions and in no way should be considered an official act of the BOE or that I am speaking on behalf of the BOE in any way.

Teacher of the Year 

The WBOE would like to congratulate this year’s WPS Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Nancy Zurawka!  Mrs. Zurawka has been an asset to the Woodstock Public Schools since she began teaching here in 1996.  She spent the first part of her career in Woodstock teaching various grade levels at the elementary school.  Two years ago, she transferred to the middle school where she has been teaching social studies to all grade six students.  In her teaching, she tries to spark enthusiasm and get students involved in a variety of ways, including cooperative learning groups, play acting, and educational games and competitions. 

Mr. Gamache, the middle school principal, says that, “Mrs. Zurawka is one of the most positive teachers I have worked with in my twenty five years as an educator.”  He also notes that she not only shows enthusiasm for the content she teaches, but she seems to have an endless supply of energy.  Last year, Mrs. Zurawka used this energy and enthusiasm to direct the school wide play “Arabian Nights” after school.  This two- evening performance took six months to accomplish and had two different casts because Mrs. Zurawka wanted to allow as many students as possible to be involved.  She also coordinated an evening presentation called “Night at the Museum,” where sixth grade students displayed, lectured, and performed for parents and community members as a culmination to a unit of study on ancient civilizations.

We are so happy to have Mrs. Zurawka on our staff here at WPS, and want to thank her for the positive influences she has had on all the students she has worked with in our district.

 New WPS Teaching Staff 

The WBOE would like to welcome Ms. Pamela Santerre and Mr. Paul Mulvihill to our teaching staff here at WPS.  Ms. Santerre joins our staff as the new Computer Technology teacher for grades 5-8 and is also co-teaching an eighth grade Reading class.  She received her B.A. from Assumption College in Worcester, MA, where she majored in English.  Before coming to Woodstock, she taught 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th grade English at her alma mater, Tourtellotte High School.  She is excited to join the staff in Woodstock in order to do what she loves, which is, “encouraging students to become lifelong students and writers.”  She feels that, “Today’s students live in the virtual world just as much as the physical world,” and that, “In order to reach these students, you need to connect with them using their preferred method of communication:  technology.”  One special project she has planned for her eighth grade students is a unit of study on the dangers they can face when they use new technology.  This unit will culminate with students creating their own one-minute public service announcements on a topic of internet safety, which not only warns students of dangers, but also shares tips for keeping safe as well.

Mr. Mulvihill joins our staff as the new instrumental music teacher for grades 5-8.  Mr. Mulvihill received his Bachelors of Music degree from Keene State College.  He comes to Woodstock with seven years of successful teaching experience, primarily at the middle school level in the town of Westbrook.  Mr. Mulvihill is continuing all the band programs that were in place at WMS last year, and has already begun teaching small group lessons as well as larger ensemble groups.  This year, he is also adding the opportunity for guitar instruction which is new for WMS students.  He is excited to be here in Woodstock and is planning to put on a very lively, upbeat winter concert.  He enjoys showing students how to play music in the hopes of passing down the love of music from generation to generation.  The Winter Music Concert will be held at the Hyde School Auditorium on December 11, 2008, at 7:00 pm.  This concert will include both instrumental and choral musical selections performed by WMS students in grades 5-8. The community is invited to attend.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sherri Vogt will announce her support of full state funding for Special Education costs.

How Griswald raises money to expand its athletic fields. See the Norwich Bull.

Pomfretite from an elite Vermont college: “Nearly the entire student body showed up in the Student Center to watch the debate on CNN. A friend of mine couldn’t make it because she had to monitor the video editing room. She screened the debate from msnbc.com. At the end of the debate a msnbc reporter praised Palin for not answering many questions stating that it was evidence of her ability to debate effectively. Regardless of her debate skills, the first thing a reporter should have noted is the lack of substance in anything that Palin said. I realize she did better than everyone expected, but isn’t the point of a debate to illustrate to the public how competent one would be if elected?
Wait, really? There’s a liberal media?”