Woodstock CT Café

10% by 3pm.

Thanks Everyone.

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.

We will be demanding Rosendahl’s resignation!

I wish we could say don’t let the door hit you on the way out to Rosendahl and Powers, but not likely to be so lucky.

Admin,

Your comment at the top of your Hollywood article about me reporting what’s posted at the other site sounded like sarcasm so I figured you were dropping me a hint or something.

Tony,

I’m hoping that more of us can get together for that beer. Dean, Becki, me, Kevin, and any that wants to join us. Let’s set it up. John

About this “charter” talk, keep in mind: Jay Livernois -of CPS fame- tried to separate the school and government budgets a few years back in a Town meeting, only to find, that it was “illegal”to do so, without a “Town Charter.” Among other things, a town Charter would allow the Education budget to be considered and voted upon, separately from the Town budget. Are we ready for this? Would this be an advantage, or a disadvantage? Jay Livernois clearly wanted this tool to use with his propaganda piece “Comings and Goings” AGAINST the education budget. Glass empty or glass full?

Chick,

Your point about a town charter raising debate as to whether the Education budget would be voted upon independently or not is a good one. Further, will the debate over a town charter serve to resolve our problems, or heighten them even more?

I want to make something clear. Don’t assume because I labor to understand the history and motivations of both sides, that you can know which side I’ve taken. I will not take a side publicly because I feel that adds to the divide. There are plenty of people piling onto both sides and my jumping on one bandwagon or another will not help anything.

Also, this is still way too personal in my opinion. It’s still too much about the personalities behind the positions rather than the positions themselves. Except for a congratulatory post by Anthony Walker and another by teacher’s p.o.v., this is a mean-spirited celebration. And it very well may have been the same if the yes vote had won. That’s a problem for anyone who sincerely wants to resolve matters. It’s a bigger problem for our kids.

Even if Powers and Shultz decide today that they’re done with their crusade, the vote wasn’t 880 to 2, or even 880 to 39. There are still 500 or so people in town that have their own reasons for voting the way they did. I doubt all 500 of them really care if Powers wins a lawsuit or not.

I believe Mr. Higgins indicated at the town meeting that developing a town charter will be costly because it will need to involve lawyers. I hope we have a good, vigorous discussion as to the pros and cons of undertaking such an endeavor but I also have reservations that as divided as we are (I base that on the above poll results), things will continue to get worse before they get better. I hope a a town charter doesn’t become the next platform for mudslinging and gameplaying.

doubtful,

I’m not sure how you come by the impression I’ve been swayed by anyone. The mere act of listening to all sides and all opinions and wanting to not judge and insult people on either side of the issue is no indication of how I feel about it.

I said it here before, Powers or no Powers, there are still limits on K-8′s budget because of Prop 46 and the way WA was established. We’d still be having to discuss ways to fund K-8 and the BOE’s wish list, even if Craig Powers and Preston Shultz never lived in Woodstock. I focus on that. I have no interest whatsoever in trashing Craig Powers, Preston Shultz, John and Becki, Joe Breen, BOE members, or anyone else. It’s an unproductive waste of time. It certainly doesn’t help our school system because it takes everyone’s effort and energy away from actually helping find money for our schools. How about we start a group to seek out private funding sources and draft grant proposals to submit to the BOE to fund their wish list items? I think that would be a better way to spend time our time. Of course, I’ve been wrong before.

Newcomer, I think you might need to practice the following, in whatever description that you find the most pleasing for you to accept: take a stand, form a conclusion, have an opinion, prioritize fact from bull. I think questions are great, but you seem to drown in them, and drag everyone else under water with you. I don’t think you mean to do it, and it might be your way to survive a conflict. But it’s only good for YOU, not the resolve of the conflict.

kevin, why can’t the BOE meetings be taped, and shown on either the school website or the PTo website? I mean the meetings in their un-tampered entirety.In that way, people can listen and see at their own convenience. It is extremelt hard, if not impossible for working families with young children to get out and sit through these meetings

Chicklet,

You want my opinions and conclusions? Here you go.

I agree with some of the premises behind how the other side feels. I do not agree with how they went about communicating their concerns and ideas. I would not have chosen the adversarial route. But here are the points they’ve made that I do agree with.

I feel the board should come up with a better way to allow the community to participate. I understand what was mentioned about parents volunteering and then dropping off and leaving the board high and dry. That’s always a risk. However, there are plenty of parents who commit to PTO and reman committed. I’m sure we can find parents to make the same commitment to the BOE. I certainly would. It would be nice to have the BOE extend such an offer however, rather than have to go pound on their door and demand it at a meeting. If they state that one of their goals is to encourage community ownership, then find an avenue to do that which lets the parents be active, not passive.

For those who supported the other side because of the taxation angle, I agree with their point. We have too many competing interests in this town and not enough money to serve them all to the extent they would like. K-8 is at the bottom of the food chain. I think all sides agree on this. I think the bone of contention is with where we go from there. I do not favor increasing spending to the extent that it causes increases in the mill rate year after year. That will eventually price some people out of Woodstock, myself included. I realize it is necessary sometimes, but not every year. In this regard, I agree with what Avis Spalding said on her video that the community always pitched in, volunteered, and found a way to make sure K-8 gets what it needs. By the way, that also is one of the fruits of community ownership. My suggestion earlier today for some parent volunteers to assist the BOE with the large task of seeking out grant money and drafting proposals speaks to this. If parents can receive a wish list from the BOE and do the time-consuming legwork of finding grant programs that will fit with the projects the BOE wants, then the Super/BOE would merely have to review the proposal, sign-off on it if acceptable, and submit it. i’ve already found a few programs. Too bad there’s no one to discuss it with. Again, a way to let parents be active and feel that they are doing something to help their children’s school. I feel that’s much better than just sitting at a 4 hour meeting only to be spared a few minutes to publicly comment toward the end.

That’s just off the top of my head for now. But since everyone’s more interested in the fight than brainstorming for solutions, I’ll shut up, as I’ve been asked to do so many times before.

Can we also have them “broadcast” on the public access channel? Doesn’t WA have some students that tape events for public access that we could use?

Anthony Walker

Newcomer,

Don’t be manipulated. Its perfectly OK for you to sit on the fence. NO need to take any side except your own. This isn’t a game and you don’t have to play on any specific team to have a say. There may be right or wrong on both sides, ever think of that? The schools and your children’s experience in them speak volumes more than anything else a bunch of polarized individuals will try to convince you.

Newcomer-
The answer to your last question is, I’m afraid, when Rosendahl, Powers, Schultz et al either move or move on.

Thanx, Tax. That’s what I tried to say in my post #26. As usual, I was more wordy than I needed to be in saying it. Your way’s more concise.

Newcomer,

Thank you for your persistence, your engagement, your curiosity, your magnanimity, and your superfluous way of writing. In the long run, none of this really matters more than standing true to yourself and being the greatest advocate for your own children. This will benefit them more than any BOE or school system ever could.