Woodstock CT Café

The Cafe is 5 years old tomorrow, October 1st. We are still very active in spite of Facebook and the newspaper blogs which also have, for the most part, diminished in readership.  In the 5 years of our existance we have posted 1776 articles and 16,398 comments.

Gone are Connecticut’s most active CT political blog CTLocalPolitics, the Pomfret blogs, FreeNorwich (one article per month), BlogNetNews which rated blogs (and rated the Cafe #1 and #2 in the state on multiple occasions), the UnTruth website (nothing since January) and others.

Here’s what Chris Bigelow had to say as he shut down CTLocalPolitics last February:

These statements below by Friedman at the NYTimes illustrate how we got started. Remember “In Woodstockistan” that angered Wetzel and the then elected officials?

From Friedman’s column “Power to the (Blogging) People“: “With an estimated 70 million bloggers, China’s leaders are under constant pressure now to be more assertive by a populist- and nationalist-leaning blogosphere, which, in the absence of democratic elections, is becoming the de facto voice of the people. “also

“How much China’s leaders will be able to cool it, though, will depend, in part, on a third party: the Chinese blogosphere, where a whole generation of Chinese schooled by the government on the notion that the U.S. and the West want to keep China down, now have their own megaphones to denounce any Chinese official who compromises too much as “pro-American” or “a traitor.” “

The Cafe acts as a conduit to other local websites. Below are the leading referrals from the last 1100 visitors. Take some time to visit these sites. The Pomfret Times is a classy local newspaper that just went online last month and will publish the October issue soon.

Referrals for last 1100 visitors (updated 10/9/2010):

94 www.thepomfrettimes.org/
52 www.norwichbulletin.com/news/
42 www.woodstockrepublicans.com/
38 www.woodstockctdems.org/
36 www.remindernews.com/  – Sarah Hamby’s articles
43 ctv14.pegcentral.com/player.php?video=f2900749fdedd69076f40d704fdef96d – the debate
27 www.woodstockschools.net/boardmeetings.htm
33 www.mcfarlinfineart.com/
16 www.nytimes.com/2010/08/25/opinion/25friedman.html?ref=thomaslfriedman
11 www.jenranrealty.com/
7 www.taylorsbb.com/ 
6 www.peets.com/

Where our visitors have come from since August 10th:

Interesting planet just like Earth … with a darkside.

from http://www.courant.com/news/education/hc-ct-sat-scores-0927-db,0,6337650.htmlpage

Disclaimer: The Cafe has no opinion on Linda McMahon’s candidacy but here is Kos’ opinion.

I’m starting to notice lots of “Vote for Linda” signs going up around Woodstock and the Quiet Corner. Good to see people supporting those who are so much like them. Linda’s story is so inspirational. A true rags to riches story. For several years now the (Linda) McMahons have been taking home about $45 Million/yr from their family controlled World-Wide Wrestling Federation empire. Good for them. Making money by exploiting hillbillies is something the GOP does so well, so its no wonder she is one of their shining stars.

I’m sure Linda is fed up just like the rest of us. Sick and tired of being part of that top bracket of tax payers who pay 35% of their income! I mean who likes to pay taxes? Trying to scratch by a living off of $45 million dollars a year isn’t easy in the “worst economic slump since the Great Depression”.

But wait just a gosh-darn minute you say, Linda and Vince (her husband) aren’t making $45 million dollars a year! Their SEC filings show that as CEO and President, Vince takes home only $850K/yr, while Linda doesn’t even draw a salary! She must be a stay at home Mom willing to sacrifice the good life in order to raise her kids, right??

Silly Woodstock voters. Haven’t you heard about dividends??? Rich people don’t take home pay checks, they take home dividends!! Paychecks are so bourgeoisie, so nouveau riche. People like the McMahons, the really important people, pay out all their company profits, more than $40 million in her case, to themselves in the form of corporate dividends. Read the rest of this entry »

from Kevin

Ev asked: “When you say you want to improve educational outcomes what specifically are you refering to? Are we talking about increasing CMT scores, improving teacher quality, cutting the budget as drastically as we can without loss of services?”

I thought first I’d answer the question of educational outcomes and do a little brain dumping.

- There is no place to cut the budget. We’ve been going through that sorry process for years now and we are down to counting pennies. In fact, there are several programs such as full PK participation and early language immersion that we want to fund and can’t.

- Test scores certainly come into play with what I mean. The fact of the matter is that no child left behind forces our hand to look at these as a priority. There’s nothing wrong with that per se but test scores don’t show the entire picture.

- Improving teacher “quality” is certainly something I’m interested in. Of course the word itself can have multiple meanings. As many have pointed out it is hard to measure this. Many students don’t fully appreciate what they learned from some teachers for years. But some things we can do to help them with training, furthering their education, etc. The concept of improving teacher “quality” is exactly the question that I feel needs the input of the teachers.

- Another issue I’m interested in is how well do our 8th graders do at the high schools such as the Woodstock Academy in aggregate. That’s something we should be looking at improving over time.

- Finally what is our overall learning environment? Do our students feel it is a good safe place to learn?

- How broad is the knowledge of our students when they leave our PK-8 system?

Just some thoughts.

I have used the teachers and the teacher’s union interchangeably. At the end of the day it is the teachers who we need to talk to and the teacher’s union who we bargain with so it is both.

I will admit that I was concerned that Mr. Walker (Tony) was a little too business focused when he joined the BoE as well (not that I’m a great person to talk), but he is actually turning out quite different. If you were to ask him I think you would find that he is more interested in finding funds to implement some programs we think are missing (see above) than cutting anything that is already there. Tony is a financially astute guy and when he did a deep dive into the budget as a board member the reality was pretty clear to see in terms of dollars and cents. That’s not to say everyone agrees on priorities but that’s normal board life.

I’m with you on the recreation. When I was growing up I lived in a similar sized town in CT (Granby). At the time it had a similar demographic to Woodstock but we were still able to afford a town recreational area with swimming, soccer fields, tennis courts, ball parks and just a lot of community space. For some reason Woodstock cannot afford this type of public space and it’s too bad (that is we can’t find the will to afford it and prop 46 ensures we never will). Instead we use the fields with the public schools, the Woodstock Academy, etc because that’s all we have. I’m with you with this all the way. I don’t know where families go to gather here in Woodstock other than Roseland Park and that’s just doesn’t have the facilities. In that respect I’m glad I didn’t grow up in Woodstock. Sorry if I’m offending anyone but…

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.

See articles about June Leavitt by her sons, Andy and Peter, at RowaytonKids.com. The Cafe will publish Obits with pictures for former residents of Woodstock and the surrounding towns.

First Child of Milton Gardens and Quintessential Rowayton Mom of the 1940s, 50s, 60s and 70s and 35 year Resident of Woodstock CT

June Leavitt a 35 year resident of Woodstock CT and resident of Rowayton CT in the 1940s through the mid 1970s passed away on September 26^th at her son and daughter-in-law’s home, the home of John and Becki Leavitt, in Woodstock CT one day short of her 91^st birthday. She is survived by her husband Peter Leavitt, who is 97, sons John (Cricky), Peter, David, and Andrew (Andy), daughter Phoebe, 11 grand children, 8 great grand children, her sister Katherine Cornbrooks, and 14 nieces and nephews.

June’s formal name was Helen Harwood Magill. “June” was a nick name for “Junior” as her mother’s name was Helen as well. She was born at Brooklyn Hospital on September 28th, 1919. Funny thing but we have always celebrated her birthday on the 27th. It was a little bit of a surprise discovering this a few months ago.

June’s Childhood

June’s father, Leland Magill, was from Massachusetts and had received an architectural degree from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. This is where Leland met June’s mother, Helen Tousley from Saranac Lake NY (first picture below next to Leland on far right). With baby June, the Magills moved to Rye NY around 1919-1920 where Leland had gone into business designing and building nice houses, mostly in the Milton Gardens section of Rye. This is where June and sister Kate, and later sister Lois, lived until around 1935 and where they met Nancy Adamson (Foster), eventually our neighbor in Rowayton CT, and life-long friends, Tommy (Betty) St. Claire Hardy and Jean St. Claire West.

Left to right – pictures below, click all pictures to expand:
1. Leland with Helen Tousley at Coney Island with Pratt Institute friends in 1915 (furthest to right); Leland and Helen married in 1918.
2. June at about six-months; picture developed in April 1920.
3. June in either Dec 1930 or Jan 1931 at the age 11 with sisters Kate (age 6) and Mary Lois (about 6 months).
4. Milton Garden kids around 1931: June Magill’s face is partially hidden in back; to the right of June are Jean and Tommy (Betty) St. Claire who lived in the house on the corner near the Magills and Adamsons; Nancy Adamson (Foster), who lived next to the Magills house, is between June and Jean slightly in front.
5. June, Lois, and Kate sitting on the front step of the Magill house on Milton Avenue in about 1931 or 32.
6. June at about 15 or 16 around the time the Magills left Milton Gardens.

Read the rest of this entry »

from John 

My experiences and respect for the medical profession stems from 30 years of immersion in medical institutions starting at the Univ. of Pittsburgh School or Medicine (Scaife Hall) where I spent four and a half years and received my Ph.D. in Biochemistry, seven years of employment at Johns Hopkins Medical Center, five years at the National Institutes of Health where I collaborated with physicians at multiple institutes on campus, and then finally in Palo Alto where I had strong relationships with physician scientists spanning 14 years. When employed by the FDA at NIH, the favorite boss of my career was Frank Ennis MD, a viral immunologist, who is now finishing his career as a full professor at UMass Medical Center. While at NIH, I was invited into brain surgeries performed on cancer patients by the Chief Neurosurgeon at NIH. The institutions are shown below in chronological order that they impacted my career. In the 1980s, I organized a cancer biology course for medical students together with a Professor of Medicine at Stanford. As a consultant to the current Biotech and Pharmaceutical industries I marvel at the wave of medicines and medical technologies that will emerge in the not-too-distant future.

Scaife Hall at Pitt, Johns Hopkins Hospital, NIH Building 10 (clinical center), and Stanford Med School.

Here in Woodstock we also have access to fine members of the medical profession. William Johnson MD has served my parents admirably for decades and we have fine and dedicated doctors in Lee Wesler MD, John Day MD, and Jeff Gordon MD right around the corner just to name a few. Dr. Wexler in the DHK emergency room where my mother was received provided me with valued and accurate assessment of my mother’s situation which the two attending doctors in the ward seemed to share. In many ways these doctors are hamstrung by insurance industry practices and the economics of our healthcare system which ranks the most costly and least efficient of all advanced countries in the world.

My experiences with doctors have been uniformly positive even though I am an unwilling patient – I have steadfastly refused the flu vaccine partly because of the belief that a bout with the flu might eliminate the precancerous cells growing in my body.

However, I stand by my description of my experience with ‘end of life’ hospitalization because this is what I experienced, and the attitude that Marie has articulated so clearly proves my point. This condescension is precisely what needs to be eliminated from the hospital experience.

from Marie

I think you need to be enlightened about Medicare. You should get your facts straight before you start putting people/institutions down.

First and foremost, look up your Medicare regs. After being on Medicare for six years, I’m still learning and its not simple by any stretch of the imagination.

When you go into the hospital (any), a case manager is assigned for discharge planning and yes, discharge planning is started the minute your admitted! Yours is not the only case she has. In the small hospital you mentioned, the CM probably has anywhere from 10-20 patients she has to deal with on a daily basis. For you to badmouth her efforts was way out of line. Also, in a small hospital like DKH, there is probably only one Social Worker for the entire Medical population. That stretches her pretty thin. If you want to criticize someone, go to the heart of the matter, the CEO.

It was unfortunate you had such a bad experience. Unfortunately, when there are “end of life” issues, its always a sticky situation. The general population just does not understand how these things work. They should have seminars for ignorant people like you.

As for nursing homes (NH), its not “just picking up the phone and making a call.” It involves sending over insurance information and if that works out, then the whole medical chart is sent and the NH makes a decision as to whether they want to take the patient or not. Hence, the request for “three NH selections.” And sometimes even this doesn’t work. The “ward being half empty” had nothing to do with the availability of the CM. Cases in the hospital these days require a lot of attention. There are times when a patient stays for WEEKS because an appropriate NH cannot be found. Read the rest of this entry »

No Tech Tuesdays at Hyde School – see News Feed.

Alliant Techsystems, Inc., Clearwater, Fla., is being awarded a $66,639,110 ceiling-priced firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to procure up to 4,600 various AN/AAR-47 missile warning system weapons replaceable assemblies. These assemblies include newly manufactured A(V)2 and B(V)2 integrated optical sensor convertors (IOSC); newly manufactured A(V)2 and B(V)2 computer processors (CP); newly manufactured A(V)2/ B(V)2 control indicators; upgrade of IOSCs from the A(V)2 to the B(V)2 configuration; upgrade of CPs from the (V)2 or A(V)2 to the B(V)2 configuration; and associated repairs necessary to return upgrade units to ready for issue condition. These systems are for installation on U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, other services, and various foreign military helicopters, rotorcraft, and low/slow fixed wing aircraft. Work will be performed in Clearwater, Fla. (72 percent); Austin, Texas (18 percent); Natanya, Israel (2 percent); Hamamatsu, Japan (2 percent); Loveland, Colo. (2 percent); Sarasota, Fla. (1 percent); Northvale, N.J. (1 percent); Woodstock, Conn. (1 percent); and Sanford, Fla. (1 percent). Work is expected to be completed in August 2013. Contract funds in the amount of $9,558,419 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($43,337,658; 70 percent); U.S. Air Force ($18,117,164; 29 percent); and the government of India ($110,580; 1 percent). This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-10-D-0006).

from http://somd.com/news/headlines/2010/12443.shtml

By John

We’ve all heard about the troubled past in attempts to treat patients using gene therapy.

On September 16th the first successful gene therapy clinical trial result was published in Nature (Cavazzana-Calvo et al. Nature 467:318-323, 2010) – a trial performed on one patient. This study was funded by Genetix Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge MA (recently renamed Bluebird Bio). A patient with severe beta-thalassaemia diagnosed since the age of three had been receiving red blood cell transfusions monthly in a cumbersome and problematic scheme to keep the patient alive.

At the age of 18, thirty-three months ago (June 7, 2007), this patient received a transfusion of autologous hematopoietic stem cells (HSC; blood forming stem cells) which had acquired a functional beta-globin gene by ex vivo gene transfer using a lentiviral vector (HIV-like recombinant vector). Since the two endogenous beta-globin gene alleles of the patient are defective (causing the disease), the only functional beta-globin produced in these cells was from the beta-globin transgene. These engineered stem cells, which contained 0.6 vector equivalents/cell, expressed a functional beta-globin with a marker mutation that allows determination of the level of expression of this new beta-globin gene product in the HSC population and in the patient.

This patient has not required red blood cell transfusions (transfusion-free) for 21 months (since June 6, 2008) and now maintains a normal hemoglobin level in the blood. Thus, the patient has been cured. Read the rest of this entry »

from John

I thought I would follow up on the medical emergency described last Wednesday. I learned some things that others might like to know about Medicare coverage and the way these medical cases are handled. The bottom line is if you don’t know what can be done and what can’t ahead of time, then things may become very confusing and costly.

On Tuesday morning last week my mother was transported from our house to Day Kimball Hospital by EMT Services (thanks again to the Muddy Brook Fire Department and the EMT guys and gals). After a CAT scan she was diagnosed with a bleeding (haemorrhagic) stroke in the center of her brain. The emergency physician let me know that my mother’s condition was serious and that she may not have long to live. He said that neurosurgery could be done but we both agreed that you do not do this to a 91 year old patient who has already exhibited senility. He also mentioned that a “social worker” would meet with me soon to explain the options for my mother.

My mother was placed in a ward with a case manager. Our mind-set at the time was that she would die in a few days and that she would not leave the hospital. However, on the second day at 9PM I was called to the hospital because she had opened her eyes and was awake. This was the last time I was able to speak to her and receive a response although she could not speak. I had begun the practice of going to the hospital in the morning then leaving for work for a few hours and then returning in the late afternoon.

I was still uncertain what was going to happen as it seemed that my mother had leveled off a little bit. On the third day (Thursday), I went to the nurse at the desk and mentioned that I was told there would be a “social worker” who would meet with me to discuss “options”. I was told “That’s the Case Manager!” I had met this person in my mother’s room but I was uncertain what her role was. It turns out that the case manager (CM) is responsible for arranging for the patient to leave the hospital (and as soon as possible). When I approached this CM about this, I was told that “I am trying to work something out.” Read the rest of this entry »

Teachers may be the next to get bonus pay in Thompson. Norwich Bull

from Kevin

First of all I want to thank you for talking to me (to ‘Another Teacher’); this is just a conversation between individuals which is a great way to have dialog and understand each other’s views and concerns.

The question of “where does the money come from?” is good and deserves a bit of attention. It is this very question where I feel plan’s like Michelle Rhee’s falls down in most communities. Michelle Rhee’s plan essentially greenmails teachers, administration and other support staff to go onto her plan. As you point out this simply isn’t going to work for a town like Woodstock. But consider the following:

• The current compensation “pie” already has a form of incentive program, much like the type we were talking about in the last negotiations with incentives for certifications. You fall into a different lane with a different compensation scheme depending on what level of education you have. Some teachers have spent time and effort getting an additional degree and they get extra compensation for it under the current system. What I’m saying is that there is no reason why the current pie couldn’t be restructured in a more expansive way with incentive programs, no extra money required. Admittedly those teachers who put time and effort into the “right” areas will gain extra compensation at the expense of others.

• The same question of “where does the money come from?” can be asked of any extra compensation discussed in contract negotiations. I think we can both agree that in the next contract negotiations it is highly likely that the question of additional compensation will come up. So additional compensation will most likely be added, the question becomes how do we use that?

You also pointed out the reality that many different programs have been presented over the years, each of them touted as a panacea of all of education’s ills. Read the rest of this entry »

from Another Teacher 

A Taxpayer- I do agree with you, to some extent. I think that teachers/unions do and are willing to support initiatives that have been proven to promote student success. I call your attention to the federal mandates for RTI (Response to Intervention) and SRBI (Scientific Research-Based Interventions). While this is a federal mandate, the teachers of Woodstock have gone above and beyond the current federal mandates to maximize the success of this federal initiative, including reworking the schedule to add another class period (SRBI) into their schedule. This was a teacher-driven initiative designed to allow students who need small-group intervention to receive those services without being pulled from their normal classes. The other students receive “enrichment” during this time in both Math and Reading. Wonderful things have been happening during this new period and it will be a program that will continue to grow as teachers become more comfortable with the needs of their new students.

With all due respect, Taxpayer & Kevin, I ask you to remember that each administration (school,state, federal) comes in with promises and “fixes” to address the “problem of education.” George W. Bush had “No Child Left Behind” (2001). There was the “Improving America’s Schools Act” (1994) and the “Education Consolidation and Improvement Act (1981). My classroom shelves are filled with resources for past education initiatives that were once touted as the miracle cure. “Senior” teachers have lived through all sorts of mandates through the years, and this might explain why they are reluctant to fully back mandates that have not yet been enacted on a full scale.

In response to Kevin’s comment about merit pay, one of my concerns with that is, “where does the money come from?” As you well know, the budget gets tighter and tighter every year. Where are we getting the money from? Will teachers salaries be cut? As a younger, non-masters teacher, I am making very little money already, though I am at school late almost every evening. I also work another job in addition to getting my masters just so I can pay off my student loans and afford food, car loan, insurance, housing, and utilities. I would continue to teach to the best of my ability despite merit pay or not, but I could not afford to be a teacher if a chunk of my salary was withheld from me. Before I support merit pay, I need to have these questions answered.

I want to thank the Muddy Brook Fire Department, the EMT guys and gals, and Chris Wootton for showing up so quickly during our medical emergency yesterday. My mother who is 91 (June Leavitt) was transported to Day Kimball Hospital in the morning. The professionalism of this team was exemplary. We also were fortunate to have the help of Angie Bissonnette from Day Kimball Homemakers yesterday morning (and every morning). My mother is resting comfortably at the hospital but was diagnosed with a bleeding stroke in the center of her brain. She will not return from the hospital. John

from Fagan

I am hearing, that our present State Rep, Mike Alberts, is claiming he is responsible for initiating legislation on the State level on behalf of the farms. Are we open to discussion about this? I thought Congresswoman Denise Merril (Manchester) sponsored/originated the Bill that was passed and provided relief for farms.

from the Norwich Bull

Students’ scores will affect administrators’ pay in Thompson.