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John Williams May 25, 2013 at 10:02 am
This BOE along with the school system is a complete disaster. Having given them the majority of…Read More all tax increase dollars over the past ten years, it’s sad that we have continually seen the quality of education, along with State of CT standings in academics, fall lower and lower. I'm still trying to figure out how our technically new superintendent of schools was given a raise , fairly substantial, without showing to have overseen any improvement in our entire school system, while in fact, the State academic scores went down. I'm not sure how it works here in Windsor, however, in my multi-national employer, you are given merit increases based on performance...not what other employees are making around you. It is just an example of inappropriate spending. The BOE needs to figure out that taking teachers away, not that it really matters, isn't going fix anything, howerer, removing positions in house, ie: admin positions within the system, positions that were created in fat and robust times, need to be eliminated. It's really not that difficult. By the way, if anyone thinks money will fix our school systems...they are sadly mistaken. School begins in the home, teachers need to actually want to teach and not feel beaten down by kids whom do and say whatever they want w/o consequence, and lastly, our administration needs to stop looking the other way when it is time to discipline these disruptive kids who are creating a hostile learning environment. The no kid left behind thing wasn't meant to protect trash, it was meant to ensure everyone whom needed and wants an education gets one. The BOE is an embarrassment.
Mary Ann Overbaugh May 24, 2013 at 10:39 am
$90k of taxpayer money to pay for a horse shoe pit should be used for a fund to help people fix…Read More their properties, or to give scholarships to children or to maintain infrastructure....for the good of the whole. What a frivolous waste of taxpayer money.
George Slate May 24, 2013 at 10:34 am
Earlier this week I sent copies of your Patch comment, and my come back comment, regarding the…Read More Newsweek ranking of High Schools in the USA, to Dr. Villar's assistant. Yesterday I got back a message that includes, in part, "I have attached WHS’s application to Newsweek America’s Best High Schools 2013 as requested.
Also, please see Dr. Villar’s comments below regarding the application:" Since I did this for your benefit, please call me, my phone number is published, give me an E-mail address to send this to, and I (all of us in Patch land) look forward to your analysis of the application. Thank you, in advance, for your service in this regard.
Mary Ann Overbaugh May 24, 2013 at 04:14 pm
I too grew up in this town, that is why I frequently visit a facebook site discussing all the warm…Read More memories of growing up in Windsor. Those were good times.
Mary Ann Overbaugh May 24, 2013 at 04:13 pm
Hillary, some posts were changed ....the original told me this was a school post and that my…Read More comments were out of place.
Mary Ann Overbaugh May 24, 2013 at 01:35 pm
There are some who remember the town doing leaf pick-up and free garbage service.
George Slate May 22, 2013 at 06:45 pm
Yes, success has many parents. I truly do not want to taint your story, but my question is: Does…Read More WEF have enough money to fund an EER by a legitimate researcher (or are you willing to start up a collection?)? If you do, maybe in five years you can do a similar story about our High School.
Tim Curtis May 24, 2013 at 03:31 pm
George, Bill Generous has a good point, and that fact has a significant impact on test scores. i…Read More know that one year the BOE did a study of standardized test scores at the HS, separating the scores of those who started in our system vs. those who came in later. The differences were tangible. I taught at East Granby High School. I don't know the exact number, but a very significant number of my students had been together since third or fourth grade. So they were exposed to the same vertical curriculum all the way through. Definitely not the case in Windsor where mobility is pretty high. Students come and go in Windsor. And sometimes they come back, making it very difficult to get the new students up to speed. I also point out that a number of my students started out in Windsor.
Al Simon May 24, 2013 at 08:38 am
It is an excellent question. Maybe we should study it? Oh, wait.....
CatherineDennis May 21, 2013 at 08:45 pm
Congrats to all students, parents, teachers and administrators at Sage Park. It would seem that…Read More mission statements, transparency, parent involvement all equal excellence. How much would you charge to teach these basics to those that feel the need to hire college students from Chicago to review WHS-those very same people that congratulated you tonight?
The students achievements that were honored tonight were very impressive and you make us all proud. Keep up the great work at Sage Park.
Albert Williams May 20, 2013 at 03:40 pm
Just curious...any relation to Griffin Land, Imperial Nursuries, River Bend Associates?
R Eleveld May 21, 2013 at 03:44 pm
@Slate The BoE originally said they did not believe the Town Ethics Commission had purview over the…Read More BoE. Yes in November the voters can choose to continue the behavior with the current party in the majority. See the comment of WR who says a Councilor accepted responsibility here: http://windsor.patch.com/groups/schools/p/council-approves-reduction-in-education-funding
George Slate May 20, 2013 at 02:27 pm
R Eleveld - Just to clarify, The Town Ethics Committee ruled (1) that the BOE is subject to the Town…Read More Ethics Code, but (2) they do not have jurisdiction over violations of BOE by laws violations. When someone is brought in front of an Ethics Committee, and comes out vindicated, one of two things happen. They are humbled, or emboldened. The BOE President, and the Superintendent of Schools are emboldened because virtually nothing stands in their way of two person absolute rule, until November 2013. The only obstacle is for one of the Democrat BOE members joining the other four BOE members to reign (the pun works all too well here) them in (this appears unlikely). What is the old saying, Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely? So we have to wait until November to try and fix this situation. In the meantime the voters in Windsor can keep voting NO on the referenda to send the message that we do not want dysfunctional BOE oversight. Or we could get back a functional BOE. Since September 12, 2012, this possibility grow less likely each day.
R Eleveld May 20, 2013 at 10:18 am
@Michele, you are correct. The TC can only provide the BoE an amount of money, it can not in anyway…Read More tell the BoE what to do with that money. It could make suggestions, however they carry the same weight as any citizen making any suggestion to the BoE. State law has created the BoE as an island unto itself. They do not even think they are subject to the Town Ethics Code. The voters do have the power to change what they do not like in November. The question is will they again repeat the prior behavior and vote in those that will not make change. Remember Einstein's definition of insanity. It applies here.
R Eleveld May 20, 2013 at 10:22 am
They did a good job of investigation along with Ms. Fissel. in the article: Some investigation…Read More yields more questions.
I ask some questions about the timing of this whole situation. It is now become an embarrassment to Windsor, Loyola, and Dr. James. The idea of this research/study is important, however this execution is fraught with problems and serious concerns.
http://windsor.patch.com/groups/r-elevelds-blog/p/some-investigation-yields-more-questions