Just read this letter from Pam Vogel and the Region One Board Chair! WE CALL BALONEY SAUCE!!! The attacks, rumors and false information have been flowing like the Housatonic River from the administration since Pam Vogels arrival, not social media. Take the fact that it appears that 21 students from Sharon Center School have chosen Private School over Region One! And It is NOT a small bunch of disgruntled parents, just take the number of students involved in the demonstration at Housatonic…just about 25% of the student population! And it is not just the grading system. It’s is the poor implementation of the grading system and new schedule, it is the lies coming from Pam Vogel, it is the fact that the Chair of the Region One Board is disconnected, and lost while trying to run a meeting..and he excludes public participation …he is woefully prepared (by the way he was not elected but appointed) It is the fact that more and more of the boards are going to a consent agenda, basically, once again excluding the public..all at the behest of Pam Vogel. It is time for the local boards and Region One to open up their meetings to full agendas again, and it is time for Pam Vogel and the board to listen to taxpayers and students, and teachers! It is not just a disgruntled few, and she will find that out soon. This letter is a desperate attempt of a failed administration seeking to put her finger in the dike, its only a matter of time. before the water consumers her in a flood of failure, and at the same time, effects the education of our students.
We’re is this, “majority,” that approves of the Whelen/Vogel ill conceived march towards Progressive education? The only support that has manifest itself has come from a pretentious BOE and a myopic Central Office! Students are suffering and the Superintendent’s office and Mr. Whelen are oblivious! Translation of this Dr.Vogel/Chair Whelen response, “Let them eat cake.”
It’s stunning this is EXACTLY what happened in New Fairfield, EXACTLY. They discredited parents, teachers, tried blackmail, called the group a bunch of cranks, politicians from the BOS,BOE and BOF ( members of the BOF actually made fun of students who signed the petition because what else did they have to do?) blocked every effort to make the situation better and in the end – most were voted OUT or left in shame. Pay attention Region One and VOTE VOTE VOTE, attend meetings and continue to bang the drum, be relentless – it’s the only thing that works. Do not accept less. Look up the Peter Principle – it will shock you how well it describes what is happening as they rally around their mistakes. They are public servants, if they are not doing their jobs get rid of them. Karen Vogel is the clone of Alicia Roy – I can see why they would get along so well. I’m sorry any other school district has to go through this.
The response to Region One Community’s survey certainly does not appear to represent a, “minority.” This was an open and informative view of our region’s concerns.
There were reports that the Superintendent’s office generated their own similar survey for teachers and administrators. Where are these results? (An educated assumption would conclude that this “in house” survey echoed similar concerns and frustrations.)
The BOE and Superintendent’s office seem to be circling the wagons. May be hard to create a circle with only two wagons.
When Dr.Vogel landed in Region One, she began by impressing upon the BOE a need for data to guide decision making. The BOE heartily endorsed this philosophy. Yet, as more and more data readily discredits Central Office and BOE supported Inititives, these two entities are forced to rely on their stubborn adhearance to a warped perspective of qualitative conjectures. The highly questioned theories (yes, these are “theories,” often peer discredited theories, that are responsible for much of our public outcry) of people such as Doug Reeves, continue to guide Dr. Vogel and Chairman Whalen. The hubris of these two “executives” has forced our Region down a path of turmoil, exempt from quantitative support. And the students suffer.
In a strong show of support for team Vogel-Whelan, Mountaineer athletics has chosen to embark on a course of action. Spring sports teams will all go undefeted this season to rally around Central Office inititives.
Current records: Softball 0 wins 4 NYPs, baseball 1 win 1 NYP, lacrosse 0 wins 2 NYPs, tennis …
Ann Baldwin and Doug Reeves will be in attendance, at tax payer expense, to hang a banner in the gym and celebrate this unprecedented achievement.
(Lisa Cater and Ian Stever still trying to work out details of getting other schools to attend “open tables” for retakes of these athletic contests.)