Region 1 blanketed by signs calling for ‘no’ vote at polls
Budget foes cite grade policy
REGION 1–Signs are sprouting up throughout the Region 1 towns urging voters to reject the 2018-19 proposed school budget even though the spending plan shows no increase from last year’s bottom line.
The group said to be responsible for the signs is hoping a no vote in the May 8 referendum will get the attention of school officials who they feel have been dismissive toward their complaints about the new grading system that doesn’t include failing grades.
The new grading system implemented in most of the region’s schools this year calls for those who receive a mark below 70 percent to receive an NYP, or not yet proficient. Students have many opportunities to raise their grades with tests and projects allowed to be redone until knowledge of the material presented is apparent.
Marshall Miles of Robin Hood Radio, an outspoken critic over the years of the school system’s operation, said the signs were created and put out by a group of parents and concerned citizens who have been vocal all year about how the system was implemented. They contend it was done too quickly, the teachers were not part of the process, some students are not working to their abilities because they know homework isn’t graded and are procrastinating about completing assignments.
There may be no increase from last year but guns have surely been taken from some parts of the budget and moved into other places where some families don’t agree it should be spent. Let’s not forget that there was a movement to vote no last year but the no vote did not prevail and things have continued to deteriorate to the point parents and concerned citizens are once AGAIN trying to make their voices heard
“One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results.” (Milton Friedman) Dr.Vogel and Mr. Whelan insist we judge their policies and programs by their intentions. The community must remain focused on results.
Please vote NO on the May 8th budget question
After more than nine months of questions and concerns being voiced by students and their families, after we are more than nine months into an academic year, after hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent on some obscure goal that can neither be justified nor defined… On May 29, 2018 (after the public has been held off for nine months, what’s another four weeks) something called a “Leadership Team” (would love to see the price tag on this innovative education development) will make everything crystal clear. (Will Mr. Mooney esq., Ann Baldwin, Doug Reeves and our collective cast of Region One subsidies be in attendance?)
Please vote NO on May 8th’s $16 million Region One boondoggle.
Who are Valedictorian and Salutatorian? See if you can find out. Then wrap your head around the fact that it is May and no student from Housatonic can yet claim to be Valedictorian.
.. These honors (valedictorian and salutatorian) have been chosen. These students are hard working and deserving of these honors. Unfortunately, their accomplishments will be mired amidst the stigma and uncertainty of this grading system.
One can only assume that, rightly or wrongly, our new grading system will do away with such traditional rankings in the future. These honors can not be measured effectively in this new wave of Progressive education. Perhaps this will be a topic covered by the “Leadership Committee” during the magical May “Parent Partnership” meeting, but I doubt it.
Something called a, “leadership team,” will address year long concerns on May 29th? School ends on June 21. Our students deserve better. Please vote NO on our May 8th budget referendum.
These “vote no” signs seem to have been taken from the Lakeville landscape.