Category Archives: POSTS, COMMENTS, VIDEO AND AUDIO
A note from Robin Hood Radio TV Reply
Unfortunately, our camera person for tonights BOE Budget meeting has cancelled on us, so we have no one to tape the meeting..I apologize in advance, as we have put out a few requests to see if we could find someone else, but no one else has surfaced who can do it.
Marshall Miles Editorial Opinion On Region One Board Of Educations Lack Of Intestinal Fortitude On Substantial Additional Expenses 4
Click on link to listen to editorial
http://podcasts.am1020whdd.com/~am1020wh/shows/play.php?id=37792&cat=14
Region One Board Of Education April 3, 2017 Reply
Region 1 Board of Education members expressed concern that the proposed 2017-18 budget had been increased three days before Thursday’s hearing but absurdly all vote in favor! Reply
Some Region 1 Board of Education members expressed concern that the proposed 2017-18 budget had been increased three days before Thursday’s hearing, but ultimately the board voted unanimously to send the $15.8 million plan forward.
During discussion of the plan at Monday night’s meeting, members were told two additions had been made to the budget, which now totals $15,864,919, up $370,683, or 2.4 percent, over the current $15,494,236.
One is in the area of salaries. Assistant Superintendent Pamela Vogel said that in conducting a search for a new special education teacher, the one qualified person administrators found was someone completing a doctorate, so that 2017-18 salary had to be increased by $40,000.
Vogel said the other increase involves the appropriation for the school’s New England Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation process that will take place next spring. That would rise from $12,000 to $58,000.
The $12,000 in the budget was to cover miscellaneous expenses, such as food and lodging for the visitors who come to the school to conduct the evaluation. The additional $46,000 will be used to pay consultants to assist the school in preparing for accreditation. Fullk story at the link below
, but ultimately the board voted unanimously to send the $15.8 million plan forward.
During discussion of the plan at Monday night’s meeting, members were told two additions had been made to the budget, which now totals $15,864,919, up $370,683, or 2.4 percent, over the current $15,494,236.
One is in the area of salaries. Assistant Superintendent Pamela Vogel said that in conducting a search for a new special education teacher, the one qualified person administrators found was someone completing a doctorate, so that 2017-18 salary had to be increased by $40,000.
Vogel said the other increase involves the appropriation for the school’s New England Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation process that will take place next spring. That would rise from $12,000 to $58,000.
The $12,000 in the budget was to cover miscellaneous expenses, such as food and lodging for the visitors who come to the school to conduct the evaluation. The additional $46,000 will be used to pay consultants to assist the school in preparing for accreditation. Full story at the link below
Who’s on First? Reply
Has ALL communication stopped in the administration of Region One?! Three weeks of confusing information from the Region One Board Of Education, Region One Administrators, the administration of the high school. Then, if that was not enough….at Monday’s Region One BOE meeting, during the budget discussion, ANOTHER SHOE WAS DROPPED AT THE LAST MINUTE…. it was announced that there will be an EXTRA $40k added, above what was originally budgeted for an incoming special Ed teacher, because going for a PHD. On top of that, another 38k EXTRA added for consultants to aid in NEASC preparation. The board claims to have had no prior knowledge of those additions, which total around $80,000.00 extra at the last minute to the budget..A scheduled hearing on the budget is set for THURSDAY NIGHT at H.V.R.H.S. at 7:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend and receive copies of the proposed budget. Taxpayers should be incensed,this coming just THREE DAYS Before the budget hearing…very little time for taxpayers to consume all the information. This all would be fine if our administrators names were Abbott and Costello…
Direct from the top at Housy …”teachers not involved at this point” at H.V.R.H.S. scheduling….U.F.B. 3
An excerpt from todays Republican-American story….
A select group of parents who met with school officials last week to give their comments and recommendations learned that the scheduling pattern for next year is still undecided. The parents group is expected to meet again tonight to continue discussions.
Martinez ( HousatonicPrincipal Jose Martinez) confirmed Monday that the question of which model will be used is still unsettled. He said this process is different from what he has seen in other schools.
“Every change of schedule I’ve been in … or visited has started with a team of teachers. Parents and students are brought in along the way. This is different. There is not as much involvement by the teachers in its development.”
He also believes the process has been a bit rushed and would benefit from another year of study.
Martinez said a leadership team of department heads and other faculty members is in place. The representatives from the schools who came to speak said leadership teams were part of the scheduling process. At Housatonic, “the teachers are not directly involved right now,” he said.
H.V.R.H.S. parent committee and administration meeting update on Thursday nights meeting Reply
H.V.R.H.S. parent committee and administration meeting update on Thursday nights meeting:
Pam Vogel Assistant Superintendent for Region One reported last night to Robin Hood Radio on the first meeting with the newly formed parents group on setting up schedules at Housatonic. Pam reported that at the initial meeting, all were going to work under the assumption that the schedule for next year currently is open. The committee will develop long term goals, but initially the talk last night was on mastery based learning and a few other other related issues. According to Vogel, the parents committee and administration will be working towards a schedule for next year.
Region 1, Patricia Chamberlain and Pam Vogel just shut down transparency at Region 1 1
The players have changed, the behind the scene dealings obviously have not..its a sad but true story of the administration of Region One. I have just been told that we can NOT tape tonight’s meeting with parents. Here is the email string. This all came AFTER Pam had agreed to let us tape the meeting (and several of the parents also agreed) at a little after 9:00 AM this morning. This is NOT inclusive, this is NOT transparent. And as Tom Hennick says in his response …”With the caveat that my opinion is not a formal ruling by the FOI Commission”. Read the email chain from the bottom up.
|
1:22 PM (2 hours ago) | |||
|
||||
Good afternoon Marshall,
I have received an inquiry regarding a meeting held by the Assistant Superintendent as a public meeting. Please see Tom Hennick’s response to our inquiry regarding FOIA regulations. This is not a public meeting and will not be recorded as such.
Thank you for your assistance in our communication effort. Dr. Vogel will provide ongoing updates as the process progresses.
Patricia Chamberlain
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Pam Vogel <pvogel@region1schools.org>
Date: Thu, Mar 30, 2017 at 1:15 PM
Subject: Fwd: Our Question
To: Region One School District <pchamberlain22@gmail.com>
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Hennick, Thomas A <Thomas.Hennick@ct.gov>
Date: Thu, Mar 30, 2017 at 1:11 PM
Subject: RE: Our Question
To: Pam Vogel <pvogel@region1schools.org>
Hi Pam,
With the caveat that my opinion is not a formal ruling by the FOI Commission, I would have to say that a school official meeting with a group of parents is not a meeting of a public agency subject to the FOI Act. If this were a formal subcommittee established by a public agency or public official, then I probably would feel differently.
I hope this is helpful.
Tom
From: Pam Vogel [mailto:pvogel@region1schools.org]
Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2017 12:11 PM
To: Hennick, Thomas A <Thomas.Hennick@ct.gov>
Subject: Our Question
Hi, Tom,
The nature of the meeting tonight is to discuss some possible school schedules for the high school.
We have requested that a group of parents (we have nine now) meet to discuss options for a schedule.
There are no board members involved.
Please let us know if this is a public meeting? We have received a request to film the meeting.
Thank you.
Pam
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.” – Dr. Martin Luther King
Dr. Pam Vogel
Assistant Superintendent, Regional School District No.1
246 Warren Turnpike Road
Falls Village, CT 06031
Phone: 860-824-0855
Fax: 860-824-1271
Update from Pam Vogel sent to us today via email on the teachers meeting yesterday on scheduling and next year 2
Here is an update from Pam Vogel sent to us today via email on the teachers meeting yesterday on scheduling and next year:
From Pam Vogel to me this morning concerning the scheduling at H.V.R.H.S.
Marshall- we can talk in a bit– but this was what I prepared for the principal to speak about at yesterday’s meeting.
See below the memo for the meeting with the teachers yesterday
March 29, 2017
Communication to Teacher Group:
We held three meetings with Parents (Feb. 23, March 21, March 22)
Students and some faculty also attended
Topics: 4 x 4 Schedule / Mastery Based Learning/ Grading Practices
Over the last two weeks, Dr. Martinez, Dr. Vogel, and Mr. Samaha met with four student groups, totaling about 40 students, ranging from sophomores to seniors.
We have notes from the student meetings that will be shared with the Leadership Team and a means to share out all of this information will be planned
At the conclusion of the March 22 Parent/Community Meeting –
It was decided that we would not go with the 4 x 4—which means core subject areas would not be taught in a single semester. Core subjects would instead be taught all year long.
No other promises were made regarding a final schedule.
We stated that these four areas were continued goals for us in the schedule we develop:
Intervention time for all students
Time in the school day for teachers from community and area colleges to teach dual credit (college and high school) classes (or for students to travel to the community college)
Allow students to be released at the same time every day for internships/work experiences
Allow common planning time for teachers
We stated that we would meet with a group of teachers representative of different content areas. Purpose is to seek their opinions on different options and to take our four points (above) when looking at options.
We would then establish a parent group, representative of different interests, to meet and hear options- both pros and cons to different schedules. Discussed we wanted the group to not be too large. Plan for 6-8 parents.
We are working through a process and we should have a clear plan for a schedule soon.
We are developing a menu of professional learning opportunities for all high school staff. Department chairs weighed in on topics they feel are important for teachers. This list will be coming out in the next week and consist of a study team, Skypes, and several dates in June for teachers to attend.
Additional Considerations:
We offer 93 electives. This is a high number. Our parents and students want us to continue to offer a wide range of electives.
We have over 200 students who will no longer be in study halls and will need to be enrolled in classes. Therefore, our enrollment in classes will be increased.
The Region 1 Board of Education has looked at the number of instructional hours that we currently have for students. The number is low in our current schedule, when compared with other schools. (See document.) The Board is carefully reviewing our staffing. They are supportive of offering a wide variety of classes, but as we have retirements and also reduced number of students, the Board is carefully analyzing if we are using our instructional time in our school day to the fullest extent.