Wednesday, February 17, 2010

O’Malley’s Record

Given February’s publication of test scores across the state, now is a good time to review Dr. O’Malley’s record to date. If I neglect to cover any important topics regarding education, finance, or management, please let me know and I can edit this page to include additional topics.

Education
Dr. O’Malley’s contract states “Whereas, the Board seeks a Superintendent to meet the District’s objectives to raise student performance in order to place in the top 25% in state testing within the District Factor Group . . .” (page 2)

Of course, the contract fails to offer any metric for actually defining the “top 25% in state testing” but, for simplicity’s sake, let’s use the APP’s method to determine whether there’s been any progress towards reaching that undefined goal. The APP’s website, DataUniverse.com, displays a chart of test scores and indicates whether the district scored above or below average in its DFG (district factor group).

To give the data more meaning, let’s use the Quinn years as a baseline.

According to the APP, the following chart shows Matawan-Aberdeen’s record in surpassing the DGF average is:

Year
# Above
Percent
2008-09
14/20
70%
2007-08
11/20
55%
2006-07
11/21
52%
2005-06
9/20
45%
2004-05
9/16
56%
2003-04
10/21
48%

So, after one year under Dr. O’Malley’s direction, the district did better than in any year under Mr. Quinn.

Last year, for the first time ever, all six schools made AYP (annual yearly progress) under the NCLB (No Child Left Behind Act) with significant advancements by our African American students.

Although the high school academies have yet to prove themselves, the intent is praiseworthy - to encourage students to enroll in more academic challenging courses. Presently, about 13% of 9th and 10th graders are enrolled in the academies. Most of those students would have gravitated towards challenging courses regardless of the academies and the participation rate is still far below the 19% who enroll in AP courses. Still, I'm thrilled to see us investing in our top performing students and I believe the academies will ultimately encourage more students to excel.

However, this year the school board established a new goal –
Our district, at all tested grade levels, shall rank among the top fifteen in the below group on the state assessment exams for total proficiency and advanced proficiency.

The “competing” twenty-five districts are the top K-12 districts in the DFG above ours. Manually compiling the data is a bit time consuming so we don’t have a history but here are the results for 2008-09. (Click here for the full Excel report.)

Rank
Percent
Goal
Above/Below
3rd LAL TP 18 70 72.6 -2.60
3rd LAL AP 19 5.8 6.4 -0.60
3rd Math TP 9 87.2 85 2.20
3rd Math AP 13 43 40.6 2.40
4th LAL TP 18 69.2 72.5 -3.30
4th LAL AP 11 9.6 7.3 2.30
4th Math TP 15 80.2 80.1 0.10
4th Math AP 14 37.2 36.2 1.00
4th Sci TP 23 92.4 94.6 -2.20
4th Sci AP 18 53.6 54.2 -0.60
5th LAL TP 25 69.2 75.9 -6.70
5th LAL AP 19 9.5 11 -1.50
5th Math TP 19 82 85.3 -3.30
5th Math AP 18 35.5 38.5 -3.00
6th LAL TP 22 74.3 80.3 -6.00
6th LAL AP 18 7.9 9.1 -1.20
6th Math TP 20 75.6 79 -3.40
6th Math AP 18 27.7 28.7 -1.00
7th LAL TP 22 77.8 83.1 -5.30
7th LAL AP 23 20.7 24.1 -3.40
7th Math TP 17 74.2 75.2 -1.00
7th Math AP 9 34.2 27.7 6.50
8th LAL TP 18 89.2 89.8 -0.60
8th LAL AP 19 11.7 13.1 -1.40
8th Math TP 9 83.2 80.5 2.70
8th Math AP 8 41.8 37.8 4.00
8th Sci TP 16 91.2 91.4 -0.20
8th Sci AP 25 27.6 38.3 -10.70
11th LAL TP 21 86.9 91.4 -4.50
11th LAL AP 21 10.4 14.7 -4.30
11th Math TP 24 73.1 82.1 -9.00
11th Math AP 26 16 27 -11.00

By this measure, our district only has a 25% success rate. It will be interesting to see how well Matawan-Aberdeen does by this measure in the upcoming years.

Most troubling are the HSPA scores. They’re dismal. Dr. O’Malley has implemented writing programs and an accelerated math curriculum (in total, 60 new curricula have been written) but for our current high school students the only remedy is to force any student with insufficient math or English skills into elective programs that develop those skills. The high school should not be waiting for students to fail the HSPA before taking action.

Finance
Last year, Dr. O’Malley was one of the only superintendents in the state to cut spending below the prior year’s budget. Yes, Quinn’s budgets were inflated but so are many other districts. That only a handful of superintendents reduced spending is a mark of distinction for Dr. O’Malley.

With Ms. Irons, we also had a virtually unblemished financial audit. The board has also been made aware of previously “hidden” expenses, allowing us the discretion of whether to support certain programs or not.

All of the schools' cafeterias have been upgraded without any cost to the taxpayers or price increases to the students. Enrollment is up and our profit is six times the guaranteed level.

The administration has also successfully reduced the cost for subscription busing.

The tougher problem is finding alternative sources of revenue. Grants are a problem because they generally only fund new spending and, when the grants disappear or costs rise, you’re then left with an unfunded program, as we were with RTI.

The obvious places are new programs that attract students, such as special ed programs. Others include before-after school programs, adult education programs, and district-teacher ventures. Whether any of these will be developed remains an open question.

Director of Special Ed
Since Mr. Schweitzer’s appointment, we’ve been able to negotiate every request for an out-district placement and avoid the huge legal bills and some of the pricier placements. We’ve also reduced out-district placements by 10%, including one out-district placement that returned to the district at a savings of $100,000 per year.

Mr. Schweitzer has implemented 5 new in-district programs. Hopefully, we'll begin attracting out-district students and generate some desperately needed revenue.

School Board Attorney
At $160 per hour, our board attorney, Mr. Rubin, charges about 20% more than our prior attorney. Yet, our legal costs have dropped by half.

2006-07
$105,561.70
2007-08
$261,950.80
2008-09
$168,340.50
2009-10 (mid-year)
$38,958.46

Security
When we eliminated our Director of Security, I said I would resign my seat if the level of crime rose above the Quinn period. At January’s BOE meeting, I asked if crime had increased since we terminated the position. The answer was no.

Quinn created the position at the beginning of the 2005-06 school year. As can be seen from the chart, creating the position did not reduce the level of reported crime. (There are allegations the numbers during the Quinn year were underreported.) Yet, Dr. O’Malley cut reported criminal activity by one-third in his first year.

2004-05 43
2005-06 41
2006-07 51
2007-08 41
2008-09 27

At the time we eliminated the position, there were stories of the director saving the district money by ascertaining that some students were not actual residents. However, I have been unable to substantiate these reports.

Director of Technology
There’s a scheduled tech expo for Wednesday, February 24th and we’re scheduling a meeting of the tech committee. I’ll come back to this after those events.

Strathmore Principal
Moving Ms. Bera from Cliffwood to Strathmore was controversial at the time but I’ve not heard any complaints since beginning of the school year. We’re still waiting to see the impact of the move. >>> Read more!

128 comments:

O'MALLEY RULES THE DAY said...

O'MALLEY IS MUCH BETTER THEN QUINN AND THE REST IS SIMPLE. HE IS NEW TO THE DISTRICT AND WHAT HE HAS DONE AND IS FAR BETTER THEN THOSE WE HAD BEFORE. BARZA IS GONE AND I SAY GOOD RIDDANCE. O'MALLEY INHERITED A BIG MESS. TRY WORKING YOUR WAY OUT OF SUCH A MESS WITH ALL THE BS BARZA PUT ON O'MALLEY UNTIL CZ AND JB RODE OFF INTO THE SUNSET.

THE HATRED TOWARDS O'MALLEY IS SPEWED BY TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATION AND OTHERS EMPLOYED IN THE DISTRICT ONLY WORRIED ABOUT THEIR JOBS.

CAN YOU SAY *EFFICIENCY EXPERT* AND A *POSITION BY POSITION REVIEW* THAT IS WARRANTED.

ANY WORD ON JAN RUBINO AND HER ETHICS VIOLATIONS.

Anonymous said...

I see Aberdeener is preparing his justifications for a large salary increase(the second this year) for Dr. O'Malley before a new board is voted in. Barza used to do the same trick. How are those $6 million in cuts coming along. I guess you found enough $$ to give out raises after you make your cuts???? Yea, lets give everyone a raise Joey. How many teachers are you cutting again?? This reminds me of stimulus money going for bonuses on wall street. Careful Joey the taxes you increase may be your own.

Anonymous said...

Who says the teachers hate O'Malley?

Quinn was a business administrator NOT an educator. He fixed all the roofs, added energy efficient windows and lighting, added classrooms and state of the art science labs, bought new computers and created a track and football field on par with the best schools in the surrounding area. He "tried" to implement a program to address students at risk (RTI) but it was never implemented correctly (mostly through simple scheduling) so it's hard to judge it's potential success/failure. Yes-all of this cost plenty. O'Malley is different from Quinn. He came in with an educator background but did not have to make one physical repair to the school district- that is why he did not have to increase taxes. I don't think it was any great feat to hold the line on spending when the big ticket items were already taken care of in the previous administration. Neither one is a devil- just different priorities for a district in need.

Anonymous said...

Joey...do you give any credit whatsoever to the teachers for rising test scores? The teachers are the first ones you point fingers when test scores are bad.

Aberdeener said...

Of course, teachers get credit for rising test scores but no individual gets more credit than Dr. O'Malley.

Anonymous said...

Joey,
Do you have a man crush on O'Malley?

The Quinn legacy question said...

As has been reported numerous times before:

Quinn spent $38 million dollars on the school construction program. Roofs, AC and Heat, Windows and much more were all chanaged or improved. Oversight and materials mandated and installed all involved the NJSCC commision out of Trenton, which was a program so badly handled that billions with a "B" were wasted and many people involved in the entire SCC program should have gone to jail. Those responsible did not go to jail due to their connections with our scheming politicians and the donations that were given to same by all involved with the NJSCC. Anyone surprised?

Quinn and others in leadership at the time of our construction mess did not closely watch the millions of our tax dollars that were so freely spent without any real oversight. They did not check where millions went to and there were millions were wasted when closer scrutiny would have achieived millions in savings.

The types and brand of windows alone mandated by the SCC and our schools choice of architects were overly expensive, when other brands were equally as good for far less money. Think about it. Every school in our district had all there windows changed. If we overpaid by $100.00 for each window in the district the number is huge.

Taxpayers money was just spent and spent and spent which with little oversight. We taxpayers will be paying for leaderships lack of oversight and malfeasance in office each year for many years to come. That is on top of normal operating costs and more which rise anually.

We only need to remember the lighting fixtures that we taxpayers paid for in the high school alone as one idiotic example of Quinns leadership. Lights installed just six months prior to the $38 million dollar program. Over $600,000.00 in lighting was installed just six months prior and was ripped out and discarded as part of the $38 million dollar construction program under Quinn. The lights are just one example so we can all be sure there were many other tax monies questionably spent similarly to the lighting.

It was far too easy for Quinn and others to just right a check when the taxpayers were paying for it.

It is amazing how anonymous 11:38 pm held Quinn out as some kind of succesful administrator with supposed accomplishment and excuse on what he did not do. Quinns lack of leadership and his weaknesses to be so easily bullied by overzealous school board members among other of his inadequacies show themselves still, years later.

O'Malley is not perfect and many have doubts about him. For anonymous to say that he did not have to do anything to the physical plant is true. The costs incurred from my post above by Quinn only had O'Malley having to address the debt and taxpayers who paid the bill and like me are angry still.

One last thing to remember. The football field is another example of Quinn and his arrogance. He denied the taxpayers ability to be heard or vote on a $1.4 million dollar expenditure, that we did not need. To quote former School Board member Barbara Williams "we don't get many scholarships on our side of town so at least we can get this new field to use". $1.4 million on a field as stated by anonymous that put our district on par with the best schools in the area. How about being on par with test scores with the best schools in our area?

When my children applied for college acceptance they have never been asked if the school they went to had an athletic field on par with the best schools in their area. Such a statement and belief is laughable and very costly to the taxpayers. Then again we paid half a million dollars for a snackbar and bathrooms and nobody had a problem with that one either. So what is another million or two for other equally unecessary expenditures.

It will be said the money was spent and I should let it go. We should not just let it go as such expenditures haunt us still and as may be taught in our schools still, history repeats itself.

Joe McAleer

Anonymous said...

BARABRA WILLIAMS WAS NOT A BOE MEMBER WHEN THE FIELD WAS COMPLETED. GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT

Aberdeener said...

If we're talking about Carolyn Williams, she was definitely one of the proponents to bypass a referendum on the football field.

So, maybe you should get your facts straight.

Anonymous said...

AND THANK GOD SHE ISN'T ON THE BOARD NOW

Anonymous said...

I didn't much care for Williams on the board either. She struck me as only interested in one particular group of students.

Williams voted for the $$$$ said...

I remember that she made that exact statement Big Joe put in his post. She was not there when it was finished but she damn sure voted for the million plus price tag. I was there and I rmemeber Martucci filling the room with his staff and the Pop Warner Midgets too.

So there!

Nah nah nah nah nah nah!

County Rd. remembers it too said...

By the way NsecJoe it was Carolyn not Barbara. You were right though she definatley voted for the money and did make that stupid statement. She and her face of confusion and disinterest and boredom is not missed one ioda.

twinsdad said...

Do the test scores reflect what our children actually know or do they reflect that they know how to take this type of test? It seems to me that the focus of the school changes as the standardized testing approaches. Teachers seem to start teaching the students how to take the test instead of teaching them their subjects. The bulk of the class time is geared towards language arts and and math while the amount of time for science , social studies and other subjects is diminished if not out right eliminated. One of my children will be doing some of his lunch break doing school work so he might score better on the test. Once the test is behind us he will no longer be getting this service. If he needs it to take the test it probably means he needs it for normal school operations as well.
My point is we can not just gear up for these tests. We have to establish a core curriculum that will make the need to cram for these tests unnecessary.

Anonymous said...

Its funny that Joe mentions Carolyn Williams who is long gone, but doesn't mention current board member Gerald Donaghue who supported the referendum and the football field. How about quoting the current board member who is still making bad decisions on our behalf while having a family member on the payroll. Gerald Donaghue said that while the cost is large, and the timing bad, the field was something that needed to be addressed. "We had to add on to our schools, add new teachers," Donaghue said "I want a little bit for the field."
Why is he never held accountable for his actions, Joe?

Aberdeener said...

Twinsdad,

The only may to measure is through testing. I believe we need to develop tests that accurately reflect what we want the children to learn.

Anonymous said...

I was not wrong the person said Barbara Willams, the Boe member at that time was Carolyn Williams so get your facts straight. I have lived in this district for the past 49 years and they are 2 different people.I was making a correction.

Aberdeener said...

Then you're old enough to recognize the difference between a denial and a correction. It was obvious who McAleer was referencing even if he got the name wrong.

Partially Proficient said...

Your data on security is flawed. The key is the word "reported". Everyone knows these numbers can be skewed and manipulated. Regardless of that, how about the notion that more crime was reported because with increased security comes more people getting caught committing crimes. Just because "reported" criminal activity is down doesn't mean criminal activity is down. Maybe the criminal activity level is up, just less people are getting caught.
Where are the hard decisions like drug testing that a lot of schools have done that really makes a difference when your serious about crime and drug use.
If what you report is true however, what has he specifically done to decrease crime?

Aberdeener said...

O'Malley has established clear criteria for when infractions should be reported. My understanding is that during the Quinn years, unless police were contacted, it was left to the administrator's discretion whether to report an incident.

O'Malley did the following:
- Reviewed the data where and when problems were occurring
- Placed staff at those locations and those times to prevent incidences

I believe he also made broader use of the security cameras but I'm not privy to the other security measures.

I've not heard any allegations that O'Malley is fixing the numbers by under-reporting crime.

Anonymous said...

IT IS NOT OBVIOUS WHEN YOU GET THE NAME WRONG. LET US KEEP THE FACTS STRAIGHT. LOOK THE FOOTBALL FIELD IS COMPLETED AND THE ENTIRE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AND THE BAND BENEFITS. SCHOLARSHIPS WORTH OVER 200 HUNDRED THOUSAND PER STUDENT HAS BEEN GIVEN OUT FOR THE PLAYERS ON THAT FIELD WHO HAVE WORKED HARD BOTH ON THE FIELD AND IN THE CLASSROOM. WHAT ABOUT THE BAND PARENTS I AM SURE THEY ARE ENJOYING THE NEW FIELD AS WELL.
THE REASON WHY COACH MARTUCCI AND OTHERS PUSHED FOR THE FIELD IT WAS A PACKAGE DEAL WITH ANOTHER SCHOOL. LOOK ABERDEEN NEEDED THAT FIELD TO BE REPAIRED TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE WITH THE OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE CONFERENCE AS WELL AS THE BAND.

Aberdeener said...

What's the justification for denying the taxpayers a referendum on a non-critical $1.4 million expansion?

Anonymous said...

What's the justification for giving O'Malley two raises in one year against the wishes of your constituency?

Marie Panos said...

Nice comeback! Yeah, why did you give Omalley raises Joey? Do you feel a strange attraction to him perhaps?

Aberdeener said...

I voted one raise for him. I've explained why dozens of times.

I'm still waiting to hear one person give one reasonable explanation for denying the taxpayers a referendum on a $1.4 million football field.

Anonymous said...

Yeah you voted for a raise, and this year you state we need 7 million dollars. The football field is not the problem,60 million plus school budget is.
Your job is to fix it. We are all waiting to see how you plan to accomplish this.

Anonymous said...

Because Joe Martucci wanted it and what Joe wants Joe gets. You know that, Aberdeener. What more of an explanation do you need.

Anonymous said...

I AM A PARENT OF A 8TH GRADE POP WARNER PLAYER. I HAVE HEARD HORROR STORIES ABOUT THE SCHOOL NOT GUIDING THE PARENTS WITH THE CORRECT INFORMATION ON ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS. MY SON IS A HONOR ROLL STUDENT BUT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE INFORMATION THAT IS NEEDED. SUCH AS NCAA CLEARINGHOUSE REQUIREMENTS. IF ANY PARENT IN THE LAST 3 YEARS SON OR DAUGHTER HAS RECEIVED A ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP CAN YOU EMAIL MR WARREN TO POST YOUR STORY...

Anonymous said...

Joey-

I think the point is that two wrongs don't make a right. Maybe the football should have gone to a public vote. That still does not excuse your actions.

Aberdeener said...

O'Malley's contract and no-referendum on the football field have nothing to do with each other. I've defended my position. I'm asking them to do the same.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander. :)

Face the facts said...

No scholarships that I recall. I do remember that many spoke out against the field at the time. Joe Mc. reminded us of that fact and the very real and arrogant dismissal of the taxpayers from the normal process to approve the field, at that same exact time many, many computers did not work in our school district. It is very simple Joe Martucci forced the board to go along with the 1.4 million dollar field that Martucci and his Maroon and Steal Club wanted. That is why the field was installed. Believe all the lies they told you? The test scores never went up one decimal point because of some astro-turf field. It is a nice field that we needed to keep Martucci happy and voting with his athletic parents block of votes. FACT! I agree with Joe Mc. history does repeat itself too often it costs us millions. Attack away.

Anonymous said...

It is maroon and steel.

Anonymous said...

Joey,
Just because you defended your position doesn't make it right on O'Malley, many disagree. Same thing on the football field debacle. Martucci wanted it and he got it. That's the defense. You should know that. Remember, he wanted the thug coach and he got that on your watch. Many complained, but it made no difference. What Joe wants Joe gets. An administrators salary to be the athletic director, and a stipend to be football coach. How do you defend your position on that?

Anonymous said...

Thug coach? What is this thug coach they speak about?

Aberdeener said...

I argued to modify policy to bar administrators from recommending themselves for stipends. The board disagreed.

NSectionJoe said...

The next School Board meeting coming up should be interesting.

My daughter came home today with the beginning of the gloom and doom rumors about programs and teachers that will soon have to be cut and far more as she said she was told all because of Governor Christie.

She asked me if people would lose their jobs? I told her yes that in the bloated beauracracy that is the business of education with an 11 billion dollar defecit in our state budget for next year, that yes people will lose their jobs and programs she may enjoy will be cut?

I also told her that like in the recent Wall Street debacle that cost us taxpayers tens of billions of dollars, that the people that caused the crisis at the top level would not lose their jobs. The people who actually do the work will be the first to be sacraficed. She quickly said that does not make sense. I told her it is the American way.

What we parents and more importantly us taxpayers have to be certain of is that we are completely advised of the process. We have to be 100% certain that cuts to student instruction, music, athletics and every other budgeted cost that will have to be cut in our district will be done fairly and that the pain is spread evenly across the board.

The decisions so needed for these changes from Trenton to Main Street as well, deserve strict attention to detail.

What I find even more troubling and all too telling is that the NJEA union spin machine is already spending their members union dues on a 100% inacurate and outright campaign of lies against Governor Christie, who by the way has been in office about a month now did not cause the defecit. The only truth in the ad is that the NJEA is blaming all politicians in Trenton as well. The drastic cuts that will be coming and soon become the norm for years to come in education, and many other programs will hurt all of us and it should be evenly disbursed. The NJEA truly knows no shame if they continue their campaign of lies even one more day against Governor Christie.

If any of you have ever been to Trenton under the Statehouse dome and you walk out the front door onto State Street, as you look across the street at the old historic homes that once had people living in them, they are now all occupied and owned by the offices and headquarters of special interest groups and lobbying organizations that have plied their trade for years against all of us who pay the bills. Organizations like the NJEA are just across the street and just as easliy they just have to walk across the street to ply their trade.

To have these NJEA ads on radio and soon television, all that seem to blame everyone else but the NJEA, is a shame. It is the utter hypocricy of such an organization to spin any blame away from themselves and their brutal tactics and monies spent against the taxpayers. The NJEA and its too powerful union leadership has had our political structure cowering and fearful for far too long. Governor Christie is the new Sheriff in town and in truth the old NJEA tactics in Trenton of blame everyone but yourslef is not working like it used too. I say good.

Yes my wife is a NJEA member and I can assure you she does not care for my being outspoken on theses subjects one bit. Speaking out is too often seen as being one who pisses into the wind. I see it as trying to shine light on those who hurt those they are supposed to represent. Who will the NJEA hurt with their lies? It won't be their leadership and their cushy jobs most certainly. You see every month thousands upons thousands of their union members pay their union dues right on time.

I say good luck Governor Christie.

We cannot afford to not get behind this man who knows what he has to do to stave off our states historic bankruptcy.

Anonymous said...

Everyone knows that's wrong. The board disagreed because its Joe. That proves my point of what Joe wants Joe gets. That's the defense for a bad policy and the football field. That explains your position on the stipend, but how about an athletic director making an administrators salary. Put him in an administrator position if you must pay him that much and pay an athletic director a lot less. As an administrator, he should not have time to coach football. You also didn't answer for your approval of the problem coach when you knew of his prior problems and the most recent incident. How do you defend your position on the two remaining issues? You surely can explain why you pay an athletic director over $125,000 and your defense of why you would take a chance and approve a stipend for a problem coach. Because its Joe and Joe gets what he wants is not an acceptable answer.

Anonymous said...

I am so tired of hearing Joe Mac. go on and on about the school's windows. I have been in almost all of our schools at some point and I see new windows in all. They replaced old windows. Just because one bitter construction worker told him that the windows were inferior doesn't make it actually true. I'm wondering if you remember the trailers at the middle school and if you have seen what the school looks like now. You can't tell me that the entire improvements were bogus because I actually saw the changes happen for good. Have you seen the science labs at the high school. Do you remember the roof leaking so hard at the high school that the summer programs had to be cancelled. I believe the roofing projects seem to have been a success. I agree that there was a lighting mixup but in a project of such a scale there were bound to be some mix=ups. If I believed everything that random disgruntled employees said I would be considered gullible. Perhaps Joe you could actually get some hard data for your claims at least once in a while. PS. nice plug for the music program because your kid uses it. Your bias is showing.

Anonymous said...

hold on, just one gosh blame minute here...did I just read there's another raise in the works for O'Malley? that can't be possible can it? frozen budgets to slashed budgets to a raise for O'Malley...something is not right.

Anonymous said...

Joe Mac we secretly know you are thanking the Lord that your wife is a teacher who "may" have health benefits and a pension when she retires so she can support you in your old age. That is if Chris Christie can keep his hands off any money that's left in the pension benefit fund. Tell me...if you were so against Quinn wasting all that money why didn't you protest the creation of a dance team? THAT cost money too and was created at the same time bowling and golf were reinstated. I suppose you can now support any cuts to sports, activites and programs because your last child is graduating. Please tell her not to persue a teaching degree. Apparently it's no longer a repected profession. Ok...I'm waiting for the 5000 word response.

Anonymous said...

O'Malley getting a raise but they are letting teachers go and cutting programs??? Is this WALL STREET??? Come to the next Board of Education meeting and make your voices heard!

NsecJoe said...

blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah etc.

Anonymous said...

Face the facts you need to check your facts first before you make a comment that no athletic scholarships were given in the last 3 years.

NSecJ said Don't read this said...

I am amazed that my attackers did not address the one ovewhelming fact that millions of dollars of all of our money was wasted.

The individual who stated that "I changed hundreds of windows I did not have to change" was in fact the construction supervisor who headed up the program. Roofs were leaking and many other problems existed in the schools and guess what. Even after the roofs were redone as part of the #38,000,000.00 costruction referendum some still leaked within short order and may still leak now. Know why? No one really kept an eye on the work.

Many districts all across the state wrote tens of millions in checks for school construction without really caring or checking on the checkers, since it was not their money. It was the taxpayers money and that is thought to be an unending supply by our leadership.

As for the science labs they should be great, since we paid for them twice. That is right. We paid for them in a prior construction referendum a few years earlier and they were never built out until the $38,000,000.00 was improperly spent. Now the lighting mix up was no mix up it was just another $600,000.00 of our hard earned moneys not being considered, and just typically thrown onto the trash heap. As a matter of fact the man that a few chastise and try to embarass routinely, school board memeber Gerry Donahue was in fact the one who brought the lighting mess to light and was one who checked and criticized the uncaring attitude that allowed it to happen. But he will be attacked as well like myself. Bring it on is what I am sure Gerry would say.

Just on these few examples I ask you to think how these few examples of the millions in wasteful spending and mismanagement could have been used, I don't know to maybe educate our children. We are talking about millions of dollars wasted that could have paid for the football field and many other educational priorities, many times over. It did not. This which as I stated from Trenton to Crest Way another governmental program did not work (SCC) and was not supervised or watched close enough. Sure it was millions wasted years ago, but we are still paying and will be for years and no one was was ever held accountable for these costly mistakes or the who cares attitude that pervades educational and governmental leadership, when it comes to taxpayers monies.

Yes my wife is a teacher and no I do not have to worry about her pension and health benefits taking care of me. I have worked since the age of twelve and knew even then I would work all my life and never retire. But you don't know me or mine and I find your statements to be typically ignorant. Look unto thyself for the reason you lash out in such a manner.

As for my daughter yes she has been on the Dance Team since walking into the high school four years ago. My wife and I are very proud of her and why should I or anyone else not have wanted such a team as part of her education? Is football, basketball and more the only sports we should fund? Do the football players or most other sports parents pay what the dance team parents have paid for over the years to fund some of the programs needs? We have bought uniforms, sneakers, dance shoes and more all four years and never said a word. So please tell me the other sports parents that do that. How many parents would have stormed the school board building if they were given a bill for football, baseball and basketball uniforms? Get real and realize that the root cause of my points is the complete and total lack of accountability and the bloated beauracracy that is the educational system. It is broken. It has catered to too many and it is far too costly to continue without massive changes from the top on down.

I realize my opinions are not the norm. Should I say nothing and allow it to continue unabated? Let me know what makes you happy? Better yet don't read anything I post. That will save you from your use of Pepto Bismol.

KoreanWarVetCB said...

Blah Blah Blah was funny. They added so much to the discussion ? NOT ! As Big Joe said it is just typical. I think it was Joel Glastein myself attacking what he knows is true. Yes Joel works like that. He is on here often. So attack away like Joe said and just keep writing those tax checks. I have paid every year as a resident for your children to go to school and said zip. I am glad that Big Joe stands up. You can ignore him all you want. Does he make sense versus the Blah Blah Blah we are spoonfed by buaracrats ? Yes he does. I know people hate that about him. Good ! Good morning Joel !

Git R Done said...

Joe Mac dont you know that standing up for what is right is not politically correct anymore?

Keep it up.

Obama has about 1115 days left in office.

Civil War General Strathmore said...

Shut up and move back to Korea if you hate it so much here.
That is where you come from right? Because your name says Korean war vet. I take it that means you are Korean?

Thanks Joe said...

As a resident of this town since 1988 I ask how is it that when men or woman like Joe stand up against corrupt and selfish leadership and the wateful and unaccounted for spending Joe gets criticized. He gets criticized by ghosts who won't even put an identity to their criticism. Some say well Joe is verbose and is long in making his points. That is absolute. Some people make their points in a few sentences. Joe makes his points by giving you the history of his points. Either way he is right far more often then he is wrong. No one is perfect. Is Joe any less right when he gives us all of the information rather then giving us snippets like the politicians and leadership he criticizes? Joe works for the town in a thankless job. Just ask him. He has to tell people what they don't want to do to keep our town clean, safe and more. The town I live in is better for it whether my fellow residents know it or not. Just look around our community and then look at other communities. Really look and you will see the difference. I for on would never want his job. The job he has is no different in any community. It is thankless you can be sure. Doubt me? Just call any other town and ask the code officer what he likes about his job. Then ask him how much support he gets for doing that job. They could not pay me enough.

Just an Aberdeen resident

Anonymous said...

Gary, Thanks for the kind words. You know me it just adds fuel to the fire. Joe

Anonymous said...

How can anyone say that a raise for O'Malley is not what the public wants? The Board did the right thing by doing what was needed to keep him here long-term. There is a marked improvement in the classrooms since he started.It's a good thing that personnel decisions are left to the elected board.

Think about it said...

I am amazed that with all the mess that Quinn left us with that now people are complaining about the man who may actually be doing his job.

ThatsafactJack said...

Millions are wasted and they attck the guy who proves it. Obviously a teacher or administrator was the critical one. They should turn their head in shame when they cash their paycheck. The entire system is broken and they all know it.

ThatsafactJack

Anonymous said...

Joey...what's up with some of the classrooms at Lloyd Rd having "bad air". You hear/know anything about this?

Anonymous said...

I think Joe MacA. is a great guy but his rantings need to be based on real facts and data which they rarely are. I know personally about one thing he has rants about and he is wrong. I once tried to tell him but he is just not open minded once he has his opinion formed. This has made me doubt most of what he says.

Anonymous said...

In response to Nsection Joe's criticism of the $1.4m spent on the football field, there are several points that I believe Joe failed to consider. First of all, it is Joe's right to criticize. But before you do, how about considering a few things that you failed to mention.

1.) Joe's comments would lead many to believe that new turf was installed solely for the benefit of the football program. While the football program is easiest to target, there are many other teams and non-athletic programs as well as youth and recreational programs that utilize the 'athletic' field now that were prohibited in the past. The athletic field is now multifunctional.

2.) A big point not mentioned is the life expectancy of this turf. For arguments sake, let's say that this turf has a life expectancy of say 20 years (I'm taking the liberty here because Joe put his own value on the window issue to make his point. I may be off but let's consider). What will be the cost savings over the next 20 years with the elimination of yearly grass cutting, various fertilizer applications, sod replacement, water bills, striping/lines, general maintenance, and man hours? Not to mention that the field will be available on a daily basis due to improved drainage so that it is not rendered a mudhole and unusable after each rainfall.

3.) Athletics and athletes seem to be a dirty word to some. To many of our student/athletes, the athletic fields have been a way to achieve their goals and dreams. There are numerous former student/athletes from this district who have gone on to become doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. Not to mention untold others who have received a college education in their chosen field - many because of a full or partial athletic scholarship. Without these opportunities perhaps a lot of goals and dreams, maybe a few maybe many, go unfulfilled.
So maybe, just maybe, the people who decided to move ahead with these projects should be accused of looking forward as opposed to looking over their shoulders or having their eyes closed.

Anonymous said...

Civil War General is the winner for this post.

CivilWarGeneralStrathmore said...

"Virgil Cain is the name and I served on the Danville train"-The Band

I'm sure Njoe's vet/cheerleader is pretty pissed ab me but whatever, he needed to be put in check.

Bill C. said...

Big Joe stated his points and now they have been overanalyzed. But ask just two questions.

One: Why were the voters denied the right to vote on such a major appropriation.

Two: Did it add anything to the education of the students at a time when there were numerous other educational requirements that the $1.4 million dollars should have been spent on rather the as was said *keeping up with the Jonses* per say.

I am sure he appreciates all of the points thrown his way and that this is being discussed. I still think he is right that the above stated reasons by leadership robbed the voters of their rights.

Anonymous said...

JOE MAC YOU TALK ABOUT DANCE SHOES AND DRESSES. HOW ABOUT PERSONAL TRAINER IN THE OFF SEASON, SPEED CAMPS, LIFT COACHES. DANCE SHOES PLEASE.... I HAVE SPENT MORE MONEY ON ONE CAMP THEN YOU HAVE SPEND IN THE 4 YEARS YOUR DAUGHTER WAS ON THE DANCE TEAM. AND YES THE REWARD MY SON IS IN SCHOOL AS WE SPEAK FOR FREE WITH A 3.4 GPA.
OH BY THE WAY THE DANCE TEAM DID THEY USE THE FOOTBALL FIELD? TO THE ABOVE POSTER THANK YOU FOR YOUR POSITIVE COMMENTS FOR A CHANGE.

Anonymous said...

Speed camp and more was your option. The monies njoe talks about were to educate all students. Next thing you won't even acknowledge the great expencse that a football program is in comparison to many other activities. Picking on njoes child serves no purpose since njoe looks at the big picture. That is far different then investing in ones owns sons athletic endauvours. That is your choice. The choice that should have been made for the field was arrogantly not given to the voters. It was Martuccis and his family club that wanted the field. An athletic club which should be pointed out still is in violation and a liability to the district due to their unregulated status. That club has been told this repeatedly as well as being told how to come into mandated compliance. But Maroon and Steal like Coach Joe bows to no one. Keep kicking njoe and like they say you wake the bear and its upon you before you know it. Joe looks at the big picture despite attacks and more. Right Civil ignorance?

NSectionJoe said...

REMEMBER YOU DO NOT HAVE TO READ WHAT I WRITE. IF YOU DO SO IT IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. THINK ABOUT IT.

First off I would respectfully ask that the subjects and posts not include personal attacks or questionable insinuations against anyones children.

The costs borne by all parents and guardians for their childrens out of schools activities are all voluntary. My expenses to bring the training and more since my daughter entered dance thirteen years ago is no different then any other parent pays for such extra activities. However, the use of my child to solicit some possible angry response from me is shortsighted and similarly laughable. I can assure you I laughed heartily at the suggestion and find such expressions all too telling. That fact along with the lack of substantive responses as to the facts and shared costs I presented seemed inconsequential.

The mere fact that the attacks and insinuations against me and mine along with the belittling of the millions and millions of dollars improperly prioritized by our flawed or questionable leadership also speaks volumes of some peoples true educational priorities. Some among us obviously find no fault with our past leaderships failures, just as long as a football field of a similar nature and expense of some neighboring school districts was attained. Yet, our schools pale in comparison to the test scores, college acceptance levels and graduation rates of these same schools. But that seems to not be a priority to some.

Some of you also may not know that suggested plans for mutual field expenses were proposed by our public officials to Quinn and others. Such proposals would have allowed for municipal grant applications to be applied for, which would have significantly lowered the schools actual costs for the field or fields that may have been given grant approval. The proposals were rebuffed by Quinn and a few others, and it seemed that the use of such field improvements would not be allowed to be a shared environment with the towns shared athletics needs.

The field monies spent that were not garnered in grants, as stated above could have done far more for educational scholarships or technology. It will be said that the field had to be changed. Some have offered proof that the field and its responsible parties allowed the field to fail. That like many other decisions by Quinn and others in my opinion is very possible. It will be said of me where is my proof. Those who stopped the field maintannce staff work the two years prior to the turf insdtallation, know the truth of that statement all too well.

Some will ask why I do not let the school construction and field monies go. The priorties of past administrations were arrogant, too easily led, bullied and more. Those actualities along with the fact that certain board members who pushed for the field did so with flawed and outright laughable reasoning is similarly all too telling f the types of people that led us and spent $300 million dollars under Quinn. That number did not include the $40 million for the field and the construction referendum of course.

The changes that will soon have to be enacted to deal with the fiscal crisis that our state is in, will soon put most extra school activities in jeopardy. It may soon come to pass that all extra activities will be borne by a students parents. This is the reality caused by a bloated system and leadership that knew no restraint. A system that wanted to give everything to everyone and did not care as to the very real costs.

This is somewhat similar to the writing on the Statue of Liberty, which reads in part,

Give us your tired your poor your huddled masses yearning to be free.

We as a society simply cannot afford all that we have offered any longer. Much of what we have all become too accustomed to at every layer of government, governmental service, program, benefit and more is unsustainable.

I can assure you I say this tongue in cheek. I apologize for being the realist in the group.

No one cares JoeM ? said...

Come on JoeM you know that the points you bring up don't matter? For too long too many of us have gotten used to corrupt politicians and inept leadership that is too often elected by popularity, rather then ability. Look at town hall and those that supposedly serve our best interests. Normy runs the show and they let him. At the school offices leaders ignore then numerous sins of the past and history will repeat itself. That is government and leadership chosen by popularity. It is the voters fault. The fact that corruption is everpresent in every facet of government and millions upon millions are wasted does not shock the average person. If they "only knew" is the answer. They do not as they are too busy trying to pay their taxes. Look at the school board meeting as an example it is aired on the TV channel only twice after the meeting occured. Yet we can see over and over again useless garage sale ads that no one uses. The fact that the school board meetings are hidden and for another fact that our town council meetings are not shown at all allows the Normy regime to operate in the dark. You and others trying to shine the light on Normy and his corruption or the inept leadership of education is honorable. The attacks you endure by people "anonymously" in the dark is no less contemptable then our Normy. I say keep it up since it pisses all of them off.

Malden Tom

Anonymous said...

Too bad you are not a lawyer Nsecj. You do argue your points well. The best thing is that you never let go. Some laugh at that you can be sure. Who cares about them? Not me.

Politicians are corrupt? said...

Politicians are corrupt? You got to be kidding?

Is the Pope Catholic said...

Do birds fly. Do bees buzz? Does rain fall? Does Norman Kauff Esq. head up developmental meetings that go nowhere unless he gets his corrupt payoff?

The answers to all of the above is

YES!

RIGHT NORM? said...

BLAH BLAH BLAH!

POLITICIANS ARE CORRUPT!

MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS OF HARD EARNED TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE WASTED BY CORRUPT AND INEPT LEADERSHIP!

SOMETHINGS NEVER CHANGE!

RIGHT NORM?

Anonymous said...

It seems to me the common thread here is Joe Martucci and his effort to serve himself and his athletic clubs illegal activity that is run by a family member. Of course he would be in favor of a new football field to go with his palace hot dog stand that he helped bilk the taxpayers the first time. My question is why do boards of education allow him to get away with this year after year no matter who is superintendent or who is on the board. Joey was like a pitbull before he was on the board and now he just sits quiet like everyone else before him and allows for a different set of rules for this guy. Joey, it is obvious you can't talk about the person in question but you can tell us why you allow this club to operate illegally (the audit points it out), with no accountability year after year.

Anonymous said...

As a parent, I finally see an improvement in my children's education, I attribute that to the efforts of Dr.O'Malley, and I am thankful.

Any comment I ever heard personally against Dr. O'Malley, was said by people who work in the district, be it teacher (many at the HS), instructional assistant, or school aide. They've led this campaign against him for obvious reasons, NOW THEY HAVE TO WORK. Too bad.

I hope the school board continues to support Dr. O'Malley. Our children need a superintendent that cares about their academic success.

Anonymous said...

Amen!

Anonymous said...

I've seen no campaign "against" O'Malley on this blog. I have seen comments that question the appropriateness and timeliness of the decision to raise his salary so soon, especially if you take the district's perilous financial shape into consideration.

TOUGH S TEACHERS said...

LIKE WAS SAID BEFORE. WE FINALLY HAVE A MAN WHOM IS DOING THE JOB WE PAY HIM TO DO. STILL A FEW OLD HENS ARE ANGRY. YOU CAN ALSO BE SURE THE UNION AND THE QUEENS AND KING WHO THINK AS TEACHERS THAT THEY RUN THE SHOW IN OUR SCHOOLS, THE SAME ONES THAT PUSHED SKELTON AND OTHERS OUT THE DOOR ARE VERY ANGRY AS WELL WITH DR. O. THEY GET LIKE THAT WHEN THEY DON'T GET THEIR WAY. TOUGH S.

JOE NEEDS TO KNOW said...

20 YEARS OF LAWN CUTTING AND ALL IS NOT THE POINT. TEST SCORES WERE IN THE BASEMENT. VOTERS DID NOT APPROVE IT. IT WAS SUPPOSEDLY NEEDED FOR QUESTIONABLE REASONS. IT CAN CAUSE MORE INJURIES THEN DIRT AND GRASS. IT WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A HIGHER COST THEN AND MUCH MORE IS TRUE....

BUT


NONE OF THAT MATTERS ANYMORE. BIG JOE NEEDS TO KNOW ONCE AND FOR ALL THE MONEY IS GONE. MISTAKES JUST LIKE THAT AND WORSE WILL HAPPEN. LEADERSHIP FOR THE MOST PART IN TOWN AND IN SCHOOLS ARE CORRUPT AND WORSE.


IT IS AFTER ALL THE AMERICAN WAY.

Anonymous said...

As adults we sometime attack the wrong people. The number one concern is our children and their education. Our children walk into a high school from the outside is not run down it gives them pride. The football field issue poeple is over and paid for, can we move on. I encorage you to use this blog to move forward with ideas to improve our school system. As parents will do everything possible to ensure our children the best foundation. Over the next few months use the BoE meetings to voice your concerns to improve our school system. THE PAST IS OVER, AND WE CAN ONLY MOVE FORWARD.

Anonymous said...

At least we can all agree that our local leadership cannot be trusted.

Anonymous said...

Dr. O'Malley is getting the job done. Period. We're finally seeing some progress with the test scores. Nice Job O'Malley!

Anonymous said...

In case anyone has been living in a hole in China since 2008 and many, many years befor that, this district has been coming along a fantastic forward movement!

will send you pictutrs

Anonymous said...

I just dont get how other BOE members who were around for the big vote on the building and field improvements get a free pass?

JOEY W- man up and tell us who is on the BOE now who voted for the money for improvement?

Njoe has been crying for years about it and thats his right - but where is the accountability for the 3 or 4 who were there and voted yes? Njoe mentions a former BOE member.... who else? and why the free pass? WHY?

Njoe - if your buddy wont answer, will you? Who was on the BOE and voted yes and why are they not held accountable by name?

Aberdeener said...

Of the six Aberdeen reps on the BOE, Ms. Rubino is the only member to have served more than one term.

In Matawan, all three have served more than one term but Mr. Kenny wasn't around then and Mr. O'Connell voted against it, leaving only Mr. Donaghue.

The record said...

2006-07 School Budget Vote

" Included $1,400,000 Lease Purchase Expense for Turf Field"

Barbato - YES
Zavorskas - YES
Demarest -YES
Williams - YES
Rubino - YES
Donaghue - YES
Aitken - NO
O'Connell - NO
Kenny- NO





Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 03/29/06
BY BRIAN LEE
KEYPORT BUREAU

ABERDEEN — Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District's Board of Education members voted 6-3 late Monday to present voters with a $59.1 million budget. Historically, voters have rejected district budget requests, and some residents thought this one will also fail.

The "nay" voters — Charles Kenny, Kenneth Aitken, and Lawrence O'Connell — red-flagged the proposed $1.45 million capital athletic facility upgrade at the high school.

Their position was backed by Matawan's Bob Casagrande, who accused the board of "rubber-stamping" the project that would install turf and lights, and resurface the track.

Casagrande criticized officials' upkeep of the field, and was skeptical about whether the board had investigated alternative funding options.

"I am appalled at such poor planning," Casagrande said, adding that the board should have formed an ad hoc group of parents and concerned citizens.

But board President Kathy Zavorskas took "exception" to the lashing, and noted the proposed lease purchase over 15 years would account for a penny of the tax rate in both communities this year.

Aberdeener said...

My mistake. Kenny was around then and voted against it. I knew he protested the expenditure but didn't realize he was on the board at the time of the vote.

Anonymous said...

And anyone can consider sending any barza controlled candidate back to the board. No way!

Barza and Norman Kauff said...

Barza deserves the fate they have gotten. They also deserve scorn and rebuke for the contempt they showed the voters and taxpayers. To Barza I say good riddance to you whole arrogant bunch of elitists who when it got tough all of you bailed. Such bravery? Still waiting on Jan Rubino and the ethics complaint still hanging out there against her. She was not the only one of the Barza group that violated ethics rules. Isn't that right Norman Kauff? After all Norman you know an awful lot about ethics violations and contempt for the voters. Right Norman?

Anonymous said...

Where does the money go that we rent the gyms go to, raises for people that say they did something , we kicked out school activities that people pay for like dance team , color guard and band and rent space at a premium to holmdel volleyball wheres the beef joey

Norm said...

Ummm....

I know contempt for anonymous nobodies who can suck my old ass...

Anonymous said...

Go get em Norm!!!! You Rule!!!

Bye bye N J in 12 months said...

A little testy today Norm? Good!

Your corruption knows no limits.

Too bad our newly elected council people also blindly follow you. We hoped they might have sent you packing.

Maybe next time?

It will only costs us millions to have the old crow Norm around and pulling their strings.

Just another day in Aberdeen.

Right Norm?

Twelve months till retirement.

Then it is bye bye Norm and the corruption that is politics New Jersey style. Hello Frisco!

NORM GET READY said...

DID ANYONE SEE THE HIDDEN MESSAGES ON THE TELEVISION SCREEN YESTERDAY? IT WAS SHOWN INVISIBLY DURING THE FOOTAGE OF THE SWEARING IN OF OUR BRAND SPANKING NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE GREAT STATE OF NEW JERSEY THERE WAS A NOTICE THAT READ ALONG THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN LIKE A TICKER TAPE.

IT READ

NORMAN KAUFF WE ARE COMING FOR YOU

YESTERDAY WAS A GOOD DAY FOR THE TAXPAYERS AND SHAKEN DOWN DEVELOPERS IN ABERDEEN.

MRS. KAUFF YOU MAY WANT TO BUY ONE OF THOSE LONG BED PILLOWS TO SLEEP WITH. YOUR NORM MAY BE SOON BUNKING WITH STRANGE MEN. AGAIN.

Anonymous said...

Subliminal messages, huh?You really need to have them up your meds.

Anonymous said...

36 senators voted to reduce school employee Pensions and Benefits. The vote was 36-0. Tell the State Assembly to Vote Yes. Call your representative in the State Assembly and tell them to support bills S-2,S-3,and S-4. The NJEA is lobbying against these bills, so we must support them.

Anonymous said...

Joey, in considering the budget presented the other night, I can't help but wonder how you went from a 0% tax increase last year to being $6 million in the hole this year. I know that you had a benefits increase and state cuts but that can't be the whole thing. What went wrong? Some thing that large doesn't happen overnight.

Anonymous said...

Joey,
Are you on vacation again or just frustrated? Fill us in on what happened at the board meeting and if O'Malley followed your suggestions or is going with his. Is ceramics in or out? Frustrating isn't it.

Anonymous said...

so beginning with Christie Whitman the state govt decided not to match their end of the deal for the public employee pension plan. Now the account is so depleted that we have to severly damage the educational process by cutting thousands of teachers state wide and drop hundres of programs where our yong people flourish because beauracratic mismanagement. Shame on all who faouled this up. Our state will look like the state of Mass. of the late 70's. That Dukakis screwed up. 50 plus kids in a class and no alternatives for kids. Shame on all!

Anonymous said...

Hey as long as the teachers have to pay who cares about the kids!

START PACKING NJEA&NK said...

THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL FOR THE NJEA UNION LEADERSHIP AND SCUMBAG POLITICAL BOSSES LIKE THE ABERDEEN DEMOCRATIC POSTER BOY FOR CORRUPTION THE ONE THE ONLY NORMAN KAUFF ESQ ATTORNEY AT LAW.

PACK YOU F'N BAGS AND GET THE F OUT OF YOUR CORRUPT AND GREEDY BUSINESSES.

THERE IS A NEW SHERIFF IN TOAN AND HIS NAME IS CHRIS CHRISTIE.

F U KAUFF

Aberdeener said...

Sorry I've gone quiet the past two days. Regarding the budget, as usual, I didn't get what I want but I did get some things, such as a reduction in the tax levy, the preservation of certain line items, and the elimination of others.

O'Malley's presentation is on the school website. I'm putting together some information and hope to post by tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

as long as teachers pay? you are so ignorant! dont worry about kids just hurting teachers no matter what? straight up IGNORANT!

Anonymous said...

So my question is:

if the teachers are going to pay for benefits as per the state, this should be an easy negotiation?

We have been asking for teacher contribution toward benfits and now it may become law - so really how much is there to fight about? I cannot wait for the answer.... and I am not saying give teachers raises in the least... but if they are going to pay for benefits, let's see how our BOE negotiates, in good favor?

F the NJEA said...

Ignorant? That is the best you can come up with because just maybe the teachers will have to pay 1.5% of their healthcare benefit.

WELCOME TO OUR TAXPAYER REALITY.

1.5% is NOTHING to have to pay.

So like was said in the posts above you NJEA union thugs better realize things are changing. It won't be overnight but it is the hope of many that the stranglehold that the NJEA has had over school board negotiations is finally over. If the NJEA is smart in this district they will settle soon and take what they can get. If not I hope they all have comfortable shoes and walk the picket lines.

F the NJEA.

TAXPAYER REALITY & THE NJEA said...

STRAIGHT UP IGNORANT NEEDS TO BE CAREFUL. YOUR OWN ARROGANCE AND YOUR OWN IGNORANCE AS TO THE REALITY THAT IS THE STRAINED AND STRUGGLING LIVES OF YOUR BOSSES *THE TAXPAYERS* NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED. WE ARE THE TAXPAYERS THAT YOU HAVE USED AND ABUSED AS YOU WERE REPRESENTED BY YOUR UNION THUGS IS OVER AND DONE WITH.

I AGREE WITH THE ABOVE POSTING. TAKE WHAT YOU CAN GET AS SOON AS YOU CAN GET IT AND SHUT THE HELL UP. I HAVE NOT HAD A RAISE IN TWO YEARS AND STRUGGLE EACH AND EVERY DAY. JUST LOOK AROUND YOUR TEACHERS ONLY PARKING LOTS. I ONLY WISH I COULD GIVE MY WIFE A CAR LIKE MOST OF YOU DRIVE.

ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN POAMPERED AND YOUR *FOR THE CHILDREN* BULL IS OLD NEWS. FOR YOUR CHILDREN WOULD BE MORE LIKE IT.

WAKE UP AND SMELL THE ROSES OR RETIRE AND JOIN THE REST OF US IN THE STRUGGLE.

GO GET THEM JOEY MAKE US PROUD.

Anonymous said...

While this a great start the 1.5% comes to about $75,000 for this district. One teachers salary is not going to solve the budget problems. It is time for the union to step up and give some concessions to keep more teachers on the payroll. Where is O'Malley coming from when he says a defeated budget would wipe out what was accomplished in two years, but would set the district back five years. That is just not responsible and he may not be worthy to run our district if his prediction is doom and gloom.

Anonymous said...

Let the chips fall where they may after giving big raises to to BOE I will never vote yes agan for a budget I feel like I was shamed

Anonymous said...

Can we all agree that calling union members "thugs", and most of all, calling our children's teachers "thugs", is way out of bounds? Anybody else feel that way? Besides, name calling as a negotiating tactic sounds pretty darn pathetic. What's the comeback? "I know you are but what am I!" Please, let's not embarrass ourselves like that.

That was the NJEA tactics said...

When it comes to NJEA thugs I say:

If it walks like duck

looks like a duck

and quacks like a duck

guess what?

It is a duck



On a statewide level the NJEA THUGS have ruined the lives and districts they supposedly serve.

Fact

They have routinely gotten far more then the private sector for far too long.

Fact

They know deep down in Trenton in that little office building across from the gold dome that houses the NJEA THUG ORGANIZATION.

Fact

It may have been the way of the past but it will not be the way of the future. Thank GOD.

Don't blame Governor Christie.

Blame your NJEA.

Fact

The taxpayers have had enough.

Fact

Anonymous said...

The tax payers have had enough. The greed of teachers union representatives along with the selfishness they have shown for years needs to be ignored. Many would say teachers are overpaid even before the down turn in the economy. The For The Children signs at election and budget time has for too long been an effective bargaining tool. It has also been too easy and convenient excuse for leadership to buckle under or to use for votes. Cut the programs and expenditures and the well known and too numerous high salaried administration people in their too costly, cushy and too often protected positions. Do that before you ask me for one thin dime more for the teachers and their union representatives. Get back to the three R's. It worked for many years before all of these social programs and experiments.

Anonymous said...

Don't foget about the contracts and negotiations for police departments. That is a big chunk of cash also the taxpayers cover. My cousin is a cop in Harlem and his pay pales in comparison to Matawan PD. When he visits he calls Matawan a little Mayberry.

It might be said the cushy contracts police get are just like the teachers. No one in leadership wants to say no to them and have them saying that we would be less safe over a couple dollars. It is far more then a couple dollars. I respect what they do and costs and benefits are also too high. Many of them even know it themselves.

It may be time for efficincy studies and not by retired police personell either. Make it a fair and impartial look inside such costs for those of us that pay the bills.

Anonymous said...

When the NJEA utters those words "Its for the children" they aren't speaking of children who are in school to get an education. They are speaking of themselves as the overindulged children of greed. The NJEA is planning on spending millions to fight Christies cuts yet they have no money to pay for their own retirements and health care. This is the chance for NJ to actually take back their government from the corrupt special interest groups and governing elites that have been living the good life on the taxpayers bill for too long. It is time to stop these corrupt employee unions who are committing suicide with their greed and sense of entitlement. The axe had to fall sooner or later. NJ could not continue on the path of self destructive liberalism.

Anonymous said...

Listen to me. Demonize, insult and belittle the teaching profession. Cut their salaries, slash their benefits. Then wonder why it is that the best people don't want to teach your likewise thick headed children. Go ahead, be really befuddled by it all!

Anonymous said...

The above post is obviously not from THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR.

Such anger is displayed since they finally are realizing that they won't be getting their larger then everyone else pay increase this year.

Too F'n bad.

Life


Ain't it a BITCH?

Anonymous said...

I am anonymous @ 3:20. I am not a teacher. But I have been taught by many excellent ones in my past. Looking back, I realize how formative they were in my life. I am very grateful to them. And very sad at the way the profession is spoken of on this blog. If this continues, I wonder who will want to teach in this district?

Anonymous said...

nice that you speak this way to the people you trust with your children

Unknown said...

I think O'Malley should have a new nicname--Have you seen him lately? I call him O'Dreamy!

O'Malley Rules? said...

Would you want the person who said the following leading our school district? "A defeated budget would not only wipe out what we have accomplished in two years, but would set the district back more than five years and present many more financial challenges in the future". When the budget is defeated the most the town councils will shave off is $400,000. $400,000 off a close to 60 million dollar budget and it will set us back more than five years? We may need a better leader for $185,000 a year. One who will take the money available to him and improve the district, not set it back five years. One who doesn't believe money will solve all the problems. One who doesn't want his contract re-written every year with financial incentives or job security with more years. I hope he really doesn't believe his own words and will prove himself to be worthy of the money he receives.

Anonymous said...

To the anonymous teacher @3:20 and 4:09
You don't have to wonder anymore. I have the answer to your question of who will want to teach in this district. All the teachers who are having a hard time finding work like the rest of us.

GOOD FOR THE KID said...

I watched the pod cast and the kid stole the show.

He told you BIG MOUTH Warren. A 17 yr old wiser than you.

He sees the importance of a diverse curriculum. The lady from the crowd who spoke did too. The mere fact that not every kid goes to college and the importance of exposure to all areas. He is there and she has lived here for years.

BUT YOU KNOW MORE without having even stepped in the buildings. YOUR MISSION and VISION "sentences" = not the real world. You would not know because you do not know our town, its diversity, its economics of the citizens.

It is your arrogance that kills us. Child care, ceramics, TV studio, excel, etc. are classes the kids like and THEIR PARENTS LET THEM TAKE. But now you know more and what best for a kid than the parents? You want UTOPIA- everyone makes the same and goes to college and volunteers. NOT REAL LIFE - as you argue with a kid about excel......

Anonymous said...

Amazing to me that you equate the value of an elective with the cost. In case you didn't know... students ARE required to take English/Math.. as always you tell half the story and then sit back and watch the pot stir. The electives they choose to take have nothing to do with their requirements. If you are so concerned about the test scores... why don't you focus on the real problem and not something ridiculous like electives.

Anonymous said...

Utopia: any kid probably does not want to take tough courses since mommy and daddy will coddle them and pay their bills. Time to make their own way on the world for a change I say. But that would not be what the guidance counselor or therapist would say. No they would say let them make their own way. They will know what to do and when to do it. NO THEY WON"T. They barely get out from behind the TV and the cl phone to learn. FACT!

When ceramics and athletic fields are more important then academics WE AS A SOCIETY ARE DOOMED.

The kid was well spoken and the mom was typical to let my kid do what they want. But when it goes bad the schools failed them will be the cry.

The kid was an a typical teenager. They don't want to work.

Anonymous said...

to the above poster... do you know the student who spoke to be able to make a judgemental remark as you did. If you would have listened to him at all, you would have heard him say he took Anatomy as an elective. To me that doesn't sound like a "typical teenager who doesn't want to do work". He was stating student's opinion as to the overall value of electives.. any electives. Ironic that it took a student to put Warren in his place.. something the general population and I imagine the rest of the school board would love to do.

Anonymous said...

Dear everyone saying electives such as ceramics should not be part of the district,

First of all, having a "practical arts" class was a STATE requirement. Prior to the name change in 2008, "visual/performing arts" was a requirement. Ceramics is something that fulfilled this. I am proud to say I took ceramics my senior year. Though that was after 3 years of electives such as Honors Psychology, Criminal Law, Economics, and the mandatory computer courses that actually did help me now that I'm in college. And I took that ceramics class in the middle of 5 AP classes, 2 of which were maths. Students are not allowed to have a schedule of "ceramics, gym, lunch, digital photography, band, and home economics," so do not act like it. Also, I'm more than certain that my ceramics teacher knew a lot more than some of my "academic" teachers, and the experience was more valuable than another course to study.

Second, colleges don't care if all you do is sit at home and study if you don't get involved in your school and have other interests. And students hate high school and learning in general if that's all that is available to them from the school. The issue isn't that students don't have their priorities in order so they fail academically; it's that they don't care. I've been back to the high school, and the attitudes of the students I've witnessed are almost enough to make me not want to go into teaching. So if any of you are concerned parents blaming the district because your kid is failing, try getting a bit involved in the study habits of your own child make sure they do their part, because, especially at the high school level, one can't assume it's the teachers' fault. I had a more than hectic schedule between activities which ate my nights and weekends and very demanding academic courses, but I sucked it up and did my work because I knew my parents wouldn't let me stretch myself if I got grades any less than I was capable. And after all my courses through junior year, the HSPA was a breeze. And I can also say I developed a good time management ethic for college because of all my activities.

Anonymous said...

What the student was stating was his opinion. Wrong and typical of a young man who has no real idea how our educational system works, does not work or that fails many like him each year. Teachers cannot teach such students all they will need to know to get through life. That is a given. But to commend him for thinking ceramics and other similar do nothing classes does little down the road to prepare him for the workforce. Many programs taught in school are a waste and the typical type of defense keeps programs like that funded. Fund the subjects that make people prepared for working in the real world first. Plenty of businesses are around if you want artistic appreciation. Not on my dollar though. Thank you very much.

Anonymous said...

As a former BOE Student Representative, I fully support Andrew's opinion as well as his right to express it. That is what he is there for - to speak for all of the students that may not always be represented accurately by the opinions that the Board members have. The fact that he has the ability to stand up and speak his mind with out trepidation shows great character. From experience, I can promise y'all that it is not easy to speak in front of an audience of adults, teachers and the Board of Education every month. Andrew, stand your ground, speak your mind, be respectful, and keep up the good work!

Anonymous said...

http://www.state.nj.us/education/sboe/meetings/2009/February/public/Item%20C.%20High%20School%20Graduation%20Amendments.doc.

All those believers of promoting "reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic" should take note that there are more state requirements to graduate high school other than simply passing the HSPA. Subchapter 1, 4.1 (pg 33) lists "nine academic areas" as part of the core curriculum, and the first one listed is visual/performing arts.

And the subject matter of calculus hasn't prepared me in particular for the real world, and there is no state testing that covers that, so should that no longer be funded? What about Spanish? Or classes examining literature? Last year's valedictorian was an artist honored by the White House, and while she is a naturally talented artist, I'm sure having the art classes at the high school helped her when she was applying to Pratt. Not every student is going to grow up to utilize the same skills, providing the wide range in high school helps students decide which direction they want to travel after.

Also, the argument of "this doesn't matter in the real world" is an excuse very often employed by students as a justification for their poor performance in classes (Nobody who has come into contact with high school students in the past thirty years should deny this), and one can see that it carries on through adulthood.

Anonymous said...

Have you spoken to the teachers who see the students progress daily and as more than just test scores that don't necessarily reflect their "proficiency"?

Anonymous said...

In response to the individual taking exception to my sending my daughter to private school. I prefer a teacher controlled enviorment whereas Matawan-Aberdeen has tenured teachers sitting on their asses reaping the benfits of our tax money. Ask Joey how much of the budget goes to salary and enjoy the answer. Don't get me wrong, there are "some" very good teachers in the district but the slackers out weight the good ones probably 10 to 1.

Anonymous said...

To the ignorant poster of anonymous or is that ignoramis , in regaurds to controlled teacher you send you daughter too , like every other buissness the cost of labor is 80 % of the product ship your daughter to china with the other jobs in this country see what kind of education she gets there , oh I forgot thats different where you work

Anonymous said...

As far as test scores teaching starts at home stop buying your kids phones Ipods and video games and sit down and spend a little time with your child , its your responsability to participate in your childs developement

Anonymous said...

It funny how everyone is so concerned with the Joes And the Os If you forgot what that stands for it is Joe Martucci and Richard Omalley.Lets get down to brass tax if your going to privitize fine but lets see some administrators get let go for a change Matawan Aberdeen is cutting 36 custodians and 32 teachers,And they are going to privitize the custodial department,So why are they keeping David Galvao the facility manager for 97,000 a year Is he more important than a teacher?

Anonymous said...

Same old story protect there own I agree what do you need a facility manager when we are out sourcing the custodians and will have there own facility manager , a bunch of Bull$$&^@ these people are selling O Malley got his raise beyond his contract I say oust all the board members and tar and feather them for the memmorrial day parade

Anonymous said...

Just a ploy by the school to get rid of people then rehire later there buddies from Mountainside by siting we need more teachers