Aberdeener

The Union Elite

2010-03-10T17:51:00.007-05:00

Where’s the outrage?

Two years ago, the Matawan Regional Teachers Association (MRTA), was outraged. Over two hundred teachers stormed a board of education meeting at Strathmore Elementary, wearing buttons that read “I CARE about our kids”. They picketed in front of board members’ homes and stuck placards in their car windshields when parking at the schools.

At the time, MRTA President Carl Kosmyna said "Tonight is about making a statement and about making the public aware that things are not what they seem in the district. We also want the board to see that we are standing here united."

Why was the union so outraged? Their salary guides hadn’t increased 4.5%.

Today, the school district is on the verge of terminating 73 employees. The union response? A flyer. Kosmyna’s only public comments, made literally minutes before a board vote on the budget, was a suggestion for the school board to recommend raising taxes as high as possible to avoid personnel cuts.

The union leaders are willing to beat the war drums for a raise but not to save scores of employees’ livelihoods? It doesn’t make sense unless, and this is just a theory, the union leaders were never fighting for their union. Maybe, just maybe, the union leaders were fighting for themselves. After all, even without increases to the salary guide, everybody but the highest paid teachers were still slated to receive a raise.

In 2008, the school board and MRTA ratified a memorandum calling for salary increases and retroactive pay in exchange for a change to the state health care plan, NJ Direct 10.

However, the exact language of the contract still needed to be negotiated, the biggest of which was the salary guide. The memorandum only refers to the total increase to the salary guide, not how that increase is distributed.

In an astonishing act of malfeasance, Board President Pat Demarest outsourced the writing of the salary guides to the teachers union and Joel Glastein, director of personnel. The salary guides were never reviewed by any third party or even by the school board prior to Ms. Demarest signing the contract.

While a district wants to increase salaries at the lower levels to attract the best teachers, unions want raises at the higher levels to boost pension income. With Demarest’s blessing, the union got what it wanted.

The below tables show what the union officers received from the revised salary guides. Comparing salary guides, our senior teachers earn over $3,000 more than their peers in most wealthy “I” districts in Monmouth County (p. 22), which explains the top-line’s slow growth rate – it can only grow so fast without appearing obscene.

However, the real story is the extraordinary spurt in income for those union officers that hadn’t yet reached the top rungs on the salary guides. To use an extreme example, Margaret De Be Voise, a building rep for the middle school, got a 62.30% salary increase over three years plus a five-thousand dollar check for retroactive pay. In fact, a third of union officers got about five-thousand dollars in retroactive pay.

Furthermore, among the officers, only Kathleen Vergaretti (32.35% raise) is earning below $84,000.

In other words, due to seniority, the union officers ain’t afraid of losing their jobs. Nor are they willing to sacrifice any raises to save jobs.

Let’s assume there’s $1.5 million budgeted for increases to the salary guide. The teachers could also shift to NJ Direct 15 for a 5% savings, or about $300,000. Additionally, the legislature looks likely to pass a requirement for all staff to contribute 1.5% of salary towards health benefits – another $500,000. That’s a total of $2.3 million savings. The terminations are saving the district $2.8 million. That still leaves a deficit of $500,000 but one that is far more manageable. Five more retirements could close the gap.

Absent union concessions, 73 staff members will lose their jobs and the district will begin looking for additional places to cut next year. Everybody but the most senior teachers and administrators will be at risk of losing their jobs.

Does the union leadership care? I’m guessing their membership does.

Name of Employee	2006-2007	2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010	3-yr Increase
Carl Kosmyna	80,580.00	82,330.00	85,220.00	87,080.00	8.07%
C. Marshall Gorman	69,330.00	71,900.00	86,540.00	87,900.00	26.78%
Patricia Mattern	82,960.00	84,650.00	87,540.00	89,400.00	7.76%
Janet Breslin	82,960.00	84,650.00	87,540.00	89,400.00	7.76%
Edward Kornberg	78,450.00	80,150.00	83,040.00	84,900.00	8.22%
Janette Caufield	65,998.40	69,750.00	76,110.00	84,350.00	27.81%
Rose Marie Turley	73,730.00	81,580.00	84,220.00	85,580.00	16.07%
Margaret De Be Voise	54,160.00	61,640.00	74,700.00	87,900.00	62.30%
Kathleen Vergaretti	51,560.00	54,440.00	62,070.00	68,240.00	32.35%
Suzanne Serden	78,450.00	80,150.00	83,040.00	84,900.00	8.22%
Barbara Lyttle	82,610.00	84,300.00	87,140.00	89,400.00	8.22%
Wenona Dubrowsky	64,070.00	71,900.00	86,540.00	87,900.00	37.19%

Name of Employee	Retro Pay	3-yr Increase
Carl Kosmyna	1168.00	6,500.00
C. Marshall Gorman	5120.00	18,570.00
Patricia Mattern	1168.00	6,440.00
Janet Breslin	1168.00	6,440.00
Edward Kornberg	1168.00	6,450.00
Janette Caufield	4954.49	18,351.60
Rose Marie Turley	1091.66	11,850.00
Margaret De Be Voise	5088.00	33,740.00
Kathleen Vergaretti	2104.00	16,680.00
Suzanne Serden	1168.00	6,450.00
Barbara Lyttle	1128.00	6,790.00
Wenona Dubrowsky	5120.00	23,830.00

Return of the Demarest

2010-03-04T08:22:00.007-05:00

The last time we saw Pat Demarest, she used the race card in an amateurish power play and publicly humiliated Revered Gattis of the St. Mark A.M.E. Zion Church. At the time, Zavorskas had resigned and both Demarest and Barbato declared they would not be seeking reelection. At her last board meeting, Demarest secretly invited Reverend Gattis to petition for the open seat. The non-Barza wing predictably objected to the surprise petition and insisted upon upholding the past practice of interviewing all interested candidates. Why Demarest would subject the reverend to such embarrassment or risk inflaming racial tensions is anybody’s guess.

Apparently, Demarest hasn’t learned anything because she’s playing racial politics again in a selfish bid to regain her spot on the Matawan-Aberdeen school board. Most employee grievance issues remain confidential and Demarest obviously relied upon that confidentiality in her latest gambit to win support from the African American community. Unfortunately for her, Demarest’s latest attacks against the school district have become public record.

Patricia Demarest has volunteered to testify against the school district in a grievance hearing involving the district’s senior African American, Wayne Spells. By stitching her affidavit to the school board minutes, it’s easy to see what happened and what she’s doing.

November 19th, 2007 - Shortly after Quinn’s departure, the school board voted unanimously to conduct a “Hearing and Investigation in the Terra Nova Test matter”. Every student in the district had “failed” the exam and the school board wanted to know what went wrong.

April 23rd, 2008 - Demarest is elected president of the school board at the re-organization meeting.

May 19th, 2008 – At Demarest’s first school board meeting since becoming president (i.e. her first opportunity to set the board agenda), the full board votes to “approve withholding of a salary increment for the following tenured staff member” – Employee 4496.

From Demarest’s affidavit, we now know that Employee 4496 was Wayne Spells, the Director of Special Programs, and that his increment withholding was “related to the administration of the 9th grade Terra Nova test in 2007”.

We also know that, as expected, the union filed a grievance on Mr. Spell’s behalf.

January 22nd, 2010 - I post an article about a “former school board member" who voted against Dr. O’Malley’s appointment and intended to run in the school board election.

January 29th, 2010 – One week after the blog post, Demarest files an affidavit on Mr. Spell’s behalf against the school district. Not only has she volunteered to testify against the school district, she also throws Dr. O’Malley under the bus by blaming him for failing “to inform [her] of the existence of relevant Board policies”.

So, let’s get this straight. Sitting at the table, we have a board president with five years experience on the school board, Mr. Gross, the board attorney for nearly a generation who probably wrote or reviewed every board policy, and Mr. Glastein, the former acting superintendent who’s been with the district for over 30 years, and Demarest blames O’Malley, who’s only been working full-time in the district for one month.

Are we to believe Demarest never questioned Mr. Gross or Mr. Glastein regarding procedures for withholding an increment? Maybe. After all, Demarest claimed, as board president, that she was not accountable for anything but her board votes.

Moreover, she’s a liar. As board president, Demarest was intimately familiar with Spell’s grievance filing, with his argument that the district did not comply with a particular policy, and the district’s position that that policy only applies to teachers, not administrators. Only now, over a year and a half later, after she’s decided to run for the school board, does Demarest claim she suddenly discovered this "obscure" policy and reversed position.

Does she really believe the public is so stupid to believe this? Yes, she does. That’s why she has such low expectations for our students.

So, to recap, Demarest votes against O’Malley’s appointment, then throws him under the bus when she volunteers to testify against the school district in her bid to regain African American support after she publicly humiliates Reverend Gattis. How ironic that Mr. Spell’s grievance only becomes exposed through Demarest’s efforts to undo the damage she inflicted upon herself the first time she played racial politics.

Demarest is still strongly linked to Barza. Her candidate’s petition has four signatures from the Barbato household and it will be interesting to see whether this linkage proves a boom or a bust for the Demarest campaign.

If only these were Demarest’s sole “indiscretions” but there’s more to come. Demarest has a history and she intends to make it our future.

Bill My Neighbor

2010-03-01T16:09:00.002-05:00

My esteemed colleague on the Matawan-Aberdeen School Board, Student Representative Andrew Monagle, articulated the community opposition to any program cuts – Any program that attracts student participation and has educational value should be maintained. Furthermore, all existing programs have educational value. For example, ceramics and TV production provide “career exploration”. Drivers ed satisfies a state requirement towards acquiring a driver’s permit. Golf has the educational benefits of any successful athletic program.

Since any program with student participation can find some justification, the logical outcome is - Don’t cut any student programs. Give the kids what they want and bill it to the taxpayer.

I respectfully dissent.

The critical issue is how one views taxes. Those opposed to cutting any student programs or services view taxes as the cost of living in a nice community. You want good schools, paved roads, a safe neighborhood, clean parks, etc.? Well, this is what it’s going to cost you. And, if you don’t like it, you’re free to move (as if uprooting your family, selling your house, and finding a new home were as easy as changing TV channels).

I view taxes as property seizures. I envision men with guns garnering your wages, plundering your bank account, and taking your home. Why? Because your neighbors voted to take more of your money than you could afford or ever agreed to pay.

Taxes are only a necessary evil when they support necessary expenditures. Otherwise, they’re just evil.

We’re spending over $600 for every student taking ceramics or TV production. Another $350 per student taking drivers ed. How can we justify forcing one person, under threat of losing his house, to pay for another person’s golf instruction?

How about a gun club? Citizens have the constitutional right to bear arms, gun safety is very important, and there are many occupations that require the use of firearms, such as law enforcement, security, and military. I’m also guessing it would be very popular.

Would we force our neighbors to pay for training sixteen-year-olds how to fire a rifle?

How about martial arts, scuba diving, or magic? Using student participation and “educational value” as the sole criteria, what program wouldn’t justify us picking our neighbors’ pockets?

Does this mean we’d end all electives outside of core requirements? Absolutely not. It does mean that, before confiscating our neighbors’ property, a program would have to meet a higher threshold than student popularity.

In my opinion, a program must meet four criteria to warrant taxation:

The money must be used “to pay the debts [or] provide for the common defense [or] general welfare” of the public
The benefit must outweigh the cost and burden to the taxpayers
The benefit must be a legitimate role of government
The public has no reasonable alternative

Does ceramics meet the threshold? The money is being used for the “general welfare” of the public, i.e. the students. Does the benefit outweigh the cost of $600 per student? No. Is teaching ceramics a legitimate role of government? Not when we have several other arts programs. Does the public have no reasonable alternatives? No. Students can enroll in a different arts program or study ceramics at one of the local private art schools.

How about drivers ed? I’d say yes to all but the 4th. Our district could lease space to competing driving schools and the students could pay private instructors.

How about golf? You’ve got to be kidding.

Remember this - If all school programs are sacred, then our private property is not.

Our country has a long tradition of balancing the majority’s will against the minority’s rights. Even if most of us want a ceramics class, we don’t have the right to make our neighbors pay for it.

Take-Home Pay in the School District

2010-02-25T21:59:00.006-05:00

I’m still formulating my thoughts on the budget but here’s a little nugget of some interest.

The APP maintains a database of all salaries for district employees. We all know that salaries aren’t the full story. Health benefits ($19,000 for a family plan) and pensions are the other major cost components.

However, there’s one more tidbit. Salary isn’t the same thing as take-home pay. Teachers have the opportunity to earn a bewildering array of stipends. The big ticket stipends are athletics. At the opposite end of the scale, this past Monday, the school board voted 6-3 to pay high school and middle school teachers $50 a head to attend their students’ graduations. (O’Connell, Gambino, and I dissented.)

Click here for an Excel download of the 2009 take-home pay for the Matawan-Aberdeen school district. Bear in mind, there are two flaws in the file. First, I had to compile it from a scanned document. Second, the list shows earned income, not salaries. Therefore, the incomes for those who only worked part of the year may be significantly less than their salaries.

In 2009, the top five earners were

O'MALLEY	RICHARD	182,326.82	Superintendent Of Schools
GLASTEIN	JOEL M.	158,434.52	Deputy Superintendent
Martucci	Joseph	140,729.23	Director of Athletics/Assistant Principal
RUSCAVAGE	MICHELE	139,705.86	Principal
Olsen	Kathleen	139,244.59	Principal

In 2009, the top five earners among teachers were

Turner	Samuel	111,619.36	Driver Education (Fall – Spring)
Geran	John	108,947.65	Pre Calculus
Kaye	John	108,670.95	Physical Education & Health Education
Stead	Thomas	103,750.20	Principle of Chemistry BD Class
Friedl	James P.	102,971.36	Principle of Lab Chemistry ICR

Among full-time teachers and administrators, 43% of staff earned over $80,000.

After teachers, the next largest category of full-time workers is secretarial at 34. They’re also the lowest paid, earning a little over $40,000 on average.

The next largest group is custodians, 31 employees at an average take-home pay of $59,026 (excluding the 3 individuals who didn’t work a full year).

Including part-timers, the district employs 49 teacher aides but only 6 earned more than $30,000 last year.

Nationwide, over half of all unionized employees work in the public sector. In other words, the primary purpose of unionization is to protect workers from the public. Between their salaries, benefits, and job security, I’m not surprised.

O’Malley’s Record

2010-02-17T19:50:00.014-05:00

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.

Death by a Thousand Cuts

2010-02-10T13:41:00.003-05:00

Note: In addition to the projected $6 million hole for next year, we just had a million dollars cut from this year's budget. Here's the list (page 10) of the state's cuts, district-by-district.

Your taxes are about to go up again. This week, Dr. O’Malley presented his initial draft budget proposal to the Matawan-Aberdeen school board and he recommends raising school property taxes by 3% to help close a projected $6 million budget hole for next year. Today, I emailed the board my budget proposal that entails a small tax decrease. It’s all about what you’re willing to cut.

Between salaries, benefits, and the like, total expenditures are projected to increase by $3.5 million. State aid will likely be cut by $2.5 million. Hence, the $6 million budget gap.

To cut expenses, Dr. O’Malley has recommended eliminating 39 staff positions, ending summer school, and using one-time measures such as paying our health insurance bill two months late. The $1.2 million in one-shots means we could still be looking at another $4 million budget hole next year, depending upon what happens in the state legislature. So, even with $3.5 million in permanent spending cuts and $1.3 million in tax increases, we’re still looking at more cuts and more tax increases next year.

The argument is tax increases are natural and necessary because costs increase and wages increase and the only significant sources of revenue are government aid and property taxes. But that assumes we’re operating at near maximum efficiency, that there’s no more fat to be cut.

So, let’s talk about what the recommended tax increases will help fund. High school students can take the following classes to meet their credit requirements for graduation – drivers ed, ceramics, acting, computer applications (i.e. Excel and Access), sports marketing, TV production, stock market analysis, food fashion & family (meal prep and sewing), business technology (i.e. working in the school store), stage acting, children’s literature, SAT prep, and choir.

The administration objects to cutting any of these programs, all of which could be done as after-school activities, especially considering that one-third of seniors have failed to score 50% on a HSPA exam and may not graduate.

In the elementary schools, we have three full-time computer teachers teaching six to eight-year-olds how to surf the web and do PowerPoint presentations.

We have custodians earning more than teachers with masters degrees.

We have school psychologists earning supervisor salaries even though they don’t do any supervisory work.

We’re spending over $60,000 a year on student work-study programs.

Among the sports teams, we’re funding golf, bowling, tennis, and volleyball.

We could cut all these programs without impacting our school mission one bit, namely educating and preparing our students to “achieve success as honorable members of society”.

My proposed budget calls for the following:

Outsource all staff members and departments that can be outsourced. This will allow us to remove unwanted personnel, take staff off the salary guides, and give them benefits on par with the private sector
Eliminate one pre-kindergarten position. This will raise class size but we are not required to provide pre-school programs to the general public
Postpone textbook purchases for one year. This is a one-time measure that doesn’t bend the cost curve but we’re in a bad year
Eliminate all work study positions
Replace elementary computer teachers with self-guided software tutorials
Raise class sizes up to 22 students except in Strathmore where overcrowding already has class sizes at 26
Eliminate the TV production class
Eliminate high school computer instruction. Astonishingly, the school district does not teach any computer programming. (Web page design refers to page layout, not data processing.) Excluding graphic design, the computer courses have very little commercial or educational value
Eliminate ceramics

My proposed budget would slightly reduce taxes without adversely impacting our core mission or undermining our future. However, I acknowledge that I am also using $1.7 million in one-time spending measures, which means expanding next year’s budget gap by $500,000 above Dr. O’Malley’s proposal. Even so, from a financial perspective, over the next two years, we’ll be spending $2.5 million less under my proposal. I would also argue from a strategic perspective that my cuts preserve more core services and are more aligned with our long-term goals than Dr. O’Malley’s.

The one other possibility that has been discussed but not seriously considered is for the board to declare it will not consider any adjustments to next year’s teacher salary guide. The issue is whether the district can reasonably budget under the assumption that we won’t cave into pressure and increase funding for salaries.

None of this is easy. We’re talking about terminating high-valued employees to retain unwanted tenured employees. We’re talking about people losing their jobs. But this is what it takes to keep taxes from rising.

The current proposal calls for a 3% tax increase and eliminating positions and services that I consider core to our mission. I have offered an alternative.

For everybody complaining about their high property taxes, remember this - The government didn't raise our taxes all at once. They did it bit by bit. Voting against the budget won’t stop our taxes from increasing. The only way to do that is to contact your representatives on the school board and to do it now.

Awarding Contracts to the Highest Bidder

2010-01-27T13:36:00.004-05:00

We’ve seen this movie before and we know how it ends. All of the professional service contracts have been awarded to the big dogs within the local or county Democratic Party. The appointments were awarded through a “fair and open” process as defined by New Jersey Statute. The “fair and open” process allows our elected representatives to take the legal limit in contributions from all their vendors. The “Non-Fair and Open” process restricts contributions from vendors to just $300. Hence the terms. It’s “non-fair” to only be able to take $300 from vendors getting government contracts potentially worth millions.

For background on the vendors, you can read the article from 18 months ago. However, we do have one new body on the team. To us, Eric Bernstein is a simple labor attorney. But, to the rest of the world, he’s known as one of the premiere porn lawyers and is a regular in the porn speaking circuit.

Another interesting point is Aberdeen Township’s planning board, the breeding ground for our future leaders. Bill Shenton is chairman of the Aberdeen Democratic Executive Committee and chairman of the planning board. Robert Brady succeeds Jimmy Lauro as the next township employee with extensive "CME" experience. Pedro Mirabal has the experience of sitting on both sides of the table at the same time although I’m guessing he had the good sense to abstain from voting on his own application. Concetta Kelley is a local math teacher who endorses more calculator usage in the elementary grade levels.

Our august councilman, Vincent Vinci, was elected Deputy Mayor as a going away present for his last years on the council. This is in addition to the appreciation award he received for his 12 years of service on the town planning board.

Other alumni of the planning board include Mayor Tagliarini, Councilwoman Gumbs, Councilwoman Montone, Councilman Cannon, and Councilman Lauro.

Welcome to the future. It bears a strong resemblance to our past.

Will Barza Strike Back

2010-01-22T09:04:00.001-05:00

The term “Barza” has come to describe any school board members who seek to benefit themselves and their friends through abuse of power and political machinations on the school board. This past year, we rid ourselves of their influence and the school district has made great strides. Our focus is, once again, the education and development of our students. We are holding the line against tax increases. We are holding our staff accountable for results. This April’s election will be a referendum on all the changes we’ve made because Barza is back.

Two people have announced their intentions to run for the seats occupied by Dr. Gambino and Dr. Delaney. One is a disgruntled former employee who was dismissed by Dr. O’Malley. The other is a former school board member who voted against Dr. O’Malley’s appointment. Their agenda is obvious – payback and a return to the old days.

So far, there’s no word of a Matawan candidate and I strongly doubt they could garner Mr. Ruprecht’s support to oust Dr. O’Malley. However, Dr. O’Malley’s contract expires next year. A community vote to return Barza to power, plus the difficulties of working with a divisive and combative board, would be a powerful incentive for Dr. O’Malley to consider a higher paying position in another district.

As a courtesy, I won’t expose their names until they file their candidate petitions but I will expose their histories. How the former board member tried to install Mr. Glastein as the district superintendent and how the former employee achieved nothing in the school district. Everything in the public record is on the table, from their payment histories to their voting records. I intend to show they have no platform, no ideas, nothing to offer but revenge.

The former employee has tight connections to the local democratic leadership. The former school board member has the teachers union’s support.

In a democracy, the people get the government they deserve. It’s time to show we deserve better than these two.

Recap!

2010-01-17T12:29:00.002-05:00

This post is for all the fabricators, connivers, fools, ignoramuses, and all their ostrich friends who prefer to stick their heads in the sand and live in the world of See-No-Evil.

Each of the articles below includes documentary proof so let's not hear anymore of those sham protests "Where's the evidence?"

I never claimed proof of criminal conduct. Rather, I have argued our elected representatives have violated their oaths of office, have stolen from our community, and have breached the basest standards of professional ethics.

For those wondering about the dearth of articles in 2009, my apologies but I've been busy on the school board.

Allow the evidence to speak for itself.

March 8, 2008 - Aberdeen Pays Hush Money to Ex-Town Manager - After working 25 months for the township, former town manager Stuart Brown is given about $75,000 and one year of health insurance. The severance contract bars Brown from making any "disparaging remarks" and from ever working again for the township. He's also barred from discussing any terms of the agreement despite the fact it's a public document.

March 24, 2008 - Aberdeen's Budget Turns a Loophole into a Noose - After running a campaign of no tax increases the prior year, the all-democratic town council launches the largest tax increase in the township's history.

March 28, 2008 - Campaign Finance Fraud in Aberdeen - The 2005 and 2007 local democratic campaigns fail to account for thousands of dollars in contributions and disbursements. Councilman Vinci is paid consulting fees by his own reelection committee.

April 4, 2008 - Aberdeen's Inflated Pensions - Aberdeen's former chief of police, former town manager, and former township attorney receive the largest pensions in Monmouth County for their respective titles.

April 17, 2008 - Councilman Vinci's Compulsion - The township sells 2538 square feet of land to Councilman Vinci for $1. This is in addition to the thousands of square feet he "bought" from the county, also for $1. The land purchased from the county was never added to the tax rolls making them tax-free.

April 29, 2008 - Of Mice and Men (and Women) - The township retains a developer, Silver Oaks, for the transit village redevelopment project. Silver Oaks' owner, William Bocra, was previously convicted of bribing an IRS auditor.

May 6, 2008 - Lucky Ciaglia's Luck Runs Out - The Ciaglia family, a prominent local developer, is allowed to overbuild on certain parcels and is saved from property tax adjustments until after the properties are sold. In 2006, Ciaglia paid $440.95 in property taxes for five homes worth a combined $3,000,000.

May 16, 2008 - All Roads Lead to Norm - Most of our professional vendors have a direct connection to Norman Kauff, the former township attorney and then head of the Aberdeen Democratic Executive Committee.

May 29, 2008 - Councilman Vinci at the Trough - Monmouth County spends nearly half a million dollars to purchase a private home, demolish it, and install a private driveway so that highway workers would no longer drive on the dead end street where Councilman Vinci resides. The councilman's intersection is also blessed with the only two "Do not Block Intersection" signs in Aberdeen.

June 12, 2008 - Councilwoman Gumbs' Special Land Deal - Councilwoman Gumbs, her family, and neighbors, are generously compensated for land dedicated to the township's vaunted road development program. The councilwoman receives the highest dollar amount and her relative gets the highest square footage rate. Also, the land survey conducted for Councilwoman Gumbs lists her property as wider than recorded on the tax records.

August 4, 2008 - Budgeting CME Associates Style - CME, the township's engineer and the largest contributor to Aberdeen's democrats, receives over $1,000,000 a year from Aberdeen Township. In two sample cases, CME raises their costs beyond what appears reasonable. In a third instance, they prepared a grant for outdoor lighting that was nearly double the actual cost and included nearly $80,000 in "administrative fees" when no such fees were needed or expended.

August 19, 2008 - Republicans Not Welcome - The prior year, Aberdeen enacted a pay-to-play ordinance that excluded all vendors providing professional services, i.e. the very people funding the local campaigns. At the time of its enactment, the ordinance was only pertinent to one developer, Jack Morris, whom Matawan had selected for the transit village. Coincidentally, the ordinance was passed while Aberdeen's developer, Silver Oaks, was suing Matawan for selecting a different developer.

November 16, 2008 - Another One Bites the Dust - Two months earlier, Councilwoman Gallo strenuously objected to some of the no-bid contracts being awarded to the party's political benefactors. It was the last council meeting she ever attended. Councilwoman Gallo resigned her seat, which was then assumed by now-Mayor Tagliarini.

December 22, 2008 - Affordable Housing for the Rich - The town planner does an about-face regarding proposals for new property developments after the Ciffeli family, a prominent local developer, takes the lead role.

January 29, 2009 - Will Aberdeen End Pay-to-Play? - After several complaints of pay-to-play, the town council considers a draft pay-to-play ordinance. The draft is never revisited, never adopted.

October 16, 2009 - More Politics as Usual - Recently posted town council minutes show the auditor criticizing the town for spending "money you haven't raised." Other goodies included CME requesting to increase a project's costs by $382,125.50 and the council reappointing convicted felon Bocra to be lead developer in the transit village.

November 1, 2009 - New Faces, Same Democrats - During the election season, the Democrats promote the pension deferral as a "spending cut" and run individual campaigns to circumvent campaign finance disclosure laws.

A Letter from Councilman Cannon

2010-01-13T18:19:00.003-05:00

Below is a letter from Councilman Cannon. It is the first time any councilman has submitted a letter for publication on this blog and I hope my readership will demonstrate appropriate decorum.

Dear Mr. Warren,

As you know, I officially took the oath of office and began my term as a member of the Aberdeen Township Council on January 1, 2010. I now find myself in the honored position of serving the residents of Aberdeen and helping shape the future of our community. During my campaign last year, I visited every neighborhood in Aberdeen and promised to enhance the openness, efficiency and responsiveness of our local government if I was elected. Now, as a Councilman, the first step in achieving these goals is to make myself both available and accessible to my fellow residents. In that vein, I am aware of your blog, The Aberdeener, which appears to be read by a significant number of Aberdeen residents. Accordingly, I write to provide you with my contact information and request that you post this e-mail to The Aberdeener, so that your readers may be provided with the ability to contact me directly. My e-mail address is Gregory.Cannon@AberdeenNJ.org and my phone number is (732) 696-2623.

I recognize that it is possible for me to post this information to The Aberdeener on my own. However, while I periodically read your blog, I cannot post in comment-thread discussions because anonymous, unproductive and sometimes outrageous comments are allowed. That being said, I would never begrudge the ability of individuals to exercise their right to free (and anonymous) speech, nor do I object to comments that concern me personally, as I have chosen to make myself a public figure. However, it is a hallmark of our democratic process that those who wish to air their grievances must identify themselves to provide: 1) context to the deliberation and debate of issues; and 2) the ability to redress same. That is why all governmental bodies require residents to state their name and address prior to participating in the public comment portion of their meetings. Simply, my posting to the comment-thread discussions on your blog would not be fruitful, but I seek to fulfill my campaign promises by making myself available to every Aberdeen resident in every available forum, including The Aberdeener.

Further, I also write to address your recent post, "Aberdeen's September." Therein, you stated: "Another interesting real estate purchase in September was from Matawan Borough Councilman Cannon. Looks like he’s moving back to Aberdeen, again, which would explain his decision to not seek re-election. The interesting part, though, is that he was able to purchase the property with only a $5,000 down payment. He probably used the same mortgage broker as his son, Gregory Cannon, democratic candidate for township council, who only made a $4,000 deposit on his property. It’s good to know such loan conditions are still available." It appears that your implication is that either myself or my family received some sort of favorable treatment from mortgage lenders as a result of our participation in local politics and service to the community. I can assure you that such an implication could not be farther from the truth.

First, your calculation of a $4,000 deposit on my condominium by subtracting the purchase price from the amount of my mortgage is incorrect. My purchase was financed through an FHA loan, which is available from any lender to any applicant that meets selective credit standards and which correspondingly requires a 3.5% down payment, instead of the typical 5+%. Further, I capitalized certain fees and mortgage insurance that increased the amount of my mortgage relative to the purchase price of my home. Attached please find a copy of my HUD-1 Uniform Settlement Statement confirming the foregoing.

Second, as to my family, the mortgage and deed you posted to The Aberdeener clearly indicate that "Derek Cannon," my brother, is the primary borrower and owner of 41 Bechstein Drive. My father, Michael Cannon, and my mother merely co-signed to assist their son in the purchase of his first home. As cooperation has always been the spirit of our family, my parents will also live with my brother for a short time at that address until my other brother, Brett, graduates from Purdue University this year and my parents are able to retire and move to the home they are preparing in Florida. While my brother, Derek, did not use the same mortgage lender that I did (contrary to your assertion and evident from the documents you posted), he did finance the purchase of his home much in the same way I did. Thus, the increased amount of his mortgage relative to the purchase price of his home. Notably, we were both represented by the same attorney for obvious reasons, i.e. the real estate department of my law firm.

Finally, I previously stated that I would never begrudge the ability of individuals to exercise their right to free speech, which obviously includes you, as the host of The Aberdeener. However, as the host and essentially an investigative reporter, I believe that you have a heightened responsibility to check facts before implying malfeasance or wrongdoing. In the aforementioned instance, I realize that this may not have been possible, but going forward please contact me to verify information before posting about me or my family.

Thank you in advance and I am honored to be your elected representative on the Aberdeen Township Council.

Sincerely,

Greg Cannon

More School Budget Woes

2010-01-12T22:42:00.002-05:00

Last September, the school district discovered that $1.7 million of the state funding was derived from federal stimulus money and would likely be non-recurring. That created the first big whole in the budget. Last week, the district learned the state would probably cut our funding some more. Every year, after setting aside a 2% surplus to maintain as a rainy day fund, the leftover monies would go into the Budgeted Fund Balance and used for taxpayer relief the following year. To cut the state deficit, Gov. Corzine has proposed cutting state funding by half the Budgeted Fund Balance. For Matawan-Aberdeen, that means another $280,000 cut on top of the $1.7 million cut.

Meanwhile, our operating costs continue to rise. New Jersey is raising the premiums on our health benefits plan by 25% and every staff member is expecting a salary increase. (Last year, salaries were projected to grow $1.4 million before cuts and total health benefits to cost $6.7 million.) Toss in pension, utilities, and everything else with cost increases and you’re playing in a $5 million ballpark.

Yet, we cannot afford to raise taxes.

At last night’s meeting, I presented three lists I downloaded from the Monmouth County website. In the past 90 days, Aberdeen Township sold tax certificates against 41 properties. During that same time period, foreclosure actions were initiated against 39 properties in Aberdeen. And the Sheriff’s list of sales includes 39 Aberdeen properties. For a small community during a short time period, this is huge.

Additionally, the jobs market continues to shrink and inflation fears are rising as the dollar falls.

We cannot afford tax increases.

Though I’m only one of nine board members, I believe several others share my position. We must cut everywhere we can cut without jeopardizing our mission or seriously detracting from our quality of life. We need to be creative. And we, as a community, must be willing to recognize that these cuts will be painful, far more for some than others, but our only alternative is to raise taxes and I do not believe that is an option.

For those wondering, I remain committed to supporting another hefty salary increase for Dr. O’Malley and Ms. Irons if they can deliver another 0% tax levy increase without any major cuts to critical services. Even in bad times, we must always reward performance.

Unlike prior boards or the town council, we must lead, we must set the targets, and we must hold our administration accountable. I oppose any tax increase this year.

Marlboro Contract Negotiations – A Case Study

2010-01-05T17:14:00.003-05:00

Although the details are under wraps until the contract is ratified, the Marlboro teachers union is celebrating big time. According to their website, they got big raises for the single concession of moving to the state health insurance plan. Their path to victory is quite illuminating.

As often happens, negotiations reached an impasse and the parties turned to the state for mediation. The state mediator is called a “fact-finder” to disguise his role as a state flunky who’s received the teachers union’s seal of approval. His findings of fact were so uproariously ludicrous that the Marlboro school board promptly posted his report.

According to the report, the final offers still in dispute prior to his arrival were as follows:

Marlboro School Board:

Employees working 20 hours a week must now earn 30 hours a week to receive health benefits (current employees get grandfathered)
Healthcare – Employees must contribute $494 per year for single plans and $1048 for family plans
Increase co-pay from $15 to $30
Increase prescription brand co-pay from $20 to $30
Increase teacher salaries by 13.57% over the next three years

Teachers Union:

No to all the above
Increase salaries by 21.55% over the next four years
Eliminate dental cap payment of $785.16

So, in addition to the raises teachers receive for progressing along the salary guide, the Marlboro teachers union wanted another 21.55% raise over four years, and they were demanding this during the worst recession in thirty years.

How does the “fact-finder” characterize their demand? “The Association argues that its proposals best serve the interest and welfare of the public.”

Let’s look at that line again. The teachers union is demanding annual raises of 5% during a recession and housing crisis in “the interest and welfare of the public.” By a show of hands, how many people think the union is demanding big raises because they want more money, period? Now, how many believe the teachers union is demanding more money to benefit the community? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Well, this may shock you but the state flunky, I mean “fact finder”, agreed with the teachers union. “While the public welfare is a broad measure, it requires consideration of fiscal responsibility as well as the compensation package needed to attract and retain a highly productive teaching staff with high morale and dedication to their important tasks.”

Let’s talk about fiscal responsibility. How is the school district going to pay for these salary raises? “The District’s financial situation has been reviewed and shown capable to support the [fact finder] recommendations made.”

You hear that? The district has the money. They can just take it from the taxpayers. Recession? What recession? Pay up.

The “fact finder’s” recommendations? No change to benefits, no employee contributions to health benefits, and salary increases of 13.14% over three years.

Why are half-time employees entitled to full-time benefits? “The board’s proposal to increase the number of hours of eligibility from 20 to 30 would immediately add a large number of bus personnel, instructional and library assistants to the ranks of the uninsured. Employees who currently work six hours per day could readily find themselves working five and one-half hours and thereby not qualifying for health coverage. While the board would achieve its goal of reducing insurance cost, the community would suffer more from the loss of these talented and dedicated employees.”

That’s a remarkable finding considering the board recommended all current employees “who work twenty (20) hours or more shall retain health benefits” but I guess the “fact finder” had to find some reason to justify full-time benefits for half-time employees, even if it meant lying.

As for the rising costs of health care, they are “far from the crushing increases the board likes to portray.”

True, six school districts in Monmouth County require employee contributions to health benefits but they’re a minority. “The district may point to the private sector where contributions may be more common, but it is not in the private sector.”

There you have it. A state employee demanding that all public employees be immune from the economic pressures confronting us serfs, the lowly taxpayers.

Well, the boldest and bravest among the Marlboro school board said no before they said yes. As reported by the teachers union –

At the Nov. 17 board meeting, MTEA President Diane Saks made it clear that the MTEA was not going to back down from a fight. In a packed auditorium filled with MTEA members and scores of supportive parents, Saks told Board President Cynthia Green that “you treat the collective bargaining process like some sort of obstacle standing in the way of your goals . . . We are educators and we are not afraid!”

The teachers union also organized hundreds of parents including one hack who wrote a letter to the editor demanding higher salaries and no employee contribution to benefits no matter how high her taxes rise.

The following week, the Marlboro school board caved.

Here’s what we need to remember going into contract negotiations. Nobody, absolutely nobody, can compel the school board to ratify a contract. Nor can anybody compel the teachers union. As far as I’m concerned, our district will continue operating under the current contract until we agree to a new contract that’s better for our community and better for our teachers. Anything less would be lunacy.

End-Year Review

2009-12-29T08:38:00.004-05:00

The fly sat upon the axel-tree of the chariot-wheel and said, What a dust do I raise!
- The Fly on the Wheel, Aesop's Fables

We live in interesting times. As I’ve shifted most of my energies to the school board, the blog has suffered but the school board has taken a new direction. The Matawan-Aberdeen School District now takes guidance from the school board, as it always should have, and the school board is providing that guidance.

This year’s top four blog pieces are, appropriately, a scandal that rocked the town, my election, and the tragic passing of two our youngest and finest, Daniel Cleary and Jawann Brown. Still, traffic is certainly down from the days I investigated the school district and township. That’s fine by me. Readership was always a means to an end, not an end in itself. The blog averages over 5,000 visits a month and has an estimated 5% penetration rate, more than any other local news outlet excluding the Independent and APP.

Ms. Hayward and I had a campaign slogan, “A break from the past,” and this school board has certainly done that. The political lines have disappeared. Ms. Hayward and I have never been together in the minority. Nor have Ms. Rubino and her running mate, Mr. Ruprecht, ever voted together in the minority. Nor have two Matawan representatives ever been in the minority.

Equally important, much of the tension is gone and board meetings are often lighthearted despite the serious issues before us. We laugh and joke, something I had never seen at prior board meetings. We work well together.

My mother always taught me to reach for the sky but settle for the moon and that’s been my experience on the school board.

At the end of July, I listed three goals I had brought to the board. The first was to hold board members accountable, the second to ensure graduates were college-ready, and the third to hold the line on tax increases. Here’s what we got – Split votes are recorded as such in the minutes so people can quickly research how board members voted on “controversial” issues. The board has effectively endorsed the recommendations of the college readiness committee. And the board has set a goal of limiting tax increases to 2% or below.

Writing skills, another board goal, is now being stressed across grade levels and courses. The board has also adopted an objective measure for school performance.

As for my crusade against the “cheap and easy” online degrees, the administration has agreed to request sample coursework from applicants for salary adjustments to determine the degrees were actually “earned”. (Work will be reviewed for verification purposes, not for quality.) One word of warning, though – If any instructor is currently enrolled in one of the “cheap and easy” online schools, be sure to complete your degree and request your salary adjustment before a new contract is adopted. As the board attorney said at the last meeting, there’s no guarantee these degrees will be recognized in the new labor contract.

The technology department is laying the groundwork for providing parents the necessary tools and information to become full partners in their children’s education. That same foundation can later be used for massive data mining to determine the factors for success and failure..

The board voted unanimously against funding collaboration pairs. Dr. Delaney has fought against “paying teachers for speaking to each other” and this practice has been terminated.

We finally have a mission statement that actually holds the district accountable for results. We’re also rewriting and posting all our board policies. When I objected to enacting policies that were already covered by law, Mr. O’Connell argued we needed the policies as an easy reference for the public so they could hold us accountable. He’s right and I’m glad the board followed his lead.

After two years of complaining and millions of dollars later, we got preliminary results from the RTI program; they weren’t good and I doubt it will survive next year’s budget cuts.

Performance goals have still not been established for the superintendent but he and the administration will surely be held accountable for meeting the board goals. I would prefer a mathematical guide but it’s very unlikely the board would ever use one. I have a draft formula for my personal use and I still plan to publish it once the board goals have been finalized.

Next on my list are curriculum reviews and developing additional streams of revenue.

All in all, I’m pleased. Like the fly on the wheel, I can’t claim any great accomplishments but I’m enjoying the ride and I’m grateful to Aberdeen for the opportunity to serve.

Happy Holidays

2009-12-23T12:54:00.001-05:00

According to tradition, biblical Adam was born on a Friday afternoon on the first day of the Jewish New Year. He was expelled from the Garden of Eden that same day.

As the sun began to set, Adam feared he was witnessing the end of the world on account he and Eve had sinned. God reassured Adam that not only was the world not coming to an end but the sunset would mark the beginning of a new day, the holiest day of the year, the Sabbath.

Over the following weeks, Adam noticed the days were getting consistently shorter. As winter approached, Adam again feared he was witnessing the end of the world. Once again, God reassured Adam that not only was this not the end of the world but this period would become a time for festivities and light for all generations. Hence, people throughout the world celebrate this time of year.

May this coming year be filled with good tidings and joy. May our community be blessed by the Holy One, blessed is He.

Happy holidays and best wishes for a wonderful new year.

The Democrats’ Latest Campaign Filings

2009-12-11T07:54:00.003-05:00

Click here for the latest Democratic election filings

Stung by repeated charges of pay-to-play, the Aberdeen Democratic candidates decided they would still take the money but hide it from public view. Rather than run one campaign as they had in the past, they decided to run four individual campaigns and then ask each donor to write four checks, each for $300 or less to avoid disclosure laws. If the donor wished to give more, he could donate to the Aberdeen Democratic Executive Committee. My understanding is that none of the candidates took a leading role in fundraising but they all knew what was happening; they took tens of thousands of dollars from the very people seeking to get millions from us, the taxpayers. In private industry, this is called graft. In the courtroom, it’s called bribes. Among our councilmen and mayor-elect, it’s called politics.

I raise the issue again because we now have the latest election filings with the NJ ELEC and some new items have come to light. Total campaign expenditures for the democrats were about $50,000, in line with historical norms. However, the problem here is that Councilman-Elect Lauro raised virtually the identical amount as the other candidates.

Initial filings suggested he had not taken money from the town engineer, CME, since that would have been a clear conflict with his duties as the public works director. (A government employee should not be taking money from the very companies he’s overseeing.) More recent filings strongly suggest Lauro did take money from CME while working as the public works director. I can’t prove it but he raised nearly identical amounts as the other candidates and we know the others were taking money from CME so it’s a reasonable assumption.

Since the candidates chose to skirt the issue of pay-to-play, the other unanswered question is who did contribute to their campaigns aside from the usual suspects? Well, we know one person who did because he asked for his money back. Good old Joe Kremer. You know Joe, right? According to the Dem filings, he lives at 26 New Brunswick Ave. You know, corner property on Charles St.?

What’s that you say? It’s a warehouse? Now, what would old Joe be doing living in a warehouse? Huh? You never heard of old Joe? That is strange. Well, obviously he’s someone who cares a great deal about our town because he donated $300 to each of the candidates. Yup, $300. That is the absolute highest amount that any person could possibly give to a local candidate and still remain anonymous. He must be a good guy to want to remain anonymous and all.

I’m sorry, what’s that you’re saying about the warehouse? It’s owned by SPH Holdings? Nope, never heard of them. They want to get a variance from the township? Nope, didn’t know that either. And they’re on the tax sale list for not paying their water on time?

Well, no wonder Joe asked for his money back.

Yup, good old Joe. Thanks to guys like him, the Dems got four more years.

Go Huskies!

2009-12-06T12:02:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to the Huskies on winning the state championship at the NJSIAA Central Group II title game on Friday, crushing Manasquan 28-12.

Thanks to Coach Martucci and all the coaches for leading our team to victory.

A big cheer for all the community support. 350 students rode school buses to the game. Over 2,000 people attended to support our team. A victory parade is planned for Sunday afternoon.

For game highlights, you can check the APP's coverage or watch some video at AberdeenNJlife.

Below is a list of our football champs. Congratulations again.

#	Name	POS	Yr	Ht	Wt
38	Agosto, Rich	FB,LB	Sr	5-8	210
7	Allison, Jared	QB,DB	Jr	5-7	165
66	Alvarez, Jim	OL,DL	Sr	6-2	245
5	Antwon, Brian	LB,FB	Sr	6-1	200
19	Bartlett, Justin	WR,DB	So	5-8	135
3	Beaty, Keith	RB,DB	Jr	5-10	190
36	Bellamy, Juwaan	WR,DB	So	5-8	135
90	Carter, Ian	TE,DE	Sr	6-2	195
74	Castell, Joel	OL,DL	Jr	5-10	220
34	Cleary, Tom	LB,RB	Sr	5-9	170
92	Clinton, Kendal	DL,TE	Jr	5-10	145
32	Crombie, Bill	LB,FB	Sr	6-0	185
11	Davis, Austin	WR,DB	Jr	5-10	170
77	Durantt, Marcos	OL,DL	So	6-2	230
51	Faccas, John	OL,DE	Jr	6-0	190
70	Garland, Derek	OL,DL	Sr	5-10	235
72	Garner, Shakier	OL,DL	Sr	5-7	245
35	Gleason, Sean	K,P	Sr	5-8	200
44	Gray, Dion	LB,	Jr	5-10	160
9	Green, Mike	TE,LB	So	6-10	200
52	Gumbs, Malik	OL,DL	Sr	6-0	265
82	Hagan, Kareem	WR,DB	Jr	6-0	165
56	Hodge, Andre	OL,LB	Jr	6-1	225
55	Incle, Dave	OL,LB	Sr	5-11	205
75	Inguaggiato, Brandon	OL,DL	Sr	6-2	255
60	Lazar, Andrew	OL,DL	Jr	5-11	210
69	Liebowitz, David	OL,DL	So	5-11	185
25	Maamouny, Ahmed	RB,DB	Jr	5-6	146
15	Malta, Michael	QB,DB	So	5-9	150
88	Masonius, Albert	DE,TE	Jr	6-2	175
76	Morenz, Matt	OL,DL	So	6-0	195
2	Neal, Greg	TE,DB	Sr	6-3	210
45	Newsom, Aaron	RB,DB	Jr	5-7	155
8	Nicholson, Deaven	QB,DB	So	5-10	150
73	Palumbo, Francis	OL,DL	So	5-10	225
53	Quaglieri, Anthony	OL,DL	So	5-8	175
65	Rafferty, Sean	OL,DL	Jr	6-0	280
33	Reyes, Dillon	DL,FB	Sr	5-8	165
50	Richmond, Andrew	OL,DL	Jr	6-0	210
54	Rocco, Nick	OL,LB	Sr	5-9	180
24	Rodriquez, Terry	WR,DB	Jr	5-9	155
57	Santana, Justus	OL,DL	So	5-10	200
23	Santimauro, Ken	WR,DB	Jr	5-6	145
20	Short, John	DB,WR	Sr	5-7	140
22	Simpkins, Solomon	WR,DB	So	5-8	150
68	Slay, Ted	OL,DL	Sr	6-5	360
21	Smith, Jon	WR,DB	Sr	6-2	175
31	Smith, Tyrone	DB,WR	Sr	5-7	145
4	Underwood, MacArthur	RB,DB	Jr	5-6	160
30	Urciuoli, Joe	DB,WR	Jr	5-11	170
14	Vega, Zeke	WR,P	Jr	5-8	150
29	Walton, Chris	TE,LB	So	5-10	180
78	West, Brandon	OL,DL	So	6-0	225
10	Wilkins, Tim	WR,DB	Jr	5-7	140
28	Williams, Cassius	RB,DB	So	5-7	150

A Modest Proposal Redux

2009-12-04T14:57:00.003-05:00

“I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children. . .

I profess, in the sincerity of my heart, that I have not the least personal interest in endeavoring to promote this necessary work, having no other motive than the public good of my country, by advancing our trade, providing for infants, relieving the poor, and giving some pleasure to the rich. I have no children by which I can propose to get a single penny; the youngest being nine years old, and my wife past child-bearing.” – A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift (1729)

Political satire, demonstrating the fallacy of logic absent principle, is surely a lost art but one that, even employed imperfectly, still has its uses.

To my readers’ credit, it didn’t take long until someone who wasn’t an incorrigible critic recognized the title of my prior post was a reference to the most renowned political satire, Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”. Nor did it take long to recognize the essay was contrary to my declaration of support for the new mission and vision statements. Granted, nobody noticed that it also conflicted with my statement at the prior week’s board meeting that “I believe no student should be forced to sit in a classroom with an unfit teacher” but hardly anybody watches those board meetings, anyways.

So, let’s first demolish the underlying logic behind the article and then consider some of the responses.

The notion that a student who’s withdrawn from an extra-help tutorial has forfeited his right to an education is ludicrous. As for the idea that we should assign our lowest performing teachers to our lowest performing students, that had been a quiet practice in the district that Dr. O’Malley terminated. For example, Kimberly Rogers, one of our finest teachers, is the instructor for AP English and SRA Prep Language Arts (for those who failed the HSPA). Simply put, every child is entitled to an excellent teacher unless he forfeits that right by stealing another child’s opportunity to learn or stops coming to school.

The assumption that a significant percentage of high school juniors will always fail the HSPA is false. The middle school made dramatic improvements and I expect those improvements to grow. The high school has been making long overdue changes to the curriculum, such as making writing a core element of a student’s education. With better prepared students and an improved curriculum, our test scores will rise, as they must.

As for the comments, some of them were absolutely delicious. The outrage, shock, and horror that we would assign unfit teachers to our neediest students. Yet, many of these same commenters maintain the administration should be barred from removing unfit teachers from the classroom, thereby subjecting our students to the very outrage, shock, and horror they abhor. The only difference between their plan and my satire is they would assign these unfit teachers randomly so that every child has the same chance of being robbed of an opportunity to learn.

At least, for the first time, my critics have finally conceded our district does have unfit teachers. Only a handful, to be sure, but we do have them and no child should be forced to accept them as an instructor. I propose every parent have the right, at the beginning of the school year, to transfer his child to another class if he is unhappy with the instructor.

Still what do we do about the 20% of juniors who withdrew from the lunch tutorials? First, shame on them and their parents from withdrawing the program. Shame on them! I don’t know what the administration plans but I would suggest the following:

Have the juniors meet with their guidance counselors to discuss their post-high school plans, discuss the benefits of graduating, and formulate a life-goal and action plan that includes graduation
Align the class grades with state assessments and end social promotion. If a student can’t reach proficiency in English or math, give him all the help he needs – lunch tutorials, early morning tutorials, after-school tutorials, summer school, online programs, parental aides, etc. – but do not let him advance to the next grade until he’s ready; he’ll always have the opportunity to later catch up to his peers

Lastly, I concede the teachers are dealing with a far more difficult teaching environment than I imagined. I was wrong. Assuming that the parents of the junior class are representative of the community, 20% of parents and young adults don’t care about education. Horrific. Just horrific. But it changes nothing. For the 80% of us who do care, our mission remains the same - to provide a safe and supportive environment where educators inspire, empower, and encourage students to excel.

A Modest Proposal for the Unfit

2009-11-30T19:59:00.002-05:00

One of the perennial problems of all public schools is the inability to remove tenured but unfit teachers. New York City has resorted to the use of “rubber rooms” for teachers who actually pose physical threats to students but still can’t be terminated due to tenure protections. Although the number of unfit teachers is small, they incur huge costs to the district – their compensation, the opportunity cost to their students, and the additional cost to the district to help those students recover from their lost educational time.

Last week, the Middle/High School Director, Ms. DeLuca presented ghastly news to the school board but one that I believe offers a solution of what to do with our own unfit teachers. Following our district’s historical norm, over 30% of our juniors are at-risk of failing the state-mandated HSPA. Contrary to past practice, these students may not be afforded an alternative route to graduation.

The district had previously tried to offer before and after school programs, with transportation, but they were poorly attended. Ditto for Saturday morning programs. This year, the high school implemented a lunch program – 30-minute daily tutorials followed by a short lunch break.

The at-risk students were automatically enrolled in the program. Letters were sent to their parents stressing that, without the program, the students had a high risk of not graduating. The high school principal, Ms. Ruscavage, then personally phoned the parents to again stress the program’s importance.

Two-thirds of the parents withdrew their children from the high school lunch tutorial in full knowledge their children would likely fail the HSPA and not graduate from high school.

Two-thirds of at-risk high school juniors, 20% of the entire junior class, with informed parental consent, demonstrated they have no interest in learning the three R’s of reading, writing, and arithmetic. We’re talking about scores of 16-year olds, young adults, who don’t want to learn.

As a district, what is our moral responsibility towards the education of these young adults? None whatsoever. They’re not interested in learning. Their parents don’t care. Our only obligation is to provide the statutory minimum level of education in a safe environment and ensure they don’t poison those students who do want to learn.

Which brings me back to the original question of what to do with tenured but unfit teachers. I propose that any junior or senior at risk of not graduating who has withdrawn from all extra-help programs with the informed consent of his parents/guardians, be segregated into special classes and assigned those teachers who have been deemed unfit to teach students who want to learn.

Why subject real students to unfit teachers when we have so many lost students who couldn’t care less?

I Respectfully Dissent

2009-11-27T13:57:00.002-05:00

The following are topics raised at the last board meeting from which I dissented from the majority or am likely to do so in the future.

Staff Travel
The Matawan-Aberdeen school district spends approximately $350,000 annually for professional development. This includes the costs of the programs, travel, hospitality, and substitute teachers. Considering the number of teachers pursuing degrees and credits through no-name online institutions, I asked if a teacher had ever requested reimbursement to attend an online seminar. First everybody laughed and then Dr. O’Malley answered no, never.

Moving forward, if I notice a teacher has received a salary adjustment based upon credits/degrees received from a lowly regarded online institution, I will object to that teacher attending any seminar that requires him to “lose” a day of work. If the teacher believes that a “Walden” education warrants a huge pay raise then I see no reason why he can’t attend online seminars that don’t interfere with his classroom instruction, not to mention the cost savings to the district.

Salary Adjustments
I will object to all salary adjustments based upon “Walden” degrees and credits if the administration has not spot-checked that individual’s application to ensure the degree/credits were “earned” as the contract requires.

The administration reserves the right to take reasonable measures to ensure compliance with the labor contract. It should be standard practice to “trust but verify” and I hope the administration reconsiders its posture in this regard.

Collaboration Pairs
In the words of fellow board member, Dr. Delaney, “we’re paying teachers to talk with each other.” Those teachers involved in special education or intervention programs need to consult with the classroom teachers regarding specific students. Since the teachers sometimes don’t have overlapping prep periods, they need to have the discussions after school hours and the “past practice” is to compensate them for time spent talking with each other.

However, this has morphed into the fraudulent practice of paying all teachers who need to consult with each other regardless if they have overlapping prep periods or not. For example, the agenda calls for $9,400 in middle school teacher stipends to “talk with each other” even though, due to block scheduling, every teacher in the middle school has a shared 36-minute prep period each day.

The board tabled the motion and, moving forward, I doubt we’ll be supporting any stipends for collaboration pairs when a pair shares a prep period.

However, I will be taking this one step further. Given the recent test results, I will not support any further expenditures for the RTI program. If a collaboration pair is still implementing the RTI program, as most in the elementary grades are, I will not support those stipends unless the program has been changed to something with a proven track record.

Policies
Policy #1540, the Administrator’s Code of Ethics states:

No administrator shall use or attempt to use his/her official position to secure unwarranted privileges, advantages, or employment for him/herself, a member of his/her immediate family, or any other person.

I objected to this policy because it does not preclude an administrator from recommending himself for a paid position to the superintendent.

The teachers union openly discourages its members from competing for stipends if a more senior teacher has demonstrated an interest. If only one person applies for the job, he’ll generally get the job. There’s nothing to prevent an administrator from doing the same.

The present policy creates financial incentives for administrators to hinder the recruitment and interview process to their own benefit. Even if the superintendent is the one ultimately making the recommendation to the board, if only one person applies for the job, he’ll generally get the job.

I am not presently advocating that all administrators be barred from extra-curricular positions. Rather, they should not be given a financial incentive to game the process and recommend themselves to the superintendent.

Proclamation of Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T22:53:00.000-05:00

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

RTI R.I.P.

2009-11-25T11:06:00.007-05:00

After lobbying the school district for two years to provide any data justifying RTI (Response to Intervention), we finally got the information at Monday’s school board meeting. Looking at a two-year window and comparing our district to the rest of the state, we see broad advances in math and mixed results in English. However, the math advances are largely from the Everyday Math program, as demonstrated by the large jumps in advance proficiency. The main test for RTI was in Language Arts where it uses specialized programs such as Reading Recovery. Given the program’s expense, over $2.2 million a year, the costs cannot be justified by the results.

Below are three tables that include all grades and schools that implemented RTI. The first table shows the current percentage of total proficiency and advanced proficiency for the classes of 08-09. The next table shows the change in total proficiency and advance proficiency since RTI began in 07-08. The final table shows the net change compared to the state average. For example, if the state’s proficiency rose by 10% in the past two years, and our district rose 20%, the net change is 10%. This should cancel any changes in the state exams or measurements, such as increasing the pass score for proficiency from 40-45% to 50%.

08-09 Test Results
	LAL TP	LAL AP	Math TP	Math AP
Cliffwood	66.7 %	2.6%	86.1%	36.7%
Ravine Dr	82.4%	13.5%	94.5%	54.1%
Strathmore	63.2%	2.8%	82.1%	39.6%
Lloyd Rd (4)	69.2%	9.5%	82.1%	35.5%
Lloyd Rd (5)	69.2%	9.6%	80.2%	37.2%

2-year Progress
	LAL TP	LAL AP	Math TP	Math AP
Cliffwood	-22.0%	-1.2%	-2.9%	14.5%
Ravine Dr	-5.2%	-1.1%	-4.5%	20.8%
Strathmore	-23.9%	-5.0%	-2.4%	3.4%
Lloyd Rd (4)	-10.5%	1.8%	-1.0%	-0.1%
Lloyd Rd (5)	-24.6%	-4.2%	-11.3%	6.0%

2-year Progress vs State
	LAL TP	LAL AP	Math TP	Math AP
Cliffwood	-1.3%	-3.2%	9.2%	14.9%
Ravine Dr	15.5%	-0.9%	7.6%	21.2%
Strathmore	-3.2%	-3.0%	9.7%	3.8%
Lloyd Rd (4)	7.1%	1.8%	10.7%	13.4%
Lloyd Rd (5)	-1.6%	0.0%	-4.4%	3.3%

RTI was hatched by Superintendent Quinn and designed by Assistant Superintendent Kim Honnick. The two former administrators were quick to promote the program’s virtues and downplay the costs despite the absence of any evidence of success. According to the APP, “Quinn said he is honored to have made positive contributions to the district. Some of his unforgettable moments, he said, are the $660,000 [sic] initiative called Response to Intervention . . .” Honnick joined the speaking circuit - “Participants will learn how a small district in central New Jersey researched, designed, and implemented the response to intervention (RTI) framework . . . designed to employ scientifically based programs.”

Well, here are the results of their handiwork, over $4.5 million dollars later. Given Dr. O’Malley and Ms. Zitarosa haven’t been able to salvage the program after two years, it’s fair to say RTI is beyond salvation. Students who need extra help should receive extra help that actually helps. Compared to advances made by simply changing the math curriculum, RTI has failed that basic test.

MARSD’s New Mission

2009-11-13T15:48:00.001-05:00

MARSD’s current mission and vision statements have always been a bone of contention for me. Thankfully, with a new board we have a new mission. Under Dr. Gambino’s direction, the Mission and Vision Committee has drafted new mission and vision statements that are virtually guaranteed passage at the next board meeting. The primary difference between the new and old? Accountability.

The current mission statement is –
To provide every child with the highest quality of instruction, curricula, and services; to treat every child with respect and dignity; to give every child the opportunity to learn and mature, to acquire a thirst for knowledge, to experience the satisfaction of accomplishment, and to anticipate becoming a productive member of a democratic society.

Look at the key action verses – “To provide every child . . . to treat every child . . . to give every child . . .” The mission statement has absolutely no connection to student outcomes. How often have we heard administrators bemoan the socio-economic backgrounds of our students? How often have we heard the staff blame the parents, the students, the community, everybody but themselves?

No more.

The new mission statement will be –
We are committed to providing a safe and supportive environment where educators inspire, empower, and encourage students to excel.

If our students fail to excel, the fault is not only theirs and their parents’; the fault is ours.

The vision statement is a reflection of what we hope to achieve.

The current vision statement –
Upon leaving the Matawan Aberdeen Regional School District, all children will credit us with having given them what they need educationally to help them succeed in life in the pursuit of their own goals.

The new vision statement –
Students will become life-long learners, critical thinkers, and creative problem solvers who achieve success as honorable members of society.

Once again, the difference is accountability. The key phrase in the old vision is “children will credit us”. The key phrase in the new vision is “students will become”.

If our students don’t excel, we have failed. If they don’t become life-long learners, we have failed. If they don’t become critical thinkers and creative problem solvers, if they don’t achieve success, if they don’t live honorable lives, we have failed.

All we need now is God’s grace and a community that holds us accountable.

We Salute Our Veterans

2009-11-11T07:31:00.003-05:00

The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. – General George S. Patton

U.S. Marine Corps. Hymn
From the Halls of Montezuma
To the Shores of Tripoli;
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land and sea;
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
of United States Marine.

U.S. Army Anthem
(The Caissons Go Rolling Along)
Over hill, over dale
As we hit the dusty trail,
And the Caissons go rolling along.
In and out, hear them shout,
Counter march and right about,
And the Caissons go rolling along.

U.S. Navy Anthem
(Anchors Aweigh)
Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh.
Farewell to college joys, we sail at break of
day-ay-ay-ay.
Through our last night on shore, drink to the foam,
Until we meet once more:
Here's wishing you a happy voyage home.

U.S. Air Force Anthem
(Off We Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder)
Off we go into the wild blue yonder
Climbing high into the sun;
Here they come zooming to meet our thunder,
At'em boys, giv'er the gun!
Down we dive spouting our flames from under,
Off with one hell-uv-a roar!
We live in fame or go down in flame,
Nothing'll stop the US Air Force!

Un-Earned Credits and Degrees

2009-11-10T10:20:00.003-05:00

The contract between the Matawan-Aberdeen School District and the teachers union states the following:

Salary guide column changes, based upon newly earned degrees or credits shall be effective on February 1 of each calendar year, where full documentation is submitted to the administration by January 15th of the same year. This shall in no way affect the practice of granting column change credit for September 15th payrolls which are fully documented by September 1 of each year.

Here’s the scenario:

A teacher submits a transcript from Walden University, a virtual college accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, demonstrating he has completed the necessary coursework to entitle him to an upward adjustment on the salary scale.

The contract demands that he submit “full information” of the “earned degrees or credits”.

Has the teacher satisfied the conditions of the contract to warrant a raise? I say no.

At last night’s Committee of the Whole meeting, I argued that Walden University does not authenticate the website user beyond a simple username and password. Therefore, we have no idea who submitted the coursework or participated in classroom discussion.

In a brick and mortar school, we know who is attending the class and submitting the work. At Walden University we simply have no evidence whatsoever that the person “earned” the credits or degree.

Since we have two weeks before the school board takes any action, I suggested the board advise the administration to request additional information from the teacher. I said I would be satisfied with any “smidgen” of evidence that the teacher had done any work towards her credits. For example, the teacher could email her work assignments to the administration or the university could provide information that her classes included some element of “in-person” participation as well.

Ultimately, only Mr. O’Connell and Dr. Delaney agreed the administration should inquire if there was any evidence the credits were “earned” but we were rebuffed by the majority. (Interestingly, O’Connell, Delaney, and I also comprise the technology committee.)

Dr. Gambino felt we didn’t have grounds to distinguish between a brick and mortar school versus a virtual school. I believe the situations are entirely different. We are not measuring how much effort is necessary to “earn” a degree. If a person attends one class, he has theoretically “earned” his credits. In an online environment, however, we have no evidence that he ever “attended” a single class or submitted a single assignment.

Anybody with the username and password could have done everything on the teacher’s behalf. Considering the ease, the financial incentives, and the anecdotal evidence of online abuses, this isn’t a farfetched scenario.

Mr. Ruprecht suggested that requesting additional information was nearly akin to accusing the teacher of fraud. I objected to that characterization. We are merely adhering to the plain language of the contract that the teacher provides “full information” that the credits were “earned”. If a teacher’s “word” is sufficient, then why does the contract require “full information”? Why not “any information” or a teacher’s “written notice of completion”? Why shouldn’t we stick to the plain language of the contract?

Mr. Ruprecht also held the board had already established a “past practice” by approving prior online degrees and credits without requesting additional information. I argued that “past practices” could only be established upon informed consent. Since online degrees are a relatively new phenomenon and the board was unaware that teachers could receive credits and degrees without actually doing any work, no “past practice” had been established. On the contrary, approving the current request could establish a past practice and bar us from ever requesting additional information.

I plan to revisit the issue at the next board meeting when we’ll be able to receive guidance from the board attorney. In the meantime, those teachers planning to enroll at cheap and easy online schools should be forewarned. Salary guides are determined by contract and the current contract expires on June 30th. There’s no guarantee the school board will recognize any school of low standing after that cutoff date. After all, the raises for earned credits and degrees were designed to encourage teachers to help students, not to help themselves at taxpayer expense.

Does the Blogger Have No Clothes?

2009-11-04T20:34:00.002-05:00

“My friends are not worth the powder and shot it would take to kill them! ... If there were two Henry Clays, one of them would make the other President of the United States!” – Henry Clay

Okay, that quote is a bit harsh and unfair to the Aberdeen Republicans.

Although my name wasn’t on the ballot, the local Republicans’ sound thumping at the polls is being characterized as a defeat for the Aberdeener. Well, those who know, know better. I’ve been quite restrained this year because my first responsibility is serving on the school board, I happen to like Tagliarini and Lauro, and my only hope was to break the democratic monopoly by electing at least one republican. Although the gap was wider than expected, the result was not; the Republicans ran a poor campaign.

Does that mean this blog’s role in local politics is an illusion? Au contraire. Last year, I endorsed Ken Aitken for the school board and he lost by a larger margin (percentage-wise) than the Republicans did this year. Then site traffic dropped precipitously when I barred anonymous comments. By autumn, everything was in full swing again and the rest is history.

Since I’ve been serving on the school board, I haven’t submitted a single OPRA request. I haven’t been to a single town meeting. I haven’t met with a single town official. But there’s nothing stopping me. If the need arises, I can return.

For now, I will keep crossing items off my to-do list.

To Fred Tagliarini, James Lauro, Margaret Montone, and Gregory Cannon, my congratulations. May God’s grace direct you on the path of honor. You have my support to uphold your oath of office.

A vigilant citizenry is the best guarantee of prosperity. Aberdeen’s best days lie ahead so long as the people hold their representatives accountable.