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gordon duke May 16, 2013 at 01:10 pm
It looks like the Stratford town council fell a little short on this one. They should have re-named…Read More the high school after Victoria Soto and not just attached her name to a small street.
itsneverenough April 11, 2013 at 08:20 pm
After 5 years JR ends her time in Newtown with 8 weeks paid vacation PLUS a payout for another 21…Read More days of unused vacation time. In the game of taxpayers vs tax-takers I sure wound up on the wrong side.
Mary C. April 11, 2013 at 06:54 pm
They are the people that really know what's going on! Future-focused ideas? I've had a child in…Read More the school system for the 5 years Janet has been here and I have not heard one word about any briliiant ideas! As far as the next superintendent...we will search for someone with their own agenda, poor communication and one that doesn't play well with others...sounds like a recipe for continued disaster! Good luck with that!
dean alan martin April 11, 2013 at 04:49 pm
As a former Chairman of the Newtown board of Eductaion as well as having served as Chairman of…Read More the Supt. Search Committee that hired John Reed, I am delighted with the decision to have Dr. Reed serve as our interim superintendent of schools.He will once agoin be an outstanding stewart for our school system at a very critical time .
Wishing you well in your new assignment !
margaret April 9, 2013 at 05:38 pm
Good for you Grandon! What is the point of giving students a vacation only to load them down with…Read More homework? My high schooler has at least 2-3 hours nightly of homework during the school week and at least 1-2 hours of homework on the weekends. How about this Judy and James...How would you feel if your boss gave you multiple assignments to be completed while you are on vacation? I am sure you would not appreciate having to work through your vacation..what makes these students different from you? You both sound ignorant!
James Hat April 5, 2013 at 01:50 pm
Ah yes the lazy child. Perhaps when he is working at Firestone changing tires and getting bossed…Read More around by an ex convict who runs the place will he then appriciate the value of education. Perhaps when he is 50 and driving a truck with a sore back and calused hands mowing lawns in the rain trying to pay the utility bill he will look back on highschool and say " I sure am glad I didnt try to hard"
This is why there are no jobs left in the USA......Lazy kids
Daniella Ruiz April 10, 2013 at 07:29 pm
as an object, it will be as associated with death as the weapon held by Adam. however, it was not…Read More the cause or means to death, just as the air that now fills it. as the murder of people in Europe's wars were confined to buildings, those were reused, the the people healed and learned to go forward, as those in Newtown must. it is a learning place, it is about courage, not about structures.
Bruce Walczak TheNewtownRooster.com April 9, 2013 at 03:57 pm
As I read the Bee article I have to agree that a lot of leg work seems to have been done to build a…Read More new school. Perhaps just good planning or perhaps the decision has been made. Would the feds smile on Newtown if we built a new school and then closed Reed, our newest school.
Thomas Crafts April 8, 2013 at 09:39 pm
It's so easy to spend money when you don't have to pay it back. Borrowing 30-40 million to do this…Read More is financial suicide just for the feel good effect. WAKE UP WE ARE ALREADY IN FINANCIAL DISTRESS.
Linda Woods December 16, 2012 at 10:35 pm
Reading this really upset me with the NFL. I can't believe that ONLY 3 teams are wearing decals…Read More in memory of SandyHook School. What difference does it make if you are on the East Coast or West Coast. I have so much respect for the Patriots, Giants and Jets for showing such a wonderful tribute to this very sad loss. And to the Patriots, who will be sending up 26 individual flares for those who lost their lives.
Excellent tribute men !
carlistojoe March 21, 2013 at 02:37 pm
Any idea what we are paying Reed and where the money is coming from?
Sam Mihailoff March 20, 2013 at 11:56 pm
the words "trust" and "leadership" have not been used in years. Welcome and…Read More thank-you Dr. Reed...Now, let's all seven board members roll up their sleeves and get er done
Paul Alexander March 16, 2013 at 01:27 pm
Itsneverenough,
Excellent point. The editor's bias is clearly on display in many of The Patch…Read More article titles.
Joe March 16, 2013 at 12:18 pm
Paul, our local Gov't is no different than the Federal one. They need term limits too, they live in…Read More 'Laa Laa Land' with no understanding of the financial hardships many families are going through. It's astonishing, they ask for our votes to go represent us then go up the hill and dictate how we'll live, what our neighborhoods will be subjected to, what we need. These budgets are a joke....ask anyone who works in a school about the waste. About the EAs with nothing to do. About the ridiculous amount of supplies.
Nick March 19, 2013 at 10:08 pm
Hey, "GRC" first of all where are your resources to prove that it will only be a 20% tax…Read More increase, do you not understand how insane you sound. First of all according to the Newtown high school directory there is about 1,700 students attending only that school. an average classroom is around 20-30 students, so thats about 70 classrooms not counting cafeterias, and other rooms. "We clearly need to have an armed police officer in every classroom" now lets say thats 70 Armed police officers, the average salary of an armed police officer is around 28,000 a year and lets say he's only at the school for 6 months, thats $14,000 a school year now lets pay each of our 70 police officers $14,000. So now we're costing the town around a million dollars a school year, and thats without the training to become an armed police officer in the State of Connecticut, and lets factor in 3 therapists for the children because of the constant fear they have to live in. So in total for ONE school, for ONE school year it would cost The Town Of Newtown around 1 Million and 50 Thousand dollars a school year to prevent an occasional assault? and even if you're talking about the Sandy Hook Shooting its not an everyday thing that something like that occurs. So your comment is irrelevant and absurd... Source: http://www.indeed.com
onceuponanewtown March 14, 2013 at 02:05 am
Thanks for that kind description of my comment...right back at ya friend!
Donald McGarry March 25, 2013 at 01:47 pm
not such a crazy notion if we open our minds ..We are Israel now... We are a country at war,that is…Read More fighting terror in its streets. It is a good time for change. Training for average citizens...maybe required firearms training and defense techniques...Mandatory, just like a drivers license. A new prepared citizenry..just like the colonial days...every able -bodied citizen prepared and required to react at any given moment..it's not sci-fi...its adapting to the new world. A new idea to react to a new world...yes, it does need some tweaking. Read about it..when terror groups began attacking school children,the people reacted by training themslves to fight back. When armed kindergarten teachers fired back at terrrorists (and this occured frequently) the attacks immediately subsided and eventually ceased. Is this the answer??? Maybe not, but to believe that we dont live in that same world is dangerously ignorant.
Donald McGarry March 23, 2013 at 11:06 pm
Susan - You are absolutely justified to be fearful of a firearm in any situation. The golden rule…Read More that all responsible firearm users practice is "every gun is loaded all the time" Please remember before you discount guns, that geat many things have been achieved, only with the help of a firearm. Why dont you visit one the the most prestigious gun clubs in the nation, located right down the street from Sandy Hook School? You will be warmly welcomed, and also very suprised at the clientel. I am certain you may see either your neighbor, dentist, lawyer, or physician there. I am not a firearms expert, but you will meet many there. They can help you better understand how thoroughly gun safety is practiced, and how firearms can be used safely as a very affective tool. They can better address some of the good questions you pose. These are questions that are running through the minds of many of us right now.
Donald McGarry March 23, 2013 at 10:34 pm
Hi Susan - Your repsponse conveyed clearly some of the complexities of mental ilness. As you…Read More indicate, teatment is often long, expensive, complicated. Often with no guarentees of success. I agree with you, and I agree that the issue needs to be addressed urgently. However, like many pleading for health care reform, and obstructing advances in secuirty, you present no new proposals. Is'nt it time for change ?? (heard that before somewhere). Is'nt it time we tried a new approach? Because it appears we have tried and tried to achieve a new result with the same approach over and over again...which puts us in the insanity category Believe me, I hate to admit it as much as you, but maybe it is time to let the security experts take the reigns. When all else fails, its time to cut our loses, and pick up a weapon and protect ourselves. So at this point, I turn to them. Your assessment of the mental health care field has confirmed my already lacking faith in it as a miserable failure, pertaining to our school kids. I'm investing my time, money, and resources into security, The Newtown community has voted with sense. I hope they continue to move forward, instead of backward.
Lois Imbriano Barber March 9, 2013 at 06:47 pm
Let's NOT let this happen to Newtown -…Read More http://rockcenter.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/01/17136505-disaster-relief-dealing-with-oklahoma-city-bombing-fund-horrible-victim-says?lite
Lois Imbriano Barber March 9, 2013 at 01:23 pm
Speaking of the money - One of the 26 families got a dog to help ease their pain. The Volunteer…Read More Task Force is asking a private donor or a fence contractor to donate a fence for the dog. Isn't that what the Newtown Savings Bank/United Way Fund should be paying for? We donated our money to manly help the families who lost the most on 12/14, not so United Way can sit on it. Give the families what they need NOW!!!
Mary Ann Jacob March 9, 2013 at 04:17 am
The nation did not donate $15,000,000 to Newtown. It donated most of that money to private…Read More organizations that the Town of Newtown has no control over. The discussion actually had nothing to do with money, more about what would actually make our children safe versus making us have the feeling of being safe.
James Morley March 8, 2013 at 05:22 pm
I would have thought that a return to normalcy would be in the interests of students. Is 'continued…Read More relief' the best option? The sooner these children start to carry on as usual, the better.
Carol Bradshaw March 8, 2013 at 08:56 pm
I'm so very proud of you. You are a very special person and I'm so lucky to share my life with you.…Read More XOXO
Jeff March 6, 2013 at 08:23 pm
@carlistojoe- What exactly is your point? I didn't expect you to come back and answer any of the…Read More qualifiers for your wild claims of Superintendent of the year. But then again, did any one? It's always the same, loud talk and unsubstantiated claims. Questions are answered with questions. Others are simply ignored? Diversions are a common defense tactic.
Ann Romney? How did that enter the conversation? Facts are stubborn things, I guess? Lets be honest , you really don't have anything to substantiate your glowing comments about JR? You have an axe to grind with the BOE. I suspect you could be a disgruntled owner/operator. When you are over your head, its best to keep quiet.
Do you understand the role of a BOE? They are elected officials who are not compensated. One of their main responsibilities is the hiring and evaluating of the superintendent. They may provide guidance in development of the budget, approve the budget for vote and monitor the budget. They do not evaluate staff, other than the superintendent. They do not manage day to day operations. They are simply a link between the public and the superintendent.
Maybe you should attend a public board meeting? If qualified, you could run for a seat next term. Be forewarned, this position requires long hours, no pay and little thanks.
Something tells me you might not be a good fit? Just sayin.
dj23 March 6, 2013 at 08:17 pm
carlistojoe, do you understand how the board of education works? Leidlein and Roche are the elected…Read More chairpersons. The BOE acts as a board of directors and the superintendent acts as the CEO. They are only as “qualified” as any elected official. Does a community organizer have the necessary qualifications to run the free world?
carlistojoe March 6, 2013 at 06:52 pm
That is exactly my point. Who are Leidlein and Roche to say Janet's did not deserve an extension.…Read More Just what makes them qualified?
That's it keep blaiming the press. Your sounding like Ann Romney now.
Barbara Field March 3, 2013 at 11:26 pm
I don't recall reading anyone mentioning the scenario I ran across below when budgeting for…Read More protection for students.
A 16-year-old Florida high school student says he was suspended for three days for wrestling a loaded gun away from a teen threatening to shoot.
Fox4Now.com reports that the student, who attends Cypress Lake High School in Fort Myers, tackled the 15-year-old suspect on a school bus after he allegedly pointed the weapon at another student.
"I think he was really going to shoot him right then and there," said the student, who declined to be identified.
According to the referral the student received the following day, he was suspended for his role in an "incident" where a weapon was present and given an "emergency suspension," the station reported.
The boy's mother told Fox4Now.com her son was suspended because he refused to cooperate with the investigation, adding that he was scared.
The suspected gunman was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm on school property and assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, the report states.
Sgt. David Valez of the Lee County Sheriff's Office told the station an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
School officials declined to a request for comment
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/03/03/florida-high-school-student-reportedly-disarms-gunman-gets-suspended/?cmpid=NL_FNTopHeadlines#ixzz2MGKUp09M
yoda March 2, 2013 at 05:29 pm
Ah Leadership issues.
Yoda is all over that, as we speak!
I have listened to the scanner on that…Read More morning and could tell you each of our officers that were there on the scene.
Two of our Leaders were not heard throughout the whole recording.
I soon found out where they were.
I will be addressing this lack of leadership further!
Chief Kehoe was a true leader that day!!!!!
carlistojoe March 1, 2013 at 06:36 pm
Janet loved it here and wanted to stay. Unfortunately, Leidlein and Roche harrassed her to the point…Read More that they were looking for any reason to fire her. They made her apologize for her comments regarding the controversy with the two choirs. Blame the board for continuing their agenda against Janet. Shame on them.
Myra Healy March 5, 2013 at 01:35 pm
Thank you for reminding people about the importance of reading and talking with young children;…Read More singing and talking about family life ( describing what is for supper, etc.) Read to Grow provides free new and gently used books to children of all ages .
Families can apply inline at www.readtogrow.org. There is a family application and a program application. The most important thing one can do for children is to provide books to them so they have a healthy supply of books to practice their reading skills and to have good bonding time with parents and siblings as stories are read together. M Healy Project Coordinator, RTG
Joseph C Moore, USN Ret February 28, 2013 at 03:41 pm
Excellent advice. Greatly underestimated value to the child in this hurried, frantic world.
Donald Borsch Jr. March 4, 2013 at 04:52 pm
Jayne,
You mean like this?…Read More
http://www.ct.gov/dph/lib/dph/ohca/hc_facilities_advisory_body/ohcastatewide_facilities_and_services_chapter_7persons_at_risk_and_vulnerable_populations.pdf
Lisa Wallace March 4, 2013 at 04:05 pm
Amen! Rationale and reasonable. And unfortunately, exactly why your sane and "humble"…Read More approach will never fly here. I lived in DC and saw less politics than here in Newtown.
My Inside Voice March 3, 2013 at 08:18 pm
With the type of support we received from the State Police do we really need a larger town police…Read More department?
SusanR March 4, 2013 at 09:42 pm
Joe - I'm not sure where you are getting your information from. The other parents of SHS that I've…Read More spoken to, particularly the ones of the surviving children from Ms. Soto's class have been very pleased with the communication and support from our Superintendent. She has stressed on numerous occasions how accessible she wants the federal and state mental health professionals to be as accessible as possible to the SHS parents, teachers and staff. I'm not sure if you are getting your stories from one upset person, but I believe that if you take a poll of those within SHS, it would overwhelmingly be a positive review of Dr. Robinson's performance.
It's time to move on from the criticizing and nitpicking now. There are 64 comments on here either in support or against Dr. Robinson's performance. She is leaving Newtown and going to another district because her style doesn't work with the BOE leadership. End of story.
She has had many successes for the Town of Newtown and apparently some not-so-positive reviews. She is one person and if some parents feel someone is dropping the ball in SHS, then more people need to speak up and demand more of Dr. Robinson, the Assistant Superintendent, the school administrators, etc.
This thread has done enough to show how much the Town hates her. Enough. Let's please move on and try to put our support behind the BOE to hopefully get someone to take on the challenge of carrying us through this.
carlistojoe March 4, 2013 at 09:31 pm
Beth, ok so there were FOUR bids lower than the Owner Operators and two higher. My point is the…Read More same. The o/o put themsellves out of business. The Board made the only choice they could make. They could not justify keeping the o/o when there were FOUR lower bids. Can't feel sorry for them.
Lois Imbriano Barber March 2, 2013 at 12:42 am
I was just stating my opinion, which I have every right to, just as you are entitled to yours. I am…Read More also free to state my opinion on this forum. Yes, life is too short to have a grudge. My children are now out of the school system. Whether you liked or disliked the present superintendent or her predecessor, I hope the new one gets along with everyone. He or she is stepping into a hard job at a most difficult time, and needs our support.
Donald Borsch Jr. March 1, 2013 at 05:00 am
Lois,
Not at all. I wrote a piece regarding a NewtwonPatch article posting. I called it brilliant…Read More because it shows the common sense of Newtown parents overriding the emotional wave, which has lost its steam, of the gun-control crowd. To me, that is indeed brilliant.
Lois Imbriano Barber February 28, 2013 at 10:59 pm
Are you saying the article was brilliant? Did you write it?
New Principal, Assistant Principal Appointed for Sandy Hook…
1 Recommend Davis Dunavin (Editor)