With Education budgets slashed across the country and an ever increasing burden on parents to supply much more than pencils and glue sticks I cannot fathom how LA can justify this “taj mahal” school. The new complex sets a new bar of excess, for “With an eye-popping price tag of $578 million, it will mark the inauguration of the nation’s most expensive public school ever.”
Of course this extreme spending isn’t limited to California. Closer to home, Newton North High School has created controversy over its price tag as well.
With little fanfare on Tuesday, the city took ownership of the new Newton North High School. What started out in 2000 as a $39 million renovation mushroomed over the years to a $197.5 million new building that includes mold-free rooms, natural light instead of windowless halls and an HVAC system that actually circulates air.
Dimeo Construction is scheduled to take ownership of the old Newton North on July 1 to prepare it for demolition, according to city Chief Operating Officer Bob Rooney. While the new North will open to students in the fall, it will take two decades to pay for the project.
While I do understand that the physical conditions of a building do impact the ability of students to learn; I am not sure the exorbitant price tags on these buildings impact achievement by enough to justify their costs.
“The commissioned report found “poor environments in schools, …, adversely influence the health, performance, and attendance of students.”(Building Minds, 2006, p. 1) Factors such as poor lighting, inadequate ventilation, crumbling walls, damaged ceiling tiles, and inoperative heating and air conditioning systems were reported in AFT’s 2006 research results. The results also included the factors of noise, overcrowding, and air quality, recognizing their link to student learning (Building Minds, 2006).
Many researchers have categorized building factors as either cosmetic or structural. The cosmetic factors, those that can be seen, consistently are linked with improved student performance. Structural factors, including heating and air-conditioning, also are linked to student achievement. Factors that have been noted repeatedly o influence student achievement include natural lighting, paint colors and paint cycles, general cleanliness, air quality, temperature control, acoustical enhancements, safety features, absence of graffiti, and air conditioning.”
But does providing that truly require:
“At RFK, the features include fine art murals and a marble memorial depicting the complex’s namesake, a manicured public park, a state-of-the-art swimming pool and preservation of pieces of the original hotel.”
Or (from later in the article):
Nationwide, dozens of schools have surpassed $100 million with amenities including atriums, orchestra-pit auditoriums, food courts, even bamboo nooks.
We have districts so cash strapped that educators are forced to justify the validity of art class and students share battered textbooks and need to pay fees for all of their extra curricular activities. We also have districts across our nation with talking benches, parks and bamboo nooks. There’s a serious divide in public education made more stark when you compare the opulence in one area to the austerity next door. When do we place the focus back on education instead of excess?
Such is the strategy behind the elimination of “encore” teacher Arthur Bakopolus. After searching far and wide for a teacher capable of teaching a wide variety of instruments who was willing to work part time (read: without benefits) for the Haverhill Public Schools in order to cobble together the barest of feeder programs in the middle schools – the position doesn’t last past its pilot year.
I learned of this cut and others from this article in the Haverhill Gazette. I hope the School Committee and the administration and our citizens remember this cut when no new children are looking to join the Haverhill High School Marching Band. Of course, we haven’t had a band in years – so what’s one more year? Haverhill’s lack of a band is just one more mark against an already struggling system.
I hope the parents who purchased instruments for their children to take lessons with Mr Bakopulos saved their receipts or can find another place for their children to take lessons.
Other cuts and fee changes listed in the article were:
“eight special education aides and four high school teachers in the areas of art, science, foreign language and language arts.
An adjustment counselor’s position was left unfilled.
Another 109 teachers who received layoff notices in the spring have been called back to work this fall, said interim Superintendent James Scully.
At Haverhill High School, students are going to be asked to pay a fee to participate in school clubs, including yearbook, drama and band. The fees will cover the stipends for teachers to act as advisers to the programs. Stipends range from $1,500 to $4,000, said Kara Kosmes, assistant superintendent for finance and operations.”
I do fear that by the time my children reach Haverhill High School there will be nothing left.
I figured with the August meeting coming tomorrow I had best put my feelings from the July meeting to print.
I wonder how much of the good feelings toward Mr Scully are part of the honeymoon phase and will still be around in October. The not so subtle digs at the former superintendent were not lost on anyone. That position doesn’t turnover so quickly by accident. I can just hear the committee’s praises for our “permanent” Superintendent now: we love the communication, that interim guy didn’t do things like you do! so nice to have a “permanent” replacement that we can count on.
I feel for Garin Veris. I don’t know how much more clearly he can possibly explain the sports fee issue before people comprehend there is a fee and that it needs to be paid to participate in sports. His position is unenviable in this manner. No one likes the fees but they do need to be paid. Students who pay the fee on time and in full are the ones most hurt by the nonpayment of others. Opportunities for waivers do exist for families who cannot pay – all they ask is that you apply for the waiver before the fee collection becomes an issue.
Apparently privatization is only a dirty word when applied to the Special Education department and the Custodial department! Imagine my surprise in hearing Mr Wood’s suggestion to privatize HHS security after the fights regarding food service, Futures, and the night custodians at HHS! Mr Wood investigated other high school security forces and discovered most other places “Don’t do it like we do here in Haverhill.” There are lots of things we do here differently. Just because its different doesn’t make it wrong – bring a stronger and more detailed argument.
Lastly, I noticed that our Interim Superintendent made some pivotal appointments. Somehow no one felt the need to question his decisions by stating that he’s only the interim and won’t be around to truly experience the impact of his decisions. Funny that!
A few days ago I discussed school choice and why I made the decision to keep my kids here in Haverhill and fight to make the School Department here stronger. In reading today’s news I wanted to followup on some of the items from the other post.
Groveland did not pass the override to provide $350k in funding to the Pentucket Regional School District. I’m not surprised. Parents make up a small fraction of the voter pool. People like to forget that their own education, or their children’s education or their grandchildren’s education was funded by people who did not have children currently in the system either.
I hear a lot around town about the HHS renovation. I hear much also about the lack of funds for a roof at Tilton, flaking paint, poor landscaping, lockers that need painting, and fences that need fixing. Generally I don’t hear about the other town’s problems. I found the comment on the above linked article to be telling: Part of the buzz around Groveland is that they don’t want to spend money on capital school improvements either. “Memo to all those folks who want to build an $8 million addition to the Bagnall School by taxing the Groveland citiziens with a huge override: take a look at Monday’s vote, it won’t pass!” (I quoted Sachemmon – the spelling and grammar are hers)
Now that the override has failed – Merrimac also said no to the override; West Newbury was the only town to support extra taxes – what will the Pentucket Regional School District do? The options are limited and are the same ones we’ve debated in budget meetings here in Haverhill. Pentucket plans to lay off teachers and support staff. Course offerings have been lessened and enrollment numbers are being watched at the elementary level to see if any cuts can be made there. Unfortunately, the upper grade levels will probably feel the greatest loss from these cuts. I find the comment by “Gone Fishin” interesting as the points he makes are ones I hear over and over about Haverhill: Failure abounds in the school’s leadership, the town’s government, the teacher’s union and society as a whole.
While Haverhill’s School Department budget crunch is just beginning – North Andover’s seems to be winding down. When the dust clears they will have lost: “Under the Finance Committee’s proposal, Hottel said School Department layoffs will include a part-time special education teacher, roughly seven classroom aides and one social worker. Hottel said there will be no major cuts to educational programs and no layoffs of classroom teachers under the Finance Committee recommendation. Fee schedules also will remain in place, he said.” Nine jobs lost, no major cuts to educational programs – I have to wonder what that means … major is really determined by those who won’t have programs to go to in the fall, and fee schedules will remain – Is the DESE criticizing North Andover as it does Haverhill for charging fees to students for programs? I guess even affluent towns are feeling the recession!
Methuen’s mayor has decided to turn funding of the a new high school into Methuen’s very own Hale Debt Fiasco. He’s taking the tax increases from building three grammar schools that the people are already paying and extending them out beyond the 2018 end date to some as yet unnamed date. I had to double check the article to make sure they weren’t discussing HHS when they quote Manzi saying: “The chief complaints about the high school are the open concept, outdated science labs, and parts of the building that are not up to code. Failing to fix the building will threaten the school’s accreditation, Manzi warned.” Of course this all hinges on not having budget shortfalls that cost Methuen public safety. Councilors are hearing the city will lay off police officers and firefighters as it deals with budget cuts, “so I don’t know where we’re going to get money to put into the (high school) stabilization fund,” Cronin said. Its like deja vu all over again!
Lastly, lets check the grass in Andover, where a former Superintendent laments about how that town is handling its budget woes. He also mentions the need for a strategic plan for the schools – something we hear about at our own School Committee Meetings. In his call for a strategic plan, Ken Siefert even speaks to the need to conduct an audit! We’ve heard much about audits during the last few School Committee meetings as well.
Life is similar all around the Merrimack Valley; and I’m going to guess that other than the weather, life is similar throughout much of the United States. Certainly we can do better here in Haverhill – I believe in the city even when it doesn’t believe in itself. But do not assume we’re an anomaly of budget woes and school department issues and tax burdens for those items fertilize the lawns of our surrounding towns too!
I really want to thank Garin Veris for the effort and enthusiasm which made Friday night’s Comedy Night fundraiser such a wonderful success. Mr Veris worked very hard (as did all the booster clubs and many other people) to make this night happen. I saw him all evening taking pictures and talking to people and being an ever gracious host. The students in the HHS athletic program have a passionate advocate!
I want to chastise the local media for not attending this event. I’m sure someone could have taken a couple of hours Friday night to enjoy the show, take a few pictures and write some nice words about something great happening in Haverhill. While I didn’t take any pictures I did enjoy the show and I am going to write some nice words.
Before I get to all the niceness I wanted to do a little name dropping. Doors opened a little before 7:00pm for a show that began at 8:00pm. I got to meet Representative Brian Dempsey and Chamber of Commerce President Joe Jajeuga. I saw School Committee Members Sue Danehy, Paul Magliocchetti and Joe Bevilacqua – although Mr Bevilacqua left before the show started. City Council member Colin Lepage was also at the show. I was surprised I did not see more of our City Council Members and wondered why our esteemed Mayor was not in attendance. I know Dr Buchanan would have attended but he was at his daughter’s wedding – I can’t fault him for being there instead! Kara Kosmes enjoyed the show as acting Superintendent. I didn’t see any of the HHS administration and found this rather surprising as well although there were many HHS teachers in attendance.
Michael’s was full Friday evening! 375 tickets were sold prior to the event and people arrived without tickets looking to pay at the door. Michael’s was very accommodating and set tables up for the latecomers in every available space they could find. Guests were treated to appetizers of stuffed mushrooms, meatballs, cheeses, crackers, hummus and pita bread. Every table had a centerpiece filled with fortune cookies to add a little fun.
For entertainment we were treated to five very funny comedians. A few of the comedians had Haverhill roots which was an added treat. I didn’t know we had such great local talent! Our MC for the evening, Dave Rattigan, kept us entertained and kept the night moving as we listened to routines from Bill Pickles, Amy Tee, Dan Bulger and Tony “V.”
Since the event was a fundraiser guests could buy raffle tickets, bid on silent auction items and a few live auction items after the comedy portion of the evening. Despite the athletic theme of the evening there truly was something for everyone to take a chance on. The booster clubs brought in some fantastic items like:
The big ticket live auction item of the evening was a signed and framed jersey belonging to “Big Papi” which went for $400! The Celtics and Bruins tickets each brought in $275 and the Patriots tickets fetched $250.
The silent auction’s biggest item was the Haverhill Country Club round of golf which raised $340! Other items of note were the Haverhill Eats restaurant certificates which went for $300 and the Orthodontia gift certificate that brought in $210.
Lastly I want to thank Team Haverhill, Alfa Aesar, Olivia’s/Kreuger’s Flatbread, State Representative Brian Dempsey and State Senator Steven Baddour for helping sponsor Friday’s event. Thanks for your support of our students, our high school and our city.
New Athletic Director, Garin Veris, has wasted no time tackling the tough issues facing the Athletics Department of Haverhill Public Schools. Veris met with the DPC at their January meeting as part of their monthly “Meet the Administrator” outreach program and outlined his plan for the various sports teams and the students who make up said teams.
What most impressed me about Garin Veris was his emphasis on the whole student. He is not looking just for the kids who are most athletically inclined. He is looking for kids who want to play sports – and working to make sure that as many of those kids as possible get to play sports. But he stresses that they will only be allowed to play sports if their academic careers don’t suffer in the process. He spoke about how much he appreciates now the work his parents did to ensure his studies always took precedence over his athletics. Garin Veris explained to us that he wants to foster not only participation in the Athletics Program but in the community as a whole while fostering leadership, respect and academic success.
Garin Veris also spoke at length about how vital Middle School involvement is to the success of our High School programs. He has extended the invitation to our Middle School teams to fill the half time gap left by the lack of a band. He hopes this will keep the Middle School students excited about playing and bring all of the students together and generate fun and interest in our sports events. Other half time plans include inviting the Haverhill High School Alumni band players to return and play during the games as well as having a dance group from Haverhill High School perform. We cannot sit on our haunches and expect the students to come to us – we need to go to them and show them all of the great things we offer at Haverhill High School.
One of the more controversial issues facing our Athletic Department is sports fees. Whether or not you agree with the fees – they are a roadblock for students and they are a roadblock for the accreditation of our High School. The last report cited at an earlier School Committee Meeting stressed that Haverhill High School needed to reduce fees and increase participation in our programs. The easiest way to reduce fees is to fund-raise the money instead. Garin Veris is hoping the First Annual Haverhill High School Athletics Golf Tournament will do just that. He has tasked the Booster Clubs with working together to maximize the success of the tournament. He hopes the funds raised here will be the beginning of many years of improvements in our Athletic Program. I hope he is right.
If you would also like to meet the administrator; Garin Veris will be outlining some of the Athletic Department offerings at the January Parent Academy: Enrichment Activities.
At the forum on September 30th one of the questions posed to the candidates was: Sports Fees have reached the level where they have become a barrier to some students participating. Would you vote to reduce them? Why or Why Not?
The question is silly to me, no one wants sport fees. No one on the current School Committee wants sports fees. No one in the Athletic Department wants sports fees. In a Utopian society there would be no sports fees. You can vote to reduce them but where does the money come from? Do we fire a teacher? Incur a lawsuit because a Sped mandate is ignored? A better question would have been: In light of the economy requiring the Athletic Department to charge sports fees how would you help students overcome this hurdle to expand their participation in sports. I found the candidate responses disheartening.
Mr Deroche doesn’t want sports fees because he didn’t have to pay any when he played sports in High School. There were a lot of things that were different when we were in High School. That’s not a basis for how things need to be done today, in today’s economy and reflecting today’s needs.
Mr Sierpina wishes there were a split between what the student pays and what the school pays. This split already exists. In sitting at the budget meetings I listened to former Athletic Director Peter Shanahan discuss how he needed to use the sports fees to close the gap in his budget between what it costs to run the athletics program and what he receives in dollars from the School Department.
Ms Hetel wants the fees to be affordable. She sited a young man who complained about paying $800 to play hockey. That $800 is misleading. Hockey is the most expensive sport to play that is available for our students but the maximum in sports fees he could pay for that sport is $525 – expensive but far less than the $800 stated. Individual sport fees for sports that require busing are $275 with an additional $250 possible for hockey because of the exorbitant cost of rink fees. The city charges the school department a reduced rate for ice time. I’m sure that young man mentioned above has had to purchase equipment for himself along the way but the equipment is then his to keep.
Sports fees are also reduced or eliminated for students who qualify. There is a form available on the HHS website and I am sure they have print forms as well. The various booster clubs host fundraisers already to reduce sports fees for the students. A concert over the summer at Haverhill Stadium is just one recent example of the community working for our students.
A comment was made about students who play multiple sports. There is a per child max sports fee for the year of $600 and a per family max of $800. This is explained on the parent permission form all students must have completed before they can play any sport.
We talk a lot about sports fees and how unfair they are but the reality is playing any sport is expensive. When you factor in maintenance of the playing area, equipment, uniforms, coaches and busing the price tag rises quickly. What I’ve often wondered is why it took so long to institute these fees in the first place! We forget that every extracurricular activity the students undertake costs money. Band kids have been paying fees for years. They own or rent their instruments at their own expense, band also requires uniforms and travel expenses. Being a member of the National Honor Society requires dues be paid. Theatre students scour yard sales and thrift shops to make their own costumes and props. Unfortunately these students are often overlooked because society considers sports a right of passage for young people but other extracurricular activities as a privilege. Sports fees are merely leveling the playing field of financial burden.
