1 - The people involved in selecting the three football coach finalists did a good job. I am pleased that all three candidates have local roots and sound knowledge of the problems and potential of the Wildcat football program.
2 - I am ashamed of the way in which many commenters to the Advocate reports displayed ignorance and meanness toward the candidates. Emboldened by anonymity, they attacked the motives, morals and abilities with offensive and outlandish assertions. In view of this treatment, it’s no wonder one candidate changed his mind; the wonder is why the other two didn’t.
3 - The negative attitudes on display in the comments sections are symptomatic of what’s wrong with Wildcat football. These anonymous blow-hards are full of it and, while coaches and players and the majority of fans know that, their noise adds to the difficulty of regaining the Wildcat Roar, as one fan called it.
4 - The success of Wildcat football is going to depend on a show of strength and solidarity among fans. We have to let the athletes and their coaches know that their fan base is wide and loud. Keep the agitators at bay by challenging their lies and foolish assertions - or better, tune them out.
Showing posts with label Newark Schools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Newark Schools. Show all posts
Monday, March 15, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
NCS vs bullies - New policy?
NCS board members will face off with school bullies when it meets Monday (2/8/10) and considers the recommendation of the Student Achievement Leadership Team (SALT). That is, according to This Week Community Newspapers report at this link:
“The committee's next task was a revision of the district's bullying policy. The committee will recommend to the school board to omit the phrase stating that the policy applies to students "while en route to or from school."
"It's impossible to ensure that every child is free from harassment the entire time," Herreman said. "You can't follow every student."
Christenberry suggested including "social media" in the bullying policy's current enforcement of harassment via "Internet, e-mail, cellular telephone, personal digital assistance (PDA), or wireless hand-held device," allowing it to cover Facebook and Twitter.”
“The committee's next task was a revision of the district's bullying policy. The committee will recommend to the school board to omit the phrase stating that the policy applies to students "while en route to or from school."
"It's impossible to ensure that every child is free from harassment the entire time," Herreman said. "You can't follow every student."
Christenberry suggested including "social media" in the bullying policy's current enforcement of harassment via "Internet, e-mail, cellular telephone, personal digital assistance (PDA), or wireless hand-held device," allowing it to cover Facebook and Twitter.”
Friday, January 29, 2010
Bully-proofing schools and neighborhoods
When I first wrote about bullies I entitled it “Our village failed a child.”
However, none of the events since then - including my own writing - have reflected that this is more than a problem for schools, and more than a problem for police, and more than a problem for parents of bullies. Nobody, including myself, has framed it as a problem for our village.
That occurred to me when I reflected on why there was virtually no bullying in my rural school district many years ago. It wasn’t because there were no mean kids among us.
There were, however, three very influential forces: 1) there was always a teacher or an administrator watching when school took up, during recesses, lunch periods, and after school; 2) teachers had the nerve and felt the responsibility to punish misbehaving students; 3) people who lived in my village were looking out for the safety and welfare of kids and they had the courage and the will to help keep the peace.
Bullying and bad behavior by children were everyone’s problem, though it required time and attention and will power.
So why don’t we have a strong network of neighborhood watch groups? Why can’t parents organize to patrol problem areas? Why can’t the PTA get involved? Why aren’t parents standing up in city council meetings demanding police presence at problem areas? Why can’t individuals just do their own patrolling even without being organized or assimilated into a group? Why can’t teachers and administrators get out of the buildings to keep an eye on things?
I think these solutions - or perhaps better solutions - will materialize if and when everybody begins to see the children of our village as a personal responsibility.
However, none of the events since then - including my own writing - have reflected that this is more than a problem for schools, and more than a problem for police, and more than a problem for parents of bullies. Nobody, including myself, has framed it as a problem for our village.
That occurred to me when I reflected on why there was virtually no bullying in my rural school district many years ago. It wasn’t because there were no mean kids among us.
There were, however, three very influential forces: 1) there was always a teacher or an administrator watching when school took up, during recesses, lunch periods, and after school; 2) teachers had the nerve and felt the responsibility to punish misbehaving students; 3) people who lived in my village were looking out for the safety and welfare of kids and they had the courage and the will to help keep the peace.
Bullying and bad behavior by children were everyone’s problem, though it required time and attention and will power.
So why don’t we have a strong network of neighborhood watch groups? Why can’t parents organize to patrol problem areas? Why can’t the PTA get involved? Why aren’t parents standing up in city council meetings demanding police presence at problem areas? Why can’t individuals just do their own patrolling even without being organized or assimilated into a group? Why can’t teachers and administrators get out of the buildings to keep an eye on things?
I think these solutions - or perhaps better solutions - will materialize if and when everybody begins to see the children of our village as a personal responsibility.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Bullies don’t stop, nor should NCS
That Newark City Schools hit back at student bullies in some classroom exercises (reported in the Advocate 1/26/10) is to be commended.
I wrote 12/3/09 that “Our village failed a child” and that it was in part the fault of schools. Now Newark City School administrators have acted to end bullying. Likely they recognize what they’ve accomplished as only the beginning. Meanwhile, lots of folks are jumping in the Advocate comments sections saying it’s not enough. I agree.
Bullying is like obesity, like tooth decay, like bad attitude, like addiction. You can’t make corrections with one talkie-talk field day. You have to fight it. You have to keep fighting it and you have to keep your guard up every single moment.
Some of the commenters indicated that the confrontation of bullies lies mostly or only with school principals, and that some principals are intimidated by parents of bullies. I suspect there is some truth in that, and if it is true, then let’s face off with those parents. Let’s hire security guards. Let’s call the police to the offices of school principals. Let’s take these parents to court. Let’s draw a line in the sand over which these parents and their kid-bullies shall not pass.
Announce that line; make it stick. That line will stand once the word gets out. Meantime, don’t stop with one talkie-talk field day. Do it regularly and encourage PTA groups (do they still have these in Newark?) to take up banderillas.
Our village should now have learned that it should never again fail one of our children. If that takes some unaccustomed toughness on our part, so be it.
I wrote 12/3/09 that “Our village failed a child” and that it was in part the fault of schools. Now Newark City School administrators have acted to end bullying. Likely they recognize what they’ve accomplished as only the beginning. Meanwhile, lots of folks are jumping in the Advocate comments sections saying it’s not enough. I agree.
Bullying is like obesity, like tooth decay, like bad attitude, like addiction. You can’t make corrections with one talkie-talk field day. You have to fight it. You have to keep fighting it and you have to keep your guard up every single moment.
Some of the commenters indicated that the confrontation of bullies lies mostly or only with school principals, and that some principals are intimidated by parents of bullies. I suspect there is some truth in that, and if it is true, then let’s face off with those parents. Let’s hire security guards. Let’s call the police to the offices of school principals. Let’s take these parents to court. Let’s draw a line in the sand over which these parents and their kid-bullies shall not pass.
Announce that line; make it stick. That line will stand once the word gets out. Meantime, don’t stop with one talkie-talk field day. Do it regularly and encourage PTA groups (do they still have these in Newark?) to take up banderillas.
Our village should now have learned that it should never again fail one of our children. If that takes some unaccustomed toughness on our part, so be it.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Alerts: Obama, Council rules, Mr. Kidd, Channel 19
Don’t ever believe President Obama isn’t giving the Newark Tea Party a serious read. Two days ago I wrote about Newark’s lack of jobs Newark Remains Unstimulated
Today’s Washington Post headline: “Obama to focus on job growth in Ohio.” Ta Da!
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Rules are for suckers - Right, City Council?
Ohio law requires three readings of proposed legislation, Newark by virtue of its “home rule” Charter requires but two. Many ordinances, however, are passed on the first reading because they are claimed to be “emergencies” though exactly what the “emergency” is normally remains murky at best. Never mind the Charter requires Council to “clearly specify the necessity of the emergency.”
Also, Council again played fast and loose with the public money entrusted to it when it awarded without competitive bidding a contract to Claggett & Sons to work on the company’s own property.
Competitive bidding for projects of $25,000 or more is required by the Charter, but this routinely is defined as unnecessary by the votes of six Council members. The Claggett project is estimated at $35,000-$50,000.
Claggett is a good landscaping contractor who has performed perfectly on a couple small jobs for me, and would be my choice for the next one. Likely the city won’t go wrong by awarding this job to Claggett. But we’ll never know because the rules don’t apply here.
This points to the need for tighter rules to ensure that expediency and convenience stop being overriding objectives of Council members and the Council president. Those tighter rules could be a project of a Charter Review if Council would provide for it.
Meantime, if any citizen should feel Council is abusing bidding requirements a complaint should be filed with Mary Taylor, Auditor of State.
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Keep your eye on Mr. Kidd
Ronnie Kidd, the Heath resident who led the charge against Reflex traffic cameras, hasn’t retired. For one thing, he was a key player in Mansfield’s decision to ignore Redflex’s pitch to install cameras in that city. Here’s how he described some of it in a note to me 1/20/10:
“Last night I drove to Mansfield for its Safety Committee meeting, Caucus and Council meeting. The 3rd reading of its camera ordinance was planned. Only one Mansfield resident was there to protest the cameras. The same Redflex rep that did the Zanesville presentation was there to give a slick and gruesome presentation. Including once when a Council member called me to the podium to ask me some questions, I managed to address the Council 4 times. Vote: 8-0 unanimous against the cameras.”
His group of citizens who helped with the traffic camera exile is still meeting. They hope to help citizens of Baytown TX and Arnold MO battle red light cameras. Also, they are expecting to influence decisions by local officials on the county dog pound, the Davis-Shai House and the Rt. 79 median in Heath.
I think this group isn’t far from announcing some sort of formal organization and picking up speed as a very influential force which politicians will rapidly come to respect.
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Webcasts & Channel 19
I was confused by the Advocate report on Council’s discussion of a camera for webcasting meetings on the city’s website. It was my sloppy reading, not the reporter’s fault. Maybe there were others too who didn’t get the difference between webcasting (something new being considered) and cablecasting (what’s already being done on Channel 19). The discussion involved, in part, the cost of a camera for webcasts. City officials were told the cost would be $2,800, but a resident brought an inexpensive digital video camera to demonstrate its adequacy and simplicity. Now let’s see if anyone listens to him.
Speaking of cablecasts on Channel 19, it seems to me that they are more professionally produced now than they have been for many years. Also, that Newark Schools’ Channel 19 has a lot more and a lot better programming in quality and subject matter.
Thing is, if you don’t know when Council meetings are to be shown, and if you don’t know when the other stuff is on, what good is it? Seems to me that the Advocate could easily list Channel 19 programming, if only on its web site.
Today’s Washington Post headline: “Obama to focus on job growth in Ohio.” Ta Da!
Rules are for suckers - Right, City Council?
Ohio law requires three readings of proposed legislation, Newark by virtue of its “home rule” Charter requires but two. Many ordinances, however, are passed on the first reading because they are claimed to be “emergencies” though exactly what the “emergency” is normally remains murky at best. Never mind the Charter requires Council to “clearly specify the necessity of the emergency.”
Also, Council again played fast and loose with the public money entrusted to it when it awarded without competitive bidding a contract to Claggett & Sons to work on the company’s own property.
Competitive bidding for projects of $25,000 or more is required by the Charter, but this routinely is defined as unnecessary by the votes of six Council members. The Claggett project is estimated at $35,000-$50,000.
Claggett is a good landscaping contractor who has performed perfectly on a couple small jobs for me, and would be my choice for the next one. Likely the city won’t go wrong by awarding this job to Claggett. But we’ll never know because the rules don’t apply here.
This points to the need for tighter rules to ensure that expediency and convenience stop being overriding objectives of Council members and the Council president. Those tighter rules could be a project of a Charter Review if Council would provide for it.
Meantime, if any citizen should feel Council is abusing bidding requirements a complaint should be filed with Mary Taylor, Auditor of State.
Keep your eye on Mr. Kidd
Ronnie Kidd, the Heath resident who led the charge against Reflex traffic cameras, hasn’t retired. For one thing, he was a key player in Mansfield’s decision to ignore Redflex’s pitch to install cameras in that city. Here’s how he described some of it in a note to me 1/20/10:
“Last night I drove to Mansfield for its Safety Committee meeting, Caucus and Council meeting. The 3rd reading of its camera ordinance was planned. Only one Mansfield resident was there to protest the cameras. The same Redflex rep that did the Zanesville presentation was there to give a slick and gruesome presentation. Including once when a Council member called me to the podium to ask me some questions, I managed to address the Council 4 times. Vote: 8-0 unanimous against the cameras.”
His group of citizens who helped with the traffic camera exile is still meeting. They hope to help citizens of Baytown TX and Arnold MO battle red light cameras. Also, they are expecting to influence decisions by local officials on the county dog pound, the Davis-Shai House and the Rt. 79 median in Heath.
I think this group isn’t far from announcing some sort of formal organization and picking up speed as a very influential force which politicians will rapidly come to respect.
Webcasts & Channel 19
I was confused by the Advocate report on Council’s discussion of a camera for webcasting meetings on the city’s website. It was my sloppy reading, not the reporter’s fault. Maybe there were others too who didn’t get the difference between webcasting (something new being considered) and cablecasting (what’s already being done on Channel 19). The discussion involved, in part, the cost of a camera for webcasts. City officials were told the cost would be $2,800, but a resident brought an inexpensive digital video camera to demonstrate its adequacy and simplicity. Now let’s see if anyone listens to him.
Speaking of cablecasts on Channel 19, it seems to me that they are more professionally produced now than they have been for many years. Also, that Newark Schools’ Channel 19 has a lot more and a lot better programming in quality and subject matter.
Thing is, if you don’t know when Council meetings are to be shown, and if you don’t know when the other stuff is on, what good is it? Seems to me that the Advocate could easily list Channel 19 programming, if only on its web site.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Restore the roar of the Wildcats
“Let’s restore the roar” is a comment by a Newark Wildcat fan, writing about the resignation of NHS Football Coach Buchanan. “Let’s restore the roar” means, in the fan’s (patsredwings) context, “let’s get back to having a wining Wildcat football team.”
There was another comment that stood above the others. It was from Keynan Williams, whose title is “Running Back #23 Class of 2011,” and who said “we're gonna go into the 2010 season, heads held high, ready for a street fight.”
To Keynan - and to me - the lousy records of recent years don’t matter. The fact that there’s going to be a new football coach doesn’t matter. What matters is simply, and mostly, a matter of spirit - a matter of how much fight will be taken to the field.
And that - the amount of fight - is largely dependent on how much Wildcat roar will be restored. If all these youngsters read and hear is more criticism from community quarterbacks and commentators - a constant yammer about all the things wrong with the football program - then it’s going to be that much more difficult for them to bring a street fight to the field.
To me, the Wildcat football team is to Newark what the OSU football team is to Ohio. I know it’s irrational, but if the Wildcat football team kicks butt, then in some illogical and implausible way, I have been victorious, and I’m not even particularly a sports fan.
My wife, who is less of a sports fan than I am, never fails to watch the Buckeye games with me, and she has been known to jump from the couch and scare the dogs when OSU does something magnificently right or wrong. Such enthusiasm for football from a non-sports fan supports the thesis that a winning football team is really important.
I see the Wildcats as a rallying place for a community that needs a lift in spirits, for a school system that’s been beat into the ground by unfortunate administrative bungling.
If we can make the Wildcats roar again, I think Newark citizens would feel better about ourselves. And I for one, will be watching - if only in spirit - when Running Back #23 Class of 2011 brings out next season’s street fight.
Newark, git ‘er done.
There was another comment that stood above the others. It was from Keynan Williams, whose title is “Running Back #23 Class of 2011,” and who said “we're gonna go into the 2010 season, heads held high, ready for a street fight.”
To Keynan - and to me - the lousy records of recent years don’t matter. The fact that there’s going to be a new football coach doesn’t matter. What matters is simply, and mostly, a matter of spirit - a matter of how much fight will be taken to the field.
And that - the amount of fight - is largely dependent on how much Wildcat roar will be restored. If all these youngsters read and hear is more criticism from community quarterbacks and commentators - a constant yammer about all the things wrong with the football program - then it’s going to be that much more difficult for them to bring a street fight to the field.
To me, the Wildcat football team is to Newark what the OSU football team is to Ohio. I know it’s irrational, but if the Wildcat football team kicks butt, then in some illogical and implausible way, I have been victorious, and I’m not even particularly a sports fan.
My wife, who is less of a sports fan than I am, never fails to watch the Buckeye games with me, and she has been known to jump from the couch and scare the dogs when OSU does something magnificently right or wrong. Such enthusiasm for football from a non-sports fan supports the thesis that a winning football team is really important.
I see the Wildcats as a rallying place for a community that needs a lift in spirits, for a school system that’s been beat into the ground by unfortunate administrative bungling.
If we can make the Wildcats roar again, I think Newark citizens would feel better about ourselves. And I for one, will be watching - if only in spirit - when Running Back #23 Class of 2011 brings out next season’s street fight.
Newark, git ‘er done.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
NCS employees, we don’t care about your convenience
Newark City Schools quandary over where to educate students while the high school campus is being rebuilt is the subject of an Advocate report (1/10/10).
It says administrators favor spending another half-million-or-so tax dollars on renting 16 classroom buidlings.
Another option, would be to schedule split sessions - difficult, but doable, the report says. The problem with that is “it ... hurts your activities” and the administration would have to “manipulate (its) staff so that everybody’s happy.”
This is the kind of fiscally irresponsible crap that property owners and income-tax payers are tired of hearing from NCS administrators.
We don’t care about your activities or your convenience, and we had hoped that a new superintendent and a new treasurer and a couple new board members might make a difference in the NCS attitude toward spending taxpayers’ money.
This is not a good omen.
It says administrators favor spending another half-million-or-so tax dollars on renting 16 classroom buidlings.
Another option, would be to schedule split sessions - difficult, but doable, the report says. The problem with that is “it ... hurts your activities” and the administration would have to “manipulate (its) staff so that everybody’s happy.”
This is the kind of fiscally irresponsible crap that property owners and income-tax payers are tired of hearing from NCS administrators.
We don’t care about your activities or your convenience, and we had hoped that a new superintendent and a new treasurer and a couple new board members might make a difference in the NCS attitude toward spending taxpayers’ money.
This is not a good omen.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Our village failed a child
The Advocate reported yesterday about an incident that put a wide and ugly spotlight on Newark Ohio. It concerns the mistreatment of one of our children and you can read the story at this link and see the WBNS TV report at this link.
That incident would never have occurred if our village hadn’t failed so miserably, including ...
1 - Every driver who passed without stopping - especially the school bus driver. More than 50 drivers passed. I can’t believe all of them failed to call the police; did anyone call and, if so, did the police show up?
2 - Every resident who lived along the street, saw what was happening and did nothing.
3 - The Newark Police Department for not patrolling the streets near schools.
3 - The Newark Police Department for not getting serious about this crime until it received media attention and worldwide exposure on the Internet.
4 - The Newark City Schools for not preparing students for bullies, for not teaching this victim how to react.
5 - The Newark City Schools for maintaining the attitude: It happened off our official property, so we are helpless and we can’t get involved. Not true. Administrators and teachers could maintain a presence along neighboring streets (the principal and teachers at Lincoln did so many years ago when my kids attended that school). They above all, should get involved - personally and professionally.
6 - The Newark City Schools for failing to follow up on this incident; that video tape was surely available to administrators, had they cared enough to ask.
7 - The parents of the bully, of course, who failed to supervise their child.
8 - The parents of the victim who should have known their child could be endangered on her way home and acted to protect her with whatever it takes.
There is a proverb: It takes a village to raise a child.
Only one person did not fail the bully’s victim. That was the person who held a video camera and recorded Newark as it failed one of its children.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Salute to Wildcat spirit
Those who’ve earned admiration are people who voluntarily enter a place where they know they’ll come out with a beat-up body and a bruised ego - who know that, but who enter anyway.
At the top of the list of those who’ve done it recently and regularly are the Newark High School Wildcat footballers.
To march week after dreary week into the teeth of a new and nearly certain defeat is the mark of heroism, more so than those who go with hope.
These Wildcat footballers deserve our respect and our thanks as much, maybe more, than the sure shots of better years.
These guys demonstrated class and self-discipline and hard work and the willingness to take a thumping in the name of Newark High School. They are heros, really.
I hope the community will now rally on their behalf; build a bonfire; cheer for the Wildcat spirit - because this is where next football season begins.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
NCS board election: Bringing truth to the rumors
From behind the scenes of local politics comes an interesting hint from a Blue-Ribbon observer: Molly Ingold is being groomed by local Republicans for a run at the mayor’s seat when it comes up for vote in two years.
If this is the case, the immediate GOP strategy might be to give her experience at city-wide campaigning in a difficult race and, if she wins, keep her in public view for the next two years.
Such might be the real reason why Molly decided to run for a two-year seat on the NCS board of education, rather than to try for one of the open four-year seats.
It might be. Or not. She previously explained her decision like this: “I began to think about the transition from one superintendent to the next and realized it was important to have some consistency and experience on the Board. I decided it was important for me to continue...”
To provide transition from the King Richards’ regime to the Ute superintendency seems self-defeating if voters are aligned more against Richards than not, as am I. The sooner we get out from under the Richards’ mentality at NCS the better. If Molly is offering more of the same old same old as a returning board member, and if voters perceive it as such, I think she’s going to follow Keith out to pasture.
If establishmentarians (represented in local elections by the GOP) are backing her, she’ll have a bunch of money and a bunch of ads.
I see it as a showdown between those business-oriented establishmentarians and the blue-collar, earthy, church-centered, property-owning, and elderly voters who will be attracted to Tim Carr.
I’ve mentioned here before that Tim is talking the kind of talk that older people have been waiting to hear from the city school board. He is holding out the hope that property owners and pensioners could see (some of?) their NCS property-tax burden shifted elsewhere.
All the above speculation aside, it isn’t fair to simply speculate. What is fair is to ask Molly what her long-term political aspirations are. And if that’s fair, it’s also fair to ask Tim. So I did.
My questions to both:
There has been speculation that one or both of you might be considering a run for Newark City Mayor when that election occurs in two years.
Since you are both running for the two-year-seat vacancy on the school board, I wonder if this speculation has merit.
In the interest of having all cards on the table before the coming election, I am asking you to tell Newark voters:
1) - Are you considering running for mayor, or for any other non-school-board office in two years?
2) - Has either local political party approached you and/or encouraged you about this option?
Molly said:
“1.) While it is my understanding there are rumors out there I am running for mayor in two years, I have not at all considered this as part of the reason I am running for a two-year term on the school board. As for the future, I am not always sure what tomorrow will bring so I try not to get too far ahead of myself.
“2.) Neither political party has approached me or encouraged me to consider any political position.”
Tim said:
“I'll answer the questions in reverse realizing that what I don't say is as important as what I do say. I want to be very clear. Nobody from any party has talked with or contacted me in any way about any political aspirations. In fact, nobody at all has talked with me about such things.
“Second question: I absolutely love my job as Pastor and can not see myself trading it for any political office. If I still feel like I can be a resource for the people and an effective advocate for the children I would consider running for school board again in two years. I consider my spiritual calling to take precedent over all others and see my political aspirations no higher the the school board.
“Thanks for your continued interest in the campaign, and for bringing truth to the rumors.”
Thursday, October 15, 2009
School Board candidacy explained
I recently wrote an essay about Tim Carr as a candidate for the Newark City Schools board of education. Folks who commented about it raised the question about why Molly Ingold chose to run for Tim’s seat, rather than for one of the vacant seats.
I asked the two candidates that question. Here’s what Molly told me:
“Bruce: I would be glad to address your question.
“Coming into 2009 I had planned on completing my term this December. At that time I believed the current superintendent was planning on retiring in 2010. We (at least I) received a surprise when Mr. Richards decided to retire in 2009. I began to think about the transition from one superintendent to the next and realized it was important to have some consistency and experience on the Board. I decided it was important for me to continue, but wanted to do so for a shorter period of time than 4 more years. Having already served 6 years, 2 more years would complete 8 years - 2 terms, so to speak.
“The night I took out my petitions, I called Tim to personally notify him of my decision so he would hear it from me and not anyone else. At that point he did not have any petition signatures and I thought he might choose to look at a 4 year term having only 9 months under his belt. He obviously decided to stick with the 2 year term as well.
“So I don't look at it as either Molly choosing to run against Tim or Tim choosing to run against Molly, but rather two individuals who made what they thought was the right decision. (Having talked with Tim about this, I know that both of us prayed about the decision before taking action.)
“Thanks for asking. I hope this helps answer your question. Feel free to share this with the other folks you spoke about..........Molly”
And here’s what Tim said:
“Molly told me she only wanted to serve two more years. All of our conversations previously were that she didn't want to run again. She did know my intentions to run for the two year term and to her credit, she called me several weeks later to say she was running against me. I am not aware of any other reasons.
“Sincerely, Tim Carr”
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Tim Carr could lead the way
If you’re an older person or if you expect to become one, pay attention to the campaign promise of Tim Carr, candidate for Newark City School Board.
In the Advocate voters guide he lists as his top priority, if elected, to explore “ways to restructure funding for Newark City Schools that will help our senior citizens and property owners.”
He was a bit more specific when interviewed by the Dispatch/ThisWeek.
“He ... said the district needs to think about the renewal of the income tax levy now and start to think about restructuring it, to ensure no retirement benefits are taxed and seniors don't have to pay for it.”
As a prelude to that statement, Tim said “the school district needs to continue to be fiscally responsible, even with the spring passage of an additional 7.5 mills for five years to meet emergency requirements. Estimates show the money could keep the district from deficit spending for the next three to four years, but Carr asked if the district could be creative and make it last longer.”
Further, he mentions that during his short tenure on the school board he has felt “like an advocate for the kids and the people."
These statements reflect the right attitudes and ambitions. I hope he gets elected because students, parents, and taxpayers need a school board that works better and smarter. Tim could lead the way.
In the Advocate voters guide he lists as his top priority, if elected, to explore “ways to restructure funding for Newark City Schools that will help our senior citizens and property owners.”
He was a bit more specific when interviewed by the Dispatch/ThisWeek.
“He ... said the district needs to think about the renewal of the income tax levy now and start to think about restructuring it, to ensure no retirement benefits are taxed and seniors don't have to pay for it.”
As a prelude to that statement, Tim said “the school district needs to continue to be fiscally responsible, even with the spring passage of an additional 7.5 mills for five years to meet emergency requirements. Estimates show the money could keep the district from deficit spending for the next three to four years, but Carr asked if the district could be creative and make it last longer.”
Further, he mentions that during his short tenure on the school board he has felt “like an advocate for the kids and the people."
These statements reflect the right attitudes and ambitions. I hope he gets elected because students, parents, and taxpayers need a school board that works better and smarter. Tim could lead the way.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
More NCS construction = Higher taxes?
As Newark City School District continues improvement on its buildings I’ve long wondered whether debts being accrued may lead to higher property taxes.
Since 2004, when the issuance of $70 million in bonds was approved by voters for school construction, NCS has been hip-high in modernizing its facilities. An Advocate summary of the projects encompassed by this massive expenditure, as of last summer, is reprinted here.
Still to be undertaken is the most expensive ($39 million) element on the list: The restructuring of the high school campus, creating connected buildings and the demolition of Buildings C, D, E, and H, according to the Advocate report.
It seemed to me that, should the community elect to stop these building projects, lower tax bills would result from less money being spent for debt reduction. Further, I questioned whether the $70 million in bonds approved by voters in 2004 would cover inflationary costs.
I also wondered who dreamed up the plan for tearing down most of the buildings on high school campus and replacing them with structures never clearly explained nor debated, and over which - when it sinks into the community mentality - there might be a lot of dissatisfaction. Among the featured advantages of living in Newark - for decades - has been its beautiful high school campus. So who came up with this plan and why?
I queried Jeffrey Anderson, NCS treasurer, by e-mail. His reply was immediate and thorough. In summary, he said that curtailing these construction projects would not lower local property taxes, that the school building projects were designed according to state formulas and standards, that the school district is legally obligated to complete all the projects.
Most of the text of his email is at this link, followed by a note from NCS Board Member Tom Bline regarding the planning process for changes to the Newark High School Campus.
Since 2004, when the issuance of $70 million in bonds was approved by voters for school construction, NCS has been hip-high in modernizing its facilities. An Advocate summary of the projects encompassed by this massive expenditure, as of last summer, is reprinted here.
Still to be undertaken is the most expensive ($39 million) element on the list: The restructuring of the high school campus, creating connected buildings and the demolition of Buildings C, D, E, and H, according to the Advocate report.
It seemed to me that, should the community elect to stop these building projects, lower tax bills would result from less money being spent for debt reduction. Further, I questioned whether the $70 million in bonds approved by voters in 2004 would cover inflationary costs.
I also wondered who dreamed up the plan for tearing down most of the buildings on high school campus and replacing them with structures never clearly explained nor debated, and over which - when it sinks into the community mentality - there might be a lot of dissatisfaction. Among the featured advantages of living in Newark - for decades - has been its beautiful high school campus. So who came up with this plan and why?
I queried Jeffrey Anderson, NCS treasurer, by e-mail. His reply was immediate and thorough. In summary, he said that curtailing these construction projects would not lower local property taxes, that the school building projects were designed according to state formulas and standards, that the school district is legally obligated to complete all the projects.
Most of the text of his email is at this link, followed by a note from NCS Board Member Tom Bline regarding the planning process for changes to the Newark High School Campus.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
NCS: Ute, Christenberry send encouraging messages
Two items in today’s Advocate should cheer a weary Newark City Schools constituency. The first concerns the new superintendent’s message to his staff: “do one thing above all else: Respect the students, and do everything possible for them.” (Newark chief challenges teachers to respect students)
In all my rants about the Richards’ Regime, the underlying thesis called for the school system to resume the long-ago tradition of serving students and parents first and doing it in the most economical way possible. So Doug Ute’s first words to his employees is precisely on target and is what this community needed to hear. Now, we’ll see if his employees can rise to that challenge.
The second item reported that one NCS board member has again risen above the bobble-head category. Vice President Mark Christenberry took issue with former Superintendent Richards about something, spoke out about it, and voted in favor of common sense, not as he was told to do. (E-mails show disagreement over Newark school resource officer)
The dispute was a result of the superintendent’s unwillingness to cooperate or take suggestions, but instead to issue the board an ultimatum. It sparked a very telling question from Christenberry: "How do we, as a board, make him (the superintendent) do what we want him to do?"
Hooray for Mark, who is the only board member who seems willing to take a management role in school affairs as voters expect. Mark won props here before when I wrote 11/15/08 that he stood up to Richards and voted against him and his school board puppet people on the question of hiring a PR mouthpiece in view of community opposition. Here’s the link, but the Advocate has taken its video down from free Internet access.
In all my rants about the Richards’ Regime, the underlying thesis called for the school system to resume the long-ago tradition of serving students and parents first and doing it in the most economical way possible. So Doug Ute’s first words to his employees is precisely on target and is what this community needed to hear. Now, we’ll see if his employees can rise to that challenge.
The second item reported that one NCS board member has again risen above the bobble-head category. Vice President Mark Christenberry took issue with former Superintendent Richards about something, spoke out about it, and voted in favor of common sense, not as he was told to do. (E-mails show disagreement over Newark school resource officer)
The dispute was a result of the superintendent’s unwillingness to cooperate or take suggestions, but instead to issue the board an ultimatum. It sparked a very telling question from Christenberry: "How do we, as a board, make him (the superintendent) do what we want him to do?"
Hooray for Mark, who is the only board member who seems willing to take a management role in school affairs as voters expect. Mark won props here before when I wrote 11/15/08 that he stood up to Richards and voted against him and his school board puppet people on the question of hiring a PR mouthpiece in view of community opposition. Here’s the link, but the Advocate has taken its video down from free Internet access.
Monday, August 3, 2009
With new managers, NCS will revive
Since the announced change in NCS superintendents there has been a cease-fire from critics of Newark Schools’ methods and motives. In November, voters could make it permanent.
Count me among those who intend to support the new superintendent as long as he proves worthy; also the new treasurer. I am assuming they will make wise decisions for the benefit of students, parents, and taxpayers. I am assuming they will be honest and open in all NCS affairs.
The honeymoon is on, which is a great time for the community to reflect on the rough times of the past few years. It hasn’t been pretty, it hasn’t been fun, and the schools lost a lot of goodwill and community support.
We need to reflect on it because the NCS board played a leading role in this unhappy time. They made - or supported - many unwise decisions. They seemed supremely incompetent as money managers and administrators.
The November election will open the way for voters to make corrections as they fill the positions currently held by Bline, Carr, and Ingold. As the Advocate reminded us yesterday, school board “candidates must turn in their petitions with the required number of signatures ... by 4 p.m. Aug. 20 to the Board of Elections.”
That we are not in a state of turmoil at the moment is a great advantage to our chances of finding candidates for those seats who are good managers rather than angry activists.
We need board members who are qualified as business administrators, able to manage money and spend our tax burden wisely. We need board members who will be leaders and not bobble heads for the superintendent. If we get them and if our new superintendent is the genuine article, we can look for much better times ahead: Not just a truce, but a new and welcomed beginning.
Count me among those who intend to support the new superintendent as long as he proves worthy; also the new treasurer. I am assuming they will make wise decisions for the benefit of students, parents, and taxpayers. I am assuming they will be honest and open in all NCS affairs.
The honeymoon is on, which is a great time for the community to reflect on the rough times of the past few years. It hasn’t been pretty, it hasn’t been fun, and the schools lost a lot of goodwill and community support.
We need to reflect on it because the NCS board played a leading role in this unhappy time. They made - or supported - many unwise decisions. They seemed supremely incompetent as money managers and administrators.
The November election will open the way for voters to make corrections as they fill the positions currently held by Bline, Carr, and Ingold. As the Advocate reminded us yesterday, school board “candidates must turn in their petitions with the required number of signatures ... by 4 p.m. Aug. 20 to the Board of Elections.”
That we are not in a state of turmoil at the moment is a great advantage to our chances of finding candidates for those seats who are good managers rather than angry activists.
We need board members who are qualified as business administrators, able to manage money and spend our tax burden wisely. We need board members who will be leaders and not bobble heads for the superintendent. If we get them and if our new superintendent is the genuine article, we can look for much better times ahead: Not just a truce, but a new and welcomed beginning.
Friday, June 12, 2009
NCS is getting another grade of F
People involved in selection of this city’s school superintendent see it as a job for themselves and not for citizens. This is evident in today’s reports about the status of the search through the eyes of the Ohio School Boards Association.
In the Advocate’s report and the WCLT report, there was never a mention about any avenue for public input to the selection process.
Apparently it will all be decided by our “experts.” Even the tenor of the WCLT report hints of that. Check it: “OSBA search consultant Kathy LaSota talks about what she’s looking for. ‘Most importantly for Newark, ...’”
What I want to know is: Where was the NCS school board when Judge Hoover was publishing on-line the resumes of the school board candidates? Where were they when the Judge required these candidates to get up in front of the folks they wanted to serve and tell why they would do it well? Where were these folks when the Judge invited public comments which became part of his selection criteria?
What were they thinking - and where was Ms. LaSota - when the school board issued its “transparency” promises?
“Transparency” to them apparently is defined as a single and very late news release from the offices of OSBA.
NCS school board is about to get another in a long series of failing grades by a weary constituency.
In the Advocate’s report and the WCLT report, there was never a mention about any avenue for public input to the selection process.
Apparently it will all be decided by our “experts.” Even the tenor of the WCLT report hints of that. Check it: “OSBA search consultant Kathy LaSota talks about what she’s looking for. ‘Most importantly for Newark, ...’”
What I want to know is: Where was the NCS school board when Judge Hoover was publishing on-line the resumes of the school board candidates? Where were they when the Judge required these candidates to get up in front of the folks they wanted to serve and tell why they would do it well? Where were these folks when the Judge invited public comments which became part of his selection criteria?
What were they thinking - and where was Ms. LaSota - when the school board issued its “transparency” promises?
“Transparency” to them apparently is defined as a single and very late news release from the offices of OSBA.
NCS school board is about to get another in a long series of failing grades by a weary constituency.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
NCS transparency begins with executive sessions
Last evening - the evening of my post “Untransparent search for the NCS superintendent,” the NCS board met, and in regard to the search for the superintendent it was announced, according to the Advocate, “the board will meet in executive session June 24 to review the applications.” That was just before the board adjourned last evening to executive session for a discussion of the public’s business.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Untransparent search for the NCS superintendent
The search for a new superintendent for Newark City Schools began May 13, 2009, in cooperation with Ohio School Boards Association and its consultant, Kathy LaSota.
The search, according to an Advocate report, would be “transparent.” LaSota said “community members should have input and see the process as it happens ... We want this whole process to be as open and transparent as possible,” she said.
Mark Christenberry, NCS board vp, concurred. The Advocate quoted him as saying: “We’re really trying hard to make this an open process ... There will be no transparency issues.”
Really?
With the deadline for applications 10 days from today, and the decision scheduled for less than one month from today, to my knowledge there has yet to be the first shred of an update on the search and the candidates, and the first word yet to be published at the NCS web site about any of this.
So how is NCS defining “transparency?” So far, this just one more ham-handed disappointment delivered by NCS to an already disillusioned and disbelieving constituency. This, even though a perfect example of what is meant by “transparency” was demonstrated to the NCS administration in Judge Hoover’s selection process for a new board member.
NCS still marches to the beat of its own drum.
Untransparently.
The search, according to an Advocate report, would be “transparent.” LaSota said “community members should have input and see the process as it happens ... We want this whole process to be as open and transparent as possible,” she said.
Mark Christenberry, NCS board vp, concurred. The Advocate quoted him as saying: “We’re really trying hard to make this an open process ... There will be no transparency issues.”
Really?
With the deadline for applications 10 days from today, and the decision scheduled for less than one month from today, to my knowledge there has yet to be the first shred of an update on the search and the candidates, and the first word yet to be published at the NCS web site about any of this.
So how is NCS defining “transparency?” So far, this just one more ham-handed disappointment delivered by NCS to an already disillusioned and disbelieving constituency. This, even though a perfect example of what is meant by “transparency” was demonstrated to the NCS administration in Judge Hoover’s selection process for a new board member.
NCS still marches to the beat of its own drum.
Untransparently.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
NCS Connects?
In a comment to another essay here, Amythirdward raised the issue of quality of, and purpose for, the recently published NCS newsletter “NCS Connects.”
“... If that is the best the Ms PR person can do, it is pretty ametuerish. I am amazed that after passing the levy the admin felt like that piece of paper would be bridge the communication divide between them and us!”
Your assessment on the quality of the NCS newsletter is on target, Amy. You’d think the work of an expensive PR expert - hired over objections by taxpayers - would reflect more professionalism. I could stand shallow performance if it hadn’t cost taxpayers $3,600 to produce.
Making this project doubly hard to swallow is the Advocate’s proclamation 5/30/09 that NCS “wisely waited until after the recent school levy election to restart its newsletter mailed to local residents ... We feared the district would misstep by sending a newsletter before Election Day.” Get what this deceitful editorialist is saying? Don’t spend $3,600 before the levy vote lest the taxpayers object to the waste. Now that the levy has passed, it doesn’t matter what taxpayers think of the waste.
This is right in line with the Advocate’s evermore-obvious insolence toward people who are paying for that inferior, $3,600-tax-paid propaganda sheet.
As for bridging the communication divide between NCS and parents/taxpayers, it’s going to take a lot more than more preaching from a school administration that has alienated itself from the community. Anyone who thinks otherwise ought to remember what I said on 5/7/09 ... “Anyone who considers the passage of the $5.9-million-per-year levy a sign that the community is poised to kiss and make up with the Newark City Schools should go read the outpouring of rage in comments to the Advocate on-line news report.”
If NCS administration thinks “NCS Connects” works as a kiss-up, they’d do well to reconsider.
“... If that is the best the Ms PR person can do, it is pretty ametuerish. I am amazed that after passing the levy the admin felt like that piece of paper would be bridge the communication divide between them and us!”
Your assessment on the quality of the NCS newsletter is on target, Amy. You’d think the work of an expensive PR expert - hired over objections by taxpayers - would reflect more professionalism. I could stand shallow performance if it hadn’t cost taxpayers $3,600 to produce.
Making this project doubly hard to swallow is the Advocate’s proclamation 5/30/09 that NCS “wisely waited until after the recent school levy election to restart its newsletter mailed to local residents ... We feared the district would misstep by sending a newsletter before Election Day.” Get what this deceitful editorialist is saying? Don’t spend $3,600 before the levy vote lest the taxpayers object to the waste. Now that the levy has passed, it doesn’t matter what taxpayers think of the waste.
This is right in line with the Advocate’s evermore-obvious insolence toward people who are paying for that inferior, $3,600-tax-paid propaganda sheet.
As for bridging the communication divide between NCS and parents/taxpayers, it’s going to take a lot more than more preaching from a school administration that has alienated itself from the community. Anyone who thinks otherwise ought to remember what I said on 5/7/09 ... “Anyone who considers the passage of the $5.9-million-per-year levy a sign that the community is poised to kiss and make up with the Newark City Schools should go read the outpouring of rage in comments to the Advocate on-line news report.”
If NCS administration thinks “NCS Connects” works as a kiss-up, they’d do well to reconsider.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Advocate editorialist is a mental and moral underachiever
Yesterday, an Advocate editorial trumpeted the virtues of Keith Richards. It called him “a pretty good example of what's needed to get the job done,” “a wise and savvy leader, “an open and honest superintendent” who “understood the importance of accountability,” calling for “a fresh start from a leader of similar skills and focus.”
It’s painfully obvious to anyone who is still reading the Advocate that good help is pretty scarce, maybe because of layoffs or involuntary furloughs. The editorialist who wrote this is the one who deserves a permanent furlough. She is not merely lousy help, but worse, a mental and moral underachiever.
I gave Keith Richards enough grief before he decided to retire. I was willing to drop him off the list of write-worthy subjects.
I was willing to let the King Richards’ era die a peaceful death - forgetting all the things about his reign that angered taxpayers - so that Newark could get on with a new life with a new guy.
I was willing to forget that the superintendent told the Advocate ahead of the levy vote that the money would be spent, in part, on raises for employees. This in a system where the average salary for teachers is $53,179, and there’s one employee for every 8 NCS students. Raises for these people, but not a return to full busing, though local taxpayers spend more on the superintendent’s salary than the people of Alaska pay their governor.
I was willing to forget that under Keith’s guidance NCS mustered the third worst graduation rate in Ohio and that Keith blamed Newark citizens for this.
I was willing to forget that NCS failed to admit until after the levy vote that the estimate for increased government funding is $2 million and that it still hasn’t admitted more federal stimulus funding is expected.
I was willing to forget that the school board’s “transparent” search for a new superintendent began with an executive session to talk about it.
But yesterday when the Advocate trumpeted the virtues of Keith Richards, I just had to remember all this crap.
There is a good side: The Advocate editorialist has clearly demonstrated - in case anyone ever doubted - her lack of support for NCS pupils, parents and taxpayers, while shamelessly paying dues to the local establishment clique in partnership with Keith Richards & company.
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