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TRHSparent · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 67

Agreed. Tuesday's message was loud and clear. Mr Woodworth is determine to implement BS asap. He is looking into schools that is not comparable to TRHS.

Mr Bealo made a very good arguement regarding looking at the top 10 schools in NH and research that 6 schools used traditional scheduling and 4 block. Conclusion would be that type of scheduling does not determine the success of the school.

I suggest VERY strongly to talk to any and all school board members. The decision will fall into their laps as to the fate of the HS. Clearly Mr Woodworth is pushing forward to find all favorable arguements and won't be presenting non-favorable. All SB members should be doing their own research and be prepared to defend their final decision to accept or defeat BS. I noticed that 2 of the 8 SB members were present at Tuesday's meeting. I'm thankful and appreciate their dedication to listen to both Mr Woodworth and the public who attended this meeting.

It's important that the School Board members understand our concerns! Make sure that they are listening to us as well as administration.

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PBealo · Site Admin Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 112

What board member other than Jack Paone was present??

Also - does anyone know how to get a parent's article onto the school ballot?? I know how to get onto the town ballot, but suspect the SAU is different.

We MAY need to have an article such as:

1) Scheduling with the HS will not deviate from 8 periods/day without a majority vote of the district voters

2) A vote of No confidence in SAU Administration

Peter Bealo

TRHSparent · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 67

curt · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 11:24 am Post subject:

Creating a petitioned warrant article is the easy part. I'll look up the specific RSAs as to how many signatures and where to file the petition between now and Sunday.

The hard part is creating an enforceable warrant article. School board members derive their authority from state laws, not from district voters. You can't micromanage elected and appointed statutory officials from the floor of the school district or town meeting.
_________________
Curt Springer
Danville

PBealo · Site Admin Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 112

curt · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 9:02 pm Post subject:

Here is the core statutory authority of school boards:

189:1-a Duty to Provide Education. – It shall be the duty of the school board to provide, at district expense, elementary and secondary education to all pupils who reside in the district until such time as the pupil has acquired a high school diploma or has reached age 21, whichever occurs first; provided, that the board may exclude specific pupils for gross misconduct or for neglect or refusal to conform to the reasonable rules of the school, and further provided that this section shall not apply to pupils who have been exempted from school attendance in accordance with RSA 193:5.

Source. 1969, 356:10. 1973, 72:28. 1975, 22:1. 1983, 84:1, eff. July 23, 1983.

There are specific statutory requirements for things such as instruction in English, but it appears to me that it is up to the school board to set all policies regarding the delivery of education in compliance with the statutes.

Here is the core statutory power of districts, meaning really the voters:

194:3 Powers of Districts. – School districts may raise money, as required by law, or, in addition thereto:
I. To procure land for lots for schoolhouses and school administrative unit facilities, and for the enlargement of existing lots;
II. To build, purchase, rent, repair, or remove schoolhouses and outbuildings, buildings to be used for occupancy by teachers in the employ of such school district, and buildings to be used for educational administration including office facilities for school administrative units;
III. To procure insurance against such risks of loss, cost or damage to itself, its employees or its pupils as its school board may determine;
IV. To provide group plan life, accident, medical, surgical and hospitalization insurance benefits, or any combinations of such benefits, for all regular employees of the district and their dependents, the cost thereof to be borne in whole or in part by the district;
V. To plant and care for shade and ornamental trees upon schoolhouse lots;
VI. To provide suitable furniture, books, maps, charts, apparatus and conveniences for schools;
VII. To purchase vehicles for the transportation of children;
VIII. To provide for health and sanitation;
IX. To provide for adult high school diploma and continuing education programs; and
X. To pay debts.

Source. RS 71:1. 1845, 224. CS 75:1. 1853, 1435. 1862, 2619:1, 2. GS 78:18; 80:1. GL 86:18; 88:1. 1889, 82:1. PS 89:3. 1911, 46:1. 1913, 51:1. 1921, 85, IV:3. PL 119:3. RL 138:3. 1951, 211:1. RSA 194:3. 1959, 164:1. 1967, 267:1; 449:1. 1975, 363:2. 1979, 459:4, eff. Aug. 24, 1979.

Basically, district voters are authorized only to pay for stuff.

Based on my admittedly quick read, I would say that a warrant article concerning block scheduling should only be worded as "sense of the district". To do otherwise would be to mislead the voters into thinking they can direct the school board. The only binding way for people to vote against BS would be to vote for school board members who promise not to implement it, or to end it if it has already been adopted.
_________________
Curt Springer
Danville

curt · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 10:59 pm Post subject:

The law re petitioned warrant articles. Just like a town except substitute school board for selectmen:

197:6 Warrant and Articles. – Upon the written application of 25 or more voters or 2 percent of the voters of the school district, whichever is less, although in no event shall fewer than 10 registered voters be sufficient, presented to the school board or one of them not later than 30 days before the date prescribed for the school district meeting or the second Tuesday in March, whichever is earlier, the school board shall insert in the school district warrant for such meeting the petitioned article with only such minor textual changes as may be required. No article may be inserted after posting of said warrant. The right to have an article inserted in the warrant conferred by this section shall not be invalidated by the provisions of RSA 32.
_________________
Curt Springer
Danville

PBealo · Site Admin Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 112

Being #1 DOES NOT Take BS!! Now here's a school Mr. Woodworth's team should visit...

Londonderry High School named tops in the state

By Margo Sullivan
Staff writer

LONDONDERRY — Londonderry High School Principal James Elefante is leaving the best high school in New Hampshire.

During his final pep rally yesterday, Elefante delivered the news to the students and staff: Londonderry High was named New Hampshire's 2008 High School of Excellence.

His four years as principal at Londonderry High were the best years of his life, Elefante told 1,800 cheering students.

"Remember what you have here at Londonderry High," said Elefante, who is retiring in June. "You have the best teachers, the best staff, best students, best parents."

The pep rally was a last hurrah for the principal, as well as the athletic director and football coach. They are leaving on a high note.

The EDie award, as it's called, means Londonderry High is the No. 1 high school in New Hampshire, according to Mark Jette, principal of Merrimack Valley High School.

Jette credited the school spirit students showed at the pep rally as one reason Londonderry won. The award is given by the Excellence in Education Initiative, a nonprofit group. Jette led the panel that selected Londonderry. He said the experts looked at a lot of criteria, including student achievement and school climate.

"You guys are awesome with these pep rallies," he told the crowd. "You really rock."

Jette said the award was a secret until yesterday to everyone but Elefante and a close circle of administrators.

"Well, it's pretty nice," Assistant Principal Arthur Psaledas said.

He said the award was like a pat on the back.

"It reaffirms we're going in the right direction," he said. "We're meeting the needs of the children, and it's a great honor. When you finally win that award, you step back and say, 'Wow.'"

This is the first time a Londonderry school has won the award, although Londonderry educators have won an EDie before, Psaledas said. Previously, Elefante was named Principal of the Year and Assistant Principal Jason Parent was named Assistant Principal of the Year.

School Superintendent Nate Greenberg said Londonderry can boast about many awards, but this is a special prize.

"We're absolutely thrilled," he said. "We feel it speaks extremely well for the community and the support for education."

Elefante said he wanted to make it clear that all Londonderry schools had a piece of the EDie.

"When you come to Londonderry schools, you see we are just like a family. You see the spirit of our students and the dedication of our faculty," he said. "We don't hide it. You see it. It's very obvious."

NWhitman · Joined: 10 May 2008 Posts: 7

Mr Woodworth visited 2 different periods, English class and 20 minute study, that my daughter attends, to discuss BS. He explained to the students the benefits of BS and answered any of their questions. The 20 minute study time is also used for advisory. The study teacher also wanted to express his support of BS. Mr Woodworth asked how many students wanted to implement BS and, according to my daughter, no one raised their hand. Some of the students were concerned about retaining learned material, short attention span, and unhappy memories of experimental BS in 7th grade at the MS.

Did Mr Woodworth spend the entire day visiting classrooms to politick BS? Are these visits part of his research? I offer a suggestion, please try to visit Londonderry HS to discover how that school became #1 without BS!

therents · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 67

My kids took World Studies, as soph. This is a class that Woodworth maintains is a block class. Kids as Juniors did not take the Us History block. They were bored by this rendition of block. This class had 2 teachers for the 90 minutes and was also 2 subject matters.

I can't see my kids voting for BS either.

TRHSparent · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 67

Block Scheduling on June 5th School Board Agenda

I thought that another presentation would not be given until fall of 2008??? Does school administration have a change of heart or trying to pull a fast one? Call your school board member NOW! Emails and letters can be put aside and ignored to be viewed at a later date. Their phone numbers are listed on the district website so let's use them. If anyone has more info regarding the next board meeting, please let us know.

PBealo · Site Admin Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 112

Phone numbers of School Board members are also on the Elected Officials Contact information section of this forum.

Peter

PBealo · Site Admin Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 112

So, what went on at last nights School Board meeting? I missed it due to a Planning Board meeting...

Peter Bealo

TRHSparent · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 67

TRHSparent · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 67

If you want to stop block scheduling, the fight is on. School adminstration will not consider other alternatives and will be moving forward to find solutions to obstacles that were pointed out in past meetings by staff and parents. Just to be clear, this statement is based on my opinion by reading in between the lines from tonight's school board meeting. Great questions were asked by some of the male SB members. Another discussion will take place in the fall and my guess is that administration will be looking for final approval for implementation asap.

Can we stop block scheduling from becoming a reality? If so, how? Can we get the necessary support from SB members? Will the majority of the school board support the whims of administration or listen and act upon the concerns of the taxpayers they represent?

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