Transparency

Fri, 2017-07-14 20:45 — AllenN

The School just released the Executive Session minutes for the two meetings in which Glenn Brand was apparently forced to resign. These are the meetings of April 26 and May 2, 2017.

$200 per hour gym teachers

Sun, 2017-07-09 11:45 — AllenN

Yes, you read the headline right. We have gym teachers that are getting compensated at the equivalent of about $200 per hour, give or take a few bucks.

I'm sure they are well worth it. After all, it is for the children.

How did I come up with this outrageous amount? I will carefully break it down in the following article. Feel free to post your disagreements below as comments. But if I am off, I'm surely close enough for government work, as they say.

START WITH SALARY
We have gym teachers in Acton who are making over $100,000 a year.

Acton Forum files SECOND Open Meeting Law complaint

Thu, 2017-06-29 04:25 — AllenN

Acton Forum filed a second Open Meeting Law (OML) complaint with the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee on June 29, objecting to its June 22 vote to expand a Subcommittee charged with searching for the Interim Superintendent.

The Subcommittee was formed at a prior School Committee meeting and consisted of five School Committee members. Its charge was to conduct a quick search for an Interim Superintendent while a permanent Superintendent search committee would begin work in the Fall.

Foxes guarding Acton's henhouse

Tue, 2017-06-27 06:50 — AllenN

Acton taxpayers, be prepared for more property tax increases, as our town leadership and elected officials refuse to stem the tide in rising employee salaries and benefits, while School officials are seemingly planning a Proposition 2 1/2 override to pay for some new school buildings.

Boxborough residents will see more moderate tax increases, as the School regionalization formula starts to more heavily tilt in Boxborough's direction as temporary payments to reduce Acton's share of school costs are phased out.

Acton Forum files open meeting law complaint

Mon, 2017-06-26 22:02 — AllenN

Acton Forum has filed an Open Meeting Law complaint with the School Committee (SC) because the school has refused to release the Executive Session (ES) minutes from two meetings in which the Committee and Superintendent Glenn Brand decided to part ways.

Massachusetts' most-unfair tax

Mon, 2017-06-19 09:38 — AllenN

I was driving up to New Hampshire to do some Father's Day shopping at BJ's in Nashua. We make the trip every couple of months to stock up on staples. And as I was driving, I began thinking about a Massachusetts tax "policy" that is just wrong.

Learn About International Persecution of Christians and How You can Help. Special Event this Saturday Evening in Lawrence.

Tue, 2017-06-13 13:09 — Scott Smyers

You may be aware of terrible persecutions of Christians around the world. I became aware of this topic and found a non-profit group dedicated to educating Americans about this issue: In Defense of Christians (IDC). They are trying to make a difference within our government and encouraging them to make the necessary policy changes. Currently, there is no local chapter for IDC in Massachusetts, but I am working as a volunteer for to promote an upcoming “Town Hall” discussion and pot-luck dinner on Saturday June 17 in Lawrence.

6:00PM, Saturday June 17, 2017
St.

Let's provide free housing for our new Superintendent

Tue, 2017-06-13 06:54 — AllenN

If anyone had any illusions about how unimportant having the right Superintendent for our school system is, those have been dashed by recent developments. I'll bet everyone now knows that we need a top candidate to lead our system and "second best" won't do.

Unfortunately, the recent abrupt departure of Glenn Brand, without any believable public explanation, has cast a cloud over our District. Maybe, one day, the public will learn what happened and maybe it is nothing bad.

School building: assumptions and repurposing

Mon, 2017-06-12 08:45 — AllenN

Last article, I wrote about my disappointment that the "recommendations" that came out of the School's elementary-school-building process didn't include any estimate of costs or potential impact on our taxes.

Hidden costs and pseudo-science

Fri, 2017-06-09 12:13 — AllenN

I attended the School Committee meeting last night (6/8/17) to continue to follow the issue of the resignation of Superintendent Brand, which had a couple of pertinent items on the agenda. For those looking to get involved in the next Superintendent search, please attend this Tuesday's (6/13) School Committee meeting. The meeting is currently scheduled to start at 7:30 in the Junior High library.

I stayed a little longer for the discussion of the new elementary schools that the School District wants to build, and I'm glad I did.