Good morning Tom
I appreciate your answer as to your comments at the Mayor’s Education Forum the other night and that you along with many other people, including myself, are dedicated to working towards making our school system one of the best in the Commonwealth, as it once was. Negative remarks, at least that how the statement came across to me, won’t accomplish success, in my opinion. On Thursday morning at the Superintendent’s Roundtable meeting, we all heard many positive statements and initiatives being currently implemented and those that will be set in place to help students in our school system. Bringing this to light would enlighten the audience to what is and will be taking place. Marge did exactly that when she made her statement on Thursday evening telling everyone about the various options available to students who are at-risk or wish to drop out of school (Bernadette Coelho’s program “Career Pathways” which was formerly “Drop-out Prevention”) and how by pursuing this avenue of education they can achieve academic success and earn a high school diploma.
I am hoping that you will be attending the final Education Forum later this month and will see fit to address the audience with a positive accomplishment in our school system. Everyone is aware of the many issues and challenges facing not only our school district but districts across the country. We, and I mean everyone, parents, students, community members, and business leaders must work together at making this happen for the sake of our community, state, and country.
The biggest challenge, in my opinion, is getting the full cooperation from the students and their parents. In the summer I wrote an editorial pertaining to this issue. I look forward to working with you and everyone on making New Bedford Public Schools one of the top districts in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Have a wonderful day.
Carol Strupczewski
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Mayor Mitchell needs to focus on all of New Bedford's Schools - submitted by Eddie L. Johnson
Mayor Mitchell repeatedly states that he is very concerned about the state of the New Bedford school system.
He should be commended for his concern but why hasn't he expressed the same concern for the small autonomous school called the Global Learning Charter School which we all know is a dismal failure.
Why has Mayor Mitchell not publicly trashed Steve Furtado as he has Dr. Francis?
After all the attrition rate/drop out rate at that school is astronomical.
Why aren't there any public forums to address the many failures of GLCS? Why isn't there public outrage, DESE outrage, or UIA outrage?
One would think the good people of the UIA would be asking some of these same questions since they are pushing small autonomous schools and the GLCS, which is one, is failing our children. Knowing this, why would the UIA want to create more of these failing schools?
I don't know the answers to these questions but I'm concerned that Mayor Mitchell is ignoring these important concerns. Why would the Mayor sweep these concerns about the GLCS under the rug?
Could it be that he simply doesn't care?
Could it be that his campaign manager, Lynn Poyant, was hired by the GLCS immediately after he became mayor?
Could it be that Poyant's daughter now works for the mayor?
Could it be because of his ties to the Education Roundtable and John Bullard who is an ambassador of the GLCS?
Could it be because of his ties to Steve Furtado, executive director of the charter school and member of the roundtable?
Could it be because the UIA is a member of the Education Roundtable?
I don't know the answers to the questions but it sure makes one wonder why Mayor Jon Mitchell has ignored and kept the Global Learning Charter School and Steve Furtado out the education discussion in New Bedford. After all $5 million from the school department budget goes to funding the Global Learning Charter School! "Fair is Fair".
He should be commended for his concern but why hasn't he expressed the same concern for the small autonomous school called the Global Learning Charter School which we all know is a dismal failure.
Why has Mayor Mitchell not publicly trashed Steve Furtado as he has Dr. Francis?
After all the attrition rate/drop out rate at that school is astronomical.
Why aren't there any public forums to address the many failures of GLCS? Why isn't there public outrage, DESE outrage, or UIA outrage?
One would think the good people of the UIA would be asking some of these same questions since they are pushing small autonomous schools and the GLCS, which is one, is failing our children. Knowing this, why would the UIA want to create more of these failing schools?
I don't know the answers to these questions but I'm concerned that Mayor Mitchell is ignoring these important concerns. Why would the Mayor sweep these concerns about the GLCS under the rug?
Could it be that he simply doesn't care?
Could it be that his campaign manager, Lynn Poyant, was hired by the GLCS immediately after he became mayor?
Could it be that Poyant's daughter now works for the mayor?
Could it be because of his ties to the Education Roundtable and John Bullard who is an ambassador of the GLCS?
Could it be because of his ties to Steve Furtado, executive director of the charter school and member of the roundtable?
Could it be because the UIA is a member of the Education Roundtable?
I don't know the answers to the questions but it sure makes one wonder why Mayor Jon Mitchell has ignored and kept the Global Learning Charter School and Steve Furtado out the education discussion in New Bedford. After all $5 million from the school department budget goes to funding the Global Learning Charter School! "Fair is Fair".
As teacher merit pay spreads, one noted voice cries, 'It doesn't work'
According to the author, the national debate over merit pay is a distraction from the challenges faced by the American educational system. He believes the real problem is poverty.
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