Schools
News and information from Patch and your neighbors about schools in your towns. Flag as Inappropriate
Posts awaiting your approval 0
Darrell Imhoff May 17, 2013 at 06:45 pm
Some good points Ajack,but no long time Fairfielder says "Greenfield Hills".Its referred…Read More to as Greenfield Hill. Now get it right the next time or there will be consequences.
Ajack May 16, 2013 at 08:55 pm
LMT,
A very good overview. Greenwich has 'survived' and done well with one high school for years.…Read More Their sports programs are great also. I know from first hand experience. Unlike Fairfield, where elitist parents want their little Johnny or Suzie on a sports team , any sports team , to help them make the grade when they apply to a prestigious college, kids in Greenwich do equally as well with their one team for each sport. Does anyone see where the problem is here? Why the one high school idea was killed is a crime.You are so right about the doubling of these so called 'much needed administrators' and the issue of being top heavy in that area. This stinks and they know it. There are assistants to the assistants . I ,for one , would like to see one big state of the art high school built ( too bad Greenfield Hills people, you'll just have to get used to your kids mingling with the 'trash' from the east side of town) that will provide for all the kids , the same education for all. This Greenfield Hills, Southport elitist mentality that apparently prevented the merging of high schools has got to end. It should have ended years ago and I thought it was going that way. But, we do live in a town full of 'got to have this and got to have that' parents who see parts of this town's citizenry as somewhat 'undesirable'. One high school would end that problem. The cost savings in personnel and operating costs alone would help pay for it over the ensuing years. Sell off either Warde or Ludlowe high properties ( or maybe even both) and use the proceeds to give us one state of the art Fairfield High School' that will put and end to the elitism in this town once and for all and maybe even save us a ton of money to boot..Imagine!!!!!!! Maybe even move central office into the complex and even the alternative high school.All in one. Maybe even get some of these fat cat , over paid and under utilized administrators to earn their keep for a change.
LMT May 16, 2013 at 02:50 pm
FYI...
1. The actual school was built in 1949 and added on so many times that there are many issues.…Read More The ventilation system is terrible, yet that was taken off the renovation list. Rooms are either too hot (so window are opened...tax dollars out the window) or too cold.
2. Back when we were given a decision to make of either 2 high schools or 1 (going off of Greenwiches model) the majority of students, teachers, and administrators that work "in the trenches" wished to have one large state of the art high school, but of course the Board of Ed (not working in the trenches) and parents wanted 2 schools...wanted their warde and ludlowe back and the opportunity for their child to be on a sport team! As a result of that we now have 2 schools that are overcrowded and subpar as far as ventilation, space, windows. We have a building on Kings Hwy that is rented for Central office staff that has cost millions of dollars over the last 10 years (that no one seems to mention) along with having to pay salaries for double the amount of administrators, the list goes on.
3. We have a central office staff that is bursting at the seems...this district has become very top heavy, but little to show for the investment in all of these positions.
Regarding the issue of classroom space, FLHS is in desparate need of classroom space as a top priority. The suggestion of hiring a consultant is insulting...that's what this town spends too much money on. People working in the building know that space is needed...it's not rocket science. The renovation of the building back into a high school did not take into account the fact that making a science wing would be more efficient then spreading science classes on two completely opposite sides of the building! Again...no teacher input on that decision. Science is suppose to be hands on and it is very dangerous to transport chemicals, etc through the hallways. Currently we cannot schedule in one more science class because there is no space, hence the need for the addition of classrooms. More science classrooms have been needed for a few years now. Teachers are teaching in 2 and 3 different classrooms a day.
Regarding the pool table in the senior lounge that once was a faculty lounge...that was a gift from the class of 2012 for the lounge, not an administrative decision.
Lastly, in regards to the comment about "what kind of kids are we producing in this town?", there are parents in this community who enable their children like crazy and simply can't seem to "cut the cord" so to speak. In this day and age of security issues FLHS front doors remain unlocked so that parents can drop of lunches (from home, subway, chinese), starbucks, roobeks, etc for their children!! Let's look to that and stop blaming education for this issue.
In closing, having built a new school instead of keeping the 2 high schools would have saved Fairfield a good amount of money...now the town has to deal with their choice. And...I haven't even mentioned the fact that we are so technologically behind many other school districts (both rich and poor) due to the way that money is spent on education. Oh and I also forgot to mention that there aren't enough copies of books used in the English curriculum for students...so where is all the money going??? Not to where it is needed that's for sure!!
R. Ludlowe May 3, 2013 at 08:03 am
Don Quixote, that's interesting. I agree with you 100%. If I wanted to moonlight in another related…Read More job I would need to get my company's executive approval per my contract. Why on earth would the BOE allow this?
Would live to see a Patch exposé on this!
Don Quixote April 27, 2013 at 11:53 am
On top of his hefty salary, how come the BOE allows Dr. Title to have a side gig?…Read More http://www.thecambriangroup.org/Title-bio.html. Dr. Title was included in a Cambrian Group proposal to a school district as recently as last Spring. Is this why he was too busy to notice that our schools are not providing equal education to all students in town, why he hasn't been able to come up with any other solution to our budget woes other than to cut programs, and why a grossly inadequate math program slipped through the system? Shouldn't he be busy focusing on our district? Does his contract specifically stipulate that he can work outside the district for a private consulting company? That's crazy, especially in light of his compensation. Im in shock that the BOE would have approved of an arrangement that could in any way interfere with or take away from Dr. Title addressing the needs of our own district. BOE needs to change.
celeste davis April 12, 2013 at 10:42 pm
Congratulations, and good luck. Darien is lucky to have you.
Nadine Nizet April 11, 2013 at 03:08 pm
The bottom line is that Fairfield dropped in the Ct school ranking since 2007.
o 7 out of 11…Read More school rankings declined from 2007.
o In 2007, Fairfield had 4 schools in the top 10% but in 2012 there were only 2.
o In 2007, Fairfield had 8 schools in the top 20% but in 2012 there were only 6.
o Fairfield school average dropped 5% from 2007 to 2012.
Below the Individual school ranking change in % between 2007 and 2012
Holland Hill School -3.03%
McKinley School -12.83%
Mill Hill School -9.27%
Osborn Hill School -6.24%
Stratfield School -15.69%
Riverfield School -17.65%
Sherman School -7.66%
Dwight Elementary School -8.56%
Burr Elementary School 1.96%
jennings school 17.11%
North Stratfield School 6.60%
Fairfield school avg. -5.02%
Food for thought
It is widely recognized that 4th grade math results are positively correlated with 8th grade achievement. The results of last years’4th grade CMT’s will impact the 2016, 8th grade class which is yet to be seen. …
N.
rottyfan April 11, 2013 at 02:56 pm
Where is the evidence that these unamed teachers with unknown credentials will publish the greatest…Read More thing since sliced bread, or even existing textbooks with a track record? Who will be accountable if it's a flop? The only ones I can see paying a price are the taxpayers and of course the students. It's an unnecessary risk.
Christine Vitale April 11, 2013 at 02:53 pm
Correction: "make that It would have been great for there" (not their). Hate when I see…Read More typos after the fact.
parentof3 March 23, 2013 at 12:08 am
Checked into the cost of training and it is not onerous for K-5 for 1 years worth for all 11…Read More schools. If we stream lined in admin or held back a little of the Riverfield renovation... It is paid for. For example, if they Gave up the idea of 2 lines in the lunch room... Or paring down to 72 or 73 vs 75 secretaries in the district. Any of these small sacrifices pays for teacher training for world class math for all elementary students in Fairfield. Don't fool yourself, all the programs require training and have other costs to implement properly. Would love the committee to share full costs for each. Then we can see if it is really a lot or a little more. But the change is needed if we want to maintain Fairfield as a desirable town.
G Hoffman March 15, 2013 at 08:54 pm
Unfortunately, there are too many people who feel that test scores are the only measure of a school.…Read More In my opinion, the "spread" is largely due to a differences in student demographics and emphasis on test preparation.
Every enrolled student must take the tests with few exceptions. If a single student, maybe a bright child from another country who cannot read English fluently yet, scores poorly on the test, it lowers the school's average. Clearly, there are more students like this in some schools than others, thus the "spread".
The math curriculum is the same throughout the Town, however, my understanding is that there is some discretion as to how and when it is taught. The real tragedy here is how much pressure schools are under to raise test scores, to such a degree that much of the instructional time during the school year is spent on test preparation. The response to this pressure varies from school to school, contributing to the "spread".
You get what you measure. If you want good test takers, then let's keep flogging the administrators to get those test score up. If you want creative thinkers who can solve problems without 'right' answers, then ditch the reliance on standardized test scores as a means of assessing performance.
Kelly Crisp March 15, 2013 at 03:33 pm
It's all about providing Fairfield's students with options. Failure to provide students with a…Read More strong educational foundation limits their future choices which, in turn, may limit their productivity and happiness. Providing Fairfield's students with an excellent foundation in math should increase the likelihood of high achievement scores on standardized tests which go directly to their ability to get in to the college of their choice or, should they decide not to go to college, work in the field of their choice. Let's not forget home values are impacted by the success of a school district as measured by standardized tests. It only takes a potential home buyer a click of a button to compare school districts. For example, Westport and Fairfield have vastly different SAT and other standardized test scores when, in reality, our public school demographics are very similar. The information is readily available on the internet.
Alrick H Man IV April 11, 2013 at 03:10 am
this is a real positive piece among all the going back and forth with town finances.
I hope these…Read More two have a great time!
Wait Wait Don't Tell Me April 10, 2013 at 04:57 pm
Are committee meetings going to be required for any future steps in this relationship?
freddy April 10, 2013 at 07:54 pm
The administrators wanted June 27; it was the BoE members who changed it. A significant number of…Read More students were not going to be present the week of June 24 (2 full days, 2 half days), because of college orientations, summer jobs, camp, vacation, etc. This was an exceptional year in terms of snow, hurricane and losing a roof, and the board members who voted to change to the 20th were acknowledging that. There was no perfect solution that would please everyone and make make perfect sense.
David Thornton April 10, 2013 at 06:49 pm
Only in Fairfield.Based on the number of days attended minus this,spirit day and numerous other fun…Read More school days our students would'nt want to miss open house at "Flipper Kollege".I think the administrators went to klown kollege.Pathetic
Eleanor April 10, 2013 at 04:06 pm
$15,000 per pupil expenditure/182 schools days=$82 tax dollars a day for school.
$82x5=$410 tax…Read More dollars a week per student for school.
$410x700 HS seniors=$287,000 tax dollars wasted the 5 days seniors won't be in school.
$287,000=pay to play sports
$287,000=road paving
$287,000=library funding
Please think things through before you vote, money doesn't grow on trees.
Kimberly Grosso April 12, 2013 at 01:21 am
Joseph Grosso III will be graduating from Fairfield Prep and will be attending R.I.T. in the fall.…Read More While at R.I.T. he will be studying mechanical engineering with an automotive option. As co-captain of the Fairfield Prep Crew team, Joe would like to continue rowing at R.I.T.
Alrick H Man IV April 10, 2013 at 12:13 am
all of you women are gossip queens just go with the flow and stay out of others business
Team Dwight April 5, 2013 at 08:49 pm
That was very nice of you apologetic. Being one of the "3" he was actually speaking about…Read More has me still in shock. I go back to the meeting and I can't for the life of me see how we deserved such treatment. I didn't realize I would be burned at the stake for questioning Dwight's future. I have only heard wonderful things about Bremm. Hopefully when our paths cross he will see that I am a good person too. Until then may we all put this nonsense behind us and patiently wait for a productive Dwight update!
Apologetic April 5, 2013 at 07:17 pm
Dear Jim Bremm,
Let me start by saying I'm sorry. I was completely shocked when your initial Patch…Read More Post came into my email on Tuesday. I was mad as hell and forwarded it to a few of my friends in disbelief. I know Im not the only one to do so but I do feel somewhat responsible what happened over this past week. I never considered the consequences it would have on you. It has been weighing heavily on me ever since. We all say things that we wish we could take back, I believe you're feeling that way far more than any of us can relate to right now.
I don't know you personally but I have spoken to you on the phone and I know your amazing story. I can safely say, you must be one of the most selfless, kind people I have ever (never) met.
I hope with this post, people will take a step back and consider how you have been feeling over the past week from all of the negativity that has been directed towards you. I hope you find support and empathy within your community through this blog from this day forward. You said some things that you regret saying,as we all do, you have apologized. I have done some things I regret doing so Mr. Bremm, I would like to apologize to you.
Jim March 26, 2013 at 04:03 pm
As a parent I think its a good idea - I've never seen anyone go around a bus - If you did that in…Read More FF you would have parents coming after you.
As a person who enjoys personal liberty (that is under contstant attack) it feels like more Big Brother - what else will they use it for? Mom dressed in racy clothes to pick up kids - there's always a unitended consequence for technology.
Chuck E. Arla March 26, 2013 at 02:01 pm
Jim,
They'll never stoop to stopping . . . the world centers around them.
Light 'em up and get…Read More those tickets flying.
Stacey March 22, 2013 at 03:04 pm
The schools will be in session until (almost) July this year and start back in August. Opening…Read More windows (with little to no air circulation) is not beneficial when it's 90* in the shade outside. Would I choose A/C over restoration of late buses or academic programming? No. But, I do still think it's very important.
Russell Newberry March 22, 2013 at 10:41 am
Gee Jenn B, I attended Fairfield Public schools from K through 12 in the 1960s. We openned the…Read More windows when it was hot and we closed the windows when it was cold. We even had a special pole to unlock the windows.
FischerM March 20, 2013 at 02:46 pm
Christine vitale, Thank you for being the voice of reason. Andrew Warde you are clearly a Math…Read More Advocate who is getting desparate because the parents are tuning you and your rude group off and instead are tuning into the teachers in the classroom who actually can influence student learning!!! Mr. Dwyer thank you for believing in the teachers. Dawn Llewellyn and crew, please stop hijacking meetings and allow for civil discourse. Mr. Plotkin, I don't know why you would support the math advocate antics. Take a stance on the rollout, ok there are lessons to be learned, and Ms Vitale's summary is correct, but please don't endorse a group that has made many of us feel insignificant and bullied.
Christine Vitale March 19, 2013 at 10:27 pm
I do not have a child currently taking algebra 1, but I did have a child that participated in the…Read More math trials last year for grades 3-5. At that time, parents were told at open house that there were changes happening to the math program. I do know that in the fall, there were math nights for middle school parents that addressed the changes. Were parents not told of changes then? The BOE did know that the 6-12 math curriculum was also being revised this year to adhere to Common Core. As a parent, I assumed that as part of writing new curriculum there would be trials in the classroom. Honestly, I think it is actually better to trial over an entire grade at all schools; at least then all kids across the district are receiving the same instruction. Yes, central office could have handled it better, and I think they know that, and recognized that, at the December BOE meeting. I think that they have become even more transparent in how curriculum is developed. The proposed curriculum is on the website. Parents were invited to review books at central office. They seemed to have learned from their misstep (thanks to some involved parents). Honestly, I have to wonder if the fiasco surrounding instruction of algebra 1 is occurring in more in the press and at the BOE meetings than it is in the classroom. Would think there would be more widespread public outcry from parents (and teachers) if the new teaching model was not producing desired results.
Jim Eastwood March 23, 2013 at 06:02 pm
Just another example of the Education Administration PLAYING--Fairfield's "Prosperous,…Read More Previliged(Or so they think,) Pampered, Pariniod( OMG My kid is Not Average) , Parents !!!!!
Have A Great Day (And Continue to Pay And Pay !!!)
asdfghj March 23, 2013 at 03:45 pm
This is ridiculous. The School Administration is setting up the curriculum based on slanted…Read More statistics and their own opinion. As parents, we have multiple primary sources: our kids, their friends, the friend's parents, teachers... whatever they think cannot match up to that. In fact, I even have historical evidence to prove this. Whatever happened to Lincoln's "A house divided cannot stand"? You cannot have multiple schools try out different math programs and judge by that; I learned in 8th grade science that in order for data to be realistic, you have to have as many trials and participants as possible, because there's too much that can go wrong. And if you don't want to go by our 16th president's opinion, why don't you check in with our founding fathers, the men who constructed our entire government? They knew when the Articles of Confederation weren't working, and they knew how to compromise. To prove their point, they even wrote down in the most important document of history, the Constitution, "We the people promote the general welfare for the people." The government is not a tryanny, and neither is our School Administration. For heavens sake, this is a DEMOCRACY we're living in! That means everyone, poor, depressed, meek, oppressed, EVERYONE gets a vote. And if the Board of Education can't understand that, then they're dooming America's future to be selfish, vulnerable, brainless, gullible, half-witted, uneducated unemployed citizens of this nation.
PS I'm only 13
Andrew Warde March 19, 2013 at 11:30 am
R.Ludlowe - I dont think anyone is asking that parents make every decision in education-land, just…Read More that the BOE do their job. It is through the BOE that taxpayers and citizens have a voice. The adminstration learned their lesson and so that make it all ok? I disagree. Do you think that there would be this much push back from parents, if Algebra 1 students were "doing just fine?" The district should not have purchased a book and spent taxpayer dollars without BOE approval. 850 kids should not have been subjected to this kind of experimentation. Unfortunately, the BOE was weak, refused to hold the adminstration to the standards dicated by state law, and tried to sweep it all under the rug. What else does the BOE allow Dr. Title sweep under the rug?
Kelly Crisp March 12, 2013 at 11:51 am
WHAT NATIONAL MATH EXPERTS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE CURRICULUMS FAIRFIELD'S ADMINISTRATION IS PROPOSING…Read More (TERC) OR HAS IMPLEMENTED (CPM):
Thomas Parker, Ph.D in Mathematics at Michigan State University, "TERC students will hit a wall, probably at the end of middle school. They are not being given the grounding needed to understand the abstractions of high school algebra and geometry. THEIR OPTIONS FOR CAREERS IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ARE BEING CLOSED OFF BY THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAM."
Dr. W. Stephen Wilson, mathematics professor at the Johns Hopkins University, testified against TERC. "TERC has no interest in giving classroom time to standard arithmetic, and avoids the concepts of carrying, borrowing, and common denominators, and allows calculators in the elementary grades."
A few more experts below:
Kelly Crisp March 12, 2013 at 11:49 am
WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE REALLY SAYING:
“If your child goes to a school that uses TERC…Read More Investigations, you should understand that it means your child's school has abdicated its responsibility to teach your child mathematics. By doing so, the responsibility now rests with the parents. Good luck." ~ Dr. W. Stephen Wilson, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University math professor, in Baltimore testified against TERC at the June 11, 2008 Board of Education Meeting.
R. James Milgram, Professor of Mathematics, Stanford University; “My personal view is that TERC is the second most mathematically illiterate and damaging program I have ever seen… it was one of the main reasons I got involved in the issues of mathematics education.”
Wilfried Schmid, Ph.D. in Mathematics at Harvard states, "By the end of fifth grade, TERC students have fallen roughly two years behind where they should be."
Bill Quirk, Ph.D. in Mathematics observed, "TERC is totally out of sync with the National Math Panel Recommendations. Furthermore, TERC 2008 Math fails to provide the foundations of algebra."
parentof3 March 12, 2013 at 03:52 am
E.G. Just wondering what the math coalition "fanatics" are? And who is related to whom?…Read More Also wondering what tactics are circumspect? I think you are confused EG. This is not Watergate... What is wrong with parents who have simply taken an interest in their children's education and have done their homework - as you suggest. Raising the awareness means more parents will be educated on the topic and be better able to advocate for their kids. FYI- some teachers were permitted to observe other texts being taught and probably spoke to their peers doing the other pilots. So opinions form... nothing wrong with that. I suggest you read up on the text options yourself and go talk to some other school districts that have had TERC for a few years and threw it out - find out why. Better yet discuss the topic with a few math professors and see what you find out. Once you have done that, then come back and let us know what you discovered.
A. Antolics April 8, 2013 at 07:01 pm
Great suggestion. Carve these positions out from existing staff and save the $600,000 plus eventual…Read More pensions.
Sean O'Donnell March 12, 2013 at 11:16 pm
After an big increase in home foreclosures for more taxes, there will be a big decrease in School…Read More Children from Private Sector Middle Class, taxing the kids out of town, is the Unintended Consequence.
N.C. March 11, 2013 at 11:51 pm
I'm not sure an in-house task force is the most effective or efficient approach to making our…Read More schools safer. Police officers are not trained experts in access/egress control or the types of security systems available. Westport may be on the right track with a consultant. I worked as a security guard at a high security business and can appreciate the challenge at hand. I am fully supportive of our police department, but for this effort my vote would be to get a quote from a specialist firm before spending nearly $600,000 and probably needing outside input in the end anyway. In fact, our town should look at joining efforts with neighboring towns and use the scale that exists to our advantage.
Chris Kral March 18, 2013 at 09:18 pm
Ajack-no need to apologize. So what exactly have you done for this town and how have you been…Read More involved?
Anyway, the people I talk to love this town and have no plans on leaving. Different circles I guess.....
You should probably relax more and try some chamomile tea.
Ajack March 18, 2013 at 09:00 pm
Hi Chris. I've done for this town. I have been involved. What is still left for the people who care…Read More is a forum like this to say it like they see it. Thank the Lord that we still have that right ....for now. Our current government system is a system of diminishing returns both at the town and at the educational level. Government for us has become a BIG BUSINESS and with that you have all the problems of a big business except for one thing. The voting people, the payers, don't really have much say in what happens, except at the voting booth. You can stand at a podium and talk your thoughts and you can even write letters and make phone calls. The reality is that in this town, you don't have much say in what happens. There are 'special interests galore' that influence how much you will pay. No one ever looks look at themselves as a special interest groups...but they are just that. When the largest part of the Fairfield education budget is salary and the largest growth in spending has been in administration expenses while the relative rate of spending on students has been flat for the past 12 years, you know that your tax money isn't being funneled back to the kids in an efficient manner. Pure and simple. So many people that I've talked to plan on leaving Fairfield as soon as their kids are through with the school system. They are scared of the tax increases and what 'else' will be thrown at them in the future. Sorry I upset you, Chris Kral.
Chris Kral March 18, 2013 at 04:03 pm
Ajack, or shall I call you A-hole-you remind me of one of those barber shop old men who sit around…Read More complaining about taxes, traffic and politics, yet never do anything about it. It's time for you to put up or shut up. When is the last time you did something for the town other than fill the air with your constant crap? You complain about Title, Clark, Flatto, and Tetreau. Who else? Keep it coming you ignoramus.
Glen Colello February 25, 2013 at 02:10 pm
I have to call a foul on "The Patch" for the choice of pictures.
Why would you select a…Read More picture showing his place of employment.
Local business need support, this is the farthest thing from support.
rottyfan March 9, 2013 at 03:27 am
Because Stephanie Hayes posted the link to the pdf as an unbiased review. You Immediately followed…Read More up with your "summary" stating SM was their bottom choice. Only an idiot, after looking over the pdf, would have posted your comment knowing that there were no studies cited in that pdf backing up the Spokane Public Schools' ranking of the SM as a bottom choice, which was determined by a committee of 18 people.
So you tell me, genius, what conclusion would someone, without clicking on the link, and only reading Stephanie Hayes and your idiot comment, reach?
Stephanie Hayes
11:02 am on Friday, March 8, 2013
Read an UNBIASED review from educators in Spokane, Washington.
Idiot follows up with:
R. Ludlowe
11:17 am on Friday, March 8, 2013
Summary: Singapore was one of their "bottom" choices. CMP was one of their top choices.
Jim Rawlins March 9, 2013 at 01:32 am
Honestly I don't care what you think! You obviously have your own problems if you let Sir Thomas…Read More Moore carry on only until I outed him. So you are a hypocrite!
TJC March 9, 2013 at 01:17 am
Honestly? No one seems to care about this except you.
Can you all just log off for a few days?
Selectmen Move Forward with $14.5M Riverfield School Project
0 Recommend Caitlin Mazzola (Editor)