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SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

The following was sent to The State House Ways and Means committee in support of legislation that would allow public school officials to meddle and tear down a proven educational option for children in Melrose and elsewhere. Honestly, doesn't this women understand she represents ALL the taxpayers and parents of school age children in Melrose? I find this behavior to be disgraceful and am outraged that she would support such an obvious plan to attack a proven option for kids to get an decent education they CAN'T get here in Melrose Public schools. Just shameful!

On April 26th, the Committee voted to send the following letter in support of consideration of the RISEAct.

Dear Members of House Ways and Means:

As you know, on Thursday, April 7th, the Massachusetts Senate discussed S. 2203: an Act Enhancing Reform, Innovation and Success in Education (also known as the RISE Act) which was passed to be engrossed, now read as S. 2220. As the bill now rests with House Ways and Means, the Melrose School Committee urges you to consider its merits, and vote its passage.

While we don’t disagree that parents should have educational options for their children, we believe that charter schools should be held to the same high standards to which traditional public schools are held. We also believe that all public schools should be funded in a manner that rewards student success regardless of the building in which the student learns. The City of Melrose loses well over $2M per year to the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School, leading to our examination and assessment of this bill. Although it’s not perfect, there are many reasons we believe it to be fair and thoughtful legislation. Those reasons include the following:

· It requires development of an implementation schedule for the Foundation Budget Review Commission recommendations, which are critical to providing resources to students as mandated by state law and regulation.

· It addresses significant concerns around lack of transparency into charter school practices, including lack of posted meeting minutes, public release of contracts, etc. The public deserves to see how its monies are being discussed and spent.

· It incorporates local elected officials into a variety of charter governance areas on behalf of their sending district students. In addition, it adds a step in future charter application processes requiring local approval (with an overridden provision by the board), and subsequently requires that charters disallowed locally but approved by the board will be funded at the state level (with corresponding reductions in Ch. 70 funding). These elements of the bill speak to taxation without representation concerns.

· It applies provisions of the State Ethics Code to Charter Boards of Trustees/immediate family and prohibits nepotism in hiring. This requirement is consistent with standards placed on local municipal employees who are also funded by taxpayer dollars.

· It supports an opt-out process, which addresses the concern that only parents with the opportunity and resources to know and understand the opt-in process may apply for a seat (i.e. self-selection of one demographic over another in a public school).

· It requires recording of the reasons for student attrition, broken down by demographic subgroups, allowing for aggregation and comparison and made public on the DESE web site. This component provides transparency around why students leave the schools and why, which allows a window into the potential for unacceptable dismissal (while traditional publics enroll and educate all students).
· It requires that charter schools provide “an analysis of student and subgroup achievement gaps, including English language learners and students receiving special education.” This requirement allows parents a greater comparison mechanism in order to make an educated school choice for their child(ren).
We appreciate the difficult work you do to improve the education of students in the Commonwealth, and urge to you to take up this bill and approve it.

Sincerely,

Margaret Driscoll, Chairman

On behalf of the Melrose School Committee (as approved on 4/26/16)

cc: Cyndy Taymore, Superintendent


Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Good to raise this issue with M. Driscoll's letter - I first saw it in her education blog and thought it was "over the top" myself. This is the first step in many to follow whereby the educational cabal in this state are working hard to destroy the purpose and intent of charter schools. These schools were setup to address the issues parents have found with the standard public school educational process.

This is particularly relevant in cities where there are failed schools within a district and allows parents some viable options - but more importantly these charter schools are allowed to experiment and come up with improved educational paradigms which otherwise would be restricted and not allowed by standard public school systems given their union constraints and regulations. As the saying goes, "One size does not fit all". This is something that public education system has never learned over the last 150 +years even though there have been plenty of scientific data and studies to document this. The teacher turns out to be the most important element in a student's education and the current public education paradigms relegates them to non-essential robots around which their rubrics and analytics take the place of the actual education process. The education in this country is at a critical crossroads while the bureaucrats in Washington hold the money and the influence over our local education systems! Too many people think that this is a good thing - not I!

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

"This is particularly relevant in cities where there are failed schools within a district and allows parents some viable options".

You are exactly right with your initial statement above MFD. The major problem is the Charter school concept was setup for cities like Boston, Springfield, Lawrence, Brockton, Malden, Chelsea, Revere etc, school districts with major problems where parents had no other options due to their financial situation. Unfortunately a bunch of scumbags from Melrose, Wakefield and Stoneham (uppermiddle and middle class white families) slide in and take seats from students from Malden and Everett. The MVRCS elementary is basically a daycare center for parents from Melrose, Wakefield and Stoneham. They have a lottery to get in because it really is a lottery - no need to pay for daycare you just won the lottery.

I applaud Miss Driscoll's letter. Unfortunately it appears Charlie B and crew will continue to perpetuate the charter school myth.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Believe me Pudwid, of the hundreds of parents who have found a way to flee the tanking Melrose School system destroyed by CT and the idiot SC members who continue to support her, there are many more that would love to escape if they could.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Let's be clear about this charter school issue - it was not setup ONLY for students to have an alternative to failed schools - they were also setup to experiment with different approaches to education and to test different ways of teaching including subjects being taught. See comment in the Mass State law about the purpose of charter schools:

....."a charter school has the freedom to organize around the core mission, curriculum, theme, or teaching method described in the application. It is allowed to control its own budget and hire (and fire) teachers and staff. In return for this freedom, a charter school must demonstrate good results within five years or risk losing its charter.'

The charter school has 5 years to show good results or lose its charter - while a public school can be failing its students for decades without any consequences to the teachers and administrators. My feelings are - let's make ALL public schools charter schools and then you will have a rebirth of education in his country - and teachers can pocket all that union dues money they send to the union for political payoff to the politicians!

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Right with you there, MFD. The public schools refuse to adapt to serve students. If they did, there wouldn't be need for any charters. As long as the public schools ignore what students need, there is a market for charters. I agree that nonperforming public schools should be closed. Let charters take them over and do something for those students. Maybe let organizations bid to operate the schools.

The public schools prove time and again they're in business to benefit the adults. Right now, it's all about the teacher unions - less work for more pay. It's all about crazy salaries paid to superintendents and principals and highly 'directors' of bureaucracy. It's also about big business and Pearson, College Board, and these testing companies.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

What about the fact that the K to 12 MCAS results for the charter school are historically not better or worse than those of the Melrose district?

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

In life, you get to pick one course for each decision you make, and you do not get to live out and see what the other choice would have yielded. As parents, we make choices for our kids, never knowing how the alternative would have been. And every decision involves weighing many things. Personally, I think MCAS/PARCC means something, but certainly not everything (BTW, my kids go to public schools, so I am not defending or trashing charters). Some people may feel differently- on either end of the spectrum. Parents know their kids, and decide what they need. Maybe they choose public schools/charter schools, because they feel there are more opportunities for their kids' interests at their choice. Maybe they think class size is most important, and they choose that way. Maybe they have quirky kids or kids with special needs or gifted kids or athletic kids or artistic kids. All of this goes into making the choice. You make the best choice you can with the information you have, and you go with it. Maybe the charter school kids would do even worse on MCAS if they went to public schools. Who knows?
I am a public school teacher, but I am all for charter schools. Over the past 25 years, I have seen what has happened to public education as the government has become more and more involved in making everything "equitable" and creating inefficient methods to address "accountability" for teachers and districts. Many places were better-than-fine at the beginning of all this NCLB and Race to the Top nonsense. I contend that I was a better teacher 20 years ago, because I was allowed to teach in the manner that could best reach my unique class each year, and I was allowed to teach what I was passionate about. I was allowed to be creative and to allot time for things that were engaging for my kids. Districts like mine (wealthy, professional families) were always held accountable by the families we served. In many ways, that accountability was far more meaningful than some test that continually changes (next year, it will be MCAS 2.0!), essentially showing very little about my teaching. I think charter schools are important because I believe people should have choices, and the choices should not just be there if you have the private school money. If you have a chance, watch "Beyond Measure", a new documentary about schools that are trying to be creative with education. There is an administrator from High Tech High (one of the schools featured in the documentary) who explains that the goal should not be to recreate his school, but to have many schools that teach in different ways, so that all kids can get what they need. Admittedly, this is a lofty goal, but I think the public schools are failing a lot of kids, and maybe if people had more choices, more kids could be better served.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

You've said it better than I ever could. Very balanced & thoughtful. Based on your professional experience, your children's experience and your personal observations. Usually I read public local school vs public charter school pitted against each other with the 'right way' on the side of the speaker.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Margaret Driscoll's letter on behalf of the SC is partially comical and partially horrific. Comical in that reference is made to transparency, nepotism, following state mandates, attrition rates, all severe problems within the Melrose school system. Problems that Ms Driscoll both creates and supports regularly but has the audacity to cite in this letter.

Horrific is that mention is given to "incorporat [ing] local elected officials into a variety of charter governance areas on behalf of their sending district students."

No thank you. You've done enough. Is it unclear to the SC that charter school parents do not want their children educated by the MPS? Or dominated by the Melrose SC? Because that's the hard truth.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Charter schools are NOT always all they are cracked up to be. For example, Mystic Valley's M.O. is to hold back any students who are struggling and/or do not fit their mold. These students are not receiving appropriate special education services, so they fall behind academically and socially. Eventually, when the school threatens to hold back a student for a second time, the parents get upset and move them back to Melrose Public. At that point, the student is far behind, requires even MORE services, is a social wreck, and is often at least one year older than classmates. Melrose Public is left picking up the pieces of a failed charter experiment.

To say that the public schools "refuse to adapt to serve students" is actually quite backwards. Public school teachers break their backs to meet the very diverse needs of their students, while charter schools manage to weed out the students they do not want. The teacher unions are not looking for "less work for more pay"; rather, an appropriate level of compensation, especially considering the alarming increase in disruptive (and too often physical) behaviors at every grade level. I would suggest anyone who is questioning the dedication and salary needs of a teacher to spend one day in charge of a classroom.

You have every right to be disgusted with the current state of education, but please do not place the blame on teachers and think that charter schools are the solution.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Public vs. charter
You have every right to be disgusted with the current state of education, but please do not place the blame on teachers and think that charter schools are the solution.

I don't see too much blaming the actual teachers. Fortunately. It's a difficult job. Anywhere.

Public vs. charter
Charter schools are NOT always all they are cracked up to be. For example, Mystic Valley's M.O. is to hold back any students who are struggling and/or do not fit their mold. These students are not receiving appropriate special education services, so they fall behind academically and socially. Eventually, when the school threatens to hold back a student for a second time, the parents get upset and move them back to Melrose Public. At that point, the student is far behind, requires even MORE services, is a social wreck, and is often at least one year older than classmates. Melrose Public is left picking up the pieces of a failed charter experiment.


Not true. Even a so-called struggling student would return to the MPS at least a year above the MPS grade level. If the student is sped as you say, why would they be held back if they're performing on their IEP?

Public vs. charter
To say that the public schools "refuse to adapt to serve students" is actually quite backwards. Public school teachers break their backs to meet the very diverse needs of their students, while charter schools manage to weed out the students they do not want. The teacher unions are not looking for "less work for more pay"; rather, an appropriate level of compensation, especially considering the alarming increase in disruptive (and too often physical) behaviors at every grade level. I would suggest anyone who is questioning the dedication and salary needs of a teacher to spend one day in charge of a classroom.
Good classroom teachers at both types of schools adapt for their students if possible. The adaptation here refers to the ADMINISTRATION and governing bodies such as a school committee or charter school board. [:-|]

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

... especially considering the alarming increase in disruptive (and too often physical) behaviors at every grade level ...

After a day of kicking gingers went on this year, parents should be concerned about the supervision that the kids receive in the middle school. This wasn't one incident but an entire day where those in charge of keeping students safe were out to lunch. Perhaps literally.

With talk of moving 5th graders up to the middle school next year, this should concern parents of current 3rd graders.

Parents of 5th graders should be wondering whether putting their soon to be 8th graders in with high schoolers is a good idea.

The developmental difference between an 8th grader and an 11th or 12th grader is enormous. Unpleasant to consider but think about dating/sexual development and drug/alcohol use. What may be acceptable for a senior who is 18, is not acceptable for an 8th grader regardless of how liberal or conservative you may be. Remember that children look up to older peers for guidance.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Given that this middle school principal is an arrogant SOB with absolutely zero idea how to manage his school, his staff, or most importantly middle schoolers, it's not surprising that things are in such a disastrous state there, especially considering that his boss couldn't care less (and he thinks he is her successor!). He is routinely seen literally screaming at students, pointing his finger at them, in blazing rages in the open hallways where he has been observed by many. Moving even younger students into his domain, mixed in with those he has been shown incapable to manage, would be a huge mistake. Moving 8th-graders into a school with a principal equally incapable (who exactly is M F? Is she off with Carmen San Diego?) would also be a huge mistake, again one which CT is quite ready to make because honestly she couldn't give a crap what happens to the students.

CT will likely be gone soon (though the SC won't admit it had to do with any of her many disasters but rather a "retirement" complete with more ridiculous gushing and celebrations from her pack of fools on the SC). RD has zero capability of understanding what makes a good, or even barely competent administrator, so he'll railroad the SC for MA or BC to be "promoted from within," being the "educational expert" that he calls himself, and then deem the salary too low. If BC gets his way (his wife being CT's shopping buddy after all), he'll be the next $190 super. MA and PWL will continue to plague the district with ever-higher salaries because they won't be hired anyplace else. RD will gladly hire a few more "interventionists" to assist them, meanwhile allowing even more critical educational staff positions to be eliminated (4 department chairs already eliminated, many more positions eliminated by attrition or by foolish new course offerings taking the place of core areas). "Level-service budget" is a total lie, and yet the dumb parents around here are buying it.

It's all wrong, all of it. There is no reason to be doing this. There are many other viable and sensible solutions.

But with pathetic "public engagement" and repressive policies to keep it that way, this district is determined to sink even lower. Did you see the panic in Dolan at last night's meeting at the thought of an open dialogue with parents about Taymore's half-a$$ed scheme to reconfigure (destroy) middle school education in Melrose? He got even more squirrely at the thought of an unscripted discussion with parents. OMG, parents might ask real questions that they might not be able to pre-spin with their $10-grand PR firm or incompetent legal team before blathering back to concerned parents. It could get "messy" heaven forbid!

Last night was the Public Budget Hearing for the schools. Not one single member of the public showed up to take part, nor in Public Participation either. Driscoll would explain as she has in previous years that this is a symptom of how "happy" parents are, nasty moonbat that she is. They figure they've got it sown tight with their MEF droids and their scripted Q&A's, so they're good. No one else is worthy of coming before them anyhow, and soon they will probably try to prohibit anyone except Martha or their insider club to speak anyway.

Just when it would be difficult to believe that things could get worse in the MPS, buckle your seatbelts because they most definitely have found a new drain to circle.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Public vs. charter
Charter schools are NOT always all they are cracked up to be. For example, Mystic Valley's M.O. is to hold back any students who are struggling and/or do not fit their mold. These students are not receiving appropriate special education services, so they fall behind academically and socially. Eventually, when the school threatens to hold back a student for a second time, the parents get upset and move them back to Melrose Public. At that point, the student is far behind, requires even MORE services, is a social wreck, and is often at least one year older than classmates. Melrose Public is left picking up the pieces of a failed charter experiment.

To say that the public schools "refuse to adapt to serve students" is actually quite backwards. Public school teachers break their backs to meet the very diverse needs of their students, while charter schools manage to weed out the students they do not want. The teacher unions are not looking for "less work for more pay"; rather, an appropriate level of compensation, especially considering the alarming increase in disruptive (and too often physical) behaviors at every grade level. I would suggest anyone who is questioning the dedication and salary needs of a teacher to spend one day in charge of a classroom.

You have every right to be disgusted with the current state of education, but please do not place the blame on teachers and think that charter schools are the solution.


I totally agree with this post. Look at the enrollment figures for Mystic Valley - there are far fewer graduates of the high school than kindergarteners who started. The 11th grade class has what - around 90 students? From an original class of 124-130 kindergarteners? That is a lot of weeding out that is done over the years.

And yes, the teachers are doing a great job under stressful conditions. Kudos to them.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Agree
... Look at the enrollment figures for Mystic Valley - there are far fewer graduates of the high school than kindergartners who started. The 11th grade class has what - around 90 students? From an original class of 124-130 kindergartners? That is a lot of weeding out that is done over the years


Good effort to malign MV but you are incorrect. Mystic Valley has added to class size over the years so the current 11th & 12 graders started in with a smaller class size than the current elementary grades have.

Since you called my attention to Attrition, I thought that I should see what the current figures say:

2015-2016 Mystic Valley lost 7.5% of their student body between 8th grade & 9th grade (HS)
http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/attrition/default.aspx?orgcode=04700105&fycode=2016&orgtypecode=6&

2015-2016 Melrose lost 19.6% of their student body between 8th & 9th grade (HS)
http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/attrition/default.aspx?orgcode=01780000&fycode=2016&orgtypecode=5&

so who is weeding themselves out sway? Where sway?

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Come on - you can't make that comparison. Attrition between 8 and 9 indicates nothing more than the percentage of students that choose another option for high school. For most public students, between 8 and 9 is the jump year. MV parents made that choice years before. Granted, however - the "thinning of the herd" at MV in the 1-8 years, which publics can't do, also skews that percentage. There are too many variables to make such a comparison.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Funny how Mystic Valley supporters love to point to the subjective rankings as a measure of their success. However, when you point out objective measures like the MCAS they start attacking the test. As has been said here many times, the K to 12 performance of the Melrose District is very similar to that of the MVRCS.

Also, regarding hiring practices, let's not forget that in 2011 the MVRCS was highlighted on Fox25 Boston for having a gay porn start on their teaching staff. The teacher's movie credits included "Fetish World" and "Just Gone Gay 8." This received a lot of news on the local television stations but not much discussion on this board as this site is full with MVRCS supporters that divert attention away from the MVRCS as quickly as possible for fear that taxpayers may catch onto the scam.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Not Necessarily
Since you called my attention to Attrition, I thought that I should see what the current figures say:

2015-2016 Mystic Valley lost 7.5% of their student body between 8th grade & 9th grade (HS)
http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/attrition/default.aspx?orgcode=04700105&fycode=2016&orgtypecode=6&

2015-2016 Melrose lost 19.6% of their student body between 8th & 9th grade (HS)
http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/attrition/default.aspx?orgcode=01780000&fycode=2016&orgtypecode=5&

so who is weeding themselves out sway? Where sway?
Interesting that Melrose lost 22.9% of their economically disadvantaged students after the 8th grade. I wonder where they went??? Were they "weeded out" somehow?

MV lost 0% of them going into 9th grade.

Across the board Melrose loses a higher % of economically disadvantaged than MV. The MV students presumably can return to their local school system.

Where are the [poor] Melrose students going? Does anyone care?

Instead of looking at the handful of students at each school who go to top tier colleges, this data should be reviewed carefully.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Apples and Oranges
Come on - you can't make that comparison. Attrition between 8 and 9 indicates nothing more than the percentage of students that choose another option for high school. For most public students, between 8 and 9 is the jump year. MV parents made that choice years before. Granted, however - the "thinning of the herd" at MV in the 1-8 years, which publics can't do, also skews that percentage. There are too many variables to make such a comparison.
I think the point is that a much higher percentage of students in MPS choose to attend HS elsewhere. MV students stay put after being there for K-8. If MPS is so great why do so many leave?

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Hmmmm
Funny how Mystic Valley supporters love to point to the subjective rankings as a measure of their success. However, when you point out objective measures like the MCAS they start attacking the test. As has been said here many times, the K to 12 performance of the Melrose District is very similar to that of the MVRCS.

Also, regarding hiring practices, let's not forget that in 2011 the MVRCS was highlighted on Fox25 Boston for having a gay porn start on their teaching staff. The teacher's movie credits included "Fetish World" and "Just Gone Gay 8." This received a lot of news on the local television stations but not much discussion on this board as this site is full with MVRCS supporters that divert attention away from the MVRCS as quickly as possible for fear that taxpayers may catch onto the scam.
Do you think that DESE attrition reports are subjective? Hmmm ...

How many MV supporters do you see attacking MCAS? I haven't heard that. Anywhere.

I support charter schools & if I had been on this board then, I would have discussed Hitchcock. The porn guy had made the porn legally in CA so he wasn't a criminal. Poor hiring choice but not for lack of a CORI.

Do you want to discus the FELON that now sits on the SC? That guy actually hurt people.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Not Necessarily
Agree
... Look at the enrollment figures for Mystic Valley - there are far fewer graduates of the high school than kindergartners who started. The 11th grade class has what - around 90 students? From an original class of 124-130 kindergartners? That is a lot of weeding out that is done over the years


Good effort to malign MV but you are incorrect. Mystic Valley has added to class size over the years so the current 11th & 12 graders started in with a smaller class size than the current elementary grades have.

Since you called my attention to Attrition, I thought that I should see what the current figures say:

2015-2016 Mystic Valley lost 7.5% of their student body between 8th grade & 9th grade (HS)
http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/attrition/default.aspx?orgcode=04700105&fycode=2016&orgtypecode=6&

2015-2016 Melrose lost 19.6% of their student body between 8th & 9th grade (HS)
http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/attrition/default.aspx?orgcode=01780000&fycode=2016&orgtypecode=5&

so who is weeding themselves out sway? Where sway?


Sorry, but the current 11th graders were kindergarteners in 2003. There were 135 kindergartners enrolled that year.

http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/profiles/student.aspx?orgcode=04700000&orgtypecode=5&fycode=2004

By the time they are in the 11th grade, they are down to 92 of them. That is an attrition rate of 35%.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Not Hmmm was discrediting the MCAS.
Ed O'Connell was elected to the SC in the full light of day and his background was well known. I don't like him and didn't vote for him but this was not a secret.

Kevin Hogan was a teacher hired by the MVRCS after starring in Fetish Gay Porn and was allowed to work with minor children.

Beyond that, the MVRCS has hired multiple family members of board members to their staff and they also had a discredited attorney of their own involved with the school.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Apples and Oranges
... Attrition between 8 and 9 indicates nothing more than the percentage of students that choose another option for high school. For most public students, between 8 and 9 is the jump year. MV parents made that choice years before. Granted, however - the "thinning of the herd" at MV in the 1-8 years, which publics can't do, also skews that percentage. There are too many variables to make such a comparison.
Looks like a much higher percentage of MPS students choose 'another option' for HS than do MV students. Wonder why that is?

The so-called thinning of the herd is fallacious for many reasons but what is never addressed is the assumption that students who leave charter schools return to their local public school. Some do. But some move away and some go to private schools.

Disturbing is the high number of economically disadvantaged students leaving Melrose. Where are they going? I hope all of them have scholarships somewhere. Are they moving? Priced out of Melrose? Where are they?

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Hmmmm
Not Hmmm was discrediting the MCAS.
Ed O'Connell was elected to the SC in the full light of day and his background was well known. I don't like him and didn't vote for him but this was not a secret.

Kevin Hogan was a teacher hired by the MVRCS after starring in Fetish Gay Porn and was allowed to work with minor children.

Beyond that, the MVRCS has hired multiple family members of board members to their staff and they also had a discredited attorney of their own involved with the school.


I'm not sure what fetish gay porn is but I'll let you keep that knowledge for me.

Are you saying that people who are gay shouldn't work with children? Or that people who have sex shouldn't work with children? Or both?

Hogan did not commit a crime. Ed O'Connell did & it amazes me that after stealing from the elderly, a vulnerable population, he has held positions dealing with another vulnerable population, children, and as you said, he was elected in to office. To uphold the law as part of his duties. When he has no respect for the law.

I thought everyone knew Ed's background but I have heard multiple people say now that being new to town, they didn't.

MV does have a discredited attorney on staff. I guess he is getting the same 2nd chance some of our Melrosians get here regarding employment. Not naming names because I do believe in 2nd chances. If you're remorseful which Ed is not.

Nepotism though? Pot meet kettle. Or don't throw stones from glass houses or whatever cliche fits. Melrose. Melrose is the hottest of nepotism hot beds. If you've lived here for awhile, you know this.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

FWIW I don't think attrition is much of an issue.
In 2015 MVRCS had 97 10th graders take the MCAS. In 2008 the same class was in 3rd grade and 117 students took the MCAS. It looks like they lost 17% over time. Looking at Melrose, there were 240 10th graders in 2015 as compared to a class of 286 in 2008 or a loss of 16%. Pretty much the same.
When comparing schools, if parents think they have a smart child they should compare the percentage of students in the ADVANCED category for each school. Year in and year out Melrose has a higher percentage of students in the Advanced category than the charter school. However, you would never guess that if you listened to the media or this message board. If you look at the historical results at the elementary levels the gap is very wide. Simply put, in my view a parent with a smart child is making a huge mistake if they choose to send their kid to the MVRCS for elementary school. Dig into the data yourselves.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Not Hmmm was discussing the MCAS & PARCC from the point of view of being a public school teacher & the effect that these high stakes tests have on teaching. He/she said that her/his children are in public schools. Charter schools are public schools but I read it as local public schools. Newsflash: you can support choice in education even if you go to a local school.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

Hmmmm
... When comparing schools, if parents think they have a smart child they should compare the percentage of students in the ADVANCED category for each school. Year in and year out Melrose has a higher percentage of students in the Advanced category than the charter school. However, you would never guess that if you listened to the media or this message board. If you look at the historical results at the elementary levels the gap is very wide. Simply put, in my view a parent with a smart child is making a huge mistake if they choose to send their kid to the MVRCS for elementary school. Dig into the data yourselves.
That's what makes this country great. Freedom. I came to the exact opposite conclusion as you.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

The discussion of enrollment figures on here is flawed.

Melrose has to educate whomever shows up on their doorstep & lives in Melrose.

The charter school can only admit students through the lottery or sibling preference. There are approx 2000 kids waiting to fill the seats over there every year. They have a cap and can't admit everyone who wants to attend. They could easily fill all of their seats for all grades but they don't take students after 5th or 6th grade. And the cap limits their overall numbers.

Charter school parents know they have a choice and that they don't have to stay there. MPS parents, if they didn't get into MV or another charter (yes they exist) have to pay if they want to leave.

This is siimply pitting families against each other when I have to believe that everyone just wants a good education for their child.

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

To "USA" - I agree that is what makes this country great. Some can reach conclusions based on facts and others will come up with completely unsupportable positions. If you have kids it would probably be best if you sent them to the charter school...

Re: SC Chair publicly attacks parents' only option for quality education in Melrose

FWIW I don't think attrition is much of an issue.
In 2015 MVRCS had 97 10th graders take the MCAS. In 2008 the same class was in 3rd grade and 117 students took the MCAS. It looks like they lost 17% over time. Looking at Melrose, there were 240 10th graders in 2015 as compared to a class of 286 in 2008 or a loss of 16%. Pretty much the same.
When comparing schools, if parents think they have a smart child they should compare the percentage of students in the ADVANCED category for each school. Year in and year out Melrose has a higher percentage of students in the Advanced category than the charter school. However, you would never guess that if you listened to the media or this message board. If you look at the historical results at the elementary levels the gap is very wide. Simply put, in my view a parent with a smart child is making a huge mistake if they choose to send their kid to the MVRCS for elementary school. Dig into the data yourselves.[/quote]

You very clearly missed my point in my original post. I was not "discrediting" MCAS. I said that I thought standardized tests mean something, but not everything. I have spent the last few weeks administering PARCC testing, and I believe that it means something if a student does well on the test. It is quite challenging. I am not entirely convinced that the opposite is true. Some of the young people taking the test may do poorly for a variety of reasons- 8 and 9 year olds can be quite inconsistent.
My bigger point was about choice. If you choose to base everything on MCAS scores, by all means, "dig" into that data and make your choice accordingly. However, that is YOUR choice, and I know many parents of very smart kids, who choose to place greater importance on other things. The district where I work consistently has very high MCAS scores, but when I do an intake interview with a new family (often with very motivated and bright kids), they rarely mention test scores, and instead talk about other reasons for choosing to move to our district- our great arts programs, for example.
When you say, " if parents think they have a smart child they SHOULD (my emphasis) compare the percentage of students in the ADVANCED category for each school", it is revealing. Why do you think you know what other parents SHOULD do? What if they don't care about what you clearly care about most? That is why I believe in choice of schools. Years ago (not sure if they still do it) Acton had about five elementary schools, and each one had a very different focus (traditional academics, arts, multiple intelligences, thematic teaching, science), and they had school choice within the town. I always thought that sounded like the way to go- give people choices, and they will be more invested in the school they choose. You can have your MCAS-focused school, and someone else can have what s/he thinks is best for her/his child.