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Renovations

I have just finished reading plans for the Horace Mann building updates. I understand that the school will not be part of the modular classrooms that will be added to other schools in the city. I am a former parent at HM and a teacher myself elsewhere and have a lot of concerns about the renovations. I am horrified at the amount of money being spent for a "state of the art" office space (once again $$$ benefiting administration ) and Art and Music which are used by each class once a week . The classrooms have not been updated for years. There is a classroom that was once used as a Language based classroom for maybe 3/4 kids . This is currently not being used! Please look at this unused space for music/art. The library could have stayed upstairs Why can't we put art/music in that room and save a lot of money We need to put our $$ into something our students benefit everyday! If we are not redoing entire school save the money and leave it as is Were the teachers asked for their input on these moves? Once again the teachers are being pushed aside to benefit admin. I volunteered in the library/music room. How are you going to fit 25 Kindergarteners in that small space. Will the Kindergarten bathrooms stay as is? Please HM parents look at these plans carefully. Why are we disrupting an entire school when there are other solutions!

Re: Renovations

Why is HM excluded from modular classrooms?

Re: Renovations

Because the mayor doesn't want redneck trailers at his neighborhood school where his kids go. But its okay for Hoover and Winthrop to have their schools turned into redneck eyesores.

Re: Renovations

It almost doesn't matter who is getting the trailers or who is getting the renovations. The elephant in the room is that they are not adding more STAFF. There are so many more children in the system but the administration has not added more staff. The amount of para professionals has been cut in half, and the system has not added a single administrator to help with all these children. Class sizes are enormous. The specials teachers are running from school to school and stretched so thin. Look at Roosevelt - they had the physical space but that school is in crisis now due to four kindergarten classrooms, four first grade classrooms, and three 2-5 with a single principal. The modular, new walls and paint are only the shell - they not going to make up for what Melrose really needs - good administrators and staff.

Re: Renovations

Sad state of affairs
It almost doesn't matter who is getting the trailers or who is getting the renovations. The elephant in the room is that they are not adding more STAFF. There are so many more children in the system but the administration has not added more staff. The amount of para professionals has been cut in half, and the system has not added a single administrator to help with all these children. Class sizes are enormous. The specials teachers are running from school to school and stretched so thin. Look at Roosevelt - they had the physical space but that school is in crisis now due to four kindergarten classrooms, four first grade classrooms, and three 2-5 with a single principal. The modular, new walls and paint are only the shell - they not going to make up for what Melrose really needs - good administrators and staff.


Keep voting the same school committee people into office and guarantee nothing will change! Chair Driscoll and the Mayor are incompetent, arrogant, and self-serving and until the people kick the Mayor off the school committee and elect new people who realy have no other agenda than the students - don't expect improvement.

Re: Renovations

No need to spend millions to house a population bubble. Send them to the charter school.

Re: Renovations

HM
I have just finished reading plans for the Horace Mann building updates. I understand that the school will not be part of the modular classrooms that will be added to other schools in the city. I am a former parent at HM and a teacher myself elsewhere and have a lot of concerns about the renovations. I am horrified at the amount of money being spent for a "state of the art" office space (once again $$$ benefiting administration ) and Art and Music which are used by each class once a week . The classrooms have not been updated for years. There is a classroom that was once used as a Language based classroom for maybe 3/4 kids . This is currently not being used! Please look at this unused space for music/art. The library could have stayed upstairs Why can't we put art/music in that room and save a lot of money We need to put our $$ into something our students benefit everyday! If we are not redoing entire school save the money and leave it as is Were the teachers asked for their input on these moves? Once again the teachers are being pushed aside to benefit admin. I volunteered in the library/music room. How are you going to fit 25 Kindergarteners in that small space. Will the Kindergarten bathrooms stay as is? Please HM parents look at these plans carefully. Why are we disrupting an entire school when there are other solutions!



HM parents...I have heard that the wonderful Kindergarten room (Mrs. F ) that is large and has a bathroom between Kindergarten room (so the kids do not have to walk down hall) will be moved to the library/music room This makes no sense!!!! Do you remember how small that room is. There is no space at all or shelves for the large quantity of Kindergarten material. The space they want to demolish for their state of the art office space is an excellent Kindergarten room WHY? Is this true?

Re: Renovations

MELROSE is under fire and not one person cares. The HM principal is trying to get rid of staff for CT. Hoover needs more help for the teachers. Roosevelt is so cramped another student can barely fit. The Lincoln has a VP to help with the population of students. Please don't put a teacher from the Roosevelt as VP, because that school most of the teacher's are bullies that's what I was told. Winthrop as no staff left because of the weirdo principal. The ECC makes up the rules as they go along. Vote yes on question 2.

Re: Renovations

Wait we will save the best for last, BC he is waiting for CT job. Maybe they are sleeping together or a orgy, because CT hangs out with his wife.

Re: Renovations

MVMMS
Wait we will save the best for last, BC he is waiting for CT job. Maybe they are sleeping together or a orgy, because CT hangs out with his wife.


BC would be just another catastrophe to the school district as Superintendent! He consistently mistreats parents he disagrees with or who complain about the treatment of their children. He is the one that has perpetrated some of these OCR complaints!

Re: Renovations

under fire
MELROSE is under fire and not one person cares. The HM principal is trying to get rid of staff for CT. Hoover needs more help for the teachers. Roosevelt is so cramped another student can barely fit. The Lincoln has a VP to help with the population of students. Please don't put a teacher from the Roosevelt as VP, because that school most of the teacher's are bullies that's what I was told. Winthrop as no staff left because of the weirdo principal. The ECC makes up the rules as they go along. Vote yes on question 2.


The Principal at the Roosevelt was told she could have a VP. She refused, because she thought it would make her look bad! I think that ship has sailed.... She only cares about protecting herself, not the students!!

Re: Renovations

Parent
under fire
MELROSE is under fire and not one person cares. The HM principal is trying to get rid of staff for CT. Hoover needs more help for the teachers. Roosevelt is so cramped another student can barely fit. The Lincoln has a VP to help with the population of students. Please don't put a teacher from the Roosevelt as VP, because that school most of the teacher's are bullies that's what I was told. Winthrop as no staff left because of the weirdo principal. The ECC makes up the rules as they go along. Vote yes on question 2.


The Principal at the Roosevelt was told she could have a VP. She refused, because she thought it would make her look bad! I think that ship has sailed.... She only cares about protecting herself, not the students!!


If that is true she is a moron. But does the Principal really make that decision though and not CT? And if there was money in the budget for a VP at Roosevelt and they didn't hire one, why not use that $ for some para professionals?

Re: Renovations

Rumors
Parent
under fire
MELROSE is under fire and not one person cares. The HM principal is trying to get rid of staff for CT. Hoover needs more help for the teachers. Roosevelt is so cramped another student can barely fit. The Lincoln has a VP to help with the population of students. Please don't put a teacher from the Roosevelt as VP, because that school most of the teacher's are bullies that's what I was told. Winthrop as no staff left because of the weirdo principal. The ECC makes up the rules as they go along. Vote yes on question 2.


The Principal at the Roosevelt was told she could have a VP. She refused, because she thought it would make her look bad! I think that ship has sailed.... She only cares about protecting herself, not the students!!


If that is true she is a moron. But does the Principal really make that decision though and not CT? And if there was money in the budget for a VP at Roosevelt and they didn't hire one, why not use that $ for some para professionals?


That would make sense - but sense is not what Taymore is all about - she wants to pad her admin staff!

Re: Renovations

There are definitely no unused rooms at HM.

Re: Renovations

Parent
under fire
MELROSE is under fire and not one person cares. The HM principal is trying to get rid of staff for CT. Hoover needs more help for the teachers. Roosevelt is so cramped another student can barely fit. The Lincoln has a VP to help with the population of students. Please don't put a teacher from the Roosevelt as VP, because that school most of the teacher's are bullies that's what I was told. Winthrop as no staff left because of the weirdo principal. The ECC makes up the rules as they go along. Vote yes on question 2.


The Principal at the Roosevelt was told she could have a VP. She refused, because she thought it would make her look bad! I think that ship has sailed.... She only cares about protecting herself, not the students!!



If CT keeps MBM at the Roosevelt it will sink! Its already sinking anyways, because she is protecting herself, not the staff or students!

Re: Renovations

Current Parent
There are definitely no unused rooms at HM.


So what is the former LBC classroom used for ?

Re: Renovations

Roosevelt
Parent
under fire
MELROSE is under fire and not one person cares. The HM principal is trying to get rid of staff for CT. Hoover needs more help for the teachers. Roosevelt is so cramped another student can barely fit. The Lincoln has a VP to help with the population of students. Please don't put a teacher from the Roosevelt as VP, because that school most of the teacher's are bullies that's what I was told. Winthrop as no staff left because of the weirdo principal. The ECC makes up the rules as they go along. Vote yes on question 2.


The Principal at the Roosevelt was told she could have a VP. She refused, because she thought it would make her look bad! I think that ship has sailed.... She only cares about protecting herself, not the students!!



If CT keeps MBM at the Roosevelt it will sink! Its already sinking anyways, because she is protecting herself, not the staff or students!




Right on the schools in Melrose don't care about the students, only trying to protect themselves.

Re: Renovations

Hm
Current Parent
There are definitely no unused rooms at HM.


So what is the former LBC classroom used for ?



What class is now in LBC ?

Re: Renovations

Current Parent
There are definitely no unused rooms at HM.




Not even a Rat can fit in the Roosevelt school.

Re: Renovations

"Roosevelt" says that MBM is only trying to protect herself. Well, that is what the teachers and paras do as well. You don't really think the teachers and paras give a rat's a-- for the kids do you? They won't speak up about the IEP's not getting done. They just keep their mouths shut and get through the day, complaining all the way. Parents take note.

Re: Renovations

I listened to the conversation tonight about the Bond meeting with the BOA. I heard a lot of talk about handicap access at Horace Mann. Does anyone in this city realize that our police station is NOT handicapped accessible? Do the police come outside to help the handicapped that can't enter the building? We need to start thinking about other priorities in this City.

Re: Renovations

There's a call box outside the front steps. Great if it's raining or snowing.

That's not all, though. The entire place is a disgrace. It's an old telephone building, and it's been the police station for 65 years. I'm guessing it's about 100 years old. The way they have to bring prisoners through a narrow door and then down a flight of stairs to be booked is a lawsuit waiting to happen. That should all be on one level - drive in, booking, and cells. The phone system board is so old and jury-rigged there's no one still alive that knows how to fix it or what all the wires are for. But you can't buy votes by building police stations.

Re: Renovations

Absolutely Correct
There's a call box outside the front steps. Great if it's raining or snowing.

That's not all, though. The entire place is a disgrace. It's an old telephone building, and it's been the police station for 65 years. I'm guessing it's about 100 years old. The way they have to bring prisoners through a narrow door and then down a flight of stairs to be booked is a lawsuit waiting to happen. That should all be on one level - drive in, booking, and cells. The phone system board is so old and jury-rigged there's no one still alive that knows how to fix it or what all the wires are for. But you can't buy votes by building police stations.


So everyone seems to be pleased that the schools will have a new library that the kids use once a week for 1/2 hr a week. We really need to look at other priorities in this city besides the schools. Sad

Re: Renovations

Absolutely Correct
There's a call box outside the front steps. Great if it's raining or snowing.

That's not all, though. The entire place is a disgrace. It's an old telephone building, and it's been the police station for 65 years. I'm guessing it's about 100 years old. The way they have to bring prisoners through a narrow door and then down a flight of stairs to be booked is a lawsuit waiting to happen. That should all be on one level - drive in, booking, and cells. The phone system board is so old and jury-rigged there's no one still alive that knows how to fix it or what all the wires are for. But you can't buy votes by building police stations.


Yes, the police station needs to be replaced long term, but they did renovate and update a good portion of it just under 4 years ago. http://patch.com/massachusetts/melrose/melrose-police-station-renovations-to-begin-monday

I took classes in a modular classroom in Europe when I studied abroad a few years back. It was actually a pretty nice facility, at least on the inside. I'd feel bad for the neighbors who will have to stare at what is basically a corrugated steel shipping container.

I honestly don't get this space crunch. Instead of spending $3.5 million on these ugly containers, can't we just reopen Ripley or Beebe?

Re: Renovations

M10
Absolutely Correct
There's a call box outside the front steps. Great if it's raining or snowing.

That's not all, though. The entire place is a disgrace. It's an old telephone building, and it's been the police station for 65 years. I'm guessing it's about 100 years old. The way they have to bring prisoners through a narrow door and then down a flight of stairs to be booked is a lawsuit waiting to happen. That should all be on one level - drive in, booking, and cells. The phone system board is so old and jury-rigged there's no one still alive that knows how to fix it or what all the wires are for. But you can't buy votes by building police stations.


Yes, the police station needs to be replaced long term, but they did renovate and update a good portion of it just under 4 years ago. http://patch.com/massachusetts/melrose/melrose-police-station-renovations-to-begin-monday

I took classes in a modular classroom in Europe when I studied abroad a few years back. It was actually a pretty nice facility, at least on the inside. I'd feel bad for the neighbors who will have to stare at what is basically a corrugated steel shipping container.

I honestly don't get this space crunch. Instead of spending $3.5 million on these ugly containers, can't we just reopen Ripley or Beebe?


They didn't update anything in the PD. My cousin is an Officer there and told me about the "update". They came in, painted the walls, put up cheap ceiling tiles, and the floor tiles are already coming up off the floor. Not to mention the only reason they did the "update" is because the federal government mandated it.

Those guys over there deserve a real station, not a half a$$ paint job and plastic floors.

Re: Renovations

What ever happened to the "Public Safety Building Committee" Dolan announced during his inagural speecH?
O'Brien, McLaughlin, Nevin......can you spell FARCE.....?

Re: Renovations

Public Safety Building Committee
What ever happened to the "Public Safety Building Committee" Dolan announced during his inagural speecH?
O'Brien, McLaughlin, Nevin......can you spell FARCE.....?



Mayor Dolan better not even put his name on the ballot. He needs to put his house up for sale we dont want to see your face in Melrose.

Re: Renovations

Oh bother!

Re: Renovations

All you Dolan lovers - you get the government you voted for! The Hughes affair, millions of dollars spent on temporary modular classrooms, $100K's dollars spent on useless hard-copy textbooks while everyone else is going digital, exodus of all our good teachers from the school system, OCR violations with exorbitant legal fees, thousands spent on PR firms to show school admin how to communicate with the public, and on and on and on it goes!

Next time Dolan runs - don't forget to vote for him - I know that he will do much worse than he has in the past!

Re: Renovations

Losing Proposition
All you Dolan lovers - you get the government you voted for! The Hughes affair, millions of dollars spent on temporary modular classrooms, $100K's dollars spent on useless hard-copy textbooks while everyone else is going digital, exodus of all our good teachers from the school system, OCR violations with exorbitant legal fees, thousands spent on PR firms to show school admin how to communicate with the public, and on and on and on it goes!

Next time Dolan runs - don't forget to vote for him - I know that he will do much worse than he has in the past!


What is the voluntary contribution to Education Fund on our excise tax bills?