CT & MSC Making Melrose Great Again, apparently
This year's graduating class had some of the worst college acceptance stats ever:
55 applied to Salem State and only 28 got in!
57 applied to UNH and only 27 got in!
Wow....
This is appalling and should be a wake-up call to all those dopey parents singing the praises of the administration and calling for an override to give them more money to pay themselves instead of correcting the obvious deep issues.
http://melrosecityma.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=3275&Inline=True
Yes, agree, that is just terrible and reflects how little the community is paying attention or even cares, apparently.
Look at p. 125 and it gets worse. A third or more of the district's elementary students are doing very poorly on math. I guess the college acceptances are just the end result of this whole 12-13 mess of a district's offerings. This is what those Ed Foundation parents should be railing about instead of their chorus of bleating praise and whining about an override.
Why are 57 kids applying to the same school? What is wrong with the guidance department that they don't try to get kids to branch out instead of everyone applying to the same 20 colleges? There are over 5000 colleges in the US. It would be nice to see the guidance department get a little creative.
This is what happens when you hire substandard administrator's and teachers, particularly in the math, science, and English departments. You reap what you sow.
Tufts - 18 applicants, 2 acceptances. Jesus H. Christ! The word that immediately comes to mind is pitiful.
Melrose kids are as smart as any kids. This isn't on them. This is on the pitiful education we are providing them. We are failing them, and we should be ashamed.
It's not hard to comprehend. She saw what was happening, spoke out, and they made her life miserable. That's what they do to those that dare to rock the boat.
All saw what was happening, spoke out, and they made all life miserable. That's what they do to those that dare to rock the boat.Melrose School nothing knew.
The previous poster had it mostly correct.
Head of Guidance left only recently and still directed what happened with this crop of grads. He has been miserable in this job since Dillon hired him back, and he was awful prior. There was always plenty of cause for removing him, but he also always threatened to sue. So it was the clash of the bullies (CT & JB), both incompetent and neither caring about the students despite their protestations to the contrary. Putting LoG in the position further demonstrates how little CT cares about the kids, only awarding those who are the perpetual brown-nosers, as LoG most certainly is (and incompetent besides).
Focus of SC/admin has been wrong for as long as Dolan was mayor, fingering who would be getting the bennies for votes, always the mommies (and equally gullible daddies) of the very young. GI is no better, just dumber. The high school has been getting the shaft continuously, despite the showy building upgrades for a dump that remains a substandard dump after all the millions poured into it ("Learning Commons"--the most ridiculous of the costly building projects, Science Labs that were obsolete even before they were built--nearly every other municipality but Melrose backed out when ridiculous requirements like movable benches were exposed as part of the "grant" that drove up the costs enormously and didn't address the actual needs, and on and on.... bathrooms/locker rooms still disgusting, much open wasted space, no windows for one large wing, ...). Every showy "update" was a RD PR scheme to shut down the attention on lack of enough QUALIFIED teachers, the lousy college test scores (still far below those of even the mediocre districts), the fact that the high school almost lost its accreditation (under Buxton's head of the NEASC team--that the SC tried forcibly to hide until one lone brave member--you know who--made sure the failures were made public). Now the college acceptances reveal the comprehensive nature of the failures, not just stupid and ignorant guidance department, but stem-to-stern failures of the system. Sure, there may be a single student who got into the least selective of the high-end schools (Cornell, Brown). But when less than half of the 57 students applying to very low-end non-selective schools don't get in, there is a huge problem now exposed.
The SC is doing its typical self-protecting, self-promoting routine, cheering the superficial goodies as if they "prove" how Melrose Great it all is, especially to those "true Melrosians" who need to hear this drumbanging and "tommyhawk" (CT's ignorant referral to the racist logo) nonsense. They are going through the motions as if their "strategic" processes are legit, when anyone who knows anything should be able to see just how shallow and truly fraudulent these processes actually are. Though many hard-working people are contributing what they can, along with those teachers in the trenches who are doing their level best under awful working conditions, those at the top in admin and on SC are poseurs who demonstrate in every meeting their total lack of integrity. Each of them has exposure, some more than others (the new SC members least of all) to the pervasive rot (starting at the top) in the system, and yet not one of them comes clean, meeting after meeting. Now watch the bogus superintendent "evaluation" process take shape, and again the fraud is perpetrated. They simply must paint it all as fabulous, especially since they are doing their wolf-crying lead-up to another fraudulent override demand.
You know the old saying "You get what you pay for."? Apparently it's not always true, because we are paying through the nose and getting worse results every year.
Another override proposal? Are you freaking kidding me? No, no, and HELL NO! Not today, not tomorrow, not next week, not next year. If these acceptance stats don't finally wake you up, you've got your head so far up your a$$ you need a window in your abdomen to see where you're going.
This is the first year ever that college acceptances have not been published. For as many years as I can remember, MPS has always sent out a list via email as well as printed in the paper touting the MHS college acceptance list. Hmmm, I wonder why? Because there is no director of guidance to do the job or because they don't want people to see this list? Any savvy investigators out that able to get the same stats for similar communities? I'd love to see it.
I see many of your points, but the idea that you or the previous poster is absolutely correct is misguided.
As a high school counselor myself, and former admission counselor for a university, the misunderstanding of these college acceptances is really disheartening. One poster had it right, in talking about the high volume of applications to these schools based on the Common Application and the ease of applying. Saying that the number of acceptances to Tufts is disappointing is just inane. I'm glad someone pointed out the percentage of acceptance...but that is for the entire country, not for schools that are within ten miles from the University. How many students does Tufts want from a white, upper/middle class suburban neighborhood from Massachusetts? This is not about the merit, skill, or strength of our student's applications from Melrose High School. This is more about the outside competition. Many of the students that apply to these schools have the requirements to be accepted into the school, but each year it gets more competitive, because there is this continual push by parents that kids need to get into 1 of the 100 "best" colleges. It is a farce, it really is. There are over 7,000 colleges in America, yet there is this focus on 100 schools, and god forbid our students go to a state school, or a community college, it signifies complete incompetence. Schools are picking their classes based on economics, race/ethnicity, backgrounds, and geography...not because these kids are not good enough to attend a competitive school.
If I was able to convince parents that the name of the school that students go to during their undergraduate or graduate education means very little, I think we'd have less stressed out students on the whole. In my opinion, this competition is pretty sick. And if you do not want to take my opinion, or want to discredit me you can, but I'd encourage you to read a few pieces here: https://www.npr.org/series/7537888/the-college-admissions-game and watch "RACE TO NOWHERE" and make a more educated, and informed opinion.
I went to Umass Amherst. 15 years ago it was considered a safety school, and looked down upon. Now, the requirements are so high that it is becoming unattainable for so many students. UMass Amherst has easier admission standards for students outside of Massachusetts. Why? Because the price is higher for those students and UMass justifies these acceptances by saying the price would rise for in-state students had they not accepted these students. Source: http://www.wbur.org/edify/2018/05/29/out-of-state-admissions-to-umass
Let me talk about BU and BC. BU accepts 1/4 of his applicants from international territories. 1/4! Why? Because they do not get US financial aid, they cannot. This idea that are students are not prepared, or are not good enough, or that Melrose is failing these kids is simply wrong. There are so many other factors taking place that you have not identified. You can claim that we are dreadful, and that we are failing our kids, but the truth is you have not looked at any of the facts or truths that effect all students that apply to these schools.
BU had 64,473 applications this year (for a class of 3300). Here is the profile: Profile of BU Class of 2022
Average Rank in Class: Top 7%
Average GPA: A-
Average SAT: 1468
Average ACT: 32
These numbers do not include geography, race/ethnicity, sex, scholarship applicants.
These schools have become unattainable for so many great applicants.
While this is anecdotal, the number 2 in the class at the high school I work at, 2 of over 460 students, was wait-listed and then rejected from Boston College. She had taken all the AP classes we offered, had a GPA of 4.67, 3 sport varsity captain, participated in GIRLS State, ran the newspaper, volunteered... did everything that would make her a qualified applicant and someone who I believed was worthy of acceptance. It varies from year to year. Other extraneous factors are what led to her not being accepted, not because of her application, or the major she applied to, or her numbers, or her extracurricular activities or her essay. This is the biggest misconception there is...that our schools are not producing quality applicants. We are, but these most competitive schools have the luxury of building their classes exactly how they want, because people have continued to tell our kids only apply to these "good" schools, which is why we see that number so high in applications.
To the point about Salem State and the numbers there. Part of that could be nursing numbers. If you have 10 kids that did not get into the nursing program, then that is why there is the disparity. You cannot just look at the numbers and say "Oh, we did not get all of our students into this easy state school." You can have your opinion, but it is without any evidence, and that is most important in this day and age. Also, I did not see it here, but the shaming of the Community College program is so denigrating to students. It is a great option, and financially the smartest option. If we talk about wise financial sense, it makes the most sense to go to North Shore or Northern Essex for two years, take your Gen-Eds, and then Mass transfer into a state school. You come paying half as much as a student who went to Umass Lowell/Amherst/Darmouth/Boston, and earn the same degree. With loan rates and default rates so high, and the necessity for many students to go get a masters degree, we should not be shaming community colleges, or state school attendance.
This idea that students are not applying to enough selective schools, or not to different schools and that Melrose, in particular, is not doing a good job exposing students to other schools is incorrect, in my opinion. Melrose brings dozens of colleges into the school to meet with kids. The struggle I find with most students up here is that many students do not want to leave this area. But I understand their point. We as a community in the Northeast know that we have many of the "best" schools in the country. We know that our secondary education is the best in the country, and our post-secondary education has some of the "greatest" schools. I think more students should go further away. Point being is the financial cost is cheaper many times. I'm not talking about UCONN, or UNH, I'm talking down South (Texas, Carolinas, Florida). Those areas want Northeast talent, but students have in this mind (mainly because of the adults in their lives) that they have to go to the "best" schools, and the best schools are Ivy schools, Tufts, BC, BU, and Northeastern. You are missing 7,000 other schools. While not all of them great value for education, the misguidedness that if our students do not go to the most selective colleges means our kids are being failed is just wrong and uneducated.
The amount of misinformation and consistent, unnecessary blame is so disheartening. I'm sure you will disagree with me, because any sort of support for the Melrose Public Schools is seen as PR move, but I just strongly feel, as a citizen, and a student who went through MPS 10 years ago, it is so unfair to levy all of these remarks and claims without any of the information or evidence as to what is actually happening in the college landscape. That is what I'm asking here, to get some information before attacking.
I'm proud of our students, most go on to be good, productive members of our society. It is great when students get into selective colleges, but I'm also just so happy that there is a culture here that kids see college as the next step for themselves.
Thanks Rebuttal for your well-thought out explanation of how the college acceptance process works. I especially agree with what you said about the Salem State rejections. Salem has a very good nursing program and I bet most of the rejects were nursing applicants.
Excellent post Rebuttal, you are spot on. As someone who works in the same space, I've been preaching the same sermon to families for years. Hopefully more will start listening!
Full disclosure - I am a MHS grad, and a UMASS grad, and got a solid education in both places. Even though I disagree with some of what you say, that was a good post. My main point of contention is that you are 10 years removed from the MPS, and in that time, the MPS, especially MHS, has developed into a disconcertingly unhealthy - some would say toxic - environment, which I believe is the single most identifiable reason for the acceptances we are seeing. In that time, and this is anecdotal, it seems to me that in comparison to surrounding communities, we have fallen further and faster. We are top heavy with younger, inexperienced teachers, we can't seem to retain older, more experienced teachers, and the quality of our administrators has shown a steep decline over the same period. Some will blame lower salaries for that, but I personally believe salary is less a factor than the toxic environment.
One other thing you mentioned was disturbing. "Schools are picking their classes based on economics, race/ethnicity, backgrounds, and geography." Merit isn't even mentioned. That strikes me as patently unfair, if not outright discriminatory.
I don't honestly think anyone is at all blaming the kids. Melrose kids are pretty much like kids most everywhere. The difference is they are playing the hand they were dealt, a hand containing a pair of deuces, while others are playing with three of a kind. That's on us, and I see no changes coming in the immediate future. We should be doing better.
For years Melrose had books with the list of teachers and what college they went to. Ms. Taymore has deleted those also from the system. She is so afraid to let the parents know where she is hiring these low grade teachers from. Shame on her and the SC.
The latest Lincoln principal hire is a perfect example. That's it? That was the best we could do?
Rebuttal,
I agree wholeheartedly with everything you said. I think many people here see the sexiness of Harvard, Yale Northeastern etc and forget the value of attending a State School. Like me for example, I have my BA in History from UMASS Lowell and MA in Education from AIC. A history degree is the same from UML than it is from Princeton. Now some degrees might not be like that, but most are.
"A history degree is the same from UML than it is from......".
A MA in education, and one doesn't even type in English, fascinating!
"Like me for example, I have my BA in History from UMASS Lowell and MA in Education from AIC."
Professor, I was thinking the same thing. Maybe instead of majoring in History, Mountain Fuji should have majored in English.
My major point was a degree from Princeton is the same as one from the University of Massachusetts. Stop concerning yourself with where students attend and more with other things. Most employers do not care where you went to school,. I would say some some fields like law might lean more heavily toward an Ivy League education.
I think I get your your point.
The presidents William J. Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack H. Obama same Ivy league schools.
Ronald W. Reagan went to Eureka college and Donald J. Trump went to Fordham University.
All the same presidency just a different approach is that what you meant with teachers all the same?
I just want to say believe me or not the best college in the day was BU.
The committee to elect a new superintendent should have more of an education then CT.
I am the protege of the original Professor Correctipants on Melrose Messages, and am simply attempting to point out that there are still some of us 'out here' who prefer to see the English language used correctly.
We have been waiting for you to fix the spelling errors. Glad you are back with us again. I thought you were a Jr.?
This superintendent needs to go.It is time fire her.
Why is it important that students attend high profile schools?
It's not so important that students attend "high profile" schools if they are not seeking "high profile" careers, decent scholarships, or generally if their expectations are not high. As one can easily see by the number of "high profile" failed applications of MHS students, there are many who have false expectations based on their academic performance, poor guidance counseling, bad parenting, etc., and who are crushed to discover that they don't even begin to stack up next to the larger percentage of accepted applicants from the bigger world.
The illiterate morons on this string are completely out of touch with the college admissions process. Melrose students have done great over the last 5 years. 2 out of 16 at Tufts is right where it should be. Their admission rate is around 10%. For the record last years class had 4 go to Tufts, which is astonishing coming from a public school system. All the whiners should go look in the mirror and then at your kids pictures. The two leading indicators of a child's college destination is the education and income of the parents. What does your degree say and hows your tax return look. If you are disappointed with your kids high school experience big data says you are to blame.
The most enjoyable part of reading this string is the morons knocking MHS and MHS students for not getting into elite colleges...and you know not a single one of them or their kids did anything more than a high school diploma and/or 2nd rate State U. I bet we have a few Voke graduates chiming in. Keep knocking down MHS kids, you will still be looking up at them and their scholastic achievements.
No one, not one single person, has knocked MHS students. How is it their fault that they go to a third tier HS with inexperienced, incapable teachers (with a few notable exceptions), and an administration that is at best incompetent, and at worst, downright dangerous? You better unplug your head from your a$$.
And just for your edification, this paticular "moron" has an MA from BC and an MS from Northeastern.
Spot on. No Clue certainly chose an appropriate screen name for himself/herself.
It's been my experience that someone who claims to be a fountain of knowledge about any given subject is likely to be the one who has the most to learn, so my lowly Syracuse degree and I offer this piece of advice to No Clue - it's better to be thought an idiot than to open your mouth and confirm it.
Blah, Blah, cliche, blah, blah blah. Your apples must have fallen from the tree and rolled all the way down the hill.
As is almost always the case with a bully like No Clue, when you stand up to them, they run and hide.
Robotics will soon replace all the jobs.
HA HA, Good Lord called out for being just another MM fraud.
Isn't the real barometer whether or not MHS acceptances match up to other similar High School's? I'm guessing the answer is no.
Yes, it is the real barometer, and the answer is emphatically no, they do not. Isn't that the whole point?
Oh, heavens! I made a typo. Shoot me. As for the content of the post, contrary to your assertion, I never said I believed which college you attended made a significant difference in long term workplace success. In any case, that wasn't the original poster's point, which was acceptances, not long term workplace results.
No Clue posted "The most enjoyable part of reading this string is the morons knocking MHS and MHS students for not getting into elite colleges...and you know not a single one of them or their kids did anything more than a high school diploma and/or 2nd rate State U. I bet we have a few Voke graduates chiming in. Keep knocking down MHS kids, you will still be looking up at them and their scholastic achievements."
My response was to take issue with the assertion that posters here are somehow knocking students, which is clearly not the case. The problem is not the students, who are as bright and have as much potential as any students anywhere. The problem is that they are caught in a sub-standard underperforming system and have two strikes against them before they even begin the application process. You can focus on typos if you want, but continuing to ignore the real problem doesn't help anyone or anything. If you want to call out posters for "pointing fingers", why didn't you start with No Clue's baseless assertions and insults? Not surprisingly, you seem to have completely missed the point.
Prove it. Show us stats on similar HS's acceptances.