Earlier this year the Superintendent of School announced she was going to retire at the end of the school year. The end is in sight and the search is on. The School Committee formed a search committee made up of school committee members, parents, etc. They were charged to bring four names back to the School Committee for consideration. After the “nation wide search” they returned three names of qualified people to serve the school system.
Soouthbridge does not have the best of school systems and Dr. Hanley has done a wonderful job trying to put things back on track. It would appear the more high school students attend high school at either the local vocational school or one of the other districts in the area. Two weeks ago the high school graduated 69 kids. The population of this town hovers around 17,000. I have seen stats that say when the graduating class began 9th grade there were more than 120 in the class. It has been said that some dropped out, and other moved on. 69 graduated. We are in the process of building a new school and maybe that will help maybe it wont we can only wait and see.
I serve on the School Committee of the regional vocational school. Southbridge has the largest portion of the student population somewhere around 300 in the 9th – 12th grade. There are 10 towns involved and the budget is pretty high with no frills mind you just good old education and a lot of hard work by the administration and faculty. The rooms are over crowded and the like the most of the kids graduating will go on to college. In fact one of them was appointed to a maritime academy in New York.
Okay, back to Southbridge. The School Committee was nit happy with the names submitted so they added a fourth name. The present principal of the high school. I know this man, and he is a supporter of some of the things we do here at the church but two years ago he was the band instructor at the high school and now he is under consideration to be superintendent. He is the odds on favorite to be named, and the thing that makes me mad is that the School Committee is not even making a secret of the fact that he is their choice.
He applied and was not considered by the search committee so there has to be something there. The other three have pretty good credentials. One is a superintendent is a large school system in New York, one is an assistant Superintendent here in Massachusetts and one is the principal of a large regional school and has been so for a long time.
This past Saturday interviews were held with all four candidates. I was not there but I know of several people who were. They all said that all of the candidates did well but the golden child was not stellar. He had no concept of the budget process or what he would do in the future. In fact one report was that he would stay the course. Not good if you ask me. After the meeting this candidate was seen out and about the town with several members of the School Committee and it is well know that he is friends with several of them as well.
Qualifications of the candidates here.
I am all for promoting from within but only if the person in qualified. This should be about more than rewarding a friend or giving the job to a guy that will do what the school committee wants him to do. If they want to run the school then they should have applied for the job! As a member of a school committee I have complete confidence in the job that the administration of the school is doing. Do I question them, yes, do I tell them how to do their job, no. If I did not have confidence in the job they are doing, I would seek to replace them.
June 29th is the Town Election and there are several write in candidates and June 30th is the meeting of the School Committee to make a decision. If you live in this town, and care about it, let them know how you feel. The old boy network needs to end, and it needs to end soon. Make your voice heard at the ballot box and at the meeting.
Well said Fr. Peter. I know of two write in candidates to date…Mary Ellen Prencipe and Michelle Cook. Their names will go on my ballot.
There is a School Committee meeting on June 22nd…hope to see you there! 7PM!
You should have stuck around the town hall tonight…very interesting General Government meeting…you know you're dmaned if you do and you're damned if you don't! LOL!
Southbridge school system is the laughing stock of the area; looks like this isn't going to end any time soon. Too bad for the kids.
Fr. Peter, I found your article very well thought out, and completley true in regards of unfortuante friendships between a canidate and School Committee members. My name is Brent Stanley and I feel that committees of any kind should not be stacked with “pals and yes men or women”. Independent thinkers who are not adverse to finding consensus are what we need on the Southbridge School Committee, not political cronies.
I have announced my “write in” candidacy for this open seat because I feel I have relevant credentials having recently obtained my Bachelors Degree from Nichols College, and past Military Police experience in the National Guard. Additionally, I have served on the School Committee in 2004. My Southbridge High School experiences are not that far behind me, and I understand the needs and weaknesses of the school system.
When you write in a name on June 29th 2010, I hope you will consider substance, character and motives rather than backdoor politics and strategic alliances. Once again, my name is Brent Stanley and I am hoping you will write my name in for this School Committee seat.
Regards,
Brent
Fr. Peter, I found your article very well thought out, and completley true in regards of unfortuante friendships between a canidate and School Committee members. My name is Brent Stanley and I feel that committees of any kind should not be stacked with “pals and yes men or women”. Independent thinkers who are not adverse to finding consensus are what we need on the Southbridge School Committee, not political cronies.
I have announced my “write in” candidacy for this open seat because I feel I have relevant credentials having recently obtained my Bachelors Degree from Nichols College, and past Military Police experience in the National Guard. Additionally, I have served on the School Committee in 2004. My Southbridge High School experiences are not that far behind me, and I understand the needs and weaknesses of the school system.
When you write in a name on June 29th 2010, I hope you will consider substance, character and motives rather than backdoor politics and strategic alliances. Once again, my name is Brent Stanley and I am hoping you will write my name in for this School Committee seat.
Regards,
Brent