Please welcome our newest community author! Many thanks for this refreshing, no-nonsense dose of common sense…
1. We need to pull out of the RSU. We have spent more money since we joined, and our kids education has declined.
2. The Superintendent needs to go. Spends too much money, not transparent to the public, and is paid way too much.
3. More classes need to be offered, shop, more choices for math, honors (true honors with high expectations), ap courses, online courses, and automotive and welding need to come back to Katahdin. There is a need for more extracurricular activities or clubs to be offered, how about more choices for art, music, photography, drafting, etc.
4. Administration needs to show kids respect even when kids express views which don’t coincide with theirs. We have to teach kids tolerance for different views and opinions. Disicpline is weak, too much nitpicking. Be consistent. Show them true leadership. Kids are not trying to run the school, they need boundaries, and respect, and authority that they respect and trust.
5. Starting Standards Based Grading this year was ludicrous, because you were not prepared. Why would you start something a year early, when you do not know what you are doing? A report card that is 42 pages long is too much. There should have been a meeting with parents, giving specifics about what all this means, but that would mean parents would ask questions. No grades, might be more than one valedictorian, what kind of world are we living in. What does this teach kids? Since when does everyone earn a prize. This is not the real world, and we are teaching our kids not to work hard, when you can take tests over and are not penalized for late work.
6. Science fair was a complete debacle for the freshman. They all had to do the same project. They did not receive enough guidance or enough time to do the project, and they could not work on it at home. Huh? If the kids were given a choice, I am sure they would have been a lot more enjoyable for the kids and for the adults to view. As for the kids, what did they actually learn? I would have to say not much. I think the freshman science class deserves better.
7. Communication is poor. You feel like when you have a concern, the real issue is never addressed, you are placated and no one is listening.
8. Bullying. This is something that needs to change. If a kid is truly being bullied, address it. However, stop trying to get these kids to look for something to be wrong. I find it ironic that students can be treated poorly by certain adults in the building for airing their views.
9. PDA: Give me a break. If a kid wants to hug a kid and that kid doesn’t mind, let them. Lets stop picking out foolish things to discipline these kids for. Have some common sense.
10. What really needs to change is fundamentally simple, treat others the way you want to be treated, respect other people’s views and opinions even if they are different from yours. Treat kids with respect and work hard. It can be done.
We CAN change things if we want to.
cent7
danimoodykaygmailcom
delaneyfitz
skier1996
Timbered Classrooms... 
Clearly this is striking a chord with folks — stats are booming!
Thanks again, cent7:)
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As a student, I couldn’t have said this better myself! This is the cold hard truth. I agree 100% with cent7
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I can say, as a former student of KHS, that I couldn’t agree more with this. The only thing I would add is allowing individuality, nobody in the real world is going to be treated equally like that! Everyone has different abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. This school is setting kids up for failure. Especially the freshman class and under. No grades?!? That is absolutely astonishing and colleges will NOT know what type of student you are without a GPA. The only thing left to go by is SAT scores and everyone knows that those are not a good indicator. You couldn’t have said it any better!
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Good point — all children have very different needs, and treating them all in the same way will meet those of some, but not others.
The focus should be on meeting the needs of every child in an equally optimal way. At the moment, this Board’s priorities do the opposite.
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As graduate of KHS, an educator and a past high school principal What has been said of Katahdin could be said about schools all over Maine and most of the country. What we want or what we need costs more than the tax payers can pay. Networking, on-line programs and volunteers are needed. Many educators tried to tell parents about RSU’s but people would not listen. Our past governor pushed it through and now the “standards” are being shoved down out throats; parents, students and teachers! Take control of your own district’s needs. Help out, go to your kids schools and get involved! Pray! Bring back a moral fiber to our schools! Guide our children and let them be! When they are going the wrong way help them to steer a better pathway. Use common sense!
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Thank you so much for sharing your unique and valuable perspective both as a Katahdin alum and professional educator.
Taxpayers, of course, cannot afford to satisfy the drive for profit of testing companies, publishing houses, et. al. behind the Common Core, nor can they afford the transition to Standards-Based. They certainly cannot afford the divestment of scarce dollars from Katahdin’s children to more layers of administration, and Southern Aroostook.
Many of us who opposed the RSU Law in the first place predicted ugly scenes of school boards, especially in poor districts; fighting tooth and nail over one now-shared pot of money. Board members eager to spend tax dollars from one community, to which they do not contribute, into their own, from which payers hardly benefit, typically target infrastructure in other communities because they want the money in their own. Children will forever be forced onto long bus rides that make no fiscal, let alone human sense because there is money for someone at the end of it.
Yes, schools all over the State face the same mandates, but vary wildly in ability, both financial and knowledge-wise, to handle them. Wealthy schools escaped the RSU Law altogether, and, even in poorer ones, committed, and clever administrators advocate valiantly for the needs of kids. That is not the case here, as the priorities of this administration and Board could not be less child-centered.
You cannot divest from a school; target it for liquidation, and invest optimally in the children inside. You cannot divest from faculty and spend spend spend on layers of administration and management and claim it’s “for the kids”. We need to stop that.
You are so correct. Parents do not do enough, for their own children at times, much less their community. It affects everyone, when children arrive at school hardly ready to learn. We all need to take responsibility here, and, absolutely, use more common sense.
Thank you again, for your much-needed, sensible perspective.
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Your absolutely right. When parents talk, administrators do not listen. They do not want our imput. They seem to be more worried about indoctrinating than education. We absolutely need moral fiber. Lots of people get involved, but it is hard to keep going up against people that don’t want things made public. When your kids think this is stupid (standards) and don’t know how they are doing in classes, wow!
I for one knew the RSU would be cost intensive and administrative heavy. The parents and students have to stay involved and keep pushing for change, even when we feel bullied.
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Amen!
This administration demands much more secrecy than it is entitled to, and for “hanging a lantern” on it — thank you, cent7.
I can be hard to keep going, and I do step back and take a breath from time to time — then I’m more determined than ever!
You broke a record, cent7, for views — 1046 blog views came in yesterday. ..nearly 200 today. They even had to recalibrate the graph just for you.
Sunlight is the best remedy, second only to community determination. A change of heart among our Board representatives would be nice too:)
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That is awesome! Hopefully people will bring more out into the light. Time to have the media involved. People need to get involved and go to board meetings. The board needs to let people speak their views, not try to control things. People need to know education is not paramount here to the board, keeping up appearances seem to be quite important to our school district. Kids deserve a great education! So speak up everyone.
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What, what, what are you talking about, does any body get this????
“Pat me on the shoulder”
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“Pat me on the shoulder”? I guess I am confused now…. So where do you see that?
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Transparency. Can you understand that?
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No one is going to make “transparent” what is afoot here. …the deliberate divestment from Katahdin to make it appear “non-viable”; to further its liquidation and subsequent transfer of our children, money and other assets North to eagerly awaiting, hands.
What parent and community member is going to put up with that, even short term? Our communities deserve their tax dollars focused on fair and effective priorities — less “austerity” for kids, and more, MUCH more for administration and management.
Our kids deserve a school governed by people who deem it worthy of investment.
You are not investing in kids, if you are not investing, optimally, in their school – especially aspects of it that give them, and taxpayers the greatest return.
So why are “unmet needs” all on kids? Why not have some “unmet wants” at the top?
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Phil is that you, are you picking on the women again. If it is you, no this. We are going to fight this to the bitter end. You are going to learn how much power ” we the people have”. So from now to then im going to be watching and listening to every word you say. You are a tax payer in sherman and the people you no are also, this is going to come back and BITE YOU IN THE ASS. So put your big boy panties on and start picking on ME.
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The board needs to represent the kids and the people in the community.
People should not be afraid of the dialogue on this website, we just want a good education for our children.
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Absolutely!
Though I have been told some Board members may interpret the Maine School Management Association Handbook as offering them license to buck the community, they are dead wrong in this case.
I read it too, and Board members’ foremost obligation is to the kids. Those who believe shuttering Katahdin is in students’ interests had better be required to prove it. …..to the community, if they, for some reason, don’t feel the need to prove it to themselves.
Why would anyone be afraid of dialogue on this website? I find it constructive and interesting.
I have noticed, though, people wielding imaginary authority left and right over who is “allowed” to say what….. It is weird!
But really, there is no legal basis for a Board to bar it’s members, employees etc. from speaking out eithe here, or, say, in a letter to the editor. No one relinquishes their right to speak out as a private citizen.
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This is a good dialogue, it shows what people are really thinking. And shows the people that are afraid of what could happen. Because the agenda is being disrupted. They are asses when more people are against ed them, they see with open eyes, that there ideas are no good. Remember we the people put them in,,,,,, we the people, will take them OUT.
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Now that is what everybody needs to hear. That is a mouth full. Good point Mr.T I hope everybody listens to that, specialty you pk.
This is the reason why we need you Mr T at the helm.
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Hey Jerry, I agree, this is powerful shit. You don’t realize what you just said. This should be copied. The board needs to hear these words.
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OK ill bite, are you going all the way. There is 6 of us playing cards we are all ears. Are you going to take this BULL by the horns. We want to no.
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There is a clear agenda. Consolidate, shut Katahdin down, build a new school eventually. Why doesn’t anyone on the board want to just lay it on the line, that is the agenda. Where is the truth and integrity. This is a great conversation, but people are afraid of repercussions when they speak out at times. And why not just say it, the issue with the budget is that we are spending way too much money, administration, iPads, Great Schools Partnership, etc. Wow! The education has declined and the foolish things going on just make me shake my head. They even want to control what is said at school board meetings by the public, this is not right.
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I almost said something to you Mr T at the store today. But i really do not no how to take you. I no that you are dealing with allot, but you have this way with your appearance and attitude that can make a great difference.
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Do you save this shit just for weekends, because it seems you just put this stuff out in a whim. I would like to talk to you out side. Is that possible.
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I’m sorry for the technical glitch! But your request to speak privately to one of our commenters didn’t fall under any particular comment.
Perhaps if you try again, in direct reply to the person you are addressing, and/or clarifying their user name?
Good luck!
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What has happen, i will tell you my thoughts. The board has been allowed to dictate every meeting and how it is presented. No body says, JUST A MINUTE, YOU WILL HEAR MY CONCERN. You do work for the people, and you are going to let me be heard. People let people like knowles and ryan think that there in control but there not. They can only do what we let them do. Remember this,, We do matter, they do not.
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OK im yours, tell me what to do LOL
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8:00 pm on a Sat night, starting up my thoughts on all these concerns of all the people that have real thoughts.I do no they are all real, and deserve all the attention that everybody deserves. So listen to yourself s because you have said the answer to ever question that YOU have asked. Thats the power, YOU are the power, listen,you do have the answers. You gents and ladies, hear yourself s, you are right there wrong.
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We as parents and taxpayers DO have to take control of our district’s needs. But, how do we do that? Apparently, talking with the principal, guidance counselor, attending board meetings and “Visions” meetings all to voice our concerns is not the answer – many of us have already done that which is why we are so frustrated! Common sense and morality need to prevail in this situation. We have serious concerns and issues here that other schools probably also have, but there are ways to improve. It has to start with the board and administration as they ultimately make the decisions. Look what happened during last year’s budget process!? People came out in great numbers at the KHS gym to discuss and vote on what they wanted for their children. The board absolutely knew how we felt and what we wanted, yet they continued on with their own agenda. Now, it is rumored that they are hiring a phys ed teacher because this year’s plan “didn’t work out.” Common sense showed that it would not work out when it was discussed and voted on. There have been many, many meetings that parents and taxpayers views have been voiced. No once have I witnessed administration or the board actually acting on any of the ideas or concerns. Yes, maybe we don’t see what is going on on the inside that they may be working on!? But, after a year of this, shouldn’t we actually see some changes or at least be addressed about our concerns? At last year’s budget meeting, Rae Bates told us that we need to be involved in board meetings to have the right to express how we were feeling, etc. Well, many people have been attending board meetings, but sometimes don’t even get a chance to speak, let alone have any input. Please, someone help us to know what we can do!
One of my greatest concerns is the standards based grading started with this year’s freshmen. People do not know how frustrating it has been for our kids and us. Kids have no sense of pride in their work. With no due dates, no grades they can understand, and very very little work outside of class, their incentives are not there. Parents are so overwhelmed and frustrated with the report cards, they literally just put them aside. We don’t even bother any more going to administration with our concerns and frustrations. We have been told this is the way it is, basically: get used to it, it was going to happen sooner or later, sooner for us. Freshmen do not appear to be covering much ground this year. Teachers are struggling with how to “teach to the standards.” The implementation process was done poorly and many educators are writing articles, etc about it. With a waiver from the State, we could have waited another year for the implementation and been better prepared. We were told that the goal was to be a “pilot program.” I can assure you that no other school will want to follow the standards pilot program at KHS. In order for our kids to adjust to this new grading system and new way of teaching, they needed to be trained/taught also. Kids don’t know how to adjust their learning and understanding of a new system without being taught, so they are doing as little as possible and really don’t know what is expected of them. The sad thing is that they are not being penalized for this – they just get to try and re-do over and over, while time slips by and the school year comes to an end, with no solutions in place to make next year more productive. What is this teaching our kids? This will not be allowed in college – are we really preparing them for college and careers? Online virtual education is looking more appealing all the time. I have researched many, many articles on Common Core/Standards Based Grading. Many schools in the State of Maine that are using the system do have due dates on assignments, hold kids accountable, and give grades that kids and parents can understand. There are ways to help make this more doable.
Our concerns are real – we are not just trying to run the school (parents or students). We are trying to help meet our district’s needs – we are small, we are unique, and we don’t have to pilot programs, etc. Parents really just want teachers to teach our kids the basics, administration to lead and encourage our kids and make decisions that are truly right for kids, and to enjoy our teens!
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Thank you for your insightful post!
You have highlighted an unfortunate dynamic between the RSU #50 leadership, and the community it is purported to serve. They are so busy “showing them they can’t run the school”, that they alienate people who would otherwise serve as their most staunch allies. …then there is using imaginary authority to make up rules about who can speak about what, and how… …that is so far out of line! No one relinquishes their right to express an opinion as a private citizen no matter where they work, or who signed a petition first! They grasp at straws, looking for excuses to silence people, because they have no substantive argument.
Though the Standards Based initiative is a State (unfunded!) mandate, there is more leeway in its implementation to address parental concerns than this administration is utilizing. Quite the opposite, really. Communication is condescending at best.
Rebuilding the relationship between the Board and the community; i.e. the community showing the Board “where the bear s__t in the buckwheat, instead of the other way around, is key to solving every single issue you have.
They want to take away your ability to stop them, because what they are doing is anything but child-centered.
You have to take it back, and I am heartened by the understanding people have expressed on this website — they know what is going on, and now, the test is of their determination to stop it.
I know it is frustrating, and takes so much longer than is halfway reasonable… But please, do all that you can. Others will join in, too, and you will win.
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Hey JT, the position is open at the town office
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I did notice, all the meetings are at sacs.
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Of course. …and the distance is very difficult. Think how hard it will be for kids if SACS becomes their only option? You could always pull out of the RSU and tuition kids to Houlton or Schenck…..
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I did notice that all the meetings are at sacs
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I see him go bye with a load of wood, i will take a ride and see if he is outside. This is the time to turn them up side down.
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We no you are watching this site, well what about it.
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When policymakers want to liquidate a school, they do everything possible to obscure their intentions from a public slated to take the hit.
I am heartened by the comments here, as they have clearly failed in that regard. It means they will become more aggressive, though.
Times are hard, and would be so if the money from Katahdin’s communities stayed at Katahdin; if Board members all represented the kids in the same school system…. The RSU governing structure, with its tendency to create winners and losers; where the answer to the budget problems of one community is to take assets, funds and children from another…
It has to go, and though I wouldn’t be surprised if the Commissioner wanted more school closures, I hope our State representatives can help us.
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I think a big problem with the money is that they spend too much! What do we get out of it? Let’s see, paying for teacher training, a new Math program for Katahdin (after spending too much on Investigations Math which is total fuzzy Math), IPads, Superintendent gets a raise (ridiculous and not worth it), Compass Learning, etc. oh and an unmet need is a curriculum coordinator, which we do not need. A science teacher in high school who passes out packets, hmm seems like the kids might be teaching themselves, there’s more money wasted right there. All this and more at the taxpayers expense and these poor kids who’s education is suffering because of this foolishness. The poor teachers must feel like they are jumping through hoops all the time. Wake up administration and board members, your agenda is getting in the way of educating our kids.
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You are absolutely right, and I”m glad you brought it up because they will surely paint us as the “big spenders” or even “selfish”! It’s all part of the drill of school consolidation.
All this, while they spend like drunken sailors on all the wrong priorities. The “No Thin Dime Left Behind” policy ensures that people feel they have no choice but to relinquish their schools.
They are big spenders now, sure, but wait until the school closes. “It’s fun to spend other people’s money.” ~The Humble Farmer
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You haven’t seen nothing, like what is coming. Parents/tax payers/ our senior people/ any body that pays taxes in our system. The hand writing is on the wall, this man does not care. He is shoveling this SHIT down our throats, that’s why the meetings all are at sacs.
Thats why the science teacher that had the potion against them was removed at the high school and put in the little school. That is why a certain board member resigned. The pressure, the kids pressure, the little things that does not mean shit to us, but her family was feeling it. I feel for her and her family, just like lisa the e-mails and the statements that were made to her about this site. Do you guys see any kind of PATTERN here. This is it , it is here, it is up To US.
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Intimidation; pressure is clearly the most troubling aspect of all of this. As repugnant as it is, it is not match against sunlight.
Thank you for bringing it to light here.
No one can fix it alone, but working together — in public… These sort of tactics backfire when they are exposed to even a little sunlight.
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Hey, Hey, jerry, it is time, go to the town office.
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Yep, you should
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I really think that you are right Mr T, i do believe he is showing us in a round about way how much he can do to us.
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Who is showing who can do what to whom?
(I’m sorry – I’ve been away from the computer quite a bit over vacation:)
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Listen we have to act, we need some one on this board, right Mr T
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Well Mr T—————-?
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You ever here the saying plate full, i have 2.5 plates full. Do not take me wrong, I want to do this big time, but my heart is with a family member rate now. And if i can not come out swinging, i can not come out. It would not be fair to our kids, or to the cause on what WE are doing. [ i wished i could ]
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Thank you for the “swings” you’ve taken already — you folks really have done quite a bit of good.
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Do you have any body in mind that would not fold
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Whoever you find, and I do hope you find someone! They cannot do it without you.
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sure its getting bad but its not the principles fault!!!!!!
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I tend to hold those with the most power, most responsible… There is usually some fault, though, a bit lower in the administrative ranks, too. The buck stops with the Board, ultimately.
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Not a good disciplinarian. Doesn’t like other people’s views. Doesn’t listen. Need a leader who isn’t on the kids for foolish things and actually listens to parents.
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The Superintendent wanted a principal who would listen to him over even the most vehement objections of parents and the community.
He needs that to close the school.
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You got that right!
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You got it wrong, the principal job is the following, keep the flow of education in a forward step, no matter if it is good or not. When they open the common core, that is when your child is left behind. You might have kept the Benedicta school open 2 wonderful years, but listen good, these schools are going down. You guys are not doing anything to help your kids, your just messing them up.
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Well the flow of education is going in the wrong direction. It can change for the better but that is not the agenda now is it? Honesty is not real big here. If the powers that be could actually hear what people are saying, oh excuse actually listened and cared, they would leave our kids alone. MSAD 25 all the way.
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Oh and it would seem to me PK whoever you are that you don’t care about the kids education or our school.
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That was a pretty inflammatory comment by our p.k., wasn’t it?
Nothing but empty rhetoric, though, if he/she fails to back any of that tripe up.
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Dishonesty is part and parcel of school consolidation/closure efforts.
The powers that be hear what the people are saying, loud and clear! …but they are representing other people; those who are, to coin a phrase used by the Superintendent, “looking in each others’ windows”.
All they see, when they look in Katahdin’s “windows” is how much money they could have, if that school was yanked out from under those children. They WOULD, surely, see the expense and harm to kids inflicted by long bus rides IF it were their own children enduring them.
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“The principal supervises the operation and management of the school as
determined necessary by the superintendent under policies established by the school board (20-A MRSA § 1(21))” MSBA Handbook
Now that that is out of the way….
“These schools are going down” ?????
How do you know? What are you doing about it either to promote it or stop it, and why?
“You guys are not doing anything to help your kids, your just messing them up.”
The way my husband and I are raising and education our children speaks for itself — ask any of their teachers how “messed up” they are.
You said quite a bit, p.K.
Care to back any of this up?
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Yeah it’s soo not the principles fault!
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If we grant that, then whose fault IS it, do you think?
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Just like you people trying to get Mr T in the board, IT WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED.
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What would “not be allowed”?
Mr. and Mrs. T. have made their decision not to stand for the appointment, which was theirs alone.
The decision to appoint a replacement Board member for Mrs. Lane, lies with Town Officials of Sherman, not you.
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that is what you think
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The decision to replace a school board member comes from the people. Sad that this dialogue intimidates you.
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The people, the people, you mean the people that comes to the meetings. A HANDFUL. That is right it is the people, they have spoke. 80% does not care!!!!!!!!!!!!!! just write your tax check. So they can stop wasting time.
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Maine Law does not care what I “think”……..and certainly not what you believe….
Maine Revised Statutes Title 20-A: EDUCATION Chapter 103-A: REGIONAL SCHOOL UNITS
3. Filling vacancies. A vacancy on a regional school unit board must be filled according to this subsection.
A. The municipal officers of the municipality in which the director resided shall select an interim director for the municipality or subdistrict to serve until the next annual municipal election. The interim director shall serve until a successor is elected and qualified. [2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §13 (NEW).]
B. The municipal officers shall provide at the next municipal or subdistrict election for the election of a director to fill the vacancy. [2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §13 (NEW).]
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Tell me again who, exactly, what “…wouldn’t be allowed”, and on whose authority.
Certainly not your own.
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And as far as the tapleys , that would slow the process down. The town has already been spoke to about that. it would never happen. he is a maverick, he would get in the way, and people might start listening. that is why it had to be stopped.
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The “town has already been spoken to about that”?
What “process”? Liquidating Katahdin and pillaging it?
“Spoken to”? By whom? …and by what authority?
Who has the authority to “stop it”?
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The Town Clerk of Sherman has weighed in on this:
“…I am not aware of any conversation regarding who the Selectmen should or should not appoint to the school board to replace Kim. It is the Selectmen’s decision, period…..”
If you, yourself are a selectman, and have submitted to some imaginary authority, then, you should be ashamed. Know this — whatever decision the Board of Selectmen makes; whatever its individual members decide, whoever they are….
THEY will have to own it. There will be no “…just following orders…” excuse.
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What are you talking about, did this really happen
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No surprise to me — these consolidation battles and won and lost behind the scenes.
Let’s get in there!
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OH BOY, he is going to blow a gasket.
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Who is going to “blow a gasket”? Not my problem. really, I’m just curious….
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Are you kidding me, pk your a ————————– ASS
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Wow talk about bullying something into happening. Do you actually care about Katahdin PK? What is your angle?
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I would like to know what p.k. really wants too..
Of course, if he doesn’t enlighten us, we could make some pretty educated guesses….
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If this is you pk, and you no who i mean, this is going to back fire on all of you , big time.
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People care, they just find it hard to go to meetings and listen to baloney. I find it fascinating that someone takes a board position for their own agenda. I would challenge board members who have kids in school to spend some time at the high school and see what is going on. If you are on the board, you should be representing the people in your district and one might also think the students.
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The Maine School Management Association actually recommends school visits and volunteering for Board members
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Mr t is going to
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Oh… Thank you for clearing that up.
Looks like there is quite a bit of “gasket blowing” about, and it’s hard to keep track;)
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Oh this is going to be good, ill take a ride and see if he is home. He needs to read this shit.
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Do yourself, and all of us a favor, and stop by the town office, and, under the Freedom of Information Act, request notes from the Superintendent’s meetings with town officials, emails from RSU #50 — anything that will shed some light on p.k.’s claims one way or another.
This Board is no more entitled to the sort of secrecy it demands than it is to wield authority of that nature over the town of Sherman, to tell them who they can and cannot appoint!
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Hey, pk, you might have just got a new board member, all by your-self.
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Well i no one thing guys, hubby is cooking tonight, i will not leave here. this is going to be good. L O L
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I would like to no who talked to the town, was it malone, or who?
When did this occur? Does the Tapleys no of this? And the big question, why are they a treat to you and your cronies?
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Yes, I would like to know all of that as well.
This Board and Administration isn’t real big on answering questions at all, and certainly not honestly.
We have to dig for the answers ourselves.
I can answer your last question, though, if I may; the Tapley’s understand the campaign underway to defund Katahdin in order to send those resources North to SACS. Ultimately, the plan is to make Katahdin appear “non-viable” and tell the community they have “no choice” but to close it.
Then they will have all the children, money and infrastructure — not in that order of importance to them, I’m afraid — for themselves.
People would certainly listen to the Tapleys, and put a stop to it.
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I AGREE
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Lets put it this way too, it would be charged at them meetings.
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If you — meaning all of you in the community, don’t want to go down this path of closure; if you believe taxpayers and kids will be worse off if you give in, then, sadly, there will be no way to put a stop to it without hard feelings.
It doesn’t look as though anyone here is afraid of them.
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Old ways scare people like malone and knowles, they maintain a basic prince able, common sense, and do not fix it if it is not broke.
What i understand is Mr T stands by these basic rules. If it did take place down at the town office, these are a little of the reasons why.
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They know it isn’t “broken” — they just want the money for SACS.
They need that to remain a secret, and Mr. T would demand openness and honesty.
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Yep, he would be against everything there trying to do. new school,no, consolidation, no, shutting down our schools, no, lowering budget raises, yes. thats some of there top goals. cutting waste, yes.
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Yes. You see, when you have a Board representing different communities, different schools and different kids, the tendency to hurt some when you help others increases exponentially; winners and losers are all but inevitable.
Katahdin, its surrounding communities and especially its students are on the losing end of this, and will remain so if the adults don’t push back.
Clearly they cannot count on Mr. Knowles to fight for their interests.
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Good morning, well first off, i want to say something about the young author, that wrote a very well, very heart felt article here on timber classrooms. My hat comes off to you, i felt every word that you said. I want you to no that you have won, it does not seem like it to you but you have. Your true school colors lives in your heart and they can not take that from you. I hope you remember the way you feel forever, because this is going to make you a great person. I wish you all the luck in your future, because you deserve it. You have my most highly respect. GOOD LUCK. Now getting to PK, i will not entertain that in any way shape or form. I do not believe this is who we think it is, but i believe it is welcomed. If it is, your a FOOL. What was said yesterday was a class example of smoke and mirrors. But i will say it has made me re-think this hole thing. I do not mean PK,but that young author. This is what its about, I urge all the people to read that article and talk about it. Tell people about it and how to get on here and read it. After you read it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Now look at your kids and the kids that are coming up. How can we allow them to take these colors away from them. WE CANNOT. Please take time and read the feelings that are in all these comments, and take part in STOPPING this consolidation. All our children are great, they are strong, and they do deserve to have there school.
BLACK AND RED FOR EVER
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Dear Mr. Tapley,
I want to thank you very much for those kind words. I considered going anonymous, but I am glad I didn’t, because honestly for me, it can’t get much worse so whats the point! But thank you for standing up for me, my school, my friends, and the other people of this district. I respect you as well, more than you know. It is just nice to know that somebody else read that and liked it besides my mom lol! I hope people read it and it wakes them up to what is going on. I am sorry for what your family has gone through with the school too. None of it is fair, and it doesn’t seem to be getting any more fair. But anyways, thank you for reminding me why I wrote that article in the first place. Red and Black Forever.
– Delaney Fitzpatrick
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Miss Fitzpatrick, thank you, but all the thanks go to you. We can without a doubt say you are a roll model for every body. You just took one more step in being a real good adult. By not putting in anonymous and owning your fantastic letter to Timber Classrooms. This is another goal that will stay with you the rest of your life. We are going to try and save our schools, but no matter of the out come, you have made it. I really look forward to seeing and hearing more of the same, our kids getting it, owning it, and remembering our school.
This is good——RED AND BLACK FOREVER.
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Thank you again! Even though sometimes it doesn’t feel like I am winning, I am glad to know I am. I don’t want to win just for myself I just want my friends at the school to have a good education and be in a SAFE AND HAPPY environment of which every one of them deserve! Hopefully some big changes will happen that can provide this. Keep up the good fight!!! Red and Black Forever
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For those of you just joining us, there has been new information on a previous exchange of comments, in which “p.k.” claims that the Sherman Selectmen have been “instructed” by some unknown, imaginary authority, on who they can or cannot appoint to replace Mrs. Lane, who resigned recently. The exchange is copied below:
p.k. | April 29, 2014 at 11:20 am | Reply | Edit
And as far as the tapleys , that would slow the process down. The town has already been spoke to about that. it would never happen. he is a maverick, he would get in the way, and people might start listening. that is why it had to be stopped.
atimberedchoir | May 5, 2014 at 2:06 pm | Reply | Edit
The Town Clerk of Sherman has weighed in on this:
“…I am not aware of any conversation regarding who the Selectmen should or should not appoint to the school board to replace Kim. It is the Selectmen’s decision, period…..”
Selectmen who have submitted to these instructions will nonetheless have to own their decisions. There is no “just following orders” excuse here.
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