Gentle Readers,
Some very interesting comments have been posted to my last posting, “My Deliberative Speech.” Please scroll down to it and click on the comments. After the first 6, things get interesting.
For instance, it is news to me that there is a certified Foreign Language in Elementary School instructor already employed at Timberlane High School. We did not need to hire the superintendent’s wife. I knew that there were other FLES instructors in NH, but right at our own high school, this is rich. Pinocchio Academy and the Mushroom Farm strike the school board once again and hit you in the pocketbook, too.
And of course, the no big secret, that Mrs. Grosky, the budget committee chairman’s wife, was hired to combat “The Greens.” Mr. Collins said so at a Danville Board of Selectman meeting.
As I said before, Timberlane does not look for the best people in its own backyard; it climbs up on ladders and peers into bedroom windows. And nepotism is far from the only hiring problem.
Those who care about education are going to wake up one day to realize that all these things that look like minor financial and ethical irregularities have completely corroded our ability to deliver a quality education.
timberlaneandsandown 
I am a big fan of participating in respectful conversation even with people you might not agree with. Why not just direct your followers to join the conversation on Friends of Education at Timberlane instead of just posting bits? Posting comments taken out of context is not the whole story and isn’t respectful to ANYONE that was part of those conversations.
Nothing was taken out of context. If people don’t want to stand by their words fairly represented, they shouldn’t post on public social media.
And by the way, I allow all opinions. Friends and Supporters has blocked me- I’m not advertising sites that are not open to the full argument. Update 2/7/15 2:30 pm Friends is now allowing me to post.
I am totally aware that my comments are public and stand by what I said and welcome respectful discussion about it, however some names were included and some were not I think that is strange and out of context. You don’t see the whole conversation. The way it is pasted there is at least in one case, you see a response to someone that looks like they said it.
The only name not included was the Timberlane High Shcool teacher for her sake.
She stated
I don’t mean to come into the conversation this late in the game but I did want to point out a couple things about fles since I am a language teacher at the high school. First, to say no one else is the state of nh has fles certification is untrue and we have a Spanish teacher right at our school that currently holds this certification. But second and more importantly, whoever the consultant may be. It is their job to create curriculum, hire, check up on, mentor, etc. but we currently have been asked as high school Spanish teachers to tutor one of the fles kindergarten teacher as she goes for certification. Shouldn’t this be the job of the consultant and not paying us additional money that comes from the sau? Don’t get me wrong, the high school is ecstatic about a kindergarten program but I feel people should know and hopefully that issue will resolve
The rest were taken in order of topic connected in conversation thread
Oh well…yes I’m sure she feels protected by you doing that. There are other parts of the conversation that do not have the author in front and I am not going to point them out here. Instead, I will invite your followers to come to the Friends of Education at Timberlane facebook page and join the conversation. Read the whole thing yourself, get to know these people a bit better versus just reading these bits of information.
Anonymous Anonymous said…
Slimey move by Bealo to slap a quarter mill to the budget
this board is the lamest I’ve ever seen in this district…
Bobbleheads inside the box- zero creativity..
But thanks for trying, Mr. Cantone. But ya got steamrolled.
Donna , while I don’t always agree with you I’d trade our Earlsgirl Mrs.D for you anyday..Never heard anybody speak so much and say so little .. Please move to Atkinson…Thank you for stirring the soup and at least keeping them on there turftoes….
February 7, 2015 at 9:58 AM
Anonymous Anonymous said…
Thank you Donna.
February 7, 2015 at 1:51 PM
Anonymous said…
I ran the numbers and they are correct! The school district is OUT OF CONTROL…..Time to reel them in and get off the crap about “it’s for the children”. These modest spending suggestions will not effect the kids at all just the greedy administrators that give themselves raises and spouses useless jobs that we got to pay for.
February 5, 2015 at 1:34 PM
I attended Danville’s Deliberative Session today. I’d like to commend Danville’s moderator Barry Hantman. He ran a very civilized meeting. He had help. The 48 residents who attended the meeting were very civilized. They managed to settle differences in priorities and principles without resorting to the tactics witnessed in the TRSD DS. Of course, these people were neighbors. They have managed to live together for decades. The TRSD DS was dominated by nonresidents. Their priorities were different than ours and they exhibited no principles whatsoever.
I think it would make sense to restrict TRSD deliberative sessions to voters plus a limited list of speakers.
For the record, I’ve left the “Friend’s” forum due to the toxic tone. While I defend you against toxic comments made by others I feel like I need to go on the record that I do not defend the toxic comments you make about others. I’m not alone in this sentiment.
Kathy,
Kathy Slade I’m officially leaving this forum. Best to all.
Credit with a big thank you goes to you and others trying to redirect the conversation including JeanMarie, Stacy, Crystal and Wayne!
See their comments [THIS IS AN EDITORIAL COMMENT FROM THE PERSON WHO POSTED THIS AND IS NOT PART OF THE THREAD.]
Crystal Randall ( posted) Can we respect one another and stop bashing the Greens so much? While I agree that they haven’t gone about things in the proper manner, the constant hate for them fuels fires that should not be fueled. It makes people look petty and makes you question their motives.
There are tactics that other board members have done that don’t make them look great either!
Jeanmarie Ward (posted) Many that know me have heard me say this lately…..it isn’t just the goal that is important but the journey you took to get there. This is a very important lesson to teach our children. Let’s be role models, treat each other respectful and fairly even when you disagree and even if the other person isn’t behaving properly…be the better person.
Kathy Slade (posted) Yup. I’ve said it many times myself, Crystal, throughout this forum. I feel like I just got bashed along with you in a call for civility. And for the record, this isn’t a private forum and yes there are children who read it. But that’s somewhat tangential.
Wayne Randall ( posted to) Pamela Morrison Gaudreau
you should try removing the anger from your posts. Name calling and general insults combined with your long rants make you sound unintelligent. My wife simply requested that you show respect for others. Surely you have enough intelligence for that? Donna M. Green I may not agree with you but I sure as heck do not believe in the bullying tactics used by the Board or people on this page. (Typically one in the same). No one deserves the level of disrespect the Greens have endured.
Comment:
A Timberlane Music Dept Employee stating “type of Asbergerish behavior here” referring to a School Board Rep and Budget Rep. It serves no purpose and is on full display for her students and parents to see.
Kathy, when you attempt to raise the level of discussion, Rob Collin’s Board Rep should not be the response below, if he had any respect for your attempt to do that! By his comment, we can only wonder how the Greens are really treated outside of public watch. [THIS IS AN EDITORIAL COMMENT FROM THE POSTER AND NOT PART OF THE THREAD.]
Rob Collins Kathy Slade, I thought you “officially” left this forum?…
And it seems even with those above request toward civil posting, the maturity and level of conversation can’t reach to that level, but continues to resort to character acts.
Rob Collins ( posted to) Cathy Sargent Schoppe, no need to call Sandown TH, I already have and the quick answer is that Donna was the only one nominated and they had to pick someone… Most humble people would realize that’s the case and appropriately characterize that award, not wear it like a crown…
Comment:
By his comment, we can only wonder how the Greens are really treated outside of public watch.
We do and should expect more from the elected reps. than wasted non relative and non productive character attacks.
Kathy,
Thank you and I appreciate your efforts. Sincerely, please let me know when I make a toxic comment directed at an individual that is not based in fact. I will try to do better.
Eagleone
@Chili(dareal)rodriguez Then leave if you can’t afford it , you have been living off the backs of Plaistow for years , stop being a freeloader and have your town go out and build up its commercial tax base, …………….no you much rather whine and complain.
Eagleone
@From the sidelines Again stop trying to feed off the plaisyow tax base, we have spent years promoting business you have done nothing to help yourself, stop looking around for a welfare handout.
Comment: Peter Bealo stated as much at Deliberative and Board Meetings of Plaistow’s tax base.
This is very ugly stuff. Thank you Mr. Collins for reintroducing the conversation about equalizing the tax revenue. This will be the next divisive issue after people realize The Greens don’t really have Asperger’s. The fact is that our district is made up of tax bases that are too different to be joined and when taxes are beyond supportable the faults in the original union become apparent. But let’s raise the budget again and again until the union bursts! It’s always for the children after all and has nothing to do with any adult interests. And if the warrant should pass to “equalize” the school funding, Atkinson and Plaistow will be starting their own separation study. An inability to control our budget will lead to the destruction of the entire district. Ultimately the inability of school administrators to decrease their budgets in line with falling enrollment will lead to the destruction of public education. You think the district is in turmoil now because of The Greens? Just watch what happens if the O’Neil warrant article passes.
I have am appalled at the treatment Mr. and Mrs. Green received at the February 5, 2015 deliberative session.
The one student I have contact with is a sophomore at TRHS and lives with me in Sandown. He has stated that he and many fellow students will leave NH after graduation because “there is nothing in NH for us”. Keep in mind he is an honors student in accelerated classes and is an athlete with a very bright future. He watched some of meetings and was clearly not in agreement with the school board. By the way he loves the school and the teachers. He will graduate and attend college in another state.
As a senior citizen and longtime Sandown resident I can no longer afford this town and will leave in a few years due to the out of control spending and taxes. I am contacting state senators for their input and lack of action. In summary and in my opinion NH has nothing for young people (low salary jobs and a transportation system that is out of touch with modern day) and not much more for senior citizens. Who will be left? the middle class again? In conversation with other Sandown residents I suspect they will contemplate leaving NH for greener pastures with all the current nonsense and unaffordability.
Thank you Mr and Mrs. Green (Sandown Citizen of the Year)
Thank you, Linda. Your kind words and grasp of the issues are most appreciated.
If you want to see rudeness and immaturity beyond compare, I invite you to visit the Friends of Education at Timberlane Facebook page for a sampling of the sort of treatment other elected representatives can expect if they try to keep taxes so that young people can stay in the state.
From the Vimeo recording one can see that the moderator cut me off three seconds shy of 3 minutes -making no allowance for the unjustified interruption he made to my speech. Furthermore, he failed to recognize me, Arthur and Mr. Cantone at times during the meeting.