Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
This was an interesting post indeed Steve. This is the type of thing we think about when we consider the fact that we are educating kids today for jobs that don't even exist yet. Thanks for taking the time to post this video. I will pass along to others.
Thanks, Jeff. As soon as I saw this one, I knew it was something to share.
The conversation in Franklin needs to be about the kind of learning environment we can create to enable our children to be successful. We have one shot to prepare them for the world ahead, that by the way, is rapidly changing in front of us. Time is short. The choice is ours.
The conversation should be as long as you have teachers that are well educated, they should be able to teach anywhere. It isn't the aesthetics of the building that educates children, it is the willingness of all parties to allow the teachers to educate, and the children that will learn. There are many children that dislike the idea of even going to school due to the regimentated ideals laid down by a semi-dictator attitude in the schools. Children should not be 'forced' into learning, they must have the willingness and it should be exciting for them. Not an overpowering view from those in charge. Buildings are just buildings as long as it has a place that is suitable for some chairs to sit down on, and a desk to use for writing. Many students who leave high school are nervous about entering college because it is a strange atmosphere. 100-200 students in a large room where you must fight for the attention of the professor. That one on one ideal in k-12 has been thrown out the perverbial window, and then some also become very lost in the scheme of things. Sylvan educates kids yet they do not have a 100-130 million dollar building. Abe Lincoln was one of our most brilliant presidents..Thomas Jefferson.. and so on. It isn't the building they learn from - it is the educators doing their job, and kids reading books, and doing their studies, and homework. This argument that Franklin needs $100-130 million dollar building is a non-supportive argument. A Well maintained school building doesn't have failures, they have things wear out .. yes.. but they are cared for by intelligent common sense people that know how to do their job. I say - for years this has not been the case by those in charge of the buildings before the town took over...the stuff we have heard about the problems did not happen in a short time. There are plenty of jobs out there if a kid is willing to start from the bottom and work their way up.
I am glad that you are in agreement with a number of the points made in the video. That is good. We do share much common ground.
However, I think you are wasting too much time on the high school building plan that has already been tossed aside. The $100-130 million you reference was part of a number of options that were presented to the School Committee last year. That plan did not go anywhere due to the hue and cry (rightfully so) about the cost of the options.
There is a cross functional School Building Committee looking at the needs of the high school as well as the other older school buildings (Parmenter, Thayer, and Kennedy). The committee is still working and has not come back in any forum I am aware of with a plan whether in draft or otherwise.
The high school does have deficiencies to meet the needs of delivering a quality education to our current and future students. The age of the building is only part of the problem. The real issue is the science lab facilities are outdated, no amount of avoidable wear and tear could have prevented that. As I recall from prior presentations, this is one of the most critical areas. Whether the needs will be resolved by rebuilding or remodeling is something the building committee is continuing to look at. Until they come back with a plan, the only encouragement I would make is to partake of their meetings and stay close to that discussion.
Prior updates on the school building committee and high school can be found here:
Asst Supt Sabolinski on the statement of interest update to the DOE http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2008/11/live-reporting-refreshed-statement-of.html
A building committee update to the school committee by Ed Cafasso, one of the school committee representatives on the committee http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/01/live-reporting-building-committee.html
A change in mindset is needed in our schools. What we need is a ‘semi-private’ system to not only move it into a fair system for all, it would allow for the teachers to receive pay for what their educating responsibility is, the students.
As I mentioned we need a different mindset when it comes to education in K-12. We must change it from the way it is to something that would relieve those who have no students in a school, to the ones that do.
Yes, right away you are thinking negative without thinking this through honestly, and without reading more…please continue to take in this mindset.
What would happen is that off the top parents would be responsible for their child (rens) education. The rest of the town would pay their usual property taxes, less teacher’s salary, like the buildings and maintenance, and administrative functions for the schools, but the parents would pay for all of it too less the cost of the teachers.
What this would compare to is hiring a tutor to instruct your children. The place similar to this would be Sylvan for example, you bring your child to them, and then they are taught by an educator. Or, in most cases, a person hires a ‘tutor’ to help the child in the topic that they are having the most difficulty in their home or yours.
For this example I will use - $1,500.00 to $2,000.00 per child per year, or if they have 30 students in a classroom the teacher would receive $45,000 to $60,000 a school year.
Yes, homeowners pay in property tax for the education their children receive... 35% would be reduced on their property tax, which would cover what they would have to spend for teachers. Someone other than I can figure this entire thing out, because this is just an idea at this point.
This would reduce to many homeowners their cost for teachers who do not have kids going to the schools.
This is in essence to focus in on moving the teachers to what they really are. Educators who instruct or tutor children, and all the other stuff can be worked out, if this premise is used.
I can not write an entire thesis on this without the actual figures. It is just another way to treat education, as well as paying the teachers for what they earn.
If a teacher has 35 kids in a classroom all the time – they get 70,000. There could be caps and maximums place on these … things can be moved around but the base idea should be in tact. This is just to give many the opportunity to change their mindset on education, that why should those who haven’t any kids pay for kids to go to school. Sure, the buildings and maintenance on it... Sure along with all the homeowners and ‘condo’ owners in town…
This is just a change in mindset when it comes to educating children. It is just an idea to help homeowners without having to pay for teachers. Everyone in town should be responsible for the buildings in town, and I do not mind footing the bill for that. Teachers should be the responsibility of the parents. Teachers are like the tutors that you would take a child to, to get a better understanding of the subject matter. Say..the parents have one child going to the schools, (example only) say it would cost them $1,500.00 per school year, the cost ratio of what they paid would then be subtracted from their property taxes..we all know that it cost more per student to attend, but the teachers cost would come from the parents. If the teacher has 30 kids, then that would be $45,000.00 across the board. What that would be from their property taxes would have to rationalized through the town, and subtracted overall to every homeowner that do not have children going to school. This is all mathematical equations that would have to be worked out.. but I am sure someone with a better skill than I in that category could do it.
This was an interesting post indeed Steve. This is the type of thing we think about when we consider the fact that we are educating kids today for jobs that don't even exist yet. Thanks for taking the time to post this video. I will pass along to others.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jeff. As soon as I saw this one, I knew it was something to share.
ReplyDeleteThe conversation in Franklin needs to be about the kind of learning environment we can create to enable our children to be successful. We have one shot to prepare them for the world ahead, that by the way, is rapidly changing in front of us. Time is short. The choice is ours.
The conversation should be as long as you have teachers that are well educated, they should be able to teach anywhere. It isn't the aesthetics of the building that educates children, it is the willingness of all parties to allow the teachers to educate, and the children that will learn.
ReplyDeleteThere are many children that dislike the idea of even going to school due to the regimentated ideals laid down by a semi-dictator attitude in the schools. Children should not be 'forced' into learning, they must have the willingness and it should be exciting for them. Not an overpowering view from those in charge.
Buildings are just buildings as long as it has a place that is suitable for some chairs to sit down on, and a desk to use for writing.
Many students who leave high school are nervous about entering college because it is a strange atmosphere. 100-200 students in a large room where you must fight for the attention of the professor. That one on one ideal in k-12 has been thrown out the perverbial window, and then some also become very lost in the scheme of things.
Sylvan educates kids yet they do not have a 100-130 million dollar building. Abe Lincoln was one of our most brilliant presidents..Thomas Jefferson.. and so on. It isn't the building they learn from - it is the educators doing their job, and kids reading books, and doing their studies, and homework.
This argument that Franklin needs $100-130 million dollar building is a non-supportive argument.
A Well maintained school building doesn't have failures, they have things wear out .. yes.. but they are cared for by intelligent common sense people that know how to do their job. I say - for years this has not been the case by those in charge of the buildings before the town took over...the stuff we have heard about the problems did not happen in a short time.
There are plenty of jobs out there if a kid is willing to start from the bottom and work their way up.
I am glad that you are in agreement with a number of the points made in the video. That is good. We do share much common ground.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think you are wasting too much time on the high school building plan that has already been tossed aside. The $100-130 million you reference was part of a number of options that were presented to the School Committee last year. That plan did not go anywhere due to the hue and cry (rightfully so) about the cost of the options.
There is a cross functional School Building Committee looking at the needs of the high school as well as the other older school buildings (Parmenter, Thayer, and Kennedy). The committee is still working and has not come back in any forum I am aware of with a plan whether in draft or otherwise.
The high school does have deficiencies to meet the needs of delivering a quality education to our current and future students. The age of the building is only part of the problem. The real issue is the science lab facilities are outdated, no amount of avoidable wear and tear could have prevented that. As I recall from prior presentations, this is one of the most critical areas. Whether the needs will be resolved by rebuilding or remodeling is something the building committee is continuing to look at. Until they come back with a plan, the only encouragement I would make is to partake of their meetings and stay close to that discussion.
Prior updates on the school building committee and high school can be found here:
Asst Supt Sabolinski on the statement of interest update to the DOE
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2008/11/live-reporting-refreshed-statement-of.html
A building committee update to the school committee by Ed Cafasso, one of the school committee representatives on the committee
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/01/live-reporting-building-committee.html
A change in mindset is needed in our schools. What we need is a ‘semi-private’ system to not only move it into a fair system for all, it would allow for the teachers to receive pay for what their educating responsibility is, the students.
ReplyDeleteAs I mentioned we need a different mindset when it comes to education in K-12. We must change it from the way it is to something that would relieve those who have no students in a school, to the ones that do.
Yes, right away you are thinking negative without thinking this through honestly, and without reading more…please continue to take in this mindset.
What would happen is that off the top parents would be responsible for their child (rens) education. The rest of the town would pay their usual property taxes, less teacher’s salary, like the buildings and maintenance, and administrative functions for the schools, but the parents would pay for all of it too less the cost of the teachers.
What this would compare to is hiring a tutor to instruct your children. The place similar to this would be Sylvan for example, you bring your child to them, and then they are taught by an educator. Or, in most cases, a person hires a ‘tutor’ to help the child in the topic that they are having the most difficulty in their home or yours.
For this example I will use - $1,500.00 to $2,000.00 per child per year, or if they have 30 students in a classroom the teacher would receive $45,000 to $60,000 a school year.
Yes, homeowners pay in property tax for the education their children receive... 35% would be reduced on their property tax, which would cover what they would have to spend for teachers. Someone other than I can figure this entire thing out, because this is just an idea at this point.
This would reduce to many homeowners their cost for teachers who do not have kids going to the schools.
This is in essence to focus in on moving the teachers to what they really are. Educators who instruct or tutor children, and all the other stuff can be worked out, if this premise is used.
I can not write an entire thesis on this without the actual figures. It is just another way to treat education, as well as paying the teachers for what they earn.
If a teacher has 35 kids in a classroom all the time – they get 70,000. There could be caps and maximums place on these … things can be moved around but the base idea should be in tact. This is just to give many the opportunity to change their mindset on education, that why should those who haven’t any kids pay for kids to go to school. Sure, the buildings and maintenance on it... Sure along with all the homeowners and ‘condo’ owners in town…
This is just a change in mindset when it comes to educating children. It is just an idea to help homeowners without having to pay for teachers. Everyone in town should be responsible for the buildings in town, and I do not mind footing the bill for that. Teachers should be the responsibility of the parents. Teachers are like the tutors that you would take a child to, to get a better understanding of the subject matter. Say..the parents have one child going to the schools, (example only) say it would cost them $1,500.00 per school year, the cost ratio of what they paid would then be subtracted from their property taxes..we all know that it cost more per student to attend, but the teachers cost would come from the parents. If the teacher has 30 kids, then that would be $45,000.00 across the board. What that would be from their property taxes would have to rationalized through the town, and subtracted overall to every homeowner that do not have children going to school.
ReplyDeleteThis is all mathematical equations that would have to be worked out.. but I am sure someone with a better skill than I in that category could do it.