My Goodbye?

I came home from last night's meeting giving thought to what I would say if this were my last year on the board - and what would be my parting statements. Here goes...

I decided to run for the board 3 years ago when a friend suggested I might be good at it. The more I thought about it - and the more meetings I attended - the more I realized I HAD to do it. I have a 10 year old - and I need there to still be a high school when she gets there! So - although it was put off for a year due to a family crisis, here I am.

I would first like to address Dr Rossi. My, my, how wrong first impressions can be. We didn't get off to the best start - you were making so many changes and I am not one who is big on change. The problem is - it didn't take me long to figure out how positive the changes were. After the initial dust settled, things actually were improving. Test scores were going up. The atmosphere in the schools changed for the better. Children were becoming more successful. All in all - the rest of us started seeing what the group that hired you realized much earlier - that you do have a great vision for the future of our schools, and most of all that you want each child in this district to receive no less of an education than you want for your own children. As a Board member - I respect you for that. As a parent - I truly thank you.

Now I'll address my fellow board members. The majority of you are hard working people who are volunteering for no reason other than to try to do some good for the town. You give tirelessly. I am proud to work along side of you. There are those though that concern me - and this is where Roxbury needs to wake up. We had two separate votes last night that should be a red light for every person in this district. The first was a vote to provide a substitute after school instructional teacher. We are providing this instruction in order to help our students who are struggling - and it worked well last year, so it has now been expanded to 3rd and 4th grades. After school instruction is being paid through ARRA funds not our local tax dollars since it meets the criteria for using this federal money. This substitute was almost voted down - it was 6-2 (we were missing two members). Why? Because she would be paid in the event she was called to work. She wouldn't be working all of the time - she was a SUBSTITUTE. Similar to the substitute athletic trainer that was almost voted down a few meetings ago. Similar to what will happen at every meeting if people are not careful who they vote for come April.

The second vote is the one that really perplexes me - and that is a no vote to a donation (again - it was 6-2). Are we crazy?? People want to donate money to purchase coaching time or equipment to donate to us and we say no?? Our High School athletic programs have booster clubs. The clubs provide for the team what the school cannot due to financial constraints. The new competition cheerleading uniforms a while back - thank the booster club. The various extra training that teams get on top of their coaches - thank the booster clubs. Some of the equipment in the Athletic Trainer's office - thank the booster clubs. Booster clubs provide equipment, training, practice clothes, etc - all as a give back from the people who are involved in that particular program. But each time a donation comes up from a booster club, there are some votes to not accept it. A few months ago, there was even an anonymous donation made to the school that was directed to a particular educational program - that received an "abstain" for no reason. A resident asked last night how we could do more with less - how about for starters we accept donations when people want to give them to us?

So - Roxbury - open your eyes. Pay attention to what goes on. I joined the board so there would still be a high school when my youngest got there. If people don't start paying attention - there may be so many things stripped from our schools that the only thing left of the high school is the building.