After An Educator's Journey
Out of the classroom & into the universe
recent posts
about
Once upon a time, I taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders. Now I’m retired and working on new ventures.
Category: Lowell School Meetings
-
It’s budget time once again in Lowell and if you thought last year’s budget was a squeaker, wait until you see this year’s edition. I do not envy the Superintendents across Massachusetts. This is a pretty ugly time to try to keep programming viable when Foundation Budget calculations are 25 years out of date and…
-
LEJA, a local grassroots collaborative of teachers, parents, students and community allies is hard at work here in Lowell to advocate for consistency in recess allocation across all elementary and middle schools in Lowell. One would think, logically, that fair and equitable recess would be a given, but it is not. Recess time is a…
-
All Members present for both meetings. Budget Hearing, Part 3 Somehow in the flurry of budget activities over the last week I lost track of last night’s Budget Hearing which preceded the regular School Committee Meeting. So if you were hoping to add a public comment to the funding proposals, you are out of luck. …
-
It’s budget time in Lowell and the predictions look a bit grim. I won’t second guess (most) of the reasoning behind proposed budget amounts, but I am dismayed that the belt tightening has been mind numbing. As a former educator in Lowell, even without children (or grandchildren) in the City Schools, I feel compelled to speak…
-
At last night’s meeting, the School Committee met for the first time since the beginning of April. This was the first time the public got a glimpse at the proposed budget (see link within the Meeting Packet here), and the first time the rationale for the budget was shared with the public and the School…
-
School Committee Meeting 05 April 2017 7 Members Present, Student representative: Cole Conlin Spotlight on Excellence & Permissions to Enter. Science and Engineering Fair. Bartlett Community Partnership School LHS Ice Hockey Team Public Hearing for Interdistrict Choice: No comments from the public. 2016-17 had 30 open slots, 15 were filled. Decision to continue…
-
Imagine for a moment that you are 10 years old, speak another language at home, and as kids sometimes do, have heard the adults in your family expressing concern about Immigration returning you and your family to another country where your life had been one filled with violence and poverty. Worries about being removed from…
-
School Committee Meeting 15 February 2017 6 present, SC Descoteaux absent, Student representative: Onoste Omoyeni Mr. Gignac requests taking Eagle Scout Michael Wojas’ report on textile recycling out of order. Permissions to Enter Usually the Permissions to Enter are not all that controversial. Not tonight. The inclusion of a request for $4,921,313 for Aramark (1…
-
School Committee Meeting 01 February 2017 6 present, 1 absent (S. Gendron) Onoste Omoyeni represented the students during this meeting. After approval of minutes, SC Gignac requests Lowell HS Subcommittee/Joint Facilities meeting be taken out of order. Permissions to Enter $20,665 in expenses approved, See detail in the Meeting Packet (downloadable PDF) (6 yeas, 1…
-
School Committee Meeting 18 January 2017 6 present, 1 absent Spotlight on Excellence: Tonight’s Spotlight on Excellence featured the Stem Academy at the Rogers School and the meeting started with the Pledge of Allegiance led by STEM Academy students. With over 600 students in Pre-K to Grade 5, the students in Grade 4 were nominated…
After An Educator's Journey 