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Ben Crosby May 11, 2013 at 12:48 pm
I,m with Walt too maybe thats because they ate all the unhealthy meal themselves
Tommy MacKay May 14, 2013 at 11:25 pm
1. Columbus did not discover America.
2. Columbus was a terrible racist.
3. Kids sleep/play video…Read More games on Veterans Day- in school they can learn about it.
4. Of all the other holidays to attack- you chose MLK Day-not a religious holiday.
5. MLK fought for Civil Rights-which included Blacks,Chicano's,American Indians, and LGBT groups. Which probably makes you angrier-but was not about one man.
5. You are OBVIOUSLY the only racist in the discussion.
mec1140 May 14, 2013 at 05:29 pm
You've got it all wrong David...my displeasure was with your comment and the suggestion that the…Read More school calendar should be based around what you deem convenient for vacation or family time rather than getting the most out of the school year for educational needs. Education being the priority here and "vacation" secondary. Pointy end of a tall ivory tower? That's pithy! But I call it common sense.
Thomas Gee May 12, 2013 at 05:56 pm
What kind of message does this Board give when they say that we could careless about the person that…Read More discovered America and the citizens who have served this country by making the kids go to school on those days and do not teach anything about Colunbus or Veterans yet they close on MLK Day? So they are saying that this one man is better than all the Veterans. What a racist decision by this Board. It's just like when the banks close for MLK but open on all the other holidays. Let's teach our kids to be racist and play the race card. Makes you wonder if this was done as a last hurra for Irene.
David Galanti April 28, 2013 at 03:12 am
While a lot of history can be related to money, do we really have to link money to Stratford's…Read More rating in this education study? Could it be that because Stratford is a place certain people choose to live, these people don't instil the same drive or mentorship to their children as other towns? Maybe you'll find that instead of the money thrown at schools, the appathy of the folks who live in a town, don't drive their children to be as successful? Is anyone measuring how many parents whom are of a scholar background or just plain more educated in Stratford actually send their kids to private schools vereses taking the risk of being in schools where students are not driven to succeed by other factors? Is it only up to the student to succeed or are they being corrupted by the poor influence of their parents and fellow students in their town? This survey could be seen as a reflection on the people of the town of Stratford; that is a disappointing thought, hopefully not true. The only potential saving thought(wishful desire) is that surveys can be twisted to be a lie.
Anne K. Mulligan April 27, 2013 at 06:36 pm
Not surprising that so many of them are in affluent towns. How about a follow-up comparing the…Read More education budgets of those towns to Stratford's?
Karen E Daden April 25, 2013 at 04:49 pm
If this is true where has all taxpayers monies for education gone to? Given the budget which the…Read More Board of Education has our kids should be better prepared. Again what and where does the monies go? Do tax monies go to support bettering teachers and supporting them in class or to the administration for new chairs?
OpportunistWatch April 19, 2013 at 10:34 pm
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY! What an understatement in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook terrorist and now…Read More Boston terrorists.
OpportunistWatch April 19, 2013 at 01:48 pm
These suggestions are commendable but if you have music teachers who show favoritism for an elite…Read More few students how do you expect students to show interest?
My past experience with the music department of Stratford schools is something to be desired. Parents can do there part but it is not enough when you have music teachers decide if they are talented or not and deter them from entering a band or play.
Hal Baird April 19, 2013 at 10:39 am
All I can think of is the movie "Mr. Holland's Opus" where Richard Dreyfuss talks about no…Read More cuts in sports while the arts are always the first to go. Thanks for speaking up, Rick, for those who are better at playing a horn than catching a football. We can not ignore these talented youth as they develop life skills.
Tommy MacKay March 29, 2013 at 02:04 am
South Korea places 3rd in Suicide rates, Finland places 20th. The US follows in 34th place.…Read More (Compiled by The World Health Organization) So we got that going for us, which is good. Leave the children's vacation alone.
Theresa March 27, 2013 at 04:27 pm
The United States places 17th in the developed world for education, according to a global report by…Read More education firm Pearson. Finland and South Korea placed highest. If we want to be competitive, a seriousness in math and science need to be a priority. February vacation can be used to prep for state mandated standardized tests but better yet, mini-course workshops in math and science.
Theresa March 27, 2013 at 04:20 pm
March would be great but unfortunately CMT and CAPT testing is given in March. Ask any adult over 50…Read More if THEY had February vacation while in school and they will tell you no. We had Geo. Washington's birthday off as well as Lincoln's birthday off. THAT WAS IT until April.
Had Enough March 5, 2013 at 02:26 am
Thanks for your good wishes Hector. And best of luck on your new car!
David Galanti March 4, 2013 at 09:50 am
I'd like to welcome Ms. Janet Robinson. I hope she can raise the quality of education in Stratford.…Read More Please take the Patch noise in stride.
Jon Doe March 4, 2013 at 06:14 am
All this negativity....unbelievable. Who would want to walk into this.
Debbie February 28, 2013 at 07:28 pm
I was wondering the same thing. When Margaret Lasek was appointed the "acting"…Read More superintendent,I felt that was a great move for our town's school system, which has been going downhill for a number of years now.I used to be proud to talk about our school system.Now I hope my children move to other towns for my grandchildren's schooling.Margaret Lasek would have been the best choice.
onceuponanewtown February 28, 2013 at 05:58 pm
ps. Derby was left in shambles, google archives of their town newspaper.
onceuponanewtown February 28, 2013 at 05:55 pm
That was done by forcing out most sped students, just saying! Check the numbers and verify for…Read More yourself. We have the lowest % of sped students for our drg - how wonderful, how did we manage such magic? Protect your kids and ask questions after the given answer.
Myra Healy March 5, 2013 at 01:35 pm
Thank you for reminding people about the importance of reading and talking with young children;…Read More singing and talking about family life ( describing what is for supper, etc.) Read to Grow provides free new and gently used books to children of all ages .
Families can apply inline at www.readtogrow.org. There is a family application and a program application. The most important thing one can do for children is to provide books to them so they have a healthy supply of books to practice their reading skills and to have good bonding time with parents and siblings as stories are read together. M Healy Project Coordinator, RTG
Joseph C Moore, USN Ret February 28, 2013 at 03:41 pm
Excellent advice. Greatly underestimated value to the child in this hurried, frantic world.
Karen E Daden January 23, 2013 at 04:08 pm
Stop teaching for the TEST and bring back reading, writing and arithmetic and how about civics. Too…Read More many or our students are being short changed because all attention is given to the all mighty TEST. A town this size, with a student population this size does not and should not have a School Budget this high. Looking through the budget what you see is not getting more supplies for the classrooms but more and more administration to ensure that the TEST is the priority. $97m should give the teachers and students way more than they get. The dumbing down of American students has got to stop. The TESTING that goes on should not be connected to funding of education. Basically the US and Stratford needs to scrape the current system of educating our young and start over. My Mother, an educator for over 35 years retired as the TEST came into existence. She predicted that our teachers would be stifled,students would not be ready for the outside world and administration of school systems would become expensive as the TEST would become more important then our students. She was right.
Matt January 19, 2013 at 06:08 pm
As a parent of 5 children going through this system it is sad to listen to the "well informed…Read More citizenry" complain every year when the budget comes about. Nobody wants to pay more taxes, but the fact of the matter is everythig has a costs associated with it, including educating our youth, just as it did when you went to school. It is so easy to sit, judge and comment about topics we know nothing about. When have you walked in the shoes of a school administrator. Do you have any idea of the responsibilities and requirements of the job that come from local, state and federal, policies and laws? I suppose you think training, responsibilities and requirements for other public positions like fire and police are the same as they were in the 60's and 70's, because nothing changes. I was not a big fan of Mrs. Cornish, but she did cut out the administrative "fat" in this school system when she was here, and there has been collateral damage because of that. Yet the teachers and administrators in this district continue to do the best with the little that they have. Pay attention to state and federal laws when they are being proposed that require more of the educators then teaching the 3 r's and oppose those that require costs that need to be borne by the local schools. There are millions of dollars of unfunded state and federal mandates that have to be included in every BOE budget. That's the problem, not too many administrators.
Matt January 19, 2013 at 05:43 pm
This is by far one of the most ridiculous and ignorant comments I have seen on PATCH in a long time…Read More and God knows there are lot of ignorant comments. A teacher cannot request that a new special education be hired no more than a individual person in the school system or a parent can identify a student as in need of special education instruction. The state and federal laws governing special education are very specific and sadly require local school systems to spend enormous amounts of time and money in fulfilling requirements. Your attacks on individuals for engaging in nepotism related to the creation and need for "unnecessary" special education positions clearly demonstrates a complete lack of facts to you base your comment on. Do some reading and research before whining.
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Carol Nardini February 17, 2013 at 06:38 pm
I don't agree. Students need a break after being in school all day. A period of recreation,…Read More preferably physical, would be better than starting homework right away. This solution worked for this student, but not for all.
Mike Reynolds February 15, 2013 at 04:09 pm
You obviously are not signed up to the BOE's notification system. I get an email, text, and phone…Read More call everytime school is closed or in this case that school would be open on Friday. Don't blame anyone but yourself for not being informed.
Mike February 15, 2013 at 03:28 pm
You want to know how I found out there is school on Friday? I saw school busses Friday morning. I…Read More remember seeing in the paper that Stratford schools were to be closed on friday. It would have been nice if the Stratford Board of Ed could find a way to tell us when schools are open, and when they are not. Better yet, tell us, and then don't do something different.
Beetle Bailey February 17, 2013 at 12:13 pm
If you're not happy with the mayor or your council person vote them out next time around. If you…Read More think you can do better run for office. So stop bitching and DO SOMETHING about it!
PMK February 15, 2013 at 11:35 am
Please use commen sense when picking and dropping your kids off at school.I am speaking of Chapel…Read More and Flood Middle School. If there is a NO PARKING SIGN along the street, there is a reason for it. Use the side streets to park. Otherwise, due to the amount of snow on the sides of Chapel Street and the obstructive views of th road, someone is gonna get struck by a vehicle. Kruger Lane is a safer bet to park your vehicles.
stick lee February 13, 2013 at 09:18 pm
JUST WONDERFUL....I spent my weekend shoveling 100 ft of sidewalk. Then about 15 ft of roadway. At…Read More about an aver. of 3 ft. deep. I get home today to a plowed in driveway and a 12-15 ft MOUNTAIN of snow on the sidewalk both of which i broke my ass clearing. THANKS BITCH. Truck it down to birdseye and dump it in the river. The gov. said you can !!
Matt Kascak February 13, 2013 at 08:41 pm
Wow! Harkins and Dillon really are incompetent when it comes to communication skills. And…Read More really.... does Mr. Dillon really expect residents to shovel sidewalks? Has he even seen the piles of snow deposited on sidewalks and corners around town? You can't expect residents to shovel paths on sidewalks that have had pay loader size loads of snow dumped that are 6-7 feet high and and bigger in width, and then melted and refrozen so they are like concrete now.
Jaimie Cura (Editor) February 12, 2013 at 03:16 am
Renee, that's such a neat picture - thanks for posting! Aaron, this blog is really cool!
CHOICES CONSEQUENCES February 21, 2013 at 09:03 pm
Mr. Forrester: Really think through making any changes to the current school calendar. The 87…Read More comments above clearly demonstrate that no matter what changes are made, many parents and students will be dissatisfied, and the Board will be blamed for altering something that is actually more like a tradition than just a schedule. Despite the many thoughtful suggestions above, none are sufficiently compelling to justify messing with this particular tradition.
ln123 February 14, 2013 at 03:34 pm
Well said Jamie...Life is what happens while we are making plans!
Jamie DeVitto February 14, 2013 at 03:15 pm
Everyone needs to relax! We cannot control mother nature and it just so happened that we got a…Read More blizzard the week before an already planned break! These things happen and we need to realize, sometimes, that's the way life goes! The Board will use this when planning next year's calendar and try to come up with a better plan. And what if something else historical happens?? Just go with it, and try to enjoy this time with your kids, if you are fortunate enough to be home with them. That's what life with kids is about!!
Jack February 12, 2013 at 02:57 pm
we have received a daily call on updates - register for the updates with Town Hall
Carolyn P. February 12, 2013 at 02:54 pm
In all honesty, don't worry about the schools. Worry about the people that are still stuck inside of…Read More their homes and can not get out. Think about the elderly and how their relatives can't come to check on them. Shut school down for the week, give us our break now, and call it that. There are more important things out there like people have said and I'm pretty sure lordship is a mess just like the rest of the streets. Focus mainly on people going to work so that way they could pay their taxes and keep their houses.
Tom February 7, 2013 at 11:33 pm
Man, I just uploaded a picture of what drivers are confronted with when they turn from Nichols Road…Read More onto Marina Drive this time of year at about 3:00 PM. It's an amzing view, I just hope it's not a danger for people going too fast or anything. The buses that stop just at the corner should be careful, speeding drivers might not see them-- or anything else at that matter.
Jason Bagley (Editor) February 7, 2013 at 04:10 pm
"The anguish of having to pay the ticket pales in comparison to the anguish caused by an…Read More accident. That anguish will affect more than one family," comments Mark Hannon on the Stratford Patch Facebook page.
Visit and "like" our page: http://www.facebook.com/StratfordPatch
Tom February 1, 2013 at 09:17 pm
We will be fleeing this state as soon as our children move into the right grades in their education,…Read More so the outcome is of very little interest to me any longer; however, I strongly recommend that those who intend on sticking it out here strongly push for review of political nepotism and cronyism practices in hiring. The place is out of control in how civil service rules are just blatantly broken. Hiring is never done through the EOE standards; the decisions are often made long in advance of positions being posted. Working conditions for those already hired are tantamount to something out of Tammany Hall, with the real workers often being burdened with incompetency that is thrust upon them in the form of diminished hiring standards, often a byproduct of getting ones cousin hired or a son or daughter or something. When I first started off here, nearly two decades ago, well intended newcomers to the state, more familiar with the goings-on’s here than I, grabbed me on the side and welcomed me to “Corrupticut .” I had no idea what they meant by this at first, I was much more naïve back then. I have since learned.
Tom February 1, 2013 at 08:57 pm
But try applying for a position with the schools in this town, if they don't like your views, they…Read More just put your application/s on file and you never get called. So much for holding a Master in Science, so much for military service-- it means nothing when it comes to politics.
Stratford Schools Recognized Nationally for Music
2 Recommend Jason Bagley (Editor)