Save Horton

We've Moved! Go to www.savehorton.org

2006-03-18T08:50:00.000-05:00

We're done with blogger - I managed to import all the posts and comments (after 8 tries.) Go to the new SaveHorton!

SaveHorton has moved to www.savehorton.org

2006-03-17T22:20:00.000-05:00

Elevated from the comments!

2006-03-14T10:48:00.000-05:00

Carl Sheeler said... Almost nothing is more sacred to families with children than the quality of their education. I think with 5 kids of my own, all who attended or are attending public school, I am comfortable sharing this sentiment. While often not expressed, our children represent our hopes for the future. Even folks without kids know our collective hopes rest with these future leaders. The point is education is a shared responsibility and collective investment with no concrete simple answers, but only a series of compromises. Emotionally charged communication shows passion, but there also needs to be respect for differing opinions. This requires active listening.Lord knows I have witnessed my share of squabbles that get down to personality traits and below the surface fears and biases. If we let these get the better of us, then where's the energy for developing acceptable options and positive solutions. After all, isn't that what both sides of the Horton school closing issue are after - common sense solutions? Tuesday, March 14, 2006 10:21:11 AM

Elevated from the comments deep in this blog...

2006-03-11T21:49:00.000-05:00

The following was posted today and makes a lot of sense, so here it is: taxpayer said... Don't give up, you know. Horton in or Horton out, the budget is still unacceptable. If they want 129 and only 118 are available, then the gigantic gap in between the two remains unresolved. Until the mayor does his part, and then sends it to City Council to do their part, and they send it back to those demons on the CSC, nothing has been settled. The CSC gets the budget recommendations back sometime in June, I believe. They must pass a balanced budget in by July 1st. I believe that July 1 is also Ciarlo's last day as Super. I still think that this situation will get much worse before it ends. I intend to witness every step that is open to the public. It's an election year! We are in for a show that rivals any reality tv out there. Don't lose heart because the battle-weary parents of Horton School missed the PATH meeting, starring the always disappointing Greifer. Take a minute, work on the other battles that we, as parents, fight everyday. Go hug your kids while paying your heating bill. Go hug your kids while you help with homework. Go hug your kids while all the laundry you are doing still fits them! It is time to reorganize your strategy, now that you have a minute - regroup! Set up child care rotations to free up the parents so they can attend the meetings. Somebody make a big pot of soup! Plan and decide who your generals are - maybe convince one of them to take Greiffer's seat. The blow has been dealt. It is up to you to write and call and meet with anyone and everyone that can further your cause. Seek out Arlington parents - for you know that they are next... perhaps even this year! $10 million is a huge gap that can swallow more than one elementary school! You are right to protect your school and your way of life!

As voting members of Cranston's Ward 2

2006-03-11T20:00:00.000-05:00

Are you happy with your elected school committee member? Would you like to see someone new? Please leave your ideas and feelings on this matter in the comments... Thank you!

WARD 6 - POLL

2006-03-10T11:45:00.000-05:00

WARD 5 - POLL

2006-03-10T11:42:00.000-05:00

WARD 4 - POLL

2006-03-10T11:35:00.000-05:00

WARD 3 - POLL

2006-03-10T10:11:00.000-05:00

WARD 2 - POLL

2006-03-10T10:09:00.000-05:00

WARD 1 - POLL

2006-03-10T10:03:00.000-05:00

PATH MEETING

2006-03-08T15:25:00.000-05:00

Deb Greifer will be at the PATH meeting tomorrow night (Thursday, 3/9). This will be a good chance to ask questions about what will happen now as far as budget, what will happen next etc. UPDATE - Ward 3 School Committee Member Paul Archetto will be attending as well.

So You Want To Run For School Committee?....

2006-03-03T22:03:00.000-05:00

Great! Running for elected office is a wonderfully rewarding experience. To get an idea of what you'll need to do to get your campaign started and what you'll be in for, read this. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email me at SaveHorton@cox.net Regards, Mark Lucas

Elevated from the comments! Thx Henry's Mom!

2006-03-03T16:41:00.000-05:00

REMEMBER, everybody -- the budget has not been accepted by City Council. WRITE LETTERS TO THEM and to the Projo, the Phoenix, etc. Tell them to reject the budget and let's get more publicity for Horton. It's not over. The Horton fact-sheet should be updated & printed to a flyer that can be left at grocery stores, in mailboxes, etc... Include the names & pictures of the cmte members who voted against saving Horton, advising that they be voted OUT of office. Can even list the stuff they DID vote for, as evidence that they should be voted out. It is common sense. Lupino, et al are not representing the interests of their constituents.

Take Back Our School Committee

2006-03-03T12:08:00.000-05:00

City of Cranston Voting Wards Cranston School Committee Members Would you be interested in running for School Committee? Let us get this ball rolling?

Save Horton Amendment Voted Down

2006-03-02T09:13:00.000-05:00

It seems that the fate of our school is doomed. As they close our school, let us remember and remind the Cranston voters who was with us and who was against us this election.

Saving Horton

2006-02-27T21:15:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, March 1, the School Committee will be voting on an amendment to save Horton Elementary School. Please make an effort to be at this most important meeting. 7:00 PM at Western Hills Middle School.

Horton Elementary School Alert - please forward to everyone in the neighborhood

2006-02-26T13:06:00.000-05:00

HORTON ALERT! The future of our high-performing neighborhood school is in jeopardy. On Wednesday, March 1, the School Committee will be voting on an amendment to save Horton Elementary School. Our Ward 2 Committee member, Deb Greifer, could be the deciding vote to save Horton. However, she won’t say which way she will vote. Please call Deb Greifer (944-8349) or email her (DGREIFER@aol.com) right now and tell her that she needs to vote for the Save Horton amendment. If Horton closes, more than 125 children will be displaced, our property values will be reduced, and our school system will have taken the first step toward mediocrity. Contact Deb Greifer today and tell her to support Horton and vote for the amendment! Please call Mark Lucas at 401-275-0686 with any questions or concerns. THANK YOU!

Save Horton Amendment

2006-02-20T17:45:00.000-05:00

UPDATE FROM STEVE STYCOS (Ward 1), 2/19/06 SAVE HORTON AMENDMENT School committee member Paul Archetto (Ward 3) and I will offer an amendment to make a $500,000 in budget cuts to avoid closing Horton elementary school. The Horton issue is important, not only to Horton parents, but to others who value neighborhood schools. When the mayor and city council inevitably give the schools less money than requested, I expect Superintendent Ciarlo's likely response will be that we have to close more schools. So, passage of an amendment to preserve Horton is a strong message to the administration that savings should be sought in other areas. Unfortunately, the school committee rarely considers options. I asked Superintendent Ciarlo what specific alternatives were considered to avoid closing Horton. She responded in a one sentence memo: "Answer: We may have to look at closing other schools such as Rhodes." Rhodes school is, of course, in my ward. Instead of careful reasoned discussion, we get threats. Paul and I will offer this amendment, and others at the Wednesday, March 1 school committee meeting to adopt a budget. That meeting will begin at 7 PM at Western Hills Middle School. Monday February 27 at 7 PM at Western Hills we will have a budget work sessions. The public is welcome to attend and speak at both sessions. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT. In the past, amendments opposed by the administration have passed only with strong public support. The exact amendment is attached. THE DETAILS: Ms. Ciarlo first stated that the Horton closing would save $800,000. Since then she reduced the amount to $742,000. But after extensive questioning, I also find that number also to be an exaggeration. $249,000 in "savings" come from a reduction in hours for itinerants, or staff who move from building to building, like art teachers, guidance counselors, speech teachers and gym teachers. Ms. Ciarlo states that closing Horton will save 3 itinerant positions. But the Horton children will not disappear. They will go to other schools where they will need guidance, speech and other individual services. The only itinerant savings due to the closing will be due to the elimination of two classrooms when Horton children are sent to Woodridge and Stadium. So each week itinerants will have two fewer art classes, two fewer library sessions, two fewer music classes, and four fewer gym classes to teach. But the average itinerant teacher handles about 25 classes in a week. Will reducing these ten sessions enable us to eliminate 3 full time itinerants? It doesn't add up. That's why our amendment proposes $500,000 in cuts. The itinerant savings can be made regardless of whether Horton closes. Our amendment would cut spending in several areas. First, the charter school. Ms. Ciarlo's budget proposes to expand charter school funding by $314,977, or about 40 percent. When a Cranston student decides to attend a charter school, the school department has to send that school half the average student expenditure, or about $5000. Most of our students attend the Laborer's charter school, which is a partnership between the Laborer's union and the school department. The school is, however, completely independent from the school committee. Its seven member board is chaired by former Mayor Michael Traficante, who is employed by the Laborer's union. School Committee Chairman Gordon Palumbo and Ms. Ciarlo are also on the board. They actively recruit Cranston students to attend the charter school, instead of Cranston East or West. Each time a student says "yes," the school budget loses $5000. In October, the school had about 90 students, but this budget projects they will have 160 students next year. That increase in enrollment causes our school budget to lose more than $300,000. Our amendment proposes to freeze enrollment at 90 Cranston students and therefore level fund the charter school. Although the school committee does not control enrollment at the charter school, we should declare that we will withdraw from the partnership should the charter school board expand the number of students. Because of our charter school partnership with the Laborer's, we provide numerous services that we do not provide other charter schools. We handle labor relations, keep their books, do payroll and provide workers' compensation insurance. But they do not pay us for these valuable services. Their budget is about 1.4 percent of our budget, so our amendment calls for them to pay 1.4 percent of these costs, providing the school department with an additional $35,662 in revenue. Another cost savings in our amendment involves using RIPTA to transport some high school students. At my suggestion, we met with RIPTA and they are eager to work with us. Buying high school students monthly RIPTA passes is less expensive than providing our own bus and driver. Cranston students who attend the Met School in Providence currently use RIPTA and we hope to expand this service and eliminate at least one bus next year. Eliminating one bus and driver would save about $29,750. It would also enable us to retire one bus, rather than buy a new used bus, saving at least another $10,000. Our amendment also postpones $5000 raises for four top administrators, saving $21,522. All four (Ray Votto, Joe Balducci, Norm Laliberte and a fourth vacant position) earn about $100,000 a year now and received large raises last year. We should not be closing schools while we are giving large raises to well paid employees. Our amendment also calls for closing the Special Services Building on Sprague Avenue and moving those functions to elementary schools which have ample empty rooms. Hope Highlands and Orchard Farms have 15 available rooms between them. Other schools also have available rooms. That would save $64,266 and much more if the city sold the building. For our final savings, we estimate that the school department will save at least $24,024 in unemployment costs by not laying off 3.5 teachers, a principal, a custodian and a secretary. It's a conservative estimate based on two teachers collecting for 26 weeks. OTHER AMENDMENTS: I will also offer amendments to have some sixth grade classes in elementary schools, redirect funds to maintain class size in the high schools and start an energy conservation program. 1) SIXTH GRADE: The amendment would direct the school administration to devise a plan to have at least four sixth grade classes citywide in the elementary schools. Our middle schools are crowded, many parents would prefer to have their sixth graders stay in elementary school and we have room in our elementary schools. My amendment calls for the superintendent to devise a plan to present to the school committee by April 15. The plan would call for sixth graders to attend middle school unless their parents choose to have them attend in an elementary school. This idea seems worth pursuing to me, but Tony Lupino has already called it "disastrous," so it will need parental support to stand a chance of passage. 2) HIGH SCHOOL CLASS SIZE: We need to redirect funds to the high schools to avoid larger class sizes. Ms. Ciarlo is proposing fewer high school teachers next year, perhaps as many as five fewer at each high school. This proposal comes at the same time that the high schools have to eliminate study halls due to state regulation. If there are 125 kids in study hall five periods a day, supervised by one teacher, now we have to have five teachers teaching 25 kids in 5 classes. So, each high school is starting five teachers short due to the study hall abolition, and on top of that Ms. Ciarlo proposes to eliminate another five teachers. She has not provided the details, but small classes are the most obvious possible casualties. My amendment (still a work in progress) will propose to reduce the impact of these changes by making cuts elsewhere in the budget. 3) ENERGY CONSERVATION: This amendment directs the administration to start an energy conservation program by July 1. This idea has been talked to death and we are still wasting energy. We need a program. -end- ATTACHED: 1. SAVE HORTON AMENDMENT Sponsored by Paul Archetto (Ward 3) and Steve Stycos (Ward 1) To replace $481,883 for principal, secretary, custodian, and 3.5 teachers. Savings for three itinerant teachers would still be realized because keeping Horton open would add only 2 classrooms to the entire Cranston elementary system. Cost source: 2/9/06 presentation to school committee. The listed cuts would be made. $323,992 would be added to the second item on line 191. $157,891 would be added to various benefits line items. 1. Level Fund the NEL/CPS Construction Career Academy by capping enrollment for one year. The Cranston School Department shall cease all efforts to expand enrollment at the charter school. The Cranston School Committee hereby informs the NEL/CPS Construction Career Academy that it will withdraw from its partnership in the charter school if enrollment exceeds October 2005/06 levels of 90 Cranston students. The administration budget calls for an additional $314,977 to be given to the charter school (p. 157) to expand enrollment to 160. Budget savings $314,977 2. The Cranston School Department will charge NEL/CPS Construction Career Academy for its fair share of the Human Resources, Business Office & Grant Fiscal, MIS/Payroll offices, the superintendent and insurance. The Career Academy’s budget is 1.4 percent of the School Department’s budget. Human Resources Office Salaries $329,920 Benefits (50 percent) $164,960 Health Consultant Services $22,000 Employee Assistance Program $12,505 Business Office & Grant Fiscal Salaries $529,319 Benefits (50 percent) $264, 659 Audit Services $15,000 Banking fees $2,000 MIS/Payroll Salaries $249,944 Benefits (50 percent) $124,972 Technical Services $10,000 Supplies $16,000 Maintenance fees $23,000 Equipment $22,000 Insurance/Legal School Cmte Error/Omission $44,000 Labor Relations/Legal $50,000 Workers Compensation $470,677 Superintendent Salary $130,955 Benefits (50 percent) $65,478 Professional Development ? Total $2.547,299 Charter School share (1.4 percent) $35,662 Additional Revenue$35,662 3. Establish a pilot program to save bussing costs by increasing RIPTA use to eliminate one bus and driver. This would expand the current program where Cranston students take RIPTA to the Met School. Savings are $30,000 for the bus and driver, plus $19,000 in driver benefits minus $20,250 for 45 RIPTA passes for 45 high school students for 10 months. Budget Savings $29,750. 4. Cut $100,000 for new busses to $90,000. (p.138) Note: By reducing bus fleet by one bus, we do not need to buy one new bus. Budget Savings $10,000 5. Postpone central administration raises - $21,522 (p190) Budget Savings $21,522 6. Avoid unemployment costs of closing Horton (26 weeks X $462/wk X 2) Budget Savings $24,024 7. Close Special Services building, return it to the city asking that they give us the sale price. Move special services offices into vacant space in numerous elementary schools Savings are utilities plus custodian (p189-190). Budget Savings $64,266 TOTAL SAVINGS $500,201

Winter Break

2006-02-19T21:55:00.000-05:00

Happy Winter Break Everyone, We need to keep up the pressure if we want the school to stay open. Keep contacting the School Committee, City Council, and State Reps and Senators with our plea.

PATH MEETING

2006-02-14T17:42:00.000-05:00

There will be a Parents and Teachers of Horton (PATH) meeting on Thursday, February 16th at 7:00pm at Horton. Hope to see you there!

Budget Adoption

2006-02-09T22:20:00.000-05:00

When: Monday, February 27, 2006, 7:00pm Where: Western Hills Middle School, 400 Phenix Ave What: Budget Adoption We have three confirmed committee members on our side. They are: Steven Stycos, Ward 1 Deborah Greifer, Ward 2 Paul Archetto, Ward 3 We need only ONE more. Who will be that one to save our school?

IMPORTANT

2006-02-06T21:53:00.000-05:00

Horton Community Meet with the School Committee Thursday, February 9, 2006, 7:00 PM Bain Middle School This is your opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns regarding the closing of Horton School! Be there, bring friends, bring signs and make speeches!

Next School Committee Budget Hearing

2006-02-02T18:55:00.000-05:00

We have to keep up the momentum. Gather everyone you know and bring plenty of signs. When: Monday, February 6, 2006, 7:00pm Where: Western Hills Middle School 400 Phenix Ave Cranston, RI 02920 telephone: (401) 270-8030 What: School Committee Budget Work Session Let us not be silenced!

School Committee Budget Hearings

2006-01-30T11:11:00.000-05:00

If you and others hope to keep the school open, you must turn out to the school committee budget hearings in large numbers! When: February 1, 2006, 7:00pm Where: Western Hills Middle School 400 Phenix Ave Cranston, RI 02920 telephone: (401) 270-8030 What: School Committee Budget Work Session Be there with as many people as you can round up with signs!

New budget hearings scheduled

2006-01-27T18:02:00.000-05:00

Two new special budget hearings are scheduled for Wednesday March 1 and Wednesday March 15. They will be held at John W. Horton elementary school at 7:00 p.m. I have been told that although the budget may be adopted on February 27th, the school cannot close without a School Committee resolution. That is the purpose of the two meetings in March. We need to keep the momentum going in our campaign to keep Horton open! Thank you to all who have already written letters and are letting people know that we want our school to remain open. Please mark the additional meeting dates on your calendar!

What can you do?

2006-01-26T17:41:00.000-05:00

1. Please E-mail, fax, telephone or send a postal letter to any or all of our public elected officials asking for support of our school. The names and contact information of these officials can be found under "links" (on the right). 2. Attend any or all meetings concerning the school to show and voice your support. Again, time and places of these meetings can be found under "links" and under the 'Cranston School Committee' link. 3. Leave a comment of support or a recommendation of how to move forward on this site. Thank you very much for your support!

Letter to Public Officials

2006-01-26T12:04:00.000-05:00

We are outraged to hear that the Cranston School Department will be recommending the closure of Horton Elementary School. As an elected public official, it is your responsibility to represent the interests of your constituents as well as the community at large. A neighborhood school such as Horton provides tremendous value to the community, not only to the families of the children it serves, but also to those whose homes are worth more due to their proximity to the school. Horton elementary is a high performing school, and has made significant contributions to the community and the state, such as:

- Sending a fifth-grader to a national book competition - the only student from Cranston to be selected - Raising more than $4000 for the RI/Hasbro Children’s Hospital Cancer Clinic - Maintaining an active and productive student council - Providing for an Inclusion Program that teaches students about tolerance and respect - Graduating scholars who then dominate the Honor Roll at Bain Middle School

Quite simply, Horton Elementary is a shining star in our city’s school system.

I am asking that you do everything within your power to keep Horton open.

Thank you,

SAVE OUR SCHOOL

2006-01-26T10:17:00.000-05:00

Dear Alumni and Friends of John W. Horton Elementary School We the parents and students of Horton Elementary School need your help today! The Cranston School Department has proposed closing our award-winning school. They believe that by closing our school, they can save money. They think that it might save less than 1% of the budget - but we can't be sure because a detailed cost analysis has not been made available to the public. We parents know that our students' continued academic success is worth millions more, and Horton has proven itself to be a High Performing school worthy of saving. Help us fight to keep Horton open! Contact Meg Lucas of the Horton PTO (275-0686) for more information. Thank you!