It’s Your Choice goes into detail on School Contracts for March 2012 Election
Article 3 (Londonderry Education Association [LEA] Bargaining Agreement)
Shall the voters of the Londonderry School District vote to approve the cost items included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Londonderry School District and the Londonderry Education Association (LEA), and further to raise and appropriate the sum of $638,952 for the 2012-2013 fiscal year, such sum representing the additional cost items attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits over those paid, at current staffing levels, in the prior fiscal year? The agreement calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits:
Fiscal Year Estimated Cost
FY 2013-2014 $ 625,061
FY 2014-2015 $1,072,945
(Estimated Tax Impact $0.19)
Recommended by the School Board 4-0-1
Recommended by the Budget Committee 1-6-0
Article 5 (Londonderry Association of Allied Health Professionals [LAAHP] Bargaining
Agreement)
Shall the voters of the Londonderry School District vote to approve the cost items included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Londonderry School District and the Londonderry Association of Allied Health Professionals (LAAHP), and further to raise and appropriate the sum of $51,930 for the 2012-2013 fiscal year, such sum representing the additional cost items attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits over those paid, at current staffing levels, in the prior fiscal year? The agreement calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits:
Fiscal Year Estimated Cost
FY 2013-2014 $56,426
FY 2014-2015 $61,500
(Estimated Tax Impact $0.01)
Recommended by the School Board 5-0-0
Recommended by the Budget Committee 4-3-0
NOTE: The Londonderry Association of Allied Health Professionals consists of the following job classifications: Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Certified Occupational Therapist Assistants, Speech and Language Pathologists, Speech and Language Assistants, and Physical Therapists.
Learn More on the School District Budget at these links.
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Whether you are for Article 3 or not, and so that the voters are aware, it should be pointed out that the basic tax impact of Article 3 is as follows:
Year 1, FY 2012-13 the tax impact will be $628,952 or $0.19 per thousand.
Year 2, FY 2013-14 the tax impact will be $625,061 or $0.18 per thousand.
Year 3, FY 2014-15 the tax impact will be $1,072,945 or $0.31 per thousand.
Total tax impact over the 3 years will be: $2,326,958.
On a home assessed at $300,000, this translates to a cumulative increase to your tax bill of $204 in total in the 3rd year if Article 3 is voted in by the voters in March. ($57 in year 1, $54 in year 2, $93 in year 3).
Also, the Article states:
“Recommended by the School Board 4-0-1”
“ ’Recommended’ by the Budget Committee 1-6-0”
This means that the Budget Committee does not recommend Article 3 with a vote of 1 vote for and 6 votes against recommending Article 3.
Editors note “Todd” is Todd Joncas, Chairman of the budget committee.
Can anyone provide the true impact of last years total budget to the increase in taxes for that year? I believe you will find the increase was far less than the proposed increase on the ballot. Perhaps the budget committee can chime in on this. The other piece of information than no one mentions is the offset to the increase from the school district, via cost savings, attrition and the like to keep the actual tax increase from reaching its actual impact. Is the budget committee certain the increase over the next 3 years is an actual number or a “required by law” number if there are no adjustments to future budgets?
I urge all to ask these question to determine if taxes will truly go up by the stated amounts.
It seems to me that this is unnecessary. Since all of our median income has decreased FY10-FY11, I won’t be voting for it. I’m curious what the union dues increase is. do you think all of the increase could end up being paid to the unions?
I think John made a good point about voting for the “little” contract and why vote against the big contract which was essentially the same.
To keep town taxes down, it would be necessary to vote all contracts down this year because they represent 80+% of the cost of government.
Given the flatness of the economic recovery(?) why increase the cost of government at this point.
Waiting 2 to 3 years will not adversely affect the school or town.
Spoken like a true disciple of “NO”. Do you have children in school Martin? If not, I wonder if you would be singing a different tune.
No, I would not. My son was in MT when it held a 1,000+ kids. At the time I voted against Moosehill. Didn’t think it was worth building because of a temporay bulge in student population.
I voted for contracts and against contracts while my son was in school. I don’t fear the teachers, as it was all the contracts passed.
If this contract doesn’t pass what do think the teachers will do to the students??
What kind of comment is “I don’t fear the teachers”? You seem to have a serious problem with the education provided in Londonderry.
It is unfortunate to know that you are running unopposed for the budget committee with such an obvious bias against quality education. Which, by the way, help property values and make a community more attractive.
I agree with James.
If the contract fails, there is a good chance the teachers will “work to rule”. What does that mean? It means they will work to the exact requirements of the current contract. When the last bell rings, they go home. No parent teacher meetings after hours and nights; no personal expeditures at Staples to purchase things out of their own pockets for the classroom; No weekend work “off the clock” to correct papers, plan science experiments, create lesson plans outside planning periods during the workday. No more bulletin boards that are created nights and weekends and usually funded by the teachers personally. No more unpaid volunteer enrichment activities for the schools. No more long phone calls from parents at the teacher’s home during dinner or evenings.
Consider this: neglect your teachers/schools and watch your largest investment in your life (house) go south (more than it already has) as prospective homebuyers look elsewhere in the market for communities that strongly support their teachers/schools. Then watch as a “brain drain” occurs. That’s when your best and brightest (read: most employable elsewhere) flee the school district to other more “friendly” communities. The replacements may very well be slightly less capable and more average educators.
The market draws people and businesses to a place like Londonderry because of the SCHOOLS. Not the roads, not the town hall, not the drug stores. Our tax rate is already comparatively lower than most surrounding communities. And the schools budget has been below default for over 10 years in a row. Not scare tactics, just the facts.
Maybe we can drive our home values so low that our taxes will go down! (sarcasm intended).
I would like to clarify something Mr. Joncas stated above. Since the increase is cumulative, the impact will be as follows on a $300,000 house as compared to the FY2011-12 Tax Rate.
In Year 1 – Tax Impact = 0.19, Tax increase = $57.00
In Year 2 – Tax Impact = 0.19+0.18, Tax increase = $111
In Year 3 – Tax Impact = 0.31+0.19+0.18, Tax increase = $204
So, to be clear, the cost of this contract over the 3 years will be $372 to the owner of a $300,000 home.
You and Mr. Joncas are agreeing. The $204 is IN the third year. The $372 is OVER the three years. It’s all about the unit. Although technically correct, your number is misleading. Let me explain:
My salary has increased by $30,000 since I was hired for my first full time job many years ago. That is like Todd Joncas’ number. I subtracted my salary from this year from my entry salary. This is how we all tend to think abut dollar amounts going up. I do not calculate how much more I make by taking the increase every year over the previous year and adding all of those together. So, although your numbers are technically correct the way you worded them, they are not the way we discuss pricing normally. Just goes to show how misleading we can be with statistics when we want to be.
You are implying that I am intentionally trying to mislead the public, which is wrong. I am only stating a fact. This contract will cost the owner of a $300,000 house an additional $372 over the next 3 years.
I have to say I will be voting no on every contract. It is not that I don’t think they work for it, or deserve it, but those of us in “the dreaded private sector” haven’t seen raises over the past 4 years like all of our public unions in town. No offense, but welcome to our world.
I’m also in the private sector. My company has been giving raises over the past few years. Raises have averaged 3 – 4 percent for the last 4 years. This year our employees are averaging 3 percent. If you get a promotion, typically you get an additional 5 percent to go along with the promotion.
My point is: while you attempt to speak for all of us in the private sector, you don’t. Maybe it’s time you seek employment with a different employer.
Local guy, that’s great to hear! Since 3.5% each year for the past four years means your folks are making 15% more than four years ago.
This is unusual, to say the least, in a high unemployment labor market but might be explained by your business or customer base. Can you share what type of business you are in, and how many employees your firm employs?
Are your employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement or are all these “meritorious” raises?
In any event, congratulations to your company. Regardless of what you may think, your company is very much a standout in the private sector during this recession.
Larry: My company in the private sector is in the electronics mfg business with more than 500 employees. Each year they survey what industry is paying in raises on average and attempts to stay competitive by paying similar raises in order to assure employees remain satisfied (regarding pay) and in place. The cost to lose employees and then reprocure replacements is expensive and disruptive. Some portions of the company are represented by unions while others aren’t. Senior level employees are often part of incentive bonus plans. Those bonuses are performance based and can typically range from 0% to 35% of annual base pay. While profitable, earnings are down these last few years which is why we are no longer seeing average raises in the 5% range. But the company is smart enough to know that its most valuable resource is its people. They have a lot invested in their workforce and retaining that expertise is considered a top objective to remain competitive and at the top of their game for the future. Some employees are grumpy about the lower raises, but most employees understand that lower raises in this economy are appropriate. 3% (on average) keeps folks just ahead of the inflation rate. Also, now that most employee retirement accounts have recovered, employees are more comfortable regarding the future.
Unfortunately, not everyone is lucky enough to be employed in a similar situation. I am in a construction related industry, primarily residential, and while there are a few positive signs for the future, the last four years have been difficult. Many of my customers have 60% – 70% of the workforce they had 5 years ago, and I know several people personally who are “under employed”. Does your company have the same number of employees as it did 4 years ago? I hope so. Management considers many factors in deciding when employees get raises, and as one voting “manager” of town employees, I will be saying no to the increases this year, strickly due to economic realities.
Thanks Local guy, that’s good information and a tribute to enlightened management.
You’re not in an easy business. I just retired from the number 3 player in the EMS space myself, and I know that a lot of your competitors have shuttered facilies in New England over the last several years. (Including one of ours in Billerica.) It’s very good to see that retaining top talent has been a focus of your team.
Thanks for the info and good luck on your business!
Unfortunately, “the vote no on everything” crowd has been among us for years. Even in the best economic times. Just track the perrenial “no” votes on school lunch funding grants from the federal govt. It costs local tax payers 0.00 in their local taxes and yet saves big money in the cost of cafeteria costs and lunch fees. These folks that profess that the current economic times means you should vote “no” are the same folks that ALWAYS say vote “no”. Don’t be fooled.
Ken, it is your right to vote as you please. I have to say the biggest flaw with your argument is that you seem to be maintaining the level of service/demand of your private sector business is on the same level as the service/demand of the Londonderry School District. I have to disagree with that one. The community would most likely not miss a beat without your business, it would have a much harder time growing without a quality education system.
Not against a teacher raise, but won’t be voting for this raise.
Reason 1. This video is not telling the truth. Claiming it’s a 6% raise.
I checked the Teacher Contract highlights. They say teacher’s will only move up 2 steps during the three years. Look at Column M+30 and take any set of numbers thru 2 steps. Its a 9.4% increase. And remember, teachers move up automatically a step or half step every year.
Reason 2. No one else is getting this kind of raise in the private sector. That’s right, no one and many in the private sector have struggled for years without raises.
Reason 3. This 9.4% raise follows the last contract of 9.4% raise. 18.8% in six years is just greed.
The union and the school board should be ashamed of themselves for this contract and I think they know that, because that’s why they are misrepresenting the truth in this video, which by the way is hosted by a teacher.
Perhaps the host can comment on why she didn’t have the Budget Committee who opposed this contract share their views on this show.
I guess we all know who Toby is.
See your bully and trying to character assassination Mr. Butler with borderline Liable comments . Just your style. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Huh? I don’t see any character assassination here. Are Toby’s facts wrong? If so, please let me know, as I would be interested as to what he got wrong in the above info he provided. I also don’t see where his comments had a nything to do with Mr Butler.
Unfortunately, not enough of those who will actually go to the polls will see this info. Thanks for putting it out.
Important clarification: Teachers do NOT automatically move up a step. (The teachers have never had an evergreen contract.) The teachers will only move up if the contract is aproved.
I am in strong support of the teacher’s contract. This is a group of workers in our society that are the low end of the pay structure. They perform the most critical function we have: teaching our children and preparing them academically for the next generation. We need to retain the best teachers and attract new highly educated and motivated young graduates into the workforce. Offering them lower than average pay is NOT the path forward to excellence in education.
Fo those of us in the private sector, how would you repond to this job ad?
Job Opportunity: Join our team of professionals upon college graduation. While the pay will not be enough to make payments on your college loans, don’t worry about that. Look forward to a pension in 40 years (unless the legislature keeps trying to kill it every year (they’ll only have 40 more chances before you retire)). Relish the long nights and weekends correcting papers and preparing lesson plans. Some parents might yell at you and threaten you, and an occasional child will have full tantrums in your classroom. But that’ll all become normal after a few years. Also think of the variety of part time jobs you can enjoy in the summer to supplement your salary to keep up with your bills. Painting from a 30 foot ladder can be exciting! Bagging groceries offers exceptional social opportunities to meet parents in the summer. And stop worrying about the privacy thing: your salary will be posted across town for everyone in the community to critique. Join us for the most fun you’ll have in a position considered underemployed for new college graduates. Defy the odds and stick with it for a career.
Our motto: The few, the proud, the underpaid.
Actually, that job description isn’t much different than many jobs in the private sector.
* Most careers offer low pay right out of college, not just teachers.
* The high cost of college and the loans taken out for education has been a drain on just about every profession, not just teachers.
* Except for union jobs, pensions are non-existent in the private sector. The move to 401k type plans happened many years ago.
* Long nights and weekends plague people in most professions. I cannot begin to tell you how many people I know that work late almost every night and in to the weekends without any additional compensation. It’s even worse now with the economy the way it is.
* As far as the kids are concerned, this is probably the biggest hazzard of teaching. But anyone with half a brain knows this is par for the course with a teaching job. It stinks, but then again many careers have lousy aspects that add unneeded stress.
* Summer jobs? People in the private sector only get 2 or 3 weeks off every year. They don’t have enough time off to suppliment thier income.
I do feel for teachers. It’s a tough job. Sometimes it is unrewarding sometimes. It takes a special kind of person to do it. I just don’t like it when teachers (or any union types) try to make victims of themselves when there are people in many other professions struggling just as much.
In closing, here are some staticical facts…
The average teacher (not admin, but classroom teacher) in Londonderry is just under 55K a year.
The average income of jobs in Londonderry is 41K a year.
The average total household income in Londonderry is 68K
The average man in Londonderry makes 50K a year and the average woman makes 32K
When you look at the numbers that way, the salary of an average teacher doesn’t look as terrible as some want you to believe it is.
Teachers are not allowed by law to have 401K accounts. You data is curiously suspect. Would like to know the source. I believe you taken liberties and done some homegrown creative math.
Yes you are correct, but they can have 403b accounts which have some similar requirements. They also serve a similar purpose.
There is no “company match” like in the vast majority of private sector companies, so it’s nothing more than an IRA you can get at any bank. Let’s not mislead people here.
Terry no one is misleading anyone it is ” Similar” not exactly. Yes, no matching funds. But it does offer multiple investment options etc. Not trying to mislead just stating the facts. Also, many with 401K’s have no pension so lets not paint a doom and gloom picture.
Companies do not have to match wages in 401k plans either. When the economy goes south, 401k matching is usually one of the first things cut by comapnies. Very few companies offer matching these days, or the offer a lower level of matching than in the past.
My comments says “401k type” plans. In other words, people in the private sector have to invest in their own retirement. Pensions are a thing of the past. The only people with pensions these days are union workers and most of them are getting it on the public dime.
@Mac: Your assertions may be true for you, but just because it’s true for your personal situation, it is not necessarily true for everybody, or even most.
It’s not.
You state “Very few companies offer matching these days”. That’s not true. Most employees have a match.
You state, “The only people with pensions these days are union workers and most of them are getting it on the public dime.”
False. I’m not in a union and I have a pension. In the private sector. All my co-workers do, too.
If your job situation is suboptimal and that’s what you’re trying to say, I can accept that. But to project the issues or disatisfactions you may have in your own job situation to everybody else diminishes your point. For me to say that everyone else has a defined-benefit pension because I have one would be false. For you to say that no one in the private sector has one because you don’t is equally false.
The only people that make out on the retirement system are department heads. Example the former police chief Ryan in Londonderry collecting over $100,000 a year. Seriously when a teacher retires they are lucky to be collecting $25,000 a year. A teacher does much more for the community then an overpaid police chief. Our Fire Chief collects a pension from another state and makes over 114,000 building another pension. A police department employee drives cars for maintenance also retired collecting over 50,000 a year gets paid over 60,000 working part time driving cars for service. The list goes on and on the little worker is not the problem here.
Mac Don’t blame the little workers look at the people that abuse the system. Fire Chief collecting a pension from another state and $114,000 a year from taxpayers. Pensions to Former police chief Ryan collecting over $100,000 a year. Police department employee retired driving cars around for service collecting over $50,000 a year and getting paid $60,000 a year working part time. Many people working full time don’t make $60,000 a year. This could go to a person that is unemployed.
Robin, I agree with you. My comments are just observations, not judgments. I would love to have a pension, but the reality is that very few private sector companies offer pensions anymore. Tito’s situation is the exception, not the rule. The most common situation for most people is that they are forced to save up for their own retirement and supplement it with SS. 25k a year would be a huge improvement over what I will end up with (and most people in my business).
Tito, it must be nice to be in your situation. I wish I could find a job with a benefit like that. I have been in the private sector for over 30 years and worked for and with some of the largest companies in the area. I am not speaking for me alone, I am speaking from experience in the industries I have been part of for over 30 years. Most companies have turned to 401k accounts and moved away from pensions.
I am a high-school teacher and at least 11% of my salary MUST go to fund my pension. That pension takes the place of Social Security, which I won’t be eligible for, even though I paid into SS for twenty years. After I pay into my pension for twenty years, I will have the ability to retire with roughly half of my pay.
Our pension is entirely self-funded, and I don’t have a choice whether or not I want to participate. But it shouldn’t be up for debate as a “perk” any more than someone else’s Social Security benefits.
Andrea You need to look at your deductions your statement is false about you not paying into social security. You pay both into the NH Retirement and Social Security. That said the people that complain about the retirement system had no problem paying little salaries years ago when they were making the big money in the private sector. Now that they have seen a reduction in the private sector they want everybody else to suffer. When the person in the private sector was making 90 plus and the teacher was making barely 30 that was ok. I appreciate all our public employees and they should not have to subjected to this kind of abuse. I am fortunate that in the private sector my salary is not on display for everyone to view and cut apart. I will be there voting yes to support our public employees on both the school and town side.
Hopefully you not as misinformed on the subject you teach as you are about teacher pensions.
The town’s taxpayers pay about $4,000,000 in taxes to fund the teachers and other school workers pensions. Just look at the budget. The town’s taxpayers pay about two thirds of the cost of financing teacher pensions. Employers in the private sector do not contribute two-thirds of the cost of their employees 401k plans.
To claim your pension is entirely self-funded is just not true.
John, you really shouldn’t be so rude especially when you’re so ill informed. Comparing a fixed benefit plan with a variable benefit plan (401K) is apples and oranges. Those that have fixed benefit plans in the private sector (and yes there are many) have their employers contribute somewhere between 75% and 100% of the cost. in regard to our 401K plan, the company pays a 100% match up to 6% of the employees income. In other words if the employee saves 6% of their income, the company is matching it resulting in a 50% cost share.
Lesson for you John: Your personal troubled situation is not the same as the rest of us out here in the dreaded private sector.
My daughter is a teacher and she is the hardest working person I know. She really loves having an impact with teaching the children. I know she doesn’t do it for the money. If it wasn’t for her husband’s pay, she wouldn’t be able to survive on her teacher’s salary. That’s just a sad fact of life. We need to treat our teachers better and pay them a wage they can survive on.
Yes, teacher do work hard… very hard. They play a very important role in society. I have a deep respect for good teachers (some of them are members of my family and close friends). But like any career, they should be paid what the market can bear. I’ve already made my case that the average teacher salary is in line with the average salary of all careers in Londonderry. So my point is that teachers pay isn’t as “off the mark” as some want to paint it as.
And it appears from the info James posted below, the teachers in Londonderry are paid in the top 20% of teachers across the state, or better than approx. 140 communities, but less than approx 30 communities.
Yes, and on top of that, they are above the state average.
I’m just tired of the victim mentality a lot of unions throw out there. Let’s deal with the facts not with emotional opinions. As it is often, perception takes a higher priority than hard data.
What statistics are you looking at? They are in the top 35%. Also, if you compare LHS to other schools of comparable size (division 1) and they are 8 out of 16.
There is no victim mentality, but one of defense when the disgruntled private sector citizens are in constant attack mode.
I’m curious about education level. Does the average Londonderry worker have at least a Master’s degree?
I’m also curious about how the average salary of all Londonderry’s college students is factored into the average. They work summer (and often school year) jobs, so their salary is factored into the average. One could hardly compare that to a full-time salary.
We need to be careful with statistics. They can be misinterpreted all sorts of ways if we aren’t looking at the raw data and critically questioning it….
Ann, The statistic I hold most important is the current economic situation. My opinion is that the private sector has not seen the increase in salaries that many public employees have over the past few years, yet the private sector is also paying for a lot more of their health care costs. This has nothing to do with their performance at their job, just an economic reality. Yearly increases are fine when we are all seeing them, but since many are not, public employees should not either.
Maybe someone could look it up and let us know where Londonderry teachers stand when compared to teachers across New Hamshire as far as salaries. Are they above or below average when compared to similar towns. That would be usefull info for a voter.
Better than some and behind others. Slightly better than Derry. Behind Windham and Salem. The new contract will keep us competetive with surrounding towns.
Remember that this question can be answered lots of ways: starting salary, final salary on a step, average salary of the currently employed teachers, etc. Don’t be surprised if people answer you different ways because they are looking at different numbers. Remember this, though, the people who negotiated on both sides looked long and hard at all of those numbers and came up with a package they considered fair. They were also the most informed.
Ann, you say this package is fair, yet looking above, the Budget Committee is voting against the contract 6 – 1. I guess they don’t agree that the contract is a fair one. But again, I am voting no solely due to the fact that over the past 4 years, they have had raises while many in the private sector have not, and very few will be getting much this year either. I see this as a fairness issue.
Ask John Curran why he did not change his vote. He will tell you changing his vote would not look right. See the special meeting the SB had to re-inform the budget committee. He publicly makes that statement during the meeting.
Better to look good and stand one’s ground than to do what is right once all the information is on the table. I prefer a person who makes an informed decision like his peer Lisa, the only person on the budget committee to hear the information and change her vote based on the information.
Looks to me like John Curran is trying to save the resident’s some money and stop the out of control freight train of school spending. Why is it when someone stands up and says “no more” they’re chastised and bashed on this site. The only people who have a problem with Mr Curran seem to be people who benefit from the School Spending. I can’t imagine an impartial resident complaining about someone trying to keep their taxes down.
The state provides this information: notice Londonderry isn’t even in the top 30 schools.
http://www.education.nh.gov/data/documents/teach_sal10_11.pdf
How can that be? In 1985 we won the President’s Academic Excellence award. Oh wait, that was 27 years ago.
Bill, you seem like you are not an ignorant man, so why do you make ignorant statements? Didn’t LHS win the New Hampshire school of the year as late as 2009?
What amazes me is that people like you want it all- the high quality school system (to help your property values among other things) but to not pay for it.
You get what you pay for, and the Londonderry school district is respected around the state.
Concerned,
Ignorant statement? Read what I wrote. Where did I say anything about the NH school of the year? I said the President’s, (as in US President), Excellence in Education Award. The flag/banner that was awarded was finally taken down from the middle school cafe/aud in the last few years. If you can’t fully grasp the words that you are reading, perhaps you could attend a reading comprehension course at our well respected system.
People like me? Do you know me? Do you know what my views are on spending? I’ll give you a little insight. Do I believe that we spend to much overall on the school system? Yes I do. Do I think that teachers, custodians, etc make to much money? No I don’t. It’s the unreasonable benies for these times that I question. Where I have a problem is with the bloated administrative costs. So I’m the ignorant one for stating a couple of facts. But your the reasonable one for making generalized statements about someone that you have no clue about. Sounds logical to me.
But still paid more than the other 140 +/- school systems. Seems like they have a good deal here already.
If Londonderry teachers are the top 20 percent pay in the state. Why are the NECAP scores so poor?? Best pay best teachers?? That = No Vote.
Have you compared the NECAP scores across the state?
It is funny, I was under the impression NECAPS are where the students actually have to take a test that they get no benefit from and have no motivation to take. No bump in their marketability for colleges to look at like the SAT’s. No help on their transcripts. Just a “the state is forcing you to take this and you get nothing out of this, please do it out of the goodness of your hearts”. Anyone who parents a teenager is most likely laughing right now. Rick, if you want to use standardized tests as a barometer of teacher performance (a poor barometer at that) then look at the SAT’s or the ACT’s. Things the students are motivated to perform on.
Negative on using the SAT’s or ACT’s. Those tests are taken by only the students interested in college. They should score higher. NECAP tests all of the students. I think a much fairer barometer of the teachers is to have THEM take the test.
All I know is when I asked my straight A high school daughter why she did not do well on the NECAP, she replied “I could care less about that test. I just picked answers that looked correct.” To judge teachers on a test that those who take it do not even try, is not really fair.
My idea would be to give the students who do the best on the NECAP the better parking spots.
Here is the problem I have. The teacher’s union, like all others, is pretty much a socialist entity. It doesn’t matter whether you are a phenominal teacher or one that just goes through the motions, the compensation is the same if they have been in the system for same length of time. Compensation should be based on performance. The better teachers can’t receive bonuses unless they all get them. In fact I believe when I moved here there was some kind of annual award given to a teacher that included cash. But I believe that it was done away with. The Gates Foundation (Bill Gates) gives out awards annually to superstar teachers. In quite a few cases the union didn’t allow the recipient to accept it unless all the teachers in the union recieved it. I’m not looking to treat teachers or any other municipal employees any better or worse than those of us in the “dreaded private sector”. Just the same.
Is it just me or is it kind of annoying to see someone that never puts out their recycling bin and you see their trash can overflowing with obvious recyclable trash? I mean, we all pay taxes for having trash hauled away. How much easier can it be to toss stuff into a bin and carry it the 40 feet (the length of their driveway) to the curb? I don’t have the holier than thou attitude or anything because we recycle but how lazy can people be?
Did I also mention that they blatantly let their dog run loose and it always chases joggers that go by?
I’d like to know if the school board candidates support the teacher’s contract on the ballot this year. If you’re a candidate, please post below how you’re voting.
The silence from school board candidates is deafening.
Maybe deafening, but not surprising. School board candidates support teachers, teachers support school board candidates. And both groups will be at the polls in large numbers, while the rest of us stay home and allow everything to pass. I will be voting no, solely due to the economic climate, but expect to see the teachers raises pass by a wide margin.
Nonsense. When I ran last year, I refused to answer questions from people who wouldn’t sign their names. I’d bet this year’s candidates are following a similar, wise course. Why should someone with the courage to stand up in public and run for office, respond to people who snipe anonymously from the safety of a website?
Well, my name is on here, so I’ll ask the same question Larry did.
I’d like to know if the school board candidates support the teacher’s contract on the ballot this year. If you’re a candidate, please post below how you’re voting.
There. It is now a request from a named Londonderry resident who will be voting.
John
Given the generic question, ie, what the School Board’s candidates think on the school teacher contract and the impact it has on the school budget and tax rates, it hardly appears to be sniping.
Why would we want to elect candidates to the board without knowing what their position is (for or against)on such an issue. I think employee costs approximate about 80% of the budget.
Ken, in fairness to John, he did recuse himself when the board voted on the teachers contract. How he votes at the ballot box is only for him to know and nobody else.
Contrary to popular belief, this is a blog and not the center of the universe, though it seems to be for some of us. Please keep in mind the candidates may not be monitoring this site 24/7 as to its on-goings. It is also important to point out that the small percentage of bloggers that do post on this site do not truly represent the majority of voters, taxpayers, and town citizens. Perhaps contacting the candidates directly is a more prudent endeavor if you really want answers.
While I am not a fan of the L-Times at least they contacted the candidates, asked a few questions and reported the responses. Ken just think, you could be the scoop reporter for this site if you really felt so inclined.
Sorry, but I do nolt feel so inclined. Also, both the L-Times questions to the candidates, and the cadidates answers, avoided the contract issue entirely.
Well put Tom, coming from the lawyer that sued the SB, and sits on the TC and PB, we should know what people think and do before electing them.
David, When a public entity, such as our school board, is informed they are doing something that is illegal, like having a quorum for their meetings that will never be met, and they choose not to address that issue because someone else gave them incorrect info, there is only one way to address that, and it is through our legal system. What Tom and others did here was the right way to correct a wrong.
No one is disagreeing with the actions, the process or the outcome. It is what it is and it is what makes our government system the best in the world. However, the terms “conflict of interest”, sneaky, and “full disclosure” come to mind.
Not to delve to far into an old worn out discussion…but you are not making an apples to apples comparison. School Board candidates should tell voters their opinion on these contracts and thier opinions on the state of the school budgets and testing and all the rest.
For you to compare the topic of Freda’s involvement in the lawsuit as if somehow similar is way off base. The facts are this:
1 – Freda was not was the one who sued, he did some work for the attorney who represented the plaintiffs.
2 – Attorneys are bound by attorney client priveledge and can’t just run around telling you who they do for what (no matter how much you might want them to).
3 – His seeking a seat on a board that has nothing whatsoever to do with the School Board or the School District for that matter in no way represents a conflict.
The point is if I knew Freda was involved in the lawsuit maybe I would have voted differently. He kept his involvement a secret. Then submitted a bill for services. Disclose your position in full.
Sorry you missed it. It was all over the news who was involved. And also, if I remember correctly, he waived his legal fees.
Missed nothing he never disclosed his involvement before elected. The fees were only waived after the bill was submitted. Ken your version of the truth is very convenient in all of your posts.
Bill, My “version” is what I remember of the issue regarding the legality of the school board / meeting quorum and the lawsuit. While the school board had been advised it was ok, the courts deemed the quorum illegal. Is there another “truth” to this issue that I do not recall, or is my “version” actually correct? ( yes, said with a bit of sarcasm )
Yes Everyone should answer questions prior to the election. Full Disclosure. Not pieces of the story that serve your purpose or versions of the truth. Only full disclosure is acceptable.EOM
Bill, I agree 100%, and in todays world, it shouldn’t matter if it is via face to face discussion, phone call, e-mail, newspaper, or a blog such as this. There are many ways a candidate can, and should, get their positions known.
Hi I’m Waffles and I am running for school board. Here is my opinion, or answer, or idea, or thought, or waffle. Can Hank send some syrup over to sugar coat this more please.
…. my two cents on the contract stating that I thought considering some of the surrounding towns contracts that it may be too much and there was a good possibility that it would fail at the polls considering the economic situation. I also said there is much more to a contract than a simple pay raise and those factors need to be considered. I guess some folks thought I was dodging the question, because I was told I did not answer the question. I responded the only answer yes or no? I then explained that the contract was not made available prior to the public hearing and although I had asked several times did not get a copy of the contract until a week or so after the hearing. I also said that if I was required to answer with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ I would have to vote the same as the Budget Committee did.
Here is why. The Budget Committee, as well as the public never got a copy of the contract. If the only option is to approve something you have not read, sorry but I’m not going to do it. I also said having read the contract I had several questions. One of the members present who was familiar with the contract said he’d get in touch with me concerning my questions, unfortunately I never received a response.
So in short I have no real opinion because I have no clue; can someone pass the syrup. Vote for Waffles for School Board.