Monday, October 24, 2011

Live reporting - Candidate Night - part 3

School Committee
Cafasso, Douglas, Mullen, Rohrbach, Donavan, Jewell, McIntyre (Trahan not present)

Intro
Trahan - letter to be read

McIntyre - 17 year resident, son is senior at FHS, life of fostering learning, professor and advisor, part of School Improvement committee at Remington Middle Sch, also on FHS, has been subbing k-12

Jewell - 18 years in Franklkin, in military, familia with student needs, taught at US Milatary Academy, can bring it to the school system

Donahue - live in Franklin all through the system, Bryant degree in communications, really important fields for the town right now, done budgets for school groups.

Rohrbach - lived in Franklin 13 years, Bryant and Suffolk Univ. Served on last 6 years, loved every minutes even during the most difficult times. Focus efforts onbudget and finances, ensure the schools are run efficiently

Mullen - running for 6th term, raised 3 children, youngest is Senior, work in Wrntham, was an elemtary school teacher for several years

Douglas - lived in Franklin, taught at Brick for 33 years, insights into Sch Dept as a passionately believe in the fine education

Cafasso - two daughters at FHS - 1st goal to see the new high school, 2nd goal to work on the table and redo the contract to save money, hard work and creativity will be needed

Q - what are prioties on sch budget nees?
McIntyre - foster a love of learning, do a lot of work to get education good, are the students love to learn? The K students love it but the others lose it as they go. Race to Nowhere, film, are we connecting school with what they do with their life?

Q - primary role
Jewell - How could you possibl give a raise and layoff teachers, science classes are too large/ Students are being forced to learn but not being stimulaed to get to a higher level. need to compete to get to the levels of Harvard, etc.

Q- how do you expect to communicate?
Donahue - a very important issue to me, the SChCom bbog os a step forward, post more frequenently, let people nkow of what's going on before people have to go look for it. Mis0information is out there, need to correct those facts. There are lots of benefits in the contract, the ability to look at steps and lanes, if we can make serious changes, we need to do a better job so that people know these thiings

Q - Do you believe full day K should be maintained?
ROhrbach - we did a study on it, we don't save money by going awy from it, if we dilute the experience by going to half day, it will affect them longer term. It is not a good decision

Q - do you support the raises that were given?
Mullen - there are five less teachers so there is misinformation around that we need to correct. There was an unfair labor practice to save over $500K and settle the contract, already started the interest based bargaining process last week. We will adress the isseu of steps and lanes, it was the right decision to make.

Q - what are prioties?
Douglas - keping teachers in the classrooms, as Ms Mullen only 5 positions were lost last year vs what the media has reported.

Q - do you support the bulding committee decision?
Cafasso - I do support that decision the architect stood up and said it would be foolish not to consider the new school. The labs are 80 vintage and need updated. The rnovation would take twice as long, and have unpredictable outcomes, an excellent investment, a great investment ofr our community and property values

Q - how do you expect to communcate?
McIntyre - communication is a hugh issue, one needs to happen more with each other. and letting others know what is going on. Going into their homes, into the coffee shops
 it is important that they know

Q - do you beleive full day kindergarten
Jewell - I have not completely looked at it so I will take the recommendation from the study, reasonabled sized class rooms, it is important to look at the budgert we have and look at it, the money saved could have avoided other teacher layoffs, look at language emersion, look at perfoamce at the school and lessons after the school. need to reach the highestr of their potential. look at the state mandates

Q - Do you support the raises?
Donahue - I think this is a difficult decision for someone who hasnt been part of the negotiations. The current members are more eloquent on this matter

Q- what is your primary reason for seeking aposition
Rohrbach - it hasn't changed over the eyars,m I wnt to give back. This term, I have particular reasons getting into the teachers contract, IBB adn conversation on steps/lanes and follow through on the high school uilding committee as it was started in 2005

Q - do you support the building committee?
Mullen - to renovate the hgih school would be a very diffu=cult for the stuendets, the best value for the dollar. Mutltipe stories that don't connect to each other

Q - what is your primary reason for running
Douglas - after working as a teacher, this is another way to give back to the town. I would like to be here again

Q -
Cafasso - I ahve been sending emails to about 600 consituants, on a monthly or quartery basis. The school website is being update. I want to redo the survey and see what the community wants to receive. We are fortunate to have good relationships, we need better on a regular basis.

Closing
McIntyre - major strength big picture and broad perspective, 30years in hgher ed, teaching here k-12. Imroving our schools is not about AP course or gettign into Harcard, It needs to be generating a loe of learning. need to knwo the connections on why they are education, we can look at making it better in our little town. I will ask why?

Jewell - we have several questions on communications, a very important part of the whole process. Defend the positin in the budget, favorbable bargaining with the unions,. doignwhat is best for the students. I wil be working with the seniors as I have been told that thye vote down the overrides. Once a school is paid for, it is done, with an override is goes on. We need to improve the education that our students have. Some who are successful or margainially successful is interest

Donahue - thanks - Donahue for Franklin dot com. Goals and accountabilkity is posted there. Why I am running, my success in school here helped me, to give back to Franklin. I have talked to a,oot of parents and what to bring back something that I had that sutednts don't get today. Communications with civility is importnat.

ROhrbach - I have been part of a committe that has worked tirelessly, that believes in educationg the whole child. Since 2006 we have been in a recssion, re-0evaulate our program, seek additinal revenue streams. The results of these efforts are shown by being named as a spotlight district. Imprtant crossroads with our teachers and their salary sturcture, the high school uulding project, perfromance based evaluation for our teachers. I want to contune to make the difficult chocies. It is all about our children
'
Mullen - first became involved when childeren were in elemtenary.
(add later)

Douglas - did alot of listening last 2 years, lots of learning that wya. take time to vote, your vote counts

Cafasso - lots of people are touched by the schools when you have children in it, a 50M non-profit, we are spending less than the state average but perform in the top 25%. Can this continue, it remains to be seen.. I do my homework, I am accountable,. I am accessible


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