GuilfordPACT's blog

We want to encourage registered Democrats to vote in the Democratic primary for First Selectman this Tuesday, Sept. 15th. All five polling sites will be open from 6AM-8PM. Please mark your calendars and exercise your right to vote.

We had a great turnout for the first PACT meeting of the 2009-2010 school year with over 70 people present to hear the two Democratic candidates for First Selectman discuss some of the most pressing issues facing Guilford. For those of you who did not attend the meeting, here is some information to consider before voting.

A special subcommittee met at Baldwin tonight from 6p to ~7.30 to address the issue of recess at Baldwin.

Following an introduction by BOE members Alan Meyers and Barbara Dudley to the history of some of the issues, Dr. Forcella gave a presentation on a proposed solution that was worked out in conjunction to with Baldwin Principal Anne Snurkowski.

The proposal would institute a 20/20 situation: 20 minutes of dedicated lunch and 20 minutes of dedicated recess (all kids outside, weather permitting).
In addition, efforts would be made to streamline the lunch purchasing process to provide adequate time to eat.

This extra time would be by shortening each of eight class periods by one minute (43 to 42 minutes) and changing the bus schedule by two minutes.

Please see correspondence below regarding the resolution of this issue, with some cost, from Dr. Forcella.

Kudos to Thatcher and Ted Zuse for bringing this to wider attention and effecting a change-- while lead coated gutters are "standard building materials" and are not specifically banned from school sites they are clearly not a good idea.

Over the last several months the budget has taken center stage, and we can be proud (looking around the state) that despite the economy and some troublesome issues with town finances we have managed to avoid cutting teacher positions, programs, and class sizes. Bonding issues on the last referendum included roof improvements/replacements for Leete/Lakes and ~$1M in Adams improvements that passed overwhelmingly, indicating that the community is aware of infrastructure needs in the schools.

A BOE workshop, with guests from the BOF and BOS, will be focused on this tomorrow night, Monday June 22nd, at 7:00pm at the Firestation conference room at 390 Church St. All PACT members and supporters with an interest in this are encouraged to attend and comment.

From Michelle Raiti:

Dear PACT members:

I am writing to you all regarding my concerns about the inadequate
amount of recess our 9 - 12 year old children are receiving at Baldwin
Middle School. Many of you may have younger children and may not be
aware of this issue yet - but If you, like many other parents, feel
that our kids need more ( a reasonable 20 minutes per day versus the 0
- 10 minutes per day they are currently getting), NOW is the time to
act.

Through the Guilford PTA, I have been working with the Board of Ed.
for over two years on this issue and have gotten nowhere. If this is
of concern to you, please read the letter below that I recently sent
the Board of Ed. I was told by one Board member that I need a large

From the Hartford Courant -- Opinion

June 3, 2009

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-guilford-teacher-union...

Give the town of Guilford and its teachers an A in diplomacy and good public relations.

They have led the way in showing other municipalities how to talk to one another, be flexible and work out a common agenda that benefits everyone.

Teachers have agreed to give back half of a 4 percent raise scheduled to take effect July 1, saving the town $630,000. In exchange, they will avert layoffs.

From New Haven Register, June 2nd

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009/06/02/news/shoreline/b1-brcuts.txt

By Mark Zaretsky, Register Staff

BRANFORD — About 11 filled positions will be eliminated under the Board of Education’s final plan to cope with the smaller budget increase that the Representative Town Meeting approved last month, school officials said Monday.

Complicated bumping scenarios, done according to seniority, are still playing out. But it appears the school system will lose six full teaching positions and five noncertified positions, plus hours in four additional custodial positions, although the positions will remain, said Superintendent of Schools Kathleen Clark Halligan.

From the New Haven Register, June 2nd

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009/06/02/news/metro/b1-haconcession...

By Ann DeMatteo, Assistant Metro Editor

HAMDEN — Town teachers Monday rejected concessions, and now the Board of Education will proceed with teacher layoffs and class-size increases.

“I’m very disappointed. I thought it was a fair offer, given the fact that they know it would result in layoffs. I absolutely thought they would vote in favor,” Superintendent of Schools Frances M. Rabinowitz said late Monday. “I really did believe we’d be able to move forward and not have layoffs and increase class size.”

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-local-budgets-givebacks-0526.artmay... (also see comments here)

By DON STACOM | The Hartford Courant
May 26, 2009

In a development that municipal leaders throughout the state have hoped for fervently, an affiliate of the powerful Connecticut Education Association has agreed to wage concessions.

The deal means about $630,000 in savings for Guilford, but it has a far broader impact statewide: It's the first — or one of the first — giveback agreements from any CEA unit this year.

"I'm very proud of our teachers. It's a courageous thing they did; they stood up to a lot of pressure," Guilford First Selectman Carl Balestracci said. "Every single town employee is now making some kind of concession."

Thank you for voting, and to all those who helped get out the vote!

• What we have accomplished as a community: We have so far avoided layoffs, program cuts, and class size increases for Guilford public school students despite the worst economy in a generation.

• The beneficiaries of education: the next generation.

• The heroes: all employees, with a particular emphasis on teachers as they represent the largest bargaining unit and the first local branch of the CEA to offer wage concessions, totaling over $600K in concessions that will preserve jobs. Thank you! The budget could not have passed without your help.