Brave new budget world

Written by Supt. Colleen Palmer
Friday, 05 March 2010 14:09

It is a new world in the Monroe Public School District, one we are quite familiar with, but have never had the opportunity to visit it up close and personal like we’re about to. This is not an empty threat, nor a doom-and-gloom scenario, but rather the nuts and bolts of what we’re facing this upcoming fiscal year.

Monroe Public Schools are striving to share, up close and personal, the real facts of possible budget cuts, allowing citizens to be proactive before any decision is final.

As the evening news can attest, our situation is hardly unique. School districts across the country are laying off valuable teachers, closing schools, redistricting, eliminating, reducing — whatever it takes to meet the fiscal restraints. However, as with any community, it is hard to believe that it is really happening to our town. We all can understand when it happens elsewhere, but not here.

Letters to the Editor

Friday, 05 March 2010 13:38

Fawn Hollow not a viable option, says board

To the Editor:

Recently, community members have offered sincere suggestions identifying Fawn Hollow as a viable location to house displaced Chalk Hill 5th and 6th grade students and relocating the existing preK-4 to the remaining two elementary schools.

While this initially seems viable on paper, unfortunately, this is not an option.

Siting oversight needed

Friday, 05 March 2010 13:37

Ask any random sampling of state residents what their position is on “green” energy sources. Chances are, virtually all of them will answer that they are in favor of the technology. Who wouldn’t be?

Judging by the thousands of people who have signed up for the United Illuminating Company’s green energy programs, it is also clear that many people are willing to pay a premium for their clean-source electricity. Those who sign up for the program get the satisfaction of knowing their computers and high-definition televisions are being powered by electricity from clean, renewable sources.

Thanks for speaking; I’m listening

Written by Supt. Colleen Palmer
Thursday, 25 February 2010 12:25

Thanks, Monroe, for taking time to come and share, gripe, console, educate and inform us, your school administrators and Board of Education.

Your willingness and courage (not just anyone can do it, but most wish they had) to talk and listen and share at the BOE; budget workshops; Parent Council; and PTO meetings are so very appreciated.

Getting the facts on your school district will add clarity to your vote, conviction to your decisions, and credence to your conversations regarding our schools.

Letters to the Editor

Thursday, 25 February 2010 12:22

Fawn Hollow not a viable option, says board

To the Editor:

Recently, community members have offered sincere suggestions identifying Fawn Hollow as a viable location to house displaced Chalk Hill 5th and 6th grade students and relocating the existing preK-4 to the remaining two elementary schools.

While this initially seems viable on paper, unfortunately, this is not an option.

In classroom space alone, Fawn Hollow hosts 41% of all available elementary classrooms; taking this school offline for preK-4 cuts elementary space severely.

Too soon to forget

Thursday, 25 February 2010 12:21

It’s easy to forget about tragedies, especially when they don’t affect us directly.

Already, the devastation caused in 2004 when a tsunami swept across Sri Lanka, seems like a distant memory.

The effects of Hurricane Katrina less than a year later in and around New Orleans are similarly fading from our thoughts.

Today, the world has another tragedy to remember and to continue to remember beyond a week, a month, a year.

Letters to the Editor

Thursday, 18 February 2010 12:54

Resident mourns the passing of a friend

To the Editor:

For a long time to come, we will be mourning the loss of Betty Bovard, who passed away last week.

Betty was one of Monroe’s finest, and her love of our town and record of individual accomplishment will be, and should be, long remembered.

A chemical engineer with advanced degrees, Betty was also a gifted mathematician, a woman of letters, and blessed with a quick wit and amazing memory for detail.

Certification for snow calls?

Written by Supt. Colleen Palmer
Thursday, 18 February 2010 12:04

For the better part of the past 30 years, I have served as an educator: math teacher, guidance counselor and school administrator. I have amassed state certifications in secondary mathematics, school counseling, supervision and evaluation, and as superintendent of schools.

I have spent more than 12 years in university studies, achieving bachelor’s, master’s, sixth year and doctorate degrees in various realms of education — but I have never had any training or coursework on calling snow days as superintendent.