Dear Friends of the Foxborough Public Schools,

Enhancement of Library Media Programs Review

During the June 1, 2009, School Committee meeting, Ms. Porter and Mr. Rossetti gave a thorough and inspiring presentation regarding the guiding values used to devise a plan to update our libraries. Their discussion was memorable, and we would gladly share with you a link to the video of this section of the meeting, if one were available.

Foxboro Cable Access (FCA) has provided a voluntary service by archiving the videos of School Committee meetings. Unfortunately, the specific meeting of June 1 is not available at their web site. The School Committee has used the availability of FCA recordings as justification to produce minutes lacking in detail. Here is the manner in which the Committee chose to preserve their presentation last year:

“Media Standards for the 21st Century
Ms. Kathleen Porter (FHS) and Mr. Bob Rossetti (Ahern) joined the Committee to present information on the process for updating the libraries according to the new media standards from the American Association of School Librarians (AASL). Discussion followed regarding the strands (sic), the deadline of October 15, 2009 for submission of a state grant for funding, utilization of libraries, etc.”

From our notes: Referring to the American Association of School Librarians Standards for the 21st-Century Learner, published at http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards.

Mr. Rossetti emphasized that:

• A librarian needs to be a teacher,
• A librarian is a collaborator with the classroom teacher,
• The library is where students go to learn how to learn.

Ms. Porter referred to the number "18" on the wall in the Ahern School. She stated that it was a reminder that the United States is 18th in literacy in the world and that it would help as encouragement for everyone.

Together they discussed the national standards, which include:

• Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge.
• Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge.
• Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society.
• Pursue personal and aesthetic growth.

They reported that a subcommittee of the FHS Council was working on space utilization for the Media Center.

We look forward to the presentation of Ms. Porter and Mr. Rossetti.

Task Force to Address Bullying and Harassment Update

After the First Reading of the new Bullying Prevention policy, the Committee is planning to present the Second Reading. This is commonly followed by a period of public comment and a vote by the Committee to adopt the policy. The draft provided to the public during the First Reading on October 18 is available at our web site.

With the help of The Foxboro Reporter, the Task Force produced and published a series of articles to raise community awareness about this issue. The articles also present some useful skills and tools for individuals faced with conflict.

“So you’ve been around town and you’ve noticed the symbol, a bucket with a question mark on it. What’s it all about?

Well, there’s a new campaign in town and no, we’re not looking for a donation! What we would like is to know ‘How full is your bucket?’”
(Task Force to Address Bullying and Harassment. New campaign in town: How full is your bucket? The Foxboro Reporter. September 23, 2010.)

The second article is also available:

“Now we’ve gotten your attention and you’ve joined our bucket campaign. When you are kind to someone, they feel good and you’ve filled their bucket. Treat someone badly, “dip from their bucket,” and they feel terrible. And YOU want to be a bucket filler, right?

For now, we’re going to go on the assumption that most people want to be bucket fillers. While there are exceptions to every rule, we’ll assume that everyone reading this would want to get along with their friends, neighbors, co-workers and family.

The truth is, however, we aren’t always bucket fillers…”
(Task Force to Address Bullying and Harassment. When there are conflicts… The Foxboro Reporter. October 7, 2010.)

The need to learn how to manage conflict exists in all spheres of our society. Readers may remember the comments of Mr. Brian Walton at the April 5, 2010, School Committee meeting. Published reports stated:

” Foxboro Public Schools is about to take on bullying in an even bigger way than it already has. There’s just one big obstacle, according to advisory committee chairman Brian Walton: the example of grownups. The culture of intimidation starts with adults — with Foxboro’s political world offering exhibit one.

‘We have bullying going on in our elections,’ Walton said. ‘We are lousy examples to children in how to conduct business.’ “
(Mortimer, F. Bullying: Adults poor role models?. The Foxboro Reporter. April 8, 2010.)

Given that bullying is defined as "harassment" and "intimidation" (draft policy on Bullying Prevention), we have grave concerns over particular comments by a School Committee member:

"I want to know who’s writing the editorials so I know who to call up and who to… who to harangue or harass at that point. … And see how you like it."

Is it possible that same member also said: "… children learn from us. And I think this has been a very, very poor example of people jumping to conclusions…"

We agree completely with Dr. Martes who so aptly stated:

“And people have worked real hard to make sure that we’re respectful to each other. And that doesn’t mean we don’t… we don’t disagree. We disagree with each other. We have some heated discussions. But it’s always in a respectful environment because that, as… as others have said, we are role models here.”

It will take the collaboration of all to repair the damages bullying and harassment have brought to the community and to prevent further harm.

Superintendent of Schools Search and Timeline

The Foxborough and school communities learned recently of Dr. Martes’ retirement. During the last School Committee meeting on October 18, Dr. Martes stated that there was a need to begin searching for a new superintendent and that the process needed to be discussed at the next meeting, November 1.

The animated discussion on this topic was informative, complex, and eye opening. The statements and comments have been transcribed and are available at our web site. We disagree with some of the claims being made and are preparing more thorough responses.

For additional background, we offer the following:

• School search begins. The Foxboro Reporter. January 18, 2007, by No Byline.
• Committee has to sprint in superintendent search. The Foxboro Reporter. January 25, 2007, by Mortimer, F.
• Rush not mandatory. The Foxboro Reporter. February 1, 2007, by Editorial.
• 14 applicants vying to become next school superintendent. The Foxboro Reporter. March 22, 2007, by Gelbwasser, M.
• Slow & steady is not always best approach. The Foxboro Reporter. March 29, 2007, by Editorial.
• Framingham Superintendent Martes a finalist for job in Foxborough. Metro Daily News. April 4, 2007, by Hilliard, J.
• Native son finalist for supt. post. The Foxboro Reporter. April 5, 2007, by Gelbwasser, M.
• Foxboro chooses native son. The Sun Chronicle. April 6, 2007, by Gelbwasser, M.
• Lawyer: Board violated spirit of open meeting law. The Sun Chronicle. April 6, 2007, by Gelbwasser, M.
• Unnecessary clouds. The Foxboro Reporter. April 12, 2007, by Editorial.
• Foxboro school official defends search. The Sun Chronicle. April 13, 2007, by Gelbwasser, M.

Respectfully,

Andres Navedo

Deborah Navedo

Foxboro Education Organization

The recent revelation that School Superintendent, Dr. Christopher Martes, had retired while the community had been kept in the dark, has raised public interest and awareness of school matters. Different stakeholders have risen to comment on the matter in various fora. We will take a close look at their statements as those statements are revealing and enlightening to those interested in the issues and the governance of our schools.

The School Committee’s discussion of the status of the Superintendent of Schools during the October 18 meeting can serve as focal point. In a departure from the typical bland dialogue, the exchange was full of emotion that helps to build a more detailed picture of the system.

The video of the discussion is available, in its entirety, at the Foxboro Cable Access web site. The part of the video corresponding to the Committee’s discussion is available at our web site.

Let’s examine the expressions of members of:

• The Public,
• The School Committee,
• The School Administration, and
• The Press, and
• Our View.

The Public:

At the Meeting

Mr. Arthur Balduf addressed the Committee regarding his concern for this issue at the end of the October 18th meeting. He stated he went to Town Hall the day after The Foxboro Reporter published the story of Dr. Martes’ deal and retirement. Mr. Balduf was looking for information regarding the SC members contact information, “not available.” He called the Superintendent’s office, but the secretary was not available at the time. He then “stopped at the Reporter’s office.”

Several Committee members suggested he could have gone to the web site of the School Committee. He stated he does not have a computer.

Mr. Balduf stated that he had no information coming at him and that was the reason he attended the meeting.

Dr. Martes apologized and said he “didn’t see…” Dr. Martes asked for Mr. Balduf’s phone number to have a phone conversation with him and explain the matter. Mr. Balduf responded that he had left his phone number but “no one ever called me back.” Ms. Spinelli interjected and confirmed Mr. Balduf’s statement. She stated a staff had taken the message and delivered it to Dr. Martes’ secretary.

Mr. Balduf reiterated that the only information he got was from the [newspaper]. “So you have to think about that in your condemnation of the newspaper, they were the only one giving out information. So you cant really blame them, if no one else is telling you anything.”

Reflection and questions

Mr. Balduf spent a great deal of time and effort on this matter? He was looking for information. However, using the channels of communication provided by the Committee and the administration did not result in answers for him.

The response of several Committee members was that he should have gone to the web site. However, many people who pay taxes, have children or grandchildren in the school district, and are members of the community, may not have computers. Those same people deserve attention, information, and services from the governmental agency that is the School Department.

Is the Committee or Administration going to treat those that do not have computers as second-class citizens?

To the Administration’s credit, we have noted that for the last three School Committee meetings, the agenda notification has been sent one day earlier, on Thursdays. We are grateful for this. However, it does nothing to help others in Mr. Balduf’s situation that want to follow matters within the School District, which may be of concern to them.

What impeded the Superintendent’s office from answering Mr. Balduf’s call? Does it require the visibility and attention of speaking at a televised meeting for the Superintendent’s office to return a phone call? Some may suggest that the Superintendent’s office does not have the time or personnel to answer all phone calls received.

The solution to this particular barrier in communication would have been to disclose the information regarding the Superintendent’s contract amendment, retirement, and financial deal when there was no longer a need for secrecy, just as the law requires.

Was Mr. Balduf offended by the way the Committee had treated the press, which he described as “condemnation”? His comment came after listening to the Committee and Dr. Martes’ discussion during the agenda item. Was Mr. Balduf persuaded to change his stance after listening to the discussion?

Of note, the video of the meeting shows the audience in attendance and suggests Mr. Balduf was present from the beginning of the meeting. This level of dedication, courtesy, and interest is rare for those attending SC meetings, including the school’s staff that attends. Is the Committee capable of instituting changes that would encourage the public to attend and participate during the meetings? Is the Committee back to the train of thought expressed by Mr. Frank Spillane, if the public does not attend it is because they agree with the Committee? Are we seeing the result of the work of the Communication Subcommittee that existed between 2004 and 2005?

In the Press

In support
In a letter to the editor, Ms. Janet Fisher highlighted: ” In Stephen Covey’s bestselling book, ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’ the fifth habit is ’seek first to understand.’ Habit #5 has been on my mind over the past week…”
(Fisher, J. Great respect, admiration for Superintendent Martes. The Foxboro Reporter. October 21, 2010.)

Ms. Fisher wrote is support of Dr. Martes and the School Committee and asked that the community would “seek first to understand” the matters around the Superintendent’s retirement disclosure.

The text of Ms. Fisher’s letter also included:

” Under the leadership of Dr. Martes the positive changes have happened and have happened quickly.

…

It seems that there was a very unfair rush to judgment that makes no sense based on recent experience with the Foxboro School committee and with Dr. Martes…

Hopefully many in the community watched the school committee meeting on 10/18 and have a better understanding of Dr. Martes’ true motivation in delaying communication about the timing of his future retirement until after the start of the school year and will also appreciate the payroll savings to the town this year.”

Reflection and Questions:

It would be difficult to find voices in our Town that would not agree with the great improvement in the climate of the District since Dr. Martes’ arrival. It is precisely this high regard for Dr. Martes that makes it difficult to understand the actions he and the Committee took around the June 21 executive session meeting and the subsequent discoveries.

Mr. Covey’s recommendation has been demonstrated in our community.

The published report in The Foxboro Reporter included statements from the different Committee members in attendance at the June 21 executive session. No one has alleged being misquoted.

Mr. Balduf’s actions present an exemplary attempt from a member of the public who was seeking to understand.

Our own effort has been to ask questions seeking to understand the actions and rationale of the Committee and Dr. Martes and bring attention to the matter.

Does the invitation of “first seek to understand” apply only to the public? Are public officials exempt from trying to understand the public? What attempts have the School Committee and the Administration taken to understand the public? Why did Dr. Martes offer to have a phone conversation with Mr. Balduf if having the conversation in public would help other members of the community understand the issues being discussed? Why would Dr. Martes reserve the explanation only for Mr. Balduf?

As we will see later, Ms. Slattery stated she had not received any phone calls about this issue from October 14 until October 18. However, there were no invitations for comments or questions to the audience present during the School Committee meeting. The Committee missed the opportunity to make Mr. Balduf feel welcomed and help him understand.

Contrary to Ms. Fisher’s concern, the issue may not be a lack of willingness of the public to understand but a lack of willingness of the Committee to disclose. Ms. Fisher has encountered this situation before. It was not long ago that she stated, "I read the recent article about the superintendent of school’s contract and was pleased to see that the school committee is interested in bringing this issue up for public discussion." The fact remains that the current School Committee kept the issue of the Superintendent’s contract secret and issued denials when questioned by the local press.

Ms. Fisher’s long standing advocacy for educational matters is documented, in small part, in the following articles:

• Fisher, J. Unproductive dialog a sign of frustration. The Foxboro Reporter. January 15, 2004.
• Pennington, J. Another Foxboro school head planning to leave; Burrell principal up for other posts. The Sun Chronicle. March 2, 2004.
• Mortimer, F. Tyrell answers her critics. The Foxboro Reporter. March 18, 2004.
• Fisher, J. Reader encouraged, critical of school board forum. The Foxboro Reporter. May 27, 2004.
• Mortimer, F. School tech chief is fired. The Foxboro Reporter. June 10, 2004.
• Fisher, J. A willingness to face difficult issues. The Foxboro Reporter. March 17, 2005.
• Fisher, J. Townspeople should plug in to the process. The Foxboro Reporter. June 2, 2005.
• Fisher, J. Strategic planning meeting an opportunity to help shape future of Foxboro schools. The Foxboro Reporter. September 22, 2005.
• No Byline. Strategic planning launched. The Foxboro Reporter. October 6, 2005.
• Fisher, J. FHS — Fix our High School. The Foxboro Reporter. April 16, 2009.
• No Byline. Fisher joins Drug Free Communities training. The Foxboro Reporter. December 17, 2009.
• Mortimer, F. Foxboro Schools opening without layoffs. The Foxboro Reporter. August 12, 2010.

In dissent
In another letter to the editor, Mr. Bill Fox, called on Dr. Martes and the School Committee to rescind the “contract.”

Mr. Fox wrote:

” While the contract may have complied with the rules of the pension system and the secrecy may not have violated any laws (maybe), I see it to be immoral.

I call on Mr. Martes and the School Committee to first, rescind this contract. Instead, the committee should appoint the Assistant Superintendent as Acting Superintendent. Then they might enter into a [consulting] contract with [Dr.] Martes for a maximum of one day per week to give guidance to the Acting Superintendent. Finally, they should immediately start the process of finding a new superintendent. (Would it be correct to assume this process has not been started in order to maintain the secrecy, thus losing four months?)”
(Fox, B. Martes, School Committee should rescind contract. The Foxboro Reporter. October 21, 2010.)

A follow up letter to the editor from Mr. Fox pointed out that Part 1 of the Retirement Application from the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System ask for the intended date of retirement. The application also asks for a copy of the letter of resignation, according to the printed text.

Reflection and Questions

According to published reports, Dr. Martes has stated that the current compensation agreement for his services "complies with the rules of the teacher retirement system…" (Mortimer, F. Martes: Deal breaks no rules. The Sun Chronicle. October 16, 2010.) However, Mr. Fox looks at a bigger picture.

Is it possible that while it is true that the agreement fulfills the requirements of the teacher retirement system, the agreement and its consequences do not comply with other existing and equally applicable regulatory requirements from other organizations or agencies? We still need to find the answer.

It seems reasonable for the Retirement System to ask for a letter of resignation as documentation that the retiring teacher has ceased employment. This letter would constitute a public document. Dr. Martes, or the current custodian of public records, would benefit the community clarify the confusion by releasing a copy of the resignation letter.

A view of the School Committee will follow.

Dear Friends of the Foxborough Public Schools,

Superintendent of Schools Status

A recent series of articles in the local press have brought to light a private agreement between the School Committee and the Superintendent. Here are excerpts from the different articles and some questions that, when answered, would help understand the actions of our public officials. Links to the full content are provided and we encourage readers to read the full text before engaging the discussion that follows.

“Martes deal a secret
Now a consultant, ‘retired’ chief draws pension; will leave post in July 2011“

…

In a secret deal with a school committee pledged to openness, Martes retired last August and now runs the Foxboro Public Schools as a consultant superintendent with reduced work days while drawing a combined annual pension and town fee package of about $260,000 through June.

Four school committee members denied this week that Martes has retired, claiming he is merely "retirement eligible."

Martes confirmed he did, in fact, retire last August, after working out an agreement with the committee to take $40,000 less in town compensation this school year, along with his full pension.

…

Martes said he and the school committee decided not to announce his retirement at the start of the school year to avoid creating a distraction or undermining the district’s initiatives.

• How and when did the School Committee decide to conceal the changes to the Superintendent’s contract from the public?
• The Open Meeting Law provides 10 purposes for which a governmental body is allowed to meet first in public followed by an executive session. Which of the 10 exceptions to the Open Meeting Law was the School Committee claiming to justify this meeting and action in secret?
• Could it be that Dr. Martes anticipated his retirement would adversely affect the initiatives in the school district and the great work being done today?
• Dr. Martes has quoted frequently from the book Good to Great (Collins, 2001) where top-level leaders are described as those who "channel their ego needs away from themselves and into the larger goal of building a great company. It’s not that Level 5 leaders have no ego or self-interest. Indeed, they are incredibly ambitious - but their ambition is first and foremost for the institution, not themselves."
• Dr. Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, wrote: "Level 5 leaders want to see the company even more successful in the next generation, comfortable with the idea that most people won’t even know that the roots of that success trace back to their efforts."
• Has Dr. Martes been unable to create a system capable of greatness without his own presence or intervention to the extent that he needed to conceal his plans for departure?
• What has prevented Dr. Martes from creating an educational system that can survive and thrive even in his absence?

“Martes deal a secret…“

…

The arrangement came to light Tuesday, when The Foxboro Reporter sought to compare the new town manager’s and the superintendent’s earnings and learned that Martes and the school committee privately agreed to a change in his contract last spring. The school board never took a public vote or issued a statement.

Told that the newspaper’s story would be published Thursday, Martes decided to notify staff Wednesday of his retirement. He held morning meetings with his central administration and principals, and said he would send his email statement to staff that afternoon.

…

Martes’s new pay arrangement was negotiated by board member Martha Slattery and chairman Katie Adair, and signed by Adair and Martes on June 22.

The actions of the School Committee require a majority vote once the quorum has been assembled. However, only two members are listed here. When did a majority of the School Committee vote to approve this change to Dr. Martes’ compensation?

The minutes of the open session of the School Committee on June 21, 2010, stated the reason to go into executive session as:

Foxborough School Committee Minutes of Regular Meeting June 21, 2010

“Slattery moved; Gardner seconded:
Go into executive session for the purpose of discussing union and non-union negotiating strategies and not return to open session.
Vote: Gardner-aye; Adair-aye; Slattery-aye; Kominsky-aye.”

The stated purpose was to discuss "negotiating strategies." We presume that the Committee would discuss and agree on a strategy before the actual negotiations. It is possible that the Committee had strategized and pre-approved an agreement that, if Dr. Martes would agree, the chairperson or the negotiating subcommittee would be authorized to sign?

However, when did Ms. Adair and Ms. Slattery have the negotiations with Dr. Martes? When was this subcommittee formed?

Where is the posting of the notice to the public of the open meeting that would precede the executive session of the negotiating subcommittee to meet and negotiate the change to the contract and compensation with Dr. Martes?

Where are the minutes of the open session and the minutes of the executive session of that meeting? As a sign of good faith, the Committee could approve and release the executive session minutes, making them available at tomorrow’s School Committee meeting.

Ms. Martha Slattery knows of the requirement to post notices of subcommittee meetings. During the October 4 School Committee meeting, she reminded Ms. Lord of the obligation to post subcommittee meetings in order to comply with the Open Meeting Law. The School’s website has the agenda for the Policy Subcommittee meeting of October 14. However, there is no indication of a subcommittee meeting to negotiate with the Superintendent.

How does Ms. Adair or Ms. Slattery explain that there is no indication of the required notice for the negotiating subcommittee meeting?

“Martes deal a secret…“

…

Martes noted he has taken a cut from his previous salary of $175,000.

If Dr. Martes’ compensation is now $260,000, as stated in the local press, how can Dr. Martes claim that he has taken a cut? A full explanation would benefit the community’s understand the multiple modes of compensation available to a superintendent. Those interested may find background information in the James Vaznis’ article from the Boston Globe, Perks climb for region’s school chiefs.

“Martes deal a secret…“

…

At the newspaper’s request, Martes provided a copy of his contract, which was to run three years, through June 30, 2012.

Martes initially did not say that the contract’s financial terms were no longer in effect, and that he and the school committee had renegotiated the terms.

We do not know why the specific mention in the article that Dr. Martes did not say that the contracts financial terms were no longer in effect. Without the original request for information from the newspaper, it is difficult to ascertain if the documents Dr. Martes provided were responsive to the request for information.

However, Dr. Martes’ obligation is not limited to fulfilling the letter of the request. According to the Public Records Division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s

Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law:

“A records custodian is required to use his or her superior knowledge of his or her records to determine the precise record or records that is responsive to the request.”

Is it possible that, however possibly unintentional, Dr. Martes’ actions constituted a breach of the Public Records Law?

We encourage our readers to become familiar with the Guide, a valuable document that prepares citizens to become better informed about government information thereby facilitating their participation in the democratic process.

“Martes deal a secret…“

…

Slattery blamed the press for prematurely airing the matter.

"It would have been nice if we could have discussed this openly and presented it to the public," Slattery said. Asked why the committee failed to do in the 16 weeks since the committee amended Martes contract in June, Slattery said some "details" still need to be worked out, such as how to go about a search for his successor.

"We need to make the public aware of it, which we were about to do," Slattery said. "We did not want to panic anyone. This is so annoying."

But Adair said she’s unsure that Martes will even need to be replaced next year. Adair said she was unprepared to discuss the details or effects of the one-page contract addendum she had signed.

"Did that (addendum) mean he was going to leave the district? I honestly don’t know," Adair said. "I’m not trying to be cryptic."

…

"I did not know of the superintendent’s intention to retire until this morning," Gardner said Wednesday.

"To me, somebody who is retired sits at home — he’s not sitting at home," Slattery said.

Ms. Slattery’s complaint is similar to the complaints heard from those who operate in the dark and are upset that someone has turned on the lights. Now that the newspaper has shed light, the Committee seems to be scrambling to the different exits, providing conflicting explanations, and everyone is saying nothing wrong was being done.

Why are they afraid that the public might "panic"? If Dr. Martes has instituted safeguards and controls to guide the system, why would there be any need to "panic"?

If the administrative team was as good as we believed it was, why would the public "panic"? Is there a reason to "panic" that Ms. Slattery and the Committee knew and the public had been kept uninformed?

Was Ms. Adair prepared to discuss the details of the addendum when she signed it? If Ms. Adair was prepared to sign the addendum in June 22, why is she not prepared now to give her rationale? Did Ms. Adair sign the agreement with Dr. Martes without knowing whether he was planning to leave the district or not?

Chairman Adair’s claims of not knowing are confusing. Was she acting in fulfillment of her duties as steward of the Foxborough Public Schools and upon whom the trust of the community had been placed to look after the best interests of the schools when she signed the contract addendum? If she knew what she was doing when she signed the addendum, what has affected her memory that she now claims not to know? Alternatively, was Ms. Adair coerced or forced to sign the contract addendum against her will?

Committee member Bruce Gardner stated that he did not know if the Superintendent intended to retire. Did Mr. Gardner approve the changes to the Superintendent’s contract without knowing the reason to change the compensation scheme? Did Mr. Gardner ask the reason for the change in compensation before approving the change? What reason, if any, was given to Mr. Gardner?

Committee member Slattery stated that a retired person "sits at home." Is that the extent of Ms. Slattery’s understanding of the term “retired”? Is that the image Ms. Slattery has of Ms. Beverley Lord, a retired teacher?

Was Ms. Slattery unaware that ” Retired FHS science teacher and department head Allan W. Warsing had been covering the [physics teacher] position since the start of [the 2006-7] school year, also as a long-term substitute”? (Mortimer, F. Physics teacher is hired for FHS. The Foxboro Reporter. November 16, 2006.) Did Ms. Slattery forget that Mr. David Sweeney was interim principal at the Ahern and later at FHS after retiring? Ms. Slattery worked with interim superintendent Peter S. Capernaros, who worked for the district as interim superintendent in 1997, after his retirement.

Is Ms. Slattery’s memory slippery or influenced by convenience?

“Martes deal a secret…“

…

Martes said retired educators are allowed to earn money in addition to their pension up to a certain limit, and his agreement with the committee complies with that limit.

He said other area superintendents have likewise drawn their pension and a consulting fee while continuing to lead their school systems.

If this is allowed, why the efforts to keep it secret? What did they fear? What was more important than being open and trustworthy?

Our community has seen precedents in the cases of Mr. Sweeney, Mr. Capernaros, and Mr. Warsing. Why was this case kept secret?

More recent examples are the cases of Fire Chief Roger P. Hatfield and Town Manager Andrew Gala.

New Fire chief a breed apart

“Foxboro’s new fire chief, who started work Wednesday, seems to have arrived with just about every professional asset except his own Dalmatian.

And even at that, Roger P. Hatfield, a 47-year old retired chief of a 187-member Nashua, N.H. fire department, comes with a special love of dogs as a hobby breeder of German Shepherds.” [Emphasis added]
(Mortimer, F. New Fire chief a breed apart. The Foxboro Reporter. January 15, 2009.)

Foxboro process criticized
"Retired Town Manager Andrew Gala, now serving in the post on an interim basis…” [Emphasis added]
(Mortimer, F. Foxboro process criticized. The Sun Chronicle. September 10, 2010.)

What was special in Dr. Martes’ case? Why the need for secrecy? Did this arrangement represent some risk for the School District?

“Martes deal a secret…“

…

Referring to himself, Martes said, "What I hope people don’t spin this into is that ‘he doesn’t care about the community and that he’s in this just for the money.’ "
(Mortimer, F. Martes deal a secret. The Foxboro Reporter. October 14, 2010.)

As underscored by recent published reports, (Schools want to spread the good news, School board equating image to achievement, Gardner shares more thoughts on image, student achievement, Policy Subcommittee meeting) the concern of the Committee has been centered on the image the public has of them.

We are reminded that a "key trait of Level 5 leaders: ambition first and foremost for the company and concern for its success rather than for one’s own riches and personal renown." (Collins, 2001)

Dr. Martes claims to care about the community. Indeed, his leadership thus far has brought the District back from the poor District leadership of Mr. Frank Spillane and Dr. Kathleen Tyrell. However, these actions with the School Committee show that the level of care was not enough to prevent them from deceiving the public.

The Foxboro Reporter published and update to the original story on Friday, October 15. Here are some excerpts from the article:

“Martes defends compensation, school board’s decision“

“Superintendent Christopher Martes said Friday that his almost $260,000 combined pension and town compensation for this fiscal year complies with the rules of the teacher retirement system, and that his and the school committee’s decision to keep mum about the deal for nearly four months breaks no law.

Dr. Martes is quick to grant himself absolution without offering any supporting evidence. Unfortunately, Dr. Martes has lost credibility by keeping this matter in secrecy. Moreover, Dr. Martes’ personal interests in this matter are intertwined with his responsibilities as public official. To restore the public’s trust, the determination of whether the actions in this matter constitute a breach of laws or regulations should come from an independent authority.

Ms. Slattery was quoted in the original article as having stated "We need to make the public aware of it, which we were about to do."

“Martes defends compensation, school board’s decision“
…

The board met publicly on July 22, Aug. 30, Sept. 20 and Oct. 4 without mentioning that Martes’ contract had been changed.

What prevented the Committee from informing the public of their decision during subsequent meetings?
• At the July 22 meeting?
• At the August 30 meeting?
• At the September 20 meeting?
• At the October 4 meeting?

“Martes defends compensation, school board’s decision“
…

Disappointed in the press coverage this week, Martes said many school teachers and some administrators in the area have — with little or no fanfare — taken their pension while continuing on the job in some capacity.

Is it possible for Dr. Martes to see that the community that saw him as an improvement over the previous Superintendent, Dr. Kathleen Tyrell, may be disapointed by the failure of the School Committee and of him to keep the public informed? The need for intentional secrecy has not been substantiated.

To the extent that there is "negative press," the negativity is a reflection of the poor performance of the School Committee and Dr. Martes by keeping the matter secret. If the press reports are erroneous, Dr. Martes and the Committee are free to point out the inaccuracies. If the reports are accurate, Dr. Martes and the Committee should accept responsibility for their actions and begin to rebuild the public’s trust upon which they have trampled.

“Martes defends compensation, school board’s decision“

…

Earlier this week, school committee member Kate Kominsky said she believes the board has no obligation to actively notify the public that it changed Martes’ contract. She said after the board votes to approve and release the minutes of the June 21 closed meeting, anyone can request a copy.
(Mortimer, F. Martes defends compensation, school board’s decision. The Foxboro Reporter. October 15, 2010.)

Ms. Kominsky’s beliefs would seem to run contrary to the mandate of the Legislature as expressed in the Open Meeting Law and the Public Records Law. Ms. Kominsky should explain how her actions, and those of the Committee, meet the letter and spirit of the law. Specifically, which of the purposes of executive session secrecy was she (and the Committee) invoking?

Moreover, Ms. Kominsky’s beliefs seem ephemeral and not lasting as would be desired to build a stable government. In 2006 she had a different perspective:

” School Committee member Kate Kominsky charged in a statement this week that other committee members engaged in unauthorized ‘back room negotiations’ leading to superintendent Kathleen Tyrell’s sudden departure Sept. 18 in a $175,000 contract buyout. “

…

“The community has the right to know that certain actions taken by a few members of the School Committee, regarding the superintendent, were done without the authority of the School Committee,” Kominsky wrote in a statement she hand-delivered to the newspaper Tuesday." [Emphasis added.] (Mortimer, F. Fallout over Tyrell continues. The Foxboro Reporter. September 28, 2006.)

It is important for many people to know whether the Superintendent has retired or not. The taxpayer provides funds that will be used to compensate the Superintendent. The taxpayer has a right to know how tax funds are allocated and therefore is entitled to know of changes in the compensation for the Superintendent.

“The Open Meeting Law was intended to promote the public’s understanding of government operations by eliminating much of the secrecy that frequently surrounded deliberations and decisions upon which public policy was based. The Open Meeting Law and related statutes arose from the principle that our democratic process depends on the public having knowledge of the considerations underlying governmental action. Without this knowledge, citizens are unable to evaluate the merits of the actions of their representatives.”
(Keating, W. R. (2002). Understanding the Open Meeting Law)

Whether or not the Superintendent has retired has repercussions in the professional and life plans of many people. The professional careers of teachers or employees are dependent in greater or lesser form on the leadership and philosophy of the school authorities. The implementation or removal of services or curriculum initiatives may depend on the support of the superintendent. The people that work for the School District need to know how dependable or stable the leadership is as they make plans and choices for the future of our educational system. If one retirement arrangement was carefully kept under wraps, how do we as a community know that others are not secretly preparing to leave as well? Is this the beginning of another administrative exodus?

Therefore, it is important that actions of the School Committee and the Superintendent, our custodians of the school district, follow the Open Meeting Law and Public Records Law as designed to protect the integrity of the process. Unfortunately, the Committee chose to keep the public in the dark about these important matters. The Committee’s actions have resulted in the loss of their integrity and in the loss of the community’s trust.

Respectfully,

Andres Navedo

Deborah Navedo

Foxboro Education Organization

Dear Friends of the Foxborough Public Schools,

A public meeting of the Policy Subcommittee of the Foxborough School Committee (FSC) has been announced. The meeting will be held on Thursday, October 14, at 10:30 am. The location of the meeting will be at the Superintendent’s Conference Room in the Igo Administration Building at 60 South Street.

During the last FSC meeting, Ms. Beverley Lord mentioned the upcoming discussion of “the new bullying policy.” Dr. Martes said “we are going to talk about that at the next meeting.” October 18 is scheduled for the next full FSC meeting. However, Dr. Martes also stated the topic is “teed up” for the “November first” meeting. It would be reasonable for the Policy Subcommittee to discuss the bullying policy during the October 14 meeting in preparation for the public presentation of the policy.

The words from Ms. Lord and the reaction from the members of the FSC allowed the viewers a better understanding of the position and priorities the School Committee holds in regards to the topic of bullying.

Here are some of the statements:

Ms. Lord: “I’ll mention this briefly. I think Debbie both Dr. Martes… when Cathy Rongione comes again and gives us update on the bullying and task… force. I think there are many people who are unaware in our public of how many situations and programs we already had in place addressing this issue before we got negative press last spring.”

“And I would like to have that included for all of us to see everything that was on-going even before the Task Force was set up to improve.”

Later Ms. Lord continued:

Ms. Lord: “Yes, but… you know, so that they know everything that was ongoing before… you know, we kind of ran into a problem last spring and got lot of negative press and still no matter what… what a task force will do it can never erase the challenge and sometimes difficulty in raising… being a good parent.”

“And a good parent, I believe, is about the most important job we can ever, ever do. We can reinforce whatever goes on at home, try to encourage and introduce new concepts for kindness and understanding and helping.”

“But school committees and schools cannot be held responsible what goes on at 10 o’clock at night in somebody’s own personal home, nor other students from other towns phoning into Foxborough.”

“But we can share all we are trying to do very willingly with others.”

Those that follow the School Committee may express a full spectrum of reactions to these statements including laughter and anger.

Some may recognize that Ms. Cathy Rongione has addressed the SC for robust presentations in April, May, June, and October of this year. However, Ms. Rongione has addressed the SC on the topic of Strategic Planning, not on bullying and harassment.

Task Force members would recognize the reference to phone calls from out-of-town “students” from local news report (Mortimer, F. School cleared on bully charges. The Foxboro Reporter. June 3, 2010.)

However, to focus our attention on those details would risk overlooking Ms. Lord’s main concern. Ms. Lord twice mentioned her concern for the “negative press.”

Some may see Ms. Lord’s words as cynical given that her motivation seems to be primarily out of self-interest. However, other explanations need to be considered.

It is possible that Ms. Lord simply forgot the April 5, 2010, meeting. Ms. Lord stated she would like the public ” to see everything that was on-going even before the Task Force was set up to improve.” However, as Ms. Spinelli pointed out, the FSC had discussed the matter. According to the minutes of the April 5 meeting: “Ms. Spinelli reviewed the bullying prevention programs currently in place across the district.”

Is it possible she also forgot the April 26 meeting when three parents visited the FSC meeting and stated the experience with bullying to their children?

Was Ms. Lord’s concern for the well-being of those and other students not worth mentioning? Was her concern for those students secondary to the concern for the “negative press”?

It was remarkable that other members at the table did not offer a different perspective. Perhaps the other members shared the same self-interest priorities of avoiding “negative press.” It would be sad to have to accept that the members at the table had more interest in avoiding “negative press” than interest in the well being of the students.

Alternatively, has this cynicism become the normal and expected philosophy of the School Committee?

Is self-interest the norm? Consider the following:

Ms. Lord: (3:45) Well, you and your brothers and sisters going through, all your children going through, all their children going through and now your grandchildren going through. You do have…

Ms. Slattery: (3:53) It’s three generations. I have a vested interest.

Or is this interest in the schools’ well being above the personal interests of the Committee members?

While one would consider the published report that phone calls in the specific case reported this spring were made by out-of-town students, one must not forget the report that the Foxborough student required attention for days in a medical facility.

Also, [Ms. Carla Carey] “said the hospital, which she preferred not to name, will not release her daughter until the school provides a new ’safety plan,’ ” (Mortimer, F. Foxboro parents file bully complaint. The Sun Chronicle. April 14, 2010.)

Did the Committee’s concern for “negative press” interfere in the development of a “safety plan” the hospital could accept?

Many questions remain unanswered.

Having seen that attendees at the FSC table failed to speak up and offer a different priority other that the avoidance of “negative press,” a reasonable person may ask: what can the victims of bullying and harassment expect from the School Administration and the School Committee?

Will the calls for help from those suffering from bullying or harassment be ignored or suppressed in the interest of keeping a good image of the Committee or the School Administration and avoid “negative press”?

The public in attendance at the October 14 meeting of the School Committee Policy Subcommittee will have an opportunity to see first hand the discussion and reactions of those that shape the policies that will protect, or fail to protect, our students.

I encourage anyone who can go to make the effort and be present at the meeting.

Respectfully,

Andres Navedo

Foxboro EducationOrganization

Foxborough School Committee meeting of October 4, 2010
Section: Other Matters

Transcript
Ms. Lord: (0:04)
I’ll mention this briefly. I think Debbie both Dr. Martes… when Cathy Rongione comes again and gives us update on the bullying and task… force.

I think there are many people who are unaware in our public of how many situations and programs we already had in place addressing this issue before we got negative press last spring.

And I would like to have that included for all of us to see everything that was on going even before the Task Force was set up to improve.

Ms. Adair: (0:44) That’s a great idea Bev.

Ms. Lord: And make sure that…

Dr. Martes: (0:48) We have… we actually … we actually have teed up for November first, for our first meeting in November where… the group…

Ms. Adair: Excellent.

Ms. Spinelli: (0:54) And I think we did bring that before the Committee last year. But I certainly have some… an enhanced list.

Dr. Martes: (0:59) Right.

Ms. Spinelli: … to offer you.

Ms. Lord: (1:00) Yes, but… you know, so that they know everything that was ongoing before… you know, we kind of ran into a problem last spring and got lot of negative press.

And still no matter what… what a task force will do it can never erase the challenge and sometimes difficulty in rising… being a good parent.

And a good parent, I believe, is about the most important job we can ever, ever do.

We can reinforce whatever goes on at home, try to encourage and introduce new concepts for kindness and understanding and helping. But school committees and schools cannot be held responsible what goes on at 10 o’clock at night in somebody’s own personal home, nor other students from other towns phoning into Foxborough.

But we can share all we are trying to do very willingly with others.

Ms. Adair: (2:03) Ok, great, we will do that November first then. Ok. Thank you.

[Unintelligible]

Mr. Gardner: (2:07) And I would say… just a general comment. As you know, I am vocal in my questions that I ask and in ideas that I raise to the Committee, and to the Superintendent, and the Assistant Superintendent… I remain very very positive about what we do here. And I don’t want anyone to misconstrue my interest in asking questions and making suggestions. So I’m proud of what we have going on. I go back to… the best thing I heard tonight 16 out of 17 categories, you know, we are ahead of the State. So…

[Unidentified voice]: (2:39) Wonderful.

Ms. Adair: (2:40) Bruce, we… we’re all… we have to be able to feel comfortable to ask questions on this Committee. This is part of the process.

So don’t ever apologize or think that your questions are misconstrued as something that’s negative because we are not here to just rubberstamp things.

We are here to learn as much as we can, to give our input. And, you know… we were elected for a reason… and so we have to be able to feel comfortable to talk and to ask questions. So I would always encourage that from every member of Committee…

Ms. Lord: (3:08) But some of the questions are reflections of the questions in the community.

Ms. Adair: Exactly. Absolutely.

Ms. Lord: [Unintelligible] (3:15) So by asking them, if we can clarify them, there’s more understanding out there.

Ms. Adair: That’s right.

Ms. Kominsky: (3:20) Ditto. I think… I see your questions as very positive cause it makes us think. And if we can’t answer that question or discuss various points of view, then you’re right, we are not doing our jobs. So, I think your questions are very good.

Ms. Slattery: (3:32) I feel like my role at this point is historian.

[Laughter]

[Unidentified]: (3:37) Well, you are such a good one.

[Laughter]

Ms. Slattery: (3:38) … I’ve been here for a while, you know, watching things evolve and change and knowing that we are in the right direction… and I just have a good feeling…

Ms. Lord: (3:45) Well, you and your brothers and sisters going through, all your children going through, all their children going through and now your grandchildren going through. You do have…

Ms. Slattery: (3:53) It’s three generations. I have a vested interest.

[Unintelligible]

Ms. Adair: (3:58) I think every member of this Committee has their own unique perspective and experience and history to contribute to this board and we don’t want to all be alike. That wouldn’t be good. So…

Ms. Slattery: (4:11) Honestly Bruce, I can’t imagine being in any town except this one. And watching the things that we’re doing and the way we’re progressing I think we… we are on solid footing.

Ms. Lord: (4:24) And talking about the bullying, we… we all have our… I think our first reading of the new bullying policy…

Ms. Slattery: (4:31) Yes.

Dr. Martes: (4:34) Kate, Beverley… we are going to talk about that at the next meeting.

Ms. Lord: (4:35) Right. And you and I probably should look at this together…

Ms. Kominsky: Yes

Ms. Lord: … sometime between now and then. Great.

Ms. Slattery: (4:45) If you have a meeting, post it.

Ms. Kominsky: Yes.

Ms. Lord: (4:46) For two of us?

Ms. Slattery: (4:48) Yes, you are a subcommittee dear.

Dr. Martes: (4:50) Yes, you are a subcommittee.

Ms. Slattery: Yea… so, post it. FYI

Ms. Adair: Yes, we can just let [Ms. Wills] Wendy know.

Dr. Martes: Yes.

Dear Friends of the Foxborough Public Schools,

Tonight’s School Committee meeting is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the High School Media Center. The broadcast time for the Patriots game is set for 8:30 p.m. Given that the last agenda item is scheduled for 8:20 p.m., readers could expect to be able to enjoy both programs.

The agenda follows.

MCAS Results

Ms. Debbie Spinelli, Assistant Superintendent, will present tonight an overview of the 2010 MCAS results. Those interested in following her typically thorough reports may find preparatory information at the Department of Education web site, including Foxborough’s results, interpretive materials (parental guide, technical), the results of other school districts.

Additional material may be found at Boston.com (A, B), Telegram.com, or MassLive.com.

Other Matters for Consideration by the Community

Bucket Campaign

“So you’ve been around town and you’ve noticed the symbol, a bucket with a question mark on it. What’s it all about?

Well, there’s a new campaign in town and no, we’re not looking for a donation! What we would like is to know “How full is your bucket?”

You see, this idea stems from the metaphor that we all carry an invisible bucket. When our bucket is full we feel great. We are happy, energized and satisfied. When it is empty, we feel terrible. We feel angered, hurt, saddened. Every day through every interaction we have, we either fill or dip from another person’s bucket. When we treat people with respect and kindness we fill their bucket. When we don’t, we dip from it. Every moment counts.

Nice idea, right? It’s pretty simple, just another form of the Golden Rule.

Except it’s not that simple! Nor should it be…”
(The Community Task Force to Address Bullying and Harassment. New campaign in town: How full is your bucket? The Foxboro Reporter. September 23, 2010.)

The Bucket Campaign and the recent Rachel’s Challenge are "part of school and community initiatives to promote positive environments," (No Byline. Rachel’s Challenge: Call to action at the Ahern School. The Foxboro Reporter. September 9, 2010.)

Other Matters

“A couple of weeks ago I called my husband’s attention to a parade of ants on our driveway. They were headed into an outer corner of our garage and they looked like they had something on their minds.

There was something different about them. I wanted a closer look simply because I like to investigate anything that deviates from what I normally would expect. In this case it was ants. I wasn’t going to feed them or join their little assembly. Just look.

But before I could even blink he grabbed his ever-ready aerosol and sprayed them into oblivion. He never even saw their different shape or color. All that was left was a scattering of ant bodies. I still wonder, even now, what was attracting them to that particular corner of our garage. Perhaps some tasty varmint had crawled up inside and is still there. But now I guess we’ll never know because extermination became the only goal.”
(Mossman, P. Attitudes towards others. The Foxboro Reporter. September 16, 2010.)

We also like to investigate and pay attention to things that deviate, for better or for worse, from established patterns. Over the last few meetings, the Committee’s agenda has used several ways to name this section entitled "Other Matters." Since 1996, at least for the last 14 years, it was consistently labeled "Other Matters." To give a flavor of how the Committee chooses to document matters discussed under this agenda item, we have prepared a page with the different comments available from the official minutes. The community members can judge for themselves the level of consideration given to matters presented under this agenda item. These comments include:

• Dr. Martes stated there isn’t much new information to report on the H1N1 or the possibility of hosting flu shot clinics as distribution of the vaccine has slowed down. More information may be available for the next meeting.
• Ms. Lord stated that the French exchange students received an enthusiastic reception on Saturday afternoon.
• Ms. Slattery stated the Burrell music concert was wonderful. Ms. Lord and Ms. Adair also noted how good the concerts were at both the Ahern School and Foxborough High School.
• Ms. Adair stated that the cheerleaders did very well and are in the regionals.
• Mr. Gardner expressed congratulations to Ahern students for a wonderful production of Honk.
• Ms. Kominsky noted that the Foxborough Education Association (FEA) had approved participation in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Race to the Top Program.

(See full list.)

Image and Achievement

It is impossible to deny the many achievements of NASA. However, NASA has had several failures that are equally tangible. The Challenger disaster represents one of the NASA failures.

The report of the investigation of the Challenger disaster by the Rogers Commission included the words of Dr. Richard P. Feynman, Nobel Prize physicist.

Of the Challenger disaster, Dr. Feynman wrote,

“The astronauts, like test pilots, should know their risks, and we honor them for their courage…

Let us make recommendations to ensure that NASA officials deal in a world of reality in understanding technological weaknesses and imperfections well enough to be actively trying to eliminate them. They must live in reality in comparing the costs and utility of the Shuttle to other methods of entering space. And they must be realistic in making contracts, in estimating costs, and the difficulty of the projects. Only realistic flight schedules should be proposed, schedules that have a reasonable chance of being met. If in this way the government would not support them, then so be it. NASA owes it to the citizens from whom it asks support to be frank, honest, and informative, so that these citizens can make the wisest decisions for the use of their limited resources.

For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled,” [Emphasis added]
(Feynman, RP. Appendix F - Personal observations on the reliability of the Shuttle. Rogers Commission Report. June 9, 1986.)

In parallel form, the Committee also "owes it to the citizens from whom it asks support to be frank, honest, and informative," and not "control the message."

The pursuit of accuracy is not a tradition of the School Committee. The Committee has remained silent while visitors have been accused of violating policy even though it was recognized that it was a practice. The Committee has been silent when one of its members misrepresented a bacterium for a virus. Thankfully Dr. Martes stated it correctly. However, when another Committee member, a health care professional, cautioned the community about transmission of H1N1 virus via school "bubblers," Dr. Martes had to remedy those statements in the local newspaper.

An article published in The Foxboro Reporter after the September 20 meeting has raised a similar issue with the School Committee:

“Seeking to explain why image-control is so important for Foxboro Public Schools, school board member Bruce Gardner on Monday took the extraordinary step of equating “marketing” with “achievement.”

Gardner, who works in corporate sales, told board colleagues that townspeople have questioned him about the committee’s decision last month to make public relations a top priority for the school district.

Gardner said he’s been asked whether Foxboro Public Schools’ job is to put out a “message” or to foster achievement.

“To me they are the same,” Gardner said, reasoning that a school system with a top image attracts the best teachers.

“It is marketing, but with the end point of fostering the best educational system…” Gardner said.

His remarks came during an update on the strategic plan, which board members say should be used as a public relations and communications tool”
(Mortimer, F. School board equating image to achievement. The Foxboro Reporter. September 23, 2010.)

Mr. Gardner replied in a Guest Column:

“I would like to share some thoughts on an article in last week’s Foxboro Reporter. These comments are mine alone and are not intended to speak for the School Committee as a whole. My thoughts are around the front page story “School board equating image to achievement.” The story used words I said to infer that the School Committee is making public relations a top priority and is very focused on image. I’d like to offer a bit of clarity…

One improvement might be to better highlight the positive, while keeping our priority on strong academics and extra-curriculars…”
(Gardner, B. Gardner shares more thoughts on image, student achievement. The Foxboro Reporter. September 30, 2010.)

At first blush, Mr. Gardner’s statement is confusing. While he stated that the comments were his alone, the column was signed as "Vice Chairman Foxboro School Committee." Is he trying to have it both ways?

In a closer examination of the September 20 discussion:

• Ms. Rongione used words to the effect of: there is a lack of data for parental perceptions around culture, school climate, and the level of communications. Implications are that we run the risk of not meeting the parents’ expectations and loosing their support, which is critical to the success of the School District.
• Ms. Rongione related that currently we are allowing the media and outside sources to control the message we want to send about the Foxborough school system.
• C. Rongione: "We think we could be doing a better job at managing that."
• B. Gardner sated: "I think what the Committee would enjoy getting from your workgroup would be a recommendation on what data to focus on."
• B. Gardner stated: " I don’t know if it is a lack of reliable data or too much data. And I think both the issues we are talking about right now go hand in hand. I think if we narrow the data and said these are the elements we are going to focus on consistently… [To Ms. Rongione] …If your Committee came to us with the recommendations that these are probably the five or six key elements… then I think we get more consistent in our messaging."
• B. Gardner stated: "So to me, it is marketing… but with the endpoint of the best educational system we could have."

How does Mr. Gardner propose to "narrow the data"? What data is Mr. Gardner willing to eliminate? Why? How does he determine which data to remove from consideration or from the public’s view?

Why would the consulting group be in a better position to recommend data sources for an educational strategic plan when the educational experts are already working for the School District 12 months during the year?

And finally, is the consulting group’s expertise perhaps better described as organizational growth rather than academic achievement?

The video of the discussion is available at the Foxboro Cable Access web site.

The culture created by the Committee where they do not own up to their statements has created a lack of trust in the public and the perception of blemishes being covered. As houses that needed to be painted, it is not enough to simply put paint on top of old rot. The rot needs to be exposed, removed, repaired and then the paint becomes a good investment.

Respectfully,

Andres Navedo

Deborah Navedo

Foxboro Education Organization

Dear Friends of the Foxborough Public Schools,

Tomorrow’s School Committee meeting is to be held at the typical time and place, 7:00 p.m. at the High School Media Center.

The agenda follows.

Respectfully,

Postmaster

Foxboro Education Organization

Dear Friends of the Foxborough Public Schools,

Please note the following change. The School Committee will hold its meeting at the

Ahern Middle School Media Center (111 Mechanic Street).

The agenda for the School Committee meeting for Monday, August 30, follows.

Location

Please note the change in venue for tomorrow’s meeting. It will be held at the Ahern Middle School Media Center. We do not know if the School Committee has made arrangements for Foxboro Cable Access (FCA) to bring this meeting to the public.

The School Committee has changed the level of detail included in its minutes. Under the leadership of the past two Chairs, the minutes have become cursory and superficial. The stated reasons for this change in the minutes has included the availability of the recorded video provided by FCA.

The FCA web site indicates "FCA will provide live coverage of this meeting, including the normal replays on the Educational Channel 12/37."

Repair Project Update

Recent news about the status of repairs at Foxborough High School has included statements from Superintendent Martes:

"School superintendent Christopher Martes said all Foxboro Public Schools will open Sept. 7 as scheduled.

Martes said callers to the school department have expressed concerns that Foxboro High School, which is undergoing a major repair, may need to open up to two weeks late, a rumor he says is untrue."

Given this Committee meeting is being held at the Ahern, rather the customary location at Foxborough High School, one might assume that not all parts of the High School are ready for occupancy. Will all sections of the High School be ready to receive students as scheduled? Will any sections be able to receive students but fall short of fulfilling the educational purpose for which they were designed?

(See: Mortimer, F. FHS rumor untrue. The Foxboro Reporter. August 19, 2010.) 

"Strategic Planning" Update

We notice that Ms. Cathy Rongione is not included as a presenter. She had come before the Committee to describe the strategic planning work in April, May, and June. During her June 21 presentation Ms. Rongione described the next steps in the strategic planning process as identifying the key issues and implications followed by creating goals and strategies.

Ms. Rongione also spoke about meeting with Dr. Martes, Ms. Spinelli, and a parent from the Taylor School with expertise in communication and would be helping the group. The help would be to develop:

"The communication piece… So, the sound bites, the marketing piece, all of that. We had a great conversation with him about how we might frame that up and enlist his support in doing that."
(See FCA video of the June 21, meeting at 1:48:30.)

Originally the strategic planning initiative was presented as an opening for program assessment, improvement, and growth. This was introduced as a SWOT analysis.

However, as seen above from Ms. Rongione’s words to the Committee, the most recent conversations seem to be centered around "sound bites" and "marketing."

So, is the School District’s emphasis in the strategic planning activity shifting from improving the quality of education in our schools to improving image and perception of their public image?

Bullying

As reported in the news"

"Important as the stats and bucks and buildings are, school leaders enter the fall term focused on some grim challenges, notably bullying and underage drinking.

A community task force on bullying and harassment, formed last spring as the local and national debate on respect intensified, has drawn more than 30 members.

The members, who have been meeting in topic subgroups, will convene as a whole in September and work on bullying policy, reporting procedures, data gathering, and professional development for all academic and support staff."
(Mortimer, F. Foxboro Schools opening without layoffs. The Foxboro Reporter. August 12, 2010.)

We also learned:

“State education officials released the guidelines to help school officials across the state decide how to best address bullying in their districts.”
(Moran. Mass. officials set anti-bullying guidelines. The Boston Globe. August 24, 2010.)

Other Matters

We noted that the meeting section previously named "Other Matters," is currently named "Other Matters for Consideration by the School Committee."

It remains to be seen if this represents a more disciplined approach to this part of the meeting from the usual platitudes or hidden surprises.

Respectfully,

Deborah Navedo,
Andres Navedo

Dear Friends of the Foxborough Public Schools,

A Special Meeting of the School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, July 22. The meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. at the Chapel Meeting House in the Cocasset River Recreation Area. The address is 68 Mill Street, in Foxborough. The REVISED Agenda follows.

Respectfully,

Deborah Navedo,

Andres Navedo

Dear Friends of the Foxborough Public Schools,

The agenda for the School Committee meeting for Monday, June 21, follows.

FACES

The beginning of the School Committee agenda is dedicated to recognition of retirees and student achievement. All of those who have dedicated portions of their lives in service of improving the maturation of our youth in Foxborough and beyond are gratefully acknowledged.

As a tag-on to the celebrations, we see that a raffle for a non-school sponsored activity has been inserted onto the School Committee agenda. This may be a slippery slope that just got worse.

A similar raffle was also televised during the School Committee time slot two years ago, but was NOT part of the School Committee agenda or meeting. This begs a few questions:

• What is the relationship of the raffle with formal School Committee work?
• Why is School Committee meeting time being used for showcasing a private organization whose directors are immediate family of Committee members?
• Why are School Committee personnel being used for fund raising by a private organization?
• Is this an official function of the School Committee?
• Will the School Committee offer similar broadcast time to other private organizations who wish to raise funds that benefit the schools?
• What other school resources have been shared with this private organization?
• Is co-mingling of resources a common practice in Foxborough?
• Is co-mingling of resources an ethical practice?

On June 16, 2008, according to the minutes of the School Committee:

“Dr. Martes thanked Mr. Jerry Roy for all his work on the tickets [ for FACES ],”
(Foxborough School Committee. (2008, June 16). Minutes of the Regular Meeting.)

Three days later, the local press announced that:

"Nextgen [ Printing ], the company for whom local selectwoman Linda Walsh works, donated the printing of the tickets and the gala book. Many others, according to Judee Harrington who chairs the Foundation’s board, donated individual items to the auction,”
(Malm, E. Krafts step up for local schools; New foundation raises $135,000 at stadium gala. The Foxboro Reporter. June 19, 2008.)

According to the August 25, 2008 School Committee meeting minutes, a president of a non-profit came before the Committee to announce a raffle drawing at 7:00 p.m. before the next meeting and therefore, the meeting of September 8, 2008, would start at 7:05 p.m. (See video at 2 min. 45 secs.).

• Has such fund raising publicity been offered to others?
• What selection criteria will be applied if the Committee receives more requests than they would like to honor?
• Is this truly the work of the School Committee, or is this political in nature?

Is the infusion of politics into the public service work of elected committees what we want in Foxborough? A reasonable person might think it would distract from the Committee’s assigned (and accepted) tasks.

On February 22, 2010, Ms. Diana [ Slattery ] Griffin, daughter and "immediate family" of then School Committee chair, Ms. Martha Slattery, spoke during the Visitors section of the School Committee meeting. As member of the Board of Directors of FACES, Ms. Griffin had prepared remarks that stated:

“Every member of [ the FACES ] board will have tickets to sell as well as each of the 5 schools (principal’s office). Wendy Wills at the Administration Building will also have tickets to sell… We will draw the winning ticket at Founders Day in June.”

We are concerned about school resources and personnel being dedicated to fundraising for private organizations, perhaps at the expense of prompt and thorough completion of matters of higher priority.

Furthermore, such insertions of fund raising activities into the formal agenda of our meetings is concerning. Would it be appropriate for the selectmen to allow such a raffle drawing during their meeting? Why is it permissible for the School Committee to sponsor a private organization’s fundraising?

There are many questions that arise from this progression of events. We hope that the district administration and the Committee will discuss these concerns openly, resolve the questions of co-mingled school resources, and stop the unchecked boundary degeneration and resource drain from our schools.

Caring School Communities

” Caring School Community ™ (CSC) is a modified version of a program formerly known as the Child Development Project . The Caring School Community ™ program has been recently revised to eliminate some elements of the Child Development Project that were shown in evaluation studies to be inconsistently or poorly implemented. CSC is a multiyear school improvement program that involves all students in grades K–6. The program aims to promote core values, prosocial behavior, and a schoolwide feeling of community. The program consists of four elements originally developed for the Child Development Project: class meeting lessons, cross-age "buddies" programs, "homeside" activities, and schoolwide community. Class lessons provide teachers and students with a forum to get to know one another, discuss issues, identify and solve problems collaboratively, and make a range of decisions that affect classroom life.”
(Retrieved June 20, 2010, from U.S. Department of Education’s, Institute of Education Sciences website: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/reports/character_education/csc/)

Bullying

Under the leadership of Dr. Martes and Ms. Spinelli, the Bullying & Harassment Task Force was formed. Community members interested in participating in the process of solving this issue are encouraged to contact the Superintendent’s Office.

The Boston Globe published an article today that presened a specific case of bullying “in one of the affluent suburbs west of Boston.” It is entitled The agony of a girl who just wanted to fit in.

We bring this article to the attention of our readers to facilitate future discussions. Sometimes it is helpful to have well documented cases that trigger fewer emotions and defenses compared to local examples.

Strategic Planning & Superintendent Evaluation Process

If we recall from last month,

“School officials Monday urged forming a strategic plan that will also serve as a marketing plan for the district’s attractions,”
(Mortimer, F. Schools want to spread the good news. The Foxboro Reporter. May 20, 2010.)

Then, we can reasonably expect how the discussion of these topics will evolve.

Respectfully,

Deborah Navedo,

Andres Navedo

Foxboro Education Organization