Dear fellow Hanoverians:
\nLast night\u2019s Hanover School Committee (SC) meeting featured one of
\nthe largest turnouts in this writer’s memory. Teachers and parents
\nfilled the multi-purpose room of the new high school to standing-room
\nonly. Even given that the discussion surrounded the sobering subject
\nof the proposed budget cuts to the schools in the Town of Hanover, as
\none person said to me, and I am paraphrasing, \u201cregardless, these are
\ngood times\u201d. She was of course referring to the number of people in
\nthe room who were showing an interest in the education of Hanover\u2019s
\nchildren and the state of the budget in the Town of Hanover.
\nThe School Committee read a statement at the start of the budget
\ndiscussion that was both unusual for the town\u2019s normal course of
\nbusiness, but that also opened the door for what \u201cAround Town on the
\nWeb\u201d hopes will be continued supportive discussions between teachers
\nand parents and the School Committee regarding the current teacher
\ncontract negotiations and the town\u2019s overall budget.
\nThe statement read by chair Les Hayward essentially said that the
\nSchool Committee had offered the teachers a one year \u201cno step
\nraises\u201d and \u201cno cost of living increase\u201d contract that also
\nguaranteed no teacher layoffs. This contract was not accepted by the
\nteacher\u2019s union negotiating team. The teachers made a counter offer
\nfor a three year deal that was off the record, but according to the
\nSC, the teachers’ counter offer was not accepted by the SC\u2019s
\nnegotiating team because it was anticipated that by the SC’s
\ncalculations, in year 2 of that three-year deal, the pay raises would
\namount to approximately $650,000, and in year 3 of that deal the pay
\nraises would be in excess of $800,000. According to members of the SC
\nlast night, the town cannot afford those costs.
\nFurther, the School Committee was presented with four budget scenarios
\nby Dr. Nash that had various requests for potential new revenue from
\nthe town (the source of those funds was debated) and that proffered
\nundesired cuts to existing services provided today to Hanover\u2019s
\nstudents. All four budgets included the cost of step raises but no
\ncost of living increase. Members of the audience offered suggestions
\nand impassioned pleas for how to meet the gap between existing revenue
\nand anticipated costs.
\nSince \u201cAround Town on the Web\u201d tries to remain politically
\nneutral, I will refrain from subjective comment on the current state
\nof budget negotiations. Suffice it to say, however, that the open
\ndialog and well attended open meetings will surely move us forward
\ntoward Town Meeting in May with less smoke and fewer mirrors and more
\nhonest and frank discussions between everyone in town. Let\u2019s
\ncollectively make sure it continues to be in the best interests of our
\nchildren, the teachers who teach them, and the entire town of Hanover.<\/p>\n
For “Around Town on the Web”,
\nCathy H-B<\/p>\n
—
\n“Around Town on the Web” (“ATOTW”) is a community service that has been
\nprovided to self-selected residents of the Town of Hanover since the spring
\nof 2004.
\nFor submission guidelines and answers to frequently asked questions about
\n“ATOTW”, please go to http:\/\/www.atotw.com.
\nTo search for archived “ATOTW” news, view the archive.
\nIf you would like to be added to this distribution list, click here. Please
\nfollow the link in the response e-mail to validate your account. You will
\nnot receive “ATOTW” e-mails until you complete this step.
\nIf you would like to be removed from this distribution list, click here.<\/p>\n
—
\nPowered by PHPlist, www.phplist.com —<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dear fellow Hanoverians: Last night\u2019s Hanover School Committee (SC) meeting featured one of the largest turnouts in this writer’s memory. Teachers and parents filled the multi-purpose room of the new high school to standing-room only. Even given that the discussion … Continue reading