The Springfield School Board met tonight for the first time since the school budget was voted down last week. Many of the nearly two dozen residents attending spoke before the Board and had plenty to say.
Superintendent of Schools Frank Perotti said his office has already received many applications for the position of Elm Hill School including a few local applicants. He said they will only consider those who have had the right experience for the job.
There was a discussion about Park Street school. It was pointed out that the wording on the ballot two years ago which the voters approved said only that it be closed as a school, not totally closed down. The school district's administrative offices are still there. Someone asked for the yearly cost now of heating and maintaining the building. Finance director Steven Hier said he hadn't anticipated that question would come up and didn't have the figures with him and couldn't recall offhand.
Next, the Park Street School committee was re-organized with 13 members named to it, many of whom were present.
Puggy Lamphere spoke on behalf of the budget committee. He expressed how surprised he was that the budget was voted down last week. He thought they had done such a good job trimming it down and wasn't looking forward to making further cuts.
The next issue on the table was the small seclusion rooms for confining unruly students. Several parents and one grandmother detailed experiences of their children being put into one. One mother stated her son was put in one simply because he wouldn't stop tapping his pencil in class. Board member Jeanice Garfield said, "As an early childhood educator, I flipped when I heard about these rooms." She was asked when she found out. It was not until January or February of this year she answered. Perotti said the rooms have not been used for discipline and/or punishment since early February and there is now a moratorium in place on such use.
Throughout the long discussion, Board member Ken Vandenburgh repeatedly called for the doors on these rooms to be removed to make sure they aren't used for confinement again. Finally at the end of the discussion a motion was passed. It was clarified that the purpose of putting a child in the room wasn't supposed to be for punishment, it was only to be used when a child was in such a state that there was a risk of the child doing harm to himself and others.
Activists seek to curtail restraint of students
Tens of thousands of students, most of them disabled, are strapped down or physically restrained in school, and disability advocates hope that a new Education Department report detailing the practice of “seclusion and restraint” will spur federal action to end it. Read article...
Monday, March 12, 2012
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While it proved to be a very long meeting, I was very encouraged by how many people attended and the progress that was made. The school board was clearly receptive to the issues raised regarding Elm Hill School and took decisive, prompt action to address it, while it is further investigated.
ReplyDeleteI fervently hope that we can keep making progress on issues that need to be addressed in the schools as we did tonight.
I also hope that as these concerns get addressed, voters will be more supportive of the school budget so we can avoid any further cuts to teachers and programs.
Lets have our cake, and eat it too. Keep pushing for policy changes where needed AND support the school budget when it comes up for a vote again.
Ethan - I completely agreed with you last night as you had said a major part of the vote down was a trust issue that parents have with the school board. You also spoke prepared with facts that they could not dispute, and that many parents and taxpayers did not know.
DeleteThey were DECEPTIVE for the past year or so about these "rooms" and suddenly RECEPTIVE last night as more parents opened up and confronted them. They have turned a blind eye to almost ALL issues related to our kids, but now, as they would say, "In the eleventh hour" are terrified that their budget won't pass, and will do anything needed to not cut more and get this budget passed.
True, in reading, our district is above the state standard of 43%, at 51%, but that means that there are 49% that are NOT proficient in reading!! We should be at 100%!! Those of you that were there or watched it on SAPA heard the percentages for science and math and should be as disgusted as I am.
I am one of those voters that normally would have voted YES, it's for our kids, it's the future of our town, it's what they need...this time, I voted NO. With the LACK of skills, the LACK of support, the LACK of addressing major issues that are happening in our schools, I'd like to know WHERE this money is actually going as it's not going anywhere that is making any difference in the students schooling.
Good job Ethan, keep up the good work!
DeleteI watched on SAPA and thought you spoke ver well and were well prepared. Kudos!
DeleteWell done Ethan, the rising generation may yet save Springfield. Keep up the good work!
DeleteEthan, money and faculty size are not the answer to Springfield's school woes. Our property taxes are already about the highest in the state. Those on fixed incomes are forced to leave in droves. Vermont was recently rated the 4th worst state to retire. Young, professional families refuse to buy homes here because of our schools and inability to grow equity. Net effect, property values plummet, neighborhoods deteriorate, the cock roaches move in, and the town dies.
ReplyDeleteIt's all very simple Ethan. Successful young families, entrepreneurs, skilled jobs, good schools and an advantageous cost of living with the prosperity that follows are necessary for a community to thrive. Springfield now lacks all those elements. Raising the budget further solves NOTHING.
You are really smart.
DeleteI will vote for you as my next selectman.
Anyone who thinks the solution is "very simple" is simply an idiot. Everyone knows what's needed- it's getting there that's the problem. All you do is babble about problems and NEVER offer any realistic plans on how to actually get there. Not sure how you think constantly voting down school budgets will improve the schools or the town's image. Grow up. Your picture apparently reflects your level of maturity and intelligence.
DeleteThere is NO simple solution. There are several issues the school district must address if they ever hope to get the support of the community. Administration remains a big issue; trust in the actions of the board continues to go down; financial accountability and responsibility are big issues; what to do with vacant district buildings? The list goes on and on. One person pointed out at the meeting last night that the district has gone downhill in the last few years; nobody seems to offer an answer about why that situation exists. Constant administrative changes at all of the schools might offer some insight. It's typical that when the top management changes, many things within the structure changes as well. Nobody knows what's happening from one day to the next; the district remains in a constant state of transition and nothing is accomplished. Is it any wonder the test scores are dropping? Is it any wonder that long-time teachers are moving on? With improper management, how can the district survive? No amount of money poured into it can make a difference as long as irresponsible individuals remain at the top.
DeleteMachine Town Financier, actually you are wrong about the cost of living being important to growth, most of the thriving areas have relatively high costs of living. What is critical to the creation of jobs is the connection of the community to one or more post-secondary education institutions, quality schools, interesting downtowns, and a general positive can do attitude in the community. The last thing you should do is defeat school budgets. If your approach was sound, then the deep South would be thriving...it isn't except for a few areas colonized by Yankees. Whether Vermont is or is not a good State to retire in, is somewhat irrelevant. We have an abundance of retirees in Springfield, what we lack are the young spirited 20 somethings.
DeleteVermont has a tax cap for lower income families. They are not the ones that pay more when school budgets are properly funded. Also the majority of low-income family units in the Springfield area are renters and renters do not pay property tax.
DeleteI do not get reduced taxes on my primary home or on another I own in town. It is true renters do NOT pay taxes on where they live, but the landlords do, and are taxed at the regular resident rate.
DeleteVermont also has a uniform Statewide tax rate on commercial real estate so the school budget vote has zero impact on business real estate, but let's not confuse the anti-tax crowd with facts.
DeleteThat I did not know, as I don't own commercial property. Thanks for the info!!
DeleteAethelred the Unready, does that uniform rate apply to rental property as well?
DeleteHey Tetherhead the Unsteady, a school budget should theoretically have no impact on business real estate, but as in most cases, reality trumps theory yet again in Springfield.
DeleteData for 2010 shows that the effective tax rate for Springfield's nonresidential real estate was 2.55%, the HIGHEST IN VERMONT!
Once again, you're speaking out of your...
No, Anonymous, the tax rate on business real estate is a level uniform tax rate across the State. The tax that takes the hit is the one that is allowed to fluctuate which is the tax on primary residence unless the owner falls under the income tax caps. Cite your data please.
DeleteThe Board KNEW the Park St School numbers would be asked for, but they did not come prepared. Nice job.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteYeah, how out of touch are they? I can't believe they thought that would not be asked about!
DeleteWell since it is clear that the blog administrator leans for the school by continuously removing posts that had absolutely nothing wrong with them except he must not have liked the topic. So here ya go ED I will continue to repost in order to allow the voters something else to think about! Either you want comments or do not open it up for "selective" comments that are in accordance to your views! Guess I have to start my own blog and post the address on here for the residents who want to speak and vent their opinions!
DeleteJust copy the blog off and then the comments are saved.
DeleteThe admin of this blog has every right to moderate the comments. I figure if the comments are civilized and do not degrade others, you will not have to worry about having comments removed.
DeleteA brand new school was built from the bottom up (elm hill) The entire board including Janice AND FRANK saw, looked at and approved the architectural specs and drawings. After the school was built, nevermind during construction, they ALL toured the building stem to stern and THIS YEAR was the first they heard or knew about these rooms? I am sorry the confidence is gone for me and for many others, that leaves one option to renew my faith. Then and only then will I vote for yes for a budget. Let's not forget the staff members comment about the doors come down until the pressure is off then they always go back up!
DeleteThe School Board meeting was an excellent demonstration of our local government and citizens working to make Springfield's school system better and safer. Many persons voiced their concerns about student safety, and the School Board listened and took immediate action.
ReplyDeleteIt was very encouraging to hear articulate young persons and business owners speak about Springfield's school budget. They were focused on improving the quality of education in Springfield, and were not intent on cutting programs and teaching staff.
The quality of teaching in a school system is dependent upon the quality of teachers employed, the number of teachers employed, and is also intrinsically linked to a student's home environment.
By the time a child reaches the age of two, he has learned to walk, talk, and manipulate adults. Why should a child stop manipulating adults just when he goes to school? Imagine the challenge primary school teachers face when tasked with civilizing, as well as teaching, children who believe the world is centered on their whims, children who have watched endless television and video films in which violence is portrayed as the best way to achieve power and control over others. Not only have many been raised on the pornography of violence, their attention spans have been shortened by Hollywood until they can't pay attention to lessons.
While the safety of students must be the paramount concern of parents and teachers, the school administration must also focus on the need for teachers to be safe as well. While teachers are trained to use the least amount of physical force in dealing with violent children, teachers are often the victims of rage filled very violent children, who give no thought to the safety of others, either other students or teachers. Often children are on medications which make them very physically strong. They are quite capable of physically injuring other children and teachers, as they throw objects and furniture, kick, strike, spit at, and trip others, and do their best to intimidate teachers into letting them take control of classrooms.
Some of our teachers and paras, when pregnant, have been kicked and struck in their abdomens. Should we not be as concerned about the unborn children of our school staff as we are of children attending school? This is an issue that needs to be adressed immediately.
What is the purpose of allowing disruptive children to distract other students from learning? Students who are unable or unwilling to focus on lessons, and are intent on disrupting a classroom, should be sent to the "planning room". They should not be put into padded rooms. Parents should not just receive a written report, they should receive a phone call immediately from planning room staff instructing them to come to the school and meet with the child and the planning room staff. The second time the child is sent to the planning room, the parent should be called immediately to remove the child and take him home. If a parent is unable to come to the school, a police officer should be called. The third time the child is sent to the planning room, the parent should be called to remove the child, and Vermont's Child Protective Services should be notified to investigate the child's home environment. The child should not return to school until it has been determined he is not a danger to other students, teaching staff, or the learning environment of his former classroom. If he cannot be returned to a normal classroom, he should be sent to Gateway.
The "moratorium" was placed on using the isolation rooms for "discipline and/or punishment" by the board at last night's meeting, NOT by the superintendent in "early February" as reported.
ReplyDeleteNo Annonymous, you didn't listen. They already were banned from using seclusion, the board was just reinforcing the ban last night.
DeleteOh Alpin, you keep spoiling all the fun. Its much more fun to castigate the Superintendent, especially when he probably cannot talk about any disciplinary proceedings that hit the fan back then. Still I think they should institute pie throwing and sell popcorn at the meetings!
DeleteI'm in for the pie throwing!!!
DeleteTo be honest, how could anyone really listen last night? I lost count of how many times board members and others were asked to speak up since anyone beyond the third row could not hear anything they said. Maybe I'll start watching the meetings on SAPA - at least maybe I'll hear everything then. All I know is last night at the meeting is the first time I've heard anything about a "moratorium" on the use of those rooms. As short a time ago as last week I heard a parent complaining that her child (kindergarten) had been "locked down" because she didn't cooperate - no more details than that when she inquired after the child came home to tell her (nothing from the school on the day it happened). So, maybe the rooms are used differently? Who knows really?
DeleteI agree that it was not easy to hear last night. Just because a person did not hear about a moratorium, doesn't mean that the moratorium didn't occur. But, it was very clear at the meeting that the motion adopted last night was intended to reinforce an already existing policy, until such time as the policy could be re-examined in detail. That was said several times at volumes that everyone could hear. They do need, however, to do something about the ability for everyone to hear.
DeleteThe way I understood it was that the reinforcement was for zero tolerance for notification of parents - something that has been part of the discipline policy from the beginning as I understand it. I also heard board members say it was important to examine the policy - not sure if it was general discipline policy or the restraint policy, but probably both should be looked at. I agree - a PA system would be beneficial to people attending meetings. Or more people watch meetings on SAPA and devise some kind of live feed or phone line where questions can be asked of the board - they've done that in the past when a board member was unable to attend a meeting due to health reasons and they did it when they were looking for public input for the bond issue I believe.
DeleteRe: Puggy Lamphere spoke on behalf of the budget committee. He expressed how surprised he was that the budget was voted down last week. He thought they had done such a good job trimming it down and wasn't looking forward to making further cuts.
ReplyDeleteHere is yet another example of how those who have long been part of the problem continue to drag Springfield down the rat hole. For years guy's like this have been on the town's payroll and spending the town's money with reckless abandon on their little fiefdoms. They've never seen a town or school budget that they really think needs trimming, because they feather their nests off the backs of taxpayers. It's time to push them out of their comfy nests and replace them with with more objective citizens who will conduct a "deep dive" into the budget content and ask the tough questions that will expose the waste and restore affordabiity.
This is a cheap shot at a person who has devoted hours and hours of unpaid time to this Town and the school system.
DeleteGeesh, is there anything Puggy isn't an expert on? Isn't our $600K parade vehicle his doing?
ReplyDeleteAmen to the proposal for fresh blood and objective thinking. We need a critical budget review to ferret out all waste and review non essential services. As mentioned by CC and others, our school system is not a social service agency. If a child is unmanageable, remove them and allow others to learn.
As for those posting who's children were housed in protective rooms. May want to rethink admitting you're such a poor parent that your child is already a burden to the community. Capiche?
I take issue with the "poor parent" statement. Children respond to the perception of what they experience. One day my child was placed in a wooden cubbie as a method of removing distractions so she could concentrate. Her perception was that she had been placed in "a box" and she was terrified to go to school the next day. I agree that disruptive and dangerous children need to be removed from the classroom to deescalate and for the safety of other children if they become violent, but isn't that why planning room staff is supposed to be trained in handling those situations with minimal restraint? Is it really acceptable for a child to be locked up in a padded room as a means of discipline? Sorry, but I don't think so...D
DeleteThe $600K Parade Vehicle you refer to was not Puggy's purchase.
DeleteI also didn't know that tapping a pencil, repeatedly at age 7, made a child a burden to the community.
Anonymous, you are apparently unaware of the Federal and State mandates which require mainstreaming of children who have disabilities. Schools are in fact not merely schools but also social service agencies. It is one of the reasons why it is so unfair to compare schools now with schools forty years ago. Defeating school budgets is not the answer to the problems being debated, it is part of the problem
DeleteIf I could make one change in this forum, I would block all comments that are posted by persons not brave enough to sign their names. "Anonymous" is used to post libelous attacks and unfounded rumors.
ReplyDeleteIf a writer has a valid, substantiated point to make, the writer should say who he or she is. This is required at School Board meetings, and many persons who were frightened to speak in public, including women who were literally shaking, announced who they were and ably made their points.
At previous SB meeting, many employees of the Springfield School System spoke truth to power, and also "spoke" at the voting booth.
Anyone who hides behind the name "Anonymous" to commit character assassination should be aware that their comments are not viewed with respect.
As a former official in UE Local 218, I admired union members that openly criticized the union and its officials. One particular gadfly, a very bright individual, was virtually forced by the membership into becoming a chief steward. How his tune changed when he held an office!
I was a landlord in Springfield for 34 years, and have only the highest regard for Puggy Lamphere. Fire services should be measured largely by fires prevented and lives saved. Puggy was always civil and firm in enforcing fire codes, and he was most helpful in making certain every reasonable precaution was taken to prevent fire losses and injuries. When my son broke his leg, there was Puggy in Springfield Hospital, visiting my child and making him smile. When I hear anyone attack Puggy Lamphere, especially his past service and continuing service to citizens of Springfield, I would like to know who he/she is. I would like to compare the public service Anonymous provided to the public service Puggy provided. Anonymous must have outstanding abilities. He should stand up and run for office, or be silent. Of course, he could avoid that by simply signing his name to his comments.
Christopher - I would be happy to post with some kind of nickname, but the blog will not allow me to do so - every time I try I get my whole comment kicked off - the only thing that works is Anon, sorry...D
DeleteOh please, not another manifesto from the unarenter!
DeleteUh oh, another "union official" with too much time on their hands - particularly so since they succeeded in killing all the geese (shops) that used to lay the golden eggs for Springfield!
DeleteUnions did not kill off the mills in Springfield.
DeleteOf course not. Unions good. Companies bad. Unions' motives pure. Companies' motives evil. Yada yada yada. The unions certainly didn't help! That's why the shops were displaced to Right to Work states and "union officials" here in Springfield were left holding an empty bag with no one to listen to their blather any more...
DeleteI agree and I also take issue. Here is what happens and I speak from personal experience. When the school is backed against a wall by a parent, they then make a concerted effort to turn your child into a behavior issue. Never mind there never being a problem before, but when you call them out, and I have seen this, they then "fabricate" excuses why the child is now a problem. That is the truth of the matter and I readily can document that.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree and personally am sick of all the Lip Service from Frank Perotti, he never has a straight answer, avoids issues at all costs or until its too late. That being said it is too late for him to earn any trust back from this community. Our children deserve a safe environment to learn in!! We as a community, parents/grandparents and alike need to know we have an HONEST, TRUSTWORTHY and PROACTIVE Board of Directors....We have anything but that now!!
DeleteSo i want to comment on this article attached to this post. Yet again we see a school board member stating that "As an early childhood educator, I flipped when I heard about these rooms." (censored) was asked when (censored) found out. It was not until January or February of this year.
DeleteNow I hate to point out the obvious but that board member is in the schools ALL the time. As a board member they also voted and approved the architectural plans for Elm Hill school which was built from the ground up. After both schools were finished the board members all toured the schools stem to stern. Do you mean to tell me that this certain board member NEVER noticed these isolation rooms? That is a load of baloney. I dont buy it at all and it was an obvious attempt to claim ignorance however that does not fly with the community. OWN IT! To package all that up and wrap a bow of deception around it...guess what it still stinks and it still is a load of bull wrapped up nice and pretty and the community should recognize it as such!
I suspect this is the reason the Elm Hill principal left after six weeks. Timing curiously coordinates.
DeleteRe: Throughout the long discussion, Board member Ken Vandenburgh repeatedly called for the doors on these rooms to be removed to make sure they aren't used for confinement again.
ReplyDeleteSo, essentially, the School Board has lost faith in both the superintendent's abiity to impose the moratorium on the use of those rooms AND the faculty's ability to comply with the superintendent's directives. In other words, the board has admitted that the school system is out of control.
And instead of firing the superintendent for this debacle, the board is just going to start removing doors from the school buildings. Earth to the board, you're going to have to remove a lot more doors if you keep Perotti, and with each additional door removed, you're probably not going to like what you find!
Given the fact that the School Board and the Superintendent were probably not legally free to discuss the disciplinary hearings that were held, and the fact that the board already had a policy against using seclusion as it was described at the meeting -- about the only affirmative act left for the school board to do was to order some kind of symbolic act in the form of having the doors ordered removed in order to stop the rumor mill that was going on.
DeleteAlpin, I disagree they could have instituted a pie throwing competition, and sold popcorn in the back!
DeleteI want to know what disciplanary actions have been taken against the staff member(s) who have inappropriately used these rooms. It's very concerning that these staff might still be interacting with our children whether in a seclusion room or in a regular class setting.
DeleteAnonymous, normally the administrator and the board are barred from making disclosure of that information.
DeleteActually Alpin this goes to your orginal post to this thread. The board only just updated and approved the seclusion policy. The only option they had was to terminate the individual who initiated whatever abuse however I am doubtful that was done. The problem is this. Not only could those families sue the district for abuse they could also throw in a charge of unlawful restraint. Those types of charges have the potential of costing the district millions and THAT is the kind of issue that I think each person against the budget is having issues with. I dont think we have a problem paying teachers we have a problem paying for a superintendant whose staff is out of control and unaware of state and federal laws and that has the potential of costing us all millions of dollars.
DeleteI wouldn't want to speculate on what did or did not happen, when or why, and I don't think that this is something that should necessarily be dealt with in a public forum. I do believe the School Board has gotten the message.
DeleteThis has been going on for years. Our children have been bullyed by these people who state, They are there to support our kids and parents. My son has been bullyed by the school staff.and grade changed and has cost me to bye credit recovery packets at 139.00 .My child and seveal others are on 504's and 157 plains and can not get the help they need. Parents are told bye the school that they do help the kids and the kids refuse the help so there for they dont need to be on the plans anymore. When the parents ask what they can do to help to keep there kids on these plains. There told there is nothing they can do. Alot of parents dont know there rights and there is plenty a parent can do. These kids are being forced to drop out of school ,Cause they cant do the work with out there plans.Some of these kids Quit and go to the Adult learning center and get there credits and then they can walk with there class. Thats sad. That The school is getting away with this. So there is no way I would vote the new budgit . Get some staff in there to educate these kids and gave them there right. Alot of these kids cant even read or do math. Thats so sad
DeletePlease, I beg the district, no more cuts to the spelling and grammar programs.
DeleteY, do thay spell rong or sumething?
DeleteI'm the mother of the child that was tapping the pencil. First I'd like to tell you a little about my son Devin. He is six years old in first grade and was five years old in kindergarten when this incident took place. I was at work at the time, I received a phone call from the office staff saying I needed to come get Devin because he was climbing in the window sills and being unsafe. I found this information very confusing since this is not normal behavior from my son. From there I had called my mother to go get him since I was so far away and could not. Once she got there she asked the staff to explain what had happened. Devin had been disrupting his class by tapping his pencil repeatedly on his desk. From there he was removed to the "Cares Room" (which I agree if he's being distracting he needs to be removed until he's ready to focus and listen), once in the "Cares Room", he was sat in a chair facing the wall and told to set still and be quiet!! A 5 year old with ADHD!! Not once did they try to talk to him about the choices he made and the way he should of handled it, which is what we do at home and is all Devin usually needs to get him back on track. Instead they put him in a chair facing a wall and tell him he needs to sit still and be quiet?!! Well Devin continued fidgeting and tapping his foot against the wall. The woman that was in the room at the time then put her hands on the side of my sons head and walked him to the padded room with a curtain over the window and locked him in the dark room. That's when Devin became unsafe. Devin like most children, is extremely afraid of the dark and hates being in any room with the door shut. He then became very distraught took off his shoes and started throwing them against the door, he then climbed up in the window sill and started banging on the window trying to get out, screaming, and crying. The woman then opened the door and Devin threw his shoe at her and ran out tripped over a bean bag and hit his head. He then repeatedly hit his head saying he was stupid. Please tell me how putting him in seclusion without any form of de-escualtion helped this situation?! Devin was NEVER a danger to himself or others until he was traumatized by being locked in a small dark room!! For the next few weeks it was very difficult to get Devin to go to school. How do you reassure you're 5 yr old son that he is safe at school and nothing like that will ever happen again?! This was over a year ago and FINALLY the doors are coming off and changes are being made. I was told last year the doors were coming off and these changes were being made... now a year later the administration is acting like this is a new issue and they are just learning of it?! Im sick of the lies and excuses!! This should not still be an issue it should of been dealt with last year when I was told it was being dealt with.
ReplyDeleteSo excuse me if I have a hard time trusting that now things are going to change. I've been a Springfield resident my whole life and my family has been here for many many generations. I remember before my son started school his father wanted him to go to Weathersfield but I insisted he go to Springfield instead. Now I feel I have made the wrong choice and I am strongly considering moving to another school district next year. Devin was diagnosed with ADHD w/ OCD before he entered kindergarten. I have tried since then to get my son on a 504 so he would have the care and attention he needs to get the most out of his education and so he is not distracting other students and putting more stress on his teacher. I have been told severval times that there is not enough money in the budget and I have been given several excuses as to why I need to wait. Thankfully, Devin's teacher Christina Perkins has done an amazing job, even with the lack of support she has had through the school system. I strongly believe if it was not for Christina Perkins my son would never want to go to school. He has had a very hard time since this incident. Devin is a very happy, caring, intelligent, creative child and it breaks my heart what this incident has done to my little boy. I have worked with children with special needs for the past 14 years and have had extensive training in ABA (Behavioral Intervention). Last year I asked why techniques such as de-esculation were not being used and they assured me that normally they are and that their staff are trained for such situations. I have yet again been lied to. As parents we feel the need to protect our children and will do whatever it takes. A parent shouldn't have to worry about their child being abused and/or traumatized at school! It amazes me that this has gone this far with little change. The issues with the "time-out" room is not something new that started jan/feb of this year, this is an issue that has been ongoing for atleast a year!! Never have I thought such things would happen here, but sadly I have been proven wrong. As for the letter sent home today from Dr. Frank Perotti, yes maybe the most recent incident was investigated, but I was told last summer Devin's incident was being investigated and have yet to hear anything about it! I'm done with the excuses and I'm done with the lies!! I believe it is time to take the next step. I will do whatever it takes to make sure this does not happen again to my child or anyone elses. It is time for us as a community to become aware of these issues and make sure the administration follows through with what they say this time!! No more lies and no more excuses! These are our children and our future, they deserve the very best education we can give them, in a SAFE, NON-THREATENING Environment!! If anyone would like to help form or be part of a Concerned Parents Group, Please contact me at (802)591-0885 or via email at StaceyT_3@hotmail.com. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Stacey-Lin Tufts
ReplyDeleteRecieved a call from Frank Peroti and he said this was not true and nor would this ever happen. Well I believe Devin. Because my child went throw so much at the elementary school. When I complained, My child was made out to be a bad kid. Its funny how all these kids are wrong and the stuff is always right.
DeleteI know Devin and I can't imagine that there was not an alternative way to handle this situation. Not only is the room alone a serious issue but the "teacher" that put him there clearly does not have the proper training to work with children. Do the people working with these kids have degrees or extensive training/experience to work with them or are they hiring people off the street with no skills in helping these children become the leaders of the future? I also work with children with special needs along with Stacey and the behavior we have dealt with is far beyond tapping a pencil or kicking a wall and never has locking them in a room been an option to solving the problem! And never would it be! I am positive that I would be fired immediately if I ever did this to someones child. To simply say that ppl toured the school and there is no such room doesn't meant it doesn't exist....this room could of been originally a closet for all we know! Don't be so simple minded people and acknowledge the serious problem we have here. If you can't read Stacey's story and not understand the problem then I pray you don't have children. My stepdaughter goes there and I would never be ok with my child being "disciplined" in this manner. I guess I am fortunate that she does not have special needs...it's sad that I have to feel that way. Devin is a wonderful, loving, funny, sweet child that is clearly not getting the education he sooooo deserves! Hang in there Stacey and don't give up! -SF
DeleteI really question a few things from the breif time I watched last night on SAPA.
ReplyDeleteFirst, Why do we NEED to remove the doors? I would think that the people in the "planning room" should be trained in deescalation. The child is sent to the room because they were acting out. If the teacher or "planning room aids" can't descalate said child so that they are safe and the child is safe then they need to "protect" everyone involved they should be placed in there as to not harm themselves or anyone else. This should only be used if a kid is being unsafe (throwing things, fighting with students or teachers physically or suicidal) once inside the room the teachers need to call the parents to come get the kid.
Once that phone call is made there should be a set time (say 5 minutes) for the child to calm down. After the set time if the child is not calm then another time should be set. If the child will not calm down wait until the parents come in and they can discuss what had happened (show video) so the parents can decide if they would like to bring the child home or wait until their child is calm enough. I only think this would be needed if there was a child that was being physically aggressive. Lets face it, there are teachers that are smaller then most of the kids and the liberal laws make it so the teachers cant even tell a kid to be quiet, let alone, defend themselves anymore.
Again, the room should only be used to keep everyone safe thats it, not for a punishment. Once someone goes into the room there should be a video made to CYA (cover your a..)
I hope that you get justice Stacey, I wish that they would have told us parents about these rooms however the lies just keep piling up! Park St school is still open, kids running away from Elm Street like they are in danger, etc....
I guess I would ask. Why are these kids being put in padded rooms in the first place. Myself as a parent. EVER locked my child up in a room like that. They would charge me with child abuse.
DeleteAlright, and exactly who is dealing with the kid who is trying to smash his hands and head to a bloody pulp while his classmates are evacuated to another room during the time all this discussion and video taping is going on?
DeleteUnready, exactly my point. My grandson goes to Riverside, I have had to pick him up a few times and I have seen the size of some of these kids. I wonder which teacher is going to stop one from hurting others if they actually started getting physical?
DeleteThe video I discussed would be in the planning room and running constantly. Once a child is sent to the planning room the video covers the teacher or kids rights. The video would be used in case of a he said, she said situation.
Case in point, when I was in school (Fred Flinstone was a classmate) there were two boys that had a fight, when the teacher tried to break them up, she tripped and fell on a kid and his arm broke. Although all the kids told the school that it was an accident she was still let go. Had there been video back then (or TV) she would have been covered.
Same idea, a kid is sent to the planning room and gets violent who is going to "control" the kid? You liberal parents that say "poor Johnny's fragile mind will be tarnished forever if you yell at him" would be up in arms if, God forbid, he had to be restrained to protect others.
I agree with what anon was saying about being charged with child abuse if we did that. Hence if you could prove that the child was dangerous or was going to physically harm you or themselve you might have a case if you restrained them in a room until help arrived.
I know my grandson is pretty strong and I would have a hard time restraining him if he ever got really upset. Thankfully my daughter and her husband actually dicipline him and he is a fairly good kid. She doesnt have to worry too much, she speaks, he listens.
Nicely written Stacey... i too as a parent cant say that this has been going on for way over a year! I am talking atleast 4 to 5 years! I do not agree with them either...like my son being placed in the "cloud room" while in 3rd grade to "work out" his anger...then because he was throwing a beach ball at the window he was told to Stop before he broke the window...a plexi glass window at that! He was then transfered to alternative placement for kicking the person who told him to stop!
ReplyDeleteThey play raquetball with beach balls now?
DeleteI wonder why the kid was acting out? Were his parents active in their lifes? Why would he throw a ball AT a window? Does he do that at home?
DeleteSince the Elm Hill school is unfenced and adjacent to deep woods, it is not surprising that a bear was seen on the Elm Hill School grounds last fall.
ReplyDeleteIn the discussion at the School Board meeting, it was reported that a child at Elm Hill School escaped and ran into the woods. In the reported instance, school staff did not prevent the child from escaping, and police were called to find the child and bring the child back.
Since most children are very quick runners, and most teachers are not, children escaping school buildings and running away will continue to be a problem. Now that snow has disappeared, any child determined to hide in the woods will have an easier time. Since a bear was seen last year on the Elm Hill School grounds, and bear are now leaving their dens in search of food, a small child hiding in the Elm Hill forest will be in serious danger. The woods contain other dangerous animals and present physical threats to small children as well.
For the above reasons I suggest a fence must be built to separate Elm Hill School from the woods, to prevent bears from wandering onto the grounds, and to prevent children from running into the woods. I also suggest the administration order Elm Hill staff to attempt to restrain students at Elm Hill School, should they make a break for the woods!
Can they put pads on the fence so children trying to run away do not hurt themselves when they try and run through the fence?
DeleteCould we give the kids survival training so they can take care of themselves in the woods. Personally, I think we should schedule a track and field day with the police vs teaching staff and see who is more capable of catching a running kid without having a heart attack. This could be a fund raising event where we can sell donuts. My dibs are on the teachers winning.
DeleteHaha, put a snickers bar in the kids pocket and the cops might have a chance! Nahh nevermind, they would't still.
DeleteI really liked the parking lot idea outside after the meeting to
ReplyDeleteDOUBLE THE BUDGET go for the GOLD just like the olympics 2012
I'd vote for it if Perotti was fired first.
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