The Newton Public School department made this film providing a look at some of the problems inside Angier, Cabot and Zervas Elementary Schools.
Of course, the NPS is not an unbiased presenter of this information, given that these three schools stand to be the biggest beneficiaries of the March overrides. Are these a fair depiction of our schools? A government propaganda film? Or both? Take a look and share your thoughts.
We have two daughters who went through Angier 10 years ago, and that part of the clip understates the issues there. Did you know that when the school was built, they didn’t think to add hot water to the upper floors (I never checked the basement–where most of the bathroom space was, because it’s no longer used as a bathroom)?
Also, remember that the schools have a conflict in the other direction–they don’t want to drive away prospective families by exaggerating the problems.
All in all, I think this is a fair depiction.
I agree that the video doesn’t [perhaps can’t] capture the deplorable conditions at Cabot and Angier [I haven’t actually been into Zervas so I can’t say on that one.]
A telling comment by David Fleishman, in that he was quite surprised when he visited newton prior to being hired with how badly off a number of schools were/are. Not what one expects given Newton’s reputation as a high quality system.
I remember when my oldest son registered at Cabot School as a kindergartener and we went on our first parent tour. I simply couldn’t believe the condition of the school, the inadequate facilities, and the undersized classrooms that couldn’t accommodate differentiated instruction. I remember when my youngest son told me he hated to read in school because there wasn’t enough space in the classroom for his reading group.
In the early years, I looked into private schools because it was apparent that the inside of this facility, despite its classic facade and adorable Humpty Dumpty, simply could not provide for a 20th century education. To add to the problem, the community made it quite clear to parents that we were supposed to think that the quality of the teachers/staff could somehow overcome the obstacles this facility presented. Unfortunately, I’m a teacher and know what resources and space teachers need to provide a first rate education, and those conditions don’t exist in the Cabot School. Teachers aren’t miracle workers – they do the best with what we as a community provide them. We as a community are responsible for the education of our children and that means providing every teacher with the space and resources so that every student can experience a 21st century education.
My oldest son is now 31 years old. That parent tour took place in 1986 – 21 years ago and nothing has been done to address the inadequacies of this facility.
This video is not “propaganda”. In fact, it’s an understatement of the problems our elementary schools have experienced for many years.
I don’t know why David Fleishman has to look and sound like he’s reading from something — I bet he’s fine extemporaneously, but the principals clearly know their schools and must be mentally exhausted from all that juggling and uncertainty.
I think what would stress me the most as a teacher or student is the competing noise situations, like three activities going on in the library at once. It’s hard enough to keep a group of kids focused on what they’re supposed to be doing with no distractions. How much harder it must be for kids with other conversations going on in the background. No matter how hard you try it’s probably hard to tune it out completely, even if you look like you’re paying attention. I know the thing that I complain most about at the Y is having to listen to commercial radio in the fitness center superimposed on the NPR in my earphones. Competing sound inputs are quite wearing, unless they’re fugues (e.g. Goodnight Ladies in The Music Man).
Does anyone know when Angier gym flooding from that outdoor stairwell filling up, started to be a problem? Was it badly designed way back when, or is it another cost/symptom of global warming, that we’re getting more extreme rainfalls?
Angier school is worse than the video leads!
The heating is a HUGE problem. My kid is in the video wearing his winter coat in the music room. For the rest of the day, his classroom is 80 degrees. The kid doesn’t need any sweaters! The teachers of the school never graduate. They work in these conditions for 20 plus years!
THE ELL and Literacy Center in the library is a joke. ELL (mandated by the state) needs a classroom with WALLS. The literacy center needs a classroom with walls. The video doesn’t define what “therapeutic” is. . . . but what it is is occupational therapy, physical therapy that is in a child’s plan. Schools MUST provide this by state law. You can not do this therapy in a closet. It must be done in a appropriate space, and in my opinion, a busy hallway is not where these things should take place.
Also, the cafe, the hallway, is super loud. No person (kid or adult) should be subjected to eating lunch in a hallway that is louder than a train station in down town Boston. There is no sound proofing. IT is time to knock it down and build a school for the students of Newton to attend for years to come AND take care of it. . . .
The bathrooms are disgusting.
And my first Curriculum Night at Angier. . . . well no one told me that if you aren’t one of the first 80-100 people IN the library to listen to the principal, you don’t fit. Welcome to the Angier Community. Not enough space.
Try parking there during the day. To pick up a sick kid? You will walk two blocks.
BUT when a NEW building is built, I hope the City will maintain the buildings instead of IGNORE them. No one ignores their home. No one would let occur in their home.
@Julia,
My son is in fifth grade at Angier. The gym has flooded TWICE since we have been there. . . .
My children go to Angier and as other have stated, the video does not do the challenges justice. The Principal and teachers overcome tremendous obstacles to educate our children in a welcoming environment they have created despite the obstacles. They do amazing things everyday to keep our children engaged and I want them to have the ability to do more amazing things for our children with a new facility.
I hope everyone will get out an vote for this override; three questions, ONE answer (Yes, Yes, Yes) for one City. We move to Newton because of the schools and the community. Let’s keep building our City and make it the best that it can be.
@Newton Mom, I wish there was a Like button for your longer post there. That’s just a really good description of living conditions.
Re the flooding, that’s what I mean. You’ve had two floods in five years, so I look at that stairwell and wonder why the architect back then designed what is essentially a dry well, with a door to the basement. They must have thought that one step/sill was sufficient, and for a long time it must have been, before we started having 100 year storms every couple of years.
@Julia,
And the City has a tree outside my house that is dead. . . It is going to take SEVEN years for them to prune/cut it down. There is NO way I would let a tree on my property sit there for seven years. City hall (or whoever I spoke to) told me that I could present an estimate from a certified arborist, and request that I PAY for the city tree to be removed.
Sorry, I have enough of my own home improvement/home maintenance items, that I can’t tackle someone elses list.
Every year my husband and I budget for the home maintenance, and we have a list of what fits our budget and what is most urgent to get fixed.
The City ignored the buildings and trees and roads for so long, hoping that someone else would take care of this problem. I hope that the next few mayors keep spending money on the maintenance of these items.
@Newton Mom, does your tree have a tag? If so, it should be gone in a couple of months, now that we have a tree crew who have been whipping through the backlog. If it has been on the pruning list and is now dead, you should put in a 311 request in the city website to that effect. If more than 50% of the crown is dead or missing, it will become a removal. That’s what’s probably going to happen to a lot of trees on the pruning list, which is years long. They’ll become removals before they get pruned.