Congratulations and best of luck for the new term!!
Congratulations to Tamika Olszewski elected Chair of Newton School Committee and Kathy Shields elected Vice Chair of Newton School Committee
by Amy Sangiolo | Nov 15, 2021 | Newton | 12 comments
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Based on performance during the pandemic, Tamika Olszewski is an excellent choice for Chair and Kathy Shields is a terrible choice for Vice Chair. Ms. Olszewski was the only school committee member to ask good questions. Ms. Shields badly botched the negotations with NTA to reopen schools.
The reopening of schools was not negotiated. In August 2020, DESE gave all districts in the state the right to determine reopening plans without negotiating with local unions.
NTA didn’t participate in the working group that developed plans for reopening the HS’s because we knew the community would continue to blame educators for whatever plan was developed.
In the Aug 2 2020 NTA bulletin, Mike Z urged members to sign a petition to lobby NPS not to present all three plans as requested by DESE (full time, part time and remote) and instead only present two plans (part-time and remote).
https://www.newteach.org/post/nta-ebulletin-august-2-2020
Also in the July 12 memo, Mike outlines the NTA’s negotiations with the district and the NTA’s desire to start school remote. It includes this line “On July 2, we submitted a “demand to bargain” letter that indicates the scope of the issues the NTA and NPS need to negotiate.” Now, I’m not a lawyer, but it sure sounds like the reopening of schools was being negotiated and/or influenced by the NTA. And why wouldn’t it? If you are saying the NTA was not involved, that doesn’t seem accurate given these blogs and that the NTA’s request for only two plans was adhered to by the district.
https://www.newteach.org/post/july-12-ebulletin
I don’t think we should be rehashing the past though. We need to move forward and help NPS get out of the whole we are in. We need to push for a better future, not continue to look toward the past. We need to, as Anping so wonderfully said on Monday at the SC meeting, (and I am paraphrasing) get back to focusing on educational excellence in our schools. He said that Newton is on the map because of educational excellence, and we have strayed off path. Thank you Anping for making such a clear and necessary point.
I stated very clearly that DESE made that decision that districts did not have to negotiate school reopening in AUGUST of 2020. You refer to memos from JULY, before DESE made that decision.
In fact, when the reopening plans were announced, educators who worked on committees to plan for the reopening stated that the plan was “unrecognizable” to any of their input.
I did not bring this up. Misinformation about NPS educators has been repeated yet again. I’d like to move forward but a small group of parents would love to continue to rehash last year. I’m happy to move on, Pat, but I’m no longer willing to sit back and allow people to spread misinformation about NPS educators.
So let’s move on. It takes both sides to do so.
Yes, the reopening was not negotiated because Kathy Shields and Ruth Goldman botched it so badly that they had to vote against their own agreement. I do not blame the teachers at all. I blame the previous school committee and The Plagiarist and especially for them implicitly blaming the teachers and dividing us as community. Good riddance to those that have left. I hope we can find a non-Trump donor to run against Ms. Shields next time.
Congratulations to Chair Tamika Olszewski and Vice-Chair Kathy Shields. I have had the opportunity to work closely with Tamika on the School Transportation Working Group and see her tough questions on COVID protocols and return to learn. Kathy brings great institutional knowledge and a proven track record of good decisions. Both at committed to addressing the many issues facing our schools including diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Alicia, what are the issues facing NPS specifically regarding DE&I? Personally I think our schools have done a fantastic job, and I wasn’t aware we were failing!
It would be great if the incoming school committee could address school bus fees. Speaking as a parent of a high schooler, it is a financial burden to have to pay $350 per year. To me , it seems that it is inequitable fro parents to have to pay to transport their children to public school.
AMEN. Plus, there are some areas not serviced by close enough bus stops. Why should kids have to walk 15 minutes to a stop and pay $350 to do so?
If we talk a big game about climate change in Newton, one thing we can do is overhaul our school transportation. Right now parents end up having to drive their kids to school which causes more cars on the road and idling cars. Let’s make it more reasonable for families to opt for the bus.
Frankly, I don’t know why this isn’t a bigger conversation in Newton.
Agree MMQC.
School buses are public transportation (albeit specialized). Young people should expect at least the same level of service (e.g., distance to stops, trip times, etc) as we would want for ourselves.
School bus transportation HAS to be on the table for future years. $350 is really not fair. And it is the same fee to drive a car and park in a lot. Make school busses easy to access, run efficiently and when families NEED them to run. Picking up from South is a NIGHTMARE. We need MORE incentives to have kids use the bus. On time service would be nice. I have lived in Newton since 1998, and bus fees were introduced only when I had kids in NPS. In years prior, there was no user fee.
By making the yellow school bus work for families, more families will take the bus.
I’ve just put up a post about school bus fees as a place to continue this discussion where hopefully more people will see it.