Hollis Brookline School Administriation Lying About Common Core?

Mrs. Le Doux,Mrs. Ogden is correct in her characterization of Mr. Solon, the chair of the Hollis Brookline COOP school board.  His recent e-mail response does in fact contain falsehoods.  He is either not telling the truth, or he is ignorant of what is actually taking place at Hollis Brookline High School (HBHS) and Hollis Brookline Middle School (HBMS) with regard to Common Core.  Either explanation is unacceptable; and the ramifications are the same– he is misleading the COOP school district to the detriment of our students.Mr. Solon claims that “there has been no adoption or change in curriculum at this point“.  This is a false statement.  My daughter, a student at HBHS, has several brand new Common Core textbooks this year that have been assigned to her by the high school.  She is experiencing Common Core in the classroom today!  Moreover, I have numerous invoices and school board approved manifests showing expenditures by COOP school district staff members (both HBHS and HBMS) for Common Core materials, resources, workshops and coursework.  A HBHS staff member submitted the following statements attached to their SAU reimbursement request form:  “From this activity, I learned the basic elements of the Common Core Curriculum for High School Mathematics…Student Learning was impacted because the curriculum has been re-designed to meet the Common Core Curriculum Practices…This book study also helped me to better understand that the curriculum has changedbut also the way in which it is presented to students…Student Learning will also be impacted as my department begins to implement the new curriculum…My goal is to better understand the Common Core Curriculum for Math.  The process ofcreating the Algebra I curriculum using the Common Core Standards greatly increased my understanding.”  Thus, it is clear that the COOP school district has expended significant taxpayers dollars to bring Common Core State Standards (CCSS) into our classrooms today!  Mr. Solon and the COOP school board must have approved these expenditures if they were following the procedure for expending COOP taxpayers dollars.  

Additionally, on several occasions my husband has provided public input to the COOP school board both in person and by written correspondence detailing my family’s first hand and direct experience with Common Core in the classrooms at HBHS.  It is a disaster, and it is harming students.  As a result, my husband and I have been in direct contact with the interim principals at the high school in an effort to address the damage that is being done in the classroom.  Furthermore, my husband also attended a presentation entitled “The Common Core: What is it and how will it impact my child at the middle school?” held at the Hollis Brookline Middle School on October 2, 2013 where the current roll out of Common Core was discussed as well as demonstrated by HBMS teachers and administrators.

Finally, the interim assistant superintendent, Ms. Matte, stated publicly at a recent Brookline Mason GOP meeting that SAU 41, which includes the COOP school district, is 2-3 years “down the road” with respect to Common Core.

In conclusion, I find it questionable at best as to why Mr. Solon states in his recent e-mail, “there has been no adoption orchange in curriculum at this point“.  It is stunning to me that the chair of the Hollis Brookline COOP school board is clearly out of touch with what is actually happening in the COOP schools.   

It is time for the truth to be told in unequivocal terms.  Our children’s futures are at stake.

Respectfully,

Diane Pauer

Hollis Brookline COOP Budget Committee Member, Brookline, NH