“Because many school administrators have encountered questions about and even resistance to the implementation of Common Core,” the Commissioner of Education will meet with invited superintendents and school board members from districts throughout the south central region of the state tonight. Originally scheduled to be held at the Educational and Conference Center facilities at education consultant SERESC in Bedford, meeting planners have moved tonight’s seven o’clock meeting to the auditorium at Bedford High School. After we made the meeting and its agenda public last week and stated our intention to be present, the New Hampshire School Administrators Association, which is hosting the meeting between Commissioner of Education Virginia Barry and local officials, decided to make the meeting open to the public. Late last week, they changed venues to ensure that no member of the public would be unable to fit into the room so to speak. At the meeting, Barry’s expected give a presentation about the waiver the state received to the No Child Left Behind Act and the implementation of the Common Core State Standards so that, according to the agenda, administrators can respond consistently to inquiries. Those who’ve questioned or challenged Common Core are asking parents and taxpayers interested in seeing the issue debated rather than crammed down their throats to wear any kind of red clothing to tonight’s meeting. They’re hoping a visual show of solidarity that will get the attention of state and local officials who seem unconcerned with unanswered questions about everything from cost to the privacy of student data to how the system will be affected by the unproven methodologies of the tests that are part of this package. At a minimum, we’ll be live blogging the meeting so you can follow along. Once again, the meeting is tonight in Bedford High School’s auditorium at 7.
Meanwhile, Manchester Superintendent Debra Livingston responded to our Right to Know Request on Friday asking whether or not the principal at Weston Elementary School had sought permission from her or her office to have teachers distribute an unsigned alleged explanation of Common Core to parents at their open house. From her response, it’s clear that Livingston did not know of the letter and said what was given to the teachers were quote unquote talking points from the principal to the teachers should parents ask about Common Core. She claims that because the talking points were academic in nature and based on literature that has been published about Common Core, they did not rise to the level needing her approval, further saying it is entirely appropriate for people to be informed about all academic related topics, especially when there exists an expectation that they are aware of such topics. Well, if that’s the case, perhaps we can get some talking points challenging the alleged centuries of academic principles Common Core allegedly represents handed out to parents as well. Livingston said her office has requested copies of any similar materials that may have been distributed to parents about Common Core. Oh My HEAD! From Weston on Common Core Livingston’s response to Weston RTK
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Public Service Company of New Hampshire has announced it expects a two point two percent rate increase this January. Each year, the company adjusts its rates to reflect the actual expense of generating power for its customers. We’ve uploaded their press release with this newscast at Girard at Large dot come in case you want the details of how this works and why. It’s a short, easy read.
Senator Comprehensive Kelly Ayotte is on the defensive with conservatives in the state. Her office has put out yet another statement stating that while she’s opposed to Obamacare and that it’s repeal was a primary reason why she ran, she just couldn’t bring herself to vote for Senator Ted Cruz’s filibuster because that would likely lead to a government shutdown. Oh No! So, she voted to break the filibuster knowing that Republicans didn’t have the votes to stop Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid from adding ObamaCare funding back to the continuing resolution that would prevent a government shutdown and exceed spending limits put in place by sequestration by twenty billion dollars. But she voted against all that after she voted to make it possible. What is in the water down there? Ayotte on Obamacare De-Funding
There’s still time to get your tickets to the Greater Derry Londonderry Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Dinner which will be held on October tenth. John Michels will receive their annual Citizen of the Year Award during the dinner which will be held at the Atkinson Resort and Country Club. Details are at G D L Chamber dot org.
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is straight ahead!
