Category Archives: Education

Education in Newburyport, MA, imparting and acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, acquiring particular knowledge and skills, and preparing Newburyport’s children for an intellectual and mature life.

Newburyport, Property Values and Consequences

When I moved here in 1981, I bought my 1890 house for $74,000. I was upset because the people who sold it to me had bought if for $34,000 the year before. Eat your heart out. (Ok, interest rates were off the charts high, but still, that’s quite a price.)

I fixed my house up and seven years later ended up selling it, for what back then was a tidy profit.

Were my neighbors pleased? No.

My neighbors had roots. They planned to live here till “death do us part,” and then pass their homes onto their children.

What I did for my neighbors was make their property taxes go way up, and made it more difficult for them and their children to live in Newburyport, MA.

Flip forward to 1996. After some very difficult years, housing prices in Newburyport, MA start to go up again. No one in their wildest dreams thought any house in Newburyport, MA would ever sell for $400,000, much less more than $400,000.

And now, flip forward to 2005. Housing prices have skyrocketed. There are million dollar houses plus for sale and selling. And a new influx of people who can afford “unbelievably expensive homes” have moved into Newburyport, MA.

What happens, yup, property taxes go sky high, making it really difficult for folks with “roots” to live here. And making it almost impossible for their children and grandchildren to live here as well.

Are they happy? No. (Can you blame them?)

And then, to add insult to injury, it is perceived that the prosperous young families who have paid “astronomical” prices, want to further raise taxes, so that their children could have a better education.

As they say New York City, “forgetta about it.”

From the people who have the “roots” point of view, this is one explosive mixture.

And I would imagine that from the viewpoint of the young families who have moved here and paid those “astronomical” prices, they would like a school system worthy of what they paid for their homes.

My. Two very different and disparaging points of view.

How this would all play out? We will all see. But it certainly has the making of some Newburyport drama. Is this an understatement or what? George Cushing, of Frog Pond at the Bartlet Mall, the political consultant to the Newburyport Blog and the other frogs seem to think so too. (But then again, you have to remember, that some of those frogs just love drama.)

Actually, what the frogs croaked to me as we watched the Newburyport City Council on TV last night, after the spring election for an override for $1.58 million was voted in (can you picture it, me with four frogs lined up next to me) was, “Let the games begin.”

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Override Backlash

My guess would be, that now that it appears that a vote to vote for a special spring election for an $1.58 Million override for the Newburyport Schools would most likely pass (see previous posts) at tonight’s Newburyport City Council meeting, we as a community may well begin to see an “override backlash.”

In fact, putting a political ear to the proverbial ground, one can almost hear the waves pulling back into the ocean for one tsunamis of an override backlash.

Asking people to increase taxes for anything is not an “issue” so much as a “political process.” It often comes down to not whether an issue is worthy or not, but whether political waters are successfully navigated.

When Mayor Lisa Mead took office, officially ushering in the new era of the “newcomer” in power, there was one heck of a backlash. And it was relentless. More like a backlash tsunamis combined with an ongoing backlash hurricane.

One thing that happened as I recall, was that Newburyport City Hall unionized. One could say that it was in response to all kinds of things, but I think basically it came down to 2 things, my father’s 2 succinct phrases (see previous posts). Folks were afraid that in this “new era” they would “lose their town.” And that this “new era” would destroy the soul of the city.

As anyone who was part of the “new era” could tell you, being part of that “new era” was not fun. They call Newburyport “cannibal city” for a reason. And I’ve always said that politics in Newburyport, MA is a “contact sport” and definitely not for the faint of heart.

Maybe it is why I so wanted the Newburyport School Committee and the supporters of the override, to wait. Get all ducks in a row. Think “Newburyport political.” Because even if the parents and the Newburyport School Committee win the special election, the backlash could well be unrelenting. They may have “won the battle,” but an unrelenting override backlash may well feel like “losing the war.”

And it remains to be seen how the pro-override folks could take this backlash. It won’t be pretty. Would they decide to pack up and leave (wouldn’t be the first folks to do that)? Or would there be a determination to be committed to the city of Newburyport, MA, a decision to put down permanent roots?

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Losing Our Town

My Dad is 89, lives on his own in New York City, goes to work everyday and is one smart cookie. He also loves politics. On the political thing, the apple did not fall far from the tree.

I wanted his opinion on the hostility over the whole issue of the override for our Newburyport Schools.

The parent side was easy. The parents care about their children and want them to have a good education. Good schools are a good community investment. (My own feeling too, is the decibel sound may be so loud, at least to my ears, because parents may feel that up to this point, no one has been listening. “Bingo”??)

But how to articulate what the folks against the override feel? And my Dad, smart cookie that he is, had this to say… they feel like the override folks are going to “take over.” They feel like “they are going to lose their town.” A definite “Bingo” in my book.

And yes, I’ve been wandering around town on my walks and talking to folks, and what people say to me boils down to my father’s 2 succinct phrases.

What I hear is that, the folks (for the most part) who are pushing for an override do not have roots here. Their kids may not stay in the system. And they may not stay here at all.

The folks pushing for the override don’t see the big financial picture. All of Newburyport is in a fiscal crisis, just not the schools.

And yes, there are definitely already people on the financial edge, not only “seniors” but folks who moved here in the 70’s and early 80’s and, who in many instances, are not in high paying jobs.

That taxes would become so high, that people not only would want to move, but they might not be able to move, because no one would want to move into a town that would be so unaffordable, especially in an economic downturn.

That a place like Salisbury is becoming the “it” town, because compared to Newburyport, a middle income family could afford to live there.

And that by driving out the people who “made” this town, the soul of the city would be lost.

That for years, the children of the people who live in Newburyport, have not been able to afford to live here, and that trend would only escalate. (One of the things that Gardiner Bacon told me was that he was running for mayor now, because once he goes off to college, he would never be able to afford to live in Newburyport, MA again.)

All of that is of course a much more “tactful” version than what I was actually hearing.

My father, good Liberal Democrat that he is, was all for education, and pointed out that there’s “no free lunch.” His solution, which was very much like the solution by a gentleman in a Letter to the Editor in today’s Newburyport Daily News, was to raise state taxes, and then the state would have enough money to pass onto local cities and towns.

He was not optimistic that we would see any money for our fiscal woes any time soon from the Feds.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Multiple Overrides

One of my questions is, is this the only override that the Newburyport School Committee would be asking for, or is this the start of a series of overrides that the citizens of Newburyport, MA would be asked to vote for?

The answer appears to be that this would be just the beginning of override requests for the Newburyport Schools.

The information on this question of mine came from the website of “Yes for Newburyport,” A pro-override group of concerned citizens who would like to improve the quality of public education in Newburyport, MA.

To quote from the website of “yesfornewburyport.org”:

“…the dire financial climate indicates that Newburyport has several overrides in its immediate future.”

The website elaborates:

“Newburyport Schools operating costs have been increasing at about 6% per year, which is typical of many school districts across the state. Cost increases are due to standard inflationary forces, including increased salaries and energy costs.

In addition, the city’s revenue is down and its costs are up. In fact, the city’s FY2008 health care cost increases alone almost completely consume its property tax revenue increase. As a result, all departments in the city are facing level funding and even declining funding for FY2008, including the schools. The School’s FY2008 expense is expected to increase at 5.8%, assuming the District continues to operate as it did in FY2007.”

“The financial outlook for Newburyport’s schools does not improve in the next several years. The current economic stagnation of the State, and the shortage of new growth within Newburyport, both indicate that State and Local revenues will remain close to level over the next two to three years. Meanwhile the District’s costs will continue to increase at roughly the same rate as in the past, probably in the range of 5% to 6% per year.

To overcome this financial hurdle, the School District must work to increase revenue. Cost reduction is not the answer. It is likely that after the dust settles on the FY2008 budget, there will be absolutely nothing left to cut without a dramatic impact on student achievement. The only answer left is to increase revenue. Some of the new revenue must come from overrides.”

The website does go on to say in bold letters:

“But, more importantly, the District needs to work with the City’s leaders and citizens to plan and execute a future for Newburyport that can naturally afford an excellent school system without having annual overrides.” Amen to that.

What I would like to see the pro-override folks do is come up with that plan now. No easy feat. However, if we have a leader as creative as Superintendent Kevin Lyons who comes up with incredibly problem solving solutions to seemingly impossible dilemmas, then maybe there is someone out there who can come up with equal problem solving solutions, so that no one would ever think of asking the citizens of Newburyport, MA for multiple overrides for the Newburyport City Schools.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

(Editor’s Note: The quotations above were taken from the website of “yesfornewburyport.org” on April 4, 2007. The website “yesfornewburyport.org” has since been added to, amended and “tweaked.”)

Override Friction in Newburyport, MA

As I understand it, basically whether or not the city of Newburyport, MA has a special election for a $1.58 million override comes down to a decision by the mayor. To quote from the Newburyport Daily News, April 4, 2007, “Mayor John Moak has pledged to find the money in the current budget to fund it (the election for the $1.58 million override).”

That money was awfully hard to find a couple of weeks ago.

I would say that the pressure must have been pretty intense for Mayor John Moak to be willing to come up with $17,000 for a special spring election.

During last Monday’s Newburyport City Council Meeting both Steven Hutcheson and James Shanley stated that they did not want to write a blank check to the Newburyport School Committee, they wanted to know exactly how the money would be spent, they wanted to hear the report from the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (EQA). And I imagine they also would have liked a vote on Superintendent Kevin Lyons’ school reconfiguring plan.

All of that took place, and it appears that the two Newburyport City Councilors kept their word.

The other Newburyport City Councilors against the Newburyport School Committee override, stated that they thought, given the unfortunate fiscal state of the city of Newburyport, MA, and the already existing high taxes, that it would be a mistake to have a permanent tax hike. That’s 5 City Councilors.

I would bet my bottom dollar that no one in city government, the Newburyport City Councilors or Mayor John Moak, has enjoyed this process in the least. It has been a nightmare.

And with the mayor of Newburyport, MA coming up with the funds, unless someone changes their mind, the vote to let people vote will pass, with a narrow margin.

And the tension in the city of Newburyport, MA hasn’t lessened. The tension in the city of Newburyport, MA has gone way up. And I don’t imagine that the friction will go down any time in the foreseeable future, which is really unfortunate.

It feels as if the city of Newburyport is at one of these awful growing pains, crossroads again. The ill feeling that is here now reminds me of the kind of tension that existed when Mayor Lisa Mead took office for the first time. And a huge “us vs. them” hostility that had been simmering for a long time, came up to the surface.

I’ll have to think on this one. But it feels like the hostility around the override is an indication of something more significant that is happening in the city of Newburyport, MA.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Election for School Override

It looks to me as if the special election for the spring override for the Newburyport schools could be a go.

Last night the Newburyport School Committee answered many of the Newburyport City Council’s questions.

1) The Newburyport School Committee voted for Superintendent’s Kevin Lyons’ reconfiguration plan.

2) The Newburyport School Committee voted on what exactly would be in the override. (Please see Editor’s Note)

3) According to the Newburyport Daily News April 3, 2007, the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability “told the committee that the district’s performance is disappointing, and in several cases is in violation of state law.” Not a good report.

And it appears that the city of Newburyport might now pay for the special election. The money would come out of the city’s coffers and not the Newburyport School Committee’s coffer’s. Therefore a transfer would not be necessary.

If a transfer was necessary, the special election would need 8 votes to occur.

With the money possibly coming out of the city’s coffer’s, the special election would only need 6 votes to take place.

And it is my understanding that at least a couple of the Newburyport City Councilors were satisfied after last night’s Newburyport School Committee meeting. The Newburyport School Committee may have the 6 votes needed to have the spring special election happen.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

(Editor’s Note: Press here to see the items that Newburyport School Committee voted in for the proposed $1.58M Override.)

Newburyport, Magical Thinking

I worry that we’ve gotten to a state of magical thinking about how we could solve our Newburyport school’s dilemmas.

Instead of the frenzy dying down after last Monday’s Newburyport City Council meeting, the volume, at least to my ears, has gone way up.

I think it came as a big, and very disappointing (is this a vast understatement? yes) surprise, my last post… that yes, in black and white and with an email from Mass DOR’s legal department, no less, that an $1.6 million dollar override would only be allocated, legally, to the schools for one year. And then that money goes into the general funds.

I can almost sense, the panic and the fear and the anger of the parents and concerned folks who read that paragraph.

But to be determined that it is not so, unhappily, is magical thinking.

And the other reality is that expenses go up and $1.6 million dollars plus its 2 ½ increase would diminish.

I pay for my own health insurance. It went up 10% this year. The city of Newburyport’s health insurance expenses, just like everyone else’s health expenses go up a whole lot more than 2 ½ % each year. Heating bills, electric bill. Mine have sure gone up. I bet so have yours.

We had department heads this year that got 5.5% raises (not that they didn’t deserve them). That’s more than 2 ½ %. Negotiations are coming up with most of the city’s unions for new contracts. We have all just lost 2 fire trucks. $450,000 to replace one. And one was purchased 1968. A very old fire truck.

There are no silver bullet answers. And it is my opinion that the $1.6 million dollar override that permanently raises taxes, is not a silver bullet answer.

I have a very old friend, who is a doctor, who told me a wonderful story. He was a resident and it was back in the days when doctor’s still made house calls (so, yes, this is a very old friend). He received a message that there was an emergency and he rushed over to where it was. Before he knocked on the door, he stood for a moment and straightened his tie, calmed himself down and then went in and coped with the calamity.

His supervisor asked him what was the most important thing that he did, in that crisis. My friend looked at his supervisor, and with some hesitation said, “straightening my tie?” And the supervisor, said yes, that was the most important thing that this, then young intern did.

We have a wonderful example of a gentleman in our community, in the situation that we face with our schools, who has done and is doing (at least to my knowledge) just that, “straightening his tie.” And that is Newburyport School Superintendent Kevin Lyons. A remarkable example of leadership.

It doesn’t appear to be courage, it appears to be leadership, it appears to be “tie straightening.”

I think it might be a good idea for all of us who are caught up in this drama to pause and to do a little “tie straightening.” It’s important to deal with the facts of a crisis in a calm way, because magical thinking may be comforting, but, unfortunately it will not solve this very complicated Newburyport school dilemma.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, School Funding

After reading Mr. Cole’s post(s) about the Newburyport School override, I was still confused about whether or not the entire amount of the $1.6 million override would be allocated to the Newburyport schools after one year, or if the money would go into Newburyport’s general fund. That is if the Newburyport school override would be voted in.

So I went on a hunt. And I talked to a whole lot of people. And spent a whole lot of time at the Mass DOR website.

“Proposition 21⁄2 establishes a limit on the annual property tax levy and approval of an override or exclusion question only increases the amount a community may raise in taxes. It does not authorize or require spending for the purpose of the question.”

“The additional funds raised by the override are “earmarked” for the stated spending purpose only in the first fiscal year.” (Mass DOR’s underlines, not mine)

For PDF version, please press here.

So as I understand it, an override for the Newburyport schools would only be earmarked for one year. After that, the money would be allocated with all other funds as part of the annual budget process.

Whether or not the override would continue to be allocated to the Newburyport schools, as I understand it, is a very grey area. There are no guarantees.

The only guarantee that an override would be allocated for the schools permanently, is if it were for purposes of funding a Stabilization Fund or a “Rainy Day Fund,” a change made to Massachusetts General Law in 2003.

The one thing that is definite, is that if an override would pass, it would be a permanent tax increase.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Editor’s Note: I received this email from Mass DOR which I will pass onto the readers of the Newburyport Blog:

“Mary:

In order for an override for schools to be effective to increase the town’s levy limit, any appropriation for the specific purpose of the override must be at least the amount of the override, in the first year. That does not necessarily mean that additional appropriations have to be made to the schools, dependent on the specific language of the override purpose. After the first year, there is no requirement that the override amount be appropriated to the schools in order for the override to provide additional levy capacity. See our publication entitled Proposition 2½, part IV.A.1 on page 9 (PDF version), which also provides more information on Proposition 2½.

Gary A. Blau, Tax Counsel
Bureau of Municipal Finance Law
PO Box 9569
Boston, MA 02114-9569
617-626-2400
blau@dor.state.ma.us”

Newburyport, Federal and State Funding

The Newburyport Daily News has the “infamous” model of what could have happened to downtown Newburyport in their lobby. The model is on loan from the Historical Society of Old Newbury.

And the Newburyport Daily News graciously allowed me to photograph it.

Here is the part that would have been the “infamous” strip mall downtown.

NRA.model-1.jpg
Model of what was proposed for Newburyport, MA
Market Square

This portion is of what Market Square would have looked like. A parking lot with an “L” shaped one-storey building in the corner.

Ouch!

It would have prevented Newburyport from ever looking like this:

Market-Sq.jpg
Market Square, Newburyport MA, 2007
Photograph courtesy of Mary Baker Eaton

Goodness.

And a very big thank you to both the Historical society of Old Newbury and the Newburyport Daily News.

One asks oneself, “what can we learn from this?”

Of course there are so many things to be learned from what almost could have been.

What comes to my mind at this moment in time, is that “things take time.” “Panic” is not a good reason to do anything. A united community helps to create projects that are effective and effect generations. And that there is no way Newburyport, MA could exist as it is today without federal funding.

And of course, I am thinking about our schools. My guess is that it could be possible for a spring override for the Newburyport schools to get voted in, when it is put before the Newburyport City Council yet a second time around.

We are, however, a community that is very much divided about this issue. And in part, I feel a state of “panic” is a driving force. And a state of “panic” often wipes out reason and courtesy.

And maybe most importantly, there is no way, at least in this blogger’s mind, that we could ever restore the cuts that have been made to our Newburyport schools and maintain their integrity without help from the state and federal level. The money simply is not here.

The good news is, that according to an article in the Boston Globe, March 28, 2007, “Lawmakers feeling local pressure for more school aid,” by Lisa Wangsness, Newburyport, MA is far from alone. According to the article there are about 40 communities facing an override this year. “A lot of communities are at the end of their ropes and don’t have many options left.”

However, there appears to be hope. From what I read in the article, it is possible that suburban communities might finally get the assistance that they so desperately need.

And I imagine that our own State Representatives, Michael Costello and Steven Baddour are doing everything that they possibly can to help relieve Newburyport’s school situation.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

From the Chair of the Newburyport School Committee, Part 1

Dear Mary,

I am humbled and honored to be a member of the Newburyport School Committee, and serve as the committee’s vice chair. As a School Committee member, within my relations with the community my primary responsibility is to the children. As an elected official, I have been entrusted by the voters with the responsibility to help provide the best education for the children of Newburyport, Massachusetts.

At this time, as I have in the past, I would like to use the Newburyport Blog to share and communicate issues that are most relevant today, and that I am able to appropriately report on.

I would like to start with a detail that you included in the entry posted March 28th, 2007 “Newburyport, School Override.” Your premise that the schools would only benefit from the override for one year, should it be approved by the City Council to be voted on by the citizens of Newburyport, and pass, is incorrect. Please let me offer an explanation.

To use a recent recorded article, I’ll refer to the article in the Newburyport Daily News on Tuesday, March 27, 2007. At the top of the Newburyport page, A-3 there is an article “High School Proposal eliminates more teachers.” In the article there is a “proposed budget of $21,956,582.” Let’s use that number as a base.

That number results from Dr. Lyons restructuring and school reconfiguration plan, to be voted on by the School Committee on April 2, 2007. It reduces the budget deficit that was above $1.5 million dollars. While reducing expenses, it also creates an opportunity to add value to our schools by reengineering our educational programs to improve student achievement. This process would add value to our school district. It would also add value to the educational tax dollar, by reducing costs and adding value. Value equals quality over cost.

The plan also creates a platform from which to raise student achievement and add more value to the educational dollar within five areas of focus:
A Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum
A Best Practices Literacy Program Grades K through 6
Reading, Writing, and Critical Thinking across the curriculum for grades 7 through 12
A Redesigned Math Program for Grades 5 through 9
and
A Sustainable Technology Program

The first piece of good news is that the Redesigned Math Program is already built in, through the restructuring. It needs to be. As math achievement in grades 5 through 9 needs improvement, now. This is especially evidenced by middle school MCAS scoring.

As a School Committee we have stated our intent to hear the recommended FY ’08 budget, formally presented. This was completed on Sat. 3/24, at the conclusion of a 51/2 hour meeting, and provides adequate opportunity to invite more public discussion an input during meetings on March 28 & April 2.

Steven P. Cole
Vice Chairman, Newburyport School Committee

(Editor’s Note: Part 1 of a two part post)

From the Chair of the Newburyport School Committee, Part 2

The School Committee has been clear that we will vote on the Dr. Lyons’ recommended restructuring and reconfiguration on April 2nd, along with voting on a final override list, on that same evening.

The list is expected to cost $1.63 million dollars, the basis of the override question. We will provide detail to what each item costs, for the City Council, for our April 3rd resubmission of a transfer and order for a special election.

Should that transfer and order pass, should the special election pass an override, those dollars will be added to the school district budget.

The $21,956,582 will have $1.63 million added to it. The total FY ’08 budget will be approximately $23,586.582. I say this as I do not know the exact dollar or penny what $1.63 million will be, could be $1,630,499 for example.

When we go to prepare the FY ’09 budget, it will be based on that number, plus the typical City appropriation of 2.5%. And yes, the property tax increase stays in effect for all property owners in the city, for FY ’08, 09 and for years to come. The hope is that revenue from the state will increase in three years, and revenue from the city will improve as well.

Because we have reduced expenses we will have less cost increase for FY ’09.

Another way to protect against cost increase is to include items in the override such as a technology purchase, and allocate dollars so that the first year purchase has an impact for some of the next year, we take out less that we will need to buy in ’09.

What drives this plan is the state of Massachusetts’ outlook for school funding to be flat for the next three years, including this year. If we didn’t reduce expenses this year, we would not have closed the deficit. If we don’t add value by dollars via an override, we will not be able to add value to our educational programs. Our budget gap would remain wide today, and get wider tomorrow. By approaching it in this way, we reduce expenses, add revenue, which mitigates against a widening gap, and provides a platform to add those items to improve student achievement.

With less expenses we should have less exposure to cost increases. Of course, there will be some, but some of those may be mitigated against by results of the plan, again in reducing expenses.

What I would like to do, over the next few days, would be to provide some clear explanation and detail of what each of the five areas of focus are. I would begin with “A Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum.”

As always, any opinion that I express is my own, and does not necessarily reflect those of the School Committee or any of its individual members.

The explanation detail that I would provide is public knowledge.

I look forward to these opportunities to share this information.

Thanks,
Steven P. Cole
Vice Chairman, Newburyport School Committee

(Editor’s note: Part 2 of a two part post)

(Editor’s note: Since the “whole being sued thing” I have not had a “guest blogger” pretty much since October, and I’ve grown to like it that way. For the moment I’ve removed the “Guidelines and Overview” as well as the “FAQ” page from the Newburyport Blog. I am giving a lot of thought to what the policy of the Newburyport Blog might be. Many thanks to Steven Cole, but I think Mr. Cole will be the last guest blogger, at least for a while, until I figure out what I would like to do. Mary Eaton, editor of the Newburyport Blog.)

Newburyport, School Override

One of the things I learned on Monday night, March 26, 2007, watching the Newburyport City Council meeting on TV, was that even if an override for the Newburyport schools could be voted in, the Newburyport schools would benefit for only one year.

After that year, the money would go into the general fund, and the schools would only get 45% or 50% or whatever the percentage of the Newburyport budget is, that goes to the Newburyport schools each year. The residents of Newburyport, MA would still pay their higher taxes.

And next spring, parents and the Newburyport School Committee would be in the very same predicament, and the residence could be asked to raise their taxes yet once again.

We would be voting for a band aid that wouldn’t stick. It would a band aid that would peel off.

This was new news to me. And I was even less inclined to upped my taxes than I was before.

I do want to reinstate so many of the cuts that have been made to our schools over the last 4-5 years. But an override does not appear to be the way to do it.

I have no idea about these things, but I would be much more inclined to support a one-time debt exclusion where the money goes into a fund for the schools, is managed, and the schools can draw from the income of that fund every year. And that fund could gradually be added onto.

I do not know if this idea, or something like it, would be possible or not.

And when I read that the Newburyport School Committee and various parents would be planning to resubmit the override at the next Newburyport City Council, my blood pressure just about went off the charts. (The override did not pass by a 7 to 3 vote.)

As I understand it, resubmitting the override may be legal, but it is my opinion that it would be politically unwise.

Residents in the city of Newburyport are angry over this matter. The city of Newburyport is already divided. And to resubmit an override after it was defeated 7-3 would be to invite further hostility towards young families and the Newburyport School Committee. I do not believe that this would a good idea or in the long run, help solve the problem at hand.

Let’s say the Newburyport City Council is worn down by a repeat (or repeated??) resubmissions. People will vote, but they will be pissed.

I would urge the Newburyport School Committee and the parents who are behind the present Newburyport school override to think. To act wisely. To use political savvy. Because at the moment, it feels like emotional blackmail, at least to this blogger.

It would be much better to figure out a thoughtful, beneficial, win-win solution, than to go down this very detrimental path. It might be one thing to “win the battle,” but it would be quite another thing to “lose the war,” something that would hurt the entire city of Newburyport, MA.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, A Divided Community

It’s been a long time since I have seen a issue in Newburyport, MA that is as divisive as the upcoming vote tonight regarding the spring override for the Newburyport schools, at tonight’s Newburyport City Council meeting.

No matter how the vote goes at tonight’s Newburyport City Council meeting, the world as we know it will not end, the City of Newburyport will not come to a halt, people will not leave the City of Newburyport, MA in droves.

What has happened, however, is that neighbors are pitted against neighbors, families are pitted against families, hard working folks trying to work for the good of Newburyport, MA are barely speaking to each other. Sometimes they are not speaking to each other at all.

Threats and dire predictions of Newburyport’s future, on both sides of the issue have been made. The Newburyport community seems to be consumed and fracture by this issue.

Empathy and reason appear to be in the wind.

And to me, this is a tragedy.

Is this issue so important and life altering that it is worth it for this state of affairs have taken place?

Frankly, I don’t think so.

And no matter how the vote goes tonight, it is my great hope, that we as a community would be able to put this issue in perspective. And the venom and blame that I hear, would have a chance of being put aside.

It’s simply not worth it folks.

And most selfishly, I would be able to stop monitoring my phone calls, and be able to stop holding my breath and close my eyes every time I check my email.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Conversation About our Schools

I had a conversation with a Newburyport School Committee member about my complete confusion about what is going on.

One of the things I was told was the Newburyport Elementary School Needs Report would be completely off the table. With the refiguring of the Newburyport Kindergarten and the Newburyport Elementary Schools, building new elementary schools would no longer be necessary.

Let me tell you, if this is true, this is big news to me, and I would imagine it would be big news to most folks.

That means, if this conversation is valid, the Taj Mahal approach to our Newburyport Elementary Schools Needs is no longer an issue, and would NOT be something that the residents of Newburyport, MA would be asked to vote for. (ie NOT be asked ever to vote for a 30 million plus spanking new elementary school system. Repairs, most definitely needed, new school, maybe not?)

The Elementary School Needs report is still on the City of Newburyport Schools website, so it doesn’t sound like this one is exactly official. But if it is being considered, this is something the voters would definitely like to know about, pronto.

One of my other (of many) inquiries was whether the Newburyport School Committee was supporting Newburyport Superintendent Kevin Lyons and his refiguring of the Kindergarten and Newburyport Elementary Schools. The answer was “yes.” And the Newburyport School Committee would be taking a vote on that plan soon.

Also big news to me. And I think big news to most folks.

There was also a conversation about selling the Kelly School and putting that money into a trust, to be used for improvements to the Newburyport school system. In theory, other people and organizations could also add to that trust. (Wouldn’t that be nice. I’d love that one.)

And there was also a discussion about no longer needing the Cherry Hill property. And now having the option of selling that property and adding it to the theoretical trust.

Really big news on that one.

All of this sounded rational, organized and sane. I hope that it is all true.

If any of this information could be true, it would be my wish for the Newburyport School Committee to “communicate” this. Because I most certainly have been very confused. First asking for a Taj Mahal approach to our elementary schools, a very short while ago, and then asking for an override vote for capital expenditures, and no vote yet on Superintendent Kevin Lyon’s restructuring plan.

May rational thought rule. And could any of this be true, may we all be informed of this “new” agenda.

(And as a PS… I’ve now started to monitor my phone calls again, after a happy, but brief “no monitoring” period, until this whole school override, restructuring thing is resolved. Otherwise I’d be on the phone 24/7 with various and sundry “trying to set me straight.” An emotional issue.

My condolences to the Newburyport School Committee members, the Newburyport City Council and the Mayor. They don’t get the “blogger privilege” of the “call monitoring” thing. But then they ran for office.)

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Future of our Schools

I have heard a lot of information recently about the future of our schools in Newburyport. I would first like to discuss the rich history of Newburyport and it’s commitment to education.

I have worked and lived in this community as a social worker for almost 20 years. Many Newburyporters born and raised here have shared with me the importance of their neighborhoods. This has traditionally been a close knit community. Southenders have talked about the Brown School with deep affection. Downtowners have talked with love about the Kelly School. North and Westenders have talked about the warmth of the Bellville School (now known as the Bresnahan). It appears that some of what has knitted this community together is its neighborhoods and the schools where parents meet on the playground waiting for their children.

I know times have changed and the people that have lived here. I’ve been here long enough now that I grieve missing buildings, businesses and people. Nobody likes too much change. We can guarantee this change with the redistribution of children from community schools to city wide schools.

I have a great deal of respect for Dr. Lyons. I know that these changes are due to the lack of financial support on a Federal and State level, not just a community level. I don’t think it is productive to blame any one community group for this.

I also am a graduate of public school education and my son has had the benefit of an incredible education here in Newburyport. I don’t want a private education for my son. I believe some of the most dedicated educators are those in our own community.

I know the teachers purchase the majority of supplies on their incomes. I know that if we averaged the income of those in our community today, they might not reach the income of our teachers. I also believe that part of what makes a community great is its dedication to education.

I recently read a book about Newburyport History, “Newburyport: Stories from the Waterside” by Liz Nelson. I was not aware that in 1843 Newburyport established the first female high school in America. “A newspaper article fifty years later describes….efforts as being “bitterly opposed by the citizens…who could not tolerate…so vulgar a notion” …..The school committee presented a highly favorable report to the town meeting” and it was voted in!

I think that we need to consider as a community what will be said in future generations about us. Will we have established a precedence of caring about education or will it be bitterly opposed? Will we have a close knit community?

I ask you to give citizens of Newburyport the right to vote on the future of our community and its schools. 1) on an override that would only last three years, and 2) if we want a community wide school versus a neighborhood school.

I think that we all should have the right, just as they did in 1843, to decide what our future holds.

Lindamae Lucas
Newburyport

(Editor’s note: The quotation above is from “Newburyport: Stories from the Waterside,” Liz Nelson, Commonwealth Editions, Beverly, MA, 2000, pages 54 and 55.)

Newburyport, Loss of Neighborhood Schools

When the Newburyport School Committee does vote on Superintendent Kevin Lyons’ restructuring of the Newburyport Kindergarten and Elementary Schools, I imagine that it would be a very emotional vote.

Neighborhood elementary schools have been part of the fabric of Newburyport, MA since, like forever. I imagine it would feel like losing something comforting and familiar. Losing part of the soul of Newburyport, MA.

A very commonsense and pragmatic solution to an incredible conundrum by Superintendent Kevin Lyons. But also a solution that would be painful for many in Newburyport, MA.

If it does happen, that will be a lot for this small seaport city to absorb.

And I think asking residents to also process (in my mind) a large spring override for the Newburyport School system, would be asking way too much.

I think it might be hard enough to drum up support by November.

I know there are a lot of concerned, worried and involved parents who are actively organizing for a spring override. But it is my very strong belief, that the city of Newburyport, MA needs time to absorb all the changes that are before them.

In a time of loss (and I think closing the Kelly School and restructuring Kindergarten and the Newburyport Elementary Schools is a loss) people tend to hold on to their pocketbooks. I think it would be very unwise to ask people to add to their tax burden on top of all of this, especially when the new residential assessments are coming out, and people do not know what their new taxes would be. (And I imagine that they are not going down folks.)

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Educational Spring Override

Sorry folks, now that we have a doable plan from Superintendent Kevin Lyons on the restructuring of our kindergarten and Newburyport elementary schools, I am no longer for a spring override.

I am enormously frustrated by the Newburyport School Committee (and believe me I think they have one of the toughest jobs in Newburyport, MA).

On the issue of an override, it appears to me that the Newburyport School Committee has seemed disjointed and unorganized. And frankly, it’s late in the game. Way too late in the game.

What many of the Newburyport City Councilors have been telling the Newburyport School Committee is true. To convince folks to pony up and raise their taxes takes time. Lots and lots of time, thought and organization, if there is a whiff of a hope of getting an override passed.

To quote in the Newburyport Daily News, March 13, 2007:

“(School Committee member Andrea Jones ) Jones said she believes city councilors’ reluctance to support the School Committee’s override request is driven by their own re-election concerns.

“Saying there’s not enough time is just the council’s excuse this week for not supporting the override,” Jones said. “It’s an election year, and anyone who’s running for re-election needs to be very careful how they talk about anything that affects taxes.” ”

It is my opinion that Ms Jones is way off base. This is not a selfish, self-serving Newburyport City Council. And if that quote is accurate, I am disappointed.

The Newburyport School Committee hasn’t even voted on whether or not to endorse Superintendent Kevin Lyon’s restructuring plan. (The Newburyport Daily News, March 13, 2007.)

One would think a vote on that very thoughtful problem solving solution would come first. And then a long and well thought out campaign, involving a well thought out plan, to ask the residents of Newburyport, MA to pony up money for education. Not the rush job that’s in the works now, no matter how well intentioned.

The Newburyport City Council is correct. If this vote fails (and I can tell you, at the moment, I would not vote for an override now), there is little hope of the getting the residents of Newburyport to take the Newburyport School Committee seriously in any way shape or form. This could be a major political blunder.

It seems to me that a leader like Superintendent Kevin Lyons, doesn’t come along very often, and it might be wise for the Newburyport School Committee to follow his lead.

What the Newburyport School Committee has been doing, in my mind, is really, really frustrating.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Elementary School Sweeping Recommendations

Wow!

I’m a (former) Kelly School parent, but (as I think I mentioned in an earlier post) I think it’s time say “adios” to neighborhood schools, (weep) close the Kelly and get on with Superintendent Kevin Lyons’ recommendations. And sweeping, they certainly are.

I think maybe I can say this because looking back, it is my very firm belief that what made a difference in my son’s Newburyport Public School education were all the guardian angels within the system all the way along (they still exist), and concerned and supportive parental involvement.

I listen to worried parents who say, “but it’s different now” and no one seems to want to hear about the guardian angel stuff, but it’s true.

To quote The Newburyport Current, March 9, 2007:

“Obviously we’re concerned,” (City Councilor Tom Jones ) Jones said, “but it’s what I’ve said before – Dr. Lyons is a pragmatic person; he’s thinking outside the box. I’m encouraged by that zero sum look at the budget.”

“I’m glad we’ve gone away from discussing shiny new buildings to discussing shiny new students,” Jones added…”

(Me too.)

“I’m ecstatic that we have Dr. Lyons here to take us through this,” (City Councilor Steve Hutcheson ) Hutcheson said. “He’s made the best of what was given him; I’m glad we hired him!” ”

(Yup, that’s what I think also.)

I don’t know, now that it’s warmer out, and the shock of Superintendent Lyons’ recommendations wears off, maybe there will be a citywide stoning of the gentleman in question. I hope not.

Leadership calls for making tough and innovative decisions. Superintendent Kevin Lyons has certainly made really tough and innovative decisions on this conundrum.

But this is Newburyport, MA. Who knows what could happen in the coming weeks and months.

Cool heads. Hope so.

Wild Newburyport Elementary School saga. Very possible indeed.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Education

Our schools. The financial state of our schools. How utterly depressing.

I hope Superintendent Kevin Lyons sticks around, doesn’t get so discouraged about the bleak financial picture that he moves on. Never met the guy, but not to repeat myself, but to repeat myself, he sounds awesome.

To have the school financial picture be so bleak that we will have to let teacher’s go, possibly lose the accreditation for our High School and have class sizes go up. Yikes.

No extra money from the state, rising costs and no extra mula in the city’s coffers. Yikes.

Look folks, when it gets this bleak, I’m all for an override. Come on, we are not talking entitled Taj Mahal Elementary School Building plan here, we are talking losing basics, which hurts everyone’s financial bottom line.

People are not going to want to live in Newburyport, MA if our brand new spanking High School (which hasn’t been remotely paid for yet) loses its accreditation. Oh, good grief.

In 2 months we’ve gone from discussing a Taj Mahal approach to an Elementary School Building plan, to a very commonsense approach by Newburyport Superintendent Kevin Lyons to, at least what I thought was a “brilliant,” problem solving solution to the present overcrowding in the Newburyport Elementary School, to the present utter bleakness.

Oy vey…

This is one of the many, many reasons I would never want to be on the Newburyport School Committee or be the mayor of Newburyport, MA. Much easier to be a blogger.

I would lose an awful lot of sleep at night on this one.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Wisdom, Our Schools

Our new superintendent of the Newburyport school system, Kevin Lyons appears to me as someone who is “wise.”

I’ve never met the man, I’ve just read the papers and heard people speak of him, but he strikes me as a “wise” man.

It’s my own opinion that “wisdom” is a much overlooked quality in our society today and to find it in a leader is rare.

I toddled off to Google (I know, Google might not be equated with “wisdom”) for a definition of “wisdom” and these are a few of the things that I found.

1) “Having experience, knowledge and understanding together with the power of applying all three with prudence, practicality, discretion and common sense;”

2) ” “It is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things” (Henry David Thoreau).”

3) “Knowledge with information so thoroughly assimilated as to have produced sagacity, judgment, and insight.”

Wisdom requires experience and yes, time. It is why the young are rarely “wise.” They are many, many other things , thank goodness, but “wise,” is rare.

And it is not enough to have knowledge, it is the application and assimilation of that knowledge that produces “wisdom.”

And it is my experience that “wise” people are often “trusted” people. And it is my impression is that Superintendent Kevin Lyons is already “trusted” by many who have come in contact with him.

Not something to be sneezed at.

One of the dilemmas I see in Newburyport, MA, is that young families feel pitted against the community, and that there is a great deal of resentment towards the young families because of the possibility of raised taxes for all sorts of things, including a huge proposed elementary school building extravaganza.

But Mr. Lyons appears to be “wise,” using his experience to defuse that growing tension and applying his knowledge to better teaching and innate problem solving within (at least at this point) the existing educational structure. Showing, in my mind, incredible “wisdom.”

May this man continue to be the “gem” that he appears to be. “Wise gems,” in my experience, are often few and far between.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport