Good Morning - My update on Thursdays Executive Session meeting - Once again we attended a meeting and left empty handed. I cannot imagine such a group of people as the current group in town politics. Every meeting is a chance to build a bridge or repair a bridge they've broken down. Every meeting is an opportunity wasted. Every meeting is a hole dug deeper into the quagmire this has become. Approximately twenty of us showed up last night. We were barely acknowledged, other then being told to leave or being told to come back in. There was a missed chance to say , " We understand you are upset and we hope to work towards solutions tonight." I have heard through the grapevine we are basically called "Cranks" and our petition was microscopically pulled apart and only 187 taxpaying voters were found. I am hearing that was a source of great derision. Comments were made fun of. I personally left all comments given as I did not want to be accused of "fixing" anything - of course the political machine sees what it wants to see. All I can say is a town that has members complaining and goes to lengths to make those members feel bad - has some very screwed up priority's. There was no address last night to where any information gleaned from the meeting may go. Not even a, "Thank You for coming and we will make a statement at the next board meeting." nothing. Scott Akam stormed by us like the petulant three year old he is. That he has held any office for any amount of time is stunning. I cannot say I have any hope anything will come from this latest gathering. All I can say is we need everyone available to come to meetings. We have been forced to become unrelenting in our desire to fix what is wrong here. They will try to make do with what we have - that which causes the least amount of upheaval. They will try to duct tape the pipes to avoid leaks - when we really need a replacement. This is unacceptable. I say we move forward undiminished in our attempts to expect excellence. Excellence that Alicia Roy is incapable of giving us. Going on 15 years if you haven't pulled us out of a downward spiral by now it's not going to happen. I don't think she is fixable. We need a fresh start and deserve a fresh start. Six years as superintendent is half of my children's educational careers here. I don't have any more time to give and neither do they. Please join us and the teachers in New Fairfield on April 7th 7:00 pm - wearing red in support at the next BOE meeting. Let them look out to a wall of red - I will try and have some red pins available too. I wrote a letter this week that unfortunately did not make it into the paper. I think it is timely here as well. Bylaws of the Board of Education As seen below in the "Bylaws of the Board of Education" the number one responsibility of the Board of Education is ,"To work closely with the community to ensure that Board actions and performance reflect the concerns and aspirations of the community". Perhaps they have not read them recently. As of today we have 516 signatures between the hand signed and online petition saying our concerns and aspirations are NOT being reflected in the choices made by this superintendent. There is a separate petition of 85 employees of the high school and middle school decrying the proposed administrative changes suggested by Roy. The last BOE meeting gave us two members supporting the public will and asking to question the superintendents performance and seven showing no regard for the public will at all. We could have been talking about the weather...or turf....they have spent more time discussing fake grass then the superintendents performance. This is where this boards priorities lie.They are hoping we will get tired. They are hoping we will get bored. They are hoping we will just go away. They don't want to deal with any of us. These people, we elected into office, are speaking volumes with their lack of words and lack of actions. Please let them know we are not done and this is not acceptable. This Thursday March 31st 7:00 pm at the High School Library is a meeting to discuss our superintendents performance. It is a meeting that will go into Executive Session - in which the public may not participate. I still believe the board should realize they are supposed to be representing us. They should have to walk by us on the way in and on the way out. I would ask anyone that can participate to please do so - and I Thank You in advance. Patty Gasparino Bylaws of the Board Board-Related Responsibilities In order to assure that its operations support the schools in providing all students with a high quality education, the Board of Education hereby establishes as its duties: 1. to work closely with the community to ensure that Board actions and performance reflect the concerns and aspirations of the community; 2. to identify the educational needs and to develop policies to address those needs; 3. to provide leadership in order that the goals and objectives of the school system, as set forth by the Board, can be effectively carried out; 4. to employ a Superintendent capable of ensuring that the district maintains a position as an outstanding school system and that school personnel carry out the policies of the Board; 5. to formulate Board policies which best serve the educational interests of students and provide the Superintendent with sufficient and adequate guidelines for implementation; 6. to develop and provide data useful to the planning evaluation, organization and execution of Board management functions; 7. to perform all Board functions and operations in conformity with state, federal and local laws, rules, and regulations; and 8. to evaluate the Board's performance in relation to these duties, and to establish and clarify policies based upon the results of such evaluation. 9. to develop leadership capabilities, become informed about current issues in education, and improve its skills as members of a policy-making body. Board members will participate in opportunities for development that may include, but not be limited to the following: In-service activities planned by the Board and by the administration, for staff members, as appropriate; Participation in conferences, workshops and conventions held by state and national school boards associations and other educational organizations; Subscriptions to publications addressing Board member concerns. Bylaw adopted by the Board: June 23, 1999 Bylaw readopted: May 3, 2007 Feel free to contact me with any questions - gasparino6@att.net