Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Eva-Marie Mancuso, RI's new Board of Education chair, uses courtroom demeanor to try to convince angry teachers and nervous parents that change is necessary.
Eva-Marie Mancuso enjoys a lively debate, but she is clear about one thing: When it comes to educating Rhode Island’s children, the status quo is not an option. At a recent Q&A session in East Greenwich, the state’s new Board of Education chair, sparred with state Sen. James Sheehan (D-NK, Narr.) over teacher evaluations, cajoled teachers to work with the state, and tried to reassure at least one parent that using passage of a test as a graduation requirement is the right move. The forum, organized by the East Greenwich Democratic Town Committee, was held at EG’s Town Hall, the former Kent County Courthouse. The setting suited Mancuso, a personal injury lawyer. Although the new Board of Education for the first time combines all levels of …
Friday, May 17, 2013
The Barrington School Committee votes 3-2 to start all-day kindergarten next fall if sufficient funds can be found in the budget without having a negative impact on other programs.
Full-day kindergarten will start in Barrington next fall with a condition – sufficient cash can be found in the school budget to fund it with or without the $633,000 amendment to go before voters at the Financial Town Meeting next week. A vote in favor of the amendment, of course, would certainly make that task much easier. The School Committee voted 3-2 Thursday night to move forward with all-day kindergarten in September. The nay votes were cast by Scott Fuller, who supports the superintendent’s recommendation to wait a year, and Paula Dominguez, who supports starting all-day kindergarten no matter what. “I can’t believe we can’t find money in a $46 million budget,” said Dominguez. “I support all-day kindergarten, not this motion. I …
The BAY Team substance abuse prevention coalition offers a few tips for parents to follow for prom night.
The Barrington High School senior prom is tonight. The BAY Team created a list for parents to use as a guide for a night that sometimes leads to underage drinking and other unhealthy decisions.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
If approved at the Financial Town Meeting, the amendment would bump up the tax rate by 23 cents or about $80 for a median-priced home in Barrington.
As anticipated, an amendment to add $633,000 to the proposed Barrington School Budget next year has been filed in the Town Clerk’s office. The amendment does not tie the request to a specific expenditure, but $633,000 is the estimate for adding full-day kindergarten in Barrington in September. The amendment was submitted by Amy Morton, of 289 Waseca Ave., on Tuesday, May 14. That’s one day in advance of last Wednesday’s deadline of five business days before the town meeting on May 22. The amendment is dated May 14. If approved at the town meeting, the additional cash would add 23 cents to the tax rate, said Dean Huff, Barrington’s finance director, making the new rate $18.43 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. For a home assessed at $350,…
Monday, May 13, 2013
Brief ceremony on Saturday morning, May 11, links the name of the former principal to Barrington High School forever.
John Gray had his name linked forever on Saturday morning, May 11, to Barrington High School. At a brief and emotional ceremony, the auditorium was dedicated to the former principal at the school who died last fall. Gray served as principal for 29 years before stepping down in 2009. A plaque now hangs on a wall outside the entrance to the auditorium, which now is known officially as the John R. Gray Auditorium. His wife, Cheryl, unveiled the plaque and the lettering on an overhang to the entrances to the facility before applause and smiles by the approximate 100 people to attend the ceremony. The auditorium was selected as a tribute to Gray because it is a spot that was near and dear to this heart. “He attended every concert and every …
Saturday, May 11, 2013
A windscreen at the top of the bleachers that identifies the playing field at the high school was purchased by the Barrington Booster Club.
You may have noticed it by now. Maybe not. The bleachers at Victory Field at Barrington High School have a new addition -- a windscreen at the very top that definitely tells passers-by and visiting team where they are planing. The screen was purhased by the Barrington Booster Club, said Kevin Ryan, president of the organization. "We wanted to help build some school spirit and create some buzz for the teams playing and competing on Victory Field," said Ryan.
Friday, May 10, 2013
The Barrington School Committee defers making a decision even with a recommendation from the superintendent to put off all-day kindergarten for another year.
The School Committee deferred making a decision on full-day kindergarten for Barrington on Thursday night. The board deferred the decision to its next meeting on May 16 even with a recommendation from Superintendent Michael Messore that it put off starting all-day kindergarten for another year. The board also put off making a decision after listening to several members of the subcommittee that assessed all-day kindergarten plead with them to start the program in September. In the meantime, there appears to be a possibility that the Committee on Appropriations may sit down with the School Committee before the Financial Town Meeting to work out some compromise over the COA-proposed school budget that leaves the schools about $277,000 short …
A ceremony that dedicates the Barrington High School auditorium for the longtime principal takes places Saturday, May 11, at 10 am.
John Gray Auditorium. The auditorium at Barrington High School will carry that name after tomorrow morning, May 11. It will be renamed for Gray, the Barrington High School principal for 29 years, who passed away last fall. The dedication ceremony will start at 10 am. The auditorium was selected as the tribute to keep Gray's memory alive primarily because it generated "the most interest" among staff at the high school and for Gray's wife, said BHS Principal Joseph Hurley. The auditorium is the place where most students and parents met Gray for the first time when they were freshmen entering the school, Hurley said. "John loved the arts," he said, "and he was a factor in its renovation." Superintendent Michael Messore, an assistant principal…
Thursday, May 9, 2013
The Barrington School Committee holds a special meeting tonight on full-day kindergarten; a report from its subcommittee to be center of attention.
The Barrington school board holds a special meeting tonight on all-day kindergarten. The meeting starts at 7:30 pm in the School Committee Room in Town Hall. A report from the subcommittee for the Barrington School Committee that has been assessing all-day kindergarten will be presented, said Robert Shea Jr., School Committee chairman. Superintendent Michael Messore has been leading that subcommittee. It’s possible that a decision on all-day kindergarten could be made tonight as the school board sits down again to deal with a proposed budget that right now is a few hundred thousand dollars short of what the committee wants for the schools next year. The shortage comes from the Committee on Appropriations’ recommendation at last night’s …
Barrington children participate in global exercise class at their schools -- All Children Exercising Simultaneously (ACES).
Children all over Barrington took part in a global event on Wednesday, May 8. The event was the All Children Exercising Simultaneously (ACES) program – often referred to as the world’s biggest exercise class and always held on the first Wednesday of May. Exercises could be just about anything – walking, jogging, biking, dancing, aerobics or a combination of them all -- as long as they were done together. At Hampden Meadows School, the PTO decided to make ACES there a bit out of the ordinary, said Bindu Mallick, PTO president. Working with physical education teacher Lauren Graham, they recruited Pam Van Ness and Amy Boyes to offer Zumba and Yoga to the hundreds of kids in the school at the same time. “It was the largest class I’ve ever led…
mocktheworld
4:24 pm on Friday, May 17, 2013
I watched it on line, and I don't disagree with the premise, when the process is fair! This year it was not!! Vital information ( $633'000) was withheld from both both the BSC and the COA, And was revealed a day after the Teacher contract was ratified AND, withheld AGAIN from the BSC until after the BSC voted to accept it! Very flawed process! more ›