Assistant Principal Pamela Bigelow has been sending out emails in an attempt to garner support and intimidate the Budget Committee members into giving the School Board everything it wants. Bigelow and Dassau are upset that the Committee has proposed a budget of 8 million for the school to operate on and have twisted facts and threatened a suit if the committee doesn't cave to their demands. Below are copies of emails sent out by the assistant principal this past week.
From: "Pamela Bigelow"
Dear all,
With Dr. Dassau's permission, I am forwarding his message below (and attached letter to the Budget Committee Chair) to inform you of what is happening with the school board's proposed budget for next year and the Winchester Budget Committee. We are encouraging all who are able to attend the public hearing this coming Tuesday, Jan. 3rd, at 7 PM at the Winchester Town Hall to voice your concerns and opinions. --Pam
Pam Bigelow, Assistant Principal
Winchester School
85 Parker Street
Winchester, NH 03470
From: Ken Dassau
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2011 11:27 AM
To: Pamela Bigelow; allstaff
Subject: RE: Budget Hearing on Tuesday
Happy Holidays.
Attached are the documents that will be added to the district's budget page on Tuesday.
The Winchester Budget Committee at its meeting on December 6th passed a motion to reduce the school budget to 8 million. That is a 30.5 % decrease from the school board's proposed budget which equals $3,510,850.
Such action was taken without deliberation or concern for the impact on the children of Winchester. A copy if their meeting minutes is attached.
Since that time they have met four times with school administrators to review the school board's proposed budget. To date they have not changed their position - nor have they decided on, or identified, any budget areas for reductions.
Their public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday January 3.
You will see in the attached documents that I have informed the board chair Mr. Moser - that I believe their action is in violation of their legal responsibilities and illegal in accordance with the "10% rule" as decided in the Baker v Hudson case.
I read and presented the attachments to the full committee at their meeting last night. They are public documents.
Tuesday will provide an interesting welcome to the New Year.
Best to you all.
Ken
Kenneth R. Dassau, Ed.D.
Superintendent
From: Pamela Bigelow
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2011 8:58 AM
To: allstaff
Subject: Budget Hearing on Tuesday
Dear Staff,
Attached is the fortnight for our return from vacation. Please note that the Winchester Budget Committee has scheduled a public hearing on next year’s school budget for this coming Tuesday, Jan. 3rd, at 7 PM at the Town Hall. All staff members are encouraged to attend, as this is our opportunity to hear what the Budget Committee is proposing and to have input. FYI, there has been one proposal to cut the school’s budget by over $3 million without any suggestions, to date, as to how we could effectively operate the school and educate Winchester’s children under those circumstances. For more information, check the Superintendent’s Page on the web site – http://www.wnhsd.org/departments.cfm?subpage=748068 – or contact any administrator with your questions.
I hope you all had a restful, happy vacation!
Pam
These are the tactics our School Board uses to insure they get what they want and to hell with the rest of us. They use your children as pawns in their game of intimidation and double-speak. Our Educational System is running amok with irresponsible people in charge and making demands upon society that are not only outlandish but hurtful as well. Intimidation and threats are shameful actions, especially by those we entrust to educate our children.
16 comments:
Is this called job protection? Do we need an assistant principal along with a social worker? Perhaps the committee has hit a nerve and the school does not need all of the funding to do their jobs. Scare tactics should not work anymore.
At the end of the day it will be up to voters. This back and forth from both sides is time wasting and senseless. This is 1 budget that can be cut big time just as long as its over paid executives and bloated management expenses. I know millions can be cut without effecting the students, It may cost a few unnecessary jobs but so be it, something has to change.Of course the school will say they cant educate kids unless they get a 11+ million budget but I think they should rise up to the challenge and just do it.
Its funny how the people we pay to educate our kids, just don't get it. When these people have finely drained the pond dry, then what? No wonder 48% of the citizens of America are unemployed, they don't stand a chance.
Oh my god. What are we going to do with so many stupid kids on the streets if they dont fund the schools?
6:01, either missed the point or makes a living as an educator.
Her plea was successful - There were approximately 50 people that attended the meeting tonight. More than 3/4 were educators or related to them.
Ironically - her position is the one that should be cut. She makes more than our Principal.
This is the reason these unscrupulous people get elected and why things are the way they are in this town. All you pathetic voters sit on your hands and do nothing, you rely on others to right the wrongs while you sit home. You allow a small group of people to dictate how you will live in this town, how much tax you will pay and whether or not you will lose your home or just manage to get by because you just don't care; you don't want to get involved and this is exactly what this group counts on. None of you could come out and support the people you elected to keep your taxes at a reasonable rate, none of you cared enough to show your support of them and voice your concerns. You're all too busy or wrapped up in your own little worlds to do anything to improve the quality of your lives.
I am ashamed to call this town my home.
I had to work last evening, can someone who was there tell me what took place and what the outcome was?
I see that there is a lot of places that we can cut this FAT budget. The problem is that our school board does not want to cut the FAT at the top. They think that our prinipal, VP, superintenend are making the right kind of money. The scary part is that they will let them keep making the money and our teachers will be cut. We need some new people on our school board who are not afraid to put the topheavy budget we have on a diet from the top down. While I do feel that a $8m budget is light, I think that with some smart planning and a buisness look at the real numbers, we could have a great school for $10.5+- We also have to look at getting our kids out of Keene High.
After watching the public hearing last night I feel what's going to happen is, Chairman Brian Moser will feed his ego fold his tent and go home. Putting it bluntly he will cave. I hear there is dissention on how much to cut between the board members. Although there will be some cuts but they will be minimal....far short and amounting to $hitt. No near the $8 million!
Last night I heard people’s pleas and a signed petitiones for relief from the tax burden the school has dumped upon the tax payers.. What the school and school board has done to the citizen of Winchester is criminal, destroying families lives and the pleasure of their homes.Spending money they didn't have allocated. Nothing steals more directly from the mouths of children then what the big salaries of the Supervisory Union fat cats are getting. What will Superintendent Ken Dassau be eating tonight with his $114,000 salary? While the citizen eat casseroles and pot luck suppers to scrape by to pay their taxes. It is a total sham what these people at the school are doing to us citizens.We have no one else to blame but ourselves for electing people like Kevan Whippie and Colleen Duquette for hiring these clowns.
Last night we heard from town budget committee member Rick Horton discussing (speech) cutting electric bills and turning down the heat in his attempt to say thing that weren’t to harsh to befriend the school members in a attendance gathering allis for his run for selectmen while refusing to discuss cutting the bloated salaries.
The days of $114,000 jobs may be coming to an end, and this would be a good place to start.
How about $49,000 for a secretary (she is shared between sped and superintendant)? The first year in a position and a nonadvertized job!! How about cutting some of that fat and advertizing for someone who can probably do the job for less!! Let's look at adminstration costs as the FAT in the budget because that is where you will find it!!
The middle class is being systematically wiped out of existence in America. The educational system is going to have to change just like the rest of us. Its not going to be easy because, as you can plainly see the people in power don't give a S--- how you feel or what happens to your home or family. Greed and lack of common sense are going to be hard to overcome.
Keep in mind that ALL the depts. come before the budget committee with an inflated list of monetary demands, so the budget committee can slash around 10%, and everyone goes away happy. Well, this year the budget committee is much smarter than the committee's of the past. Some of the dept heads have gotten away with this for so long, they don't even think its dishonest.
At last nights meeting, the school budget was cut to 9.1 million. Now we need every person affected by the outrageous increases we just got shafted with to show up to the School Deliberative session in February to make sure the School Board and Teachers DO NOT add any money back.
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