The Eagle-Tribune - Latest Comments in Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

NCLB-NOT — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:32:10 -0000

AND AN INCREDIBLE WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY.

who do you think pays the NEASC?

WE DO.....

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

MV — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 07:57:37 -0000

He purposely concealed the fact that NA High was on warning and when he got caught by the Tribune he finally released it FIVE MONTHS LATER! Yeah! Real Straight Forward!

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

DHester — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:17:51 -0000

Not surprising, the taxpayers are getting so desentized to reality that they don't know what they really are voting for Everyone seems to blame the teachers union yet, who takes the administration to task? Incompetence in NA starts at the top. Just look at the past improprieties in the school system there. Stop making the taxpayer pay for the mistakes of the incompetent SC.

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

CDiBella — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:09:04 -0000

your state also rapes people that travel through it, and the state of mass. needs to do the same to help fund state activities. YES TO TOLLS ON 93!!!

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

Stan — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:17:53 -0000

marybeth11, the state of New Hampshire has the school district profiles on it's state website. The information listed includes test score and cost per student for the towns. My town spends over $13,500.00 per student and the test results are terrible. Especially when you consider the amount of money we're spending. Yet year in and year out, the teacher's union (NEA) manages to extort big raises from the taxpayer by duping the taxpayers with the old saying "it's for the children". It reminds me of those charities where only a few percent of the donations goes to the needy with the bulk being used by the management.
If I returned results like that at my job, I'd be on the street quickly!
It's nice to have organizations out there to cloak and shield one from poor performance. Unfortunately, the employer (taxpayer) gets no such protection on their job! When one organization uses another organization's approval as a lever to increase spending, don't tell me they're not related, I know better!

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

Lars — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:33:05 -0000

The NEA is a teacher's association and is not related, in anyway, to the accreditation group.

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

Lars — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:32:06 -0000

More electives have been added, did you not see the list in the paper last week? The HS principal herself gave a list of several new courses added for this upcoming school year.

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

Lars — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:30:18 -0000

He did not "hide" the fact that he received the letter. It seems to me that he and the HS principal had made the necessary changes for the upcoming school year and expect to be removed from this list upon proof that the changes were made. They were not removed so he made it public. Was it right? Perhaps not, but it was not done maliciously or in a way to deceit the public as you insinuate in another post.

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

marybeth11 — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:41:50 -0000

NEA and MTA are not associated with the NEASC.....the whole accreditation process is an incredible time consuming burden to teachers......

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

Chumly — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:27:01 -0000

HUSH YOU MOUTH!!! that would never happen in the people's republic.

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

Concerned Citizen — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:36:54 -0000

I heard Andover is also on warning. Why no mention of that in the paper?

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

ICBS — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:29:36 -0000

In my opinion, NEASC uses accreditation as blackmail over taxpayers. I'm curious how long it will be before the DPW, PD, FD etc come up w/ their own "accreditation" agency to lobby for more funding for their depts...

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

my 2 cents — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:48:13 -0000

True or not true, NAHS is looked apon once again as one step up from Methuen and miles away from being mentioned in the same breath as Andover . North Andover continues to be a poor mans Andover both in education and property values.

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

Cat Lady — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:47:28 -0000

I think everyone needs to do some research re:NEASC. They are an PRIVATE org that schools and colleges pay to come in and evaluate. They are consultants of a sort. Yes, they are retired educators but the point is, NAHS chose to apply for NEASC accred. then when MArini didn't like the NEASC decision, he hid it from the public. This deprived parents and students of the option to apply to private schools over the summer and may have impacted whether or not the SC could ahve made budget shifts to increase electives at NAHS. Parents, teachers, students and the principal have all publicly stated that more electives were needed. The NEASC report confirmed this. The only folks who don't seem to get this are the Supt and the NA Sch. comm.

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

marybeth11 — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:23:05 -0000

Stan,back up one thing you said with actual facts please......

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

Stan — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:00:11 -0000

I'm glad to see people waking up to these organization such as the NEA. They are nothing more than unions and they look for ways to extort money from taxpayers. In my town, most of the property taxes goes to schools. The return on dollars is terrible. Test scores decline year in and year out. They lower the number of students per teacher and get no results.
Unfortunately for the average taxpayer, there are many forces in place to make sure the problem is never solved.
We have lost the government of the people, by the people and for the people to special interest.
The time for a second revolution is approaching quickly!

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

NCLB-NOT — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:07:29 -0000

AMEN to that.....

get large groups of parents together....there's strength in numbers......

Then be prepared for a tough battle......

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

NCLB-NOT — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:04:30 -0000

Hey.....Question 1 is the only way to fix this state government....and it will have ZERO effect on your NA high school. Unless you believe all the scare tactics the liberals will spew...

If you really have a problem with electives....then why don't you just work THAT issue? What difference does it make HOW the NEASC rates NAH on your issue of electives???? If you want more electives, get off this website....get some facts together...present your case to the school committee. If they don't see it your way, elect new SC members.

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

CatLady — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:03:06 -0000

NCLB NOT. It would be so nice if parents could work with their elected school bd. However, the SC is not interested in what parents say, they follow blindly where the Supt leads them...and that is an issue that should be rectified at the next election.

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

NCLB-NOT — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:58:16 -0000

Don't care to understand...I don't live in NA.

Your 'issue' of electives....how many times have you brought this issue up to the School Committee? Get a large group of parents together and WORK WITH your ELECTED officials. Then you and the school committee work it with the Sup...

Checkout how ELT issue was worked in Methuen......

I'll just add this...what "electives" are you so concerne about? Looks like reading, writing and arithmetic are doing very well at your school.

Oh..and again....YOUR issue should be between YOU (and other parents) and YOUR school administration. Keep the NEASC idiots out of it.

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

CatLady — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:39:58 -0000

ibeme is correct that HS parents have been complaining about electives. NCLB NOT is pushing the question 1 issue. The Supt kept the NEASC info a secret because he did not want those HS parents coming back to (rightfully) stir the pot. My concern is that had he informed the SC, could monies have been shifted to the HS to increase electives? There is a potential financial detriment to the secrecy not to mention an ethical one.

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

ibeme — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:32:44 -0000

NCLB-NOT, I don't even think you understand what the true issue is. If you'd spent any time at all paying attention to NA school committee meetings for the last three or four years, you'd understand that parents HAVE been complaining.

Primary concern: lack of electives. Which just so happens to be one major area that the NEASC pings. Can't offer electives unless there are teachers to teach them. Layoffs = not enough teachers.

So, add the Trib AND NCLB-NOT to the list of those that don't understand the problem.

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

CatLady — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:03:28 -0000

NAHS should not be on warning, agreed but that does not excuse the Supt keeping the information secret. 2 wrongs don't make a right. Won't trust anyhting he says from now on til he airs the issue in public.

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

NCLB-NOT — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:24:51 -0000

YOU miss the point...NAH should NOT be on an sort of LIST....unless the parents can list some areas where they are not happy with the education their children are receiving.

Look at the MCAS scores for NAH....
English - 2007 CPI - 95.4
Math - 2007 CPI - 93.9

NAH should be commended for their scores....not WARNED.

In comparison...
North Andover - 95.4 / 93.9
MA STATE AVE - 87.9 / 85.0
Methuen - 88.4 / 83.0
Haverhill - 85.8 / 8.7
Andover - 97.0 / 96.8
Lawrence - 61.9 / 52.0

BARKING UP WRONG TREE....

Re: Accreditation warning is a hollow threat

Welcome to North Andover — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:14:22 -0000

This belongs in the opinion section of the paper. Whoever assigned this to News obviously skipped Ethics of Journalism in college.