tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post471434347146437659..comments2023-10-17T22:56:42.784-04:00Comments on Only in The Republic of Amherst: What's in a name?Larry Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-73425112316811080192013-02-17T14:35:41.253-05:002013-02-17T14:35:41.253-05:00I did not make any claims..I said they were workin...I did not make any claims..I said they were working on curriculum alignment. That I know they are doing. Go talk to Maria Geryk and get the information from the horses mouth, so to speak. Don't complain on a blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-41238725991847329342013-02-17T14:10:35.788-05:002013-02-17T14:10:35.788-05:00Anon @ 1:39: I never said "doing nothing to a...Anon @ 1:39: I never said "doing nothing to address curriculum alignment" I just asked what progress has been made, what now is aligned? You were the one making claims, mine were questions. I asked you to back-up your claims. I've been to tons of SC mtgs (often the ONLY parent present). I do watch SC mtg online. From your response, I am concluding that indeed you don't have the info to back up your claims...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-16905977344927365092013-02-17T13:39:07.997-05:002013-02-17T13:39:07.997-05:00It is not my job to educate, Anon 12:46. If you w...It is not my job to educate, Anon 12:46. If you want to coment on the issue then you need to educate yourself on the issue - or let your readers know that all your comments are opinion and not based on any facts.<br /><br />Start going to SC meetings. If you can't go to the meetings you can watch them on tv or online - like I do. I watch them all. Go to the ARPS website - there is a wealth of information there about what is being done to address curriculum alignment and ways the schools are attempting to address the achievement gap. There is alot of information there. You said that the schools are doing nothing to address curriculum alignment - I said they were. I did not say the work was done..I said that steps are being taken to address it. Go read about them. Watch some SC meetings.<br /><br />What I object to most strenuously is people commenting on things they know little about and implying that their comments are facts. The work is not done, but it is in the works. You cannot undo years of no aligment in just two years. The Gus Sayer and Jere Hochman regimes let the teachers do whatever they damned well pleased and their was NO OUTCRY whatsoever. Now we have a Superintendent who is telling the teachers - "this is what you have to teach and when you have to teach it" and all she gets is angry parents telling her she is not doing anything about it. Why don't you make an appointment with Maria Geryk and find out from her what she is doing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-80768834337596901382013-02-17T12:46:10.995-05:002013-02-17T12:46:10.995-05:00anon@1050:
please give me some facts, if there ha...anon@1050:<br /><br />please give me some facts, if there has been a progress report on alignment, sorry I missed it. But you know, so tell me. Have we been told we now have alignment between the grades, if so, which subjects? Which grades, which schools? I don't think it has happened but please tell me specifically what has happened. The onus is on you (vehemently defending that there has been progress) to demonstrate that it has happened. Not just your wish or impressions or (delusions). Just give us some concrete facts, point me to a 'report' posted on ARPS...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-51255692645151453502013-02-17T10:50:22.917-05:002013-02-17T10:50:22.917-05:00Anon 141, the school system is working on curricul...Anon 141, the school system is working on curriculum realignment AND the achievement gap at the SAME time. Your comments show that you make charges that are wholly based on opinion and ill-informed assumptions and not in facts - a frequent occurrence on this blog. The governing philosophy seems to be why let facts get in the way of a good story.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-5024640529036215222013-02-15T16:50:42.281-05:002013-02-15T16:50:42.281-05:00"I think Walter is just making this up as he ..."I think Walter is just making this up as he goes along."<br /><br /><br />Think?<br /><br />Is that what you call that? <br /><br />Thinking?<br /><br />Where I come from they call it pilfering.<br /><br />And you and your self righteous, organic produce -at the expense of tax-payers and the ones who've tried to stop you- loving "hijackers" have been ~bleeding~ this once beautiful and passive farmer's town, for decades. <br /><br />Do you think you OWN this place!?<br /><br />And THE greatest gift from heaven above is watching an Über-townie like Larry Kelley kicking your hypocritical and slimy asses to the curb, day after day after day.<br /><br />And don't forget, most of you insiders are getting old and a little unsteady, a little <br /><br />sloppy. <br /><br />And you know what, I'll say it again: <br /><br />It's over baby.<br /><br />It's over... Teaching chimps sign languagenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-13964180610745354772013-02-15T13:41:09.704-05:002013-02-15T13:41:09.704-05:00I have heard plenty of talk aimed at alignment, I ...I have heard plenty of talk aimed at alignment, I just don't SEE ALIGNMENT (but lots and lots of action plans). How long should it take? It has been on the agenda (talked about by the SI at SC mtgs) for at least 4 years now. Can you tell me what area of the curriculum is now aligned between schools? Between grades? I hope changing the math text in elementary school will help but that depends on the buy-in of the teachers, what material (book vs supplementary) they decide to use (hopefully the decision isn't theirs and is the math coaches/c director, but who knows?), when the material will be taught, depth of material...I'm not sure this is happening. Do you know that it is?<br /><br />This has been a top priority (for very good reason) for improvement in the district for a long time, it would be nice to have it off the list, so we could move on to focus more attention on closing the wide achievement gap.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-74804760168540092572013-02-15T13:29:40.181-05:002013-02-15T13:29:40.181-05:00Anon 1:25 - What evidence do you have that the sch...Anon 1:25 - What evidence do you have that the schools are NOT working toward curricula alignment, other than your belief that it is not happening?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-83785617965432204782013-02-15T13:25:07.555-05:002013-02-15T13:25:07.555-05:00anon@1238:
after many years of "working towar...anon@1238:<br />after many years of "working towards" curriculum alignment, I have yet to see real/documentable progress made in that direction. Lots of talk but I haven't seen much substance. So the argument that having a region (Amherst, Pelham, Shutsbury, Leverett) with an aligned curriculum so the transition into MS will be more uniform just doesn't ring true to me...Show me that it can happen within the Amherst elementary schools FIRST.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-47203094250083762762013-02-15T12:38:17.248-05:002013-02-15T12:38:17.248-05:00I just don't understand the knee-jerk hatred o...I just don't understand the knee-jerk hatred of Maria Geryk. Do any of you who are spewing such stuff have any idea what is actually happening in the schools? Do any of you actually attend school committee meetings? Attend meetings at the school where staff make presentations about what they are doing? Read any of the reports online? Do ANY of you actually know anything about what is going on? It's truly amazing to me what gets said here based on NOTHING. I have a child in the elementary school and I think she is getting an excellent education. I am happy that the math curriculum was changed..I think the curriculum director is doing a top-notch job. Many strategies have been introduced in the last few years to improve the level of education, to improve the alignment of the curriculum and to address the long standing achievment. Does anyone even know that these things are even happening? Do any of you who are complaining have a specific complaint about the education their child is getting? Does it ever occur to you to call your child's teacher? Call the principal? Call the Superintendent? Until that happens I don't have much use for the things that are spewed out here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-30113438782453642802013-02-15T12:02:12.357-05:002013-02-15T12:02:12.357-05:00Well, I guess we'll never know if Walter is te...Well, I guess we'll never know if Walter is telling the truth or not, because none of us know any veteran Amherst teachers with whom we can check Walter's story.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-80239052377721128832013-02-15T11:52:14.729-05:002013-02-15T11:52:14.729-05:00I think Walter is just making this up as he goes a...I think Walter is just making this up as he goes along. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-18604838671719608992013-02-15T11:04:42.216-05:002013-02-15T11:04:42.216-05:00So let me get this straight now Walter... you wen...So let me get this straight now Walter... you went, individually, to each teacher in the Amherst school system who has been there for 15 years +, asked them "what is wrong with the Amherst school system?", and all of them told you stories of lies, waste, and deceitfulness, stemming from Superintendent Geryk.<br /><br />Have I got that straight, Walter?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-75519751110373863882013-02-15T08:49:28.175-05:002013-02-15T08:49:28.175-05:00"Walter, could you please provide me with the..."Walter, could you please provide me with the names of "the few remaining old time teachers left in Amherst" so that I can ask them the question you asked me to ask them? (you know, the question about whether or not the administration secretly planned and executed their evil goal of forcing all the best teachers to leave?)"<br /><br />Wish I could but they speak of-the-record. Want to know what is wrong with the Amherst school system. Simply ask the teachers who have been their 15 years plus. I did. Individually. And all of them told many stories of waste, lies and deceit that starts with the autonomous superintendent. <br /><br />Walter Graffnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-7452125488325038562013-02-15T02:15:19.594-05:002013-02-15T02:15:19.594-05:00Yet another pisher afraid to post his name.
Uh, ...<i>Yet another pisher afraid to post his name.</i><br /><br /><br />Uh, nope, same pisher. What made you think I'm someone else? Is there a whole army of us, responding to your crazy posts, now? Just how important do you think you are, Walter? It sounds like th administration's days are numbered, according to your posts... please, fill us in on the details of the planned siege...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-15908399577918816962013-02-15T02:01:19.251-05:002013-02-15T02:01:19.251-05:00Walter: you ask us to "just take a look at s...Walter: you ask us to "just take a look at some of the wasteful jobs in this system..." ("it's all one must do...")<br /><br />Could you list those wasteful jobs so that we can take a look at them? <br /><br />Thanks for the work you're doing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-75997489380059268332013-02-15T01:54:29.901-05:002013-02-15T01:54:29.901-05:00Walter, could you please provide me with the names...Walter, could you please provide me with the names of "the few remaining old time teachers left in Amherst" so that I can ask them the question you asked me to ask them? (you know, the question about whether or not the administration secretly planned and executed their evil goal of forcing all the best teachers to leave?)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-43902370925402621432013-02-14T23:31:01.268-05:002013-02-14T23:31:01.268-05:00You know folks, if Oswald didn't act alone -- ...You know folks, if Oswald didn't act alone -- if he was part of a Soviet or Cuban conspiracy -- and JFK <b>had</b> made several attempts on Castro's life -- then it is a moot point how he obtained the rifle -- he could have been given one if need be.<br /><br />And notwithstanding this, what is the big deal about his having bought it from Montgomery Ward through the US Mail? There were no gun stores in all of Dallas, Texas? He couldn't have gone downtown and bought a rifle there had he wanted to?<br /><br />He couldn't have bought a rifle somewhere in Dallas, Texas? Jack Ruby was able to walk in and literally shoot him in what might as well have been the police station lobby and yet you somehow think that he wouldn't have gotten a gun but through the mail?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-33336196579396828862013-02-14T21:56:47.699-05:002013-02-14T21:56:47.699-05:00"Anonymous Anonymous said...
So Pelham i...<br />"Anonymous Anonymous said...<br /><br /> So Pelham is ranked 26th? Uh, Walter, Pelham has the same school administration as Amherst."<br /><br />Yet another pisher afraid to post his name. Yes Pelham is in the same system. <br /><br />Fear not, The Amherst-Pelham school district<br />ranked 123 of 325. <br /><br />As far as tests go the one small Pelham school did far better than any Amherst school. It should based on it's size. Ask the few remaining old time teachers left in Amherst and they will tell you the administration has forced all the best teachers to leave with few older teachers left. Doesn't change anything. Even with lower teacher to pupil ratios the Amherst school system is still failing. The Amherst administration is a disaster that bloats it's offices, can't keep anywhere near a budget, and then plans on cutting all children's school programs to cover the losses of keeping a bloated administration from having to give up one single job. SAD SAD SYSTEM. But fear not, the days of unlimited rule and no accountability, along with a school committee board that has the power of a teachers assistant are over. Walter Graffnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-4640655062400545752013-02-14T20:36:37.238-05:002013-02-14T20:36:37.238-05:00So Pelham is ranked 26th? Uh, Walter, Pelham has ...So Pelham is ranked 26th? Uh, Walter, Pelham has the same school administration as Amherst.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-6560118300759582772013-02-14T20:03:55.860-05:002013-02-14T20:03:55.860-05:00"What a putz"
No a person not afraid to..."What a putz"<br /><br />No a person not afraid to use his name and challenge a crippled system. What's your excuse pisher. Walter Graffnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-17910283638259057752013-02-14T20:00:46.344-05:002013-02-14T20:00:46.344-05:00"Walter... you are the joke! If you REALLY be..."Walter... you are the joke! If you REALLY believe the current administration is trying to "take away from the kids," you are oblivious and have not been paying attention. You haven't met the people doing the job, and you have no idea what they have been working at for the last 25 years of their careers."<br /><br /><br />Hmm, 25 years? And what do we have for it? One of the very highest per pupil expenditure in the state and what is the result of 25 years of work as you say? <br /><br />Out of 890 schools in Mass:<br /><br />Wildwood Elementary ranked 353 out of 890 in 2012 - 537 schools did worse<br /><br />Fort River Elementary ranked 481 out of 890 in 2012 - 400 schools did worse<br /><br />Crocker Farm Elementary ranks a pitiful 498 out of 890 in 2012 - only 392 schools did worse<br /><br />Amherst Regional High School ranked 112 out of 343 - 231 schools did worse<br /><br />The Amherst school district ranked 196 out of 325 - only 129 districts did worse<br /><br />The Amherst-Pelham school district <br />ranked 123 of 325 - 229 districts did worse<br /><br />And compared to all other cities in Mass Amherst ranked 183 out of 327. Only 144 cities had worse schools.<br /><br />Funny, I was reading off these numbers to someone and their response was: <br /><br />"I thought people moved here for the schools" <br /><br />Many did and found out this school system is a disaster. <br /><br />Other surrounding communities rank far better. <br /><br />Sunderland was 74th. <br />Hadley 77th. <br />Longmeadow 71st<br />Pelham 26<br /> <br /><br />Shame on this administration. For all the money spent all we get is middle-of-the road grades. Even with the fudging of the grades and all the attempts to show better scores. <br /><br />YES, I'll say it again, THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM SUCKS. I'm not the only parent who feels this way. And get ready folks, our names will be heard loud and clear. Just you watch.<br /><br />And no I don't REALLY believe the current administration is trying to "take away from the kids". But that is what ends up happening when the administration puts itself first and the kids second. When you are surrounded by fat, you are never healthy. <br /><br />And as for all you hating "anonymous" folks... Anonymous is defined as lacking individuality, distinction, or recognizably. Yep sure sounds like the socialist Republic of Amherst. <br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Walter Graffnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-40612465531962523072013-02-14T19:13:08.543-05:002013-02-14T19:13:08.543-05:00Walter didn't offer anything that can be prove...Walter didn't offer anything that can be proven or refuted, it's all opinion: He likes to tell us that Amherst should adopt "appropriate standards", and create "proper rules and regulations" (I'm sure Walter will be happy to tell us what "appropriate" and "proper" standards, rules and regulations look like,) he likes to say banning mail-order gun purchases didn't have an effect on gun violence, he tells us "it is always the minority that cause problems"; he tells us we are "narcissistic", "socialists", that we have no "balls" and need to get some "cojones"; he makes ridiculous claims, such as that we hire a new $100,000 employee every week, and that we spend "millions" on "a group" to do studies, he says that we have <i>too few</i> teachers (even though our student to teacher ratio is better than most places in MA,) and that they are "not paid" (despite the fact that Amherst's teachers make a lot more than most teacher's elsewhere,) and they are apparently not appreciated (not sure where he got that data); that all of our government is "secretive"; and so on and so on.<br /><br />But what is missing from Walter's posts are anything resembling SUBSTANCE. Its all name-calling, "everything sucks", and "everyone else should make it better for me." He offers no data, no statistics, just hate-filled expressions of his negative feelings toward our schools, government, and all the corrupt people working in them, the univerity, the tenants and landlords, all the PC'ers, (dude, that was the nineties,) it's endless with this guy. re the superintendent: "She shield herself and leads parents on." Examples please. (after you tell us what that those things mean.) "The town government sucks and they should do this and the superintendent should do that and someone should make more rules and regulations and I'm not part of the problem, look at the article I posted and all of amherst's problems will go away."<br /><br />What a putz.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-7643614065900253392013-02-14T19:12:58.978-05:002013-02-14T19:12:58.978-05:00"Question: What evidence exists that banning ..."Question: What evidence exists that banning the availability of guns via mail order did nothing to stop any gun related violence? (That's what Walter said it did.)"<br /><br />Well Mr or Ms. coward who can't post a name, there were plenty of studies in some of Americas worst cities that showed the gun ban did little. But you'd think your school ID would get you access to the computer so you can look it up yourself. Isn't this the education capitol of NE? I find it funny that people with PhDs can't figure out how to turn on a light switch in a room. But they can get a job with the Amherst school administration. <br /><br />I'd do your work for you but then you wouldn't be doing it yourself. Okay just one, even if you don't have the guts to post your name. <br />While your ignorant response said little truth is that not only did the confiscation, arrests, and overall gun violence, homicides with both handgun and rifle, continue a steady rise after the 1968 act, what the gun control act tried to stop most was interstate gun migration. Yet as the research shows it had no major depressant impact on interstate gun migration.<br /><br />You too can be educated instead of showing your ignorance by reading this or any other number of after-the-fact pieces on the 1968 act: http://www.saf.org/lawreviews/zimring68.htm <br /><br />I'm sure you're too busy to read it so I'll sum it up from the authors conclusion based on extensive recearch... <br /><br />"Rates of gun violence and the proportion of violent acts that are committed by guns have increased substantially since the Gun Control Act of 1968 went into effect."<br />Walter Graffnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-20386485486700949892013-02-14T18:54:51.277-05:002013-02-14T18:54:51.277-05:00"And hell no I do not choose to post my name,..."And hell no I do not choose to post my name, Joker."<br /><br />Then very simply you are coward. And weak. And your opinion matters little because it has no person behind it who has the guts to simply post your name. When you want to stop hiding then I can address your fears, clearly you are scared that anyone is going to upset this system. Walter Graffnoreply@blogger.com