Hot Time in the Town

UPDATE: Thursday 6/9
So I'm now told that School Super Maria Geryk and Town Manager John Musante have been in negotiations for a month about possibly opening the Middle School Pool this summer as a public service (some would argue 'Public Safety Service'.) Let's keep our flippers crossed for a positive outcome.
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With public schools not yet in summer recess, today's gorgeous weather will only serve as a distraction to our youth, but a month from now it will act as an oppressive tormentor. And the town will provide little respite.

Back in 2005 venerable Amherst Town Meeting approved spending $140,000 to refurbish the War Memorial Pool area "comfort station" (bathrooms) a 50 year old cinderblock structure that also serves as Stan Ziomek's office for all things baseball.

That money has sat in an account all these years and is only now being used for its original purpose. Meanwhile the town closed the adjacent War Memorial Pool two years ago due to either budget restrictions or maintenance issues (depending on who is spinning the facts) and current studies show the pool needs $175,000 for proper renovation.

Last month Town Meeting approved spending $65,250 in a last minute vote to give the pool a death row pardon this summer, but town officials quickly nixed the idea and decided to stash the cash as a downpayment towards the $175-k required "to do it right" for next year.

But that $65,000 was based on operation costs for a season. Since the pool usually generates $20,000-$25,000 in membership fees, Town Meeting was clearly thinking it worth $40,000 in business losses to keep kids happy.

So why not take $10,000 of that money and purchase pool memberships at Hampshire Athletic Club and distribute them to the most needed families in town? LSSE charges $85 for a one month pool pass (out of the reach of many families even if War Memorial was open for business) while Hampshire Athletic Club--with a well maintained indoor pool--only charges $69.

And if the town went to the owners with that much cash in hand, I'm sure they would institute a corporate non profit discount on those passes; plus if each person also kicked in $10 or $20 in matching monies, a couple hundred citizens could be well served.

Such a public/private partnership is a B-I-G win situation: Hampshire Athletic Club acquires new members at the slowest time of the year, the town helps facilitate a valuable public good and--most important--children get to cool off.

A birthday bash to remember

For the first time in ten years the Amherst July 4 Parade is steaming towards showtime free of political fireworks. Yes, hard to believe in Amherst we can now actually have a civic celebration with all the pomp and circumstance minus the minions who think any event on public property is fair game for pushing a political agenda.

After a hiatus of 26 years, the July 4 Parade was revived in 2002--that dark time immediately following 9/11--as a venue for thanking civilian public safety and military personnel who routinely lay their lives on the line to perform their duty: keeping our citizens safe.

The traditional Parade is a loud, festive and fun affair--especially for children. Again this year the patriotic showcase will feature marching bands, color guards, farm equipment, dancing horses, politicians, firetrucks, police cruisers, and military hardware, including F-15 fighter jets, those magnificent war birds from Barnes Air National Guard in Westfield.

The July 4 Parade launches at 3:00 PM starting on South Pleasant Street near Amherst College Orr Rink and ambles directly through town center all the way to Triangle Street. The Parade Committee is made up entirely of unpaid volunteers and it's financed via private donations from individuals and businesses.

Contributions can be sent to: July 4 Parade Committee, PO Box 2145, Amherst, Ma 01004

Party House of the Weekend

64 Pomeroy Lane

Maybe I will not have retire this weekly feature for the summer, as kids continue to just wanna have fun--at their neighbors expense. File this one under: Welcome to the neighborhood.

According to police narrative from backup officer having been called to 64 Pomeroy Lane South Amherst at 1:45 AM early Saturday morning:

"Loud party at location. Residents stated that they had just moved in to apartment three weeks ago. One male gave false information to officer, found in possession of alcohol and was later identified as resident of apartment."

According to the original responding officer: "Attempted to make contact with tenant at rear of building where crowd was located. Individuals fled on my approach. Many of whom were identified as minors in possession of alcohol. One male failed to identify himself while in possession of alcohol. Was later identified as tenant and placed under arrest for unlawful noise and being minor in possession of alcohol."

Michael Odonnell of Medway, Mass, age 20: $300 ticket for Unlawful noise
Matthew McMorrow of Norwood, Mass, age 20: arrested and booked for underage drinking, unlawful noise.

Assessor Card for owner of 64 Pomeroy Lane (repeat offender)

State names names in Charter School neglect

Despite PVCIC Executive Director Rich Alcorn's assertion to the media that a state investigation "has made no finding" against the school "or any member of the staff," I received a copy of the letter sent from DCF (dated June 1st) clarifying the findings, and naming Alcorn's wife Kathy Wang, school principal, as one of two responsible parties:

"After a review of a recent investigation of the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School conducted by the Department of Children and Families, it was learned that the support decision for the neglect of xxxxx cited the school itself. The Department's regulations do not allow for an investigation to support an entity. Attached is the correct letter that you should have received."

The Correct Letter from DCF (click link to read)

Let the Spin begin

Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School officials circled the tanks to form a defensive perimeter of denial, while parents and friends of students enrolled in the 4-year-old language immersion school have launched a counteroffensive against the negative press resulting from a seven-hour "timeout" forced on a third grade boy accused of pushing another boy in a bathroom in an effort to make a hasty retreat from another boy's physical assault. The punishment was meted out the morning after the incident without parental notification.

An unbiased and presumably professional agency--the Department of Children and Families--found support for the allegation of neglect in response to the child's physician who, acting as a "mandated reporter," filed a 51A report with the state. The case is now in the hands of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

This unfortunate incident comes at a precarious time for the rapidly expanding school. Back in 2009 PVCICS filed amendments to expand their original K-8th grade capacity from 300 to 420. Considering those extra 120 students bring with them the average overhead education cost of the sending district, that amounts to around $1.5 million per year in tuition revenues.

And the amendment to e-x-p-a-n-d by adding grades 9-12 will easily amount to another $1.5 million. The school voluntarily withdrew those amendments but did refile in 2010 the one for adding 120 students K-8. Dr. Mitchell Chester, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, rejected that request. PVCICS appealed the decision to the full Board, and lost.

In order to meet this ambitious student expansion proposal the school renovated space last summer for $1.2 million to add four classrooms and now has on the drawing board a major construction project, estimated to be no more than $8.664 million, for a three-story addition on the back of the former health club which will double the size of the building, adding 14 classrooms, a library, resource rooms and office space.

In 2008 PVCICS was awarded a $1.5 million FLAP grant to "plan implementation through grade 12; and 2) create a 6-9, partial immersion program for late-entry 6th graders that will eventually expand through grade 12." If the school cannot expand to grade 12, however, it could jeopardize that $1.5 million.

No wonder parents are concerned.

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Sent: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 11:53 am
Subject: Deadline tonight! PVCICS support letter

Hi, PVCICS Families ~

So far, 98 parents and guardians have signed the letter that will be submitted to the editors of both the Daily Hampshire Gazette and The Republican. If you would like to add your signature please click on the following link and follow the instructions: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PVCICS_Sign_Support_Letter.

The deadline for adding your signature is TONIGHT (Wednesday, June 1) at 11:59 p.m.

Here's the text of the letter:

For the past four years, the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School has provided our children with an innovative educational opportunity without parallel in Western New England. At PVCICS, the region's children can receive the foundations of a 21st century education that prepare them to live and work in a world that has grown far beyond the one we knew at their age.

Although the school's test scores show the success of the educational component, we also see the excellent social and emotional results in our children every day—especially in the way they interact with each other and with the staff of PVCICS. We see them becoming global citizens through the school's unique blend of academics and culture.

As parents, we hope that we make good choices for our children. Our choice of PVCICS has in fact been a great one, full of rewards for our children and our families. Our children are not only happy, but are excelling in ways we did not imagine. The policies and decisions of PVCICS have brought success—on MCAS tests, in the classroom, in our communities, and in our homes.

At a time when education reform is the rallying call in national and local politics, we are proud to be part of a community of learning at PVCICS that is leading by example.

Best regards,

xxxxx

P.S. It was not possible to remove from the distribution list the names of those who already have signed. If you are receiving this message but already signed, please disregard it.

Devastation

If death were not so final, a journalist would by now have voluntarily ventured there to bring back the story. Every reporter worth their bone marrow dreams about being in the right place at the right time with the right equipment to observe and record a major event, then dispassionately disseminate it for all to see.

Yesterday my media friends in Springfield fulfilled such a nightmare role--and did so brilliantly. Particularly difficult I would image for the Springfield Republican, located within the fury of the storm.

When routine suddenly explodes out a broken window, let's hope there will always be a reporter there to cover it.

The Springfield Republican speaks

Amherst shows great taste

If the way to a man's heart is through his stomach then women up and down the Valley will have an easy time reminding their loved ones they are still appreciated this Fathers Day with a fun, convenient, cost effective jaunt to town center for the 20th anniversary "Taste of Amherst".

The culinary event overtakes Amherst center June 16th through 19th, with over twenty restaurants already signed up for the annual community fest.

Yes, the Taste of Amherst has withstood the test of time--precisely because because it never gets old or stale. Other towns, most notably Northampton the Holy Land of restaurants, succumbed to apathy and no longer stage such an event.

Because Amherst is such a transient community with thousand of college students coming and going annually, us townies set a high benchmark for folks who move into town and wish to be taken seriously. Twenty years is the minimum cutoff. As a fifth generation resident, I now declare the Taste of Amherst something to be taken seriously...in a fun sort of way.

Hours for the Taste of Amherst are Thursday, June 16, 5-9 pm; Friday, June 17, 5 -10 pm; Saturday, June 18, 12-10 pm; and Sunday, June 19, 12 – 4 pm.