A Glowing Review?

The worst state report card in seven years for Amherst Elementary Schools

Not sure what Amherst Regional School Committee members were looking at in a dispassionate way (it's hard not to be passionate about a personable lady) when they came up with such a saintly review of Maria Geryk's first year as superintendent without "interim" in front of it.

At $16,413 vs state average of $13,055, Amherst elementary schools have the highest average cost per student in the Valley , a student/teacher ratio of 10 to 1 when the state average is 13.9 to 1.

And with Amherst average teacher salaries at $66,000 that enviably low student teacher ratio adds up. Now throw in the 21 administrators (Elementary and Region) making over $85,000; which is why our average cost per child for "administration" is a whopping $698 vs state average of $446.

But we get less than whopping results--especially with low income and minority children, who failed to reach proficiency at a higher rate than state average. Our Special Education results are certainly not special, with 82% failing to reach proficiency vs state average of 70%. Particularly disconcerting since Maria Geryk came from a special ed background.

A background that does not, however, include a doctorate...in a town where coffee baristas have one.

Even though Regional School Committee member Debbie Gould's husband is employed by the Regional Schools she penned the only part of the evaluation made public. No direct conflict of interest I suppose, but a little open disclosure would have been nice.

Like when Dr. Rebecca Woodland from the UMass School of Education (where Ms. Geryk attended) appeared before the School Committee 9/22/10 to sing the praise of Maria, she could have mentioned the no-bid $96,000 teacher training contract Ms. Geryk gave her that very week.

According to School Committee minutes: "Rebecca Woodland, parent and UMass education professor, stated that she believes it is unwarranted and unwise to go forward with a Superintendent search and doing so would amount to a vote of no confidence in Ms. Geryk. She noted that she has worked with Superintendents across the state and Ms. Geryk has accomplished more in her seven months on the job than most new superintendents accomplish in three to five years."

And considering our lack of Adequate Yearly Progress this past year, Dr. Woodland's expensive services do not seem to have resulted in better teaching.

Such a glowing review after one year as "interim superintendent" and now a full year as real deal superintendent does not give Ms. Geryk much incentive to do anything differently. Maybe the schools do not require an entire 12 step rehab program, but they could unquestionably benefit by the first step: Admit there's a problem!

Who ya gonna call?

AFD on the scene, Kirby Theater Amherst College, 10:30 AM

One of the reasons Amherst College should increase Payment In Lieu Of Taxes to the town...

APD doubles down on rowdyism

APD confiscated keg stash. Friday night acquisition, on left

There's absolutely no question the fine increase to $300 for alcohol related activities in town are working, and yes they are being paid.

Last night Finance Director Sandy Pooler told the Amherst Select Board that at the half-way point this budget year court fines collected have doubled, totaling $111,000 compared to $56,000 and $54,000 previously. Unfortunately the party season expands and gets meaner in the Spring.

On Friday night around 11:00 PM Puffton Village security called APD as they spied a handful of college aged kids lugging a keg of beer towards an apartment, who when discovered, dropped the keg and scattered, kissing goodbye perfectly good beer and their $100 keg/tap deposit.

Probably cheaper, however, than a $300 ticket for "possession of an unlicensed keg" (one of the newly increased in fees town bylaw), or being arrested for under aged drinking. In basketball it's called "hearing footsteps": when a player hurries a shot --and misses--because he thinks an opponent is bearing down on him.

The town manager recently acknowledged that both police and fire departments may be understaffed. At the rate the ticket revenues are going, Amherst could fund a pair of new positions for each department.

A sin tax for the greater good.

In Heaven There Is No Beer, but in Amherst...

Amherst Select Board mediates

Amherst Select Board 1/23/12

So in addition to abiding by the School Committee's wishes to have a joint meeting February 6 to fill the seat left vacant by Steve Rivkin's departure because, as eloquently stated by Chair Stephanie O'Keeffe, it would be beyond "weird" not to indulge their wishes, the board last night also delayed approving changes to Personnel Procedures Manual that the Personal Board has been working on for three years to allow Jones Library Trustees to discuss it at their next meeting.

The changes seem to take away authority from the Town Manager and give Library Trustees--elected volunteers--power to hire and fire all employees. Union rep Tina Swift told the Select Board "impact bargaining"(on a contract that was signed only last month) needs to happen with Service Employees International Union before they adopt the revised Personnel Procedures Manual.

Librarian Susan Hugus told the board a lot of employees "are very uncomfortable about this"; and even the Town Manager agreed with delaying a decision because the original intent of the change was "to provide clarity, not sow confusion."

APD Bags Arsonist Red Handed

Barbecued Dumpster at Hobart Lane. "Arson Watch" sign was at top left.

Heads up police work by a patrol officer in an unmarked car early Sunday morning (12:45 AM) may have brought an end to the serial dumpster arson cases that have plagued North Amherst for over a year now. When the officer spotted three young men near the dumpster and detained them for questioning, one individual--Travis Consolo--was acting particularly nervous.

And for good reason: While the officer was questioning him, the dumpster--which had ArsonWatch reward poster affixed to it-- exploded into a conflagration. AFD put out the fire; Consolo, a UMass student, was arrested.

Since August of 2010 this particular dumpster has been torched 30 times. Police and Firefighters distributed informational flyers to the immediate neighborhood around Hobart Lane back in October, reinforcing the reward offer posted on the abused dumpster.

Arrested for "Burn Personalty":
Travis William Consolo, 143 Birch Bark Drive, Hanson, MA, age 21

A recent (bad) example

ArsonWatch reward poster like the one attached to burned dumpster

Occupy Amherst Town Hall

Amherst Town Hall in the middle of a storm 12:15 PM

Occupiers pulled a George-Washington-crossing-the-Delaware and successfully orchestrated an occupation of Amherst Town Hall...which is closed on Saturday.

And even if they managed to shut it down during normal business hours, would anyone in town even notice?

No Exit Plan (same old, same old)

Leading Edge Amherst. Sign went up six weeks before business died

The Greenfield Recorder 1/20/12

Well considering Joanne DeLong and Peter Earle gave members, instructors and the general public only a couple hours notice before they scuttled their flagship The Leading Edge in Amherst last year, I'm not surprised half of that dynamic due now publicly proclaims the Leading Edge (rowboat) in Greenfield, has "no plans to close the gym."

Planning was never their strong point.

Obviously it's w-a-y more fun to plan for opening a business rather than closing, just like it is far merrier to attend a wedding or baptism vs. a funeral or divorce proceeding.

But consumers had better be wary--very wary. Both in Greenfield and the one maybe opening soon in the same complex in Amherst as the former Leading Edge. Considering their business model (low-cost, pack them in the door to sign up, then hope they never come in to use the facility) only took 13 months to accumulate massive amounts of red ink, it's hard to imagine a sudden turnaround simply because one partner ditches the other.

Apparently customer service is not a strong point either

And strangely enough, in this case, the partner getting ditched--Peter Earle--has far more fitness experience than Joanne DeLong, who jumped into the fitness field a tad late in life, with her main experience fighting with Earle at the Gold's Gym, Inc in Amherst before it morphed into The Leading Edge which only lasted another two years before suddenly going out of business.

As Scotty, Chief Engineer on the good ship Enterprise, used to say, "Fool me once shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."

#####

This from the Greenfield Recorder:

"According to court documents, Greenfield Fitness Inc. is in default of approximately $307,000 in back rent, real estate taxes and maintenance costs. The fitness center has routinely missed payments of maintenance costs ($46,420), real estate taxes ($54,896), and back rent ($205,524) since May 2010. The business opened in March of 2009."

10/24/11 They certainly cut corners with their Greenfield sign (now a weathered banner)