3-out-of-4 Ain't Bad

Superintendent Maria Geryk listens to three School Committees evaluation of her

Last night the Regional School Committee, Pelham and Amherst School Committees and Union 26 sat in final judgement of Superintendent Maria Geryk's performance over the past school year. The final verdict was a good one. Mostly.

Overall they gave her a 3.08 out of 4 which is described as "proficient". But the document was quick to point out, "This is the rigorous expected level of performance."

Interestingly the Superintendent's lowest score, 2.8, came under "Management and Operations" which was probably negatively impacted by all the racial turmoil created in the wake of the Carolyn Gardner affair.

   Amherst School Superintendent Evaluation

The joint committees voted 10-1 in favor of the condensed summary of 13 individual evaluations with only Amherst School Committee member Vira Douangmany Cage voting "No".

Ms. Cage had earlier asked why Pelham School Committee Chair Tara Luce -- an Amherst Regional School employee -- was allowed to evaluate her boss?

The Mass State Conflict of Interest law holds public officials to a very high standard and strongly suggests avoiding even the "appearance of a conflict."

Superintendent Geryk stated the School's attorney had looked at the situation when Luce was first elected and opined that as long as she did not vote on (her own) salary contract, it was not a conflict.

Currently Maria Geryk is the highest paid public employee in town with an annual salary of $158,000 plus $840 cell phone allowance and $10,000 for annuity/life insurance policy.  She does not get a monthly car allowance.

Mediation Vs Facilitation

Amilcar Shabazz addresses his former colleagues on the Regional School Committee

After an hour and 15 minutes of sometimes heated discussion the Amherst Regional School Committee voted unanimously to support a motion calling for them to enter into a discussion with the NAACP regarding their concerns over discipline disparities with a  "facilitator" rather than entering into formal mediation.

Last week the Regional School Committee voted to allow three of their members to do exactly that, but the NAACP turned them down saying they wished to abide by the 1993 legal agreement and enter into formal mediation with the entire Committee.

 A dozen spectators including three former Regional School Committee members in attendence

The original motion from Dan Robb called for exactly that, but was amended by Rick Hood to change the word mediation to facilitation.  That amendment passed with five of nine supporting it: Katherine Appy, Kathleen Traphagen, Rick Hood, Kip Fonsh and Phoebe Hazzard, who was using remote participation via computer.

 Amherst NAACP President Kathleen Anderson:  "Mediation" or federal lawsuit

A few minutes before that NAACP local President Kathleen Anderson clearly told the committee that it was either "mediation" or a lawsuit would be filed in federal court.  Former Regional School Committee member Amilcar Shabazz also passionately urged his former colleagues to enter into mediation to avoid just such a lawsuit.

RSC member Vira Douangmany Cage pointed out the school's attorney Giny Tate makes $225 per hour and her staunch advice about the Consent Decree being a simple "contract" that was null and void could lead to a lawsuit that would only serve to give her many more hours of lucrative work.

Kathleen Anderson reads statement of Mary Lou Conca in support of spending $5,000 on mediation.  Investigation of her complaints against Schools cost $15,000

But Katherine Appy asked why would the committee listen to the NAACP attorney (who claimed it was a Consent Decree still in force) and not their own?  So why waste taxpayer money on a Mediator when it's clearly not required?

When all was said and done the Regional School Committee voted 9-0 to go into "discussion" with the NAACP with a facilitator rather than entering into formal mediation.

The ball is now squarely in the NAACP's court.

 Bulletin board on wall just outside RSC meeting

NAACP Legal Action Too Late?

Amherst Pelham Regional School Committee last week

At a joint meeting this afternoon between the Amherst, Pelham,  Amherst Regional & Union 26 School Committees the NAACP threatened legal action for breach of a 1993 agreement concerning disproportionate discipline actions against minorities will once again be a (hot) topic of discussion.

But in a letter dated August 7 the School District's Attorney Giny Tate pretty much destroys the legal standing of the current threat due to a statue of limitations being l-o-n-g expired.

According to Ms. Tate the original "agreement could only be enforced through a breach of contract action."  Therefor the consent decree was really not a "consent decree" but was nothing more than a simple "contract" between the NAACP and the Regional School Committee.

According to Ms. Tate a "breach of contract in the state of Massachusetts must be brought within 6 years of the breach" (expired 1999).

Attorney Tate continues to pile on:  "Failure to file a breach of contract within the statute of limitations terminates the NAACP's  rights to persue any actions now. The case is dismissed, and the School Committee has no further contract obligations under the agreement."

   Amherst NAACP Too Late

To sum it up succinctly Attorney Tate concludes, "The NAACP had no current right to enforce any terms of the agreement."

Click to enlarge/read

In 2013-2014 White students (60.6% of population) received 29.9% suspensions -- or half their average make up, while Black students (7.4% of population) received 28.6% suspensions -- more than three times their average make up.

Amherst (Selectively) Remembers

First Congregational Church 1:00 PM

In addition to the usual 40+ year Sunday Peace Vigil in town center Amherst's oldest established house of worship, the First Congregational Church, put on their own public display for peace this afternoon by remembering the devastation unleashed on Hiroshima and Nagasaki 70 years ago.

Of course they don't anything special to remember December 7,  "A date which will live in infamy."

And thus far, 70 years later, has probably only been exceeded in infamy, by that Tuesday morning almost 14 years ago when death rained down from a crystal clear blue sky ...

Torch Run: A Fitting Tribute

Lining up at APD HQ 111 Main Street,  Saturday 6:55 PM

The spectacular Saturday weather continued into the early evening making the three mile jaunt from Amherst Police Department HQ to Kennedy dorm at Southwest UMass ever so bearable -- especially with 50 other friends, family and co-workers along for the run.

Umass roundabout was no problem for the pack

Pack escorted along University Drive 

The Law Enforcement Torch Run is more than just a special benefit to raise money for Special Olympics -- it's a concrete example of how cops care about their community.

And the power of camaraderie.

 Final stretch: University Drive up Fearing Street to Southwest Kennedy dorm

This Blessed Day

Bikes line up in front of McGuirk Stadium

The weather this morning could not be any more blessed for a long motorcycle ride.   And with AFD Chaplain Bruce Arbour's official blessing under their belts the 19 riders who left from UMass McGuirk Stadium are sure to have a blessed ride over the 100+ mile course.
 

The blessing of the bikes

Jackass 3 -- named for David Bennett Sr.'s propensity to use it as a term of endearment with his many friends and family and not for the hijinks of the movie franchise -- raises money ($1,487) for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation in his memory.

 Riders exited onto University Drive

If today is any indication, memories of David Bennett Sr. will live on for a very long time. 

Living Building Taking Shape

 

Foundation and parking lot of new building at Hampshire College 

 

The Hitchcock Center's new super efficient 9,000 square foot "Living Building" on the grounds of Hampshire College seems to be coming along just fine.  The facility is expected to open in the Fall of 2016.

Hitchcock Center current building is too small

The Hitchcock Center has been leading the charge on environmental education since 1962, and currently operate out of the town owned building a few miles up the road at 525 South Pleasant Street.

They have a lease there until 2020.

Hitchcock Center current building according to new town Building Inventory 

 Town DPW is installing road/driveway over on the left as part of a previous deal relating to Atkins Corner roundabout construction a couple years ago