A Clear Choice for Stoneham School Committee
I am writing this blog entry to endorse Caroline Colarusso for the Stoneham School Committee. Caroline and I first met when she was appointed to the finance board about three years ago. She was friendly and affable, immediately becoming involved in the more complex issues the board faces. She has the intelligence, education and experience to get the job done. In particular, she has focused on serving the best interests of our school aged population. Our children and their education are her primary concern. Honesty and integrity are her hallmarks as shown by her successful tenure on the Finance and Advisory Board, charity work and involvement in after school activities. Her unassuming persona is uncharacteristic of politicians generally. Caroline always focuses on financial issues, particularly ensuring the most effective use of our scarce resources, which is sorely needed on the school committee. Overall, Caroline is clearly the best choice for providing the oversight our school system requires in these difficult economic times.
Yet another important dimension of Caroline's volunteer efforts is her devotion to family which forms the basis for the self-sacrificing attention she pays to the needs of Stoneham residents and beyond. While our school children are the focus of her efforts, the parents are a close second as she understands the critical bond between parent and child and its' importance to our children's education and overall development. In support of these interests Caroline also brings extensive
management expertise, a solid understanding of Stoneham's education environment as well as the sensitivity only a mother of three can bring to the difficult issues that the Stoneham Schools confront on a daily basis.
You can be sure that with Caroline on the Stoneham School Committee your children and their education are first on her priority list. I strongly support Caroline in her candidacy for Stoneham School Committee. I encourage you to vote for Caroline to ensure that we have an effective and safe school system for our children.
Gina Sgarzi
6:28 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013
I also agree that Caroline Colarusso is the first step in what is needed in this town ....CHANGE! After attending the debate last week there is no doubt I will be voting for Caroline on April 2nd : )
Mark
8:44 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Dr Les Olsen, in his "Superintendent Budget Message 2012 - 2013" threatens Stoneham Families and their children with less services due to a "less than optimistic local revenue forecast". He whine's about teacher layoffs, class size, after school fees, etc, etc.
He pats himself on the back that even with a 2 1/2% increase they are doing the best we can to live within our means.
Has Jean or anyone on the School Committee challenged Dr Olson as to why his budget is $6.5M dollars more than when in 05 when he was educating 3000 students and now in 2011 he's educating 500 less students?
Some in Stoneham see the fraud, waste, abuse and outright threats to the taxpayer and their children. Time for a change! Vote Caroline for School Committee!
Mark
8:56 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Dr Les Olson goes on to say, There is no doubt that once again the amount of this budget request will be a challenge to meet given the Town’s revenue projections. While there is a 4.3% budget appropriation request increase, total spending including grants and fees (which are down 6.7%) is only requested to increase by 2.7%. This increase is in line with the 2.1% and 2.0% increases of the last two years.
The Schools are the only entity in town that needs more to educate less.
Meanwhile they cry they don't have enough money for a DARE officer!
Disgusting gluttons! And the existing School Committee members rubber stamps this lunacy! Stop stealing the taxpayers hard earned dollars.
http://www.stonehamschools.org/sites/default/files/School%20Budget%20FY13.pdf
Patricia
9:16 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
What is Ms. Calarusso's management experience? I am curious what her private sector history is... Maybe someone can answer?
Thank you.
George Georgountzos
11:55 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
I'm sure Caroline could answer better than me, but I don't think she comes on here. Caroline has served as head postmaster in a number of Mass. Towns, including Burlington, Wilmington and Malden. She tends to get transferred to problem areas where her management style and ability to cut through bureaucratic blockades result in efficiencies and profitability. She negotiates with unions and oversees disciplinary tribunals. She has a track record of making things work at--of all places--the post office! Watch her comments on Stoneham TV at recent Finance Board meetings and at the recent debate. The choice could not be more clear! We don't need "stability", we need focus on problems and independent leadership.
Mark
9:25 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Patricia, I believe she has worked for the USPS in management and served on the Finance Board. Maybe she can give us a more in depth bio.
Russ
2:48 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Patricia, While Caroline's management experience is clearly relevant, you may want to inquire about her opponents work experience, education and performance record. You may not have to go any further at that point!
Gina Sgarzi
2:50 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Please if you have any doubt about who to vote for on April 2nd to go to stonehamtv.org and view the 45 minute debate !!!!
Russ
2:58 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Gina nailed it!
notforgotten3@gmail.com
8:14 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
I would enjoy speaking to anyone who would like to know more about me and my experience. Kindly go to facebook and enter Caroline Colarusso for School Committee and send me a message. I'll reply and provide my contact information and set aside time to answer all questions and address any and all topics. I look forward to hearing from all townspeople. It has been said this this election is critical in shaping the future of our town. Surely this is true, especially as it relates to our youth and education. Thanks Caroline
Patricia
8:58 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Thanks to everyone for some of Caroline's impressive background. Great idea for me to check out the debate on stonehamtv.org and I'll make sure I do that. I'll also check out Caroline's facebook.
Good luck!
dava feltch
10:49 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Caroline, For those not on Facebook, does time permit you to submit a brief position statement to the Patch? Matters most important to our schools include : funding, parity of classroom size after redistricting, student safety during construction, completing the middle school construction, graduation rate decline and drug use in our schools. Thank you.
Mark
11:54 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Caroline, Dave brings up a good point for those not on Facebook. Maybe a Q&A on The Patch. I think Tom Bousey may have done this when he was running for Selectman.
Also, if elected you should make it a priority to place the DARE officer back in our schools. Whoever dropped the ball on that should resign. And don't tell me you don't have the funds with 500 less kids in the school system.
Cindy Hemenway
10:11 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Jeanne Craigie has served the Town of Stoneham as a member of the school committee for many years. She has never wavered from her commitment to this town. Her message is clear: education and service to others. Jeanne Cragie gets my vote.
George Georgountzos
12:45 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
The issue is not a candidate's commitment to the town. I think it's a given that anyone who makes the choice to run for office must have that as a basic foundation, otherwise the person's tenure will be self-centered and unsupported. I hope you don't mean that Caroline is not for education or service for others, because those of us who know her would take issue with your insinuation. The reason that change is needed on the School Committee is outlined in the debate and evidenced by the fact that the incumbent has two challengers. Fiscal management and oversight is sorrowfully absent: Student enrollment has declined, confidence in the school system is shaky, and budgets continue to grow unchecked. We hear that "we're in it for the children" but the children appear to be taking second place to staff, pensions, and higher percentage growth rates in salaries than other town offices which have been level funded for years... all at a time when the children to be served are fewer and fewer. This cannot continue. Moreover, we are falling into the mode of being reactionary rather than proactive. Hiring procedures, given recent unpleasant news stories, need to be addressed. I fear that the "status quo", that "stability" needs to give way to a strong leader with vision and the guts to get things done. No one questions the incumbent's intent: it's the results that post the problem. As a concerned parent, I'm supporting Caroline because we need positive change in our schools.
Susan
8:23 am on Monday, March 25, 2013
When you compare our scores to our neighbors, keep in mind that we spend more per pupil, even more than Winchester and Reading:
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/specials/snapshot/massachusetts_snapshot_SAT_scores_2011_2012/
Our school committee members should certainly be looking into what Winchester and Reading are doing right and we are doing wrong. I hope Caroline would take the initiative to get the answers.
Cindy Hemenway
9:28 am on Monday, March 25, 2013
The Post Office is billions of $ in debt. Hmmm? Do I vote for someone who has worked for the post office for many years or do I vote for an educator such as Jeanne Cragie? (Degree in Education from Northeastern University with many years of experience working in schools in several capacities and many years on the Stoneham School committee) I want Jeanne to continue leading the Stoneham School committee. Vote in favor of Jeanne Craigie
George Georgountzos
12:45 pm on Monday, March 25, 2013
If everybody who worked for the post office did what Caroline does, they'd run a surplus! She is tasked with going to the most troubled offices in the area, and within two years time she gets real results. The unions hate her. She actually has gotten people who underperform to either ship up or get terminated. She investigates fraud. She tightens budgets. That's the type of person we need at all levels of government! Caroline has the skill sets to best manage our tax dollars. Just watch the videos of the Finance Board meetings and that will be abundantly clear. Don't vote for the same-old-same-old. Let's make government work for the citizens and support Caroline Colarusso for School Committee.
notforgotten3@gmail.com
11:00 pm on Monday, March 25, 2013
Any fair minded person when asked where its more feasible to manage, the private sector or the public sector would most likely answer the private sector. If an individual can succeed in the public sector with the obstacles that exist there, there's something to be said about that.
Joseph Colarusso
6:57 pm on Sunday, March 31, 2013
Stoneham needs a voice for the children.........................They need to come first; unfortunately this has not been occurring. Fewer children in our school system, some of our lowest graduation rates, and substance abuse at an all time high. Go out and talk with the kids and ask them the last time someone at school talked with them about the dangers of drug abuse, they'll answer "many years". Go out and ask them how many kids they know that are using drugs, the answer you will get is "most of them". We have a school committee who acknowledges that we have a serious drug problem in Stoneham, yet sadly there have been no efforts over the last several years to promote prevention and awareness. Don't take my word for it; ask the kids they'll tell you. As a result children and families are suffering.... Real leaders bring real solutions to real life problems; they recognize a problem and take initiative in solving it. They don't need to be told to take action. The drug problem in Stoneham has been affecting our youth for some time and its getting worst. There are used needles in many parts of our town. The school committee has been absent in addressing this, and it has become evident in our declining gradation rate. Our surrounding towns are outperforming us, this need to change Caroline Colarusso