A proposed budget using the Warrant Committee’s “Available Funds” for the school proposes eliminating five full time teaching positions, art and music instruction at the elementary school level, language instruction at the middle school level and steep cuts to support services district wide. Time to get angry, people!
Author: bloggingbelmont
BloggingBelmont.com is a citizen-powered blog for Belmont, Massachusetts. Launched in 2007, BB providse a progressive voice in Belmont town politics.
Diary of a mean mommy
What’s the Chinese method of mothering? According to Yale Prof Amy Chua’s new book, its a kind of maternal totalitarianism that encompasses a numbing collection of do’s and even more don’ts. As in “Don’t…attend a sleepover, have a playdate, be in a school play, complain about not being in a school play, watch TV or play computer games, choose (your) own extracurricular activities, get any grade less than an A, not be the No. 1 student in every subject except gym and drama, play any instrument other than the piano or violin AND not play the piano or violin.” These are her words, mind you, not mine.
We’ve come a long way, baby!
This is apropos of nothing at all, but I thought I’d pass it along anyway, as it was one of the ‘viral videos’ this week – albeit a pretty dated one. In any case – the back story here is…
Belmont Citizens Forum bike path pamphlet stirs controversy
Suddenly a pamphlet promoting a bike path connection to Belmont Center is “controversial.” By the way, if you’re wondering if your town has a NIMBY problem, terms like “controversial” and “bike path” popping up in close proximity to one another in the town paper are a good sign that, in fact, you do!
Whiplash! Belmont backs Dems, Sales Tax and CPA
It was a case of political whiplash in Belmont on Tuesday. Just months after voters in town sent a “no new taxes” message to Town officials by narrowly defeated a Proposition 2 1/2 override they were back at the polls: resoundingly backing the State’s Democratic leadership, voting down a cut to the State sales tax and voting themselves a small property tax increase by agreeing to support the State’s Community Preservation Act.
Kindergarten: the more, the better
I’ve been out of town and not keeping up with the morning papers like I usually do, so thanks to Blogging Belmont reader Rita for pointing me to this recent article in the New York Times about the difference that…
School Committee opens a loophole for Freshmen sports
Faced with a roomful of worried parents, the School Committee bends (a bit), giving tepid approval to an effort to raise private funds to maintain athletic programs that fell victim to a failed override effort. That’s good for Freshmen…maybe…but is it sustainable?
Study: homeowners lose when overrides fail
A study of home values in Bay State towns finds that home owners reap far more financial gain from passing overrides that benefit local school systems through increased property values than they save in taxes. What will be the price of this month’s “NO” vote for Belmont home owners?
Brendan Grant Run this weekend!
Just a reminder to all the (many) runners (and sprinters) in town that the annual Brendan Grant Foundation “Brendan’s Home Run” 5K walk/run is happening this Sunday, father’s day. The race kicks off at the High School Field and festivities start at 9:30 am with the 5k Charity Walk. The race starts at 10:00 AM and there are 400m and 800m races for kids age 6-8 and 9-12 starting at 10:05 AM. Sign up now, or the day of the race. See you there!
Spelling Bee volunteers wanted
The annual school spelling bee is approaching and volunteers are needed (adults and student volunteers, both). Please help make this year’s spelling bee a success.