Outsourcing Child Study Team at Great Meadows Schools
Heard the child study team at Great Meadows is being outsourced. Saw concerned4children posts and followed up. Even though nothing is on the great meadows website, it is supposedly on the chopping block for Tuesday's bored of ed meeting. No input from parents or staff asked for. They can annoy us with all the calls for the strategic planning meeting but not ask for our input on something that really matters to our kids or us. Anybody heard anything about this?
bobbie1975 Eventually they can ultimately outsource teaching assistants, administrative professional staff and more!
concernedparent Outsource it all! Saving money is the name of the game! Maybe we can then have a company, say from India or China come in and teach our kids, at substantial savings!
Of course, all that is in jest. Outsourcing is a plague affecting business and now apparently schools too.
I am guessing this won't affect teacher union jobs- that the "outsourcer" will be someone in the NJEA system? If not, I am sure that organizations claws will come out.
We keep going like this, our kids are going to become "bored of ed" and we will continue our descent into irrelevancy as a nation.
The Rhyme Animal Totally agree!! All these phone calls and they decide to leave this one out. I had heard through the grapevine as well. My child is placed out of district and I was wondering how this will affect him and his placement. Trying to play my cards right so I can make my case at the board meeting on Tuesday night.
I would encourage everyone to make an effort to come out and see what they are trying to hide and cover up. This will affect A LOT of the kids in the school. It will trickle down to the ones that recieve speech and other related services not just the ones placed out of district.
Livinglifelovinglife The boe also had a special budget meeting on March 12. No phone calls for this one either. A notice was put on the school web sight but I don't think it was even up a full week. I would have liked to attend, unfortunately I was not able to. Anyone attend and have any info on it?
gmr parentYou're behind the times. Englewood outsourced the custodial staff years ago to a companies that pay minimums with no benefits. Two years ago they outsourced secretarial positions and professional teaching assistants to companies that pay low wages with no benefits. Who knows what's next. No this has not led to a better system. Turnover of the new employees is very high. You know who pays ultimately - or if you don't, the answer is the children.
5catmom To livinglifelovinglife - hope you are successful in keeping your child where they belong. The new case managers are warren county special services staff. Since people learn by example, if they want to keep their jobs they will place the kids in their home district or in warren county special services programs either in the hackettstown great meadows district or within the county. Sounds like a conflict of interest to me.
The cst positions at great meadows are teacher union positions. I don't know what the warren county special services people are
Hope this helps Seems H'town is really in a sharing mood. Shared super. Shared security guy. Shared Facilities guy. Shared curriculum person. Now GMR loses its child study team to share with Warren County. Is this regionalization without a vote? Watch out custodians - I'll bet you're next. There will come a time when the savings does not equal the benefit. Sorry kids.
GoodbyeGMR Outsourcing secretarial and janitorial services is one thing, it has very little direct impact on a student. Outsourcing a Child Study Team is something entirely different. These people work directly with students and the special education teachers. Together they help students who have emotional or cognitive deficits function in a school setting. They are a Godsend to those students and parents. Outsourcing is a bad decision! This was attempted in Hackettstown last year and the union and the board put a stop to it! For a reason! It is a bad idea! Wake up Great Meadows.... come out and support your Child Study Team, your children are going to be the casualties of this monetary based decision! Is that the kind of education we want in America?
"The Child Study Team is comprised of the School Psychologist, the School Social Worker, the Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant (LDT/C), and the Supervisor of the Department. Through the use of evaluations the Child Study Team determines whether or not a child is in need or eligible for special education services. The Speech therapist and other related services providers also work in conjunction with the CST, when such services are needed."
concerned parent! The board will be voting tomorrow to outsource the child study team. Unfortunately, by the time people find out what is on the agenda the decision has been made by the four people who run the board. These board members all live in the same neighborhood in Independence, are on the committees that make these decisions, and do it behind closed doors so that no one can question what they do. This is why they eliminated workshop meetings, because they were public.
At the last meeting they voted on the budget. Half of the board had less than 24 hours to read what was in the budget because only the committee members were allowed to see it. The other board members tried to get some information and were told they were asking too many questions. When one board member suggested that the budget should be discussed in workshop meetings, the president was heard to say that it would open the information up to the public and then they would have to listen to what the public had to say!
Until people wake up and realize that they need to go to these meetings and voice their opinions, nothing will change.
Indy2 Why did I not hear about this? My son is one of the children that will be directly affected by this decision. Not one phone call/letter/email? His future is in the hands of a vote which comes down to saving money? My son has beat so many odds that where against him by placing him out of district where he can get the help and dedication he needs. His future is worth every penny. I will be at this meeting.
onemadmama http://www.gmrsd.com/cms/lib03/NJ01001526/Centricity/Shared/currentagenda.pdf
Here is the agenda for tonight.
Thank you Indy2 for posting! I know I will absolutely be there tonight. I am anxious to hear what others will bring to the table. Hopefully with all the parents support and input we will get the board to see what a horrible decision this would be. Unfortunately most people are so blinded by money and cost they forget children, like mine, are forever affected by this. How can you put a price on the future of our children and getting them to rise to their full potential? It just so sad!
Seems my last post was removed. I'll try again. My comments were directed towards Indy2. I'm curious how a clan of 4 can monopolize a board of 9. Not doubting it, but wondering why the other 5 are allowing it to happen. Regarding specific BOARD members, since I mentioned one of the members by name in my previously removed post, I'll try again. The female who ALWAYS looks cranky (and I don't mean Cullen) and seems to have nothing but her own agenda because of her kid, seems to be the power-hungry type and is only on the board for personal reasons. Forget about the other 900+ kids in our district. She seems to be the kind of person that likes to run the show, to let everyone know when she's in the room, who enjoys the big entrance and grand conjecture, and definitely loves to hear herself speak (although everyone else, although sparse in attendance, can't wait for her to be quiet). I can see how she runs the GMR show.
Anyway. A sad state of affairs. Again I say....Is this regionalization without a vote? It seems the sheep of GMR are once again being lead down the path by the wolves in sheep's clothing. What happened to our Board? Where did they go? It seems they've all drank the Kool-aid. Cardboard cut-outs would have put up more of a fight.
I agree, for all the non emergency based phone calls we get through Honeywell..this wasn't deemed needed?
ladeevee The meeting starts at 7 tonight in the middle school!! Hope to see everyone there
All Independence/Great Meadows parents should be coming out for tonight's meeting! Your schools are at the mercy of people who want to cut costs in the wrong areas and for-go a quality education. Special Education is not the only thing on the chopping block! Don't sit idle!
GC 
Concerned2 Twas a sad night in GMR. We came, we saw, we spoke, we lost. At least there was a decent showing. And despite what came from the Board, everyone knew that the decision was made prior to last night's meeting, so to argue anything was a moot point. We have to remember that its in the small committee meetings that the real decisions are made. Last night's meeting for us was just the a formality and nothing but a dog and pony show. All we learned was that our voices and comments fell on deaf ears. I was at least hoping Vonder and Cullen would say no - as they do with most other things. But even they went along with the move to cut and share.
And as on cue....Ronald McDonald made her grand entrance to the meeting. Had nothing to add to the conversation other than she considers her child another expendible kid and looks forward to the change. I don't know about you, but I could never put a cost on my child as to what their worth nor what their education is worth. Ronald has and that is truly an unfortunate thing to witness.
Praise to Cicerelle for not voting yes. Someone on the Board showed some sense to at least not vote rather than go along for the ride. For once I would have liked more of the Board to be like Vonder and say "NO". Interesting to see a few of the new shared faces at the meeting. Seemed like a roll-out of the new Greater H'town School District. Time to move.
Last nights meeting was a joke and so very sad. It just amazes me that a board of people can hold so much power and make decisions without anyone else's input but there own. The district is going down hill fast and for some reason the only ones who don't see it are the one's sitting up on these boards behind there nicely carved out name signs.
I would have liked to slap Mango for chewing his gum like a cow the whole time too. Have a little respect and pretend just for a minute that you actually do care about the kids and not about $ signs and what comes back into your pocket.
I have a lot more kids to come through this district and last night was the first night I considered home schooling. To put up with this "behind closed doors" crap and decisions being made about my children's future is enough to make me keep them home and figure it out for myself.
Good luck to anyone else who thinks there comments actually matter to Mango or anyone else on that Board.
I'm sorry, but since when does "chewing gum" equate to "not caring about the kids"? I'm a fairly well educated man and never in my education have I learned that.
As far as eliciting change goes, complaining on HackettstownLife will do nothing. If you're not happy with how the BOE operates, attend EVERY meeting not just simply the ones where votes are being made. If you want to see change and make your voice heard, go often and not just when it counts.
Now, as someone who has no experience with the WCSSSD, is that really a bad arrangement? It's not like it's being outsourced to Pakistan Special Ed Incorporated. It's remaining within the county and local. Educate me on why this is a negative decision.
btownguy It was a sad night. The only thing a parent in the district can do is vote out the boe when they come up for reelection. But of course that can't be done if there is no one else running for the position. I disagree with their decision. Unfortunately they have the power because there are very few parents willing to take on the work involved with the boe.
btownguy - one of the reasons that it is a bad idea is that there is an increased risk of staff turnaround that comes with the smaller salaries they will be paying for the cost savings. Not to mention additional bureaucracy.
I'm also curious about the negatives since I've had good experiences with WCSSSD. Are there any in addition to possible staff turnover? (I personally don't see that as too big of an issue, but can understand why some might)
MB http://www.ratemyteachers.com/david-mango/1916611-t
Also ask him how his thinking process worked for the Gianfranco Maucione issue.
The chewing gum thing was just rude, but his body languge was more telling - that last night was just a show. Nothing more. "lets get this done so I can go home already". We were all just placated.
From what the parents of children who use the child study team said at last night's meeting is that there was a trust/relationship factor. They felt they had a team that was working very hard to help their children and that the relationship built was a close "family" kind of relationship. These parents are worried that the people who replace the team are not going to work as hard and fight to get the best outcome for these children.
Also, some of the children are sent out of district for school and the parents are very happy with where the children are placed. They are now worried that the next step is to bring these children into classrooms in district and the services that these children receive will not be as good as where they are now.
Goodbye GMR
There are four people who really run the board. There were five but one has resigned and will soon be replaced with another one of the president's buddies. That gives them a majority so they can do anything they want. The president picks who will be on the various committees and only his buddies are on the important ones. I don't know anything about the two new board members from Liberty. Mr.V has been trying to get them to do the right thing for years. He has tried to get them to take the great amount of extra money that they have to fix the buildings. There is an open seat on the board for Independence. If someone wants to run they should go to the GMRSD site and click on job openings.
gmr parent, that's an understandable concern, but the children will form new relationships. And I can tell you from firsthand experience that the staff at Warren County Special Services certainly care and fight for the children with whom they work. A great deal!
If the monetary benefits require a switch, someone has to be the first or else the change will never be made.
I do understand where you're coming from, but if turnover rate and concern over the staff "caring" are the two main issues, then I don't really see it is that big of a deal.
What is the amount of money that will be saved annually?
GoodbyeGMR, can you please educate me on what body language says "not caring about the kids"? Again, I missed that class. Also, ratemyteachers is a site designed for students to rate their teachers. We all know that the opinion a teenage child is a solid indicator of the performance of a Superintendent. Using that as a source is like citing "Mary Jo's diary" in a research paper.
There is a risk of staff turnover in every position. There is also bureaucracy with every position and especially in Special Ed. Can you please describe the increased bureaucracy?
I can understand the trust/relationship factor in this change, however I think the WCSSSD needs to be given a chance.
Btown, The body language was dismissive. I'm sure you've had conversations with people and got the impression they weren't focused on you or what you were saying by their body language. Body language says a lot and its something a speaker needs to be aware of. There's the message you're saying, and the message your body is conveying, which can at times be at total opposites. And yes, I've taken that class at various times in my life when I was in sales and management. I highly recommend everyone to take such a course or read up on the subject. The body langage did not match the message. That's what I'm saying. I didn't say anything about "not caring about the kids". That's for others to determine. But I'm sure Mango wanted nothing more than to get back to the bar with the attorney and yuck it up. And he's shared as well.
What was the projected cost savings that this decision was based upon? that should be explored. How much will GMRSD be saving?
Diva of Spec Ed Correct about $70-80k a year. We learned very quickly this wasn't just about money. There is way more to this. Heck, I'd have a fundraiser and donate my money if it was only about that. However, I'm assuming their goal here is to change the people out that really cared and sent kids where they were going to succeed the most, with people who think WCSS is the only option. It's only a matter of time before all 13 of the kids they talked about last night, that are placed at schools they need to be in, will all be brought back to WCSS.
Because you know all people with disabilities are the same and should just be shoved into one classroom together. They will totally meet there full potential this way! (Sarcasm)
The concerns posted here are relationships and tenure? Is there any other significant reasons to think Warren County cannot perform as well as the current child study team? I do not have a child in the program and do not want to offend anyone who does or may have more information? Bashing the board who are all volunteers by the way is not going to solve the issue at hand. I suspect this is more than just the money even though it has to be challenging to manage a yearly 2% cap with skyrocketing prices of goods.
I was at the meeting last night, and my heart broke for all the parents there. I understand budgets and cuts and what not, however, you will never understand unless you have a child that needs this team. It feels like you are drowning, and the child study team is literally your source of air. I believe that warren county spec services will probably do as good of a job as they can, and people will adjust. However, it's in the delivery. I do wish there was more of a heartfelt apology.
Does anyone know of anything planned to celebrate the time served of the three child study team members that will be leaving? I feel that is the least we can do for them.
Also, I left feeling quite disenchanted about my say, as a parent and taxpayer. Perhaps, I'm just young and naive.
Luvdogs Yes, they said about 70K. Put three people on unemployment for saving 70K. Disrupt the culture for 70K. Put multiple families of special needs kids in flux and worry for 70K. Break down the comfort of having our own people for 70K. Begin to impersonalize the school district for 70K. Make it more about the money, less about the kids for 70K. Throw all of the positives of the GMR Child Study Team in the trash for 70K. Make it all about "business - as Mango likes to call it" for 70K.
You mean to tell me that in an 18 milliion dollar budget the administration of the district couldn't find 70K to cut? Not to compare, but when Frederiks was here, he presented to the community and ALWAYS said he would look to cut other pieces to save staff. I can't say that was ever done with Mango. I have no clue what his agenda is other then what was discussed at strategic planning - and his de facto practices of sharing and joining GMR with H'town. I don't know about you, but I would choose to keep our namesake, ,personnel, and reputation.
And remember, shared does not mean "yours and mine". This is not a 50/50 split. These people all have their allegiance to their primary employers - which is not us. WE ARE SECONDARY. The response to our problems and concerns will be SECONDARY. The focus and attention to us will be SECONDARY. The importance of our issues will be SECONDARY. Again, shared means doing more with less - and its really funny that the WCSSD Child Study Team DOES NOT EXIST YET. The same jobs GMR cut were advertised for WCSSD!! Seriously? Really?
Obviously people are upset with this move. Please answer this question...
Can you show me proof that WCSSSD will not be able to perform better than the GMRSD CST? I would think that an entire "Special Services School District" would have greater resources than a school's CST.
btownguy~ This might be hard for you to understand if you don't live day in and day out with a child who has special needs. Sometimes it's not about who has more resources. It's about the people using those resources for the best of each individual child. When you're dealing with a large service like WCSS they lose the close bonds that need to be formed with each individual child and family.
Not saying they don't necessarily care about children but they lack the time to care for each one. The team we already had, formed bonds with these children and knew them so well that they fought for other programs and services knowing that was best for them. Each kid is sent somewhere different and each kid given special IEP's. WCSS has a tendency to lump all special needs kids into the same category because they lack the time to look else where and assume if they already have something set up they might as well throw everyone in together.
Livinglifelovinglife, you claim that they lack the time to care for each one. This implies that you're privy to information about how GMRSD and WCSSSD will be collaborating to make this happen. Please share that information with the group. If not, we can consider your statement a blanket claim with no factual basis.
btownguy~ This conversation is not really worth having with you. I could read you the book on the reasons why, I could tell you all things we have already experienced and been through with various different schools. The reality is, if you don't have a child of your own that you will have to care for the rest of their lives, you will never understand.
Our kids can't take medicine and be healed. Our kids can't walk out of their homes without someone staring at them because they look different. Our kids will be with us till the day we die. That is the reality for us and raising someone with a true disability.
Maybe we'll just leave it with, we might know a little more than you do in this situation and this might not be your place to cast your vote or your opinions. And maybe you don't even have to understand it, just trust that we want our kids to have EVERY opportunity to reach their full potential.
Read over past minutes and see that wcss has somebody working for them that was let go great meadows. If the people let go were the ones who were writing the placement paperwok and now that placement paperwork will be written and supervised by wcss, it's not hard to conclude that they will be trying to force parents to put their children in wcss programs. Last night the wcss guy said they were opening many programs in gmms and h'town. Conflict of interest and money spent on lawsuits. Anyboby else notice the attorney writin down information as the parents were speaking. You can speculate on your own what he was writing... there are ways to do this that includes a needs assessment and a smooth change. These staff being let go do much more than just do paperwork. I know from expereince that they have a lot of expereince and help out with all children, special education or not, who may be suicidal, threatening to others, have emotional problems, or have drug problems. How do you put a price on saving one of those lives. Guess we know the cost now ~ surprise in future years when the real cost plays out. This is not about the people being let go, it is about children and community.
lily pad lily pad - that's coming. No one picked up on the fact that the H'town Special Ed. Director resigned only a few short weeks of Mango coming on board in H'town. Same issue - outsourcing services. Although not yet in implementation, I'm sure the H'town special ed. department is watching our Child Study Team cuts and wondering - are we next too? Btown - what do you think? Should H'town cut their dept. too and join the WCSSSD bandwagon? It will save money - the all important dollar. Because that's what we are teaching our children. Its not the experiences that will count in life, but the dollars you save. Money is the prime issue and should be worshiped. :) :) You may still be uneducated, but we save money in the long run. You may not be able to support yourself, but we save money helping you get to where you are. You may not know how to read, but we saved money skimping on your education. Do the research - its always better to have your own people, within your control.
Remeber this qoute Mr. Omelia?
"O'Melia said the district isn't looking to Mango to make changes."
Where do you stand now?
HHS CST is not the same. Since the former director left, the place is a mess. The interim director at HHS does not know his stuff and continually passes the buck. Two case managers have left and at least 1 of the replacements in not competent.
Not sure this is a direct result of Mr. Mango but they, HHS needs help as far as CST services.
Why not share administrative assistants. Why does Mr. Mango need 2 assistants when he is only 1/2 time in each district? Savings could be well over 100,000 by making them part time
Guess that is his knowledge of the district shining through. Still wonder if he knows how to get to Hatchery Hill....
acl76 As the parent of a classified student, I was not at all impressed and somewhat troubled by the superintendent of W.C.S.S.S.D. Why was he present at the meeting? The district had not yet voted on a partnership with W.C.S.S.S.D. His speech was peculiar and he stated that he selects his staff based upon what is in their "heart." He claimed that if you picked a potential candidate (teacher or C.S.T.) with a “good heart,” you could teach them whatever else they needed to know to do their job. Are you kidding? Was our B.O.E. duped by this man into believing that parent/teacher communication, knowledge of instructional strategies and curriculum, and student-counselor relationships are secondary to having a good heart?
Since the next supervisor for our C.S.T. appears to be in place, exactly what type of C.S.T. experience does she have? Has she ever classified students, case managed, or written an I.E.P.? I personally do not feel comfortable with an inexperienced C.S.T. team controlling my child’s academic future. Our potential C.S.T. leader's credentials seem to be limited to the resource room. She may have provided a paragraph or two for an I.E.P., but as a resource room teacher, she certainly did not write I.E.P.s. At least we know that she will have a good heart.
Distraught Parent Why was he present?? That seems like a bizarre complaint to me. If he wasn't present and they were voted in, you'd have people complaining that they voted without hearing from the superintendent.
It seems to me this is about more than money. The child study team continued to have problems even after the new director came in. Maybe hiring a professional to run program will will be better for everyone.
lakeline Those of us with non special needs students in the district do not have any input to the staffing of instructional teachers. Teachers retire and part for better opportunities and are replaced on a ongoing basis. Should we have the same privilege as what is being asked here from the group with special needs? I would think we should as we are all taxpayers in the system
As the parent of non special needs students of the district, instructional teachers retire and leave for better opportunities and are replaced without our input and concerns. based upon the discussion here by the special needs group should we have the same privilege ?
rtaylor- sure you should have the same privilege. So go to the board and fight for it just like other parents do for their special needs children.
"Is it better to be loved or feared?" Mr. Mango seems to have carefully considered this question and has apparently concluded that the latter is correct. He appears to be an impatient "bully" and becomes impatient when his dictums are not met with accolades. Word on the street is that he is making unilateral decisions with only token lipservice to opponents. His misguided and potentially catastrophic decisions will have lasting effects long after he leaves for a better gig. Parents do not support him, staff do not support
Him, and with the exception of one professional healthcare professional, the BOE are totally naive vis a vis the educational process and all that plays into it. They receive minimal training and are then given power to either improve or dismantle a system...then the leave. Our children are either beneficiaries or victims of their decisions, most of which the are ill equipped to make. If you take the time to research, most other regulatory boards (e.g., medical, psychological, nursing, law,) and other bona fide state licensing boards through th NJ Dept. Of Public Regulation. Only one member is a "public or (consumer) representative. Their input, while important cannot in a meaningful way how, for example a new medical technique is safe and ultimately useful in a clinical sence.
My observations is staff morale in great meadows and Hackettstown is abissmal. This phenomenon is, in my opinion the direct result of an antiquated authoritative management style that even the military is abandoning. Mr. Mango is a bully and the decision to allow him to harm the education of our children is a travesty. Shame on the BOE for approving his appointment. You may have ruined a cohort of student to inferior education as a result of much hyped, but inaccurate demographic and carefully misrepresented statistics to support major changes. I as a parent have become so exasperated that private school or even home school may rescue my child. I could never have imagined that one narcicistic power loving person could cause so much damage...all earning him bonuses at the expense of cutting program from the most needy of our student. Perhaps deflating the size of the new administration and putting that money to staff who actually teach our children needs reconsideration. What about a lean administration....I never thought it would get this bad. Shame on the BOE. Mr. Mango can't help it but he should stick to his other business interest and bow out gracefully.
Forced2homeschool? As always... cite your source. Many of your statements are "word on the street" statements. There is also word on the street that a large animal will be invading homes and laying eggs very soon!
Your comment on the minimal training a BOE member receives is interesting. I think those with knowledge of how education works should be on BOEs. However, if a teacher is on a BOE, it is often decried as a conflict of interest (even if they do not work in that district) or they're branded as "that one always on the teacher's side". BOE members should be given a significant amount of training to understand the complexities of a school system, but that would also entail significant cost.
Oh... and I think "abysmal" is what you meant ;-)
Hey btown guy ~ people can not always cite their source to protect the innocent from the guilty and the bullies. Forced to home school states the truth and shows they have checked into the background. You ask for others to cite their source ~ like u, people often do not disclose their true identity for various reasons. It is also easier to hide behind technology. I can guess what btown stands for ~ blaisrstown, belvidere or blow. Maybe if u come out ,others will. However parentsmust protect their children from bullies, such as the superintendent. Hum, could u have a position or agenda that u r trying to protect (hide)
Forgive my incorrectly spelled word. Also, thank you for your thoughtful analysis of my thesis. I am heartened but also sad that other parents feel as I do...thank you Bobbie for your response. Mr. Mango's agenda seems clear....a large regionalized district with lots of high paid administrators/safety staff and damaging cuts to students who need the most support. Mr. Gratz' parting warning vis a vis eliminating the traditional April 15 budget vote and placing the decision in the hands of the BOE seems prophetic. He said "realize that you are placing the decision about your school budget into the hands of 5, 6, or 7 people rather than the entire community. His fear has been realized. What a travesty. Be ware. It is the most needy that will suffer. Mango is a "white collar sociopath" clever enough to con the BOE. God help our needy children.
My concern for hiring out is the lack of commitment that is given to new employees. As a person that had been looking for a job in the schools, there are many contract opportunities available. This means less pay, less commitment or no commitment and no benefits. The people really getting screwed are the educators and professionals that are not being hired by the school districts. I'm not sure if the service will be affected or not, but I suppose that the lack of loyalty or commitment works both ways. If you have a job that has no benefits and no permanence you're probably going to keep looking for a better position. High turn over?
JMC Forcedtohomeschool., you are incorrect. Bob Gratz pushed for taking the budget Vote away from the voters. Source Board meeting videos.
I am very happy that my son is done with school this year. I have never seen it this bad. Hackettstown school system was wonderful. All of the people who are leaving and/or retiring at once are sending us a message. It is not the best place it used to be. I am also so upset about losing good people on Child Study Team in Great Meadows. They are wonderful, caring people who did nothing wrong to lose their jobs. They are now out of a job,because Mr. Mango decided that outsourcing to Warren County would be better. I do not like Mr. Mango's ideas. What happens when he leaves to "move up" to a bigger district as most do? These people will still be out their jobs and he will be gone.
So not only did this really happen that they let our whole team go, but then Mango himself promised that the other team coming in would pick up where ours left off.
Well I have yet to have anyone even pick up the phone or even call back. My son is supposed to start summer school in a week and I have no idea the plans or set up. So many questions for anybody and not one person to call and answer them. I finally contacted a lawyer and his response was, "so who exactly is running the show over there cause I can't find any names or numbers to anyone who seems to know anything about your child?"
Once again, thank Mr. Mango for all your dedicated, honest, hard work you have put in to all our special needs children who already struggle enough. SARCASM!!!
Can anyone help by giving me a number of someone who might actually care and answer?
Have you called mr. Mango's office? That is what I would do, and make sure to mention that you have spoken to your attorney, and if you don't get some answers in 24 hours, the next call will be from said attorneys. Sounds like it is time to play hardball!
bac consider other options for your child,
we need a voucher option out here, that will take your school tax money out of the public school system budget and give it to a school that you choose for your child's special needs.
competition for your school tax dollars will send a powerful message; the motivation to improve performance and quality will cause them both to make positive changes.
BrotherDog All I see is that we have created a board of ed to work for the people and again the the board only what it wants Question if the board of ed wanted to out sourse the schooling and close the schools could they do that with out the ok of the people
Caged Animal Look in your PRISE (parental rights in special education) booklet or on the last page or two of the IEP for advocacy and county phone numbers. They should be able to help you.
To livinglifelovinglife ~ call the board office and the county dept of spec ed ~ if an extended school year is written in your iep, then they will have to provide it. The program, including transportation, hopefully was already set up. You can also try the building principal ~ if your child goes to an out of district school, contact them to make sure your child is on the list, if you don't hear from transportation, make arrangements and have your attorney bill the district. Start with warren county's nj dept of ed office ~ the number will be on the last few pages of the IEP or other paperwork from the district. Good luck!
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