Candidate Bio: Ryan Kennedy (R) Board of Assessment Appeals

Ryan Kennedy (R) for Board of Assessment Appeals

Ryan Kennedy (R) for Board of Assessment Appeals

Served 5 years on the Middletown Board of Education

 Chaired the following committees:
Communication & Transportation

Past member of the Long Hill Estate Authority & Recycling Task Force

Born, raised and educated in Middletown.

CSSU Master’s & Bachelor’s Degree in Communication

Middlesex Community College Graduate

Senior Class President MHS Class of 2005

More info on Middletown Republican candidates can be found at www.middletownctgop.com 

(Accepting ALL Candidate Bios! See format info here!) 

Middletown Soccer Jamboree - Saturday September 12, 2015

Scenes for the 2015 Middletown Soccer Jamboree

Candidates: Pulino, Meeker, Driska and Salafia check out the sights!

Hanging around ready to play

Getting Ready to compete

Go Team!

(R) Pulino for Common Council, Meeker for BOE, Driska for Mayor and Salafia for Common Council

Need a nice bag? Come to Sandra Russo Driska HQ on Main Street!

Candidates: Kennedy with Cheryl and Ken McClellan 

Candidate Bio: Ryan Kennedy (R) for Common Council

Middletown Insider blog is accepting bios from all  municipal candidates. See criteria: http://www.middletowninsider.com/2013/08/request-for-candidate-bios-for-all.html

• ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  Ryan Kennedy (R) Candidate for Common Council
  Senior Class President MHS Class of 2005

As a Middletown native I want to give back to the community I have grown up in. I want to see a top notch education system that provides opportunities for all students, to strive for a responsible budget, and to keep class size as low as possible, as that is the most important factor in a child's education.

Having served as a member of the Board of Education for six-months I have made public the short-fallings of the Board under the leadership of Ted Raskca. I will continue to do so by showing the wasteful spending of the majority of the board who wish to cut teaching positions and raise class size. I pushed for a budget that the community wanted, and that was in support of our teachers. I also spent time at our schools, talking to teachers, sitting in on classes, and meeting with principals to see and hear first hand the problems that our schools are facing.

I believe I bring a simple perspective, as I know what the children need in this school system, while Central Office and the Board continue to largely support their own pet projects. I do bring experience in the form of my bachelors degree in organizational communications, which has given me the tools to work toward solving our educational system problems and get our message out to the public.

I have been an asset to the Republican caucus on the Board. I am able to work with my two fellow Republicans to provide concrete solutions and have fought against the failing ideas of the democrats. In the future I would love to see a program at the high school to increase skills in manufacturing.

Currently finishing his 5th year as a member of the Middletown Board of Education

Chairing the following committees:

Communication & Transportation

Member of Budget Committee

Current Board representative to:

Middletown High School Vo-ag & Alternative Education

Member of the Senior Center Building Committee

Past member of the Long Hill Estate Authority & Recycling Task Force

Born, raised and educated in Middletown.

CSSU Master’s & Bachelor’s Degree in Communication

MxCC Graduate
: UPDATE from Ryan Kennedy: 

Thank you Middletown Insider for publishing my bio. Above is a summary of what I have done as a board member.
Below are the issues that I feel are most important in regards to the next Council term.

Parking: The Council needs to make parking in the Melilli lot and Court Street Lot free after 5pm with the gates opening at that time. Two hour free parking needs to be re-instated to all city lots including the lot across from the Russell Library.

Bonding: A super majority vote of the Common Council needs to be required for any bond package. A yearly debt limit needs to be set, only being allowed to cross by a referendum vote.

Biennial budget: A city budget being set every two years will allow for directors to plan for the future. The budget should be passed on the even years taking the politics out of the budget process.
I also didn’t know I have hard to contact. My home phone is 860-346-5805.

www.middletownctgop.com

Candidates Featured on Cable Access Tonight: Middletown Perspectives Live at 8pm!

David Bauer, host, and Candidate for Common Council

Tonight host and 2013 Common Council candidate David Bauer sits down with 2013 Republican Council Candidate and current BOE member Ryan Kennedy. Kennedy has been an advocate for better spending practices by the board of education.

They are joined by Planning and Zoning Commissioner and candidate for City Treasurer Molly Salafia. Salafia recently announced her run and platform to eliminate the $4,000+ annual stipend for the treasurer's position which she calls a "figurehead" and "political patronage prize with a bill to taxpayers." For an article on her positions see the post written by Cassandra Day of the Patch
Republican Vying for City Treasurer on Mission to defund the position
 Also featured on tonight's show are candidates Angel Fernandez for Common Council and Robert Simpson candidate for Planning and Zoning.

Candidate Angel Fernandez, a father, a war veteran, and small business owner of Eleven Charlie LLC, is an emergency management volunteer who recently donated several thousand dollars worth of training to the City. Fernandez Donates Emergency Management Training and Patch: Local Company Donates $10K Worth of EMS Training

Candidate Robert Simpson currently works as a Legislative Aide for the House Republicans in the Connecticut General Assembly in Hartford. His previous employment has been on political campaigns on the local, state and federal level, specializing in grassroots activities and organization. Simpson achieved the title of Eage Scout, graduated in the top 5% of his class, and has a Bachelors in Political Science from the University of Connecticut.

Middletown Perspectives Hosted by David Bauer

Comcast Channel 15 Live at 8 pm.

Candidate for P&Z Robert Simpson brings a fresh perspective to Middletown zoning.

Candidate Angel Fernandez , Emergency Management specialist.

Ryan Kennedy, co host, candidate for Common Council

Molly Salafia, candidate for Treasurer on mission to defund position

End of School Year Report Card for BOE Members

End of School Year Report Card for BOE Members:

Ed: Supporting education doesn’t mean blind loyalty to the unions.  The budget issues could be solved
for everyone in one step. Freeze all raises for everyone.  Ta  Dah!!!!  Books and paper for everyone. But Noooo... Everyone gets paid and as the Soup Nazi would say, “No books for you!”  One also needs to remind you that you ran on the principal of ending all the lawsuits in Middletown.  A few months go by and you and your minions are involved in suing the Planning and Zoning Commission. I guess it's okay for you to sue, but not anybody else.  Your campaign slogan was ED4ED, we get it now- trust me the entire town gets it.  When were you going to let the villagers know about the Blue House LLC thing? Yeah, that one, the one were you went out of your way to outbid The Connection to keep certain elements out of your neighborhood.  F- Sheff v. O'Neil!

Ryan: We know you’re running for re-election, but you don’t have to piss and moan at every meeting.
We get it.  Just do what the Republicans normally do and mail it in.  Look to  Steve Gionfriddo for
advice.  How about getting a new  pair of shoes as well, those clodhoppers have been around since your were at Central Connecticut State University taking communication courses, driving the shitbox around the state. Who could forgot the Ryan mobile?

A plug for Gene's Tv and Appliance!
(we hope you have a good sense of humor, 
please don't sue us)
www.genestvandappliance.com

Gene: We’re disappointed. You sold out.  You told us change would happen.  We’re still waiting. Time is running out. Don’t forget about your friends who put you there.  It should also be noted that I brought my TV/VCR combo and you didn't fix it, what, err, right, wrong Gene.









Cheryl: Say something. Anything! Actually after your budget thoughts maybe not. Remember the term Fiscal Responsibility. But good for you defending your points, unlike others.




Ted: Stop it.  We understand your feelings are hurt, but really, agreeing with Ryan every meeting just to irritate the Gene and Ed show, we’ve seen enough. Just quit like Bill Grady did. Think about it, you did everything you were supposed to do. You used city funds to send your son to a special education school in Cape Cod compliments of Captain Freschette.  That's a lot of money that could have been spent to a child that is on the spectrum severely, right, you don't have to care because you are a liberal.

Sheila: Problem solved. Ted is not running again. There is not a spot for you on the Democratic line.
(Just ask Phil Pessina for the how to manual)  Sheila Davis rocks!

Mitch, Franca, Ava:  ???? You guys even there????  Thanks for nothing. Although doing nothing on the political spectrum is a good thing. You can criticize those with creativity and ideas, but when it comes time to offer perspectives and insight- don't let them know you're alive or thinking or ..................

BOE Boogey: A Brief Summary of the Meeting

Brief summary of last night's Board of Education regular meeting.

 There was a presentation regarding reducing the number of special education students who are out placed. The gentlemen said that the average across the state is 5% whereas in Middletown the average number of special education students of the total special education population is 12%.  There was discussion of goals; the BOE would to send a consistent message throughout the system with a unified set of goals in 4 key areas.  These goals will appear in every classroom, the website and correspondence and presented at the teacher orientation in August.  

An item on the agenda caused a bit of discussion and that was the Memorandum of Understanding between the BOE/City and the Teamsters' Union.  There was confusion about how this MOU came about with Dt. Nocera first saying it was a result of the global settlement agreement between the City and the Teamsters; however, Dr. Charles did correct that and say it was result of negotiations with the Teamsters regarding their loss of a position by the outsourcing of the cafeteria services.  Dr. Charles stated that this MOU which basically trades the Director of Transportation position for the Manager of Food Services position (the Director of Transportation position has been vacant for several years and the previous administration had claimed that it was no longer necessary with the duties given to the Director of Facilities.  The Director of Facilities has retired and the duties now are being handled by BOE Administrators).  The thought is that by hiring a new director it will free up the administrators to do more education related duties.Board members Ryan Kennedy and Ted Razcka both disagreed with this saying that now was not the time to hire another person at that level of pay, may be with benefits 6 figures, when they are laying off teachers.  Kennedy expressed concern that the contract with the outside company for cafe services may not work out and be terminated in a year or so but once you hire a director you'll have them conceivably for 25 years or so.  The Administrators now handling the transportation duties stated that it was no longer working well, they were being taken from truly educational duties; that by dividing the duties all over the place was not a good plan, not a safe plan.  BOE member Sheila Daniels stated that being able to go forward with the hiring of the outside company for cafe services would enable them to hire a company with nutritional background so that now the children with have " healthy" meals.

At the end of the meeting, Board member Ed McKeon made a statement directed to the Common Council members regarding the upcoming vote on the city's budget.  He stated that no one can call themselves a supporter of education if they make those kinds of cuts that he is hearing.  He said that the BOE has worked diligently to get out of the hole; worked hard to give the city has asked for.  Even though they had done what was asked of them they don't seem to be getting anything from the other side.  He stated that we are on the brink of very hard times.  Layoff could be as many as 25 or 30; these are not scare tactics but the budget proposed by the BOE was cut to the bone already.  He felt that it would be unconscionable and unfair it the BOE funding is cut.

After that, the meeting was to move onto communications but it appeared that the recording got stuck and meeting must have ended soon after.

Roundup: BOE News Update

The more things change the more they stay the same.  Last night’s Board of Education meeting was just that.  The administration would speak, the entire board (minus one gadfly member) would drool (or maybe it should be spelled drewl).  The current members were elected for change. They showed up fired Mikey, hired Pat, hired a few other new folks and then put their hats and sun glasses on and said that was too much like work.  Now they sit in their lawn chairs (or in some cases stand on a porch) and watch the tax paper bend over more and more each year.  Here some highlights from last night’s meeting you may or may not have missed. Lots of $$$$$$$$$BOE$$$$$$$$$$

1.       IT Director $102,191.00 a year.  “Hey Mayor What Happened?  Shared Services, NO?  Really? So, were back to two IT Directors in the City? And you had time to go see Obama on Monday? Is he helping Middletown? “

2.       The board is so tired from working sooo hard, Mitch, Eddie, and everyone’s (especially Ryan Kennedy) favorite TED dy Bear didn’t show. Thanks for representing the voters. (Absent).

3.       The board approved the approval of hiring a temporary Facilities Director from a private company called Sodexo. They won’t even tell you how much this is costing. 

4.       No. focus group, no workshop, doesn’t even tell the people who are affected. Just jam it down their throat and they will have to deal with it.  WESU suburb, the Pikes Ravine area, was moved to Macdonough Elementary back in 2009. Bad times, people sold their house because of this. Now less than five full years later back to Snow Elementary and Farm Hill they go.  People need to ask if one board member who lives in the village district had anything personal to gain.  The committee who recommended this is chaired by Ed McKeon. His neighborhood now gets moved back to Farm Hill School.  Fishy?

4.5   Sheila Daniels- If you speak against something, most people would then vote against it.  We all know you’re related to Earle, but you do not have to act like him...

5.       The board went into executive session to discuss non-renewing of contracts.  What the Insiders sources at the BOE building are saying is Mayor Drew lied again.  No layoffs????  Not so much!!! Over 50 layoff notices went out to teachers. Tommy’s son is safe, is yours?

6.       Also, did anyone hear Ryan Kennedy mention the BOE met on Saturday morning- 9am?  Hello TRANSPARENCY?? I think Seb Giuliano needs to send Chief McKenna over there again to chase those fools out of there? Shake em down!!!!  24 hour police presence, I think so!

7.       Why was Former Councilman David Bauer outside peeking into the Chamber?  It was seventy degrees out and this guy is wearing a winter hat!

The Board of Education will be in front of the Common Council for their budget workshop on April 16, 2013 at 7pm. Phil & Joe – we get it, it's for the kids. Drinking game anyone?

Corruption, Ellen, St. Francis and other Rublings or Who Got Paid for Midnight on Main.

Rumblings Part II

Holy Smokes! Joe forgot to back in the 'ole' boy.

Corruption in the Public Sector-  Are we talking about the famous Community Health Center run by Ernst Starvo Blofeld  or in this case Mark “I love my bowtie” Masselli.  This man  banks a lot of capital on your dime folks?

That’s right the taxpayaers of this fine city are paying for Mark’s  trips to the Olympics and other festivals all in the name of  WHAT?  Why did he have to go to TIBET or the Olympics? Let’s get real.  Perhaps he was finding medical supplies for the CHC in the mountains of TIBET or getting hockey puck samples at the winter Olympics.  

The spin has already started, in the commentary section of The Insider and  other fine (biased) blogs in town a few folks wrote to say:

  “Mark started a company many years ago to help those  in need that need health care.” 

Really?  Did he use his own money to do that or did he create a non-profit company that allowed him to be tax exempt and award himself a huge salary of his own.?  You know the answer to that one folks.  BIG BUCKS

The only way to expose this type of corruption is from the outside or to utilize people who are not involved in the magical circle of public sector corruption. Translation: bring in The Untouchables.

The problem with public sector corruption is that everyone who is in a position to clean it up has to get his or her own hands dirty to get there. That's the "dirty little secret". Everyone is dirty, so nobody can blow the whistle without being implicated themselves. Which is why the light has to be shined from the outside, i.e. The Insider.

SAFER GRANT- Remember how Dan Drew was all overthe Italian mayor about hiring cops when he debated Giuliano a few years back? Drew in fact railed against Giuliano for not taking the SAFER grant!  One reason Giuliano did not pursue SAFER was because the City would then have to cover the total sum of the salaries of the new law enforcement hired under the grantonce the grant ran out after two years. Well, it seems Drew is doing the old cop shuffle himself.  The boy king who backs into his stall, has opted out of keeping on the SAFER grants, a program that will allow Middletown to hire a few extra Police and Firemen.  If one goes back and views the three debates, Dan mentioned numerous times that our city needed more cops and emergency management personnel and he would be the 'man' to deliver those folks to Middletown.  On April 4, 2013 the tides have changed and Drew is quietly letting the SAFER grant go without hiring anybody new in fire and police.   I can see the comments now, “A SAFER grant only pays for an employee for two years and then the town is on its own and has to come with said employee's salary.” So what! Dan Drew promised to bring in more cops and said he would get the job done.  I think not.  He also promised to lower taxes.  Spin that one, High Street doorknockers!

Random Thoughts-  Perhaps the people that are suing the city after the double whammy denial at the Planning and Zoning Committee should focus on a few important issues that are plaguing the town:

A)   Villagers, please help the food pantry- Those people really need help, but yet, most of  you like the MK-Ultra Zombies that you are want to please your master and help Blue House LLC make money.  Think about it, why couldn’t the master pay for the anti-Middletown lawyer himself?  He has the money, but  he wants you, the MK-ULTRA followers to pay the money for his Kurtz like journey into madness.   

B)  Perhaps the village district can get together and send Ellen DeGeneres a letter and request that she stop dancing on the program. Enough is enough.

C)   Question of the day:  What notable (rich) members of the  Middletown elite were paid for their services on New Year’s Eve at the Middnight on Main event?   The town elders were yapping about “giving it up for the community” or stating that , “being a volunteer is a great thing,” while taking city money for the event. The liberal rich get richer:  I love the smell of fresh MOOLA in the morning! Money that is! There' a lot of money in liberalism. Don't deny it ED4ED or MM.

D)   Token Republican- The roster of the Riverfront Task Force has been announced  and according to the April 2, 2013 published committee  brief, only one member of the Republican Party is allowed in the room.  Former Deputy Mayor and Suzanne Vega fan (R) Joseph Bibsi (the Garrett Morris of the group) will join Richard Pellitier, Mike Gaudino, Dan Russo and others on this important commission, er I mean Task Force, in order to complete important tasks.

E)    Drunk Driving is a bad thing, please don’t do it.

F)   The Middletown Board of Education has voted to privatize their cafeterias. Perhaps now, we can get the kids to eat some fruit! Ketchup doesn’t count.

G)  Development Design Review- Bob Landino ‘s case is coming up and it seems that 3 of  the 6 members will not be voting for a variety or reasons. Conflict of interest baby! The number one overused excuse not to show up. Let's  take a stance on the Landino issue.  I still love how the mayor of the town is 100% in support of Landino, but yet the village people district zombies continue to ignore this.  He's the enemy folks! Wake up.

H)   Did Dan Drew really compare himself to King Solmon and St Francis of Assisi in the recent budget address?  Rumor has it that Drew had Joe Somolis, his designated car parker to taste his food thrice daily.  The other day the Mayor's CD player broke and Joe had to ride shotgun and rap the entire side 1 of Dr. Dre's The Chronic while helmet head dove the MN1 car around Wesleyan Hills.  "Everything going to be alright, yep, yeah, protect the gov, yeah, f- th 2nd amendment."

I)    Earl V. Roberts still wants to run for something in the fall.

J)    What happened to NEAT?  Did their funding really dry up? Mark, come on can you spare them some loose change? Stupid Question.

K)  Coleman’s Carnival showed up and it didn’t rain.  Is that a pig flying?  Rumor has it hell recently froze over as well.

L)   Who does more for the community Fred Carroll or Mark Masselli? Answer: Fred, hands down!
M) Hats off to BOE member Ryan Kennedy: Board member Ryan Kenney objected to the redistricting of Macdonough on the grounds that the board would have to revisit the issue again in the fall. "This is a very temporary fix to a very permanent problem." said Kennedy. 

N) Wesleyan’s new (lack of) ethnicity policy- This is true folks! The Wesleyan Security Officers are not allowed to use color to describe anybody doing anything remotely suspicious on campus. If someone is carjacking you in the Usdan lot, the cops can’t say, “All units be on the look of a white male, 5 feet 7 inches with glasses.”  The Wes security will have to say: “All units be on the look out for a male 5 feet 7 inches with glasses.”  What's next leaving gender and hair color out of physical descriptions too? This is the stupidest thing I have heard of in town.
o) Complete Streets Report only has 3 out of 56 pages that aren't common sense fluff  that actually talk about pedestrian/bike issues in Middletown specifically. Oh yeah and a color coded map that the city pz department probably could have done in an afternoon. Good theories, but no real plans! Yup, taxpayers paid the professional consultants $20,000 for this 6th grade level book report that took a year to complete!
P)  Margaret Thatcher said "There is no public money, only taxpayer money." And on that note another wise person once said: "Grants are the institutional equivalent of prostitution. The "John" (ie the institution paying the grant) offers payment to any "hooker" (eg. a city, a school district, a non profit) who will perform specific act or acts. And we all know how well that ends. R.I.P Iron Lady.

Q)  Where the hell is the streaming for municipal meetings that was supposed to be finalized a few months back?  Now, that may be the stupidest thing I have heard of in town. Imagine expecting the town to fulfill any objective on time, that’s like ED4ED actually making a difference on the board or education.

From Jack to Ryan Kenndy: Proud of his BOE work

Note: The author's email has been omitted on purpose.


To: VoteRyan06@yahoo.com

Sent: Tuesday, January 8, 2013 9:17 PM
Subject: BOE meeting 1/8/13


Mr. Kennedy,

I am sitting here watching tonight's BOE meeting. I want to give you credit for being the single "No" vote on these "Separation Enhancements". The general public and the BOE has no clue what a giveaway these are. Finally is Gene Nocera not related to Elizabeth Norcera? Spouse. How is he involved in voting for her package?

Finally, what is it with the Middletown Super Patricia Charles? She seems like a deere blinded by the lights.

Also lasts nights council meeting on the school contract was a joke. The financial people from the BOE, while new had no clue on same basic questions. How BOE employees get dental insurance with no payment of premium or co-pay is beyond me in today's world. I will give Ron Klattenberg credit for pushing this issue but no one else seemed to care or even understand the issue.

Keep up the good work. People notice. Hopefully some day you can run for mayor but you strike me as too honest.      Jack

BOE: Minutes for November 13, 2012- Regular Meeting

Board of Education Regular Meeting
November 13, 2012, 7:00 PM
Middletown Common Council Chambers

I. CALL TO ORDER
Board Members Present: Sheila Daniels, Ava Hart, Ryan Kennedy, Cheryl McClellan, Ed
McKeon, Gene Nocera, Ted Raczka, and Mitchell Wynn
Board Members Absent: Franca Biales
Others Present: Superintendent of Schools Dr. Patricia Charles, Associate Superintendent Enza
Macri, Director of Fine Arts and Operations Marco Gaylord (arrived 7:18 PM), Director of
Facilities and Transportation Ken Jackson, Director of Grant Services Elizabeth Nocera, Manager
of Financial Operations Lynda MacPherson, Manager of Human Resources Michele DiMauro,
Middletown High School Principal Colleen Weiner, Spencer School Principal Amy Clarke, Snow
School Principal Jim Gaudreau, Student Representative Michael Durso, Assistant to the
Superintendent/Board Secretary Marcy Poppel, Hartford Courant Reporter Shawn Beals,
Middletown Press Reporter Jim Salemi, and twenty-seven (27) visitors.
Chair Nocera called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.

II. SALUTE TO THE FLAG
Student Rep Michael Durso led in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Dr. Nocera noted we are currently experiencing technical problems in broadcasting this evening’s
Board meeting.
III. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
MOTION: Adoption of the Agenda passed with a motion by Ms. Daniels and a second by Mr.
McKeon – unanimous vote.
IV. DISTRICT HIGHLIGHTS – SPENCER SCHOOL PRESENTATION
Dr. Nocera introduced Spencer School Principal Amy Clarke who presented highlights of Spencer
Elementary School. Spencer School originally opened in 1951, was renovated in 1989, has an
approximate enrollment of 350, and is a Title I school (50% of their students qualify for free or
reduced lunch). She shared that culture and climate are the cornerstones and foundation of their
school’s success and their knowledgeable and dedicated staff. JoAnn O’Leary, a teacher at Spencer
for over 20 years, spoke of the excellence in teaching practice, communication, and collaboration.
Spencer School, as do the 7 other elementary schools in the district, follow Positive Behavior
Supports. At Spencer it is CARES – Cooperate, Appreciate others’ differences, Respect, Enjoy
learning, and Share kindness. Spencer holds monthly CARES assemblies to discuss core values
and recognize/ celebrate students to exemplify or improve CARES values.
Ms. Clarke said last year Spencer was selected as the second Middletown elementary school
recipient of an iCare grant. iCare stands for Identifying Children and Responding Early. iCare
provides early intervention to address social, emotional, and behavioral concerns early to prevent
later school and life failures. TLC. The Learning Center is a space where children can work with
interventionists to solve problems and includes involvement by a member of the faith community,
and a service coordinator who acts as a bridge between the school, the family, and the community.
An outcome of the iCare grant was the development of a Spencer School Climate Committee. It is
a subcommittee of the School Data Team. A recent topic the committee worked on was meeting
the needs of students from military families. Amanda Amtmanis, PE teacher said that Spencer
School is a quietly excellent community.
Principal Clarke said Spencer has seen a strong, positive climate supporting student achievement.
They have had four consecutive years of continuous growth, as well as closing the achievement gap
for students who qualify for free and reduced lunch. She shared examples of student scores in the
areas of Math, Writing, and Reading. She spoke of successful practice – a strong climate and
culture that supports achievement, commitment of staff and parents to improvement, the
willingness to learn and take risks, prioritizing time on instruction, high expectations, collaborativepractice, innovation of teacher leaders, differentiation based on student need, and quality of
targeted intervention. Ginny Grasso, who has worked in the Middletown Public School System for
39 years, spoke on behalf of Francie Goodwin and herself, both interventionists at Spencer School,
and addressed the powerful effect intervention has on student academic growth.
A major focus has been the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), which, although they offer
some amazing opportunities, do present some significant challenges, Ms. Clarke noted. The new
standards require teachers to approach their work in new ways and ask students to engage in
learning at a much deeper level, she added. She said if the new standards are implemented well,
children will be much more active in their own learning which has huge implications for the way
instruction is planned. Ms. Clarke spoke of obstacles which include change for teachers, time,
outdated equipment, materials and resources, building curriculum while teaching new standards,
what will happen as we move to the new standards while taking the old assessment, and
technology.