What School Board Members

Need To Do

To the Editor:

My name is Frank Scalzo and I am a Democratic candidate for the Board of Education. I am running because I feel that we the citizens are not being told the whole truth. I think that the Board of Education needs members that will:

1) listen to the voters

2) ensure that citizens are getting what they are paying for

3) be able to tell the difference between a need and a want especially in this economic climate

4) ensure that the students are getting a complete education from special needs through the gifted students (without leaving the middle of the road students hanging)

5) be open and honest with the citizens of Newtown

6) answer the hard questions honestly when asked

Did you know that section 19-1 on page 13 of the current teachers’ contract it states that a teacher must be available for an hour each day outside of school hours? This is one item I intend to address when elected.

Did you know that Dr Robinson has awarded two (previously owner/operator) bus contracts this school year to non owner/operators? I thought that the citizens were pretty adamant about keeping owner/operators on the bus routes. These contracts are not obligated to have the same driver 67 percent of the time like the owner operators do. I did not see anything on the agenda to indicate that the contracts were being awarded and alert the parents. The contracts were awarded as a five-year contracts which coincides with the MTM bus company contract, instead of being awarded for only the three years which is remaining on the owner/operator contract. That looks to me like they were taken permanently out of the owner/operator portion. This is another item I will address when elected.

I will listen to you! Your vote for me on November 3 will get us one step closer to the education system our children deserve.

Thank you,

Frank Scalzo

175 Mt Pleasant Road, Newtown                            October 26, 2009