Where are the working flashing lights?

Driving by the schools I noticed something, and I wonder do you?

My cousin did. He called me on the cell on the way to work to see if I was going to enter this very blog entry.... So here it is. Why aren't the kids safety number one? Why are the flashing safety speed lights of 20mphs hour working? Before they were intermittent, now they don't seem to work at all. So when I am there dropping my son off and picking him up or other children up for friends on days I am shocked and scared for these kids safety frankly.

Then driving home late one evening this week I am surprised to see it working off schedule... is it just off schedule? Who knows any more in this town. The administration doesn't seem to care. If we are lucky it is reset for the beginning of the year and then somewhere along the way it falls off the clock and and then never gets readjusted for daylight savings or if it's for sports or whatever...

But I am getting pretty tired of the it's not my responsibility, it's this group in town - WRONG. It affects the children of our schools it's their responsibility to make sure that whatever groups in town get it right 110% of the time. And that means at each and every school not just the elementaries.

Here are two companies that I found that do solar school zone warning lights which would relieve some of the ISSUES:

OK Solar -LED Traffic Signals - Solar School warning signs
We are manufactures OEM/ODM a complete line of high-flux LED products for the transportation market. We offer a complete line of LED products used in lighting for airports, bus stops, rail ways, traffic signals, outdoor lighting and other related applications.Our transportation products are more efficient, last longer and typically consume 90% less energy than incandescent lights, yielding substantial operational cost savings. Because their service life span is typically 10 times (approximately eleven years) that of incandescent, these products offer even greater maintenance savings due to longer replacement intervals. In addition, they are environmentally friendly.

Solar powered warning signals Using a combination of solar power and energy-efficient LED lights we allow the transportation engineer the flexibility to deliver critical warnings in virtually any location, regardless of power availability.We offer a full array of red, yellow, green and white LED products for use in traffic signal balls, arrows and pedestrian signals, as well as a complete range of signaling products. Installation of LED Signals can offer significant savings in operating and maintenance costs resulting in a quick return on initial investment.

Your next scheduled maintenance will be in 5 to 7 years! www.oksolar.com/traffic/

K & K MODEL 110 Solar School Zone Flasher
Whether in congested cities, small towns or on rural and remote roadways, traffic flashers are used to help warn vehicular traffic to possible hazardous areas or intersections ahead. Pedestrian crosswalks, school zones, fire stations, hospital zones and speed zones are just a few of the many applications where solar stationary flashing beacons are used to enhance the visibility of roadway signage. The Model 110 is designed for use at churches, schools, and other zones needing a system which incorporates a timer or remote control. The two 8" yellow LEDs, when flashing, are visual by motorist up to 1/4 mile.
http://www.k-ksystems.com/110.html

Off to do the NEACAC Fair..

Monday May 19th
I will be representing Simmons College at the NEACAC College Fair at Assumption College tonight. I look forward to doing this each and every time they graciously ask me to do this event. I LOVE working with the students and their families. It is a two day event and I will be the alumnae representative there tonight, and there will be the undergraduate school admissions person will be there tomorrow morning.

This is such a fun and exciting time. I enjoy doing this type of event when ever they ask me to do it in the Worcester County area. Once I can get them past the 'Isn't it all girls?' to get them to understand it's dynamic location and the benefit of the single sex in the classroom and small class to teacher ratio, I am usually on my way to getting a very exciting conversation ; )

Gotto run..

Election 2008

Congratulations to all of those who won the election. Now the real work begins. As the quote goes... with great power comes great responsibility.

Well... the election has been run and I can say that it has been a definite learning experience. I have a list of things to improve upon and to get assistance with handling on the next run for a public office. Like what? Public speaking : )

I certainly need more help than I had this time around- I was basically a one woman show. However given that, having received approx. 21.5% of the total voters yesterday (and being a relative new face to the town) I did respectively well.

I will say this- I am so very grateful to all of those people who helped me along the way, and took the time to offer me great advice. I certainly could not have done as well as I have with out such wonderfully kind people. There are too many to list here, however, I hope you know that I truly appreciate everything that you did in assisting my run for School Committee.

Will I run again when the next group of School Committee people come up for re-election? You bet! I will need some more help, any volunteers?

Chapter 70 comment

MA Elem. & Secondary Ed. Leadership and Action Document had this to say:

Aid and Grants—In addition to the state aid administered through Chapter 70, the Department of Education awards more than $800 million in grant funding for over 100 grant programs from either state, federal or private sources to schools and districts each year to fund innovative programs. Schools and districts apply for these funds and use them to support targeted programming in areas such as: Title I services, special education programs, universal school breakfast, Safe and Drug-Free Schools initiatives, extended learning time, and academic support services (MCAS remediation). Since the administration of our grant programs exists within constraints of state or federal funding sources, there may not be logical alignment in support of achieving our vision of preparing all students for tomorrow’s opportunities. While our current system needs to continue to comply with the state and federal funding requirements, we can streamline it and increase coordination of various grant initiatives, to enable schools and districts to plan for and use their grant funds for maximum positive impact on student learning.

Now I understand that it is a town charter item that needs to change. However, when I am at a State education meeting and they are telling me that the money is for education - NOT other items in the budget, but they know that it is a town charter change process. I am still being told that it is for education and that the Dpt. of Ed. should be seeing it go to educational items in the budget.... Now, I know, if all was right with the world, and we know Auburn isn't- everything would be funded correctly, but it isn't, so how do we fix it?

I did get interrupted before I got clarification on the final point of -if we got audited as a town for the Chapter 70 funding and it all didn't go to educational items (for the money that is above and beyond the per pupil allotment) would the amount Auburn received be changed? I plan to inquire on this using a town with similar town charter structure, ours, and then to see why Shrewsbury is so well funded.

The Chapter 70 money is a complex question not just because of who should get it in our town, but of the formula for the amount of money the state gives each town as well. Clarity of this formula is critical for us on the state side if we are to get the correct amount of funding from the state for our schools, especially if we as an educational system are going to count on this money year to year as we should be doing.

Here is the state site for Chapter 70 information: http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/chapter70/

Current Public Service

I am currently doing the following:

• I am an active parent volunteer at Bryn Mawr Elementary.
• I am one of the Library coordinators at Bryn Mawr Elementary.
• I am a volunteer with the PTO1 here in Auburn, and try to attend the great events they plan and put on!
• I am an active volunteer at Bethel Lutheran Church and Bethel Nursery School.
• I am an active volunteer in the Alumnae/ie Association at Simmons College, not just for my class activities.
• I am an active volunteer for the Simmons College Undergraduate Admissions Dept. for their college fairs. This position has also networked me into the other colleges in our area (Worcester County) and the requirements that colleges are requiring of students.
• I recently started to attend the MA Dept of Elementary and Secondary Education Meeting that are held monthly and are open to the public so that I can keep abreast of the state's educational requirements.

I am currently waiting to hear on a position on the Library Planning Committee. As well as, a second term as Director of Communications on the Executive Board of the Alumnae/ie Association of Simmons College.

Prior Public Service

Here is a listing of my prior Public Service for you all to look at:

• I was a Substitute Teacher in the Milford School District (High School Level)
• I am an active member in the Alumnae/ie Association at Simmons College
• Executive Board of the Alumnae/ie Association at Simmons College: Director of Reunion (600+ attendees the Year of 9/11); Director of Communications
• Assisted with the March of Dimes Walk in Boston, Coordinator for company (the company was the major corporate sponsor for the event)
• The College Club, Boston, MA- I assisted with- The Scholarship Fund, Membership Committee, Events Committee, Community Outreach, and Communications
• I have been and am a volunteer at many of the Bethel Lutheran Church events.
• Volunteer at the CKC Masters Conference Boston, MA - support staff and instructor

Forget something?

First, let me just address the fact, that- yes I just blanked while giving my speech at the Senior Center. Everyone has it happen at least once in their public speaking life, I have now gotten mine done.

For those whom suffer from migraines, you can understand what I was dealing with, and what caused me to just go blank. I have had migraines all my life, and deal with them. I will now just learn how to deal with them in a more public manner.

In regards to my speech I will be putting my comments up here in another blog entry for those to read. Also, I will be gaining some experience in a group called Toastmasters for public speaking, so that I won't appear so nervous.

I really am used to smaller groups, as everyone says... it must be the cameras ; )