Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

October 27, 2015

Cambridge’s new Superintendent of Schools – Dr. Kenneth Salim

Filed under: Cambridge,School Committee,schools — Tags: , , , — Robert Winters @ 10:21 pm

Dr. Kenneth SalimCambridge’s new Superintendent of Schools

The Cambridge School Committee voted 6 (Cronin, Kelly, Fantini, Nolan, Osborne, Maher) – 1 (Harding) to appoint Dr. Kenneth Salim as the next Superintendent of Schools pending contract negotiations, tonight.

Dr. Salim is the current Superintendent in Weymouth, MA and previously work in the Boston Public Schools as Senior Director for the Chief Academic Office and Interim Assistant Superintendent for Professional Development.

October 2, 2015

Cambridge Education Association to host School Committee Candidate Debate/Forum (Oct 7)

Filed under: 2015 Election,Cambridge,School Committee — Tags: , , — Robert Winters @ 7:42 pm

Cambridge Education AssociationThe Cambridge Education Association will sponsor a forum/debate on Wednesday, October 7, for candidates seeking election to the Cambridge School Committee. The event will take place from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the Cambridge Public Library-Main Branch Lecture Hall, 449 Broadway. Earl Wiman, a member of the Executive Committee of the 3-million-member National Education Association, will serve as moderator. The public is invited to attend.

Voters will elect six candidates to the Cambridge School Committee on Tuesday, November 3.

If you are interested in submitting a question for the forum, please e-mail info@cambeducation.org.

For more information, please contact Robert Travers at 617-492-4709 or e-mail him at treas@cambeducation.org.

This election will give voters the ability to make decisions that will have a significant impact on the Cambridge community. The Cambridge School Committee oversees the district’s budget, approves curriculum, and represents the school district in labor negotiations with the unions. It also serves as the voice of the public in the school district, and it must communicate the needs of the school system to the public.” – Terry Gist, president of the 1,200-member Cambridge Education Association

A Calendar of all candidate forums is at: http://cambridgecivic.com/vote/calendar2015.htm

Cambridge Municipal Election Candidates – 2015

Cambridge City Council Candidates - 2015 (updated Aug 19) - FINAL

LastFirstaddresszipbirthdateoccuppapersvalid signatures
BenzanDennis1 Pine St.021391/25/1972AttorneyJuly 186
CarloneDennis9 Washington Ave. #6021405/7/1947ArchitectJuly 263
CheungLeland157 Garden St.021382/11/1978July 176
ConnollyMike20 Harding St. #3021416/3/1980July 2467
CourtneyKim2 Ware St. #4010213812/6/1973AttorneyJuly 161
DavidsonMariko2 Ware St. #4110213811/20/1981July 171
DegoesPlinio99 Garden St.021382/10/1981TeacherJuly 184
DevereuxJan255 Lakeview Ave.021385/13/1959Writer/CommunicationsJuly 191
DietrichXavier2 Ware St. #4010213812/2/1961July 1354
KelleyCraig6 Saint Gerard Ter. #2021409/18/1962PoliticianJuly 191
LevyIlan148 Spring St.0214111/1/1967Software EngineerJuly 1364
MaherDavid120 Appleton St. #2021388/8/1958Non-profit Mgr.July 196
MahoneyPaul F.23 Lawn St.021385/8/1950July 257
MazenNadeem720 Mass. Ave. #4021399/20/1983EntrepreneurJuly 281
McGovernMarc15 Pleasant St. #20213912/21/1968Social WorkerJuly 192
MelloGary324 Franklin St. #2021395/24/1953ClerkJuly 164
MoreeGregg25 Fairfield St. #4021406/16/1957CarpenterJuly 175
SanzoneJohn540 Memorial Dr. #3040213910/16/1988July 257
SimmonsE. Denise188 Harvard St. #4B0213910/2/1951Public OfficeJuly 184
ToomeyTimothy88 6th St.021416/7/1953CouncillorJuly 199
vanBeuzekomMinka20 Essex St. #1021397/24/1960GovernmentJuly 187
WaiteRomaine60 Lawn St. #5021386/7/1991July 273
WilliamsonJames1000 Jackson Pl. #45021401/13/1951July 162

50 valid signatures are needed to have candidate’s name placed on the municipal ballot.

Cambridge School Committee Candidates - 2015 (updated Aug 19) - FINAL

LastFirstaddresszipbirthdateoccuppapersvalid signatures
BowmanManikka134 Reed St.0214011/27/1979July 189
CisterninoPia62 Holworthy St. #1021388/28/1974speech-language pathologistJuly 267
CroninFran1 Kimball Ln.021402/14/1952School CommitteeJuly 184
CrutchfieldJake281 River St.021393/31/1987TeacherJuly 153
DexterEmily9 Fenno St.021383/16/1957Educational ResearcherJuly 1398
FantiniAlfred B.4 Canal Pk. #203021416/8/1949RetiredJuly 198
HardingRichard189 Windsor St. #10213910/16/1972AdministratorJuly 181
KadeteElechi10 Laurel St. #4021399/30/1989AccountantJuly 157
KellyKathleen17 Marie Ave. #1021393/8/1960Social WorkerJuly 192
NolanPatricia184 Huron Ave.021388/28/1957School CommitteeJuly 160
WeinsteinDavid45 S. Normandy Ave.0213812/10/1972Writer/CommunicationsJuly 164

50 valid signatures are needed to have candidate’s name placed on the municipal ballot.

Vote!Cambridge Candidate Pages – 2015
(candidates are encouraged to send additional information)

2015 Calendar of Election-related Events
[ submit your events ]

Campaign Finance – 2015 Cambridge City Council Candidates

March 15, 2015

Cambridge School Committee 2013-2014 Campaign Finance Summaries

Cambridge School Committee 2013-2014 Campaign Finance Summaries (updated March 15, 2015)

CandidateStartReceiptsExpendituresBalanceIn-Kind#1 Votes$/voteNotes
Fran Cronin$0.00$17,004.00$15,443.97$1,560.03$1,000.001832$8.43$0 liabilities
Fred Fantini$4,501.93$5,788.00$6,503.66$3,786.27$0.002859$2.27$14,396 liab. to candidate
Joyce Gerber$105.20$6,669.94$6,775.14$0.00$450.001126$6.02Dissolution; $333.66 balance donated to RAUC
Richard Harding$8.06 $10,764.73$10,772.79$0.00$0.00 2359$4.57$6,595.54 liab. to candidate
John Holland$15.78$3,504.00$3,506.91$12.87$0.00589$5.95$0 liabilities
Elechi Kadete$0.00$870.00$870.00$0.00$0.00494$1.76$0 liabilities
Kathleen Kelly$0.00$16,830.00$15,075.15$1,754.85$100.002102$7.17$3,000 liab. to candidate
Patricia Nolan$48.44$9,370.00$8,337.04$1,081.40$0.003921$2.13$8,850 liab. to candidate
Mervan Osborne$1,025.58$18,039.34$18,529.20$535.72$325.001238$14.97$0 liabilities

School Committee Receipts 2013-2014

School Committee Expenditures 2013-2014

Number One Votes (2013 School Committee Election)

Cost per Number One Vote (2013 School Committee Election)

August 14, 2014

Cambridge Mayor David P. Maher and City Manager Richard C. Rossi Accept ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge government,City Council — Tags: , , — Robert Winters @ 4:37 pm

City Council and School Committee Members will Participate in Group Challenge

ALS ChallengeOn Wednesday, August 20, at 2:00pm, Cambridge Mayor David P. Maher, along with Vice-Mayor Dennis Benzan and other members of the Cambridge City Council, will participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness and funds for ALS research. The event will occur on Cambridge City Hall lawn. “So many people in all walks of life are being faced with this terrible disease,” stated Cambridge Mayor David Maher, “just last week we lost a long time Cambridge School employee and friend, Jurina Vellucci, to ALS. Knowing how many people are suffering from ALS, we felt compelled to participate in a large scale way to help create awareness and to contribute to research for a cure.”

Ms. Vellucci was an employee at the King Open School (and the former Harrington School) who lost her four year battle with ALS last week.

Joining them will be several Cambridge School Committee members, City Manager Richard C. Rossi, several city department heads and City Hall staff.

Vice-Mayor Dennis Benzan and Councilor Marc McGovern were recently challenged by former Cambridge City Councilor and Massachusetts State Representative Marjorie Decker. The Mayor’s office seized the opportunity to make it a group challenge on the lawn at City Hall, and to help create awareness of ALS. The Cambridge contingent will be challenging another local city to do the same.

The ice and buckets will be generously donated by Acme Ice on Kirkland St. in Cambridge. Eric Law, owner of Acme Ice can be reached at 781-420-1332.

For additional information, please contact Alanna Mallon in Mayor David Maher’s Office at 617-349-4327 or email amallon@cambridgema.gov.

May 22, 2014

Superintendent Jeff Young’s 2011-15 contract requires School Committee renewal before July 6, 2014

Filed under: Cambridge,School Committee,schools — Tags: , , , , — Robert Winters @ 7:00 pm

Superintendent Jeff Young’s 2011-15 contract requires School Committee renewal before July 6, 2014

Superintendent Jeff Young[contributed by Anita D. McClellan and posted on the CPSParents listserv]

Cambridge public school families may be surprised to learn that many school districts open up their Superintendents’ annual evaluation on leadership performance to rating and comments from district parents, teachers, K-12 students, and residents.

In Burlington, MA, District Superintendent Eric Conti’s Blog posts an evaluation survey for 30 days every May so district parents, teachers, K-12 students, and residents can contribute their 2¢ to the School Committee’s evaluation: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2014ContiEvaluation.

Dr. Conti also posts the passwords required for anyone to access past years’ Burlington Supt. evaluations and comments: http://ericconti.wordpress.com.

Isn’t it time for Cambridge Public School District – and our 2014 & 2015 School Committee – to emulate Burlington District and to inaugurate PDQ for 2014 an open annual SC evaluation of our Superintendent that takes into account leadership ratings and comments from District parents, teachers, students, and residents?

It would be very quick for 2014 Supt. evaluation to adapt the Burlington Supt. online evaluation survey to CPSD’s needs https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2014ContiEvaluation so results from Cambridge parents, teachers, students, residents can be factored into the SC’s early July vote on whether or not to renew Dr. Young’s contract through 2018.

After the current contract renewal deadline, the SC can develop its own Supt. online evaluation for the Cambridge public to use in 2015 and thereafter.

Anita McClellan, VL

P.S. Burlington MA District offers a series of District blogs to keep community informed on many educational fronts. Wonderful to have such good communications! Find them on http://ericconti.wordpress.com/ in the righthand column on homepage.

Go here for the Burlington Asst. Supt. of Learning’s blog: http://www.patrickmlarkin.com/

The Burlington District Spec Ed Dept. also surveys public on its performance: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1l_JgxApXnrmg3QqO_zNW0qDndTQ4t7BmnAEhaZDsxOg/viewform

FYI: Jeff Young has served under School Committee as Superintendent since July 6, 2009. He reports directly to the School Committee. Contract is here: http://rwinters.com/school/JeffYoungContract2011-15.htm

Supt. Duties and Responsibilities.

A. The Superintendent shall diligently, faithfully, professionally and competently perform the duties and responsibilities of the Superintendent of Schools; shall serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the School District, as provided in M.G.L. c. 71, §59 and all other applicable laws and regulations pertaining to public education in Massachusetts; and shall be responsible to direct, organize and manage the school system, in conformity with the requirements of M.G.L. c. 71 and all other applicable federal and state statutes and regulations pertaining to public education, and in conformity with the rules and policy determinations of the Committee. The Superintendent also shall fulfill all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement. The Superintendent shall be the Chief Education Officer of the District.

B. Except as otherwise required by the Superintendent’s duties, the Superintendent shall attend all Committee meetings and shall provide administrative recommendations on each item of business involving the administration of the Public Schools or education matters.

C. The Superintendent recognizes that the proper performance of his duties and responsibilities will require him to work longer than the school day and that his duties and responsibilities are not confined to prescribed hours.

D. The relationship between the Committee and the Superintendent shall be based on a deep commitment to working cooperatively for the benefit of the children and the general community served by the Cambridge Public Schools, and it shall reflect a clear understanding that the Committee is the establishing agent of all school system policy and that the Superintendent has the responsibility to administer said policy in a sound, fair and ethical manner.

E. The Superintendent shall have authority, subject to law and any legally binding contracts of the School District, to organize, reorganize and arrange the administrative and supervisory staff in such a way as, in his best judgment, best serves the School District, subject to approval by the Committee.

F. In its discretion, the Committee will refer to the Superintendent any criticisms, complaints and situations that are brought to its attention and which the Committee deems important enough to warrant the Superintendent’s attention. The Superintendent shall review and make recommendations on any matters referred to him by the Committee.

May 21, 2014

Cambridge InsideOut with School Committee member Fran Cronin

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge InsideOut,School Committee — Tags: , , — Robert Winters @ 3:52 pm

Cambridge InsideOut Episode 57 with School Committee member Fran Cronin (Part 1). This program was broadcast on Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 5:30pm. The hosts are Susana Segat and Robert Winters. [Watch on YouTube]

Cambridge InsideOut Episode 58 with School Committee member Fran Cronin (Part 2). This program was broadcast on Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 6:00pm. The hosts are Susana Segat and Robert Winters. [Watch on YouTube]

January 7, 2014

Cambridge InsideOut – Episodes 29 and 30

Cambridge InsideOut Episode 29 – originally broadcast Tues, Jan 7, 2014 at 5:30pm. Former School Committee member Alice Turkel was the guest (Part 1). Program hosted by Susana Segat and Robert Winters.

Cambridge InsideOut Episode 30 – originally broadcast Tues, Jan 7, 2014 at 6:00pm. Former School Committee member Alice Turkel was the guest (Part 2). Play-by-play of the 2014 Mayoral Vote. Program hosted by Susana Segat and Robert Winters.

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