Monday, November 12, 2012
A parent questions why the preference for the K Flex plan was not heard.
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Monday, November 12, 2012
On Nov. 5, the School Committee voted to adopt Map 1 for the redistricting plan. Following the vote, numerous people in town expressed surprise by this decision. They felt that the K Flex plan had received wide-spread support and should have been the chosen plan. However, aside from Chris Nixon, the four other School Committee members continued to pursue and support their own agenda. They even failed to endorse their own Superintendent’s recommendation for the K Flex Plan. The preference for K Flex had fallen on deaf ears. Following the vote, I once again looked at Map 1 and was uncertain which school my house was being redistricted to. Since the beginning of this process, the maps posted online have been unclear and extremely difficult …
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Winchester residents 65 and older should be deeply concerned about Republican Scott Brown’s health care policy.
- OPINION
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Thursday, October 25, 2012
According to the 2010 Census, 3,460 people age 65 and older live in Winchester, and every one of them should be deeply concerned about Republican Scott Brown’s health care policy. The centerpiece of Brown’s health care policy is working to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the federal health care reform law known as ObamaCare. National health care advocacy organization Community Catalyst Action Fund released a new analysis finding that, if the Affordable Care Act (“ObamaCare”) is repealed, senior citizens in Winchester and across Massachusetts will be saddled with higher costs and fewer benefits. ObamaCare, as it is known, lowers seniors’ Medicare premiums and out-of-pocket costs by an estimated $500 per year. This means that, if …
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Winchester parents share their stance with the proposed redistricting plans.
- OPINION
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Tuesday, October 16, 2012
The community involvement in the redistricting discussion has been a great example of democracy in action, and we have been proud to be even a small part of this process. The superintendent and school committee members should be applauded for keeping their ears, minds, and hopefully their hearts open to ideas that may go beyond the normal paradigms of traditional redistricting exercises. The presentation of the 5 redistricting maps on Oct. 11 did little to reduce parents’ concerns around walkability, safety, fairness, and costs. We feel that among the alternative plans put forward, the Advanced Learning Opportunities Program (ALO) represents not only a novel means to harmonize enrollment and capacity, but also an opportunity to set an …
The creators of the Advanced Learning Opportunities program say this alternative to redistricting addresses capacity issues as well as offers a challenging curriculum.
- OPINION
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Tuesday, October 16, 2012
The recent redistricting dilemma prompted us to seize the opportunity to offer a NEW alternative to redistricting. Our Advanced Learning Opportunities program (ALO) is a voluntary and flexible school assignment model, which addresses current and future capacity issues, AND provides equal access to a challenging curriculum. An ALO program solves the problem by getting critical masses of children to the identified schools, without the need for redrawing district borders. The program ALSO addresses another issue, which is providing equity of opportunities for challenge for children who demonstrate readiness. A recent NY Times Op-Ed piece written by Chester Finn, a former US Assistant Secretary of Education, states: ”Every motivated, high-…
Monday, October 15, 2012
Sarah McGinty will be speaking at Book Ends on Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m., where she’ll answer questions about the college application process.
- OPINION
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Monday, October 15, 2012
School bells ring and children sing, “OMG, I’m a senior!” There will be pumpkin carving and football games for everyone else, but seniors are focusing on visiting potential schools, filling out applications, and writing application essays. The college application comprises several critical components, but the essay in particular has grown in significance as interviews have become less common, positioning the essay as one of the few opportunities to showcase your personality and add life to your application. It’s important to use the essay as a means to share information that cannot be found on other parts of the application. Writing an essay can seem like a daunting task. What to write about? What do they want? What do they mean by “…
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Short on time and in need of a great appetizer? Try making these sweet and sour meatballs-they're sure to please.
"Miracles are like meatballs, because nobody can exactly agree on what they are made of, where they come from, or how often they should appear." ~Lemony Snicket I have been bringing sweet and sour meatballs to parties for years now, and they have always been well received. My original version was made right in the microwave and then there was a slow cooker alteration, but I've finally settled on this stovetop version as my favorite.The combination of sweet pineapple and brown sugar mixed with tangy soy sauce and vinegar is just delightful. And come on, how many of us can resist a good meatball? If you are really short on time, go ahead and buy a bag of frozen meatballs. To be honest, I have used them many times and have never had a …
Friday, October 5, 2012
The Boston Globe reports that the Transportation Security Administration unveiled new body scanners that show less details to TSA screeners. Does this cool the debate over the scanners, or are they still worrisome?
When full-body scanners at airports became prevalent at airports in recent years, it stoked a debate over whether the scanners are too invasive. Yesterday, however, the Boston Globe reported that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) unveiled new body scanners that show less details to TSA screeners. Instead of detailed images viewed in a private room by security personnel, the scanners initially only produce generic outlines of passengers, while still picking up on weapons or suspicious objects on a would-be traveller's body. When full-body scans were introduced, some protested that the images were too intrusive and that the scans themselves would be ineffective because they would not detect "low-density" materials like …
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Here's your chance to sound off on the quality of the officiating in the NFL and what you think should be done about it.
If you're a local football fan, the New England Patriots' controversial Sunday Night loss to the Baltimore Ravens probably left you with a bad taste in your mouth and a strong opinion about the status of officiating in the NFL. The much-discussed replacement referee issue was forced front-row center again Monday night when a nationally-televised game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers appeared to be determined by an incorrect call made by a team of back-up officials. So, we have to ask - what do you think about the quality of officiating in the NFL? Do you think the league owes it to the players, owners and fans to put the best product on the field, no matter what it costs? Should League Commissioner Roger Goodell bend …
Friday, September 21, 2012
Incumbent Scott Brown and challenger Elizabeth Warren squared off in their first debate Thursday night.
- OPINION
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Friday, September 21, 2012
Republican Sen. Scott Brown faced off against Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren Thursday night in a debate televised by WBZ-TV. The Thursday debate was the first of four planned tilts between the candidates, and it saw disagreement between the two on just about every topic. Polls have seesawed over the last week, with Brown and Warren swapping small leads, as they have throughout the campaign. The debates may provide one or the other an opportunity to change voter minds and swing the election his or her way. Central to Thursday's debate was the focus on taxes, jobs and the economy. "He has said he will defend the top 2 percent and the top 3 percent...and will hold the other 98% of families hostage," Warren said, referencing Brown's …
Friday, September 14, 2012
Starting Jan. 1, a new law will require that vehicles in Massachusetts be registered only by someone with proof of legal residence. Is this a backdoor way for immigration enforcement, or common sense?
The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is readying to implement a new law that goes in effect Jan. 1 and would require people registering a motor vehicle or trailer to provide proof of legal residence, the Boston Herald reports. Accepted forms of proof would include—but are not limited to—a driver's license, a state identification card or a Social Security number, the Herald reports. RMV Registrar Rachel Kaprielian would be empowered to write exemptions for some residents, such as out-of-state students, military personnel, senior citizens and disabled persons. According to Sharon Patch, Sen. Robert Hedlund (R-Weymouth), who put forth the amendment as part of the state budget, said in a written statement after the law passed, "…
Sox Fan
10:11 am on Monday, January 28, 2013
No letter here. Maybe Pats can fill us in by scanning hers in and posting. more ›