Also~ I believe it is Kevin Pluff

John Ward admits taxes will be raised in this article. So why isn't everyone up in arms about this article???

Mr. Plouffe is how you spell it.

Its plouffe......... my opinion is some of the people that voted for the proposal should be kicked off of the committe because they were for what the speakers said but went with the proposal. It isnt right that “I should not be here defending my own right to a quality education,” said one Woonsocket High School student. My friend said this it is very true. I also talked at the meeting more about buisness classes and the voc school and this messes up my entire schedule

At the last school committee meeting the cut was 1.6 million, yet at this meeting the amount was 1.8 million, was there an increase ? At the UCOA website it states Woonsocket schools receives $81,844,916.00, yet our data shows we recieve $60,284,784. Can anyone explain this to me ?

AND no our children should NOT be fighting for their own quality education, that's why we VOTE !

I believe we may need a complete regime change come election time. Facts and figures are continually skewed when they finally get out to the taxpayers. This is outrageous. Why so many discrepancies?

I agree.... What needs to happen is we take off the people who do not deserve to be on this committee. If you are saying one thing and agree with the people then don't agree of side for a yes. If you say that you had a child with learning disabilities and they were in band and band extremely helped them get through highschool and now onto college. TELL ME WHY OTHER STUDENTS THAT HAVE THE SAME DISABILITIES SHOULD GO THROUGH THIS! I think that Woonsocket Patch should have covered this as part of the article. It is unjust for that committee member to do this to the other people. I'd like to know the age you have to be and the qualifications that it takes to be on the board because I will run as soon as I can. ALL THIS BOILS DOWN TO IS VALUE!!!!!!!

Just two quick points: budgets are based on estimates, which can and do change frequently. One specific example is the issue on state aid - the city does not know what it will receive until well after the budget is planned. More on this here: http://patch.com/A-ghML
Also, I'm not sure how the UCOA is accounting for the dispersal of funds to Woonsocket. During Education Commissioner Gist's visit, ( http://patch.com/A-f6y0) she discussed how Woonsocket is receiving an additional $8 million thanks to the fair funding formula, but then later explained that this is disbursed to the education department at a rate of $1 million per year. If anyone can shed more light on this topic, please weigh in.

That's true. Our elected officials, council members, etc., are not bringing value to this community. Look around everyone. They are failing us! Yet, we put them back in their office time and time again. I think that there is a growing segment of us who are seeing what is happening though. The wool has been over our eyes for far too long. They will be held accountable for the mess they continue to make. And I, for one, will keep that in mind when I vote!

Please note - Commissioner Gist also stated-
"Our highest priority is that we have an excellent educator in every single classroom across the state, and great school leaders in every single school" Gist said.

"We do not have a system right now that does enough to recruit, retain and support great educators, give them the tools and resources that they need, and give them the feedback they need to improve their practice," she added.

At last nights meeting there were great educators fighting to keep what currently works, .. working, and they were shot down by the 3 to 2 vote. The audience was full of some of the best students in our school system, yet the feedback was unheard.

I think that the feedback was heard, but I think reality is setting in. We have too many programs that are being supported by too few tax payers. We all want our children educated, but we can't keep on relying on just a fraction of the population to pay the way. Many parents are choosing other alternatives to public schools. As one of those parents, i want to support the public schools for the children, but i can not continue to support the children of those who do not contribute, no matter how selfish this may sound. It is time for everyone to step up to the plate...the 70's thru now have been a time of tremendous growth in public schools and welfare programs...well times they are a changing, and we just may have to step back, re-think our plan and start over again...the well is running dry.

The School Committee is obligated to submit a balanced budget and that is the sobering fact in all this. Regardless of what anyone, including the Committee members who voted in favor of the proposal, *want* the budget needed to be balanced. I'm not saying the cuts are not harmful; they certainly are. The School Committee needed to pass a balanaced budget to avoid being sent back to court. Just like last time, cuts at the State and Federal level are forcing the hands of local policymakers here; it's not a matter of the School Committee nodding and not listening. Proper funding from up the government stream is necessary and THAT is what we should be up in arms about, not the unfortunate consequence that the School Committee has to deliver the bad news. Don't shoot the messenger.

Transient Section#8, transient illegals, all kinds of FREE social programs and FREE medical insurance for anyone who has an anchor baby.... The list is endless and the price tag is draining our cities and towns. It is a very sad day in our city when a student has to get up to a podium and beg for a proper education!
Folks, nothing will change unless we change what is going on in that cesspool we call our General Assembly. We have an election in 2012.

The "REAL BIG PICTURE" solution, would be to get the legislators at the statehouse to remove their heads from their you know whats, and finally have a real discussion about having "ONE" statewide education system. This would save millions upon millions of dollars and make it fair for all students of the state.

This is a time were R.I. stand together lets PICKET the STATE HOUSE OUR children need us now come on wake up R.I.

Please all of you do not vote for forcier to be re-elected or try to move up at all! She is not good for this community. She is hypocritical and doesn't deserve any spot in anything to do with my education and anyone elses!

I think all the cities and towns deserve the same education, whether they are rich or poor! YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT OTHER TOWNS GET MORE MONEY TOWARDS EDUCATION, EVERYONE ISN'T EQUAL IN THIS MESS OF A GOVERMENT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW!!!!! The goverments getting ready to shut down, kids won't get the education they are entitled to, you know the one where our civil rights guarantee the right to an equal education for everyone, poor or rich!!! I THINK IT'S TIME TO START WRITIN OUR CONGRESSMEN AND WOMEN!!!

ok everyone theres no more money ,SO in order to keep the school running taxes will go up and there will be a drop off box at the mayors office so the elderly and the fixed income people to drop off thier keys to thier home to pay for the increase.
bottem line is the school needs to make real cuts even layoffs if needed,

I want to thank Councilman Ward for being smart enough to raise the taxes in order to fund the money. The school departments money comes from the taxes that he is planning to raise. Woonsocket residents need to realize that all these cuts, layoffs, and changes to the school system is drastically affecting us students. It sickens me to see how little people care about what's happening to the students. We are losing our band, chorus, art programs, theater, JROTC, many electives, and for some of us, our dreams. Do you realize how many students want to go forward and become an artist, actor, musician, engineer, or high-ranking military officer? I personally want to be a music teacher, but thanks to this six period day, I might not be able to take band next year. I have heard so many other students in dismay over this. If you think that our opinions do not matter because we are students, stop and realize, we're America's future, and if you keep silencing us, ignoring our opinions, forgetting about how we feel about these cuts, then the future of this country might not be what you're expecting. Last night we had a benefit for autism, and it was very successful, this would not have been possible without the music department and theater department and several other hard working groups. An event like this is unlikely to happen again because of these cut backs.

Well said JRichard, Chris12 and Ricky. I just love how hard working people struggle to get by and the ones that get assitance get to drive around in new cars with high price accessories and expensive clothes.

Woonsocket has one of the highest if not highest % of Section 8 housing. While I agree some people need help it isn't just Woonsocket and other "Cities" job to house these people. All communities should share in this burden.

Woonsocket has one of the highest property tax rates and one of the lowest % contrubuted to ED. We get what we pay for! Not enough taxes are coming in. State and Federal levels are not seeing our issue and helping.

We dont really need the taxes raised just the percent of money that the tax payers put it for the schools needs to be raised. Right now as far as i know it is 12% that is 12 cents for every dollar it is too little!!

@Matt "Right now as far as i know it is 12% that is 12 cents for every dollar it is too little!!" exactly.

So the other 88% is going to City's budget (and some other city specific budgets) which the city itself is having issues too. I will say it again "Not enough taxes are coming in" to cover the expenses. I am not saying to raise taxes. I am a property owner in Woonsocket with school ages kids that we choose to put in non-public school. Last thing I want is to pay more taxes to City to fund the WED. Something has to change. More taxes need to come in! More of a percentage needs to goto our schools! City needs to do a better job at being cost effective at providing services! State and maybe even Federal level has to realize the situation the City is in and help contribute and turn it around.

It is really sad. Our kids are our future and if we don't put the time and money into them then what does our and thier future hold? I can rattle off saying after saying but it really is "You get what you pay for".

Right. The kids are the future. We need the kids to get an education. The teachers get paid little to teach little billy that could be the next Steve Jobs or Bill Gates, I know this cant happen but why do the teachers get paid so little but yet the athletic director make more than the combined average household? How about cutting some of his salary and some of the principals salary and take it and throw it in the Education fund. Why are we even discussing all of this it shouldn't be an issue it should just be the schools right of mind and give the kids what they need Band Chorus Business Special needs Career programs THEY NEED IT SO WHY FIGHT OVER IT

Thanks because I didn't know where to find those numbers.

Thanks for the link Steve...one thing that immediately caught my attention is how generous the City of Woonsocket is with Paid Holiday's...14! you don't see that at most companies!!

There should only be 1 paid holiday Christmas let them use their vacation pay otherwise.

You know what...why not just shut down all the schools in the city and let a private company come in and run them, like the Catholic or Charter schools. They charge you only if you are going to send a kid there. We wont have to pay for them if we aint using them

They couldn't deal with them...remember, Catholic & Charter schools get to select the students they would like to educate, while the public school system is left with a mix of children who want to learn and those that are forced to be there.

To all the students of Woonsocket, the taxpayers do not want to take anything away from our students. If taxpayers of this city had their way they would cut all the WELFARE, all the FREE social programs and FREE medical programs that are given to the non-citizens and transients of the community. This FREE aid is sucking the life blood out of our state.
If that is not enough cities and towns have to pay for the UNFUNDED mandates dumped upon them by the General Assembly. If students really want to help themselves START WRITING TO YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS.
What should you write in your letters? Tell them the students of Woonsocket should not have to justify why they deserve a proper education! Tell them the students of Woonsocket should not have to stand at a podium at adult meetings and beg and grovel for a proper education!!!

Carole Pichette
Let's talk about "No Child Left Behind"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With these budget cuts, the pendulum has swung the other way..............., now it's the students who are capable and have the highest potential to achieve great things who are being left behind. They are the students who are being deprived of and denied a full and rounded education which includes music and the arts. Do you honestly think a good college will be looking for students coming from Woonsocket High School?

Let's starting taxing our welfare recipients. What are they paying for? NOTHING. They take, take, and take more. They feel like they have entitlement rights, like they are in a union. Since taxpayers pay for their food, medical, braces, glasses, housing, and so on...why should they get a free ride in life. If they want kids, pay for them yourselves. Your kid has issues, deal with it.. Enough is enough, no more free ride in life. Who helps the working class? NO ONE. Since a good number of subsidy children use all of our services, start charging them. The moms don't work, let them volunteer in the schools. Let them tape their soap operas and watch them at night. Start paying back since the taxpayers are supporting you.

why don't the city strat by reviewing all those on welfare and weed out the freeloaders, talk about a big savings

I think yes we need to find some way to weed out the freeloaders. If you drive through Fairmount or Rock Ridge or Morin Heights all you see is these nice new or newer cars with upgrades galore. They work the system like theirs no tomorrow. In addition if we could sort out all of the drug dealers, drug takers and convicts and charge them more taxes because they are ruining our community. We need everyone in this city to show an interest in our education and come to the meeting so that they will have to post pone it to the next week because they will have to us all of the open space in between the two middle schools. With giant speakers and a stage platform with at least 1000 people would be great and if then we could bring all of these people to the statehouse on day i would sacrifice my day for the education of the students

If they would legalize drugs in Woonsocket, we would have enough money in this city to actual donate to charity.

Found something interesting ,...According to RIDE:

'' The new diploma system requires students to apply their learning to their own interests or

passions, which motivates students to pursue their own learning.

Whether a student is interested in rock music, sports, cooking, car mechanics, or fashion design, most

passions can reasonably become a subject for a demonstration of proficiency in content and applied skills.

Music alone could suggest projects in the science of acoustics, the math of tonality, the social studies of

cultural tastes, the technology of instrument production and so forth. Indeed, one of the most compelling

features of the new diploma system is that it harnesses students’ interests in the service of their own

learning. Traditional education asked students to ‘park’ their passions at the door, which invited alienation

among those students who find course work irrelevant to their real concerns. School advisors and

content-area teachers will help students design exhibition and portfolio projects that satisfy their own

natural thirst for information and skills. Outside interests and those content areas beyond the six core

subjects – such as foreign language and technical education – can become integrated into everyday school life, making academics more interesting and relevant.''