School Committee Candidate Forum Highlights Tough Issues

As a part of the upcoming election, the Alliance for Livable Newport and the League of Women Voters sponsored a forum for the School Committee candidates. There are six incumbents and three challengers vying for seven spots on the committee. Challenging are James Asbel, Lynn Ceglie, and Thomas Phelan.

Elizabeth Candas of the League of Women Voters mediated the roundtable forum. The questions were formed by the Alliance for Livable Newport and focused on plans for a new elementary school, the strengths and weaknesses of the school system and administration, and future plans for the committee.

The last question was omitted from the official forum due to time restraints and will not be publicized on television, but will be featured below. The candidates did stay after to informally answer in the same style as the rest of the forum. For each question, each candidate had one minute to give their answer. Each candidate was offered two 30-second rebuttals for the night. The questions were asked as follows:

What do you understand to be the singular strength and singular weakness of the Newport Schools? What would you do to build on the singular strength and overcome the singular weakness?

Jo Eva Gaines: "A strength is that we have excellent teachers here. A weakness is that we have a lack of parental participation in schools. We are trying to find ways to bring parents into schools so they are part of the fabric of education."

Thomas Phelan: "One of our strengths is our elementary schools and children are reading at younger ages. A weakness is the middle school."

Rebecca Bolan: "The teachers. We also couldn't do it without the staff to make it happen. They are a committed group every single day. A weakness is the delivery of education. We haven't kept up with the times. We need to make sure that education is the priority of the district. Everyone needs to be more involved."

Robert Leary: "For the past six years we have produced a balanced budget. . .and not received additional funding. As for weaknesses, we need to clean up our [teacher's] contract language."

Lynn Ceglie: "The teachers are our greatest strength, as well as the support staff. The teachers are dedicated to the students at all proficiency levels. A weakness is the kids coming in with varied proficiency levels that at times affect the education levels. We need to find a way to teach all children and it puts a strain on the teachers."

Patrick Kelley: "Our strengths are the individualized programs offered at Rogers High School. Our weakness is our use of data to inform where we invest money. We need more development and training on how to use that data."

James Asbel: "The teachers are great and creative. Some say that the parents aren't involved but the effort for health and wellness by the community is an example of how parents get together and contribute to the school system."

Charles Shoemaker: "Good teachers. The culture has changed in the school district. Most of the low scores are coming from kids from low income homes. We're making baby steps. We need an effort to get kids and parents involved."

Sandra Flowers: "One strength is the diversity that exists within Newport public schools. They have the confidence to teach their children. A weakness is that we do not promote what is good about us. We must change the public perception that schools are not quite what they should be."

What concessions should the School Committee seek in the next teacher contract negotiations? What would you do to ensure the public is kept informed about the details of the negotiations as they progress?

Rebecca Bolan: "I'm in favor of posting online what they're looking for within the parameters of teachers' contracts. We need transparency. I'm also for setting things out of the contract that aren't good for the kids, such as the job fair."

Robert Leary: "I am going forward to put all contracts online. We need to change parts of the contract."

Lynn Ceglie: "I agree that transparency is important. The use of media would benefit the town as a whole. I have an issue with the job fair, it needs to change. Teachers vie for jobs and the people at the head of the list knock out more qualified people."

Patrick Kelley: "Financially, we have to work with the teachers union and look at different options in healthcare. We need to incorporate longer teaching time during the day."

James Asbel: "An overarching issue is teachers in unions. Teachers are committed and the issue with unions is that they are seeking to protect them from being taken advantage of. We need to help teachers to get union leaders to understand they want to do everything possible to benefit schools."

Charles Shoemaker: "A concession we need to make is in retiree benefits. They have to be brought back into alignment. The superintendent should also assign jobs based on qualifications concerning the job fair."

Sandra Flowers: "Both sides have to have a say about how much is released to the media. We need longer days and a longer school year. It will take creative planning and Newport would be on the cutting edge."

Jo Eva Gaines: "Regarding longer school days, we need cooperation to do it. The benefits package was generous when salaries were low, but they pendulum has swung and they cost almost as much as salaries. We need to have a balance. Also, no more seniority, the job fair is a thing of the past."

Thomas Phelan: "There should be more things for children and senior is wrong. The cluster system at Thomson is a problem because some children aren't being helped. We also should list what we want from the union."

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the administrative leadership of the Newport public schools?

Lynn Ceglie: "The strength of the superintendent is that he is not afraid to make decisions even though it may be to the consternation of many. A weakness is that we need to have an administration that has good listening skills and a real presence."

Patrick Kelley: "The administration has a strong management style. They operate with a small staff size, maybe too small and things fall through the cracks. A weakness is listening to communities and not having a welcoming attitude to involve them in the process."

James Asbel: "They are capable and knowledgeable, but do not invite a lot of creativity from the community. The superintendent can handle anything, but that is not what they are trained to do. The community is not listened to or taken seriously."

Charles Shoemaker: "On the academic side, scores are up. I have no specific weaknesses except there is only one superintendent and no assistant unlike Portsmouth and Middletown."

Sandra Flowers: "A weakness is that there needs to be more people in the upper level and staff are being spread too thin, but it's financial. A strength is the budget. There is always a reserve and a careful allocation of funds. The superintendent speaks to the issues and we are able to have a healthy exchange".

Jo Eva Gaines: "A strength is their financial management and the employees they hired. A weakness is the superintendent has a short patience and slim staff, which is tough on people within shouting distance. However, the financial management has been fantastic."

Thomas Phelan: "There are no overall weaknesses. The superintendent has been excellent and has balanced the budget all along."

Rebecca Bolan: "Decisions are made in a vacuum. It is better if leaders can let people from the bottom in on decision making. The focus should be more on bringing parents, teachers, parents and the community on board to make it our education.

Robert Leary: "They came up with the right superintendent. He has excellent financial skills. A weakness is they don't use the data they have. Everything nowadays is data driven and they need to use it better."

James Asbel: "You have to manage a manager. The school committee should direct and organize the decisions."

The new elementary school will cost about $30 million with the State picking up 42 percent ($12.6 million) and the Newport taxpayers paying the remaining $17.4 million. Do you support this bond issue. Why or why not?

James Asbel: "It is very important to me. The information put out there is not all accurate. I am not ready to endorse it."

Charles Shoemaker: "I support the new school. We tried different combinations and this looks like the best solution."

Sandra Flowers: "I am for the new school financially, aesthetically, educationally, and healthwise. It is high time those youngsters have a decent elementary school."

Jo Eva Gaines: "I support it 100 percent. It's been a long time coming. We have the best possible plan, not everyone will like it but it's the best we can do."

Thomas Phelan: "I do not support it. A smaller school is better for this population. Student enrollment is supposed to decline. I don't support super-schools, the children will get lost."

Rebecca Bolan: "I support it. The gains heavily outweigh the losses, educationally and nutritionally. All these things are something you can only dream about."

Robert Leary: "I do support it. There is no question that it works out financially."

Lynn Ceglie: "I absolutely support it. It's a golden opportunity for Newport to have a new school. We will not get this opportunity again. The plan is worthy educationally and financially."

Patrick Kelley: "I support it and I urge voters to support it. I've worked since 2005 reviewing options. This is the best solution from an educational and cost perspective."

James Asbel: Rebuttal "Opportunities don't come to fruition without appropriate management. I'm not convinced we have the management structure that will make sure we get what we pay for."

Sandra Flowers: Rebuttal"The concerns that children will be lost is unfounded. Essentially it will be two schools in one, with younger grades on one side and older grades on the other."

What IMMEDIATE steps would you support in moving toward combining the Newport and Middletown public schools in the next two years?

Sandra Flowers: "I would have people in the trenches get creative. We could find where we can combine certain subjects. Each system could highlight their strongest programs. We can prove to the people on the island that it could work. We have to start looking seriously at regionalization."

Jo Eva Gaines: "We must get agreement from citizens from both towns on separate ballots. Once that is done the administrations are ready to work together. They already work together on a myriad of projects."

Thomas Phelan: "Until Newport and Middletown agree on it, anything else is a waste of time. We can't go to the next step until then."

Rebecca Bolan: "We need to show everyone we can work together. We know we already do but the public doesn't. We could bus kids together to private schools and work on a curriculum. People would be more apt to vote for it."

Robert Leary: "At this time I won't speculate. The voters will have the final say."

Lynn Ceglie: "I agree that Middletown and Newport would have to agree first. We do have regionalized services and we should continue. I envision art and music easy to do. Rogers could take part in the Middletown marching band and Middletown could be a part of the Rogers jazz band."

Patrick Kelley: "This should have been done on November 2. We should have voted on a nonbinding referendum. Going forward we should be looking at combing the two high schools."

James Asbel: "The sooner the voters make a decision the sooner we can get going. Regionalization is inevitable. It is hard to plan when you don't know what the voters will say."

Charles Shoemaker: "I oppose immediate consolidation of Rogers and Middletown. I'm looking at collaboration and regionalization. It makes tremendous financial sense. It is premature to make any conclusion and would not suggest to hook up the schools right now."

The Newport School Department is facing increased challengers related to declining enrollment and changing demographics. What do you understand to be the most significant of these and what actions would you propose to address them?

Thomas Phelan: "The biggest difficulty is for someone to come from off the island because of the price of houses. The only thing to do is to have quality education. It will show that we are as good as other communities."

Rebecca Bolan: "We lost 75 students this year. Only a couple went to private schools, and we got more than that back from private schools. A lot of it has to do with changing circumstance."

Robert Leary: "The population increased by 1,000 students and the staff has been reduced by 100 over the past six years. We can't offer specialized courses with the population going down."

Lynn Ceglie: "Declining enrollment is always a large issue because it is not a barometer of how schools are doing, it's a barometer of the middle class. At one time families had five to six kids, now they only have two. They put their kids in private schools because they hear things about the public schools. We have to make an aggressive campaign to turn that around."

Patrick Kelley: "This is not a new story, it has been going on for decades. We can turn the corner and the response needs to be to get the kids to perform at grade level."

James Asbel: "The perception of the schools are important and has to be addressed. Much progress has been made. People will send their kids to the public schools because it is the right thing to do."

Charles Shoemaker: "There is a tremendous amount of progress from the pre-kindergarten level. Twenty-five percent of the kids in Newport go to private schools and that number has been constant. We've seen an increase in the number of kids going to Rogers because the culture and climate is getting better."

Sandra Flowers: "We are celebrating differences and have been more welcoming. Enrollment is cyclical. We realistically have to look at ourselves and inform the public continuously what we offer at the school."

Jo Eva Gaines: "The decline in enrollment is a state and nationwide problem. Families are not as large as they used to be. We need to celebrate successes."

Rebecca Bolan: Rebuttal "We can't change the perception until you change the reality. We have to send a message that we really care about the students."

What IMMEDIATE specific actions/strategies would you support that will contribute to improved student performance within your two year term in office?

Robert Leary: "At the elementary level the new school is great for academic improvement. Also, grouping kids by achievement in Middletown. For the high school, continue to improve AP classes."

Lynn Ceglie: "The newly proposed school would be helpful. I'd like to see more professional development and investments in grade appropriate technology."

Patrick Kelley: "Providing training for teachers to better analyze data."

James Asbel: "A consolidated school would go a long way."

Charles Shoemaker: "We need to get kids up to the level of their peers through targeted intervention."

Sandra Flowers: "Accountability improvement for kids, teachers, and parents for performances. We need to use the data we are gathering. Also, there needs to be a focus on career goals for early childhood."

Jo Eva Gaines: "We are on the right track, we just need to give it time to work. We must provide appropriate professional development so teachers are on top of technology."

Thomas Phelan: "In the elementary schools we should be stressing reading. If they're not up to the level they need to be, they need to get up to their level. Right now it doesn't mesh."

Rebecca Bolan: "There is all kinds of great data. Now it's in the implementation. We have to support the administration and the teachers in interpreting that data. We made a lot of progress this year."

The forum will be shown on Cox Channel 18 Friday, October 15 at 10:45 p.m. and Saturday, October 16 at 2:45 p.m. It will also be available on demand at the Alliance for Livable Newport website.