Lights begin Flashing Tonight at Midnight!

The city of Lowell has declared a parking ban beginning at midnight tonight. Parking is not allowed on city streets until the order is lifted. City residents who do not have access to off-street parking during the ban may park for free at the George Ayotte Parking Facility, 11 Post Office Square.

Who was more Happy that the Supt. announced she was leaving, Dave St.Hillaire or Patrick Murphy? Talk about taking the heat off..

Is any day next week going to be any colder than last nights School Committee meeting? Supt. Scott was as welcomed there last night as a skunk at a picnic. Every member kept their distance and not one spoke to her (in camera view) after the meeting. Another shining example of professionalism.

Does anyone believe the whispering campaign now going on about Supt. Scott and why the committee doesn’t want her..she hired consultants without their permission..they are getting even for Regina…they don’t like her relationship with the SUN…she doesn’t communicate well with them, her staff, the parents or the pizza delivery guy…etc. etc. ect.

If any of that is true, do you think any one of the current committee will come forward and say so? My guess is they let the story run it’s course and move on having a Nation Wide search and appointing a screening committee to assist in the process.

Mike Gallagher probably isn’t going to get invited to head that group but Bill Samaras might be.

I’m not surprised Regina has not been publicly quoted on this issue. Regina is smart and her interest is with the best thing possible for the city school system and the students. She may have a mile wide smile on her face but the public will never hear about it because she isn’t the kind to dance or dump on a situation like this in a public setting. A Comeback in 2011???? I doubt it…but as people often point out What do I Know??

Let the Tom Brady Foot injury and Jets Coach Foot fetish jokes begin….

According to the Sun, Ashley Sullivan who appeared on American Idol last night and got through to Hollywood is the daughter of the late great Paul Sullivan. Good for her and I hope she goes far.

Does anyone else miss SIMON?

Larry King – Oprah and Regis all say good-bye …rumors have begun that someone besides Bud is thinking about not running…could make things real interesting.

After listening to Dr. Scott on WCAP yesterday it is clear that she is gone when her contract expires or when the school committee decides that they no longer want to have her dealing with a budget she will not have to manage. This current committee screwed up by leaving her hanging and now they have to show us they can actually be decisive and get it right.

Does the City really have time to conduct a ‘Nation Wide Search” for a replacement for Supt. Scott ? No

They know we are facing a potential NINE MILLION dollar shortfall and that they have to start planning on what has to go and what they can keep. They have shown a lack of urgency and effectiveness in filling both the head coach and headmaster positions. Ironic that Mike Gallagher who bailed them out of a bungled headmaster search is the guy who told them they lost their Supt. because they were so slow (again) to re-act. They left the current Supt. hanging for 3 month. Based on past performance they may not hire a new Supt. until Oct. of 2011 and that is not what the city,students or teachers need.

Should the city just look at internal candidates we have on staff and select one of these people. YES

The Budget projections are bleak and the incoming Supt. should be in charge as soon as possible to work for a short time with outgoing Supt. Scott or replace Dr. Scott before starting the budget process.

At this time it looks to me to be the smart move to promote someone from within, not waste time on a long search process and instead look at the talent we have and use it.

Who are the In-House Candidates?

I would say that it would be a “short” list of 5 qualified In-House staffers including:

Assistant Superintendent – Jay Lang
Assistant Superintendent – Ann Murphy
Deputy Superintendent – Jean Franco
Director of Curriculum and Instruction – Dr. Wendy Jack (who Received 2 votes last time)
Discipline and Operations Specialist – Dr. Roxane Howe

So what do you think? Should the Committee be forthright and up front and say we are going to promote from within because of the situation?

I say Yes, they screwed up the process of re-signing the current Supt. they need to act quickly and get this correct. We really need someone familiar with the system and someone who understand the process and can build on the existing foundation while dealing with cutting programs and staff. It isn’t fair to have them do the work as an interim or acting Supt. only to then bring in an outsider to run the place.

Try to get this one right and act in a faster more well thought out process than you have shown us in previous searches you have conducted. Hire from within and do it by the end of February at the latest.