Community School Survey
Dear Members of the Holliston Community:
This fall, the Holliston School Committee has formed a Strategic Planning Committee to draft a new 5-year Strategic Plan for the Holliston Public Schools. This Plan will provide the Committee and the community with a roadmap for the district to follow to maintain its current level of excellence and a strategic list of areas on which the district should focus its resources to further improve our performance.
To that end, the Strategic Planning Committee has developed a comprehensive community survey designed to gather the maximum amount of public input into the strategic planning process. While the survey is extensive and will require about 15 minutes to complete, your participation in this effort is essential in ensuring that the final plan represents the perspective of the entire community.
To fill out this survey, please go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2015HPSPlan . The survey will remain open until November 15, 2015.
Thank you for your willingness to share your thoughts and influence the strategic direction of the Holliston Public Schools over the next five years.
Respectfully,
Bradford L. Jackson, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Correction: My email is staceyraffihsc@gmail.com. Sorry for the error!
Stacey Raffi | 2015-11-16 19:53:12
Shawn- Per MGL Section 68. "If the distance between a child's residence and the school he is entitled to attend exceeds two miles and the nearest school bus stop is more than one mile from such residence, and the school committee declines to furnish transportation, the department, upon appeal of the parent or guardian of the child, may require the town to furnish transportation for children in grades kindergarten through six for a part or for all of the distance between said child's residence and the school. If said distance exceeds three miles, and the distance between the child's residence and a school in an adjoining town giving substantially equivalent instruction is less than three miles, and the school committee declines to pay for tuition in such nearer school, and for transportation in case the distance thereto exceeds two miles, the department, upon like appeal, may require the town of residence to pay for tuition in such nearer school for children in grades kindergarten through six, and if necessary provide for transportation for a part or for the whole of said distance to, such nearer school for children in said grades. Nothing contained in the preceding two sentences shall be construed to limit the obligation of regional school districts to provide transportation for all school children in grades kindergarten through twelve, pursuant to the provisions in section sixteen C of this chapter. No school committee shall be compelled to furnish transportation on a private way. In the case of transportation provided to students that is not required by this section or by any other general or special law, a school committee may assess fees to the transported student up to an amount sufficient to cover the costs incurred by the district; provided, however, that no student eligible for free or reduced lunch, under the federal school lunch program, shall be required to pay the fee; and provided further, that a school committee may choose to exempt families at other income levels as it may determine. The school committee, unless the town otherwise directs, shall have general charge and superintendence of the schoolhouses, shall keep them in good order, and shall, at the expense of the town, procure a suitable place for the schools, if there is no schoolhouse, and provide fuel and all other things necessary for the comfort of the pupils. Each school shall comply with the requirements regarding pesticide applications as set forth in sections 6C to 6I, inclusive, of chapter 132B. Whenever a town shall undertake to provide a schoolhouse, the town shall appoint at least one member of the school committee, or its designee, to serve on the agency, board or committee to which the planning and construction or other acquisition of such schoolhouse is delegated." Feel free to contact me (staceymraffihsc@gmail.com) or any of my colleagues on the committee. Best, Stacey Raffi, Holliston School Committee Member
Stacey Raffi | 2015-11-16 18:42:50
I would like to express my opinion on school bus fees. The rule for riding the bus for free is that you must live outside 2 miles from the school you attend. Students who live inside the 2 mile parameter pay to ride. The idea is that students who live inside the 2 mile perimeter can walk. In this day and age who would ever allow a child 12 or under to walk or bike alone to school? Would any of you who may have children at this age allow your children to walk or bike to school alone? More and more families have both parents working and cannot drive children to school. What would you say if something was to happen to a child who's parents allowed them to walk or bike to school alone, never mind the consideration of winter weather which brings a whole other set of issues walking to school? Why should residents who live inside the 2 mile perimeter pay a fee and others ride the same bus I paid to ride for free? Our family pays $720.00 for 3 children, this is a lot of money! I have 1 student in the 1st grade, 1 in the 3rd and 1 in the 4th. Do the math over their education career: this is a large amount of money. I feel if you ride you should pay! If you took the fee and spread it out over the entire student population who ride a bus it would make it much easier for everyone. It simply is not fair to make a few pay while many others pay nothing. Who sets the fee amount for riding the bus? What are the parameters used to set the fee? Thanks for your time in reading this and I hope you consider change that is fair for all. Shawn R. Lynch, Sr. 22 Webster Dr 781-645-2180
Shawn R. Lynch, Sr | 2015-11-14 20:46:18