Many school systems are struggling to find money to fund its basic programs. In fact in Newton, MA they will be voting on a Proposition 2 ½ override for more funds while in Needham, MA they are looking at having to cut approximately 2% -3% from next year’s budget. At the same time however, school systems are wasting lots of money on “public relations aides” to speak to the media and parents on their behalf. The purpose of these public relations aides are to give a positive spin on whatever the school system wants you to believe and at taxpayer expense. Gone are the days of the $213,000+ salaried Superintendent defending the system’s position to parents and media. Apparently the Superintendent and all of the other $129,000+ Assistant Superintendents are “too busy” to speak effectively to the parents.
Needham Community Farm – Ready Set Grow Benefit
The Needham Community Farm in Needham, MA is once again having their annual Ready Set Grow Benefit and Y3K Tutor In Your Home is proud to be a part of it. This year’s Ready Set Grow Benefit will include an auction. Look for the Y3K Tutor In Your Home auction donation under the “Just For Kids” section. With your support, the Needham Community Farm can continue to provide fresh, locally grown produce to the Needham Community Council Food Pantry, and unique learning opportunities to the entire community.
www.NeedhamTutor.com
Newton Tutoring & Test Prep
Newton Parent Testimonial
“I cannot say enough good things about Y3K. The owner has tutored both my son and daughter through elementary, middle, and now high school. His skill, warmth and flexibility have enabled both of my children to address their challenges and achieve their goals. He is engaging and knowledgeable across subjects, and is also able to teach study habits and organization skills, even when there is resistance! 🙂 He is a complete professional, and willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to attend school meetings as an articulate advocate. He has had a truly significant influence on my children’s academic success and self esteem, and has been a great resource for me as a single parent. His dedication, humor, and abilities as a teacher make him not only an extremely gifted tutor, but also an excellent mentor and role model for my young teens. I give Y3K my highest recommendation!”
-J. C.
Newton North High School Parent
(Newton, MA)
Another Unsolicited Testimonial – Newton, MA
“I really just wanted to thank you for the wonderful work you are doing with him this year….you have such a great rapport with him, and are so sensitive in the way you approach things that are difficult for him. I’m very appreciative.”
-C. J.
Parent of student attending F. A. Day Middle School, Newton MA
Advanced Placement AP Courses & Weston High School
High school AP courses are not the classes that make a student stand out like they did in the past to colleges. Whether it is the most accurate measure or not, magazines factor in AP classes all the time in determining their list of top public high schools. In fact Boston Magazine rated Weston High School in Weston, MA first in its list of the state’s top public high schools.
College NCAA Ineligibility From High School Courses?
On average 10.5% of incoming college freshman are rejected each year for Division 1 sports because their high school courses they graduated with do not meet academic standards set by the NCAA. To be eligible to play Division 1 or Division 2 sports, incoming freshman must complete 14 to 16 NCAA approved core courses in high school, score a certain level in the SAT or ACT, and have kept up their grade point average. The NCAA approves most high school classes but does deem some ineligible. Their decision for each town varies.
Data from some local Massachusetts Y3K Tutor In Your Home towns is absolutely shocking. For example Wellesley High School in offers 26 classes, Newton North High School offers 28, Concord-Carlisle High School offers 30, and Newton South High School offers 30 classes that do not meet the association’s requirements for a core course. Lexington High School in Lexington MA is in a category all to itself with a whopping 78 ineligible courses. This data is especially surprising as all of the schools on this list are traditionally top ranked schools year after year.
Newton MA Override Vote
In Newton MA, they will be voting on three property tax overrides to increase taxes by $11,400,000 to mostly pay for school projects. While Newton Public Schools cries how they need new buildings and program funding, they never tell the public about some of their spending. Every time there is a local override vote, cities and towns always whine about how if you don’t vote to raise your taxes, they will cut teachers, police, and firefighters and everyone will suffer. They never seem to threaten to cut or reduce the salaries of the unessential hacks that serve little function in the day-to-day education of our children. In the city of Newton for example, Newton Public Schools hired in 2012 a Communications and Community Engagement Coordinator at a salary of $60,000. Here are some other non-essential Newton Public School officials with outrageous taxpayer funded salaries for fiscal year 2011 that are hidden from the public:
Superintendent of Schools – $254,573.53
Deputy Superintendent: Chief Administrative Officer – $150,540.83
Deputy Superintendent For Teaching and Learning – $72,259.32
Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education & Special Programs – $141,484.24
Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education - $140,908.50
Assistant Superintendent for Student Services – $132,750.08
Director of Human Resources – $117,750.08
Chief of Operations – $128,346.19
Director of METCO – $103,190.00
Assistant Budget Director – $89,683.10
Assistant Human Resources Director – $85,149.84
Assistant to Superintendent – $81,259.76
Co-Director of Elementary Student Services – $104,212.40
Director of Language Acquisition – $118,436.54
Budget Analyst/Administrative Assistant – $75,345.08
Data Management Specialist – $88,276.44
Coordinator of Grants – $106,361.52
Can you think of a better use of over $2,000,000 used to fund your child’s education?
Controversy At Newton South High School
Newton South High School in Newton, MA graduates have run into a major problem in their freshman year of college. Some students have been deemed ineligible to play college Division 1 or Division 2 sports based on courses already taken at Newton South High School. The NCAA, the governing body of collegiate athletics determined that incoming college freshman who had taken certain Curriculum 2 classes from Newton South High School were ineligible to play college sports. Curriculum 2 classes are taught at a slower pace than Curriculum 1 and Honors level classes.
The NCAA decision is part of their effort to ensure that incoming athletes are academically ready for college. What is even more shocking is that many other high schools throughout America also offer Curriculum 2 classes that the NCAA have approved. In fact even Newton North High School’s Curriculum 2 classes are NCAA approved.
The problem with Newton South’s curriculum came to light last summer when the NCAA deemed a graduate who wanted to play baseball at he the University of Massachusetts Amherst ineligible. He had taken some Curriculum 2 classes. Newton South High School is currently appealing the NCAA decision. Since last summer, Newton South has been able to persuade the NCAA to accept Curriculum 2 classes in math and Spanish. English, science and history classes taught at that level are still ineligible and under appeal.
Greene’s Field Needham – Go Green St. Patrick’s Day Party!
The Greene’s Field Fundraising Committee and its partner, the Needham Sports Council have a very special event planned for Saturday March 16, 2013. The Go Green St. Patrick’s Day Party and Auction will be located at Needham Town Hall. The Needham Sports Council will include our auction donation for Y3K Tutor In Your Home’s Needham tutoring and test prep services in support of the Greene’s Field revitalization project.
Your bid at the auction will go a long way in helping to rebuild and revitalize Greene’s Field in downtown Needham. With our auction donation and your bid, we will be closer to reaching the goal of recreating Greene’s Field as a destination park. We will make it a place to meet other families at the playground, a place for a quiet stroll, a place to shoot some basketball, watch a Needham Little League game, or a place to meet a coworker for lunch.
Our auction donation is also a good investment in our Needham community. An active park will help to keep downtown Needham vibrant and strong. We hope that your family will soon be able to enjoy this special place. Your bid on our auction donation will make a big difference for the families of Needham.
For more information on Needham’s Y3K Tutor In Your Home, click the link below.
http://www.NeedhamTutor.com
Advanced Placement AP Courses & College Credit
A full slate of Advanced Placement (AP) courses in high school does not necessarily save incoming college freshman time or money. Some colleges now cap the number of AP credits they will accept for placing out of classes. Some no longer accept any at all! In the past students could take high school AP courses, take a standardized test, and get college credit without having to take the class in college. Yet at the same time a school like Weston High School places 5th in Massachusetts with 66% of underclassmen enrolled in AP courses.
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