Comments for jackiedoherty.org http://jackiedoherty.org News, schools, and views from a uniquely Lowell perspective Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:52:08 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 Comment on School board decides whether to spend or save while city manager spins by Jackie http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1248&cpage=1#comment-12386 Jackie Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:52:08 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1248#comment-12386 Thanks, I've got to formulate my thoughts in keeping with my word-count mimimum for posts, but I'll be baack! Thanks, I’ve got to formulate my thoughts in keeping with my word-count mimimum for posts, but I’ll be baack!

]]> Comment on School board decides whether to spend or save while city manager spins by Cliff Krieger http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1248&cpage=1#comment-12385 Cliff Krieger Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:37:38 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1248#comment-12385 Welcome Back. Looking forward to your "spin". Regards  —  Cliff Welcome Back.

Looking forward to your “spin”.

Regards  —  Cliff

]]> Comment on Council budget review for resilient, nocturnal residents only by kpemscott http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1165&cpage=1#comment-12375 kpemscott Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:48:10 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1165#comment-12375 I am upset that I wasted my time by staying up so late to watch this meeting. I just did not get it at all. Rita voted no to the entire budget, then yes to all the line items, and then no to the entire budget. Bud voted no to the entire budget, then no to all the line items, and then made no suggestions on what to cut. I am upset that I wasted my time by staying up so late to watch this meeting. I just did not get it at all. Rita voted no to the entire budget, then yes to all the line items, and then no to the entire budget. Bud voted no to the entire budget, then no to all the line items, and then made no suggestions on what to cut.

]]> Comment on A tale of two health insurance plans by Jackie http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1141&cpage=1#comment-12373 Jackie Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:25:04 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1141#comment-12373 The good news is that we are seeing tremendous movement as more employees are choosing the less expensive (and I would argue better) health insurance options. The good news is that we are seeing tremendous movement as more employees are choosing the less expensive (and I would argue better) health insurance options.

]]> Comment on A tale of two health insurance plans by kpemscott http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1141&cpage=1#comment-12372 kpemscott Mon, 07 Jun 2010 03:08:43 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1141#comment-12372 This seems like an absolute no brainer. Gone are the days that your local doctor tried to only give you referrals to local doctors. I have Blue Cross HMO and my co-pays have gone crazy in recent years. I pay $40 per doctors visit, $200 emergency visit, $500 per hospitilization or day surgery, and $15 for generic drugs and $30 for non-generics. I also pay $6 more per week for coverage. I now have zero sympathy for looking for cuts in the city health plan or for the city providing more school funding unless the union works with the school committee. This seems like an absolute no brainer. Gone are the days that your local doctor tried to only give you referrals to local doctors. I have Blue Cross HMO and my co-pays have gone crazy in recent years. I pay $40 per doctors visit, $200 emergency visit, $500 per hospitilization or day surgery, and $15 for generic drugs and $30 for non-generics. I also pay $6 more per week for coverage. I now have zero sympathy for looking for cuts in the city health plan or for the city providing more school funding unless the union works with the school committee.

]]> Comment on Excuses, excuses by Jackie http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1075&cpage=1#comment-12327 Jackie Fri, 14 May 2010 19:42:00 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1075#comment-12327 Since 2002, we have eliminated 500 positions from the schools. Perhaps they haven't noticed? When my son, who is now a junior at LHS, was in the first grade, he had a paraprofessional in his class all day, another adult helping students learn to read; he also had science, art, and music teachers as well as librarians. Our elementary students do not have science as a special these days, and paras are shared between several classes. One of the proposed cuts in this year's budget is to eliminate 38 paras from the elementary grades, all library media specialists, as well as several art and music teachers. I'm hoping the cuts don't have to go that deep, and without exact numbers, we don't know for sure, but based on the information we have, significant cuts are inevitable. Since 2002, we have eliminated 500 positions from the schools. Perhaps they haven’t noticed? When my son, who is now a junior at LHS, was in the first grade, he had a paraprofessional in his class all day, another adult helping students learn to read; he also had science, art, and music teachers as well as librarians. Our elementary students do not have science as a special these days, and paras are shared between several classes. One of the proposed cuts in this year’s budget is to eliminate 38 paras from the elementary grades, all library media specialists, as well as several art and music teachers. I’m hoping the cuts don’t have to go that deep, and without exact numbers, we don’t know for sure, but based on the information we have, significant cuts are inevitable.

]]> Comment on Excuses, excuses by kpemscott http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1075&cpage=1#comment-12326 kpemscott Fri, 14 May 2010 18:25:05 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1075#comment-12326 Unfortunately I spoke with a group of parents at my daughters school and they said, "they always say there will be cuts and then it never happens they come up with funding through grants or something." I am not sure that the message has gotten out there that the situation is bad! Unfortunately I spoke with a group of parents at my daughters school and they said, “they always say there will be cuts and then it never happens they come up with funding through grants or something.” I am not sure that the message has gotten out there that the situation is bad!

]]> Comment on Excuses, excuses by Jackie http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1075&cpage=1#comment-12324 Jackie Fri, 14 May 2010 14:45:29 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1075#comment-12324 Thanks and as you may know, the school committee will receive the superintendent's budget recommendations at its meeting this Wednesday. Tough times for the schools as resources continue to dwindle while student needs increase, so please do stay involved! Thanks and as you may know, the school committee will receive the superintendent’s budget recommendations at its meeting this Wednesday. Tough times for the schools as resources continue to dwindle while student needs increase, so please do stay involved!

]]> Comment on Excuses, excuses by kpemscott http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1075&cpage=1#comment-12320 kpemscott Fri, 14 May 2010 01:33:54 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1075#comment-12320 Welcome back! I look forward to your posts on the school budget meetings and I have been looking for them on a regular basis. I am hoping that the parents and school community take an active role in the budget hearings. Welcome back! I look forward to your posts on the school budget meetings and I have been looking for them on a regular basis. I am hoping that the parents and school community take an active role in the budget hearings.

]]> Comment on Wedding reception at my house by Margaret http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1071&cpage=1#comment-12313 Margaret Thu, 13 May 2010 02:52:41 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1071#comment-12313 At least you got all your yardwork done in one fell swoop - now you can just sit back and enjoy the beauty (while blogging)! At least you got all your yardwork done in one fell swoop – now you can just sit back and enjoy the beauty (while blogging)!

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