jackiedoherty.org

This week, the National Center for Education Statistics released the results of the 2009 national math test scores for fourth and eighth graders, which showed, once again, that Massachusetts leads the nation in student achievement. A national report card for math, the fourth-grade test results placed Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Vermont as the highest performing states while the District of Columbia, Alabama, Arizona and Louisiana were the lowest performing. When it came to educating fourth-grade minority students, Black students in Massachusetts scored higher than Black students in any other state while Montana did the same for their Hispanic students. At the eighth-grade level, Massachusetts had the highest scores and the state’s Black students also outperformed their peers across the country.

I’m not saying we don’t have too many students failing to reach proficiency or that the achievement gap, which has not changed, isn’t a problem in the Commonwealth. But as the state with the highest percentage of schools in some form of regulatory sanction as well as threats of takeover by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, perhaps our state education leaders could put at least some effort into promoting the good work our districts do with the nation’s highest-performing students to balance their excessive labeling and sanctioning of the Commonwealth’s public schools.

As Jackie’s  rather invisible Campaign Manager lately (I have a ‘real’ job these days), I want to thank everyone who came out last night to the Mambo Grill in support of Jackie’s candidacy. I also want to give a big thanks to our hostess Julie and her helpers who provided great food and a warm atmosphere for our supporters. It was so nice to see old friends show up who have supported Jackie since the first campaign in 2003, and to see some new faces on the political scene such as Alison Laraba, an articulate parent who is the sole challenger for a seat on the school committee this election year (sitting school committee members Jim Leary and Dave Conway were present as well). We also welcomed State Rep Kevin Murphy and our old friend and former school commitee member, Joe Mendonca, who is set on regaining his seat on the city council, along with Lowell Vocational Technical School challenger Fred Bahou; Patrick Murphy, onetime congressional candidate now running for city council; and city council challenger Paul Belley. We were also pleased to welcome our old Citywide Parent Council friends. This reunion of activists who are still focused on making Lowell schools the best they can possibly be was energizing for those of us, such as myself, who have become somewhat disengaged from the local scene. There was also a lot of debate about and support for Fair Vote Lowell (more about this hot topic coming soon). With only three weeks until the election and at least four other events going on last night, we were heartened by the support and enthusiasm. I know, and you know, how hard Jackie has been working and what a difference she has made in our schools. Now, tell your friends! We need a mandate for continued progress in Lowell!

Informed voters make the best decisions, so take the time to watch last night’s forum and upcoming ones to learn firsthand where council and school committee candidates stand on the issues. This schedule provides replay times for last night’s forum on channel 22, as well as the schedule for replays of an upcoming forum hosted by the Citywide Parent Council on Monday, 10/19 at 7 p.m., for school committee candidates only. Also, here is information on UTEC’s forum for council candidates only, which will be held on 10/22. For a look at coverage on last night’s forum that included questions for both city council and school committee candidates, check this article from Sun reporter Jen Myers.

Of all the things I must do to run for elected office, by far, the one I dislike the most is asking people for money. It is difficult, especially during tough financial times, but funding is absolutely necessary to run a good campaign—to pay for palm cards, lawn signs, ads, direct mail, and postage. Without funding, it is very difficult to get your name or message out to voters. My committee will host a fund-raising event at the Mambo Grill on Thursday, Oct. 15, from 5-7:30 (suggested donation $25) to benefit my campaign for re-election to the Lowell School Committee. Please join us. Even if you can’t make the event, you can still help.

One way I feel better about asking folks for money is to remind myself how hard I’m working to improve our schools. Whether it’s in the form of recent motions (so far 28 this term), or working with our state association (Mass. Assoc. of School Committees) to improve laws and regulations governing public education, or seeking to resolve concerns as I learn about them from parents, students, teachers, administrators, and neighbors, I am working hard and my efforts are making a difference. (More on that later.)

My brother sent me this link that shows 50 years of history in less than three minutes, set to Billy Joel’s song We Didn’t Start the Fire. It is amazing to see how much has happened and how many of the images were familiar to me—guess I’m showing my age. See how many of the images you recognize. Be patient though, it may take several seconds to upload, but it’s worth it.

I couldn’t help but think of that silly song when I heard about the Image Theater’s event this Saturday. Where can you find good theater, art, creative people, and refreshments for $20? Lowell that’s where, and it’s this Saturday only, so don’t miss it. Lowell’s Image Theater returns with a new production in a great venue. In its first collaboration with The Whistler House, the local theater company will present a sneak preview, fully staged reading of Impasto, written by local playwright and artist Regina Eliot Ramsey, and directed by Image Theater’s own Ann Garvin. Impasto finds Hannah Bauer, (a protege of the great Willem DeKooning) in  quite a bind when, at the last minute, she pulls out of a “comeback”  showing of her artwork at a posh Soho gallery. Alone and embittered for many years, Hannah must open her heart to the prospect of romance, and she must learn to navigate the dog-eat-dog world of art commerce by selling her paintings… without selling out.

Impasto begins at 7 pm, Oct 10, at The Whistler House Museum, 243 Worthen Street. Get there early and see the beautiful Gorky exhibit.  After the show, meet with the actors and playwright, and enjoy refreshments. In five years, the Image Theater has produced and given voice to more than 50 playwrights. I have seen many of their productions, which always entertain, at locations as varied as the Revolving Museum and The Old Court pub. This one promises to be special, so call 978-452-7641 to reserve your seats soon because space is limited. And don’t let money blues keep you from having an exceptionally fine Saturday night in our favorite Mill City!

Tonight, the Lowell School Committee meets in Council Chambers, beginning at 7 p.m. and televised live on LTC cable station 10. The meeting will include a Spotlight on Excellence regarding the third year of the Summer Reading Program. Participating students read every day this summer and kept a reading journal, resulting in a total of 13,138 books read by Lowell students in grades K-8. The participating students at tonight’s meeting were chosen by raffle to represent their schools and receive a $25 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble. Tonight’s agenda also includes an update from the superintendent on plans to offer early release at elementary and middle schools for professional development, subcommittee reports, as well as two motions by me, one by John Leahy, and one by Jim Leary.

My motions are: 1. Request the Superintendent work with city youth providers to develop ways to collaborate and make use of the Rogers School as a community center. 2. Request the Superintendent make recommendations regarding the use of biodegradable throwaway materials in our school food program, rather than Styrofoam, as well as the potential benefits and drawbacks of switching back to reusable items wherever possible. John Leahy’s motion: “The Superintendent send a letter of appreciation to Brenda Costello from the Committee for all the work she has done over the past few years for the Lowell High School Scholarship Foundation.” And Jim Leary’s motion: “Request the Superintendent and the Curriculum Subcommittee review the School Committee’s policy as it relates to the age students start school. The focus reflects students from outside the Lowell Public School entering our system and are forced to repeat kindergarten or any other grade that have already successfully passed due strictly to the existing age policy.”

Remember when President Reagan said that ketchup counted as a vegetable in school lunches? Well, apparently today’s youth are not only forgetting to eat their ketchup, but they’re way behind in their consumption of fruit cocktail. (I use these foods facetiously; obviously ketchup is not the best vegetable, nor is processed fruit soaked in corn syrup the best fruit.) According to this article in the Boston Globe, 90 percent of American high school students are not eating enough fresh fruits and vegetables. The Center for Disease Control, which ranked the diet of American high-school students as poor, requires three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit a day for a healthy diet. Another interesting point in the article: Some New England states ranked higher (with Vermont the best of that bunch), and those states with students consuming more fruits and vegetables also had more farmers markets and school vending machines stocked with healthier options.

A few years ago, the Lowell School Committee developed a wellness policy that included healthier food options at lunch, and limited the amount of candy and junk food sold during school hours. Since we started serving fresh fruits, carrots and celery sticks in elementary and middle-school lunches, the children are eating the healthier choices. Also according to the new wellness policy, LHS students were required to stop fund raising by selling candy bars during the school day, and high-school vending machines were stocked with water, low-sugar beverages, and healthier choices. Clearly, however, the problem extends beyond school control and has more to do with what’s happening in our homes. Like most aspects of parenting, the real work is modeling the behavior we wish to see in our children; in this case, it means eating healthy ourselves, and making fruits and vegetables part of our own, as well as our children’s, daily diets.

A man and his wife were having an argument about who should brew the coffee each morning. The wife said, “You should do it because you get up first, and then we don’t have to wait as long to get our coffee.” The husband answered, “You are in charge of cooking around here and you should do it, because that is your job, and I can just wait for my coffee.” To which, the wife replied, “No, you should do it, and besides, it is in the Bible that the man should make the coffee.”

”I can’t believe that,” said the husband. “Show me.” So she fetched the Bible, opened it to the New Testament, and showed him at the top of several pages, that it indeed says. HEBREWS.

If you’re not going to the Pats game and are looking for an uplifting activity for Sunday Saturday, you could listen to glorious music in support of a great cause by going down to St Anne’s Episcopal Church from noon – 2:00 pm to hear our own Lura Smith in a Southern Gospel Concert. Lura will be joined by guest artists including Michael Lally, Founder and Director of local favorites, the SRO Players. The suggested donation is $20 per person, payable at the door, with all proceeds going to Prevent Homelessness in the Merrimack Valley. If you haven’t been to one of Lura Smith’s Gospel concerts, you owe it to yourself to get down to St Anne’s tomorrow; you’ll be glowing with goodwill and friendship when you leave, and you can probably still make it home by half-time.