"WHO WILL SAVE YOUR SOUL" jewel
The longer we contemplate what is going on at Harvey High, the more it seems the people whose taxes support this school have been hoodwinked.
Are we victims of an elaborate "cover up"? It seems impossible that our city manager (who is also the city’s safety director) had no knowledge of the amount of time her police department was spending at Harvey and never thought to mention it to council. It is just as mysterious that Dr. Hanlon did not inform the school board of the goings on at Harvey. I know after attending many council and school board meetings, the subject about poor discipline at Harvey has never been brought up.
We presently have two council people who, as recently as last year, worked for the school system in some capacity; Lori DiNallo, as a counselor at Harvey and James Fodor as Assistant Superintendent. Why haven't either one of them sounded an alarm? They were right on the front line. They can debate spending money for fire and police protection at Cobblestone but at the same time continue to ignore what is going on right under their respective noses.
Tell me, would you feel comfortable sending your children to this learning environment? As a teacher, would you feel safe there?
You wonder about your property values, you wonder why administrators such as Dr. Hanlon do not send their children to Painesville schools. I believe we have an answer. I also have been told that this is just the tip of the iceberg... God, I hope not.
I believe we will take the right step in November and elect school board members that will hold everyone to a much higher standard then we have now. I believe the school board elections will be just as important as the upcoming council election.
My thoughts are that the current council should ask for the resignation of City Manager Rita McMahon and the board of Education should ask for Dr. Hanlon's resignation by the next board meeting. We can no longer afford cover-ups and the poor administration these two have given Painesville.
At the same time, let’s get someone with some leadership skills to run Harvey. There has to be another Jack Britt out there somewhere.
Some of you may question my loyalty to the Painesville City Schools, considering the amount of time and love my father devoted to Harvey. I am thankful he did not live long enough to see the decay that has taken place at Harvey. Nice building, but an empty shell of what Harvey High School once stood for.
"As the Opportunity, so the Responsibility"…. It is more than words; it is a way to bring our schools back.
posted by terminator1 @ 4:12 PM
35 Comments
35 Comments:
About twenty years ago, I wanted to sell my large home in Chardon, and buy something smaller. I considered Painesville, but because of Harvey, I instead bought a condo in Concord. I really needed someplace cheaper to live than Concord, but I still had a child that needed to finish school. I stayed in Concord until that child was out of school, then I moved to Painesville. I also liked the idea of cheaper utilities here, but I certainly am not finding the electric to be any bargain, and honestly I am shocked at my bills. That's a story for another day, however ...
Anyway, that was the reputation that Painesville and Painesville schools had back then. I can't even imagine someone buying a place here with school-age children now, or children that will be going to the schools in the future. I wouldn't do it, and I just suggested that my neighbors put their child in Fairport Harbor schools to protect him from the problems with reverse discrimination that the cute little guy is having here.
After I moved here, I was immediately shocked at the way the city was run and the behavior of the people who were running it. Lying is the name of whatever game they are playing at the time, and the disrespect then and now of the citizens is shocking. When you add in the horrible mismanagement of the city on top of it, it is truly a wonder this city is not worse than it is.
Maybe when people are going around with the recall petition, they could hand out a fact sheet to people who sign and even to those that do not. If this fact sheet included what is going on at the school, with a suggestion on how to vote as it concerns the schools, with the same type of information about council and McMahon and this city, with a suggestion on what needs to be done about that, then people could have a solid base of information and know what they can do to start changing things. There are so many people who just do not know what is going on around here. There are also a lot of people who know it's not right, but have no idea of the specifics and what to do about it.
Thank you to all who are trying to change things.
Your letter is right on. You can check many of the facts at the ODE Web site where they have to be posted. It would have been great to have you running for school board. I am concerned now that you have questioned why city coucil has not questioned the number of visits to Harvey. Mr. Britt and Mr. Hobart would have not tolerated any of this stuff as they would have been at our parents door about our behavior.
There is so much more and I hope others will start talking.
This situation should have never got this out of control. It seems the city administration enables the school administration and I think they both should go.
It is a known fact the Dr. Hanlon spends a lot of time looking for a new position, lets give him more time.
Rita McMahon micro-manages everything ,now this blows up in her reign. Time to ride off into the sunset.
I love Painesville and my only goal is to find people who care enough to make it a better place to live. Sorry 50% policies, or red crosswalks is not what I view as sucess.
When are the "watchdogs" going to start questioning why the parents in this city allow their children to act this way?
Why don't you ask the school admin how many times they call a parent to come in and talk about their child and they get told "don't have the time", you deal with that little brat".
Ask those teachers how many parents show up for conferences?
I believe we need improvement but lets get both sides of the story first.
Should we ask them to just start expelling students and put them on the streets for the city and the neighborhoods to deal with? Throw them all in jail?
Complain all you want about the administrators but the root cause is the CHILDS behavior and I want to know what are we doing about those parents that allow this to continue?
To 5:37 am,
As a parent of two Painesville city school students I can tell you honestly, the schools DO NOT want parents involved at the High School level. Unless they are suspended and you must pick them up.
You can volunteer until you are blue in the face and you will not be called. Until they start to get families back into the schools this system is not going to turn around.
All roads go back to the administration and Kim Martin.
This all good and well, but what about the middel school? How are things there? My kids' will be there.
On another Harvey High note, who is paying for the new stands that were just installed at Jack Britt Stadium? The Painesville Schools? The City of Painesville? Lake Erie College?
I guess I wouldn't want the extra liability of volunteers either if I had to call police twice a day. Or maybe I wouldn't want them around to witness just how badly student behavior has deteriorated...or witness the lack of support for teachers that want to change things...or a little of all of the above.
There are 5 citizens seeking a school board position. why not a meet the candidates night? Let the voters educate themselves as to which are the best candidates. The Board Members have appointed the last 4 members. As Dr Phil would say "How's that working for ya?" I say not so good!
12:47 It seems to be in better shape than Harvey. On another note according to the schools own "bullying site" PCS had 169 reported incidents this with around 3000 students figures to about 5% to high for me plus can we trust the numbers?
5:37 The school administration want no watchdogs anywhere near this situation. The parents are coddled more then the students because they want to make sure their "revenue" stream doesn't get angry with them.
Make the parents come in make them have to deal with the problems or just turn the bunch over to the courts.
I disagree the root problem is the administration making other students, teachers ,support staff put up with this crap.
It all comes down to what one teacher told me, MONEY. "Asses in Classes" The more there the more money you receive from the state.
Ever wonder why attendance is taken late in the morning? So the stragglers can be counted.
Need this up here too.
When school is out in the afternoon's there are 2, sometimes 3, police cars to make sure the kids keep moving down Liberty Street. They yell at the kids on their loud speakers to keep moving and stay out of yards because when they stop there are fights.
I have been trying to see the school board meeting. Has anyone view it on channel 96??? Let us here on painesville blog know. THANK YOU.
I noticed at the last school board meeting that no one was operating the camera. I guess the conclusion to be there won't be a video to view.
If there was ever a school board meeting that needed to be viewed this was the one. I believe Mr. Grippi will attend future meetings. Along with the police being called the county must called in for a Social worker as the police are not trained in the field they are dealing with the student. Many of these calls I have been told are caused because of issues in the students home.
The Board President is ultimately in charge. Shame on you President Dillard for not taping the BOE Meeting. If a School Board Candidate wants my vote he MUST support taping the Board Meeting. Every time I tune in to view the BOE Meeting I see the "Cat's" play. They brag about the Dress Code then they don't enforce it, they boast about the new technology in the new Hanlon Media Center and then they can't or won't film the meeting for the voters! They are only giving us 50% and I say we give them an F in November!
They probably got wind that Mr. Grippi was going to talk so purposefully did not have cameras there. They always have been good at censorship when something or someone does not suit them.
The only comment I will make in regards to taping the meeting, for as long as I have been going to BOE meetings Mr. Grippi was the one behind the camera. He retired. I am also sure that if Painesville schools were to get an excellent rating by the state or some other award it would be on tape. I don't really know who to hold responsible Mr. Dillard or Dr. Hanlon.
The minutes will eventually be approved and at that time they will be posted here.
To 10:04 Term...let me clarify your post....it is my understanding that social workers are called to Harvey to assist the police if there is an issue of JFS services being needed and appropriate. There are students that have problems from outside school (whether it's home, work, or elsewhere) that spill over into school. The police don't have the background or authority to do this. I'm not offering an opinion on whether this is a good idea or not, just that it is a shame that it seems to be necessary.
Minutes of Aug. 8, 2011
(before approval)
http://www.painesville-city.k12.oh.us/Downloads/August%208%20Minutes.pdf
When ever I check the minutes on the School Website, they never detail the citizens questions or comments. It's usually a very brief statement. I sure would like to see/read Ross Grippi's entire statement.
To the anonoymous comment that sent me the minutes of the school board meeting I don't want to get anyone in trouble by posting it before it's approved? Mr. Grippi was only given a one sentence acknowledgment of his comment to the board. Weak very weak. You would think that they would have posted his whole comment when you consider that if you weren't there you missed the whole thing.
Well, you don't have to spin something that there's no record of or no one knows about it. Mr. Grippi sounds like the kind of person that won't let this go away....I sure hope so, anyway. The information he is in the unique position to offer is just the push that's needed to get the ball rolling. I would be more than happy to assist him in any way to inform/educate residents. I would also be very interested in knowing what his suggestions for improvement are.
Grippi won't let something go away..ths school board was very good to him both times he was accused of assaulting students.
FYI-Lori Dinallo was not a counselor at Harvey. She was a classroom aide and held a supplemental positon for peer listener/moderations.
6:55 The fact are his allegations true or false?
Lori DiNallo was at Harvey everyday and should have informed council and the residents.
Now I have been told this was the number of reports filed with the police? Yea, that makes me feel a whole lot better. The more educators like Grippi's in a young persons life the better.
Adam...I believe you have posted before about calling the police department to find out about calls to a particular address....could you refresh our collective memories on this process?
Thanks....I will follow up.
You must be out of your mind. Why on earth would a person volunteer that type of information to the public. It's no ones business, less someone askes them and they want to answer the question. If there were something amiss at your workplace, you are saying, you would go public and air dirty laundry? You really jumped the shark again.
Your reply did not correct your errooneous comment that Ms. Dinallo was a counslor either.
Yet you insist everything you post is right for your readers.
FYI If your workplace was in shabbles the way Harvey seems to be you have an obligation to inform the public what i9s going on. My son attended Harvey and also thought Mrs. DiNallo was a counslor? What then was her duties as a peer listener/ moderator? Ignore what you see happening around you, keep yur head down? I can only imagine what that guidance cost us?
There is no excuse what is going on in that building and I would never send another child there. If it's so great give people vouchers .
1:59 It's no ones business? I know why we just now are hearing about this only now. People like you are the reasons the school is in the shape it in. It's no ones business, I pay for that business and demand to know what's going on there. That's my business.
To 1:59 ...I agree with 9:42 above....public education (if you want to call it that at Harvey) is everyone's business...after all, it's on everyone's dime. Anything that affects the value of my home and the safety of my kids is most certainly my business. Anything that the local safety forces has to deal with is my business. I can't believe that you could even try to defend that position. You don't have a leg to stand on.
There is no easy fix for the schools. It will require a huge commitment by the community and both administrations (city and school) to turn things around. It's about hope. These kids don't have it and many (if not most) come from families with no hope either. They've given up. Teachers have it, they just hope they come home every day in one piece...never mind actually trying to make a difference. The city administration just hopes the lid stays on and there's no tragedy that further tarnishes the city image. Some parents just hope their kids don't get suspended or expelled because then it becomes a real problem that they actually have to deal with. Other parents just hope their kids don't get hurt. Some parents might even hope their kids actually learn something in the powderkeg we call Harvey High. What a message we are sending....we don't care, you aren't worth the effort and it's OK to act out.
I am really tired of people making excuses for these kids...blaming their thug mentality on the media and society at large. Their behavior is just not acceptable....period. I don't care what color or ethnicity a child is...they cannot disrespect authority and each other and then expect to get through life with any measure of success. The easy way is not the right way.
Raise the bar....think outside the box and make it happen.
Once again, Term did not stand corrected when he said L Dinallo was a counslor. That's not her job title.
I stand by what I said before-a city counsel meeting is not a place for her to make public statements against the school-Her Job. If any one of you worked in the city, would you come to counsel and air your workplace problems? It's not the time or place. Schools and city are two separate entities. Could you see the school board hearing residents gripe about the way the city is run? Again, not the right time or place. Both meetings are long enough without crossing over with each others problems. Reading this blog explains why students have some of the problems they have; the adults in their lives.
I guess its important to 4:45 I not call Mrs. DiNallo a counselor but an aide, or peer listener/ moderation?
What should we call her a "student whisperer"?
So if I am to understand you, if I work somewhere there is illegal dumping chemicals into the storm sewer and I am a city councilman by first obligation is to my employer even if people have intrusted me to look out for their well being?
The police being sent to her place of employment at that time were paid for by the residents and employed by The City of Painesville who according to the charter she is responsible for the actions of the city manager/safety director. You have to wonder what else is going on or being swept under the carpet.Mrs. DiNallo has Doug Nagy complex. Nothing wrong here, thank-you for a wonderful presentation ect. "Live, Work, Play, and above all Ignore what goes on around here".
I agree with you about DiNallo's "everything is fine around here, and the administration is great" attitude. I'll throw Fodor in that mix, too. They fit in well with Hada/McMahon and their gang. I hope people see that and do something about it as soon as they can vote them out.
I'm confused about the election for School Board. I was told that 5 people [Dillard, Barahas, Grippi, Jones and Costell] are running for 2 positions and Board member Powers is running unopposed for another position??? Is this true? Am I the only voter who is confused by this school board election?
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