Archives: CABE Journal Columns

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SEE YOU IN COURT! – July/August 2019

The members of the Nutmeg Board are very concerned about whether and how they will make ends meet this year. The Town slashed their budget request during the appropriation process, and as things stand at the beginning of the new … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – June 2019

By Thomas B. Mooney on June 4, 2019 Posted in Board Organization, Authority and Responsibilities, CABE Journal Columns, Finances, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts, Special Education

The Nutmeg Board of Education is getting ready to close out its books for the 2018-2019 school year, and some of the new Board members are anxious about the possibility of ending the year in deficit. Veteran Board member Bob … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – May 2019

By Thomas B. Mooney on May 1, 2019 Posted in Board Organization, Authority and Responsibilities, CABE Journal Columns, Discipline, Most Recent Columns, Publications and Alerts, Students

With the arrival of spring and the coming of summer, incidents of student misbehavior increase in Nutmeg each year. This year, Mr. Superintendent has had his hands full in dealing with such matters, and during the executive session last week, … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – April 2019

By Thomas B. Mooney on April 5, 2019 Posted in Board of Education, Generally, Board Organization, Authority and Responsibilities, CABE Journal Columns, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts, Teacher Employment, Evaluation and Dismissal

The members of the Nutmeg Board of Education want to do what they can to improve student achievement in Nutmeg, which has been lagging in comparison to neighboring towns. The problem has been that there is no money for new … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – March 2019

By Thomas B. Mooney on March 1, 2019 Posted in Board Organization, Authority and Responsibilities, CABE Journal Columns, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts, Rights of Teachers, Teacher Employment, Evaluation and Dismissal

As the Nutmeg Board of Education was preparing to reconvene into open session after completing its executive session discussion last week, veteran Board member Bob Bombast told the Board to hold up because he had a concern.

Mr. Chairperson recognized … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – February 2019

By Thomas B. Mooney on February 1, 2019 Posted in Board of Education, Generally, Board Organization, Authority and Responsibilities, CABE Journal Columns, Federal and State Role in Education, Finances, Freedom of Information, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

The Nutmeg Board of Education is in the thick of its budget deliberations, and the members are having trouble establishing priorities. Board members Red Cent and Penny Pincher are still smarting from the budget overrun in special education costs last … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – January 2019

By Thomas B. Mooney on January 2, 2019 Posted in Board of Education, Generally, Board Organization, Authority and Responsibilities, CABE Journal Columns, Freedom of Information, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

At a recent meeting of the Nutmeg Board of Education, “security matters” was on the Board agenda. When the Board reached that item, Mrs. Superintendent told the Board that she has some ideas for improving school security, and she suggested … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – December 2018

By Thomas B. Mooney on December 3, 2018 Posted in Board of Education, Generally, CABE Journal Columns, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

As the holiday break grows near, the members of the Nutmeg Board of Education have been on their best behavior, almost mellow in tone, dutifully moving through the agenda for each meeting. Things changed at the meeting last week, however, … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – November 2018

By Thomas B. Mooney on November 1, 2018 Posted in Board of Education, Generally, CABE Journal Columns, Finances, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

As the Nutmeg Board of Education prepares for new budget season, Board member Mal Content is worried about the budget discussions becoming antagonistic and personal. The last budget season had been brutal, but people were generally civil and respectful in … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – October 2018

By Thomas B. Mooney on October 1, 2018 Posted in Board of Education, Generally, CABE Journal Columns, Freedom of Information, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

Mr. Chairperson has had his hands full with two new members of the Nutmeg Board of Education. Mal Content and Chrissie Critical were elected to the Board just last November, but they quickly started antagonizing Mr. Chairperson and the other … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – September 2018

By Thomas B. Mooney on September 4, 2018 Posted in Board of Education, Generally, CABE Journal Columns, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

The glory days for Nutmeg Knights Football were long gone, the last winning season having been in 2003. But Coach Rock, the beleaguered long-time Knights coach, soldiered on. Calls for change grew shriller, however, as the Knights dropped their first … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – July/August 2018

By Thomas B. Mooney on August 1, 2018 Posted in Board of Education, Generally, CABE Journal Columns, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

Bob Bombast was watching “Fox News” on June 27 when the scroll at the bottom of the screen caught his eye. “Supreme Court strikes down agency fees; deals big blow to public sector unions!!” Though Bob had chaired the Personnel … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – June 2018

By Thomas B. Mooney on June 1, 2018 Posted in Board of Education, Generally, CABE Journal Columns, Finances, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

The Nutmeg Board of Education finally has a budget for the 2018-2019 school year. Difficult as the process was, however, the hard work for the Board of Education was now beginning. Somehow, somewhere, the Nutmeg Board of Education must find … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – May 2018

By Thomas B. Mooney on May 1, 2018 Posted in Board of Education, Generally, CABE Journal Columns, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

Bob Bombast, veteran member of the Nutmeg Board of Education, was surprised to see a work team and a backhoe on the grounds of Median Middle School. So surprised in fact that he parked his car and walked over to … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – April 2018

By Thomas B. Mooney on April 3, 2018 Posted in Board of Education, Generally, Board Organization, Authority and Responsibilities, CABE Journal Columns, Freedom of Information, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

After serving as Chairperson of the Nutmeg Board of Education for six long years, Mr. Chairman announced unexpectedly at the last meeting in February that his company had transferred him to Illinois. At what would be his last meeting, Mr. … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – March 2018

By Thomas B. Mooney on March 1, 2018 Posted in Board of Education, Generally, Board Organization, Authority and Responsibilities, CABE Journal Columns, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

Mark Millennial was recently elected to the Nutmeg Board of Education. More than ten years younger than any of the other Board members, Mark brings a new approach to Board service. His presence on social media is far more extensive … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – February 2018

By Thomas B. Mooney on February 1, 2018 Posted in CABE Journal Columns, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

A student recently came to Mr. Principal in tears, accusing Joe Blow, a fifth-year senior at Nutmeg Memorial High School, of threatening to beat him up if he didn’t hand over his lunch money. When Mr. Principal investigated this claim, … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – January 2018

By Thomas B. Mooney on January 2, 2018 Posted in CABE Journal Columns, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

Mr. Superintendent was hoping that the first meeting of the Nutmeg Board of Education after the holidays would be uneventful, maybe even boring. It was not to be. During Public Comment, Peter Parent gave an impassioned speech about how the … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – December 2017

By Thomas B. Mooney on December 1, 2017 Posted in CABE Journal Columns, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

The General Assembly has finally passed a budget, and the Nutmeg Board of Education has been spared the catastrophic cuts in state aid that some had predicted. Veteran Board member Bob Bombast was therefore pleased to turn his attention to … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – November 2017

By Thomas B. Mooney on November 1, 2017 Posted in CABE Journal Columns, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

As the football season wound down in Nutmeg, Bob Bombast went on a Facebook rant against the players in the NFL who take a knee during the playing of the National Anthem. Coach Rock, veteran coach at Nutmeg Memorial High … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – October 2017

By Thomas B. Mooney on October 2, 2017 Posted in CABE Journal Columns, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

It didn’t take long. School started in Nutmeg just a month ago, and already Ms. Superintendent was calling the members of the Board of Education to schedule an expulsion hearing. “This is a good one,” she told veteran Board member … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – September 2017

By Thomas B. Mooney on September 1, 2017 Posted in CABE Journal Columns, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

The ongoing State budget stalemate has many public officials in Nutmeg on edge. “How can we give the Board of Education money when we don’t even know whether and when the State will give us our ECS funds?” asked Seymour … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – July/August

By Thomas B. Mooney on July 31, 2017 Posted in CABE Journal Columns, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

It was a tough budget season in Nutmeg, and the Board of Education was forced to make difficult cuts just to start the new year with a balanced budget. To make matters worse, Town officials are whispering about possibly clawing … Read more

SEE YOU IN COURT! – June 2017

By Thomas B. Mooney on June 1, 2017 Posted in CABE Journal Columns, Most Recent Columns, Public Schools, Publications and Alerts

The members of the Nutmeg Board of Education are tired of having to put up with the constant barrage of criticism. Cut teaching positions? The parents go crazy. Add teaching positions? The taxpayer group goes crazy. To make matters worse, … Read more