To the Editor: On March 23, the public found out that the fire alarm systems at Norwood and Holliman Elementary Schools had been broken since February 24 of this year. The parents and many of the teachers were not informed for those four weeks, either.
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To the Editor:
On March 23, the public found out that the fire alarm systems at Norwood and Holliman Elementary Schools had been broken since February 24 of this year. The parents and many of the teachers were not informed for those four weeks, either.
If there were to be a fire, intruder, or other emergency to occur at Norwood or Holliman, one custodian at each school would have been in charge of getting the word out. This is a serious safety risk: one custodian, with unknown fire and emergency training, cannot be expected to replace a building-wide alarm system.
Not only did the school administrative leadership fail to inform the public for a month, but they also did not mention it to the Warwick City Council on March 20, 2017 when Councilmen Jeremy Rix and Ed Ladouceur asked questions about why hundreds of thousands of dollars were being allocated to the new administrative building at the former Gorton JHS. I guess that fire alarms in buildings with students and teachers are a lower priority!
One day after the public found out about the broken fire alarms, there was another emergency in the news: a sewage leakage at Vets High School. Isn’t student safety supposed to be the highest priority to our school administration? The lack of communication by the school administration to the public is completely unacceptable.
As Jeremy Rix, the Councilman of Ward 2 which represents the Norwood and Holliman area said, “the Superintendent was not able to have an answer about why all parents and all teachers were not informed.”
This fire alarm situation is also not the only safety issue under this administration. When the students at Vets returned to school in September 2016, they found loose wires from the incomplete renovations done over the summer. There were issues with the air quality that were not addressed for five months after parents started reporting the issues. Also, there are still issues with special education from 2016 which are still yet to be resolved. These issues must not be allowed to continue.
The School’s Administrative leadership must be held accountable for their actions.
Nathan Cornell
Co-chair of the Warwick Community Outreach Educational Committee
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richardcorrente
Dear Nathan,
In the future, the students and their families will not have these problems. In the future our School Committee will work on the solutions, not ignore these major problems. In the future, Warwick will have greater accountability from the School Committee, because in the future, you will be a welcome addition to that organization. I, for one, look forward to that future.
Well written letter Nathan!
Happy Easter to you and your family.
Rick Corrente
The Taxpayers Mayor
Sunday, April 9, 2017 Report this
ThatGuyInRI
Really?
"In the future" these problems won't exist? How exactly is that going to happen? Who is going to step and and pay that bill?
The school buildings in Warwick have been neglected for DECADES. It will cost more than anybody wants to hear or admit to bring all of the buildings up to date. Decades of "deferred maintenance" have left many of the buildings in lousy condition. Year after year the school committee(s) , administration(s) , city council(s), and mayor(s) - though one has been in office for 17 years- have chosen to kick the can down the road and save a few dollars today (and maybe win a few votes) by not properly maintaining the school system's buildings.
Well, you can't push problems into the future forever and now WE will have to pay for the incompetence and ignorance of the past. There are many, many people who are responsible for these poor decisions which have put the school system where it is now. Unfortunately, most if not all of them are no longer in public service and will never be held accountable.
But there is one person who should be explaining how this happened on their watch. Yes Mr. Mayor, you. How could you allow 17 years of neglect to go on during your watch, how? Please explain.
Monday, April 10, 2017 Report this
richardcorrente
Dear ThatGuyInRI,
I meant that Nathan will be a great improvement to the School Committee when he becomes a member. No, he won't solve ALL the problems he just has the leadership to stand up for the students, the parents, the teachers and the 80,000 taxpayers that are paying the tab. I think you and I agree that he would be better than any of them except Karen Bachus.
Happy Easter ThatGuyInRI, to you and your family.
Rick Corrente
The Taxpayers Mayor
P.S. Totally agree with your comments about the Mayor. In the real world, the one you and I live in, he would be called an accomplice to a felony at the least and criminally negligent in all probability.
Happy Easter to you and your family
Rick Corrente
The Taxpayers Mayor
Monday, April 10, 2017 Report this
ThatGuyInRI
WHAT?
"...he just has the leadership to stand up for the students, the parents, the teachers and the 80,000 taxpayers that are paying the tab."
That is the problem with many school committees. They DO NOT represent, the parents, teachers, or taxpayers. The school committee's job is to advocate for the school system, no one else. Anything outside of running the school (such as the city's budget, taxpayer's wishes, etc) is out of their perview.
And come on, there may be 80 some odd thousand people in Warwick, but the vast majority of them do not pay taxes at all. You of all people have to know that.
3
Tuesday, April 11, 2017 Report this
richardcorrente
Dear ThatGuyInRI,
You misunderstood.
I agree with you. The School Committee does NOT represent the parents, the teachers or taxpayers, but I think Nathan Cornell will! He has the wisdom of someone many times his age.
Also, I believe that all 80,000 people living in Warwick are taxpayers, either directly or indirectly through their families.You can feel free to agree or disagree. That is the prerogative of "ThatGuyInRI".
Happy Easter
Rick Corrente
The Taxpayers Mayor
Tuesday, April 11, 2017 Report this
Thecaptain
Nathan Cornell may be a nice kid. But that's it, he's a kid. He hasn't a clue as to the fiscal impact of the union contracts on the longevity and solvency of this city. He has never written a check for taxes, and has no understanding as to how the tax rate impacts the quality of life for all residents in the city. Mr. Corrente is of the same mentality. He lacks the necessary responsibility to pay taxes, hence the loss of his home due to tax sale. He is someone who should have no comment on the issues as he is a habitual tax delinquent. What message is he trying to send? I don't pay my taxes, but lets increase the tax burden in the city to everyone but me?
Please shut up already.
Saturday, April 15, 2017 Report this
Okgo-okgo
Nathan is a product of the warwick public school system, therefore, has plenty of credibility. He is entitled to voice his truth.
Sunday, April 16, 2017 Report this