I haven’t written in some time, and looking over previous posts, I notice that I’ve spent a lot of time criticizing various local representatives (deserving or not). I have always felt that trust and transparency are critical to representative government, and today I’d like to focus on two local elected officials who in the last... Continue Reading →

by Paula Bradley and Jason Ralph On Wednesday, the Town Council and School Committee will hold a joint work session to discuss the Stage 2 School Facility Plan. The main purpose of this meeting is to address concerns raised by town representatives regarding future operational savings related to the facility plan. In preparation for this... Continue Reading →

The topic of operational savings has again emerged in discussions surrounding South Kingstown’s facility application. Some have again advocated for an elementary school closure, some have claimed that simply taking space offline will suffice, and others have proposed radical changes to elementary configuration in our 4 schools. All of these miss a critical point. For... Continue Reading →

*** This article is related to the conversation that took place during the first 40 minutes of the 8/25 Building Committee Meeting. Video of the meeting can be viewed at the town clerkbase site by browsing for other boards and commissions > School Building Committee*** The relationship between district administration/leadership and the community they serve... Continue Reading →

Over the past few weeks I’ve had the chance to reflect on the past years’ events and debates. As we embark on a new world in which we hopefully recognize more that unites us than divides, it’s important that we consider where we have been and take responsibility for the future. Placing blame solely on... Continue Reading →

The July 14 referendum vote has generated a lot of heated debate over the past few weeks. I have been asked many times about the real effects to the district, and I've honestly struggled to separate the facts from the rhetoric. It is hard for some to understand how one can be a supporter of... Continue Reading →

Last year I wrote about the so called cut list charade. Former School Committee chair Roland Benjamin also discussed it here. The cut list is a political tool employed by superintendents to activate community support for their budget. Generally, the items included on these lists are emotionally charged and easily used to drive parents to... Continue Reading →

During last year’s budget discussions, I wrote a blog entry about taxes and trust. In it, I argued that I view taxes and proposed increases through a lens of trust. What was missing in the discussion then, as still is now, is whether our government is trustworthy enough to spend our resources wisely, with the... Continue Reading →

All,Several months ago, at the beginning of the budget process, many of you touted a newfound collaborative relationship between the town and school department. I personally didn’t see much of a difference beyond a little extra transparency on the part of the superintendent, but any improvement in this regard is to be applauded. Unfortunately, that... Continue Reading →