You have a school that is a successful model and a credit to Salem. Why do you want to drag it down. It should be used as the model for the others and they should rise to its level. As tbe School Committee you should be striving to raise all schools to the higher level.

This is such a ridiculous discussion. Diminishing a successful school does not improve an unsuccessful school. Improving an unsuccessful school makes it improve. This discussion also says that we as a community want to take the easy way out as opposed to identifying issues and designing solutions - do we need to implement tutoring programs, do buildings need to be rehabbed (there is lots that can be done by a motivated community), do we need training sessions for parents (teachers cannot do it all)? This impacts each and every one of us who lives in Salem, not just the parents and children at these schools and we all need to be willing to get on board to fix the issue . . . .and vote out some school committee members if need be.

All of these concerns about our schools and what was the first thing they decicded to consider? Uniforms,what does that tell you?

No brainer. The rest of the district should be working to raise themselves to the bar being set by Saltonstall. Not vice-versa

The Salts is successful because of so much more than extended day/extended year. I mean we are really fighting over 10 days!! What about their educational philosophy, dedicated parents and teachers, multi-age classrooms, etc. Trust me, you could take away the 10 days and the school would still out-perform the others. Then what would people have to say? This is just an excuse by the school board to side track us from the real issues. If the Salts and Charter school are working why don't we incorporate all the other things they do that don't cost money and see what happens. I bet there would be an increase in scores all around. But lets just focus on the $100,000 so that we don't have to do all the other REAL work that is involved in turning the schools around.

I am so tired of the party line of Salts working because of "dedicated parents". There are lots of dedicated parents in the other schools too. Your kids got into Saltonstall by "luck of the draw" and because other kids didn't they shouldn't suffer with a sub par education. If you can't offer it to all then it should be offered to none. They should be meeting the demand for those programs not setting up the "haves" and "have nots".

The real question is ,are all public schools equal ?
Equal in time ,funding ,and parental involvement .
Just one more question . Have any of the above poster spent a day at any of the schools ?
Try spending some time as a sub . Your eyes will be wide open ,and a tear will show .

The effectiveness of the Saltonstall model does not translate to test scores significantly above other schools and in fact are in line with district scores in several areas in different grade levels. I would think instead of digging heels in and resisting any change those "dedicated" parents would be open to exploring ALL options.......

And that elitist attitude is what pits Saltonstall against everyone else. There are dedicated parents in all schools dealing with the REAL issues. Saltonstall is in its nice little bubble. Put the same socioeconomic mix into Salts and let's see how successful the program is then.

I'm not angry. I believe in equal opportunities for all of the kids in Salem not just my own and the opinion that the parents in Salts are better than everyone else is the root of the problem. Unfortunately I cannot continue to engage with someone who does not have the courage to put their real name behind their comments.

You most certainly are angry. As I said, it is up to you to get want you want for your school. You should be arguing with your officials, not me. I never once said that I was better than anyone. I actually said that my child would thrive in any of the Salem schools, Salts just happen to be the most convenient for our family. I registered on this site like a year ago and had no clue my name would show up as this. My full name is posted at the Salem Evening News comments. My name is Deborah Suleyman. And I am sure your last name is Lee??? I also believe in equal opportunity for all the children in Salem but would not take away from any program that is currently working but would want to emulate that program in my school. You pay taxes as well as I do and you are getting angry at the wrong people. Maybe if you put this much effort into contacting your officials you might make some progress.

I am entitled to my opinion that the Salts type program should be offered to all. My children are doing great in school. They will continue to be successful no matter where they are. That doesn't mean we should be willing to stay with the status quo if things are not equal, proven to be effective etc. As I said before comparing Salts to other schools is comparing apples to oranges. Your program should be open to debate, scrutiny and change just as any other in the city. If it is proven to be a program that produces superior results than so be it, but I have not seen the concrete proof thus far. In fact we did not choose Salts and I am glad we didn't. I am not so lost in my own world that I don't see the impact the system and its policies has on all the children.

You most certainly are entitled to your opinion but you have no right to be angry or throw generalizations about Salts parents. In my post parent dedication was just one of the reasons listed as to why the program works. I also listed many others, none of which you choose to comment on probably because you do know really know the Salts program. I am really glad that you didn't choose Salts too. And trust me, I am not lost in my own world, I just want to get to the root of the problem, and it is not the Salts school or their parents.

Again your opinion. And yes I am very versed on the Salts program. I don't believe you have proved that your school produces superior results. If mediocrity and resistance to change is where its at then by all means keep advocating for your program to stay the same....Evidence based practice is where it needs to be. Show some statistically significant results not anectdotal results and perhaps more people will stand behind you.

The comments I have read both hear and in the Salem News seem to be on the side of a model similiar to Salts. I think many agree that pitting schools against one another is not the answer and neither are personal attacks. I would hope that as adults the issue could be to share what parents think is beneficial and find a way to ensure that all children get those benefits. I think the resistence to change is because it works. I dont have stats but can taking away classtime be of any benefit? I stand behind any parent that wants the best for their child but feel we need to set examples of behavior. Choosing to attack a parent group is not productive. Look to your elected officials and fellow parents to make the changes needed within your school if you are unhappy.

It seems one of the big problems is the first come first serve factor. Maybe all taxpayers should have the right to equal education.We all pay the same but only some get what they want. Its an unfair way of providing public education.

The debate that’s happening right now rests squarely on the shoulders of Walsh and Crane who made this about “equality” and pitted parents against one another to fuel their own agenda (which existed before Bentley's Level 4 status). Instead, we need to work together to solve this problem. Walsh and Crane can’t even manage to collaborate with fellow members of the school committee. Demand more from your school committee members.

As a parent of a kid in Salts Kindergarten, I get to see Bently every day. Since the Salts K classes are held there, I can attest that the kids would benefit from a longer school day. Salts is a more successful model than Bently - (if test scores are the measurement). So I don't understand how shifting a more successful school in the direction of a school that does not work is going to help either. Wouldn't it make more sense to stop doing what has not worked in the past and model something that has? Also, perhaps if other schools mirrored the Salts model maybe there would not be a waiting list at Salts? Is there a waiting list for other schools?