Issue #16:  Many have discussed the issue of teacher union concessions on the forums.  To address this, we have to look at both sides of the issue first.

One way of approaching this highly complicated issue is to use Robert Mager’s Criterion-Based Instruction (http://www.lifecircles-inc.com/Learningtheories/Mager.html and http://coe.ksu.edu/jecdol/Vol_3/articles/Cox.htm.)   As a CRI-certified instructor, I’ve applied Mager’s general theories to this particular issue.  That means:  we need identifiable objectives, goals, and tasks to attain the ultimate objective(s).

Issue #15:  We have explored the many deficiencies in the arguments FOR all-day Kindergarten. Hopefully we have generated thoughtful discussion based on research and data.  It’s now time to move on to other questions in the Board of Education’s budget.

Before you say, or ask yourselves, “Why are they picking on the Board of Education budget?” or “Why don’t they start analyzing the town budget, or the RHAM budget?”

Before we start the next phase of analysis of the BOE budget, everyone needs to first understand the budgetary process.

Issue #14:  There has been a failure to acknowledge that the town of Hebron is facing a situation of diminishing resources. You don't want to miss the facts in this discussion!

Issue #13:  There has been a lack of clarity with regards to their initial desired outcomes. The original intent of this topic was going to be an explanation to the Administration that it is very hard for the public who do not have children in the all-day Kindergarten to know if it is truly a good investment for the community.  The words they use when describing the program are very intangible measures, and while that might be acceptable to parents of Kindergartners, it is not the proper way to justify the continuation and expansion of the program.   Since the conception of this series however, details of the original Task Force report have been uncovered.  It seems the public interest would well served by reviewing that 2007 data.

Issue #12: There has been improper or incomplete presentation of program characteristics. Usually this is the presentation of program characteristics as if they were measurable outcomes. Sometimes this is lack of presentation of characteristics. Sometimes this is the presentation of a characteristic that may be unrelated to the length of time spent in the all-day Kindergarten class.