[BPt111]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Any word on the hospital mergers in the state? I am bummed Malloy delayed the mergers till 2017 due to Union reasons. Didn't even know the State had the power to block that. Hoping it means more job's for Torrington area when it finally goes through.

The temporary halt to consolidations most directly impacts Yale and its proposal to merge with the Lawrence + Memorial Corp. in New London.



Connecticut task force begins review of hospital mergers

http://ctmirror.org/2016/02/25/mallo...e-lm-decision/

[RunD1987]

Originally Posted by BPt111

The temporary halt to consolidations most directly impacts Yale and its proposal to merge with the Lawrence + Memorial Corp. in New London.



Connecticut task force begins review of hospital mergers

Malloy orders review of health care oversight, delaying Yale-L+M decision | The CT Mirror

Hartford and Charlotte as well. I mean Waterbury and St. Mary had other issues that blocked the merger, but Malloy's intervention with supporting the Unions at Waterbury was one small issue.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by hartford_renter

I'm not sure I understand your point.

Yes technology is here to stay, yes 2+2=4.

Should schools be paying for new laptops every year, no it makes no sense. Buying laptops will not give students the education they need for high paying jobs.

Like it or not Jay

They are not buying new laptops every year. They are buying each kid tablets but only every 5 years or so. Glastonbury has embraced this concept. Soon most others will be too. It is the future whether you or anyone likes it or not. Jay

[Mike 75]

Yeah, its all tablets now. Laptops are there, but only one or two in the classroom. And these days laptops don't cost that much. Even the tablets aren't all that expensive. Its not the driver on the expense side.

The biggest expense for schools, just like the state, is employee salaries and benefits. We have multiple vice principals at each school in town. I don't remember having any vice principals growing up, let alone several. Do we really need two at each school? Can we get by with one or none? Especially with declining enrollment.

[Blargrifth]

It really depends on the school. When I was at Trumbull High we felt that the second assistant principal was kind of a joke and never did anything. But in Bridgeport, Harding has three assistant principals and they would be screwed if any of them left. The position I tend to question most is superintendent. What are they doing that principals and BoEs can't do?

[BPt111]

Forum: Connecticut should tap universities’ most valuable asset: their graduates

[RunD1987]

Originally Posted by BPt111

Forum: Connecticut should tap universities’ most valuable asset: their graduates

Use to be CT natives graduate find a job. Then CT natives graduate find job outside of the state. Now it's CT graduates graduate outside of the state and live in the state they graduated from. So now CT is losing money in two fronts with public higher education.

[Sigequinox]

Originally Posted by JayCT

They are not buying new laptops every year. They are buying each kid tablets but only every 5 years or so. Glastonbury has embraced this concept. Soon most others will be too. It is the future whether you or anyone likes it or not. Jay

When I was in middle/high school (~00-06), we still just had a row of maybe 5 or 6 computers along the back of the room. I'm not very current on new paradigms in education (other than that garbage they call common core), but I would say tablets are only worth it if teaching methods have evolved to make heavy use of digital media--and obviously that such media exists and is validated.

We only used those 5 0r 6 computers in the back of the room a few times a month and we did so in groups of 3 or took turns. The education system, despite advances in technology, was still very much a lecture and blackboard environment. I don't know how much it's changed in the last 10 years, but I would hope a lot if they are buying a tablet for EVERY student on a 5 year replacement schedule. Any savings in the cost of downloadable "e-books" will easily be replaced by the increase cost for IT personnel to maintain these networks, hardware, etc. Not a problem, so long as they actually use them more than once a month. There are downsides too though. I can tell you right now that 15 year old me would perusing victoria secret dot com, not reading Macbeth ...

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Blargrifth

It really depends on the school. When I was at Trumbull High we felt that the second assistant principal was kind of a joke and never did anything. But in Bridgeport, Harding has three assistant principals and they would be screwed if any of them left. The position I tend to question most is superintendent. What are they doing that principals and BoEs can't do?

Oh just a little thing like running the school system. Why does a corporation need a CEO or our country need a President. School superintendents do a lot more than you think. Not sure why you would question it. Their salaries however are ridiculously high but that is the going rate just like the unbelievably crazy salaries CEO's get. Jay

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Use to be CT natives graduate find a job. Then CT natives graduate find job outside of the state. Now it's CT graduates graduate outside of the state and live in the state they graduated from. So now CT is losing money in two fronts with public higher education.

Wrong. Connecticut has long sent graduates to other states. About 30% my graduating class left the state and that was longer ago than I care to mention so it is not a new thing. The world has gotten a lot smaller since I graduated so it is not really a big deal for kids to end up in some other state or even country. Plus given that Connecticut has so many great colleges and universities, it is not uncommon for kids to be educated here and return home or go somewhere else to live after graduating. Jay