BJ
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BJ on Patch
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Comments
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On the article Parents Express Bullying Concerns to School Administrators
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On the article LIVE CHAT: Massachusetts Weighs in on Obama-Romney Debate
BJ
10:32 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
ReplyClean coal?
Is that like giant shrimp or fox news?
I want to know how Mitt can seriously reverse his viewpoints now--5 weeks before the election. How voters are smarter than that. He likes green energy? Since when? -
On the article LIVE CHAT: Massachusetts Weighs in on Obama-Romney Debate
BJ
9:23 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
ReplyI think Mitt's been coached to act like a Democrat. Etch a sketch yet again
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On the Blog Post An Open Letter to Dr. Peter Sanchioni, Natick Superintendent of Schools
BJ
12:57 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
ReplyYes. When I got that email I was outraged. Ben you are the proactive one. I just complained in my head..
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On the article Natick's 10 Top-Earning Town Employees
BJ
9:54 am on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
ReplyDr. Peter Sanchioni is worth every penny and more. He has been a strong voice and tireless advocate for our kids and our schools. I kind of resent the implication that Patch has made that he is somehow not worthy of the (seriously moderate, really guys) salary. He fought for the high school rebuild despite a lot of resistance, he continuously fights for low teacher/student ratios. Look at the neighboring towns to compare how WELL Natick schools fare. And POLICE risk their lives to protect our community. Also well deserved.
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On the article Write a Review: Bakery on the Common
BJ
8:12 am on Monday, February 13, 2012
ReplyMy daughter almost broke a tooth on the bagels....they were rock hard and stale. I also think the customer service is lacking. And the tables are never clean. We never go there anymore....it's been years.
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On the Blog Post Words Matter
BJ
8:46 am on Thursday, February 2, 2012
ReplyBen, Excellent blog post. I could not agree more. It happens on both sides of the aisle, but much more by the right. Of course, my favorite is "family values." Who wouldn't be for family values? Until of course you realize it means only those belief systems favored by the far right, and an attack on any family system not in alignment with the narrow-minded far right definition of family.
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On the article Natick Parents Aim for Bully-Free Schools [Poll]
BJ
3:54 pm on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
ReplyI think Natick has been at the forefront of anti bullying efforts for the town. Areas that I would love to see even more growth.
Peer leadership - it's been great. Move it down to elementary level as well. Expand it.
Focus more on subtle forms of bullying - when groups exclude and ignore a child persistently, it is a form of bullying, not seen by adults, but felt by the child.
Focus much more on building resilience in our kids. -
On the article How Young Is Too Young For a Cell Phone?
BJ
2:19 pm on Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Excellent use of technology. We do a parallel thing with email. We set up an email account for my 8 year old. However, she set it up so she can only send and receive email from addressses we enter into her address book. So she gets no spam or junk mail, she receives nothing from someone not approved on our list, and she can only send to that same list. We also limit her computer time by giving her her own profile (She does not know the password to my profile or my husband's). On her profile, the computer does not allow her on before 7 am or after 7 pm. And when she is on, it logs her out after 1 hour of use per day. The same technology on the cell phones limits overuse and helps monitor the usage she does have.
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On the article How Young Is Too Young For a Cell Phone?
BJ
2:13 pm on Wednesday, February 23, 2011
ReplyAgree with M.W. It is so dependent on the maturity level of the child, the family circumstances, and how the child will be using the cell phone. Are they are using it to just text and chat with friends? Or do they need it to check in with their parents? One of my daughter's friends (age 9) uses it because her parents are divorced, and she splits her time at the different houses, so she can check in quickly with one parent when she is at the other parent's home (or in the case where she accidentally gets off at the wrong bus stop, which has happened twice). Is your child one who loses her belongings frequently and is a bit scattered, or one who is organized and more independent? For older kids who need to spend some time alone before a caregiver returns from work (latchkey kids), a cell phone might be a real necessity. I think there is a readiness factor that involves their ability to be responsible and trustworthy. If I had to pick an age, I'd say 10 as a reasonable age to own a phone, but under the right circumstances, I could see a child as young as 8 being responsible enough. And it goes without saying that there should be restrictions on usage and monitoring of that usage at all ages.
BJ
1:49 pm on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
I was there, and did not come away with a few of the points expressed in this article. For example, it was made very clear that Open Circle begins in Kindergarten, and even at the preschool level, which includes anti-bullying education (appropriate for that age group) . It was also made clear that teachers are well trained in concepts taught in open circle. (and in my opinion, I have found that to be the case) There was a huge discussion about community involvement initiatives that was not mentioned in the article. And there was a terrific suggestion about posting links to open circle curriculum on the website, that I think the administration is taking seriously.