Education: Windham Public Schools Part 1 0f 8

What comes first, dollars or sense, Part 1


Return to Home Page  -  Continue Part 2

Greenwich and Windham, Connecticut are miles apart geographically and economically. Greenwich is the state's most wealthy town while Windham is one of the poorest.

Greenwich, known as the front door to New England, is blessed by location and leadership. Situated between the financial centers of Manhattan and Stamford, it is served by Route 95, Am Track, and Metro North, as well as Westchester and New York City airports. The libraries, recreation facilities, senior services and safety department are touted as the best in Connecticut. Connecticut Magazine, in its November 2011 issue, ranks Greenwich the number one town to live in by population group.

Greenwich Ave. is a tree lined street similar to Willimantic’s Main Street, but it is populated with upscale shops and shoppers. Many Greenwich stores have secondary locations in Palm Beach, Aspen or even Dubai. Around the corner on West Putnam Avenue, you can purchase any exotic car made. Currently on the Miller Motor Car Co. lot there are nine Rolls Royces for sale — fewer than usual because of a slowdown in the economy.

Greenwich's assessor recently released September’s real estate transactions. Headlined in the Greenwich Patch, an electronic news site: "Of 35 real estate transactions, eight were under $1 million.” A rare occurrence for Greenwich. TheGreenwich Times reports a stock broker and town resident is sentenced to eleven years and fined $50 million for insider trading. The November elections see several candidates that are hedge fund managers in real life.

Greenwich does more than its fair share to support the state budget. Greenwich contributed $2.3 billion, 12% of the state budget, to Hartford in 2010. In return, the state sends back $18 million. The next highest contributing town, Fairfield, sent the state 20% of Greenwich's contribution (2009-10).

Windham's beauty stands up to any New England town. Its Victorian neighborhoods are second to none. It's a picturesque rural town made up of three villages and the city of Willimantic. Enthusiastic citizens and community groups assure continual cultural, artistic and family events such as the Boom Box Parade and Third Thursday. It is served by secondary roads and the New England Central and P&W serve a sparse industrial base. Windham Airport, is underutilized and under-promoted. Two interstate buses stop daily —down from five four years ago. Windham's retail district has lost its prominence over the years to competition on the outskirts of town. Unfortunately, few new stores and fewer shoppers have replaced those lost.

Two towns so different share a common problem — both have failing school districts. After 20 years of deterioration the State Department of Education took over the Windham district in May 2011. An AP story picked up by newspapers across the U.S told of Windham's taxpayer refusal to support its students and repair the highest achievement gap in Connecticut. Windham citizens took the news in stride; they knew it was coming. At the same time, May 2011, Dr. Sidney Freund, Greenwich's superintendent tendered his resignation less than two years into a three-year appointment and eight months after receiving the Superintendent of the Year Award from the Connecticut Parent Teacher Students Association. Greenwich's citizens were flabbergasted.

Future blogs will consider what went wrong. Greenwich, unquestionably a town that has the ability and will to give its students the best education in the state. Greenwich, which spends $4,000 more per student than the average Connecticut school district. Greenwich, which currently is constructing a $29 million theater/music addition to its high school. Greenwich, which in 2006 hired the then State Commissioner of Education to replace the former superintendent who had said, "Enough." We'll look at both Greenwich and Windham schools — the cast of players … the role they play — and determine which comes first — dollars or sense?

Greenwich School Profile: 2009-10

Four Superintendents/eleven years

Town contribution to State support 

Greenwich School Profile: 2009-10

Greenwich NCLB/AYP

Return to Home Page  -  Continue Part 2

What comes first, dollars or sense, Part 1

Greenwich: So much so little, Part 2

Windham's school board, Part 3

Windham's board of finance, Part 4

Windham's town council, Part 5

Windham's students, Part 6

Windham Education: What Went Wrong, Part 7

Conclusion, Part 8

Education: Windham Public Schools Part 2 of 8

Greenwich: So Much, So Little, Part 2

Return to Home page  -  Continue, Part 3

Money alone can't buy a good education.  Greenwich's school district is ranked 46th in the state last year, according to an analysis of test scores by education website Schooldigger.

The fourth superintendent in 11 years resigned in May. Including interim superintendents, Greenwich has seen eight administrators go through the Board of Education's revolving doors in 12 years. The last superintendent’s resignation came after months of political in-fighting and bickering among town administrators and board members, harassing emails, and an inability to move ahead on decisions. "I was starting to feel handcuffed by the board's inability to work as a board. I found myself getting my job done in spite of the board rather than with the board." Said dissident board member Marianna Ponns Cohen,"The superintendent's cover-up is like Watergate. There's no transparency or accountability and some of the things he did were illegal."

Of the state's 167 districts, Greenwich is the highest spender on education, shelling out nearly $18,000 per student to keep class sizes small and be able to offer classes in  Mandarin Chinese and Shakespeare competitions. Windham Schools spend $4,000  less per student, but still more then the average Connecticut school district.

 In 2009, the district launched a three-year improvement plan to boost test scores but failed to meet 44 of 53 achievement targets in its first year of the implementation. Greenwich Schools ranks among the worst districts in the state when it comes to the average gap between the performance of low-income and minority students and their affluent, white peers. “In fact, we're seeing districts with less local resources producing better results," said Jenn Alexander,Director of Research and Policy with education advocacy group ConnCan. Windham's achievement gap is ranked last in Connecticut and is one of the worst in nation.

"Greenwich schools are facing a crisis," said Sue Rogers, a mother of two and president of the Parent Teacher Association Council for Greenwich Public Schools.  "We have no leadership from the board and no stability." Steve Anderson, the board of education's chairman and a supporter of  former superintendent, Dr. Freund, blames the board of education for his departure. "I view this as a board failure absolutely, and that weighs heavily on me," Mr. Anderson said.

Mr. Anderson proposed a formal code of conduct for the town's other board members.  "We have to start at the basics again, re-establish board expectations," Mr. Anderson said. "We as a board and a community need to spell out what the goals are for superintendents and then give him the right amount of space within certain guardrails to let him strive for the goals." A search committee has been formed and it's expected that a new top administrator will be in place within a year with a substantial pay increase from the $230,000 Dr Freund was paid.

Return to Home page  -  Continue, Part 3

What comes first, dollars or sense, Part 1

Greenwich: So much so little, Part 2

Windham's school board, Part 3

Windham's board of finance, Part 4

Windham's town council, Part 5

Windham's students, Part 6

Windham Education: What Went Wrong, Part 7

Conclusion, Part 8