@Molly. How are those new additional HS ENGLISH and SOCIAL STUDIES positions mandated SPED positions?
MANY (not some) people in Westford are doing EXTREMELY WELL (not ok). Why dont you drive over, not to the golf course, but to WA and compare the student cars with the faculty cars and see if you can tell much difference. I understand many are just getting by but many are buying their 16 year old new cars and taking ski and resort trips during breaks.

@Molly. I have to take issue with your blame of our budget woes on the SPED department. First of all, the SPED budget is approx 12% of the total where surrounding towns spend 15-25%. Second, half the class is not on an IEP. We'd make national news if that was true. Third, since you have never had to fight to get your child an IEP, you don't know how difficult it is. Finally, you should have a bit of compassion for those children born with physcial/developmental/social/emotional needs and the families which struggle with this on a daily basis rather than take cheap shots at them. We want all children to be independent and productive in society, don't we?

@Bettilou, I was not taking any jabs at the sped ed. I KNOW there is alot of wasted spending there. I am very thankful I have not had to deal with this and know many have. I am very compassionate towards this and all the more reason I would like to see the children who REALLY need it receive it... I KNOW for a fact that many parents threaten lawsuits and this puts the school in fear and there you go a child that may just need a little extra help now taking away from someone who REALLY needs it.
@Fugazzi I didn't say they were all sped mandated a said mostly. As for seeing cars that these kids drive?? Are you for real??? I am starting to think this is not just about the STEPS that were promised but teachers that are very JEALOUS of their students!!!! Talking about their vacations and cars they drive is just down right sick!!! You have no idea how these people pay for this or their circumstances. We do not have to explain to you our life. Teachers are their to TEACH! You don't want to TEACH QUIT and get another JOB!!!!! I had no idea you sit in these classrooms and think such judgmental thoughts about your students!!!!
@WPS Elementary, Sorry to hear you had to go to an EXPENSIVE out of state school when their are so many wonderful in-state colleges... I am getting ready to pay for my daughter to go to school, I do not feel like paying for YOU to go to school to. I have enough kids to send to college!!!

Well Said!

You have a rather sad tale but you seem to have been given incorrect information by your union. There is no contract in existence, any terms and conditions of the previous contract that are carried over are really up to the school committee.
BTW You must have attended a pretty fancy school to wind up with $100,000 in student loans.
I suggest that you shop at Market Basket and note the 70+ year olds that are bagging groceries to make ends meet. Many of them have college degrees.

Great comment!

@jessejames. Fancy school? Check out what the average private school tuition is. You can get to 100k in debt quickly over 4 years.

Dave L and Randy. It appears that when individuals choose a career path the cost of achieving their goals is not taken into account. You are totally correct, poor quality private schools can command costs greater than $30,000/year. Try UMass Amherst to get better value for your dollar like $ 10,000 to $15,000/year or even less if you graduate in the top 10% of your class.

Is there a law mandating steps? Must be a new one.
Sorry to hear about your situation, we all make choices and have to live with the consequences. Maybe you should consider another career with more money, one that rewards performance instead of breathing and degree collection.
I do want to hear your opinion on how increases should be funded:
-Fire some school staff?
-Fire some other town workers?
-Consolidate the schools into fewer buildings and sell off one?
-Raise taxes somehow?

Put another way, who do you want to pay for your increases?

First I appreciate the job you do.

"required by precedent and law" is a stretch to say the least, this time there ain't no dough! Did you enjoy the FSF party of the past few years? Do you know who is now on the hook to pay that back? and what the numbers balloon into (with interest)?

I for one am very tired of the childish behavior coming from the teachers (before this "vote" I would have said the union). The picture that goes along with this story/letter makes me wonder how "neutral" this site is.

It was already in the budget for the fiscal year!!!!!!!!

Hey Joe H. -- I'm neutral in this issue, but I just wanted to point out here that I believe Superintendent Olsen has stated most of the new positions are ones that are currently in place and were initially funded by state and federal funding that will no longer be in place for Fiscal Year 2013.

Thanks Jesse,

And I apologize if it seemed that I was advocating for either side there. Just wanted to note that Olsen noted things like the Ed Jobs funding several times during School Committee meetings, and that was included in several of my stories -- figured that would help readers that hadn't seen earlier articles on the topic.

Gordon- Please identify the funding source for your positions. Westford does not have the resources to pay at the level that Concord, Weston, Dover, Boston, Cambridge pay their teachers. Please note that the Boston and Cambridge schools are heavily subsidized by the state aka as the incomes taxes and sales taxes collected throughout the commonwealth.
Don't worry about the negative impact on our schools. Consider the economic impact of the reduction in military-industrial complexes caused by reduced federal funding over the next 10 years.

@Gordon no town will ever be able to properly fund their education because it will never be enough for a teacher!! So the brakes have to be put on NOW!! We are already paying through the nose for the teachers!!! Sport fees, bus fees, activity fees, parking fees!!! Enough already! As for the RISING drug problem, drugs have always been a problem in High Schools. The only rise is parents today dont want to discipline their kids over it.. When we were kids the parents would of killed you if you got caught drugs, drinking etc. Nowadays the parents DO KNOW and dont really care the same. They think they are just going to outgrow it like they did. Well it is a pretty big gamble they are taking!!!! The drugs are alot stronger today and more easily accesible and cheaper with bigger consequences. I feel bad the school is the only one that people feel have to take responsibility.

You may take offense about saving jobs but it is the truth. The $12 million+ Westford received for FY10 to FY12 from Federal Stimulus Funding program was the source for the job savings. I will dig thru my files and send the info to Mr. Sylvia and he can do a story of where the money was spent. The problem that Westford faces is that the GOP turned off the stimulus spigot. The GOPs are concerned about the massive budget deficits (Over 4 trillion dollars in the last 3 years) and the ever increasing national debt which is North of $15.5 trillion. Over 40% of the yearly federal budget is borrowed money. Over 50% of the tax filers paid $0 in federal income taxes. Corporations are keeping their overseas profits overseas so they will not be taxed.

So, should the school department fire the teachers who occupy the new positions that you mention? Maybe that is the solution.
Oh, wait, it isn't! I believe that if the teacher's union gets a better deal than all the other unions in town have agreed to already, the town has to open up negotiations with those other unions. Again, how do you suggest your step increases are paid for?

So it was an in-state college for you. Maybe Vermont will pay you a better teacher salary there. Again, How dare you teachers compare yourself to the students and their choices in life. Just sick to me!!! Seems very JEALOUS! These are parents right and if they can pay for it go for it, if they want to go into debt for it go for it. But do not think I am paying for someone else's bad choices!!!!!!!!

I just wanted to say I support you. I believe teachers are underpaid for the work they do, and I don't think the town is treating you fairly. I personally would vote for a prop 2 1/2 override so we could properly fund our educational system, as well as other town services.

If the quality of your spelling and grammar is an indication of the edukashun our teachers are delivering, they don't deserve a job much less a raise! Student, such things matter. I get many applications anytime I want to hire someone, and the first to get tossed are the ones with spelling and grammar such as yours. Buckle down and larn yar lettarz!

Please don't bash the innocent student. good for him/her for stepping up and being heard. Correct me if im wrong but I'm pretty sure points can be made on this site regardless of grammar. Let's leave that to the editor. This isn't a spelling bee.

WA Student well said... If you read the thread above the teachers are quite JEALOUS of you kids..... I dont think they are taking it out on you because the STEPS anymore. I think they think everyone in this town is rich and they just want something they think someone else has.....they call that ENTITLEMENT!!!

Well put, WA student. There are teachers who teach in the same boring, uneventful way over and over again. But then, there are the teachers who care and put thought and pride into their work. My 3 kids have had both types. I don't think anyone here is really 'bashing' teachers, it's just that SOME people DO make $40,000/year in the private sector and oh, btw, we work 8-10 hours/day with only two weeks vacation in a year. I only wish I had chosen to be a teacher, how I would LOVE to make the same pay, and have 12 weeks off every year. You're right, if they don't like what they chose - quit. There's plenty more teachers looking for jobs.

Well said!

Rob Casingineo and WEA IMHO The last thing you want to occur is that some union lackey judge rules in favor of the "PAST PRACTICE" claim of the WEA. Town meeting controls the purse strings and Prop 2 1/2 allows the registered voters in Westford to decide the level of taxation. Democracy at its best.
The WEA winning their suit will lead to "literally speaking" blood running in the streets. I can envisioned 200 to 300 municipal employees becoming unemployed.

I seem to remember this was one of the concerns when the stimulus funding was being debated, and when one or two states tried to say "no thanks" to the federal government. The worry was that states would use all that money to fund things they cared about and then in a couple years' time, the money goes away and the state is left with the decision to keep funding a program....or teachers, firefighters, police, curbside pickup, etc......or cancel them and lose the associated jobs. I wonder how many states said "Gosh, we better start planning for what to do in 2 or 3 years when this money goes away. Let's open a dialogue and come up with options for our leadership before the spigott dries up." Not too many, I'm guessing.

Anyway, the chickens have come home to roost, and the town needs to decide what its priorities are and fund accordingly. If steps and salary increases need to be funded, then make the tough call and eliminate positions, raise taxes, or cancel other programs.

There's no point in bashing the teachers, who have a hard enough job as it is. What does it accomplish but make them feel even less valued than they already do, and than the town keeps showing them?

Sounds like good stuff to cut. I would also suggest cutting the teaching staff to reach the target teacher student ratio goals. But, since giving the teachers union anything better than what the other unions got opens the door to more expense, I wonder if those cuts are enough.

Let's cut the football program.

Yes ... and watch your property values crash as the families that moved here because fo the school system leave. You seriously want to kill the sports programs which teach young adults valuable lessons in leadership, teamwork and hardwork? Shortsighted.

No, the school system would be strengthened by the happy, hardworking teachers that were paid with funds diverted from the football program. Seems to me that the families that moved here for the school system would cheer!

Cut the sport, theater, and all extra activities that are big money makers for the school system. That is a very bright suggestion. As for the administration that are making puffy salaries, sure but not to just give to the teachers but to help make this town a llittle more financially sound.

@Westford guy why just football???

Also Westford Guy, the football program is incredibly funded as well by a private fundraising group of parents that help to supplement for the things the football program has needed that the program has not been able to afford.... Get your facts Jack!

Eleanor: Please note that the fees,that the athletic programs bring in, are restricted by state law for use in support of the programs. When I was on the Westford School Committee there were no athletic fees or bus fees or activity fees, etc. The attitude was that all extracurricular programs and busing was paid from the school budget that was funded by the taxpayers.

Unlike most people, I own my house free and clear. I need a place to sleep and keep warm so my present shack will do regardless of its value on the real estate market place. JD, your statements do reveal an ingrained economic naivete about credit card type of living. Charge to the limit and be concerned only with the minimum monthly payment. Credit card mentality of Westford town officials is the type of behavior that has depleted the fiscal resources of Westford. IMHO I do not believe that Westford will be able to give steps or COLAs for the next 3 to 5 years assuming that people who retire or resign are not replaced or replaced at a much lower salary and benefits. BTW I am assuming (dangerous word) that QE1, QE2 and QExs will not cause a spike in the core inflation.

JD Addendum Any perceived loss in the quality of the Westford schools will be made up by the influx of Asian families who will increase the performance of WA in SATs and AP tests and clinch #1 standing for Westford in MCAS testing. Check the MCAS results of 2000 and % of Asian population vs 2010 and % of Asian population. Furthermore, the Asian students had over 40%+ rated in the Advanced category vs 20% rated Advanced for the Caucasian students.

Lowell is heavily populated with Cambodian farmers who had little education when they arrived in the US in 1975. I and others helped in the resettlement of the Boat People, (Actually the Cambodians were refugees from the Killing Fields). If you make the same analysis on the Lowell MCAS and SATs, you will find that the Cambodian refugees outperform the Caucasian students, The Westford Asian students are primarily of Indian, Chinese and Pakistani ethnic groups. Their families usually have technical degrees but are not driving around in Bentleys and high end Mercedes.
BTW The University of California at Berkeley has imposed a cap on the ethnic composition of freshman engineering students that limits the % of Asian students to 50%. This has resulted in at least one law suit on racial discrimination grounds.

Mr. Pastore, you must equate PC delusional behavior with thoughtful, intelligent and logical conversation. If Ignorance is bliss, you must be a very happy individual Mr. Pastore. I realize that the PC society does not allow the discussion of ethnic background as the basis for a particular ability. Check the results of the PISA tests. The Chinese, South Koreans, Taiwanese, Hong Kong, Singapore easily outscore the good old USA, UK, France, etc.
LeBron James et al are just figments of our imaginations or is it that the "White Men Can't Jump Syndrome" a real condition.
Best learn to speak Mandarin so you can get a job serving the Chinese upper class. I estimate 10 years before the PRC owns over 50% of the federal debt ~ 12 trillion dollars.

Jesse, what does LeBron James and a movie from the 1990s have to do with this update? You're losing me here.

WA student I suggest that you bring the following phrase from the 1937 constitution of the Soviet Union "To each according to their needs from each according to their abilities and he who does not work shall not eat." I appears that the Soviet Communist did not allow for free rides. The Peoples Republic of China has transformed its economy from a communistic central planning model to a very efficient capitalistic system. All those jobs that disappeared from the electronic assembly plants in the US resurfaced in China.
When Steve Jobs was asked by President Obama when Apple computer was planning to bring some of the Apple 470,000contracted jobs in China back to the United States. Steve Jobs replied "Those jobs are not coming back."

I do suggest that you learn Mandarin.

Andrew. I must assume that you never heard of Jimmy the Greek. If you watch an NBA game or even a March Madness contest, you will notice that Afro-American players tend to be the better players. Thus different ethnic groups may excel in a particular endeavor that can be associated with that ethnic group. The fact that an ethnic group excels in a given endeavor, under our constitutional republic all ethnic groups are equal under law.
BTW I am puzzled on your statement about limit of discourse. I was under the obviously mistaken impression that freedom of speech and ideas would be something that Westford Patch community would support.

Well Willie- I guess when teachers have movies made about them like LouAnne Johnson (played by Michelle Phieffer) you can afford to be underpaid because you are receiving royalties. LouAnne has written many books which she also has been paid for.

Look at that there is another teacher who needed a second job to get by. People who have absolutely no idea of what it is like to teach should spend sometime in a teacher's shoes. You will probably have a different view of things then.

An old saying goes like this "They who cannot succeed in life teach." WA students' statement seems to send a message that maybe the Westford school administration and school committee should investigate WA students' statements and eliminate those teaching professionals that obviously are lost in history. Please note that the former communist countries have adopted capitalism as their mantra. Even the 1937 Constitution of the Soviet Union had the following expectations.
"To each according to their needs from each according to their abilities and he who does not work will not eat."