OPINION/LETTERS: What's happening to music at Middletown High School?

Patience will provide answers on regionalized school district

As a member of the Regionalization Steering Committee, I urge the Middletown and Newport voters to support school regionalization in November. This legislation is about improving educational opportunities for all our students.

Why is there so much attention on the money? Answer: Approving this legislation will be less costly for our taxpayers, most of whom no longer have children in the schools; we need to assure them there are benefits in the high rate of state reimbursement and in limiting future tax burdens.

We are committed to complete transparency – the costs, the savings, and the anticipated results. Please visit https://www.middletown-newport.us/ so you can understand the financial implications.

This letter is also intended to address the educational issues many feel are not getting deserved attention. Nevertheless, every one of us engaged in this effort is focused primarily on educational improvement for our students. To make those improvements, you – the voter – must approve the legislation in November.

It is natural to ask us to identify those improvements so you can evaluate and assess their value. Unfortunately, only a Regional School Committee – to be elected in November 2023 – can make those decisions and implement them. You are right to want us to identify the goals and share them so you can understand this train is heading in the right direction.

Where are we going? We can only tell you our long-range goals will generate as much discussion as the finances are doing now. We cannot make promises because the Regional School Committee – who will make the decisions - is not in place. But we can provide you with a sense of direction.

Although we will be two communities bound only by a common school administration and budget, our goal is to merge our programs so all students have the same opportunities.

Some may remember when all the island students attended RHS and experienced the same educational opportunities. Many believe we missed the boat in the previous attempts to unify, and this new regionalization initiative ignores the most important need. We understand and appreciate your concerns. But that was then. This is now.

We need to open the door of regionalization before building a unified program. Following November approval of regionalization, serious discussions and recommendations to the Regional School Committee can begin. That Committee’s action will result in implementation in 2024.

Please be patient. We care as much about the kids as you do. But there is a path we have to follow, and we need your help. Please put aside previous disappointments and work with us to begin the journey. The quality of our children’s education – and the future of our community – depends on you.

Barbara A. VonVillas, Middletown Town Council

What's happening to music at Middletown High School?

I’ve been a resident of Middletown for 54 years and my three children attended Middletown Schools. It is with great concern that I am writing this letter.

It has come to my attention that the full-time Music Position at Middletown High School is not being filled. To my knowledge Jennifer Vaillancourt informed the administration on Feb. 1, 2022, of her plans to retire at the end of the past school year. Imagine my surprise that the music position at Middletown High School was posted on Aug. 24, 2022, and NOT a full-time position but a .2 position. This is outrageous and unacceptable.

As a music educator, the former supervisor of fine arts for the Portsmouth school system, and a music teacher supervisor for URI, it is my opinion that a full-time music educator is essential for the continuation of the excellent programs that Ms. Vaillancourt has developed and maintained during her tenure at Middletown High School. The full-time music educator at MHS has had an Advisory Group, Piano I, Piano II, Chorus, and Vocal Ensemble. A full-time music educator is important not only to teach these music classes, but also, to provide a “safe haven” for those students who need a place to go and a teacher to confide in. Especially, with the issues involved with COVID-19, students need social & emotional support. With the availability of music programs and their educators, social & emotional support can be accessible to our students. This availability isn’t possible with a .2 educator; a teacher who shows up, teaches one class period, and then leaves the building.

It is also my experience that just because music educators are “certified” Pre K-12th grades, it is essential to place music educators in positions of their area of music expertise in order to make optimum use of their skills for our students.

It is also my understanding that at the Town Council meeting on July 5, 2022, a motion was made and approved to allocate $200,000 for the athletic and the arts programs. It is also my understanding that the Town Council increased the School budget by 4% and that the monies for COVID-19 relief would help cover any deficits. Therefore, money should not be the issue here.

Please reconsider and restore the full-time music position at Middletown High School. I would more than glad to serve on a search and/or interview committee.

Susan Woythaler, Middletown

Ujifusa is the best choice for District 11

I urge District 11 voters to support Linda Ujifusa by voting her to the state Senate. Linda has a track record in town government having served six years on the Portsmouth Town Council (including four years as vice chair) and with previous stints on the Open Space Committee, town committees and boards. During this time Linda has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of regular Portsmouth residents. If we send her to the Statehouse she will do the same for everyone in District 11.

Voting for Linda Ujifusa is voting for a better district and state.

Ben Furriel, Portsmouth

Ujifusa's record speaks for itself

I am writing to express my support for Linda Ujifusa for District 11 state Senator. Her track record speaks for itself. We need her to continue her good work on public education, road safety, local environmental issues, and public recreation space. I believe she is the best candidate to represent Portsmouth and Bristol.

Katherine Gagliano, Portsmouth

Why I support Ujifusa in senate race

As a Portsmouth resident, I would like to wholeheartedly endorse Linda Ujifusa in the primary for the District 11 (Bristol, Portsmouth, and Tiverton) State Senate seat vacated by the Honorable James Seveney. I always stay out of the political realm as in my profession I know that mental illness and substance use crosses all walks of life, political and ideological lines. There are enough barriers to cross when someone is in need of help. That said this is an exception. I know Linda personally and she has demonstrated experience as a long-time Portsmouth Town Council member. She is an extremely competent, intelligent, person dedicated to public service and the betterment of our community. She has been a champion for improving the health and well-being of all Rhode Islanders including children and adults with emotional and behavioral health needs. I strongly encourage you to vote for Linda in the State primary between now and Sept.13.

Jamie Lehane, Portsmouth

A successful session on Smith Hill

As we wrap up another beautiful summer in Newport, I reflect on the accomplishments of this session in the Rhode Island legislature. I am proud of all that was accomplished on behalf of my constituents, but I am especially excited about what was done for my senior neighbors.

To start, I was happy to support a legislative grant to the Edward King House for its continued service to Newport’s older citizens under the terrific leadership of Carmela Geer. The 2023 budget, signed into law in June, provides a robust increase in services and resources for older Rhode Islanders. Such benefits include increasing funding for senior centers, improving the quality of healthcare in nursing homes and community-based services, ensuring that Meals on Wheels can continue to serve healthy and culturally appropriate meals to participants, making military pensions exempt from state income tax, increasing the amount of regular pension income exempt from income tax from $15k to $20k, and increasing the “circuit breaker” tax credit for qualifying elderly and disabled residents. These are huge accomplishments for improving the lives of older citizens.

On the housing front, the legislature increased access and utilization of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), providing opportunities for age-friendly living options; as well as doubling the funding for the Livable Homes Modification Program to support home modifications and accessibility enhancements to allow individuals to remain in community settings. We also passed the Let RI Vote Act, which makes voting easier for all.

Even with these great advancements, there is still much more to do. In the 2023 session, I will work to pass my legislation elevating the Office of Healthy Aging to full department status, which would consolidate and expand senior resources – and other policies to increase minimum wage for aging workers, help with rising housing costs and inflation, and address the healthcare workforce crisis that is endangering the health and wellbeing of our neighbors. I am optimistic about the future for our older Newport residents and will keep fighting for them at the Statehouse.

Lauren Carson, Newport

Hoping for a better future for Block Island

I have enjoyed cruising to Block Island from Newport on various boats since 1976, so I am disappointed to hear that the traffic control and rowdy-crowd problems seem to be getting serious on the island this summer.

I have fond memories of the island’s local culture – memories like when the proprietor of a bike rental shop kindly lent me his tools to fix the outboard on my dinghy, when a local fellow offered to transport my punctured inflatable boat from New Shoreham to New Harbor in his pickup, and when the owner of a rooming house let us use his washer and dryer to do our laundry when we were on a long cruise. And how about the fellow who gave my two young daughters a personal tour of his little private zoo on the island.

So I hope that Block Island can recover quickly from its current troubles because we would certainly miss visiting there.

David Sharp, Newport

This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: What's happening to music at Middletown High School?: LETTERS: