The New School Year

Congratulations to all the kids that are starting school throughout the City of Worcester today!  

It's the beginning of a new school-year, and it's going to be one filled with learning experiences, fun, smiles, tears and greatness.


To all the teachers that have one of the hardest jobs in the world, thank you for being Positive Innovators.  Know that every young lady or man you teach, interact with is one of God's children, just like you, and deserve to be listened to, encouraged, and pushed to be the best person they can be.  


As my mother, who was a public high school teacher for 25-years, used to tell me, "Listen more than you speak.  You have two ears for a reason, and when you're not sure of something, don't be afraid to ask a question."


Here's to a great school year!  

Fine'em Danno!

Schools throughout Massachusetts are about to open within a few weeks, and with that comes the nervousness of getting the right clothes, making sure the right Trapper Keeper is bought (OK, maybe not a Trapper Keeper, but whatever the kids are using these days to keep their paperwork organized), the right shoes/ sneakers, and, of course, the perfect hairstyle or haircut.

The other nervousness, that exists with the parents that are allowing their child to ride the school bus to and from school.  

My nervousness is of a different kind; it's for the kids crossing the streets and drivers too busy on their cellphone, eating, arguing with children in the backseat that don't see the bus's flashing STOP sign.

Too many times have I seen this scenario play out on Main Street, and the many side streets throughout Worcester.

Well, maybe we can borrow a piece of technology from Medford, Quincy, and Seekonk who've outfitted a few school buses with video cameras that records the violaters as they drive by the flashing STOP sign.

In reading this article posted on Boston.com:

Cameras mounted behind the bus’s extended stop-sign arm capture vehicle license plates of any traffic coming from both directions on the street. Video images are then fed to local police for review to assess whether a moving violation took place. If the answer is yes - and if a measure pending on Beacon Hill should become law - a citation would be mailed to the vehicle’s owner.

With the increase of traffic cameras within the City, I'd push for cameras on school buses to be tried, as a pilot, in Worcester.

I, too, think that the number of violations would be enough to make parents, and Worcester Public Schools take note, and advocate for cameras on many, if not all, school buses.

BTS: Back To School

For the thousands of students that are starting school today, the best word of advice that I can offer is, "Don't let your mind hold you back" and "The words can't, won't and don't should be very limited words in your vocabulary."

Growing up with a parent that was a teacher, I always got the "back to school speech", which set the table for the school year and had me confirm what my number one priority was: Education and having fun while learning.  True, it's a simple concept to live by and it certainly worked.

As the kiddies are hitting the streets and the yellow buses, long and short, are making their way around the City today and the County, I want to remind folks to slow down, pay attention, get off the cellphone and if you're late, just chalk it up as you're going to be late because you couldn't get your act together.  Hey, it's a simple concept and good words to live by, right?

Here's to a GREAT school year!

A Lesson Learned

With the start of a new school it does create some anxiety for
parents, guardians, grand parents, etc.

My anxiety is for the kids, but not the typical anxiety that involves
either returning to school or attending a new school. Rather, it's the
anxiety of all the horrible drivers in Worcester being so enamored by
where they're going, that they fail to look out for the kids crossing
the street; sometimes in the crosswalk and most times not.

I do believe that many drivers in Worcester either bought their
license from a corner bodega or got the "hook up" from someone that
they, or their family, knows that works at the RMV.

I can't tell you how many times I've seen folks drive right by a
school bus, that is pulled over, with it's STOP sign extended,
flashing lights on, and it's front grill arm extended and the driver
drives by oblivious to all the warning signs. More times than I can
count on one hand, it's been because the driver is either talking on
their cellphone or talking to passengers and not paying attention to
the road.

(Editor's Note: Thanks to Brendan for pointing out that there is no law in Massachusetts enforcing holding a cellphone while driving or texting while driving. There is a proposal before the House of Representatives, which should pick up steam once again this fall.)

Today in Texas, a law was passed that fines drivers $1,000 for texting
or being on the phone while in a school zone.

Maybe we can encourage our great state to enforce the law and maybe,
just maybe, this may might be a way for Governor Patrick to put a dent
in the state's budget deficit? It's worth a shot!

Back-to-School: What's Hot!

I always enjoying reading stories such as this one when kids tell reporters what is IN these days, when it comes to fashion.

While growing up, I was always one of the best dressed on "free clothes days" (Hey, don't knock my hustle. I attended a parochial school and wore a uniform for 8-years.)

What was once IN when I was in school and college is now back in fashion once again. I knew I should have never left my wife convince me to get rid of my Cross Colours jeans in hues only found in the rainbow!

Be safe out there!

School is back in session so please be safe out there and to the fools driving around doing 55 MPH in a 20 MPH zone, Stop IT!

School is back in session!