I guess I don’t harp on this enough, but Dan Morrell at the Lowell Sun had a great article pointing out the issue this week.

Too many times, kids in a tough situation spiral down too quickly to the point where they have no chance to get out of the pit they’ve dug for themselves.

Often, from broken or dysfunctional homes, a kid will act up in school, or give up on him/herself, and end up a discipline problem at school, then a behavior problem in the community, and soon involved with the police and/or courts.

Given supports, such as the programs run by the Eliot Center in Lowell, UTEC, and the many other social service agencies, some of them do make it.

(more…)

The State Department of Education released the Dropout rate for the 2004-2005 school year today.

Overall, the average rate for the state was 3.8%, meaning 11,145 kids dropped out in that year and did not show up in another school system by Oct 1 of the next year.

Dracut did its share for that year. With 48 students dropping out, we had a rate of 4.2% for that year.

This rate is down a little from the rate of the year before, but the fact is we are still twice (thats 200%) the rate of school districts located in towns.

The average dropout rate for towns was 2%, as compared to cities having a rate of 6.1%.

Other indicators are just as disturbing.

In that year we had 247 out-of-school suspensions, and 364 in-school suspensions.

Update: Lowell Sun reports on this.. 

(more…)

Been busy for the last week… Had to get a few things done.

Thanksgiving was good, had visits from many of the prior kids, family, friends and went out to visit relatives of one of the current kids.

Holidays are a busy time when your in the business of foster care. Its an emotional roller coaster for all concerned, but we survived another one.

I also got the time to gut my computer. The power supply needed some repairs, which took me a day to take apart and then put back together. On a happier note, while picking up parts at CompUSA I also picked up a huge external hard drive for under a hundred. I do have a problem with impulse buying.

I was able to move about 60 gig of recorded video and audio (Scholarship Foundation telethons, WCAP clips, etc) off of my main drives. Things run much better now.

Then, Sunday morning we heard about Ronnie.

(more…)

By DENNIS SHAUGHNESSEY, Sun Staff Lowell Sun

DRACUT — Neighbors in a small cluster of condominiums tucked neatly behind Dracut High School on Frederick Street have coexisted peacefully for years, but now there are differences.

Residents in the tiny Oak Knoll community are complaining that their condo association and its five-member Board of Managers have imposed rules that carry an “anti-kid” message.

No games may be played involving the use of balls, sticks or items being tossed around the parking lot; games can be played on the grassy areas only. The tennis and basketball courts can only be used for tennis and basketball and only between the hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., and an adult must accompany all children under the age of 16.

“It’s getting to the point where they’re trying to make this an over-55 complex and there are people with children who are living here,” said Justine McCartin. “That’s why we started this petition.”

(more…)

The Dracut Recreation Commission

is seeking a

7 Member Skateboard Park Subcommittee

Lori Cahill – Recreation Director

11 Springpark Ave, Dracut MA 01826

978-458-4478

Teenagers are not simple. They are not all the same. Each one is going through different stages of growth. You can uderstand, emphathise, sympathize.. but ultimately all you can do is guide them through it while maintaining your own standards and values.The following is a list of methods, rules and ideas that I and others have brought together for raising a teen.

Any other ideas? any comments? respond below…

1. Say “no” when you mean “no”
Its not “we’ll see” or “maybe, if your good.” or “ask your mother” Kids respect the fact that you make decisions.

2. Be consistent
Giving in “just this one time” is a path to the dark side you cannot escape
(more…)

A friend from Lowell has been watching the website with a focus on the Skate Park issue.

Seems that he lives over in Lowell off of Middlesex Street near the Hadley Field Skate Park (over near the Roark Bridge).

He was at the corner of Baldwin Street and Middlesex next to the park on his way home (about 11:30PM on Saturday the 6th) when he saw the activities going on over that the park.

Seems the kids there were a little cold, so they set themselves up with a small fire for warmth.

(more…)

 

 Hadley Field Skate Park Evening Events [1:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

By DENNIS SHAUGHNESSEY, Sun Staff

DRACUT — The heavy Master padlock on the gate of the 10-foot chain-link fence tells the story.

The Dracut Skate Park is closed. The park, which was a year in the planning and opened on Aug. 4, officially closed yesterday, two months to the day after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“I think they overreacted,” said 17-year-old Dracut resident John McGown. “Everybody loved this place. It’s pointless. I can’t believe they closed it. Two months. That has to be some kind of record for skate parks.”

The dozen or so kids who showed up to the park yesterday afternoon, only to be turned away by the locked gate, all had similar reactions.

“I hung out here all summer with my friends and watched them skate,” said 16-year-old Stephanie Mello of Dracut. “There wasn’t really anything that bad going on. Just a few jerks. It made absolutely no sense to close this park. They didn’t even give us a chance.”

Update: See Globe Article by Stephanie Coyne as well

(more…)