I'm going to do something I don't normally do. I'm going to comment on some comments made on other message boards, community forums, newsletters, grapevine, and such. So much is being said that I am being accused of ignoring that I feel I must respond to some of the things I see and hear. Also to set some facts straight. Such as, the busses will still be parked outside and there are additional costs that need to be considered when making a purchase of this magnitude. I take offense to anyone on the board being called a liar or a puppet. Unless you are willing to back up accusations like this they should be reserved for the gossip that goes on at the beauty shop under the hair dryer. It's hard to know the truth about someone when you've never taken the time to talk with them.
I want what is best for taxpayers and kids. Those are the two things that affect our lives. The spend it because you have it attitude has to change unless you want a levy on the ballot every 2 years. I am not a negative person but I will continue to be contrary and ask questions until I see change taking place. The constant threats to parents, grandparents and children need to stop. I want to see the cuts before coming to the property owner for more money. Cuts that have little to no effect on kids. Like less administrators. Like larger class sizes for gym and music. Like using way less paper and way more technology. Like teaching through computers at home rather than shipping kids all over hells half acre. There are kids we spend over $50,000.00 per year on!! Two years of that would buy a house in the Falls. There are many ways to save money if you try. Just like most of us have to constantly look for ways to save money to get by, our governmental agencies should too. By the way, am I the only one that noticed mental is in the word governmental?
From what I am hearing we are sending kids to college behind their peers. They are not taught how to study, how to manage time, what colleges expect, or told what scholarships and early courses are available. Customer service does not seem to be a priority at our schools. Just who got what and who didn't yet. Meanwhile the teachers are stuck in the middle, forced to follow a curriculum that doesn't always mesh with the students readiness, and don't speak up because the politics of it all will make their life miserable. Whew I'm out of breath after that one.
I have Roberts Rules. Purchased it last November. My son Robert freaked out when he saw it! I assured him his rule book is much thinner, but I didn't deny that it existed. The thing is Roberts Rules are only useful if people want to abide by them. And our system works in such a way that it is almost impossible to garner citizen input on issues because there is no first and second reading on most issues. And anything of importance is handled in executive session until the witching hour. You cannot effectively represent the people that voted for you under the current system unless you are a clairvoyant. But, on the other hand, an administration can do virtually anything they want with your money as long as it has a willing board.
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1. Yes, these students need special services. That was the whole point of the blog. These special services cost money. Rather than sending busses to pick up one or two children, look for cheaper ways. Like maybe a van. If you’re going to let students learn for three and a half hrs on the computer, let them do it at home and save us the cost of the teacher. We have a school psychologist yet we send kids to outside psychologists? Bureaucrats will eat up every penny and then some if you let them. Special education is a money making enterprise I assure you. I am adamant that there is much waste in this area. Don’t even get me started on the taxi cabs and private vehicle wages we pay.
2. I’m saying most students. I know they are told to study. “study pages 8 and 9 tonight class”. What I’m talking about is how to study. How to research. But most importantly how to organize and utilize their time and what to expect at college, as well as what college will expect of them. And what about the many many kids who do not have the parental involvement? They didn’t get to pick caring parents but too bad for them? Let them fend for themselves? I’m not talking about our kids not being mature enough for college, I’m talking about our kids not being prepared enough. I’m talking about young men and women who have to take remedial non credit courses just to get up to speed with their peers. They don’t have to take them because of distractions. They take them because they could not pass tests required for freshman courses.
And I did NOT say we send them without some basic skills as Barry stated. Please refrain from quoting me if you can’t do it accurately.
3.Umm, I thought our school counselors were supposed to guide these kids. There are many programs available for our kids but only a privileged few know about them. And most kids don’t hear announcements I’m told because the classes are not under control during announcements. Our own high school office told one of my constituents that a summer honors program at Kent State has “nothing to do with education or the high school”. People tell me that the “do gooders” receive the guidance and scholarships and the throw away child is thrown away by our district like they are by their parents. There is a lot more that I’ve heard but I will develop carpal tunnel if I attempt to type everything everyone thinks is wrong with our district. With three minutes between classes, I have to wonder how often anyone stops to read the bulletin board.
We need to educate ALL high schoolers on what to do when to do it and how to do it. Not pretend that everyone has loving competent parents that actually give a hoot. They all deserve a chance to achieve in life regardless of the home situation. Sticking a kid in photography class because there is room rather than a class geared toward a profession or vocation the child is interested in is ludicrous. EVERYONE should have an IEP (individual education plan) because everyone is an individual.
4.Far fewer? I think that statement could use revision. First of all let me say this. When you are comparing one dysfunctional district against other dysfunctional districts, they will all appear OK. But when you compare our “management” vs “staff” against a business model of the same proportions, you will find us way over in the management ie: administrator department. And ponder this- over the years we have went from a teacher/admin ratio of 40:1 to the current 9:1. And since you appear to be the statistic meister, why don’t you look into a percentage increase in administrative costs over the last 5, 10 and 15 years. And you could be wrong about many of our gym and art class sizes. Some are bigger and some are not. Wouldn’t grade specific buildings solve that problem?
You will never have accurate information if you don’t start looking outside the information being fed to you. Have you compared our district with any others outside Ohio?
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