I guess it’s time I got back to business. This weeks agenda is a lot of contracts for services and personnel. I see tons of special education services. Unfortunately the only gifted services we are approving are for a private school. But the one that disturbs me the most is the new position added last year. Parent Mentor is the position. My biggest problem with it is the fund used to pay for this position ran a deficit last year. My next problem with it is the fact that is described as a facilitator between parents of special education children and district personnel. This is one of the new positions I commented on last fiscal year that everyone denied being a new position. Why do we need to pay another body to help parents of special needs children fill out paperwork? We are supposed to be saving money not looking for new and improved ways of spending it. Special education eats up our budget while our gifted programs are the first ones threatened when cuts loom.
Also on the agenda is a field trip for Roberts’ 8th graders and board business that comprises appointing a delegate to the Ohio School Board Association annual business meeting with the power to vote and discussion of board expenses. It seems we had a budget of ten thousand dollars for the calendar year 2006 and have already spent it. It seems unbeknownst to the board many dues are paid from this account as well as the recorder used for the meetings. I’m shocked to see that I am in the lead for class attendance. I have attended five seminars and have two more scheduled. Everyone else has none, one or two. Our CEO assures me that he will do his best to find funds for the group to attend the Capital Conference in Columbus mid-November. I guess I should ask for a notation on the agenda when dues for particular organizations and equipment are coming out of the board fund. The latest dues paid out of the board fund was for an organization Taxpayer mentioned. The Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy in the amount of $2487.50. Our CEO was hot on this group and when I questioned him the reasoning seemed sound. But the board was not informed these "dues" were coming from board funds. Live and learn.
The most exciting part of Wednesdays’ meeting will be the board discussing our individual, long and short term goals. Starts at 6PM. This should be interesting with our group of people. Seems a little late but- whatever. At least we are finally doing it.
Lastly I want to mention that one of my above scheduled work shops is a meeting with the gubernatorial candidates Blackwell and Strickland. Any questions you’d like answered? Post them quick because I leave Thursday morning.
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3 comments:
Hi Kellie,
If you are going to get a chance to ask the 'guber guys' a question then try to make it one question with three parts to the question.
Here are some suggestions:
1. With respect to our public schools and public libraries, what is the most important priority?
2. Should our priority be to control costs or to improve the quality of 'training students to solve problems'?
3. If the priority is to control costs then do we do it at the state level or the local level? If the priority is to improve the ability of students to solve problems then do it at the state level or the local level?
When the 'guber guy' answers, watch his non-verbals. If he warms to your question then he may be able to handle the job. If he is stressed by your question then he will be stressed in a leadership role.
Lou Schott lschott@neo.rr.com
Leslie,
When I asked to see the grant I was told it does not exsist and that no grant was written nor granted for this position. That was a false rumor used to justify adding a new position when so many cuts had just happened. However at tonights board meeting, I was convinced this is a valuable position. I also happen to know that this person is highly qualified for this positions' requirements and is very capable. I guess I'll have to look for administrative cuts elsewhere.
Please allow me to respond to the posts by Anon, Firefighter, and Hail Eddie.
My understanding (from reading your posts) is that you feel mistakes were made in the decision making of the past. I also sense that you continue to harbor anger. I am unsure how you feel that others can be useful to you and help you to feel more positive about our shared future.
Please allow me to try and suggest some ways that we (all of us) can work our way into higher quality community.
For example, I am uncomfortable when we suggest that we want 'stable leadership'. The word 'stable' (for me) conjures up images of a person lying in a very stable condition in a casket. Please consider the goal of working toward 'healthy leadership', 'healthy teams', and a 'healthy community'.
Healthy groups 'compare' themselves to other groups. The 'comparison process' looks both inside and outside. It compares the actions of one group to another group. It enables us to function in a more thoughtful mode and defer our emotional mode. It is not about stability. It is about making healthy choices by informing and involving people in new and different ways.
Please see: http://tnl3000.com/_CompareLibrary.aspx
If you think that I can be useful to you, our school, and our community in some manner, please let me know.
Lou Schott 330-923-9328
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