Anyone Seen My Wallet?
Just finished watching the 5/8 school board meeting. Do they ever talk about teaching kids at School Board meetings? Representatives George Winchell (Atkinson) and Kenneth Weyler (Kingston) discuss teacher pensions and state aid to schools. Both (the programs not the representatives) are going to cost us dearly. The worst school in the SAU is excused from completing the legally required 180 days while the middle and high school are deemed to be ‘in need of improvement’ by the state. Foot-in-the-door warrants eat away at the operating budget as kindergarten tax impact is felt in the first year and $144,444 proves insufficient to upgrade the Special Ed Space. Mr. La Salle offers no explanation and no action as members of the School Board express concern that SAU is moving forward with BS implementation without their approval.
Public employee pensions are only funded at 60% (vs 90% for nonpublic entities). Employees and employers (that’s us) are being asked to ‘help’ bring the fund up to 86%. Apparently, the root cause of the problem is management. The pension fund has made bad decisions and lost a lot of money. It was determined that the cause of these bad decisions was votes cast by the board members who were retired teachers, fire fighters, and police officers – they outnumber the financial professionals and have been able to overrule the professionals on investment decisions. Solution? Fire the inept board members? No. Add additional financial professionals so that the votes of the retired teachers, fire fighters, and police officers do not impact the decision making process. Oh, and we are funding lawyers for both sides.
Looks like we dodged a bullet on school funding as a 15% cap will limit the amount cities will be able to capture. This is designed to limit outrage until after a constitutional ammendment codifies this subsidy of urban schools. The only part of state aid we’ll see is the bill for it.
The SAU hopes to improve drop out rates by offering pre-dropout GED program. How about we teach the kids instead? The middle school and high school continue to be SINI (schools in need of improvement). The worst school in the district (Pollard) gets a waiver on the 180 day requirement — teachers get to ‘flex’ in for their stipend. Anyone think the Pollard kids could have used all 180 days of teaching? Teach 180 days, Mr. La Salle.
More K-Kosts. An update on cost overruns of ‘free’ kindergarten and more concerns about this year’s tight budget (guess why). Using funds allocated for equipment to cover overruns — will we be asked to fund the same equipment purchases a second time? You bet!
BS outrage? School Board members express concern that SAU is ready to ask for funding when it was only authorized to do research. Mr. La Salle does not explain the SAU position and actions and does not offer to reign in BS supporters. I’ve re-listened to the motion approved by the School Board and while it’s not clear from the motion itself what was authorized, it’s CRYSTAL clear from Mr. La Salle’s words, Mr. Woodworth’s words, and the words of the board members what was asked for and, by association, what the School Board authorized. Listen for yourself. I’ve linked the motion alone below the BS presentation and tacked it onto the end of the BS clip here. For the record, the SB meeting minutes captured the motion as…
Motion: Arlene Champey made a motion, seconded by Elizabeth Kosta
Voted: To approve continued research of block scheduling.
Passed: Unanimous
SAU wants to fund warrant approved construction in part with budget dollars. This is probably OK, but it doesn’t feel right. Kind of like ‘no tax impact’ kindergarten — ask for $144k because people will approve then spend whatever it takes and get the money by cutting corners on approved expenditures, you know, like…text books.
Our Reps on Pensions and State Aid: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download GED, SINI, and another nonteaching day: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download K-Kosts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download There *IS* No Committee (BS update/motion): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download 5/08 School Board Meeting (complete): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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Concerned parent of two children in the TRSD school system who pays taxes and is not employed by -- or contracted to -- the town or the SAU...one of the Rest of Us
July 5th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Thanks for posting this — better late than never, right? I’m glad you broke out the BS segment because I would not have made it to the end. Three hours is beyond my attention span.
I watched it a couple times (hard to hear the guy who raised the issue). It wasn’t on the agenda, I’m guessing, so I’m surprised that so many people spoke up. I’m just as surprised that the superintendent of the SAU was not part of the discussion. No one directed questions to La Salle or asked him to explain. He just sits there not acknowledging the speakers or the topic. It was kind of like they were making speeches.
It was also strange that no one had any idea what was motioned. If I were as affected as these people appeared to be, I think I would have reviewed the minutes. I probably would have asked the video people for a copy of the video.
At the end no one asked La Salle to convene a committee or control Woodworth.
Was that the last meeting for the summer? Is it possible these people were simply posturing?
BTW, that’s *my*
July 5th, 2008 at 9:52 am
there was at least one more meeting. i’ll post it when i get it. i don’t know about posturing, but it certainly was strange that mr. la salle was not part of that discussion.
All I know about the last meeting was what was posted by trhsparent here…
http://timberlaneschools.forumsland.com/timberlaneschools-about2-0-asc-45.html
From that, it sounds like the SAU is moving forward with or without the support of parents and the school board.