"AMERICAN PIE" don mclean
"Drove My Chevy to the Levy but..."
Attended Monday night Board of Education Meeting. Myself and 25 other people were in attendance.
Mr Bull made a presentation on the schools' progress concerning the "Race to the Top" funding.
Transforming Curriculum, using data to improve performance, great teachers, great schools. Now who could be against that?
Local government loves to use acronyms. The new one I learned tonight? IIS
'Instruction Improvement Systems".
Learned that 19 to 25 teachers are on the chopping block, along with a host of programs.
Heard of cuts here... there... and everywhere... except in the Administration? Why?
This evening I received a call from a parent regarding receipt of a call from a school Principal asking if she supported the levy. (Of course you're going to say "yes" why give them something to be upset about with little Johnny?)
'Can we count on you to put up a yard sign?' She also noticed voter registration sign-up stations at the school. One in English, Uno in Spanish. [A reminder: all Puerto Ricans are American citizens and can vote in their legal language.] I thought about signing up as a Challenger, at a local voting site, but why bother... they can mail ballots in now.
The system still has not heard from the state about funding cuts, who is responsible down at the district office for handling their PR? Why is the only mention of all this coming from this site? Don't want too many to know perhaps?
Talked about cutting kindergarden back to half a day. Wonder if parents that wanted to could pay tuition for the other half?
On a humorous note whoever does the agenda paperwork must have a sense of humor.
10.15 Resolution #11057 to approve an overnight field trip for Harvey High School students participating in the Science Olympiad.
10.16 Resolution #11-058 to autoorize the implementation of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention at Harvey High School.
Maybe you just had to be there?
posted by terminator1 @ 5:20 PM
55 Comments
55 Comments:
I certainly hope they don't cut kindergarten to half a day. It's just not practical now with most of the mothers working, and who would have the money to pay for tuition? Most young couples are struggling. I'm too old to have kids in school now, and I actually don't like the idea of all-day kindergarten because I think the kids are too young, but like I said, it's just not practical not to have all day now with most of the mothers working, too.
I think 1/2 day kindergarden is an excellent choice.. Painesvillle Twn. has it so it must be good! and Mentor has 50% grading policy too!!
It does seem odd that there hasn't been any press release about a 6.5 levy in the paper, even on the school web site?
When your asking for almost a million and a half dollars someone should mention it.
Chardon, Euclid, even Cardinal were front page news items.
Maybe the first place to cut in the administration is that PR position.
Thank-you for the warning I will inform my neighbors to check this site out to atleast find out what's going on around here.
So am I to understand they want to increase my yearly tax bill buy $237.00 without explaining what will stay and what will be cut out? Dreamers all of them.
Why not just turn the schools over to the state? If I understand it they do the major part of funding.
Please don't go to people and tell them how selfish, or uninformed we are.
If anything I know is what I can or can't afford.
For:February 14, 2011 6:52 PM
Schools are for education NOT A BABYSITTING Service. I'm sorry the state doesn't provide free child care, Oh wait, it does and it's called school. Shame on the number of people that boohoo cause of a snow day and no one to watch their kids while they work too.
Pay a neighbor, network with other working parents, ask Your Family, barter your services. Stop leaning on the education world to do your job.
11:53 I think what 6:52 was trying to say, and I tend to agree from the time infants can communicate they ask questions their minds are like sponges always inquiring. Half day kindergarden doesn't prepare them for what their expected to do for the next twelve years. By the time they get their coats off its time to go home.
half day kindergarden could be opne class in the morning and o0ne in the afternoon. or full day Monday Wednesday, half on Friday. Tuesday, Thursday half on Friday.
No one wants or expect schools to be "babysitters" only in today's world most people work.
I do agree about the snow days.
This is the only notice I saw in the News-Herald about Painesville City Schools Levy in May.
http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2011/02/02/news/doc4d49cfea6d551422139642.txt
Candidates file for May 3 special election
Published: Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Most people work?
I wonder if that applies to Painesville City Schools. Having kids is a big responsibility. If you work, what happens if a child is sick? Snow days??? With weather reports now days, we are not at least a little prepared. Bad weather coming, plan ahead and make arrangements the night before, just in case.
Blame the teachers and the school administration when the parents have just as much responsibility if not more than the schools. Education starts at home and and so should the child care.
Parents need to help teach their kids and help them with their school work. They also need to do some homework of their own and get to school board meetings so they can find out for themselves who is doing a good job or who needs to go.
Just my 2 cents
I will hold my nose and vote yes for his levy because I fear the alternative...good, young, bright and dedicated teachers losing their jobs...no sports, no band, no choir, no theatre programs...just 5 new schools filled with disgruntled tenured teachers, over paid Administraters and a skeleton overworked support staff. Oh happy day. You won't see the NO$ signs...they'll be overwhelmed with for sale and for rent signs
Don't hold your nose and seriously I commend you for the reasons you gave. Will it work?
They are asking for 1.4 million what happens if the state cuts 3.8 million like the school treasurer explained could happen?
Go to a board meeting and demand answers, if you don't receive them would you still be willing to vote for the levy? Sorry no assurances from them, no money from me.
4:59 pm, I think your heart is in the right place but you are naive if you think that throwing 1.4 million at the problem known as Painesville City Schools will solve anything. There are no guarantees that any of those things you want to save will be saved. The school has plenty of money to work with, they just are using it poorly and giving them more only allows that behavior to continue. We need to lop the head off this money eating dragon -- namely an overpaid superintendent, too many principals, etc.
strip public employees of their collective bargaining rights
This being considered in Wisconsin now. Will it pass or just regulate more? This includes teachers and the rest of the public employees covered.
Funny thing is that it is the teachers who are doing most or the protesting. They, 1100 of them, have force the closing of schools by calling in sick or have taken students with them to protest. Now the taking of students is taking their position as teacher to promote political policies.
Government workers who can't be let go or teachers with tenure can be a problem. I believe in a fair days wage for a fair days work. I am against an attendance pay check just for showing up, just as I disagree with a attendance diploma.
There was an article in the News-Herald about Ohio doing the same thing.
States, Cities, School Systems are broke.
No longer can public service employees expect to have the pay and benefits they are demanding.
Someone please explain to these employees unemployment is probably 17% in the city of Painesville, and most have to eat before they pay for someones else's healthcare
5:13 I think you are wrong as 6:52 was very clear "It's just not practical now with most of the mothers working, but like I said, it's just not practical not to have all day now with most of the mothers working, too."
I don't have to support everyones problems on my dime.
The problem with todays children and a lot of their parents is there is a sense of entitlement.
You owe me and if we can' have it we will scream bloody murder until we get it.
I still cannot understand why they built all the schools at one time. They should have done the worst one and when that one was paid off, do the next. They were well aware that the homeowners were already taxed too high for the schools, and that the state promised us relief that has not materialized. Now they just want more and more and more and more and more. I don't have it, and I won't pay it. And we are paying for the children of illegals. Just makes no sense to me. Many people warned them (and I think Term was one of them) that they would need more and more money and where was that money going to come from. I fought it, too. And now here they are. They need more and more and more. I will vote no.
To 11:53 again....No one is asking you (god forbid) to support them on 'your dime' but if you can't understand that we live in a society (group) that is interconnected then I have to wonder about you. The next time you get on a road, put garbage on the curb, turn the lights or water on at home, call an ambulance, need the services of a policeman, and yes, send your kid to school, then try to remember that all of these services are paid for from the collective dime...not just yours. That's what a society does...through taxation they pay for things that they could not afford to provide for themselves individually. Kindergarden is just one such service...and if the school board thought it was a good and necessary thing to have all-day school then they should continue it. I don't think that's an educational frill that benefits just a small segment of students, but one that sets the tone for all students for their entire school career. If you cannot understand this concept then perhaps you should buy an island and do it all on your own.
Hey 11:53...you don't want to pay for their kids....well they helped pay for YOURS!
In my mind the reason all of the schools were built at the same time was because of the state requirements found in this document. You can only run a district in Continuos Improvement for so long before there are consequences. By building new schools, they have effectively started the clock over again buying them another few years to get on track.
http://education.ohio.gov/GD/DocumentManagement/DocumentDownload.aspx?DocumentID=15097
I've got no proof on this, just a thought.
REW, do you not understand that we are already paying more for those services than anyone else in Lake County? We just can't afford to keep paying more for this admninistration's ineptness. Mismanagement of funds is what this is. We all want the best for our kids and obviously have been willing to pay for it. I am just not willing nor able to keep funding Hanlon's wardrobe and unnecessary extra principals or assistant principal's who were rewarded with that title for their support of Hanlon's policies.
5:45, how are they paying for my kids? No way. I am paying for the prenatal, delivery and raising of every one of their kids.
To 9:13am
Before you start attacking someone like Hanlon you should put your brain in gear before your mouth. I would bet either you are a layed off ex school employee or you have never heard the state requirement that a school system "HAS TO TAKE and TEACH" all children who make a home in their district.
Now, if Painesville schools have to take hispanics who can't even learn until they are taught english that is not the administrations fault.
If Painesville schools have to take most of Lake Counties low income because this is the county seat and it is a proven fact that school performance is reflected in general by economic status it is not the administrations fault.
I don't agree with everything they do, and if you truly educated yourself on what is going on instead of attacking a person you may find there are many forces at play here that the schools cannot control. Lets remember who declared this a "sanctuary" city. Who, I believe in the 1960's, allowed Lake County to move here as their Capital?
REW
You also forget that 47% of Americans don't pay income tax. Add to that the ones who work under the table or are in any number of entitlement programs, who's dime is it?
When I grew up and my parents fed me. Now schools all over the country serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some even send food home for the weekend. Aren't these people already on food stamps or welfare?
The taxpayers pockets aren't an endless supply of money. The protests over unions are just the beginning. Why should only public employees be entitled to automatic raises when the rest of us are losing jobs or taking pay cuts?
REW only mentioned that all day kindergarden was a good idea?
47% Americans don't pay income tax? Now who's fault is that? Theirs, or all the companies that left the U.S. for cheaper labor?
Along with enough people who didn't care where the stuff comes from.
1:36 1960's your a few years off.
1:36 Dr. Hanlon has been given sufficent time to bring the Hispanic's into the fold. He along with his administration to put it bluntly Failed.
Time for the board to find someone who can improve the numbers.
Please don't feel bad for him, he has been trying to get out of here since he got here. Let's just speed up the process.
No more bi-lingual signs no more false 50% policy, and for good measure put someone in charge of Harvey the kid's will respect.
Here's a thought, why not place all the mexi-spanish kids in one school for a year then check the test scores. You will have a baseline as to where and who needs the most help with their education then go from there to follow through with everyone's schooling. This will be a good guide as to who is pulling down the test scores.
Oh wait, would that be discrimination? Just a thought.
Or the amount on welfare rolls.
How about a $56,500 average salary PLUS over $40,000 in benefits the average teacher in Milwaukee Wisconsin makes? In todays economy, they call in sick to protest. It is coming to Ohio and others too. Sorry, the way things are now, There should be no automatic pay raises. How about GM. Two years ago they get bailed out by the government. Now, workers get at lest a $4400 bonus and some get up to 50% bonus.
How's that compared to your job and how do you feel about that paid for by your tax dollar?
I'm not fond of Dr Hanlon. I think his over paid and aloof. I don't like the Principal at HHS. She's wishy washy about discipline and rule enforcement. If you disected the entire BOE you wouldn't find enough vertabrae to construct one healthy backbone. Tests scores and the student demographics are headed in the wrong direction. If I thought voting NO would correct all these issues... I'd vote NO. But like I said before I will hold my nose and vote YES. We must make up some of the difference that Columbus is planning to withhold. If we don't then the children will suffer including my child. Our property values will suffer including my property. I don't know how to punish the Super, the Board, bad Educators without punishing the students and property values and our community.
So, Painesville's broke taxpayers, union members, teachers and students and parents who feel the school system is failing their children.
What do you think of the just proposed (not passed or even voted on yet) senate bill in Wisconsin that has shut down the schools for three days and maybe more next week because the teachers are calling in sick? What would you think if that happens here? Would you vote for the school levy then? Would you who feel the cities employees need to make concessions too. Our safety forces deserve everything they get for putting their lives on the line daily but do the rest of them deserve the automatic raises and benefits?
Here is what Wisconsin wants from workers to save money.
Walker's plan calls for nearly all state, local and school employees to pay half the costs of their pensions and at least 12.6 percent of their health care premiums. That would save $30 million by June 30 and $300 million over the next two years, the governor has said.
I don't know about you, but I would almost kill for a job with those benefits. Also, not sure but some say it is only a temporary measure. So suspend collective bargaining to reduce spending just as most of us regular workers have taken pay cuts if we still have our jobs.
So, teachers making over $100,000 counting benefits are having a sick out closing schools. If our teachers here did that, would you vote for the levy or not.
property values do not suffer or plunge because painesville schools are terrible. The value of your property stays the same.
What actually happens, is that no one with children will buy any property in this city because of the school's and cities reputation. Appraised at $98,000.00 will be $98,000.00 until the next round of mandated re-evaluation; which is not school system determined.
B.E.WARE, you brought up an interesting point. "Dr. Hanlon has been given sufficent time to bring the Hispanic's into the fold". Think about those first hispanic students in elementary school. Now fast forward to high school and beyond. They have been long enough to speak English, and the next generations should be speaking it fluently. SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM Dr Hanlon and school board? NO MORE SPANISH SPEAKING IN OUR SCHOOLS.
It has always been a given that if you think/debate too hard on a problem, the answer at the end of your nose will never be seen.
"Oh, the state of Ohio is cutting/cutting school funding; they are to blame for our local financial problems."
In 1992 a Court Decision stated that "School Levy Issues were Unconstitutional." The courts stated their verdict on this issue!
8 years have passed and why haven't the state education folks come to grip with this verdict? Why haven't the local elected school officials made a collective stand against the state to "force them to rectify the collection of funds per the court mandate?"
So easy to be silent as long as the $$ keeps on coming. Money assistance now is going down the tube and the only brilliant (NOT) decision from school boards is to tweek money out of all of us.
Get it all together School Boards and FORCE the State of Ohio to THINK OUT OF THE BOX to satisfy the COURT ORDERS HANDED DOWN. Stop sitting at your meetings month after month after month and WHINING HOW POOR YOU ARE. Get off your proverbial BUTTS and use the ANSWER at the end of your nose to force the CHANGES that are needed; instead of only thinking that the past systems are the only way out.
SHAME on all SCHOOL BOARDS in the state of OHIO for being gullible and not really assessing/pushing for a true rectification (as ordered by the courts) to what all of them see as gloom/doom for their over-priced budgets from Free State $$$ and illegal taxation on property owners.
Yes! I'm with 5:48. The method of funding the schools was ruled unconstitutional, yet Painesville City decided to redo all the schools at one time, and then KEEP asking us for more money and more money. When they did these schools, they knew that the homeowners were already taxed too much for the schools. People also warned them and fought them when they wanted this to be a sanctuary city. Well, now it is, thanks to them, and now guess what??? Our city schools are in trouble. Really? Who would have seen this coming? Well, I'll tell you who -- the citizens. And I'll tell you something else -- soon enough the schools will be almost entirely the children of illegals. But council went ahead and did it all anyway. We will be asked for more and more money in the years to come. How much taxes do you think the illegal parents of these children are paying. I watched an elementary school bus unload and 99% of the children were Hispanic. I will vote no.
2:11 Wisconsin interesting happening? Why take collective bargining rights from all state, and local employees EXCEPT police and firefighters. Why? Divide and conquer? Or maybe those two unions backed the present Governor in the last race.
If collective bargining is bad for teachers, snowplow drivers, ect. Please explain why it's not bad for those two groups?
A couple of years ago the City of Painesville had a firefighter that had accumulated over 500 hours in overtime. The next year he retired at a higher penison rate. What did this extra expense cost Painesville, and why did the administration let it happen?
To 2:15 PM.
Term, Just curious, seems to me politicians and greedy bankers started this recession with their housing "bubble," lies, and greed.
Why is it now we are asking teachers, unions, and the working middle class to give up their pensions and pay the bill?
2:11
My point is, Why do public workers get special treatment? Most people and companies must live within their means. Companies file bankruptcy and people lose jobs. People buy houses with zero down and then loose them when they don't make payments and so on.
Yet people who work on the taxpayers dime are for the most part immune. Just raise taxes. Well with tax revenue down because so many are out of work or have had their hours cut that the dime isn't there anymore. These public employees need to wake up to the fact that they are dependent on the taxpayer and his economic well being. The golden paycheck and golden benefits will have to reduced or many will loose their jobs. Just like everywhere else.
Our lives don't depend on most of these workers. Sure there would be hardships and maybe a few bumpy roads in more ways than one, but no one would lose their life or their house to a fire. That is why I said the safety forces deserve what they get, but they too have to forgo automatic pay or benefit increases for the time being. They risk their lives to save ours. Just maybe those who left work will be the next ones added to the unemployment line. Would you lose your job if you left to protest?
I also have a big problem with GM taking bailout money and then giving everyone a $4400 or bigger bonus two years later.
Why not reduce prices or hire more workers?
Term, "A couple of years ago the City of Painesville had a firefighter that had accumulated over 500 hours in overtime. The next year he retired at a higher pension rate.">>
I understand that retirement benefits are rated on base salary and overtime is not computed in the pension rate. I'm I wrong?
1:14 Seems TARP was caused by Banks and big Wall St. investment firms.
Your right why should teachers suffer,unions, average workers to take cuts.
Throughout history $&^! always rolls downhill.
The truth is we are broke. It would be nice to pay all teachers $100,000 a year, the moneys not there.
On the Federal level I see some things that are on the block that I wish weren't.
Some Democratic Congresswoman suggest that the military no longer sponsor NASCAR race teams to the tune of 7 million a year. An outcry from the Republicans killed that idea. Now I enjoy NASCAR but if someone is thinking about enlisting in a branch of the service based on a racecar, well I got to wonder, along with any politican who thinks this is a wise investment.
The priorities in this country are all screwed up School's are not preparing students for the 21st Century.
Giving people who work for other people entitlements that the group that pays them is doomed.
You can't sell a car to a guy whose making $15.00 if the guy building it is making $35.00.
Teachers can't expect to retire in 30 years, if the people footing the bill are being asked to work until they are 65,66,70, plus.
If Wisconsin is wanting workers to pay a portion of their pension, why aren't Painesville residents asking Dr. Hanlon to do something about his? His is paid in full by the school board as per his contract. Just how much money would the taxpayers be saving then? Hmmmm?
Excellent point on teachers who retire after 30 years. Name a company who lets it's employees retire with full pension after 30 years. The politicians after serving 1 term? The rest of us who pay for this have to wait how long???? Plus, is the money for us going to be there? Soon, we might have to pay SS our whole lives just to get the couple of hundred dollar death benefit.
The government never needs to worry about the bottom line like the rest of us. Raise Taxes or borrow more money is their solution. How's it working now?
Nascar money for military enlistment advertising. One thing that might not be a worthy investment. On the other hand, you are targeting a receptive market. More recruits probably come from there than say San Francisco or DC. This for now is one were the money should go somewhere else.
Yes, many things are going to get cut at every level. Some are a waste of money and some will hurt. We are all going to have to do more than just delay a vacation like the President said. There will be things cut that will make people very angry. Let's hope our Rep's in Ohio don't flee the state and stay to work together for what is best for all of us.
One thing I think is outrageous about the teaching profession is tenure. I hope they do away with that.
Public service jobs used to give great perks because the wages were below what the private sector paid. So in order to be able to attract and retain good people they offered great insurance, pensions etc. Well...that's not the case any more. Times have changed drastically and so should the way government does business.
5:51 We have been told we are broke are we or are we not? Many firms have sponsored NASCAR and due to the economic climate have dropped out. K MART did.
It's hard to tell people we are in a crisis yet 7 million here 42 million there don't count.
We have Military bases in over 130 country's around the world, yet our southern border is wide open?
Things like this make me wonder who's kidding who?
5:51pm, heaven forbid the President would ever forgo a vacation. "do as I say, not as I do" is his policy.
Labor union has a 30 year and out program too
7:08 The Teamster's Central States Retirement has a 30 and out retirement. $3000. per month no hospitalzation included, plus you can not work at any job that a teamster union could have as a member. Can't drive for yourself,or as for a non-union company, can't work as a non-union drill press operator because that could be a Teamster position,.No double dipping either. You get caught bye,bye, pension.
Do you have any idea why the school's have not offically announced the May levy?
You want to know how Republican's work? Someone pranked Gov. Walker of Wisconsin on a phone call, then you will understand what might be going on.
to 11:45 the reason the schools were built the way they were was because most of the money for them came from the State and the state determined many of the guidelines for how and when they were built.
Thanks for the info 5:43. I'd be interested in knowing just what parts were the state's mandates and what parts were Painesville City's ideas. Do you have any further info?
Did the state tell our school board that they had to give Hanlon a VERY generous stipend for the building project? After reviewing his latest contract renewal I see that he isn't getting it anymore... but he did make some serious hay while the sun shone on unsuspecting taxpayers. As a matter of fact...he's STILL making pretty decent hay.
Exactly how much is Hanlon's wardrobe allowance? Is a wardrobe allowance typical in this type of position? I find it extravagant and ridiculous. This isn't Hollywood.
8:47 This is the first I've heard of a wardrobe allowance? So I went back and viewed Dr. Hanlon's contract that end's this July.
Many interesting perk's but I could not find a wardrobe allowance?
He does receive a $100.00 a month tax sheltered annuity every month in the and are picking up his share of teacher retirement.
Here is a link to view his contract with the Board of Education.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/20554953/Painesville-City-Schools-Superintendent-s-Contract-Hanlon
This should put to rest what he receives and doesn't.
There was a very generous stipend for the building projects? Hmmm. Now that is interesting. Another very large sum of money with all those dollars. They're just everywhere you look around this city.
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