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| (I hate to repeat a photo -- but this is SO fitting!) |
Not surprisingly, the Superintendent has upped the projected school deficit to approximately $3 million for next year. This assumes the teachers will get their step, lane & longevity increases ($500k) but nobody gets any Cost of Living (COLA) increases. (But, the SEA contract remains unsettled -- so God knows how that will turn out!)
What does $3 million really mean? The FY '11 Budget is online -- so using round numbers and a dull pencil, I marked out a very rough estimate of what $3 million in cuts might look like:
$230,000 Eliminate entire athletic program
$750,000 Eliminate 50% of transportation (and/or charge fees)
$245,000 Eliminate Professional Devt, curriculum & textbook adopts
$56,000 Eliminate all librarians
$180,000 Eliminate 50% of health services
$56,000 Eliminate extra curricular stipends
$1,483,000 Eliminate 30 teachers
Assuming a teacher is approx $50K, this would eliminate almost 30 teaching positions. The average teacher makes considerably more, but in the Union's finest "eat their young" tradition, I am assuming the younger, less expensive ones, get the boot first.
BUT, when you consider that many people consider athletics far more important than academics, and the fact that State law would probably prevent such deep cuts in health & transportation services, the number of teachers facing the ax will likely begin to grow considerably.
NOW, add to that the cost of covering any settlement in the Minkoff lawsuit, any settlement on the potential Johnson lawsuit, the costs of hiring a new Superintendent, and the fact that SPED costs generally only climb -- and we're probably looking at even steeper lay-offs.
THAT is why many people are getting impatient listening to the dribble that passes for "hard questions" and "accountability" at School Committee meetings. We are looking at a $3 million hole and the dopes are discussing copier toner and exactly how big is the saving from using school-owned vans (is it $270,000 or $260,000 ? I don't F'n care !!!!).
That is why more people prefer to watch "Dog The Bounty Hunter" on Wednesday nights instead of the School Committee!!
13 comments:
Mr Simmons,
I am not one to speak up or attend meetings but however I do partake in my voting rights and do keep up on all the committee meetings within town goverment. I may not attend meetings but I do try to watch all town committee meetings and if I can't or if they aren't on live I always try to catch the replays on tv. But I do vote and will continue to vote on what I personally think is in the best interest of this town and will not follow someone else agenda(s) which seems to be the case with so many that get up to speak at meetings, write articles to the papers as well as on these blogs. I have never responded to any of these blogs but I think sometimes you and your followers to do not see the other side(s) views or points at all which is a shame in my opinion. With your recent comment I feel for the first time I must comment on 3 things of it.
1. Didn't the Superientendent think of a possible lawsuit when she let go Dr. Minkoff? Knowing that Dr. Minkoff had just recently signed a contract with the Superientendent and School Committee. But things must be different as I have not seen nor heard one that has come under fire for that possible lawsuit or shoudl I said a lawsuit that has been filed! Why haven't we....I wonder??
2. Mr. Simmons you refer to the union as they eat their young. Did you not hear the praise that Mrs. Booras gave to the long standing teachers in reference to welcoming and working so well with the new teachers? I don't think Mrs. Booras is part of the the union is she? I do think Mrs. Booras has proven her credibility or should we start to question that since obviously thats not the way her comment(s) were brought acrossed in regards to the older teachers.
3. How many vans does the Special Education Department have, Mr Simmons? As of last nights meeting, Dr. Johnson didn't even know she had to question the Business Manager, Ms. Austin. Without knowing, how can one have the exact figures and give the correct associated costs? I would like to investigate that further before you don't give a _____! As you stated!!
I ask that before you believe all you hear maybe you could and/or should personally research all the information and facts first before publishing possible misinformation or to have a one sided conversation.
Thank you and have a nice day!
I applaud the sup for saving the quarter million in transportation costs. It is not an insignificant figure.
Where are the “slush funds” of which candidate Kangas spoke? Where are the enormous savings from the copier/toner contract? Where is the plan?
The truth is: There is no plan. The majority on the SC is ill-equipped to handle this problem. That is obvious. They are a one-trick pony. Their little antics made for some great press last year. But now somebody has to pay for the show. Unfortunately, those somebodies are going to be our children.
Sherry please take off in some direction, even if it is wrong. Throw something out there for discussion at least. You really need to give the superintendent some guidelines and lay before the people of the town a couple of options.
Steve Susko
12:05 -- easy answers:
1 -- Minkoff was terminated based on the advice of counsel. Lawsuit was filed months ago and received extensive press coverage. I don't know why you don't know about it.
2 -- Ellin Booras is not union -- she is a principal. The phrase "eat their young" is a long-time expression for the union practice of protecting those with seniority and terminating the younger employees. It has nothing to do with being nice to anybody. All new teachers receive tremendous benefit from working with their more experienced colleagues -- that's got nothing to do with this.
3 -- I don't care how many buses the School operates. I DO care that they operate them at a considerably lower cost than would be paid out to the Cape Cod Collaborative. I spent four years working on the school budget -- I assure you I have done plenty of "personal research" on the issue!! It is well-documented that the District can provide the service at a lower cost -- Linehan got that info at the same time I did last year.
I think its funny that somebody who is apparently as clueless as the earlier poster is accusing you of not doing your budget homework. She apparently never lived through last year's School Committee meetings. Or the year before that. Or the year before that. Or the year before that....
This is a huge problem. The Selectmen recognized this months ago and started advocating for an override -- I dont think thats the answer ,,, but at least they did SOMETHING!!
The Schools seem to be waiting for some goose to lay a Golden Egg ,,, they aren't even discussing it! What happened at the FinCom meeting his week ? The School Committee was supposed to meet with FGinCom, but cancelled at the last minute. That's helpful!!!!
Bob,
Let me get this straight. School counsel advised the termination of Minkoff and the prior School Committee took this advice. The same school counsel advised the current School Committee that they should re-vote the Superintendent's contract and they took this advice. But the prior School Committee did the right thing and the current one did not?? Huh?? If we're going to blast the current School Committee for opening us up to a lawsuit by taking counsel's advice, then I guess we should be able to blast the prior School Committee for doing the same thing.
4:15 -- Not an unreasonable point.
I can't talk about specifics in the Minkoff case because its pending litigation. But, the Johnson situation is very different and many people believe the attorney's interpretation of the specific law is absolutely incorrect.
The school's lawyer has now advised our school boards incorrectly on two occasions now, per his advice we now have two lawsuits against our town?
Can we ask Sherry and the gang, Why is he still employed by our school system?
Sherry Marshall Quote: "we have used Joe Emerson as our attorney for years and years"
This attorney should be worried that our town will go after his personal liability insurance for his negligent legal advice to our school boards. His insurance plan should pay off Minkoff and Johnson if financial judgements are made against our town.
Go Richard Augustine!!
The incompetance will not end until Marshall, Linehan, Crossman & Kangas figures out their defamation of Dr. Johnson reputation could cost them personally.
I have a question about the up and coming bus contract. Is the budget appropriating for the possible large increase that I believe the bidders may come in with? So here is some news we should use... if all remember correctly the current contract went to laidlaw which at the time was struggling to stay alive under the active monopoly of First Student in Massachusetts, well First student ended up buying Laidlaw and assuming the low bidded remainder of the contract. yes last year they granted us an extension that was written into the original contract, but hold on I am thinking that First Student isnt going to be as genourous as we hope with their new bid if they make one to us. Another point to ponder is that Martha Coakley did in fact go after First Student and won proving their monopoly in our state. unfortunatly after the slaughter there are not many contractors left out there to choose from now.... yikes!!!!!
Anon 3:01. just to set the record straight the super cancelled that meeting not the sc. Why do some people do not get their facts staright before they make comments
11:13 --- Why bother? Kangas was actually elected by making up "facts" !!
Did all of the members of the SC even know there was a meeting with FinCom? Why wouldn't they have mentioned it at the last meeting?
The SC has to meet with FinCom -- whether they want to or not. It should be the SC Chair driving the process -- not the Supt they just fired.
Dr. Johnson's number one priority, as it should be, is to find a new more affluent appreciative school district. After the way she has been treated, any human being would naturally let the four women all sink during budget season.
The most irrational statements made thus far by this board are
"We love all the programs Dr. Johnson has created and implemented for our schools,we will keep those, BUT we still have to fire you and we can not explain to anyone why we did that either.
Do they realize how crazy they sound? The 4 devious women have a plan, why do they refuse to inform the public what their plan is?
This current school board has destroyed any hope of turning our schools around and also destroyed our schools reputation in the process.
Do yourself and our children a favor and resign!
too bad for Sandwich. We were about to be something so, so great. Once again... start something, then let it die before it can reach its full potential. What a waste. Let me know where Dr. Johnson ends up. I want to send my kid there. She gets it. Sandwich doesn't.
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