This is the last of the comments, questions and complaints that came out of Megan's article of February 26, 2010 titled: "Northeastern has 'energizing' debate about bond issue failures"
"And as long as these teachers and staff are cramming "new computers for everyone" and "new paint, central air, windows everywhere, new gym" etc of course they are going to want it. I grew up in classrooms with fans and no windows and it didn't kill me. It's not about how nice the facility is, it's about how educated and well the teachers are. From what I have been seeing, I'm starting to question them. Don't preach to my children to come home and tell me what to do!"
@retired
1:39 PM, 2/26/2010
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@retired: thank you for your comment. I've never heard of a school without windows, but then again, I don't know where you attended. It is important in today's economy, marketplace, global environment that the way we were taught in the 60's will not work. There are no longer any jobs putting lug nuts on wheels at International Harvester. Today there are robots to do the work. It will take people who can build, program and operate these robots who will be in demand. Further, we are in a global economy selling our products and services to other countries and vice versa. Our needs are different.
As for the air conditioning, windows, safety, etc., yes they are necessary.
"NE has asked for a levy or bond issue every year since the mid-90's How do they account for that money? Do you all realize the present issue will attach bond mills and a .25% income tax that will last for 37-years? Then, like Northwestern they will return for Operations Levies because they can't mange what they have. Here's the answer... Combine the two high schools,(400-500 students total) build two middle and two grade schools and drop the income tax. I may vote for it then."
Pauly
1:51 PM, 2/26/2010
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Pauly: thank you for your comment. You bring up a good point. I would direct you to the district website at www.nelsd.org. Click on "district information". You will find a line that says "district voting history". When you look down the lists of levy's that were rejected you will find it take 4 or more tries in order to get a levy passed in the district. The important thing to look for is not the number of time on the ballot, but the number of time the issue passed.
Combining the two high schools will create a building on 1300+ students, not 400-500 as you stated. I would hope you would be at the meeting on March 18th to share your thoughts on how we should proceed.
"I'm tired of hearing about the school levy. It was rejected twice. If it passed would the voters have the right to vote it down? Why is it the opposite now? I wished I lived somewhere else sometimes because I'm tired of the pushing and pushing!"
mom
2:06 PM, 2/26/2010
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mom: thank you for your comment. As a board member responsible to you to provide your children with the best educational opportunity possible, I would not be doing my job if I let it go. This is a great opportunity for someone else to share in the construction of new schools! We are talking about 41% of the cost! I know there would be many residents in the district who would be after the scalps of the board of education if they ignored this opportunity. As for me, I will continue to push and push in order to have our kids in the best schools, and providing the best opportunities possible.
"1. The buildings should be condemned. Mold & asbestos, anyone?
2. It's time for Mr. Broderick to go. New leadership is needed.
3. Leonard Kadel needs a vote of no confidence and replaced with someone who actually knows what they are doing.
4. How about the $40K they spent on their full-time communications person? Where's *that* money going towards?
5. When they cut athletics and arts because they need money for school repairs, don't complain your kid can't participate.
6. Who cares about 1 school? KR students were "preps" 20 years ago and students who go to Northeastern are "hicks." Stereotypes happen. 2 schools won't prevent it.
7. If you didn't go vote, it's no one's fault but your own. Ignorance is not an excuse.
8. A nice school building does not equate a good education. A building *enhances* the educational experience.
9. Instead of spending time online complaining, use that time to be a proactive community member- RUN FOR SCHOOL BOARD!
10. The local educational system directly affects your home's property value. Poor schools equal lower-valued homes.
11. If you went through this school system, even if you hated it, but you have kids, why are you not investing for their future?
12. Schools create jobs. All we need is *more* job loss in this community.
13. Lastly, if you don't like the way things are going, change them."
Jennifer
10:54 PM, 2/26/2010
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jennifer: thank you for your comments. I will reply to your questions, etc.
(1). absolutely, plus the electrical, plumbing and other infrastructure is out of date.
(2). Would you be willing to provide a reason? I Disagree. Mr. Broderick does a great job for the kids and residents of the district.
(3). I'm not going to argue your point. You have your reasons for wanting me out and I'm not going to address it without knowing specifically the reason for the statement.
(4). The Public Relation Director is a position that does more than "sells" the district. In today's market, schools have to compete for grants, and other items that are needed to continue. This position does much to get our programs into the public to show off what we are doing for kids. Due to state requirements, this position will be given additional responsibilities that will be mandated by the Legislature.
(5). We will not cut athletic programs for two reasons: (1). The funding of athletics is minimal to the amount to be saved. Cutting athletics does not save the district enough money. (2). By cutting athletics would allow students to go to other school districts, through the Open Enrollment Program, thereby causing a loss of $5870 for every student who leaves. As far as any other cuts, the district looks at all programs to determine what will be cut.
(6). your opinion (I graduated from Northeastern when there was no KR. Many of my friends were from Northridge).
(7). AMEN to this statement. The most important thing a citizen can do is to Vote! thank you.
(8). Good point
(9). Exactly. If you don't want to run for school board, at least come to the meetings and participate, ask questions, make your statement, get the facts and get involved.
(10) - (13). Thank you, more good and valid points.
Quite frankly, I'm getting the feelings we agree on some things, although I don't think you really know much about me.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
your comments responded to: part 5
There are a lot of comments to get through, so this posting is another group from Megan Gildow's article of February 26, 2010 titled: "Northeastern has 'energizing' debate about bond issue failures"
"You know. . . .I'm starting to think one word over this whole NE school story . . . .BORING.
Move on to another story SNS. This one is done. These people aren't going to change their minds. The sooner the yes voters get that through their heads the better."
I'm done
1:02 PM, 2/26/2010
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I'm done: thank you for your comment. The whole NE story is far from boring when it involves children's education, however, I understand your frustration. Unfortunately, the story will not go away. As long as there is controversy in any community or where the blood flows, the newspaper will be there.
"Northridge parent,
As a former student from NE who had friends that went to KR, I can tell you that we do not get the same education. NE has less course offerings and less advanced classes for those students who need to be challenged. There is no equality between the schools."
HB
1:16 PM, 2/26/2010
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HB: thank you for your comment. You bring up an interesting issue. I contacted our Asst. Superintendent and Director of Curriculum in the district. They both informed me that we do offer the same core curriculum in both high schools. There are differences in that Northeastern High School has a highly popular and large Vocational Agricultural program that Kenton Ridge does not. Kenton Ridge has large Spanish and French classes while Northeastern has only Spanish. There is not the interest in French classes at Northeastern. Both High Schools offer similar Advanced Placement (AP)classes. Should a student at Kenton Ridge want to get involved in Vocational Agriculture or a Northeastern student want a French class, we allow intra-district transfers from on high school to the other. Since both high schools offer the same curriculum, this would allow students to take advantage of a total educational experience.
"It is really exhausting to read the numerous comments attached to this article.
Mad...is MAD she did not get the dvd...for goodness sake..it is on the district website. I do not mean to be condescending in any way...if all of you taxpayers who are vehemently against this levy would come up with a valid alternative...present it to the school board..get the ball rolling...instead the complaining continues...be part of the solution..not the problem!!"
lilly
1:20 PM, 2/26/2010
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lilly: thank you for your comment. You bring a good point to the discussion. We have a lot of no voters who have no viable alternatives to the problem. Those that do come and voice their "no-ness" have no suggestions other than "we can't afford it". The board is looking for solutions, not more problems. We have enough problems of our own.
"If they were so over crowded what did the children have to go without all day to keep those televisions running? Surely something had to come unplugged right? lol. Are you related to that old crouchety man that directs traffic in the South Vienna parking lot?"
hey John
1:22 PM, 2/26/2010
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hey John: again, thank you for your comment. Anytime a child, in this day and age, has to do without an educational opportunity in order to have another educational opportunity that is bad. It is about what opportunities can we provide children so they can be more competitive in tomorrow's world. We cannot provide these things in our current buildings.
"I think the district should build a giant playpen and stick the whining mambe pambe people who only think of themselves in it until they growup.Maybe you should listen to the children of the district,they have a better feel for the situation.Those who vote no all the time,do you own property or just rent.You don't pay any real estate taxes.You should't get to vote on the issue.Someone paid for you,now it's your turn to step up to the plate!!!"
retired
1:26 PM, 2/26/2010
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retired: thank you for your comment. At our last board meeting, several students stood up and questioned some of the comments that were made. Not surprisingly, the students were very articulate and their comments were from the heart. You are correct, someone paid for my education,and now it is time for me to step up to the plate.
"I own a home in the country and my house payment is probably twice yours. I do not vote no because I can not afford it, I vote no because I don't think it is necessary to bulldoze the schools and build new ones when they just need some repairs. We have given them money in the past for roof repairs and you seen how that went. Dodging trash cans the following year. The schools don't know what they should do, and that board is a JOKE! Until i see the money put to good use, i will vote no!"
Hey retired
1:34 PM, 2/26/2010
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Hey retired: thank you for your comment. Have you been through the schools in our district and then visited the schools in Tecumseh, or possibly Graham and then made any comparison? The term "some repairs" is an understatement when considering what is truly needed in order to make our schools functional and safe.
The last time we asked for a PI Levy for roofs was in 1997 and the levy finally passed in 2000 after the Board of Health was going to shut down Northridge school. The money was used for roof replacement as promised. Yes, there were cans in the hallways from the roof leaking, however, the cost to repair was $0 to the schools because it was under warranty. When dealing with flat roofs, it becomes a never ending issue, but there is no cost to the district.
If the board is JOKE and you feel strongly that things can be done better, then it is your responsibility as a citizen of the community to step up and run for the board and make the changes you feel need changed.
"You know. . . .I'm starting to think one word over this whole NE school story . . . .BORING.
Move on to another story SNS. This one is done. These people aren't going to change their minds. The sooner the yes voters get that through their heads the better."
I'm done
1:02 PM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
I'm done: thank you for your comment. The whole NE story is far from boring when it involves children's education, however, I understand your frustration. Unfortunately, the story will not go away. As long as there is controversy in any community or where the blood flows, the newspaper will be there.
"Northridge parent,
As a former student from NE who had friends that went to KR, I can tell you that we do not get the same education. NE has less course offerings and less advanced classes for those students who need to be challenged. There is no equality between the schools."
HB
1:16 PM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
HB: thank you for your comment. You bring up an interesting issue. I contacted our Asst. Superintendent and Director of Curriculum in the district. They both informed me that we do offer the same core curriculum in both high schools. There are differences in that Northeastern High School has a highly popular and large Vocational Agricultural program that Kenton Ridge does not. Kenton Ridge has large Spanish and French classes while Northeastern has only Spanish. There is not the interest in French classes at Northeastern. Both High Schools offer similar Advanced Placement (AP)classes. Should a student at Kenton Ridge want to get involved in Vocational Agriculture or a Northeastern student want a French class, we allow intra-district transfers from on high school to the other. Since both high schools offer the same curriculum, this would allow students to take advantage of a total educational experience.
"It is really exhausting to read the numerous comments attached to this article.
Mad...is MAD she did not get the dvd...for goodness sake..it is on the district website. I do not mean to be condescending in any way...if all of you taxpayers who are vehemently against this levy would come up with a valid alternative...present it to the school board..get the ball rolling...instead the complaining continues...be part of the solution..not the problem!!"
lilly
1:20 PM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
lilly: thank you for your comment. You bring a good point to the discussion. We have a lot of no voters who have no viable alternatives to the problem. Those that do come and voice their "no-ness" have no suggestions other than "we can't afford it". The board is looking for solutions, not more problems. We have enough problems of our own.
"If they were so over crowded what did the children have to go without all day to keep those televisions running? Surely something had to come unplugged right? lol. Are you related to that old crouchety man that directs traffic in the South Vienna parking lot?"
hey John
1:22 PM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
hey John: again, thank you for your comment. Anytime a child, in this day and age, has to do without an educational opportunity in order to have another educational opportunity that is bad. It is about what opportunities can we provide children so they can be more competitive in tomorrow's world. We cannot provide these things in our current buildings.
"I think the district should build a giant playpen and stick the whining mambe pambe people who only think of themselves in it until they growup.Maybe you should listen to the children of the district,they have a better feel for the situation.Those who vote no all the time,do you own property or just rent.You don't pay any real estate taxes.You should't get to vote on the issue.Someone paid for you,now it's your turn to step up to the plate!!!"
retired
1:26 PM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
retired: thank you for your comment. At our last board meeting, several students stood up and questioned some of the comments that were made. Not surprisingly, the students were very articulate and their comments were from the heart. You are correct, someone paid for my education,and now it is time for me to step up to the plate.
"I own a home in the country and my house payment is probably twice yours. I do not vote no because I can not afford it, I vote no because I don't think it is necessary to bulldoze the schools and build new ones when they just need some repairs. We have given them money in the past for roof repairs and you seen how that went. Dodging trash cans the following year. The schools don't know what they should do, and that board is a JOKE! Until i see the money put to good use, i will vote no!"
Hey retired
1:34 PM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
Hey retired: thank you for your comment. Have you been through the schools in our district and then visited the schools in Tecumseh, or possibly Graham and then made any comparison? The term "some repairs" is an understatement when considering what is truly needed in order to make our schools functional and safe.
The last time we asked for a PI Levy for roofs was in 1997 and the levy finally passed in 2000 after the Board of Health was going to shut down Northridge school. The money was used for roof replacement as promised. Yes, there were cans in the hallways from the roof leaking, however, the cost to repair was $0 to the schools because it was under warranty. When dealing with flat roofs, it becomes a never ending issue, but there is no cost to the district.
If the board is JOKE and you feel strongly that things can be done better, then it is your responsibility as a citizen of the community to step up and run for the board and make the changes you feel need changed.
your comments responded to: part 4
There are a lot of comments to get through, so this posting is another group from Megan Gildow's article of February 26, 2010 titled: "Northeastern has 'energizing' debate about bond issue failures"
"You have to have a continuous improvment levy approved in order to put a bond on the ballot. The levy was that to continue to function not to refurb and fix pipes that are not repairable. Ask the questions from the school board instead of listening to others."
Supporter
12:21 PM, 2/26/2010
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Supporter: thank you for your comment. To add to your comment, the OSFC requires a school district to have a .5 (1/2) mill Continuous Permanent Improvement Levy on the books before they will release any funding toward new buildings. We added and additional 1/2 mill in order to cover the maintenance and improvements should the bond issue fail.
"Funny. I wasn't the only parent not to receive the dvd. How much did it take to distribute them anyways? What a bunch of wasted money. Seriously, what was the total bill to make and distribute them? I do remember seeing T.V.'s plugged in all over. If there were such a high demand for electricity for computers and such, Why have them all going at once? Come on guys, They're not that bad that we need to spend millions on new ones!"
mom also
12:41 PM, 2/26/2010
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mom also: thank you for your comment. The DVD package including the DVD's, production, time and packaging cost us $1700 for 2500 DVD's. This cost came out of our General Fund. Since there was no reference to the levy or encouraging people to vote for the levy, it was used as a marketing program. This is totally above board and legal.
"And the SPIN CYCLE starts agin. VOTE NO NO NO"
yogi
12:34 PM, 2/26/2010
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yogi: don't know how to respond to your statement, so I won't.
"I did ask them, they never got one. How is a first grader going to ditch a DVD? I check her book bag everyday when she walks in the door. She simply didn't get one, that's all. I would like to know why!"
mad
12:44 PM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
mad: thank you for your question. I've got to ask....which school, who's class, what day. Get me this information and I will gladly have it checked out.
"They're not that bad that we need to spend millions on..." The schools are outdated, some are functional at this point, but the state is making this money available now, not 5 years from now (when all the schools could be outdated and bursting at their seems), not 10 years from now, maybe not even 1 year from now if there is a different governor or a change in the state house. Once the money is gone it is gone. If we want any new schools then it will we will have to cover 100% of the cost.
John
12:52 PM, 2/26/2010
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John: thank you for your comment. So far the state has already taken $250 million out of the fund (not ours) to help with the state budget. They promised to repay it, however, don't hold your breath. Regardless of who is Governor, the Legislature is the ones who will approve the "taking" of the OSFC funds.
"You have to have a continuous improvment levy approved in order to put a bond on the ballot. The levy was that to continue to function not to refurb and fix pipes that are not repairable. Ask the questions from the school board instead of listening to others."
Supporter
12:21 PM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
Supporter: thank you for your comment. To add to your comment, the OSFC requires a school district to have a .5 (1/2) mill Continuous Permanent Improvement Levy on the books before they will release any funding toward new buildings. We added and additional 1/2 mill in order to cover the maintenance and improvements should the bond issue fail.
"Funny. I wasn't the only parent not to receive the dvd. How much did it take to distribute them anyways? What a bunch of wasted money. Seriously, what was the total bill to make and distribute them? I do remember seeing T.V.'s plugged in all over. If there were such a high demand for electricity for computers and such, Why have them all going at once? Come on guys, They're not that bad that we need to spend millions on new ones!"
mom also
12:41 PM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
mom also: thank you for your comment. The DVD package including the DVD's, production, time and packaging cost us $1700 for 2500 DVD's. This cost came out of our General Fund. Since there was no reference to the levy or encouraging people to vote for the levy, it was used as a marketing program. This is totally above board and legal.
"And the SPIN CYCLE starts agin. VOTE NO NO NO"
yogi
12:34 PM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
yogi: don't know how to respond to your statement, so I won't.
"I did ask them, they never got one. How is a first grader going to ditch a DVD? I check her book bag everyday when she walks in the door. She simply didn't get one, that's all. I would like to know why!"
mad
12:44 PM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
mad: thank you for your question. I've got to ask....which school, who's class, what day. Get me this information and I will gladly have it checked out.
"They're not that bad that we need to spend millions on..." The schools are outdated, some are functional at this point, but the state is making this money available now, not 5 years from now (when all the schools could be outdated and bursting at their seems), not 10 years from now, maybe not even 1 year from now if there is a different governor or a change in the state house. Once the money is gone it is gone. If we want any new schools then it will we will have to cover 100% of the cost.
John
12:52 PM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
John: thank you for your comment. So far the state has already taken $250 million out of the fund (not ours) to help with the state budget. They promised to repay it, however, don't hold your breath. Regardless of who is Governor, the Legislature is the ones who will approve the "taking" of the OSFC funds.
your comments responded to: part 3
There are a lot of comments to get through, so this posting is another group from Megan Gildow's article of February 26, 2010 titled: "Northeastern has 'energizing' debate about bond issue failures"
"Comment to 2 high schools:
Kenton Ridge was built in the mid 1970s. I don't understand why there is still "ill will" after 35 years of having two high schools in the district.
What are kids at NEHS getting that KR kids aren't getting and vice versa? Are the course offerings the same? Are the facilities comparable (other than the fact that one is older). Are the extracurriculars the same? How are the needs of the kids in each school different?
Have these questions been addressed?"
Northridge parent
11:46 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
Northridge Parent: thank you for your comment. First, there isn't any ill-will about 2 high schools as far as I have seen. The vast majority of residents said they want to retain 2 high schools.
To respond to your next question, the 2 high schools have similar curriculum for the core courses. NE has Vo-Ag whereas KR does not, however this is more of a community issue, in that NE has had Vo-Ag since the 50's and is more culturally suited to the NE side. KR, on the other hand has larger foreign language classes conducive to that school. There are two distinct cultures in the district, each school catering to their communities culture. This is not a bad thing. It is what makes our district available and desirable to others. We have had students for NE go to KR, and vice versa. The students found that for all the differences, there were many similarities. This can be discussed in great length and encourage you to talk with us at a board or community meeting.
"Why do we all act like we know more than those directly involved in this? I am sure they have done countless hours of research. We all are just assuming we know best and we don't. Tell me why the board members would do this for any other reason than to improve the district for the children? What is in it for them? People generally have goodwill."
ktl
11:51 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
ktl: Thank you for your comment. FYI, there has been a lot of time, effort, reading, listening, traveling, discussion, arguing, compromising and hard work going through this entire process. As board members we have a responsibility to the voters to do the best for the education of their kids. None of us on the board have kids in school, so we will not benefit from that. Each of us are truly concerned for the district and want to do the best with no regard to personal gains.
"where was my DVD? I surely didn't receive one? I have two students there. I have been to the schools, They don't appear to be caving in on top of them. Children are spoiled, they want schools like they have in "high school musical" and "twilight". Sorry, that's not reality and I will always vote NO NO NO!"
hey john
11:52 AM, 2/26/2010
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hey john: thank you for your comment. Every student was given a DVD to take home. No...schools aren't caving in on top of them.....yet. I hope that we, the board, will shut the building down long before that happens. You may remember Moorfield school?
"I guess no one would like to comment about the money that was taken from taxpayers for school repairs on the past levy that basically you now are saying was of no use. Will we get the money from that levy back if the new one is approved? I think not. Then once the schools are built you can come and ask for more for operating costs. Not everyone is financially stable these days!"
ezd
11:52 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
ezd: thank you again for your comment. I will gladly reply to your question and comment.
The last levy, a 1 mill Continuous Permanent Improvement Levy was approved in November of 2007 for two purposes; (1). the Ohio School Facilities Commission requires a school district to have a .5 (or 1/2) mill Continuous Improvement Levy on the books before they will approve any funds for projects in the district. This is required in order to maintain the new buildings. (2). the other .5 (or 1/2) mill was put on in case the levy for new schools didn't pass, therefore there would be additional minimal funding to maintain our current buildings. As you know our current buildings are old and the equipment and infrastructure is likewise old and outdated. When there is a repair, it generally requires a part to be fabricated or the entire equipment replaced.
Your third point, yes, at some point in time we will be coming for operating expenses. As inflation causes the price of things to rise, more money will be needed to operate our schools.
I hope this answers your questions, I hope you read the response.
"Comment to 2 high schools:
Kenton Ridge was built in the mid 1970s. I don't understand why there is still "ill will" after 35 years of having two high schools in the district.
What are kids at NEHS getting that KR kids aren't getting and vice versa? Are the course offerings the same? Are the facilities comparable (other than the fact that one is older). Are the extracurriculars the same? How are the needs of the kids in each school different?
Have these questions been addressed?"
Northridge parent
11:46 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
Northridge Parent: thank you for your comment. First, there isn't any ill-will about 2 high schools as far as I have seen. The vast majority of residents said they want to retain 2 high schools.
To respond to your next question, the 2 high schools have similar curriculum for the core courses. NE has Vo-Ag whereas KR does not, however this is more of a community issue, in that NE has had Vo-Ag since the 50's and is more culturally suited to the NE side. KR, on the other hand has larger foreign language classes conducive to that school. There are two distinct cultures in the district, each school catering to their communities culture. This is not a bad thing. It is what makes our district available and desirable to others. We have had students for NE go to KR, and vice versa. The students found that for all the differences, there were many similarities. This can be discussed in great length and encourage you to talk with us at a board or community meeting.
"Why do we all act like we know more than those directly involved in this? I am sure they have done countless hours of research. We all are just assuming we know best and we don't. Tell me why the board members would do this for any other reason than to improve the district for the children? What is in it for them? People generally have goodwill."
ktl
11:51 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
ktl: Thank you for your comment. FYI, there has been a lot of time, effort, reading, listening, traveling, discussion, arguing, compromising and hard work going through this entire process. As board members we have a responsibility to the voters to do the best for the education of their kids. None of us on the board have kids in school, so we will not benefit from that. Each of us are truly concerned for the district and want to do the best with no regard to personal gains.
"where was my DVD? I surely didn't receive one? I have two students there. I have been to the schools, They don't appear to be caving in on top of them. Children are spoiled, they want schools like they have in "high school musical" and "twilight". Sorry, that's not reality and I will always vote NO NO NO!"
hey john
11:52 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
hey john: thank you for your comment. Every student was given a DVD to take home. No...schools aren't caving in on top of them.....yet. I hope that we, the board, will shut the building down long before that happens. You may remember Moorfield school?
"I guess no one would like to comment about the money that was taken from taxpayers for school repairs on the past levy that basically you now are saying was of no use. Will we get the money from that levy back if the new one is approved? I think not. Then once the schools are built you can come and ask for more for operating costs. Not everyone is financially stable these days!"
ezd
11:52 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
ezd: thank you again for your comment. I will gladly reply to your question and comment.
The last levy, a 1 mill Continuous Permanent Improvement Levy was approved in November of 2007 for two purposes; (1). the Ohio School Facilities Commission requires a school district to have a .5 (or 1/2) mill Continuous Improvement Levy on the books before they will approve any funds for projects in the district. This is required in order to maintain the new buildings. (2). the other .5 (or 1/2) mill was put on in case the levy for new schools didn't pass, therefore there would be additional minimal funding to maintain our current buildings. As you know our current buildings are old and the equipment and infrastructure is likewise old and outdated. When there is a repair, it generally requires a part to be fabricated or the entire equipment replaced.
Your third point, yes, at some point in time we will be coming for operating expenses. As inflation causes the price of things to rise, more money will be needed to operate our schools.
I hope this answers your questions, I hope you read the response.
your comments responded to: part 2
There are a lot of comments to get through, so this posting is another group from Megan Gildow's article of February 26, 2010 titled: "Northeastern has 'energizing' debate about bond issue failures"
"still No. Mobilize people, just like the last time. My kids love SV Elementary. Old or not. Someday it can be re-modeled or a new scholl built on the site. Now is not the time."
Ray
10:01 AM, 2/26/2010
Ray: you are correct. Now may not be the time, however, if we can get it done on less money, now may be the only time for someone else to help pay. Eventually we will need to do something with SV, Northridge, Northeastern, Rolling Hills and eventually Kenton Ridge buildings, at which time it will cost us the whole amount.
"It disappoints me that the community makes decisions without actually SEEING the situations. How many of you have ACTUALLY SEEN the buildings? AND IF ANY OF YOU HAD BEEN TO SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT IT WILL COST MORE TO REMODEL THAN REBUILD!!!! As a former student, I went to all of the board meetings and the only people there were teachers and administration. Please get more involved in the education system. If we had more community support, our district could be great."
HB
10:06 AM, 2/26/2010
HB: AMEN! Couldn't have said it better. Thank you
"NS.
1. Then vote the school board out!
2. Agreed!
3. Cheaper to do this now than later!
4. Sure, lets keep putting band-aids on the problems.
5. I cannot comment on other people's financial situations, all I know is that my wife and I are already making sacrifices, and we plan on making more if this gets passed.
6. Kids CAN learn anywhere, but the good teachers will go where they can do there job the best, and sorry to say, NELSD facilities are not it."
bc
10:09 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
bc: I know you are responding to NS, and I concur with your responses. I am especially intrigued with #6 because you bring up a great thought. Yes, with new schools being build in Northwestern, Tecumseh, and other districts in the area, it will be a matter of time that our fine teachers will be looking at these district as better opportunities to educate children. We could lose our brightest and best.
"Actually it isn't completely hogwash. You have to have space for the same about children and same teachers. The money is used to build buildings not maintain them, so you need the same square footage, plus you need to buy more land to put them on. So the cost of building is the same, maybe the cost of maintaining them might be less, not sure. If not convinced then come to the meeting and ask about it."
John
10:23 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
John: good points that need to be discussed again. These were definitely issues that the board looked at before arriving at the 2 campus arrangement.
"Appreciate the good dialoge!! Agree would be really great if SV school could be kept in SV. Still unsure of 2 high school thing, don't know enough yet."
good dialoge
10:34 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
good dialogue: I agree that we are seeing very good comments and statements so far. I also feel retaining a building in SV will go a long way to getting support for the levy, although there is a down side, but we can overcome that. It is important to ask questions about the 2 campus arrangement vs 1 high school. Don't take our words for one over the other, do your own research and we can share ideas.
"I was at the meeting last night. I took some time to speak with the students I was sitting beside, and I realized something. They have a lot to say, but don't feel like people are listening and therefore many of them are not speaking up. Last night, a few did and it was wonderful. I hope that continues at the next meeting. And that more parents who should be concerned about what is going on show up and be a part of the process."
Terra Crable
10:45 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
Terra: thank you for this comment. I too was pleased to hear the students question some of those adults who spoke, and to the students who defended why they were here on open enrollment. We have invited the students from NE and KR to be at the meeting on the 18th and express their views. Even though they will not enjoy the benefits of new buildings for their education, it will be their children who will benefit. New schools will also encourage our graduates to come back and reside in the district.
"John,
It was snuck under the radar. I barely heard anything about it and I, my husband and kids are all alumni, and have lived in this district for 30 years. You’d think we’d have gotten something in the mail, seen signs, or SOMETHING. If you had kids in school you knew about it…. If you didn’t, they didn’t want you to."
NS
11:33 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
NS: I know you are replying to John, however, it was not a "stealth campaign". We were in the paper, information was all over our website, we had people at school events, we published "The Communicator" our district newsletter. You are right about no signs. We didn't have the funds to purchase new signs. We were able to produce a DVD that was sent to all parents and was also on the main page of our website.
"I gotta tell you one thing that makes me laugh about all of this is we have folks that continually keep saying it would cost more to repair the schools then rebuild. The funny thing is that they were not saying this when trying to get the levy approved for school repairs. Which we the voters approved. Where is this money going now? So I guess that money was no help after all. These people will tell you anything to get what they want. Who knows what to believe."
ezd
11:38 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
ezd: Where to begin. The money we received for Permanent Improvement Levys went for permanent improvement items. In my 16 years on the board I can tell you that the levies passed for permanent improvements went exactly for what we said the money would be used for. I hope you have a specific example of where we didn't use the funds for what we said we would. Otherwise this comment is just a comment without verification. I would encourage you to attend the next meeting on the 18th or any of our board meetings that are held on the 4th Thursday of the month. Ask the question, and we will give you the truth. Then you will know what to believe.
"People who complain there should be belt tightening....do you even have specific examples of overspending or are you just speculating? We have to put our faith in our school board leaders and let them make the educated decisions we as community members know far too little about. Why not have our children learning in state of the art facilities? You probably have a state of the art television in your home or a high priced cell phone plan. Someone paid to build schools for us, let's return it."
gf
11:45 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
gf: thank you for your comment. Generalized statements are easy to make but difficult to explain when asked the specifics. School board members must be in positions of trust or else they should be removed.
"still No. Mobilize people, just like the last time. My kids love SV Elementary. Old or not. Someday it can be re-modeled or a new scholl built on the site. Now is not the time."
Ray
10:01 AM, 2/26/2010
Ray: you are correct. Now may not be the time, however, if we can get it done on less money, now may be the only time for someone else to help pay. Eventually we will need to do something with SV, Northridge, Northeastern, Rolling Hills and eventually Kenton Ridge buildings, at which time it will cost us the whole amount.
"It disappoints me that the community makes decisions without actually SEEING the situations. How many of you have ACTUALLY SEEN the buildings? AND IF ANY OF YOU HAD BEEN TO SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT IT WILL COST MORE TO REMODEL THAN REBUILD!!!! As a former student, I went to all of the board meetings and the only people there were teachers and administration. Please get more involved in the education system. If we had more community support, our district could be great."
HB
10:06 AM, 2/26/2010
HB: AMEN! Couldn't have said it better. Thank you
"NS.
1. Then vote the school board out!
2. Agreed!
3. Cheaper to do this now than later!
4. Sure, lets keep putting band-aids on the problems.
5. I cannot comment on other people's financial situations, all I know is that my wife and I are already making sacrifices, and we plan on making more if this gets passed.
6. Kids CAN learn anywhere, but the good teachers will go where they can do there job the best, and sorry to say, NELSD facilities are not it."
bc
10:09 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
bc: I know you are responding to NS, and I concur with your responses. I am especially intrigued with #6 because you bring up a great thought. Yes, with new schools being build in Northwestern, Tecumseh, and other districts in the area, it will be a matter of time that our fine teachers will be looking at these district as better opportunities to educate children. We could lose our brightest and best.
"Actually it isn't completely hogwash. You have to have space for the same about children and same teachers. The money is used to build buildings not maintain them, so you need the same square footage, plus you need to buy more land to put them on. So the cost of building is the same, maybe the cost of maintaining them might be less, not sure. If not convinced then come to the meeting and ask about it."
John
10:23 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
John: good points that need to be discussed again. These were definitely issues that the board looked at before arriving at the 2 campus arrangement.
"Appreciate the good dialoge!! Agree would be really great if SV school could be kept in SV. Still unsure of 2 high school thing, don't know enough yet."
good dialoge
10:34 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
good dialogue: I agree that we are seeing very good comments and statements so far. I also feel retaining a building in SV will go a long way to getting support for the levy, although there is a down side, but we can overcome that. It is important to ask questions about the 2 campus arrangement vs 1 high school. Don't take our words for one over the other, do your own research and we can share ideas.
"I was at the meeting last night. I took some time to speak with the students I was sitting beside, and I realized something. They have a lot to say, but don't feel like people are listening and therefore many of them are not speaking up. Last night, a few did and it was wonderful. I hope that continues at the next meeting. And that more parents who should be concerned about what is going on show up and be a part of the process."
Terra Crable
10:45 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
Terra: thank you for this comment. I too was pleased to hear the students question some of those adults who spoke, and to the students who defended why they were here on open enrollment. We have invited the students from NE and KR to be at the meeting on the 18th and express their views. Even though they will not enjoy the benefits of new buildings for their education, it will be their children who will benefit. New schools will also encourage our graduates to come back and reside in the district.
"John,
It was snuck under the radar. I barely heard anything about it and I, my husband and kids are all alumni, and have lived in this district for 30 years. You’d think we’d have gotten something in the mail, seen signs, or SOMETHING. If you had kids in school you knew about it…. If you didn’t, they didn’t want you to."
NS
11:33 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
NS: I know you are replying to John, however, it was not a "stealth campaign". We were in the paper, information was all over our website, we had people at school events, we published "The Communicator" our district newsletter. You are right about no signs. We didn't have the funds to purchase new signs. We were able to produce a DVD that was sent to all parents and was also on the main page of our website.
"I gotta tell you one thing that makes me laugh about all of this is we have folks that continually keep saying it would cost more to repair the schools then rebuild. The funny thing is that they were not saying this when trying to get the levy approved for school repairs. Which we the voters approved. Where is this money going now? So I guess that money was no help after all. These people will tell you anything to get what they want. Who knows what to believe."
ezd
11:38 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
ezd: Where to begin. The money we received for Permanent Improvement Levys went for permanent improvement items. In my 16 years on the board I can tell you that the levies passed for permanent improvements went exactly for what we said the money would be used for. I hope you have a specific example of where we didn't use the funds for what we said we would. Otherwise this comment is just a comment without verification. I would encourage you to attend the next meeting on the 18th or any of our board meetings that are held on the 4th Thursday of the month. Ask the question, and we will give you the truth. Then you will know what to believe.
"People who complain there should be belt tightening....do you even have specific examples of overspending or are you just speculating? We have to put our faith in our school board leaders and let them make the educated decisions we as community members know far too little about. Why not have our children learning in state of the art facilities? You probably have a state of the art television in your home or a high priced cell phone plan. Someone paid to build schools for us, let's return it."
gf
11:45 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
gf: thank you for your comment. Generalized statements are easy to make but difficult to explain when asked the specifics. School board members must be in positions of trust or else they should be removed.
your comments responded to, part 1
So many comments, so many questions. Where to start? Best to start at the beginning and work your way up through the long list of comments. Some positive, some negative, some informative.
These first entries were comments made concerning the article titled "Northeastern has 'energizing' debate about bond issue failures" as written by Megan Gildow, Educational Reporter for the Springfield News-Sun on February 26, 2010.
Well, as promised, here goes:
"As the economy is the vote will still be NO. I would have voted Yes to a smaller levy but when they decide to add the income tax in for EXTRAS the vote is NO!!! I will not vote for any of the current board members in the future, they have wasted enough money trying to get this passed."
Don
6:42 AM, 2/26/2010
Don: A smaller levy was not possible since the Ohio School Facilities Commission's review of our buildings stated all 5 buildings needed to be abandoned and new facilities constructed. The cost of remodeling and bringing our existing buildings to code was more than 2/3 the cost of constructing new buildings. The extras were those requested by the public after several advertised community meetings and other surveys we had taken.
In our school district, as in many school districts in Ohio, it generally takes 3-5 attempts to get a levy passed. Unfortunately, levies cost money, however, the current system of funding schools doesn't allow any other means of generating dollars for operating or permanent improvement funding. The only other alternative is to reduce teachers and staff, and you know what happens when we try to reduce teachers and staff and programs and acitvities
"I'm still voting NO on everything until NE tightens its belt. There are a lot of ways they can save money while still providing a quality education. I can't believe the vote they tried to sneak in in February wasn't a loud enough mandate."
Geez.
NE Resident
9:04 AM, 2/26/2010 REPORT ABUSE
NE Resident: You are totally correct. There are many ways that we can tighten our belts, and surprisingly, we do. Unfortunately, many in the public do not question what we are doing to "tighten our belts". We look at every possible item we can cut without negatively effecting education of children. The district would be open to any suggestions you may have, or better yet, sit down with our administration and ask specifically what they are doing to cut costs.
Your second comment about "sneaking the levy in February" is incorrect. We stated we would be back on the ballot when the levy failed in November. During the time from November to February, I was on the television, in the paper, we were at school functions, information was in the "Communicator" (our district newsletter), there was information on our website (I know you have a computer because you commented to the paper's website), and we sent information home with children. We did not put out any signs due to the cost.
"That was discussed a lot last night. Nothing was decided on at the meeting. It was more to generate ideas, because the vote in Feb was a pretty loud no to the current levy, so all options are on the table."
John
8:51 AM, 2/26/2010 REPORT ABUSE
John: yes there are options we will be looking at. It is very important that the people come and give us some options to consider. As I mentioned in my opening article on this blog, the board will decide the best option that will benefit kids.
"And I am still going to vote YES.
The new buildings are needed. I don't agree with one centralized high school. Students do better in an environment where there is more personalized attention, not less. Would you want your child to be just a number?"
Northridge parent
8:28 AM, 2/26/2010 REPORT ABUSE
Northridge parent: I do not support a "one high school" in the district because it is not in the best interest of kids education. There are many factors with having one high school. Among those are increased disciplinary problems, transportation in an area of 117 square miles, where is there land available that will be needed to put a facility of this size, who will fund the construction of athletic fields (not a board of education priority), what will we do with existing facilities and grounds, no reduction in administrators and teachers since their numbers are related to the number of kids in a building, very little savings in construction costs because the cost is related to square footage and square footage is figured on number of students in a building. There are other reasons I do not support one high school, but they would be too numerous to list for this response. We still agree.
There are some benefits, however, they do not out do the reasons for having 2 separate high schools.
"Just to clarify, the meeting on the 18th at Northeastern High School at 6 pm is open to the public. It just isn't for the Board and Building Advisory Committee. Any ideas and questions are welcome. The levy (if they decide to have one) will be different then what was on the last 2 ballots. The income tax part of the levy can't be the same this time, and at the meeting last night they were well aware how unpopular that part was, so I wouldn't be surprised to see that off the table.
John
8:10 AM, 2/26/2010 REPORT ABUSE"
John: the meeting on the 18th will be a public meeting. It will be controlled to the point that the board will be looking at constructive ideas, not derogatory comments or negative feedback. For those who wish to come, I encourage you to be part of the solution - not part of the problem. The time available to get this done is short and must be centered on arriving at solutions not feeding more problems.
"Hogwash. Does anyone believe this?" Yes! There is no economic benefit to combining the schools. The only thing I think the school board needs to change is keeping a school in S.Vienna. Other than that, it's better to pay for it now, as opposed to the state stepping in, in a few years, and forcing something upon us. The state has already determined that these schools need replaced. So lets do it under our terms while the state has money to pay a good portion of it."
bc
10:00 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
bc: keeping a building in South Vienna was originally one of the options that was under consideration. There is a program implemented by the Ohio Department of Education called the "Acceleration Program" that allows qualified students from a lower grade to "accelerate" into a higher class in a particular subject. For example, an 8th grader who is proficient in math can be challenged in a 9th or 10th grade level math class. This benefits the student. By having to transport the student from SV to Northeastern HS, the student would lose a class period in transportation alone, plus the cost of transporting the student amounts to about $8000 annually, paid by the board (your taxes). By having a campus arrangement, we can efficiently have a good acceleration program without the cost of transportation and loss of classroom time.
One option I would support is to have an elementary building in SV since there is enough land available and the acceleration program is not as viable from elementary to middle school. I would support a K-5 building at SV.
"Here's the deal:
1) The board doesn't spend money the way promise they will. Voters have a long memory.
2) This district is too big for one campus. How long do you want YOUR kid riding the bus?
3) The price tag is too high.
4) It’s cheaper to remodel than rebuild.
5) People would rather feed their families than send their kids to a *new* school.
6) Kids can learn anywhere, if there are good teachers. They don’t have to be in a *new* building."
NS
9:59 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
NS: My reply to your list.
(1). Can you give me some specifics where we didn't spend the funds as we promised? Your statement is quite vague.
(2). I agree totally with you.
(3). In this economy today, I would agree, however, there are many benefits to an economy today, such as lower cost for materials, quicker construction due to people looking for work, and lower construction cost due to companies wanted to bid low in order to get the work.
(4). According to the Ohio School Facility Commission (the agency providing us the $48 million dollars), the cost to remodel our buildings is over 2/3 the cost to rebuild. They do not fund remodeling if the cost to remodel is over 2/3 the cost to rebuild. That is their guideline.
(5). Can't argue your statement if that is your priority. I would question how many people are in a "starving" economy that they would choose food over their child's education.
(6). Very true, EXCEPT that technology today, in conjuction with highly qualified teacher,is needed for kids to compete for college and into the workplace tomorrow is not available in our buildings today. Also, an equally important factor is that the safety of our kids today is more important of an issue than it was a generation ago.
"Board members said that the cost of constructing one high school was the same as building two
Hogwash. Does anyone actually believe this?"
No
9:38 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
No: I do. I've explained above that the cost of construction of schools is based on square footage. The cost of square footage is based on the number of students in a building. Combining the buildings will bring the same number of students.
"Question - I understand the argument of personalized attention - but wouldn't there be more opportunity if efforts were combined? and maybe the one school would help with the ill feelings between the 2 schools now? Just asking -
2 high schools?"
9:37 AM, 2/26/2010
2 high schools? : good question. There are pros and cons to the issue. Yes, we could offer additional classes including additional foreign languages as an example. There would be minimal reduction in staff due to staff numbers is related to number of student in educational systems. I feel what would be gained in additional classes would be diminished in opportunities for students to participate in other programs and activities. Likewise, the cost associated with constructing new athletic facilities would have to be borne by the residents.
There are so many arguments on this that we could have a community meeting on this topic alone. I personally believe the overall public does not want one big high school.
These first entries were comments made concerning the article titled "Northeastern has 'energizing' debate about bond issue failures" as written by Megan Gildow, Educational Reporter for the Springfield News-Sun on February 26, 2010.
Well, as promised, here goes:
"As the economy is the vote will still be NO. I would have voted Yes to a smaller levy but when they decide to add the income tax in for EXTRAS the vote is NO!!! I will not vote for any of the current board members in the future, they have wasted enough money trying to get this passed."
Don
6:42 AM, 2/26/2010
Don: A smaller levy was not possible since the Ohio School Facilities Commission's review of our buildings stated all 5 buildings needed to be abandoned and new facilities constructed. The cost of remodeling and bringing our existing buildings to code was more than 2/3 the cost of constructing new buildings. The extras were those requested by the public after several advertised community meetings and other surveys we had taken.
In our school district, as in many school districts in Ohio, it generally takes 3-5 attempts to get a levy passed. Unfortunately, levies cost money, however, the current system of funding schools doesn't allow any other means of generating dollars for operating or permanent improvement funding. The only other alternative is to reduce teachers and staff, and you know what happens when we try to reduce teachers and staff and programs and acitvities
"I'm still voting NO on everything until NE tightens its belt. There are a lot of ways they can save money while still providing a quality education. I can't believe the vote they tried to sneak in in February wasn't a loud enough mandate."
Geez.
NE Resident
9:04 AM, 2/26/2010 REPORT ABUSE
NE Resident: You are totally correct. There are many ways that we can tighten our belts, and surprisingly, we do. Unfortunately, many in the public do not question what we are doing to "tighten our belts". We look at every possible item we can cut without negatively effecting education of children. The district would be open to any suggestions you may have, or better yet, sit down with our administration and ask specifically what they are doing to cut costs.
Your second comment about "sneaking the levy in February" is incorrect. We stated we would be back on the ballot when the levy failed in November. During the time from November to February, I was on the television, in the paper, we were at school functions, information was in the "Communicator" (our district newsletter), there was information on our website (I know you have a computer because you commented to the paper's website), and we sent information home with children. We did not put out any signs due to the cost.
"That was discussed a lot last night. Nothing was decided on at the meeting. It was more to generate ideas, because the vote in Feb was a pretty loud no to the current levy, so all options are on the table."
John
8:51 AM, 2/26/2010 REPORT ABUSE
John: yes there are options we will be looking at. It is very important that the people come and give us some options to consider. As I mentioned in my opening article on this blog, the board will decide the best option that will benefit kids.
"And I am still going to vote YES.
The new buildings are needed. I don't agree with one centralized high school. Students do better in an environment where there is more personalized attention, not less. Would you want your child to be just a number?"
Northridge parent
8:28 AM, 2/26/2010 REPORT ABUSE
Northridge parent: I do not support a "one high school" in the district because it is not in the best interest of kids education. There are many factors with having one high school. Among those are increased disciplinary problems, transportation in an area of 117 square miles, where is there land available that will be needed to put a facility of this size, who will fund the construction of athletic fields (not a board of education priority), what will we do with existing facilities and grounds, no reduction in administrators and teachers since their numbers are related to the number of kids in a building, very little savings in construction costs because the cost is related to square footage and square footage is figured on number of students in a building. There are other reasons I do not support one high school, but they would be too numerous to list for this response. We still agree.
There are some benefits, however, they do not out do the reasons for having 2 separate high schools.
"Just to clarify, the meeting on the 18th at Northeastern High School at 6 pm is open to the public. It just isn't for the Board and Building Advisory Committee. Any ideas and questions are welcome. The levy (if they decide to have one) will be different then what was on the last 2 ballots. The income tax part of the levy can't be the same this time, and at the meeting last night they were well aware how unpopular that part was, so I wouldn't be surprised to see that off the table.
John
8:10 AM, 2/26/2010 REPORT ABUSE"
John: the meeting on the 18th will be a public meeting. It will be controlled to the point that the board will be looking at constructive ideas, not derogatory comments or negative feedback. For those who wish to come, I encourage you to be part of the solution - not part of the problem. The time available to get this done is short and must be centered on arriving at solutions not feeding more problems.
"Hogwash. Does anyone believe this?" Yes! There is no economic benefit to combining the schools. The only thing I think the school board needs to change is keeping a school in S.Vienna. Other than that, it's better to pay for it now, as opposed to the state stepping in, in a few years, and forcing something upon us. The state has already determined that these schools need replaced. So lets do it under our terms while the state has money to pay a good portion of it."
bc
10:00 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
bc: keeping a building in South Vienna was originally one of the options that was under consideration. There is a program implemented by the Ohio Department of Education called the "Acceleration Program" that allows qualified students from a lower grade to "accelerate" into a higher class in a particular subject. For example, an 8th grader who is proficient in math can be challenged in a 9th or 10th grade level math class. This benefits the student. By having to transport the student from SV to Northeastern HS, the student would lose a class period in transportation alone, plus the cost of transporting the student amounts to about $8000 annually, paid by the board (your taxes). By having a campus arrangement, we can efficiently have a good acceleration program without the cost of transportation and loss of classroom time.
One option I would support is to have an elementary building in SV since there is enough land available and the acceleration program is not as viable from elementary to middle school. I would support a K-5 building at SV.
"Here's the deal:
1) The board doesn't spend money the way promise they will. Voters have a long memory.
2) This district is too big for one campus. How long do you want YOUR kid riding the bus?
3) The price tag is too high.
4) It’s cheaper to remodel than rebuild.
5) People would rather feed their families than send their kids to a *new* school.
6) Kids can learn anywhere, if there are good teachers. They don’t have to be in a *new* building."
NS
9:59 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
NS: My reply to your list.
(1). Can you give me some specifics where we didn't spend the funds as we promised? Your statement is quite vague.
(2). I agree totally with you.
(3). In this economy today, I would agree, however, there are many benefits to an economy today, such as lower cost for materials, quicker construction due to people looking for work, and lower construction cost due to companies wanted to bid low in order to get the work.
(4). According to the Ohio School Facility Commission (the agency providing us the $48 million dollars), the cost to remodel our buildings is over 2/3 the cost to rebuild. They do not fund remodeling if the cost to remodel is over 2/3 the cost to rebuild. That is their guideline.
(5). Can't argue your statement if that is your priority. I would question how many people are in a "starving" economy that they would choose food over their child's education.
(6). Very true, EXCEPT that technology today, in conjuction with highly qualified teacher,is needed for kids to compete for college and into the workplace tomorrow is not available in our buildings today. Also, an equally important factor is that the safety of our kids today is more important of an issue than it was a generation ago.
"Board members said that the cost of constructing one high school was the same as building two
Hogwash. Does anyone actually believe this?"
No
9:38 AM, 2/26/2010
REPORT ABUSE
No: I do. I've explained above that the cost of construction of schools is based on square footage. The cost of square footage is based on the number of students in a building. Combining the buildings will bring the same number of students.
"Question - I understand the argument of personalized attention - but wouldn't there be more opportunity if efforts were combined? and maybe the one school would help with the ill feelings between the 2 schools now? Just asking -
2 high schools?"
9:37 AM, 2/26/2010
2 high schools? : good question. There are pros and cons to the issue. Yes, we could offer additional classes including additional foreign languages as an example. There would be minimal reduction in staff due to staff numbers is related to number of student in educational systems. I feel what would be gained in additional classes would be diminished in opportunities for students to participate in other programs and activities. Likewise, the cost associated with constructing new athletic facilities would have to be borne by the residents.
There are so many arguments on this that we could have a community meeting on this topic alone. I personally believe the overall public does not want one big high school.
My responsibility - Your obligation 2/28/2010
Having served on Northeastern Local Board of Education for the past 16 years, I have been involved in many issues effecting our schools. As a result, I have been a part of the resolutions of many of these issues. As sensible voters, we often wonder why the board resolved an issue in the manner it was resolved. What should have appeared to be a reasonable, common sense solution turned into a more complex one. This is due to many different parameters surrounding an issue of which the public may be unaware. A solution to an issue that may not make common sense, may be the result of a contractual or legislative edict, or it may simply be an issue of money. Money issues especially will bring the most comments and questions, yet it is the facts and effects surrounding the issue of which the public may not be totally aware. Each board member has a tremendous responsibility to their public to be "fiscally responsible" for the district's finances and ethically responsible for the education of the children.
There are many sources our community uses to ask a question, make comments, statements and occasionally a derogatory viewpoint. Often, the board can respond at a board meeting, community meeting, or individually with a constituent. One source, The Springfield News-Sun, allows comments and questions to be posted to many of the articles and editorials the paper publishes. In addition, the newspaper allows a popular section, "Speak Up" in which people can post a comment without providing their name. This presents a problem for those on the receiving end, because we are unable to respond to an uninformed or ill-informed person. Among the many "hot topics", it seems educational articles receive the most comments, questions and often derogatory statements. Many of the questions and comments are very good and do inform the public, however, there are far too many that serve only to ridicule, embarrass or otherwise question the integrity and character of the school or of an individual.
This blog is about communicating factual information to the public. Whether it is to defend a position, get the facts to people and simply telling the truth, my intent is to inform. It is in no way intended to substitute the district's responsibility to inform the public by other means. It is simply another vehicle to be used to get the facts to the public, outline an issue and simply to explain the truth.
Over the course of the the next - who knows how long - I will be responding to the comments, questions, statements from readers of the paper, letters and emails I receive, comments from community meetings and any "posts" to this blog. The views I express are my views and not necessarily those of my fellow board members. You are encouraged to ask them their specific view on an issue. Also, It must be understood that I cannot and will not respond to specific personnel issues or issues referring to any specific student. Should you feel it is necessary for you to know the specifics of a personnel or student issue, I encourage you to discuss the issue with the specific individual.
In conclusion, I will not be speaking on behalf of the Board of Education, only for me. The five members of our board are individuals who may not agree on any one issue, however, we share a common belief that our focused role is to do what is best for the children in our district. "What is best for the children in our district" is a phrase you will hear from me and every individual on the board, administration, faculty and staff. It is more than a phrase, it is a commitment to bring the very best educational opportunities to the children of the Northeastern Local School District.
As an elected public official, elected by the residents of the Northeastern Local School District, I have a responsibility to you, my constituents, to answer your questions, listen to your comments and suggestions, and be a fiscal steward to your money. You as residents of our school district have an obligation to question your elected officials as to their position on a particular issue. By fulfilling my responsibility and by each of you fulfilling your obligation, our district can continue to be strong and provide the best educational obligations to children.
There are many sources our community uses to ask a question, make comments, statements and occasionally a derogatory viewpoint. Often, the board can respond at a board meeting, community meeting, or individually with a constituent. One source, The Springfield News-Sun, allows comments and questions to be posted to many of the articles and editorials the paper publishes. In addition, the newspaper allows a popular section, "Speak Up" in which people can post a comment without providing their name. This presents a problem for those on the receiving end, because we are unable to respond to an uninformed or ill-informed person. Among the many "hot topics", it seems educational articles receive the most comments, questions and often derogatory statements. Many of the questions and comments are very good and do inform the public, however, there are far too many that serve only to ridicule, embarrass or otherwise question the integrity and character of the school or of an individual.
This blog is about communicating factual information to the public. Whether it is to defend a position, get the facts to people and simply telling the truth, my intent is to inform. It is in no way intended to substitute the district's responsibility to inform the public by other means. It is simply another vehicle to be used to get the facts to the public, outline an issue and simply to explain the truth.
Over the course of the the next - who knows how long - I will be responding to the comments, questions, statements from readers of the paper, letters and emails I receive, comments from community meetings and any "posts" to this blog. The views I express are my views and not necessarily those of my fellow board members. You are encouraged to ask them their specific view on an issue. Also, It must be understood that I cannot and will not respond to specific personnel issues or issues referring to any specific student. Should you feel it is necessary for you to know the specifics of a personnel or student issue, I encourage you to discuss the issue with the specific individual.
In conclusion, I will not be speaking on behalf of the Board of Education, only for me. The five members of our board are individuals who may not agree on any one issue, however, we share a common belief that our focused role is to do what is best for the children in our district. "What is best for the children in our district" is a phrase you will hear from me and every individual on the board, administration, faculty and staff. It is more than a phrase, it is a commitment to bring the very best educational opportunities to the children of the Northeastern Local School District.
As an elected public official, elected by the residents of the Northeastern Local School District, I have a responsibility to you, my constituents, to answer your questions, listen to your comments and suggestions, and be a fiscal steward to your money. You as residents of our school district have an obligation to question your elected officials as to their position on a particular issue. By fulfilling my responsibility and by each of you fulfilling your obligation, our district can continue to be strong and provide the best educational obligations to children.
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