The Pollyanna Approach
3 hours ago
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Did You Go to Tonight's School Board Meeting?
Any thoughts, observations, comments you'd like to share?
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29 comments:
Yep. Total waste of time. No one spoke; good job Decatur residents. Don Huffman was sappy. Cathy Wiseman voted NO on the middle school handbook. She's a trouble maker; someone probably burst her power bubble and made her mad. AND the bottom line...we've got 61 teachers RIFF'd still! Smart move; bundling it all into the "staff report". GET OUT AND VOTE THESE PEOPLE OUT OF OFFICE!
Not one person spoke to schoolboard....sad day in muddville
It was the first school board meeting I have attended. From what I could tell, there were a lot of teachers and other school administrative individuals in attendance.
They stated there were currently 20 teacher eligible to retire and repeated a few times how hard it was for a teacher to retire.
They highlighted the tough decision to make budget cuts and that if there was another option, they would not be letting go of 61 teachers. Then they kept saying over and over that they will try to get the teachers their jobs back.
They discussed the Decatur Discovery Academy charter school and agreed that it can no longer thrive on its' own and they will be working with the mayor to shift this charter school to part of MSD. Attendees out of township will be able to get state funding and will have to provided their own transportation. I do not know what a charter school is nor if this impacts us at all (just wanted to share).
They had a strange item named "Claims" and stated a claims total (which was around $2.5 million) and they approved it. No details or anything - not sure if this is typical topic.
They discussed "special meetings" and said that with all the changes and issues lately, they understand there may be a need for other meetings outside the normal school board meeting format. They did not schedule one but said it may occur in the future.
Cathy Wiseman was visibly upset when the middle school handbook item was discussed. I did see her make a side comment that she thought cell phones should not be allowed at school at all. The handbook states that they can bring a cell phone into school but cannot use it in school.
Each board member spoke at the end of the meeting and kept saying thank you to the people recognized (Rosie and her bus team got 100% on the school bus inspections). It actually got a bit ridiculous by the 3rd person. Then slightly spoke about having to make cuts and how hard it was for them and how they were not to blame - the government is. They said they are here for the children and appreciate everything the teachers are doing.
I guess as a first-time attendee, I would've liked to see more information on budget and why we are at the place we're at but no such luck. I think my vote will speak 10 times greater so I am looking forward to that day.
Oh yeah, let's vote no and show a visable hissy regarding the middle school's dress code but blame the government on RIFing the teachers. The government wants the budget cut, they didn't say crowd the classrooms and sack the teachers to get there.
Can't say that I blame no one for speaking. It's falling on deaf ears. We need a new board in place so we have a shot at changing how the public meetings are run so that the PUBLIC can actually participate or at least feel like they are involved.
Over 60 teachers were officially let go. It was reported that twenty teachers agreed to retire. However, there was no comment on how both of those things could happen simultaneously. Weren't we told that for every retiree there would be so many teachers brought back? What happened to that idea?
First time attendee as well. That was certainly different. I guess the most accurate description of the experience can be summed up as less than cheerfully optimistic.
Thanks for coming! Unfortunately, the board meeting WAS pretty typical. Jeff Baer spent money on something. The board voted to have Stinson present something next time, Cathy Wiseman made a fool of herself(but wasn't she sparkly?),and Huffman sympathized with teachers but voted with Stinson.
If the teachers are the front line, the parents/other taxpayers are the Red Cross. Lots of spent ammunition and bodies on the field today...no Red Cross in sight.
Teachers aren't allowed to speak to board members(unless residents, but then still risky). But YOU CAN:
Superintendent:
dstinson@msddecatur.k12.in.us
Board email addresses:
dhuffman@msddecatur.k12.in.us
cwiseman@msddecatur.k12.in.us
dgreenwald@msddecatur.k12.in.us
jcollins@msddecatur.k12.in.us
dhenson@msddecatur.k12.in.us
I agree with anon 8:18 PM on the meeting being a waste of time. I cannot believe that a school board meeting is ran this way! Heck, the smaller schools down south have better meetings than this one seems to be having. At least they let the people present participate in asking questions. I was told if you do ask questions one has to sign your name before the meeting starts, and if called on the board members will not answer any of them anyway. No wonder everyone just sits there and keeps silent through the whole thing. I have never seen anything like it in my whole life. It seems like it is one-sided and nothing will ever get accomplished this way. You people need to be more aggressive and learn to speak in large numbers like the bus drivers have done in the past.
Did anyone notice Rosie O'Brien and her team leaving the meeting as soon as they got their picture taken? I thought it was odd how quickly they all left right behind her. What's the matter Rosie, do you think the meeting is a waste of your time? All board members and Mr. Stinson praising you for all that you and your fellow team players doing at the bus barn with 100 percent bus inspection for the past 4 years now. Didn't look so good on you when you were no longer present to hear any of it.
Pat,
Based on your experience as a board memeber, are we in a minority as to how our board handles patron comments? Or really, the lack thereof. If a question is posed, why should it not be answered? Is this policy written in the board's covenants or simply they way this board chooses to function?
I do not blame people for not wanting to speak at the meetings if nothing comes of it.
Actually, I'm done with this blog AND Decatur residents. Two months now you've all been coming here and spouting off. Bottom line: You're stuck with one of the worst mismanaged school districts in the United States. You elected the Board. You will continue to elect people like this. Nothing will get done. Stinson and Huffman are lauging their asses off at Decatur residents this morning. Shameful. Next month, you'll elect Henson, Wiseman and probably Bobby Hire; not sure Natalie Coffey will do anything. Guess what. You'll still have a MINORITY. Here's a couple of solutions: One...MOVE. Two....shut up. Get over it and let them do what they want because guess what; you're letting them.
Where's Phil Webster been lately? I know; he's laughing his ass off with Huffman and Stinson. Guess what folks...they won! You let them.
anon 7:55 - I think the ability of the public to ask questions and make serious comment are so severely limited by the format the Board chooses to keep, as to be an insult to the public.
A much better format can be seen on Channel 16 almost every day of the week as it broadcasts City-County Council committee meetings. There is an agenda with specified topics for either information gathering or action by the committee. Each item also has a document specifying exactly the terms to be decided upon. After each item is discussed by the committee and the particular presenter, the floor is open for the public to make comments or ask questions. At this point, having heard the discussion and had the opportunity to read the specifics to be decided, the public has a real opportunity to give pertinent input. Also unlike our School Board, the public has the opportunity at these times, to actually impact the final decision, because by and large, the Councillors are actually listening.
anon 8:18 and I presume you also left the comment at 8:20 -- bye now, bye, bi-bye. You keep leaving these little messages of no hope, setting up measures for others to meet. When they meet your measures (by their own doing not because of any influence you have) you ignore it. So, sorry we are not good enough for you. Sorry this blog isn't good enough, either. Somehow we will survive and I know that somehow we shall prevail.
Bye.
BTW, I just got a failure notice from the email that I sent to the school board members using the email addresses that anon 141am gave. Does anyone have more accurate email contact info for them?
anon 11:07 - those address look correct. Perhaps Stinson had them deactivated so folks can't pester the Board members.
Ha! Well tht's fine, because I also emailed Stinson, Tony Bennett (Superintendent of Public education for the state of Indiana), Sarah Obrien of the 4th congressional district, Niel Pickett of the 5th congressional district, and Daniel Elsener of the 7th congressional district. I was trying to figure out which district we fall under and apparantly Decatur falls within all three of the above districts. I don't know if it's the right people, but I will keep going till i find the right people. I am sure that I will not rcv a response from stinson, and I even stated so in my email. And yes I did attend the meeting last night, and being that I hadnt been before, I assumed ( and we all lknow what that does lol) that they would present a topic and the community would have a say. I walked in at 703 and they had already passed any opportunity for people to speak. Really??? Is that how we run things? It makes no sense. How is anyone supposed to discuss the issues at hand when the issues at hand havent even been presented yet? that is the most idiotic way of governing that I have ever seen. We need a "there is a time to dance" moment. But even they could at least hold a decent meeting.
Ok, so rough estimate here....Stinson had said that if the teachers take a 5% pay cut and 17 teachers retire, then no layoff would be needed. 20 teachers are retiring. Check. All that's needed is for the teachers to sign off ona 5% pay cut. Seriously 5% is not that much. The average teacher salary in this township is $57,400 per year. this comes out to about $55 per week. Now lets think about this rationaly. I know that I woulld definetely take a 5%pay cut (about $26 a week for me) over having to take on 25% more kids and the problems that go with it. The remaining teachers are going to need that $55 a week for the xanax. If i knew that my taking a 5% reduction in pay would save 61 jobs, then I would be the first to sign up. At this point it is not just on the school board but the teachers union to fix this. They need to sit down and hammer out a deal. They're not that far apart, lets meet in the middle like grown ups.
Well CP, the math is more funky than that at this point. Stinson said that one retirement would save 2 jobs. That means that 20 retirements should have subsituted for 40 jobs and the number RIFed last night should have been only 21, not 61. So, Stinson has reneged on the original set of options laid out to the teachers and to the public. By my calculations, with 61 layoffs netting the $3 million the Board 'authorized', the 20 retirements should be netting an additional $2 million in savings. This is very different from what Stinson has been claiming and what the Board 'authorized' him to pursue.
I have been wondering if they are going to use the fact that they offered "retirement incentives" as a way of not reducing the number of RIFs by as much as they said they would.
Ok he said they needed 17 retirements and a 5% reduction in salary. so they got 20 to retire. This (if my math is correct based of of the original numbers) should reduce the amount of salary reduction to 4.4%.....an avg of $48.57 pre week each.
I understand that Stinson has majorly screwed up, as has the board, but lets at least for thee time being work together to keep these valuable teachers.
Vote them out and start over. But for now we have to work with the crap we are dealt.
I am honestly considering Hoosier Academies for next school year. Has anybody tried this?
HOLY CRAP! Stinson actually answered my email from this morning and not in a form letter! He says that he invites me to meet with him so that he can explain in depth how everything works and he would be happy to meet with me at my convenience. Huh. I never thought in a million years that would happen.
CP - good for you. Maybe all of the folks on your to: list got some attention. You'll have to fill us in after your meeting.
As far as the teachers taking a 5% pay cut to save jobs, who knows what is actually being told to them by their union. At this point no one knows who to believe. I have gone to a lot of the meetings and I think it is amazing to find out all the details of what was passed later on. I shake my head and say I heard nothing of that passed. I am not going to speak because my kids will be targeted and nobody behind the table is listening. They may be to busy texting (Judy Collins)than listening! All I can say is VOTE for a change!!!!!!!!!
I have gone to the last several board meetings and I am about ready to stop. It is the biggest waste of my 2 hours! I could be at home helping my kids with homework, eating dinner with my family or playing outside enjoying my kids. Instead I have chosen to go so I can be informed about my childs education and future. However, every time I leave I just have to laugh. This meeting is the biggest JOKE! I find out more when I volunteer at the schools and talk to the staff. I went to the meetings that approved the retirement incentive however; I never heard they had to have 20 teachers to accept before they would pay out the incentive. And if a teacher turned in their retirement and they did not get the full 20 then they could not change their mind. So I thought it was a rumor. I did my homework and found out it was the truth. WOW! Also if every retirement saves 2 jobs why did they approve 61 RIF's at this board meeting? People that have gotten involved and tried to help have ended up burnt out and left the corporation.
concerned parent said...
HOLY CRAP! Stinson actually answered my email from this morning and not in a form letter! He says that he invites me to meet with him so that he can explain in depth how everything works and he would be happy to meet with me at my convenience. Huh. I never thought in a million years that would happen. April 14, 2010 3:50 PM
Of course he'll meet with you in person...nothing in writing that way. And he's got his well-rehearsed speech all ready for you. I'd bring some backup if I were you...
Anonymous said...
Did anyone notice Rosie O'Brien and her team leaving the meeting as soon as they got their picture taken? I thought it was odd how quickly they all left right behind her. What's the matter Rosie, do you think the meeting is a waste of your time? All board members and Mr. Stinson praising you for all that you and your fellow team players doing at the bus barn with 100 percent bus inspection for the past 4 years now. Didn't look so good on you when you were no longer present to hear any of it.
April 14, 2010 2:39 AM
It shows me Rosie is smart. She must know it's a waste of time. I guess you don't go to many board meetings - most of the time the recipients of the token "What's Right in Decatur" photo opp leave right after.
Rosie - thanks for getting your bus drivers home so they can get plenty of sleep and keep their great record. The teachers know the transportation dept would be lost without you!
It is time for this board of crooks and bandits to at least try to salvage the mess they've made. Why not "do the right thing" and make cuts where they need to be made? Why is Jeff Baer still here when his replacement has been at Decatur for months plus it is now public knowledge that he hasn't been doing his job for over 2 years by not reconciling the accounts each month. What has he been doing besides lunch in Mooresville (in township car and on township gas) and following employees around. There is just cause for termination of his contract. Should have been done long ago. This board and super and assistant supers and more assistant supers are delusional in thinking that no one in Decatur Township is capable of questioning their antics. Please, people, let's band together and prove them wrong. We need to take back our schools and quality of education.
The official approved minutes of the March board meeting on the Decatur website quote the super as saying that he has caused the schools not to be referred to as "Duhcater." Well, the schools were doing very well in terms of student achievement before he became superintendent. The "Duh" is this administration and its bungling around for the past 8 years. The taxpayers and the students have been ripped off. Anyone who asks a question will be put down - or put out to pasture.
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