Posted on 01/17/2012 6:51:34 PM PST by EBH
As of Tuesday, programs like elementary music, art and physical education are gone and libraries are closed.
School days are shortened to just 5 1/2 hours -- leaving kids less time for instruction, and working parents scrambling.
"What are kids gonna do with that big window of time when their parents are still working and all that idle time that they still have, to do God knows what?" parent Jeff Bodziony said.
Hot school lunches are also thing of the past.
In fact, lunch is a thing of the past.
Students used to have lunch in the noon hour.
Instead they are now sent home at 1:15 p.m.
Kids who qualify for free lunches were sent home Tuesday with a bologna sandwich, an apple and a pickle.
(Excerpt) Read more at fox8.com ...
Finally starting to see the public school system crash.
It’s just a matter of time.
“a huge overhang of pensions and medical insurance for teachers who have been there forever”
In an increasing number of cases these costs are for teachers (and cops and firemen) who retired 20 years ago; they’ve siphoned off any funds that would be needed to pay a current workforce. A nearby town had a police chief retire; they owed him about $400K in unused vacation/sick time, and agreed to pay it over three years. What happens to the remaining employees while those payments (besides the pension) are being set aside?
The first lady is always talking about get moving,”
Which she’ll be getting to do in January of 2013.
In Garfield Heights, to some degree they are.
They're getting a lot of Section 8. Section 8 tenants pay on the basis of their income so their rents are not impacted by bond issues.
Lots of the old time residents are older and their kids are gone. The grandkids decidedly do not go to Garfield schoos. Lots of younger old time residents send their kids to private schools.
There's also a perception (like there was in neighboring Maple Heights where it was true) that a lot of the kids in the schools are non-residents from Cleveland.
Immediately cut teacher’s pay commensurate with the shortened work day. Layoff all teachers whose classes have been canceled. Likewise a proportional cut in all administrative personnel. Consolidate all physical assets (schools, ad buildings, etc.) consistent with the cut in services. It’s simple math, which means they probably can’t figure it out.
>>Mathematics dont lie. They WILL RUN OUT OF MONEY EVENTUALLY. <<
We crash and it won’t be pretty.
I suspect the US will be the last that crashes, however. Greece is first. Italy next.
Back in the Dark Ages when I was in elementary school, my mom worked. I would just go to the public library on the next block to the school and hang out there doing homework and reading until she came and got me.
Having nothing to do but read for three hours a day greatly increased my reading level.
GARFIELD HEIGHTS, OH (WOIO) - Drastic changes to the Garfield Heights Schools are now in effect.
According to the district, the financial situation remains bleak due to another failed levy.
Over the past several years, the district has eliminated more than $4 million from the district’s operating budget resulting in the loss of many teachers and educational opportunities for students.
With no new funding in sight, the District was forced to make drastic changes in the school day structure. In order to focus more time and teachers on teaching reading and mathematics, the elementary music, art, physical education, and library programs in kindergarten through grade 5 will be eliminated. Those same programs will be greatly reduced in the middle school.
New school times are listed below:
Elmwood and William Foster Elementary 8:10 a.m. - 1:40 p.m.
Morning Kindergarten & Preschool 8:10 a.m. - 10:50a.m.
Afternoon Kindergarten & Preschool 11:00 a.m. - 1:40 p.m.
Maple Leaf Intermediate 7:40 a.m. - 1:10 p.m.
Middle School 7:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
High School 7:42 a.m. - 1:40 p.m.
With the shortened school day, students who qualify for a free lunch in grades K-8 will be provided a bagged lunch upon dismissal from school. All other students will have the opportunity to purchase a bagged lunch. There will be no change in the lunch schedule at the high school at this time. The breakfast program will stay the same in all buildings for the remainder of this school year.
>>We have this option called Cyber School in SW Pennsylvania for kids who are even moderately motivated.<<
Same in Ohio. It’s called Ohio Virtual Academy and uses Bill Bennett’s K12. Best program around. My Great-Nephews in Cleveland are students (their brother and sister [my namesake] attend a charter).
We finally got virtual schools here in MI. My girls are on their fourth year of Latin using Powerspeak offered in this program, because they offer “enrichment classes” to homeschoolers. It’s great!
Where are all the teachers and friends of teachers who are normally on these type threads telling us how wonderful they are?
Probably staying off for their own safety.
Of course they’d think its wonderful for shorter work days for what they’re earning. Cutting hours and not wages of benefits. Who wouldn’t want it?
Read my tagline. It cracks me up when people get all verklempt about having to take care of themselves.
I, however, do not believe I should have to pay one dime for anyone else's kid to be educated. I homeschool, so not only do I not have a salary so that I can stay home with my kids, I get no tax deductions for all the money I spend on school (other educators can deduct every dime), and I still have to pay into the local school districts.
If vouchers happen, then it should be for homeschoolers too.
>>Of course theyd think its wonderful for shorter work days for what theyre earning. Cutting hours and not wages of benefits. Who wouldnt want it?<<
Wonder if they have “school of choice” in Ohio.
Wouldn’t it be a hoot if all the kids went to other districts and all these teachers and administrators were given the boot?
I would love if we could use vouchers for curriculum, at least. Give us an approved list and let us take it off tax. We used Switched on Schoolhouse for years. We could only afford the main package but would have loved to get electives as well.
How distressing is that, taking responsibility for your own kids...
I have advocated changing from the current funding system to a tuition based system for some time now. The current system requires parents to obediently hand their children over to the State AND requires the public to pay for it. If the parents would have to write that check every month they may be a bit more involved with what is going into their kid's head.
parent Jeff Bodziony
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jeff-Bodziony/100000225287811
Jeff Bodziony from Forward Church
I bet the parents voted against SB5, too. /s/
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