Our know it all Board has decided to not hire a security consultant to provide the district with a comprehensive security plan and risk assessment because the costs would range between $3000 and $18000 depending on which consultant they hired.
Apparently our Board has decided to leave it in the hands of board members Youngman, a grumpy old man, Smith, a funeral director, and Geisler, someone who works out of his home with a fax and a computer.
Geisler, suggested this brilliant idea based on his opinion that the consultants' findings would be too expensive and take too long. Yeah right! Like our board can do anything quickly, not to mention they know nothing about security risk assessment.
The Board has, however, hired a consultant to do the security at Har-Mer and the Middle School as part of the upcoming renovations. Adams doesn't like this plan either. He claims that the consultants hired to do these two schools are liberals because of their views of the events at Columbine HS. But, despite his objections, Har-Mer and the Middle school will have professionals designing the security systems at these two schools.
It's comforting to know that we have a Board who is so versatile and all knowing. They don't need professionals to design curriculum - after all, they are eager to throw out all the work the teachers have done and instead implement the conservative's darling "Core Knowledge". And does Chapter 4 have any educational benefits? Who cares? Everyone else in Western PA opposes it - that's good enough for our Board. And mandatory homework - once again, our Board knows best.
We can all rest easy knowing that the security of our children is in good hands.
This move comes after 3 years, and over a half a dozen presentations to the Board by parent advocate Deborah Wells to do just that-establish such a group. Wells has been relentless in lobbying for a Citizens Advisory Committee and it appears that it will soon become a reality. Based on the belief that parents have a natural right to direct the education of their children, such a committee will allow parents to have meaningful input into the governance of our district. Until now, the Board has rejected Wells' proposal, based on the Board's desire to retain all control and relegate parents participation to helping with homework and fund raising activities.
Deborah Wells and board member Watson should be thanked for leading this effort. A committee will be formed consisting of Watson, Angerett, Giesler and Thompson to establish this Parental Advisory Committee.
In Another Moment of Clarity......
Through the had work and lobbying efforts of Katherine Gardner and other members of Citizens for Safe Schools, the Board has decided to finally act on their recommendations and hire a security consultant to assess security needs of all the schools in the district. This has been put off too long by our district - and the recommendation by Citizens for Safe Schools to have this type of assessment done was made long ago.
Why has our Board finelly decided to make the security needs of our children a priority at this time? Simple. Last night Mr. King, our solicitor, informed the Board that they could be held legally responsible if there was a problem and they hadn't taken steps to provide a safe environment for our children.
Even though Ms. Gardner and other parents have been concerned with building security for years, it took the Board thinking they could be sued to take their concerns seriously. Is there no shame?
3-20-2000
So read the headline in the March 17, 2000 Eagle. According to the paper, around 4:00 pm on March 14, police allege that a 16 year old student threatened to detonate a bomb at the high school during school hours. Searches were done at the school, and no bombs or bomb-making materials were found. Criminal charges against the boy are pending. Calls to Superintendent Reggie Bonfield were not returned.
At last night's Board meeting at Moraine Elementary School, citizen Katherine Gardiner asked about the latest bomb threat, and asked why parents had not been told about it. An interesting, though convoluted, discussion followed.
Dr. Bonfield stated, "I don't know what the police are referring to in that article." (Gee, that instills confidence). He continued, "I know of no bomb threat that was called in to the school about a bomb going to go off on the 14th." When Gardiner explained that neither she nor the paper said anything about a threat being called in, Dr. Bonfield assured her that "When we have any credible information we can give to parents, we will do that..."
Hm... I guess the reporting was all wrong. I guess a police investigation with pending criminal charges isn't credible. And if the building was searched, I guess they weren't really looking for a bomb. Safety first.
When parents were notified about the earlier e-mail bomb threat for Thursday, March 8, 60-70% of the students were absent from school. Bonfield said this was because of the District's good communication with parents. Now let's see. Good communication with parents. How many children were absent because of the latest threat? How many parents knew of the latest threat? Apparently Gardiner left messages at the District office on Friday and Monday and her calls were not returned, even though people were in the office. Gardiner summed it up well. "If a police report has been filed, and this type of situation exists, parents should be notified." Exactly.
Still No High School English Teacher
When High School English teacher Kimberly Robertson resigned in January, a search began for her replacement. Although a name was presented to the Board during last month's Business meeting (Scott Fritsche), no action was taken. In last night's meeting, action was taken, this time with a "no" vote for hiring Scott Fritsche as a High School English teacher, Step 1, $29,997. A motion was made to approve, but no second was made for a looooong time. Finally Youngman seconded, but wanted to hear what his colleagues problems were (I guess he meant problems with the motion...!).
Adams railed against the high starting salary of a beginning teacher (so we all made a mistake by not going into education as young men, Youngman quipped), but then the truth was told. Apparently, the Board's personnel committee did not get to review all of the applications received by the District. Not enough time, everyone's in a big hurry, said Adams. In the past, this committee has saved the District some real problems, he said, and as Dr. Christmann pointed out (to Mr. Adams, I guess), look at the grade point averages here...that kind of thing would have come out in the personnel committee.
Too little time, too little power - the remedy? The Board's usual response - delay, delay, delay. Bonfield reminded the Board that a sub was currently teaching the English classes. Adams and Christmann voted no, Angerett, Duryea and Youngman voted yes. A majority of 5 was needed. (Giesler showed up after the vote, Smith, Thompson and Watson were absent). I guess the Board knows best.
Teachers and Sabbaticals
CAD instructor Mel Price is asking for a sabbatical for "study" for the second semester of the 2000-2001 school year. Concerned about finding a replacement, Bonfield asked the Board to move on this quickly. Giesler expressed concern about sabbaticals and their purposes. Is it part of their contract, he asked? And if we can't find a replacement, do we have to approve it? Duryea suggested that Board members could talk to the solicitor before the next meeting if they had questions. I sure hope the teachers' contract is clear...because this Board doesn't seem too fond of sabbaticals. The vote should take place next week.
Teachers and Advisory Committees
SRAE teacher Kim Creasy and SRHS teacher Sid Snyder have been invited to become members of SRU's Teacher Education Advisory Committee. An honor, you would think. But then again...the Board isn't so sure. Just how were these particular teachers selected, Adams and Christmann want to know. Their names were "given" to the School (sic) of Education. Do these teachers have the highest SAT scores? Do they excell in anything? Do their students have higher achievement test scores?
After all, everyone knows that teachers are only as good as their GPA or their students' test scores, right??? Well, our Board seems to think so. Just read The Bell Curve, Adams says. Let's look at their SAT scores, their PRAXIS test scores (Christmann's interest). Our Board sure knows how to tell if someone's a good teacher. I'm glad they're looking out for us.
Miscellaneous
Angerett would like the Board's Athletic Committee to get moving on an idea to re-organize Youth Soccer and Youth Football to include grades 7, 8 and 9 (9th grade is currently varsity). If there are no 13 year olds in football, then 120 young men will be left with nothing to do. 100 cheerleaders will be left out in the cold. And if the Board wants to hear from some mad mothers, just let that happen. The issue was sent to the Dr. Watson and the Athletic Committee.
LINKS PHONE NUMBERS PRIVACY VIOLATIONS SAFETY UPDATE BOARD SCHEDULE
THIS JUST IN!