Attn Parents!!

[awpitt]

Why are there free day care centers for the high school girls to take their infants at all 3 local high schools ? In a perfect world with unlimited money that works. They can continue their education at night school. That's one way to save money.

Nope.

Running night school adds more cost for the school system. It won't save moeny. Having the daycares, while not the best thing in the world, does allow the teen moms to complete high school which lessens their chances of ending up on the welfare rolls as adults.

 

[huntr1]

Why are there free day care centers for the high school girls to take their infants at all 3 local high schools ?

Because it costs less to have an in school daycare than to support the teen mom on welfare for the rest of her life.

 

[sparkyaclown]

bump... This is an important topic that I think needs to remain on everyone's mind. Don't forget to write the Commissioners at BOCC@stmarysmd.com I wrote and while I believe they basically lied when they said they hadn't seen the official budget from the school system yet they are at least reading the emails and responding.

Remember according to the newspaper if they would just not make as drastic a cut and supply another 1.2 million we could at least avoid enormous class sizes next year.

 

[Wrkn4livn]

Well, now I know where you've been during all of the recent teacher-bashing threads...

Trying to save us all some time, let's predict where this thread is going to go...

• someone will come on & blame all of the problems on the unions
• someone will blame incompetent teachers
• someone will say that teachers get paid too much for only working 10 months out of the year.
• others will drag out stories about wrongs done by teachers that affected their children.
• some will point out (and probably rightly so) that this is just a big game of political extortion, where cuts are proposed that will impact children in an effort to garner monetary support to save the "cushy" central office jobs
• someone will point out that everyone is suffering from the economy so why does it matter if people involved in education also lose jobs

What did I miss?

On another note, I hear you and know exactly where you're coming from on this one. We are also going through this in PG county and it has become clear that the decision-makers do not listen to teachers, parents, or others arguing to save teaching positions and programs that directly impact the children, and cut elsewhere (cushy admin jobs), and the parents are the ones pointing out the admin jobs, not the teachers. The political entities are all playing "pass the buck, and pass the blame". I believe the whole effort is useless becuase the politicians simply do not care. They are all looking for soundbites and reputations for "getting tough and cutting budgets".

Good luck with your quest to find support. I am hoping that you find at least a few parents who will stand up and speak up for what they consider to be important to their children.

Let the mudslinging and witch-hunts commence.

Someone has to pay for the bankers and Wall Street thieves who raided all the stocks and pension funds causing the Federal government to fork over billions of tax-payer money so they could replenish their coffers. It only makes sense that's it's unions, teachers and children! Who else would you expect this to paid for this irresponsible behavior!?

 

[NattyLight1128]

AutoReply

bump... This is an important topic that I think needs to remain on everyone's mind. Don't forget to write the Commissioners at BOCC@stmarysmd.com I wrote and while I believe they basically lied when they said they hadn't seen the official budget from the school system yet they are at least reading the emails and responding.

Remember according to the newspaper if they would just not make as drastic a cut and supply another 1.2 million we could at least avoid enormous class sizes next year.

That's a autoreply that they are sending to all emails.

 

[SShewbert]

Please sign this petition that is being sent to the BOCC and pass it on once you have signed it.


https://marylandeducators.wufoo.com/forms/petition-protect-st-marys-county-schools/

 

[migtig]

I don't concur with your petition. I think other answers and alternatives need to be found. Increasing money is not the answer. Budgets need to be adhered to.

MY SIL teaches in CO. Her school system has gone to almost a CWS. Students are off one day a week, every other week and attend school for a longer period of time the other days. It saves money for the school system, by not running the buses, heating/cooling school rooms, no electricity in the schools etc, no lunches being cooked on those days off. All those things saves the county money and works out advantageously for all involved.

My point is, why can't we look at alternatives to solve our budget woes, rather than demand more money? Why can't we save money and be effective?

 

[awpitt]

I don't concur with your petition. I think other answers and alternatives need to be found. Increasing money is not the answer. Budgets need to be adhered to.

MY SIL teaches in CO. Her school system has gone to almost a CWS. Students are off one day a week, every other week and attend school for a longer period of time the other days. It saves money for the school system, by not running the buses, heating/cooling school rooms, no electricity in the schools etc, no lunches being cooked on those days off. All those things saves the county money and works out advantageously for all involved.

My point is, why can't we look at alternatives to solve our budget woes, rather than demand more money? Why can't we save money and be effective?

You're right about the need to always look at alternatives; however, the SMCPS has been doing more with less for quite a while now. It can work for only so long before all the shortfalls in funding start to have an impact. Sort of like towing a 12K lb trailer with an F-150 rated for 7K lbs. It could probably be done for a while but at some point it's not going to work anymore. The SMCPS has had one of the lowest per student spending rates in the state while producing some of the higher test scores in the state. They're doing something right so when they ask for more money, there's a good reason behind it. BTW, the funding level that the SMCPS is asking for really wouldn't end up getting them more money. It would barely help keep up with inflationary costs. Anyone who is involved in the schools knows that there really isn't all this "fat" that can be trimmed from the budget, at least not at the school level.

 

[sunflower]

You're right about the need to always look at alternatives; however, the SMCPS has been doing more with less for quite a while now. It can work for only so long before all the shortfalls in funding start to have an impact. Sort of like towing a 12K lb trailer with an F-150 rated for 7K lbs. It could probably be done for a while but at some point it's not going to work anymore. The SMCPS has had one of the lowest per student spending rates in the state while producing some of the higher test scores in the state. They're doing something right so when they ask for more money, there's a good reason behind it. BTW, the funding level that the SMCPS is asking for really wouldn't end up getting them more money. It would barely help keep up with inflationary costs. Anyone who is involved in the schools knows that there really isn't all this "fat" that can be trimmed from the budget, at least not at the school level.

 

[Ken King]

You're right about the need to always look at alternatives; however, the SMCPS has been doing more with less for quite a while now. It can work for only so long before all the shortfalls in funding start to have an impact. Sort of like towing a 12K lb trailer with an F-150 rated for 7K lbs. It could probably be done for a while but at some point it's not going to work anymore. The SMCPS has had one of the lowest per student spending rates in the state while producing some of the higher test scores in the state. They're doing something right so when they ask for more money, there's a good reason behind it. BTW, the funding level that the SMCPS is asking for really wouldn't end up getting them more money. It would barely help keep up with inflationary costs. Anyone who is involved in the schools knows that there really isn't all this "fat" that can be trimmed from the budget, at least not at the school level.

More with less? Maybe at the school levels, but it seems that SMCPS added 22+ Mid-Level Administration positions this year increasing that cost sector by $1.6 million. That looks like they are doing less or the same with more.

Shouldn't they do away with administration position/costs before they cut instructional position/costs? The proposed budget shows a reduction of only 6 Mid-Level Administration positions while cutting 58 or so Instructional positions.

 

[awpitt]

More with less? Maybe at the school levels, but it seems that SMCPS added 22+ Mid-Level Administration positions this year increasing that cost sector by $1.6 million. That looks like they are doing less or the same with more.

Shouldn't they do away with administration position/costs before they cut instructional position/costs? The proposed budget shows a reduction of only 6 Mid-Level Administration positions while cutting 58 or so Instructional positions.

I said, "at the school level".

 

[awpitt]

Shouldn't they do away with administration position/costs before they cut instructional position/costs? The proposed budget shows a reduction of only 6 Mid-Level Administration positions while cutting 58 or so Instructional positions.

Yes. Or at lease one for one. I don't know a whole lot about how things work at the central office but at the schools, at least the ones I'm familiar with, there isn't any fat to trim.

 

[Vince]

Yeah, it's called school tax that we already pay.

I have no problem with a Pay to Play for extracurricular activities.
I DO have a problem with giving illegals tuition cuts @ taxpayer expense and then cutting educational services to the legal students. That is

It's not the tuition cuts that hurt, it's educating all the illegal children in the school system whose parents pay no taxes at all.

 

[itsbob]

Just as a further FYI, Charles county apparently actually went to the state and fought to get their funding so they will not be experiencing the cuts St. Mary's is facing.

St Mary's probably could have done the same if the schools didn't wait until the end.of March to get the budget to the BOCC.

Jes sayin

 

[itsbob]

bump... This is an important topic that I think needs to remain on everyone's mind. Don't forget to write the Commissioners at BOCC@stmarysmd.com I wrote and while I believe they basically lied when they said they hadn't seen the official budget from the school system yet are at least reading the emails and responding.

Remember according to the newspaper if they would just not make as drastic a cut and supply another 1.2 million we could at least avoid enormous class sizes next year.

So which one are you accusing of lying? If you have a hair on your ass you'll be at fhe next meeting and call each one of them out individually and call them a liar. But I bet you won't do that because you know who is really lying don't you?

 

[awpitt]

St Mary's probably could have done the same if the schools didn't wait until the end.of March to get the budget to the BOCC.

Jes sayin

State funding amounts for all of MD's county school systems were announced before any of the county BOE's sent their budgets to their respective BOCCs or County Councils.

 

[letmetellyou]

Nope.

Running night school adds more cost for the school system. It won't save moeny. Having the daycares, while not the best thing in the world, does allow the teen moms to complete high school which lessens their chances of ending up on the welfare rolls as adults.

I would like to see the statistical data on how many children who receive free day care in high school go on to get some sort of public assistance later in life? My guess is it's going to be pretty substantial.

Those kids, who don't, likely have the support at home which would ensure they do well without the free day care any way.

So what we really are doing is just creating the entitlement class a little bit sooner.

I honestly am sick of paying for any sort of public education. If I have to, give people vouchers and privatize the whole system. I bet you would see some efficiency and cost savings then!

 

[itsbob]

State funding amounts for all of MD's county school systems were announced before any of the county BOE's sent their budgets to their respective BOCCs or County Councils.

How are the County Commissioners supposed to know how much to ask for from the State before they know how much the schools want?

 

[bresamil]

they don't need smartboards. They are expensive as is the training and when they break no one knows how to fix them.

get rid of the copying expenses by getting rid on all of the worksheets. heaven forbid the children actually use the text books to copy problems or do the assignments that are related to the reading.

pay to play - sports, music, whatever.

any teacher that has 60% or more of their students failing and is fired is not a loss.

cut personnel at the main office - too many chiefs and indians in that building.

consolidate offices. do we really need one at old Bethune and one in Great Mills, etc? That's a lot of plant expense.

no more daycares in the high schools OR charge to use the daycares. sure this makes it harder for teen moms but it is SUPPOSED to be HARD to be a teen mom.

 

[awpitt]

they don't need smartboards. They are expensive as is the training and when they break no one knows how to fix them.

get rid of the copying expenses by getting rid on all of the worksheets. heaven forbid the children actually use the text books to copy problems or do the assignments that are related to the reading.

pay to play - sports, music, whatever.

any teacher that has 60% or more of their students failing and is fired is not a loss.

cut personnel at the main office - too many chiefs and indians in that building.

consolidate offices. do we really need one at old Bethune and one in Great Mills, etc? That's a lot of plant expense.

no more daycares in the high schools OR charge to use the daycares. sure this makes it harder for teen moms but it is SUPPOSED to be HARD to be a teen mom.

In the case of the bands, those students already pay fees. I was suprised to find out that the sports students don't. It's time they start.