|
|
Post by Michael Soethout on Jan 26, 2011 20:43:26 GMT -5
I was watching the 11 P.M. news the other night when they ran a story about the Bernard Township School District in New Jersey. The issue was that the School District in response to decreased state aid from NJ Gov. Chris Christie was going go to half day kindergarten. As a result the was a upraising with the parents, who when they were advised by the school board if the community raised the money approximately $470,000 in 4 weeks the board would restore full day kindergarten which they did. In the TV spot, one of the organizers of this effort made the statement "that it is a new day when parents have pay for public schools" . I am fine with this community restoring their full day kindergarten. Where does she think the schools get their money from, parents and communities already pay for their schools and when they basically asked the parents of the incoming class for $1000-$2000 donations tution, how long will that last, will it solve anything for the next year, did the really do anything to address the addicition to spending? I can't believe but I have quote Bill Clinton on this one, "it is the ecomony S----D" Sincerely, Michael Soethout newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/01/25/nj-group-raises-money-to-save-kindergarten/ |
|
|
|
Post by Chris_Wendt on Jan 27, 2011 5:07:33 GMT -5
Michael
In Wantagh, we can't even get to having full-day K because we keep spending the money needed to fund full-day K on salary increases for everybody and promotions for administrators.
We already have the classroom space, built with full-day K in mind when we passed the bond to expand the elementary schools years ago.
Wantagh has the distinction of being in the 8% of NY State school districts without full-day K, even though our taxpayers have already made a sizable down payment for this program, and despite there having been special state aid funding available to start it.
I am not suggesting this year would be the year to start full-day K. Of course not. But do you hear full-day K as a discussion item in the long-range planning of the district? No, because you don't hear anything in the long-range planning of the district.
Full-day K should be on that list of unfulfilled student priorities against which every dollar of salary increases for any district employee gets measured. If there ever will be such a list.
Regards
Chris Wendt
|
|
ducky
Junior Member
Posts: 34
|
Post by ducky on Jan 27, 2011 14:55:30 GMT -5
It's not just the economy alone. It is poor judgement by past school boards who gave away the store but even more important it is the GREED of teachers and staff. They think the schools are run to enrich them. They have long forgotten that the schools are intended to educate and enrich the kids. The average teacher is making more than the average household income in Wantagh. How can that continue?
|
|
|
|
Post by wantagh4life on Jan 27, 2011 17:00:42 GMT -5
"The average teacher is making more than the average household income in Wantagh"
Incorrect...
According to the latest census numbers, the average household income in Wantagh is $106,661.
Average teacher salary is a hair below $80,000.
|
|
|
|
Post by Michael Soethout on Jan 27, 2011 20:35:58 GMT -5
Chris,
I didn't post the story to advocate Kindergarten in either direction. My take on that story is that here is a community that is at a crossroad and they were faced with a tough decision and they choose to kick the can down the road. Is it noble of the parents and that community to fund their program? Definitely, but it serves the needs of those parents and children for the next school year only. Their noble deed does nothing to address the future years though. They are not facing the problem, they caught lightning in a bottle this year, maybe they will do again, maybe they won't.
We are seeing in our neighboring state of New Jersey, their Governor Christie consistently pledge to break their addiction to spending. Our incoming Governor Cuomo, who, no one would ever usually put in the the same conversation as Chris Christie normally, has made controlling spending, decreasing taxes and the size of government in New York a major plank in his platform. Does he mean it, will it lead to anything? We will see as this upcoming state budget season begins to unfold.
Also NIFA has taken over Nassau's finances. How can that be? Nassau one of the richest counties in the country? Well if you spend it faster that you can make you end up broke. Even the Federal Government is giving a little more lip service and talking points to controlling spending. Maybe politicians at all levels and affiliation are taking notice to some degree.
To me I truly believe that this a government of people by the people, but I without doubt believe that any level of government gets its money from the people. So with that being said the people who choose to serve need to serve the the public wisely and prudently. Our leaders at all levels need, pay heed to the lessons of the past, while taking care of the present and looking to the future. Is it easy, no. But we can't just do things because that is the way it has always been done. Doing that will only ensure us of crippling the present and destroying the future.
Sincerely,
Michael Soethout
|
|
|
|
Post by Chris_Wendt on Jan 27, 2011 21:44:17 GMT -5
Michael put it appropriately:
"...here is a community that is at a crossroad and they were faced with a tough decision and they choose to kick the can down the road...." We are in agreement over this. For years, many of us in the community have been wishing and hoping to see some form of long range planning, i.e. the polar opposite of kicking cans down the road. Full-day K is one of those cans, but we don't kick it down the road; we keep it buried under the ice at the bottom of the picnic cooler. It should be listed on a list of priorities and it, along with all the other unfulfulled priorities that should be on that same list should be carefully weighed against any dollars suggested or demanded for wage increases or administrative promottions. I think our mutual point, yours, Ducky's and mine, is that, by not following priorities, therefore, following incorrect or even wrong priorities, and by not planning over time, and then waking up in the middle of a crises, a school board will find their only choice is to drop back ten yards and punt it away. I am not advocating for Full-day K at this time; that would be suicidal. Full-day K is a few years away, or until the State decides to make it mandatory for the 8% of districts that do not already have it. Too bad, too, because Full-day could have already been realized here in Wantagh, just as it has been in Seaford, if only we had spent less money on salaries over the years. Repsectfully, Chris Wendt |
|
|
|
Post by Chris_Wendt on Jan 27, 2011 22:00:37 GMT -5
"The average teacher is making more than the average household income in Wantagh" Incorrect... According to the latest census numbers, the average household income in Wantagh is $106,661. I found your number, and it is the median income, not the mean average income. The difference is important. Median income is the amount above and below which 50% of the households incomes fall. It is an unweighted mid-point of the range of household incomes. Average income, in the sense Ducky is using it. is the mean or mathematical average income of all households, and would be the correct average to use in this comparison. The (median) number you supplied is not germain to such a comparison. Respectfully, Chris Wendt |
|
|
|
Post by WantaghConcernedCitizens on Feb 18, 2011 12:03:08 GMT -5
"The average teacher is making more than the average household income in Wantagh" Incorrect... According to the latest census numbers, the average household income in Wantagh is $106,661. Average teacher salary is a hair below $80,000. Wantagh4life, you have the audacity to accused people of misrepresenting the facts? Where are you getting the 80k per year number, which is the salary for at teacher with between 6-8 years experience, depending on their educational background. Look at the contract, our teachers have on average been with the district for at least 15 years, which brings the salary between 100k and 110k depending on their educational background. BTW, that pregnant teacher that was let go, made 77k for the 2009-10 school year and was one of least senior employees (hence being let go, last in first out). Let keep it real, look at these links to verify my claims if you doubt me. Salaries www.seethroughny.net/PayrollsPensions/tabid/55/Payrolls/StatePayroll/tabid/69/Default.aspx?BRANCHID=6Contract: www.wantaghconcernedcitizens.com/docs/WantaghTeachers2010.pdf |
|
