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Post by wantaghmember on Jun 20, 2008 20:09:38 GMT -5
Can anyone tell me how much the very first bond was for and when will it be maturing?
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Post by Wantagh Parent on Jun 20, 2008 21:35:13 GMT -5
I am glad to hear that some of you are ready to move foward and I hope by next week more of you will join in. One easy way for us to raise funds is to maximize what we already have set up Wantagh Middle School and the three Elementary PTA's participate in BOXTOPS 4 EDUCATION. If you go to www.boxtops4education.com you will see all of our missed opportunities it's not just 10 cents a top but contests and cash back for shopping. Each school could get up to $20.000.00 a year. I BET there is MONEY in almost every closet in this town. So, clip the logo's and save them. You will be surprised how fast this can add up!!!!!!!! I think we should have a folder where we could list information for each Fundraiser that is put into place. It might be a bit premature to do this but it's a start. wantaghinmyheart, if you don't mind, I'm going to copy & paste this as the first one. Any member can start a thread anywhere on this board so as the fundraisers are organized, finalized and announced, please use this folder.
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Post by lilly on Jun 21, 2008 9:34:49 GMT -5
I'm with you lulubell. ;D
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Post by patchin on Jun 21, 2008 10:44:09 GMT -5
How does fund raised money get used/distributed? Does it go back to the schools? Who decides what to do with the money? Sports, due to competition, needs to be school sponsored (transportation, etc...) - or does it? As for the clubs, is it possible to have a "Wantagh Community Clubs Organization", which can organize, schedule events, fund raising, supervise, etc... that will basically plan, and execute, the agenda for all clubs? Meetings should take place in public areas such as libraries, churches, etc... As a club, they can go to local business to help and learn more about the business. And later, talk about what they did and learned, and may be offer suggestions and ideas on how to make the business more successful. A win-win situation for the community and the kids. As a community, I like to take more responsibility for our kids education. Broaden their horizon to other opportunities and careers, outside school. As will as plan to provides other services the community wants. I hear parents hiring tutors to teach their kids, why not have the community provide a service where kids and adults can tutor kids on a volunteer basis. The supervisor would be able to critique the kids (if they want to) on how they did. How would that look on the kids college application? Yes, this is a lot of work - but I think it will be worth it.
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Post by imconcerned on Jun 22, 2008 11:14:16 GMT -5
I would like to respond to this posting.
At Mandalay Elementary School we are given a 5 page list of PTA committees that we would like to volunteer for.
I offered to assist with Fund Raising - in addition to box tops. I found a number of additional ways to make money for the school.
I was never contacted. I am extremely disappointed with the "politics" surrounding the PTA.
If someone can point me in the rt direction I would love to help out. There are a couple of easy ways to make money for Wantagh without costing us any additional money that we would have spent anyway. This includes making money for the school when we food shop, when we go to target, etc.
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Post by lilly on Jun 23, 2008 9:51:51 GMT -5
patchin, the high school sets up peer tutoring so kids can make extra $ and high school kids who could use help in certain subjects, can get it.
I know there are a lot of elem grade teachers in the district who do a lot of expensive tutoring for our kids after school. That always struck me as ironic bc theoretically, that help should be covered in the school day, not after school for an additional fee. I've always wondered if there was a BOE policy on it since the fact that it happens makes a statement.
But I like your ideas.
imconcerned, I don't know what to say. It seems like in these times the "politics" should disappear.
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Post by bnjasper on Jun 23, 2008 10:15:12 GMT -5
Trying to assess the first weekend contribution scorecard.
Community fund raising -- YES Parent support -- YES Students helping -- YES Teachers cut -- YES Administration
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Post by taxed2death on Jun 23, 2008 11:13:24 GMT -5
Although the $770K for sports and $239K extracurricular activity's was spelled out. Does anyone know the individual costs for elem band/orchestra? Texbooks? 4 elem teachers? Equipment? The difference between the total cut of $1.5mill less the sports/activities is $491K, however I'd like to know how it breaks out among these identified cuts.
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Post by vetmann on Jun 23, 2008 11:20:41 GMT -5
taxed2death, who is the source for the figures you cited? I know that the PTA discussed these figures, but has the board actually told anyone what it intends to cut? I thought the final cuts would be announced at the June 26 meeting. Thanks
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Post by taxed2death on Jun 23, 2008 12:49:56 GMT -5
vetmann: The PTA president spoke to Dr Bonuso prior to last Thurs eve PTA meeting and made this announcement. She said it was not final, but these were the cuts we were looking at. The sports and activity numbers were mentioned. Also although we were told that cut's were not officially final, the 4 elementary school teachers had been notified that they would not be returning in Sept. I do not believe there has been any actual BOE announcements. We are all waiting for THurs eve meeting, but are expecting to hear what we already heard and hopefully nothing else to make an already bad situation even worse.
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Post by wantaghmember on Jun 23, 2008 15:12:15 GMT -5
Why not ask about the legality of using some of the bond we just passed; when calculating the costs, both the administration and the contractors had to factor in a cushion.
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Post by wantaghmember on Jun 23, 2008 15:33:33 GMT -5
Another thought, it's not just getting through this crisis, but how the next couple of years will be handled. Most businesses have a 3, 5 and a 10 year plan. We need a plan going forward. If next year's budget is equal to this year's budget, the same results could happen.
We should ask if the district has a business plan in place that is reviewed and revised yearly and what percent budget will they be looking for if 2.7% of the budget is required to pay off debt for the 3 existing bonds.
We not only have to look at the here and now, but have foresight for the future.
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Post by thebigpicture on Jun 24, 2008 8:28:30 GMT -5
When Dr B "leaked" the budget cuts info to the PTA president, is he trying to feel us out to see what we will do and how we will take the news?? I think that this is how he operates, leak info, have his moles get back to him, and do what he wants to do. This is BOE business as usual. This needs to change, the community needs to be included in these decisions. There are too few making decisions affecting too many.
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Post by patchin on Jun 24, 2008 23:43:13 GMT -5
thebigpicture, I totally agree with you.
By not reacting real negatively, the BOE and administration may not take the community seriously and not cut as much as they could.
We should start planning out loud what we need to do about the BOE and Administration to be more representative of the community.
How do we replace the BOE members and Administration with people who are more in touch with the community? Do we need to vote them out, put on a ballot, adding more members to the BOE, etc... We need to act now to show the BOE and Administration the community means business. Otherwise, our recommendations will be similar to the recommendations from the BAC - read and tossed aside, and continue with business as usual.
Yes, it will take time... but we need to act now to show the community means business, and to show them that their jobs are on the line. Do your job and represent the community, or your out. The free ride is over.
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Post by lilly on Jun 25, 2008 9:58:04 GMT -5
patchin, I may agree with you that we need change so that we're not in this position again but I disagree with how you're saying it. We definitely need to be in a different, much better place two weeks from now and certainly by next May.
As adults, you can't teach another adult "a lesson". It's human nature that people don't listen until they are ready to hear. But as adults, there's natural consequences for action/inaction instead of "teaching someone a lesson". So the way you're phrasing it doesn't sit right with me. I hope that makes sense.
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