Here's a follow up from the Inquirer on the story about the Kimberton, PA school on a Superfund site. Ain't gonna happen...
Board scraps proposed school site
By Kathleen Brady Shea
Inquirer Staff Writer
The Phoenixville Area school board last night scrapped a two-year-old plan to locate an elementary school next to a Superfund site - a proposal that provoked intense controversy in recent weeks.
Before the vote, about a dozen residents, including a cancer survivor, urged the board not to put the district's children at risk.
"I'm a board-certified toxicologist, but more importantly, I'm a parent," said Conney W. Berger Jr. "There is no way you can get rid of all risk . . . however, this is an absolute no."
Donna Jackson, a parent, said the fact that the district needed "testing, experts, reports and an environmental lawyer" suggested the plan was fraught with peril.
In the end, the citizens' concerns trumped the district's scientific data, which had sanctioned the site near the intersection of Cold Stream Road and Route 113. The board voted, 6-2, to abandon the project, receiving a standing ovation from a crowd of more than 100.
Retiring Superintendent David Noyes, who also received a standing ovation for his seven years of service, said after the vote that the next administration would have to find a way to recover almost $4 million.
Noyes said that the land was purchased for $1.85 million in 2005 and that money had been spent on architectural and environmental studies.
"All the experts said it was safe, but emotion took over," Noyes said after the vote.
Many of the opponents said they learned of the project in the last month and were appalled.
Fred Romano, a parent and physician, said he attended the last board meeting and was challenged for not coming forward sooner.
"Apparently we've been in the dark," he said, adding that he collected 375 signatures in four days from citizens who shared his fears.
After the vote, he called the $4 million cost to taxpayers "a bitter pill to swallow," but felt "it was worth it."
Before the meeting, Romano and a dozen other members of the newly formed Coalition of Concerned Citizens held a news conference in front of Phoenixville Area High School to voice their opposition to the project.
Paul Gottlieb, a Pennsylvania State Education Association representative, said the EPA cited risk but called it "reasonable," which he found unacceptable. "No unnecessary risk is reasonable, especially when there are other properties," he said.
The 45-acre Superfund site - across the street from the proposed school - was used previously for manufacturing resin, textile and asphalt products. The former owner, Ciba-Geigy Corp., now Ciba Specialty Chemicals Corp., disposed of residue in eight lagoons on the property.
An October letter from a Ciba attorney labeled the district's plans for the school "ill-advised," but Ron Miller, the district's chief of operations, said the company ignored a request to provide specifics.
Donna Jakubowski, a Ciba spokeswoman, did not return repeated telephone calls.
In 2002, Ciba and two other firms admitted no liability in a confidential settlement regarding a higher-than-usual rate of childhood cancer in Toms River, N.J., home of two Superfund sites.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Business Proposal
Comments, anyone?
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Director of Pupil Personnel Services":
I'm sorry "save the school." I don't mean your blog is trash but just some of the comments on it. Yes I'm looking in a mirror and am guilty of occasional trash writing. It's just irritating when people criticize and name call without doing one spec of research. As much as I diaagree with Jon and Borows who may slant things, but they do their homework and I have to respect that. As for you "save the school." You may be on to a brillant thought. We may not agree on everything but business is bsiness and you got the blog and I got the book. How about after it's ready and you've reviewed it and determined that IT IS NOT MORRISVILLE SCHOOL BASHING, you promote the book on your blog and I'll donate a percentage of each book to the Morrisville School District. How bout it?
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Director of Pupil Personnel Services":
I'm sorry "save the school." I don't mean your blog is trash but just some of the comments on it. Yes I'm looking in a mirror and am guilty of occasional trash writing. It's just irritating when people criticize and name call without doing one spec of research. As much as I diaagree with Jon and Borows who may slant things, but they do their homework and I have to respect that. As for you "save the school." You may be on to a brillant thought. We may not agree on everything but business is bsiness and you got the blog and I got the book. How about after it's ready and you've reviewed it and determined that IT IS NOT MORRISVILLE SCHOOL BASHING, you promote the book on your blog and I'll donate a percentage of each book to the Morrisville School District. How bout it?
Greenland Update
No real news just yet. The Arkansas Dept. of Education isn't announcing anything until mid-July, but the surrounding districts are already scrambling to assess the impact. This is what Pennsbury and any other targeted potential pasture for our farmed high school students is doing.
This is a great quote: "It may come down to where it doesn't matter what any of the school districts want," said Tim Helder, the board president. "The state board may just tell us how it's going to be."
Yup. That's pretty much the way it will go.
West Fork Board Considers Financial Impact Of Greenland
Surrounding School Districts Awaiting State's Decision
Last updated Thursday, June 19, 2008 9:54 PM CDT in News
By Bob Caudle
The Morning News
WEST FORK - Greenland School District's financial woes are not confined just to Greenland.
Diane Barrett, the superintendent of West Fork schools, said a preliminary look at absorbing certified staff members from Greenland and bringing them up to the West Fork school salary schedule would cost about $1 million.
"Those are just rough figures," Barrett stressed.
Greenland school officials received a letter from state department of education June 13 informing them the school district faces being dissolved because of fiscal distress.
The West Fork School Board met in special session Thursday night to discuss the impact on West Fork if the Arkansas Board of Education annexes Greenland schools into contiguous school districts.
Barrett told the board she doesn't have sound financial figures yet, and there's no guarantee West Fork would be the only school forced to take Greenland staff members and students.
The Department of Education recommended to the Board of Education to immediately annex Greenland schools into another geographically contiguous school district. The other schools mentioned by the department as possible destinations for Greenland students are Fayetteville, Elkins, Farmington, Mountainburg and Prairie Grove.
Greenland will have a chance to appeal the recommendation at a meeting of the state school board at 9 a.m. July 14. The contiguous school districts also can attend the meeting to present a case on whether they want Greenland schools.
"It may come down to where it doesn't matter what any of the school districts want," said Tim Helder, the board president. "The state board may just tell us how it's going to be."
Helder said the best outcome would be for Greenland to win its appeal and be able to keep its school.
"Maybe Greenland can present information at the appeal hearing that shows they've gotten their ducks in a row," Helder said. "We do have empathy for what Greenland's going through."
Barrett said she participated in a Thursday morning meeting with superintendents of the other contiguous schools.
"The consensus seemed to be the board will look at things geographically," Barrett said. "We have to look at the financial impact. But we don't know if the board is going to consider that."
About 15 people attended the meeting, including two Winslow patrons, Leta McGuire and Velma Duncan.
Both are members of the Winslow City Council, and both expressed bitterness about the closing of Winslow schools after Winslow was forced to annex and chose Greenland.
Duncan said Winslow residents don't want even to consider going to Fayetteville.
"We don't want Fayetteville's tax base and they don't want us because it's too far to bus us," Duncan said. "We'd petitioned Greenland to just let us go since they blamed this whole mess on us. But they wouldn't listen."
Duncan said West Fork already has about 80 percent of former Winslow students after Greenland closed Winslow schools.
Helder said the West Fork School Board will meet again, tentatively at 6 p.m. June 27. Any input from West Fork on the Greenland annexation must be into the state board by noon June 30, Barrett said.
"We need to meet when you have figures you're comfortable with and listen to your recommendation," Helder told Barrett.
This is a great quote: "It may come down to where it doesn't matter what any of the school districts want," said Tim Helder, the board president. "The state board may just tell us how it's going to be."
Yup. That's pretty much the way it will go.
West Fork Board Considers Financial Impact Of Greenland
Surrounding School Districts Awaiting State's Decision
Last updated Thursday, June 19, 2008 9:54 PM CDT in News
By Bob Caudle
The Morning News
WEST FORK - Greenland School District's financial woes are not confined just to Greenland.
Diane Barrett, the superintendent of West Fork schools, said a preliminary look at absorbing certified staff members from Greenland and bringing them up to the West Fork school salary schedule would cost about $1 million.
"Those are just rough figures," Barrett stressed.
Greenland school officials received a letter from state department of education June 13 informing them the school district faces being dissolved because of fiscal distress.
The West Fork School Board met in special session Thursday night to discuss the impact on West Fork if the Arkansas Board of Education annexes Greenland schools into contiguous school districts.
Barrett told the board she doesn't have sound financial figures yet, and there's no guarantee West Fork would be the only school forced to take Greenland staff members and students.
The Department of Education recommended to the Board of Education to immediately annex Greenland schools into another geographically contiguous school district. The other schools mentioned by the department as possible destinations for Greenland students are Fayetteville, Elkins, Farmington, Mountainburg and Prairie Grove.
Greenland will have a chance to appeal the recommendation at a meeting of the state school board at 9 a.m. July 14. The contiguous school districts also can attend the meeting to present a case on whether they want Greenland schools.
"It may come down to where it doesn't matter what any of the school districts want," said Tim Helder, the board president. "The state board may just tell us how it's going to be."
Helder said the best outcome would be for Greenland to win its appeal and be able to keep its school.
"Maybe Greenland can present information at the appeal hearing that shows they've gotten their ducks in a row," Helder said. "We do have empathy for what Greenland's going through."
Barrett said she participated in a Thursday morning meeting with superintendents of the other contiguous schools.
"The consensus seemed to be the board will look at things geographically," Barrett said. "We have to look at the financial impact. But we don't know if the board is going to consider that."
About 15 people attended the meeting, including two Winslow patrons, Leta McGuire and Velma Duncan.
Both are members of the Winslow City Council, and both expressed bitterness about the closing of Winslow schools after Winslow was forced to annex and chose Greenland.
Duncan said Winslow residents don't want even to consider going to Fayetteville.
"We don't want Fayetteville's tax base and they don't want us because it's too far to bus us," Duncan said. "We'd petitioned Greenland to just let us go since they blamed this whole mess on us. But they wouldn't listen."
Duncan said West Fork already has about 80 percent of former Winslow students after Greenland closed Winslow schools.
Helder said the West Fork School Board will meet again, tentatively at 6 p.m. June 27. Any input from West Fork on the Greenland annexation must be into the state board by noon June 30, Barrett said.
"We need to meet when you have figures you're comfortable with and listen to your recommendation," Helder told Barrett.
Orange and Black Uniforms?
It looks like Pennsbury may be the next district to go for school uniforms. Maybe orange and black aren't the best combination...Can you imagine celebrating Halloween year round?
District mulls uniform policy
By MANASEE WAGH
Fretting over what to wear to school could become a thing of the past for Pennsbury High School students starting in fall 2009. That is, if a budding idea for a mandatory uniform policy bears fruit by the end of the coming school year.
A few board members and parents expressed an interest in having students wear some kind of uniform, said Gregory Lucidi, school board president.
“Mainly it’s the idea of dress appropriateness in schools. In high school, there are many instances of inappropriate dress,” he said, adding that a generic dress code for all students would also eliminate any gang-related dress.
Quickly identifying people who don’t belong in the schools is another benefit, said Lucidi, who’s been thinking about a dress policy for some time but hadn’t brought it up earlier because the board had been busy with more pressing items, like the budget.
Over the summer, the administration is going to look at creating a committee to study the issue, said Lucidi. “We’d like it to be mostly parents. That would be our first focus,” he said.
Having student representatives on the committee might be a possibility as well.
If the board approves forming the committee in September, it would give the members three to four months to come up with recommendations.
Lucidi said he’s discussed the issue with some parents, all of whom love the idea. On the other hand, students with whom he’s broached the subject aren’t too keen on wearing the same thing to school day after day.
Lucidi said he has nothing specific in mind that he believes students should wear.
“I’d like to see something generic they could purchase anywhere. It’s less expensive to dress in uniform every day than to buy children the clothes they want to wear to school.”
Khakis and a golf shirt for boys, with flexibility in garment colors, for example.
Other districts have instituted uniform policies in the past year. School Lane Charter School in Bensalem started a policy in 2007, while Bristol’s board implemented a procedure for Warren Snyder-John Girotti Elementary School students to wear uniforms, though it’s not an official policy.
A voluntary uniform policy for Bristol Township students will start in its nine elementary schools in September, and Morrisville is also considering a school uniform policy to begin in the fall.
Lucidi believes students would be better off if they stay away from risqué and unsuitable outfits. “It would also help with esteem issues. This way everybody’s equal.”
District mulls uniform policy
By MANASEE WAGH
Fretting over what to wear to school could become a thing of the past for Pennsbury High School students starting in fall 2009. That is, if a budding idea for a mandatory uniform policy bears fruit by the end of the coming school year.
A few board members and parents expressed an interest in having students wear some kind of uniform, said Gregory Lucidi, school board president.
“Mainly it’s the idea of dress appropriateness in schools. In high school, there are many instances of inappropriate dress,” he said, adding that a generic dress code for all students would also eliminate any gang-related dress.
Quickly identifying people who don’t belong in the schools is another benefit, said Lucidi, who’s been thinking about a dress policy for some time but hadn’t brought it up earlier because the board had been busy with more pressing items, like the budget.
Over the summer, the administration is going to look at creating a committee to study the issue, said Lucidi. “We’d like it to be mostly parents. That would be our first focus,” he said.
Having student representatives on the committee might be a possibility as well.
If the board approves forming the committee in September, it would give the members three to four months to come up with recommendations.
Lucidi said he’s discussed the issue with some parents, all of whom love the idea. On the other hand, students with whom he’s broached the subject aren’t too keen on wearing the same thing to school day after day.
Lucidi said he has nothing specific in mind that he believes students should wear.
“I’d like to see something generic they could purchase anywhere. It’s less expensive to dress in uniform every day than to buy children the clothes they want to wear to school.”
Khakis and a golf shirt for boys, with flexibility in garment colors, for example.
Other districts have instituted uniform policies in the past year. School Lane Charter School in Bensalem started a policy in 2007, while Bristol’s board implemented a procedure for Warren Snyder-John Girotti Elementary School students to wear uniforms, though it’s not an official policy.
A voluntary uniform policy for Bristol Township students will start in its nine elementary schools in September, and Morrisville is also considering a school uniform policy to begin in the fall.
Lucidi believes students would be better off if they stay away from risqué and unsuitable outfits. “It would also help with esteem issues. This way everybody’s equal.”
Schools News Around the Blogosphere
Subjects, Verbs and Disagreement
Washington Post
By Linton Weeks
Survey finds that Internet language and text-messaging abbreviations are seeping into academic writing, worrying scholars that the death of the English sentence is looming.
'Two Million Minutes' suggests it's time to improve U.S. education
Los Angeles Times
A Memphis entrepreneur's documentary compares high-achieving students from India, China and America. It has drawn mixed reactions from academics. That conversation launched Compton, 52, of Memphis, Tenn., on a mission. As both an entrepreneur and the father of 14- and 16-year-old girls, he wanted to know what schools in other countries were doing that American schools weren't, and why the United States performed so miserably on international student comparisons.
Study Finds Little Benefit in New SAT
New York Times
By TAMAR LEWIN
The revamped SAT, expanded three years ago to include a writing test, predicts college success no better than the old test, according to studies by the College Board, which owns the test.
Many states watch - and like - Florida's education policy
St. Petersburg Times
By Ron Matus
Florida is No. 1 in the nation in vouchers. It's No. 2 in charter school enrollment. It's No. 4 in the percentage of high school students passing college-level exams.
Predicting success, preventing failure
San Francisco Chronicle
Julian Betts, Andrew Zau
After the sounds of "Pomp and Circumstance" have faded, Californians will find out just how many high school seniors actually graduated this year. A significant number will be denied diplomas because they failed the California High School Exit Exam.
Washington Post
By Linton Weeks
Survey finds that Internet language and text-messaging abbreviations are seeping into academic writing, worrying scholars that the death of the English sentence is looming.
'Two Million Minutes' suggests it's time to improve U.S. education
Los Angeles Times
A Memphis entrepreneur's documentary compares high-achieving students from India, China and America. It has drawn mixed reactions from academics. That conversation launched Compton, 52, of Memphis, Tenn., on a mission. As both an entrepreneur and the father of 14- and 16-year-old girls, he wanted to know what schools in other countries were doing that American schools weren't, and why the United States performed so miserably on international student comparisons.
Study Finds Little Benefit in New SAT
New York Times
By TAMAR LEWIN
The revamped SAT, expanded three years ago to include a writing test, predicts college success no better than the old test, according to studies by the College Board, which owns the test.
Many states watch - and like - Florida's education policy
St. Petersburg Times
By Ron Matus
Florida is No. 1 in the nation in vouchers. It's No. 2 in charter school enrollment. It's No. 4 in the percentage of high school students passing college-level exams.
Predicting success, preventing failure
San Francisco Chronicle
Julian Betts, Andrew Zau
After the sounds of "Pomp and Circumstance" have faded, Californians will find out just how many high school seniors actually graduated this year. A significant number will be denied diplomas because they failed the California High School Exit Exam.
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