From the BCCT.
Supervisors approve modular classrooms
But one supervisor accused the Pennsbury School District of “crazy spending” and said they were unnecessary.
By CHRISTIAN MENNO
The Pennsbury School District hopes to have two modular classrooms for art and music classes up and running at Fallsington Elementary by mid-October.
The Falls supervisors last week approved, by a 3-2 vote, a land development waiver to install the structures, which will be transported from Oxford Valley Elementary.
Supervisors Robert Harvie, James Prokopiak and Jonathan Snipes voted in favor. Dorothy Vislosky and Phillip Szupka voted no.
The school district’s director of physical plant and facilities, Tom Gillette, said the installation would cost about $507,000. He called the modular classrooms a more cost-effective measure than a permanent addition to the school’s main building, which, he said, would cost upward of $1.5 million.
A covered walkway will connect the main building to the modular classrooms to protect students from the elements, Gillette added.
Though the modulars were used by Oxford Valley for 19 years, Gillette said their solid wood construction makes them as sturdy and durable as a house.
“I’d expect them to last a long, long time,” he said at the Aug. 19 Falls meeting.
Vislosky disputed the necessity of the modulars and chided the school board for what she called its “crazy spending.”
“I think the $500,000 price tag is insanity,” Vislosky said Monday. “The school administration and the school board better learn the difference between need and want. This is taxpayers’ money.”
On Monday, Gillette described the modulars’ cost as “barebones,” and said the extra space will allow for a “muchneeded” computer lab to be built in the school’s main building.
School board member Linda Palsky defended the project.
“We have people running classes in small cubby holes and sometimes doubling up,” she said Monday. “These classrooms will allow Fallsington to service its students in the proper way. This is not something we just came up with. This was part of a long-range plan to utilize our assets. I understand the concerns, but these modulars are absolutely necessary.”
Palsky, a member of the facilities committee, said the price was well within the normal range for such a job.
Prokopiak said he understands some taxpayers might oppose such additions, but the school district was well within its rights to develop its own land.
“As long as the project adheres to our ordinances and does not interfere with the health, safety and wellness of our residents, then it should be approved,” he said Monday. “If there were issues with, say, storm water management, then that would be different.
“The school district is telling us they need the space due to overcrowding and that this is the most cost-effective way to go about it. As long as they’ve met all the criteria, I felt I had to approve it.”
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Scavenger Hunt!
From the BCCT.
Towns to host giant scavenger hunt
The event will showcase the “tremendous historic and cultural assets” of the boroughs.
By DANNY ADLER
A local revitalization effort will hold its first big event next month featuring the four Landmark Towns of Bucks County — Bristol, Morrisville, Yardley and New Hope.
The Landmark Towns, a project of the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, is preparing for a “ravenchase” — somewhat of a scavenger hunt using riddles, anagrams, puzzles, planted actors, gadgets and ciphers leading to a secret end location. The Great Delaware Canal Chase, a joint effort by Landmark Towns and Ravenchase Adventures, leads participants throughout the four towns by car to solve the codes and learn a bit about American history. Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams.
“We’re really hoping to attract visitors to the downtowns in the four communities through a really fun activity. Participants will most likely stop along the way and visit a retail store or restaurant that they may otherwise not have the opportunity to do,” said Donna Boone, Landmark Towns’ regional main street coordinator.
The event begins at 10 a.m. Sept. 13. Tickets are $50 per player or $150 per car (up to six people). For more information or to register for the event, visit www.ravenchase.com.
Landmark Towns is not using the event to raise funds, but to raise friends, Boone said. Any proceeds, which she said will be negligible after expenses, go directly to the event organizer at Ravenchase.
“We determined that it is more important at this time to raise awareness about the tremendous historic and cultural assets these communities have to offer,” Boone said.
The Landmark Towns of Bucks County initiative started several years ago trying to convince the waterfront boroughs of Bristol, Morrisville, Yardley and New Hope to sign on and commit to the project.
The hopes were to preserve each borough’s historic resources, enhance their local economies and brand the riverfront towns as destinations.
In more than two years, all four boroughs have committed to the project, and the state has chipped in money for transporta tion efforts to link the towns and to hire a regional coordinator.
Towns to host giant scavenger hunt
The event will showcase the “tremendous historic and cultural assets” of the boroughs.
By DANNY ADLER
A local revitalization effort will hold its first big event next month featuring the four Landmark Towns of Bucks County — Bristol, Morrisville, Yardley and New Hope.
The Landmark Towns, a project of the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, is preparing for a “ravenchase” — somewhat of a scavenger hunt using riddles, anagrams, puzzles, planted actors, gadgets and ciphers leading to a secret end location. The Great Delaware Canal Chase, a joint effort by Landmark Towns and Ravenchase Adventures, leads participants throughout the four towns by car to solve the codes and learn a bit about American history. Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams.
“We’re really hoping to attract visitors to the downtowns in the four communities through a really fun activity. Participants will most likely stop along the way and visit a retail store or restaurant that they may otherwise not have the opportunity to do,” said Donna Boone, Landmark Towns’ regional main street coordinator.
The event begins at 10 a.m. Sept. 13. Tickets are $50 per player or $150 per car (up to six people). For more information or to register for the event, visit www.ravenchase.com.
Landmark Towns is not using the event to raise funds, but to raise friends, Boone said. Any proceeds, which she said will be negligible after expenses, go directly to the event organizer at Ravenchase.
“We determined that it is more important at this time to raise awareness about the tremendous historic and cultural assets these communities have to offer,” Boone said.
The Landmark Towns of Bucks County initiative started several years ago trying to convince the waterfront boroughs of Bristol, Morrisville, Yardley and New Hope to sign on and commit to the project.
The hopes were to preserve each borough’s historic resources, enhance their local economies and brand the riverfront towns as destinations.
In more than two years, all four boroughs have committed to the project, and the state has chipped in money for transporta tion efforts to link the towns and to hire a regional coordinator.
BCTHS Budget Discussion Set
From the BCCT
Tech school to host funding discussion
Posted in News on Monday, August 25th, 2008 at 11:35 pm by Joan Hellyer
Area school district officials will meet with Bucks County Technical High School staff in September to examine how much it costs to educate each of the school’s students, BCTHS officials said tonight.
During the student-related cost review, officials will try to determine if changes need to be made to the funding formula used to operate the comprehensive technical high school off Wistar Road in Bristol Township.
Business managers, superintendents and joint school board members of the six sending districts are invited to attend the Sept. 17 discussion, said Administrative Director Scott Parks at the tech school’s joint board committee meeting tonight.
The business managers previously suggested the districts stop sharing special education costs, as they do now. Districts would pay for the often times costly special needs expenses based on actual student usage, the managers suggested.
But joint board committee members decided to look at all student-related costs before they make any changes to the funding formula.
The cost review originally was supposed to take place during the summer break, but could not be arranged because of scheduling conflicts, BCTHS officials said.
The Sept. 17 discussion begins at noon in the boardroom of the tech school that serves approximately 1,500 students from the Bensalem, Bristol, Bristol Township, Morrisville, Neshaminy and Pennsbury school districts.
Tech school to host funding discussion
Posted in News on Monday, August 25th, 2008 at 11:35 pm by Joan Hellyer
Area school district officials will meet with Bucks County Technical High School staff in September to examine how much it costs to educate each of the school’s students, BCTHS officials said tonight.
During the student-related cost review, officials will try to determine if changes need to be made to the funding formula used to operate the comprehensive technical high school off Wistar Road in Bristol Township.
Business managers, superintendents and joint school board members of the six sending districts are invited to attend the Sept. 17 discussion, said Administrative Director Scott Parks at the tech school’s joint board committee meeting tonight.
The business managers previously suggested the districts stop sharing special education costs, as they do now. Districts would pay for the often times costly special needs expenses based on actual student usage, the managers suggested.
But joint board committee members decided to look at all student-related costs before they make any changes to the funding formula.
The cost review originally was supposed to take place during the summer break, but could not be arranged because of scheduling conflicts, BCTHS officials said.
The Sept. 17 discussion begins at noon in the boardroom of the tech school that serves approximately 1,500 students from the Bensalem, Bristol, Bristol Township, Morrisville, Neshaminy and Pennsbury school districts.
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